Everything Else – Page 5

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Last night at dinner, I made a wish (it was 31st my birthday) and blew out my candle. I always have a hard time with wishes, so I took my time. In my mind this time, I thought about what I want to accomplish this year, where I see myself next year, but in the end, I just wished it’s a good one. I always end up doing this. I cannot explain some of the good things that have happened to me, but I have settled on prepared luck.

Here’s to the next year full of preparation, hard work and a bit of luck!

Why Healthcare is so Important

While many of the articles on my feed reader this morning are pertaining to the government shutdown (because one party won’t stop their hissy fit about the Affordable Care Act), I am going to highlight one article about healthcare that probably will be overlooked today.

My awareness of public health issues is not all that great honestly; however, while presenting at the Graduate Student Summit this past spring, another presenter discussed his research regarding the Pertussis (whooping cough). He said whooping cough was appearing not only in the lowest income groups, but was almost eclipsed by the middle and upper income groups.

He noted access to services or transportation to services for the lower income groups as potential causes for not receiving the vaccines and following doses to provide immunity. For the other group, the one of middle and upper income, he noted research against vaccinating the children was the cause.

I was shocked. First, wouldn’t the disease be worse than the risk of vaccination? Second, whooping cough is happening?! Still?!

The next week I get a letter from Kari’s school. A child in the school had come down with whooping cough. Wow.

While few adults die from whooping cough, it does present a great risk to babies, children and people with compromised health.

Here is a link to the article on Boing Boing about why new parents need to be vaccinated. Also I suggest reading the linked article from that article.

In spite of the government shutdown, Obamacare still goes into effect today. Go get vaccinated!

Welcome to the First Wives Club

Well, it’s official. My husband has a new woman in his life. Meet Bonnie. There are pictures of her all over his Facebook.

This one is from when he took her to his old college.

They have went on many dates together.

He has taken her on long rides to wineries.

Bought her new accessories.

Even fiddled with her nuts and bolts.

He’s even bought a new outfit to wear on their dates.

And now she sits naked in my garage. She doesn’t even have the respect to put her cover on!

At least I can say my Father’s Day present to Chris was a good investment. 🙂

Where were you?

Last night before bed I had Kari pick out her outfit as always. I told her it was red, white and blue day at school tomorrow. This morning, after getting dressed, I asked her if she knew why today was red, white and blue day at school. She said, “For Patriot Day and Remembrance.” I then asked her if she knew why. She didn’t. I told her on September 11, 2001, some people did a bad thing. They crashed airplanes with people inside. Two were crashed into a very busy building in New York and one the passengers fought the bad people and crashed it into a field in Pennsylvania so no one else would be injured.

Kari then asked me, “Where were you?” I thought this was an appropriate question from Kari, as she was worried I was close to the action, but I am shocked about all the “Where were you?” hashtags, etc. floating about on Twitter and other social media platforms.

Yes, where we were is something that is etched in all of our minds, but on this day, I choose not to remember where I was, but the shock I felt. The shock that a human being could wish to injure other human beings. Remember what you felt on this day, those who were lost and those who lost.

Because I think I am hilarious…

Here is my email I sent to IESI Waste Management:

I reside at address. Each spring I sign up for yard waste service. Each spring I am told my start date, and then the debris is not collected. I then phone to remind of the pickup. Each time I am told to phone by 7 pm that day to remind of the missed pickup. I work full time, attend grad school, and run a non-profit. I was not aware that I was on the payroll at IESI. I don’t have time to phone every service I use to remind them of their part in the contract.

When I phoned today to see if the start date of my service could be adjusted to the actual date my debris was collected, I was told that if I do not phone within 48 hours of the missed pickup an adjustment will not be made.

While I am used to the level of service provided by waste companies in the area, this by far was the most offensive policy I have heard yet. I as a customer should not be told how I need to be more diligent about reminding your company to uphold its piece of the contract.

Sincerely,

Jackie Koerner

Text Later, Save Lives

Texting and driving didn’t used to be a thing. While inattention while driving is not something new, cell phones have added to the list of distractions one could have while driving. Driving is a great responsibility and inattention should be limited where possible. Sometimes fussy children and sunlight in your eyes can’t be helped, but chosen inattention can be.

This morning, being a sleepy morning, Kari missed the bus, which usually picks her up on our side of the street. I told her we would just go out and catch it on the way back.

Kari was crossing the street to get on the bus and someone failed to stop for her. The bus driver laid on the horn to get the driver to stop. I yanked Kari out of the street. The driver slammed on her brakes. She stopped 2 feet from where Kari had just been.

What was the cause of her inattention? She was texting.

Too often lately have I seen people driving and texting. Always can I tell when someone is texting and driving, because, frankly, they are driving terribly. This includes not signaling for turns or lane changes, swerving in lane, braking at nothing, etc.

If communicating on the phone is more important than operating a large object speeding through space and time, pull over. It’s that simple. Pull over. By the simple act of making a choice to not text while driving and pull over if it is something dire, you are saving lives. I applaud you.

To those of you who think it will never happen to you, it will. Or perhaps it has. Maybe you have caused an accident but were too absorbed in texting to notice. The driver this morning was too absorbed to notice a stopped school bus with flashing lights and a child in the street. Please don’t let a text cost you your life, because this morning it nearly cost me the reason for mine.

Rights and Responsibilities

For those of you who know me personally, you’ll find it no surprise about how affect I have been by this most recent massacre. My favorite things in life include children and teaching and my strongest opinions are about gun control.

For those of you who do not know my daughter, Kari, she is 6, nearly 7. She is beautiful, funny, intelligent, and one of my favorite people in the whole world. She loves animals and wants to study their behavior. Her favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs. Dancing and soccer make her top ten.

All of those children killed on Friday were 6 or 7. All of them were exactly like Kari: full of energy, fun and happiness. I could not imagine. I still hope to wake from this horrid reality of what is. I cannot understand what constitutional right can overrule this wrong.

I will never in my life touch a gun. I have no desire to touch an object that is specifically designed for ending another life. To the argument is that shooting is a sport: that may be. Yet one cannot argue with the inherent design of a gun. It is designed to kill.

Last night, Kari clung to me, scared to go to school today. I explained to her that this likely wouldn’t happen at her school and Connecticut is very far away. To that she replied, “Mom, guns are all over.” Amazing how easily children figure out our biggest problems.

Pro-gun individuals are all about guns it seems regardless of the lives lost, statistics and the overall reality. See this report from the Onion. Pro-gun individuals’ biggest worry is not trusting the government or the police. Yes, because we live in a third world war torn country where the issues in a democracy are best solved with brute force. I honestly ask pro-gun people: How many times in your life have you actually had an instance where you were oppressed or otherwise and a gun would have made that situation better? Let me fill this in for you. It’s a very minute portion and likely you’re not in it.

I am sick over this. I cannot express enough how much I hate guns and the lack of gun control in our country and our overall total disregard for life. We are an embarrassment. Our children our being killed yet we still hold dear our “government-protected right to own a portable device that propels small masses of metal through the air at lethal rates of speed.”

Americans generally have always had a few things backwards forcing not participants to participate in their choices: smoking, drunk driving, guns, etc. I live in one of the most dangerous cities in America. Our news should just be called the obits. I know about violence and how absolutely senseless crimes occur out of emotion. When people have access to lethal weapons when in such emotional states, crimes occur. Maybe you don’t run around shooting your gun, but, honestly, what practical reason do you have for carrying a gun? Don’t tell me it is for fantasized heroics. That doesn’t do it for me.

Please allow this tragic string of massacres and overall gun violence be a call to everyone to take an issue with gun control in America.

See more objective and rational information at kottke.org.

Living by Someone Else’s Beliefs

Under Health Law, ‘No-Cost’ Birth Control Starts Today

Unless you work for an organization with a religious affiliation, which now have a 1 year pass while an agreement is in the works.

But, wait! Now if you work for any organization who claims to run according to Catholic beliefs, you might be out of luck, per one Colorado court.

My wonder is how many of those beliefs only include contraception. Are the courts going to make the owners only claim this violates their beliefs? Hopefully, they will make them prove they follow more of the faith than just the debate over birth control.

Real Beauty

While many have debated both campaigns, both have their good points and their bad. For one, the VS campaign only shows fit/thin women. These women, while not the majority of women out there, do work hard at their body for their job. They are women, yes, but they do not define the majority I have to argue.

With that being said, neither does the Dove campaign. I don’t see a true variety in either picture. I’d like to see a real size spectrum – short, tall, thin, thick and athletic.

Early Morning Koerner Commentary on Corporate America

Chris touching the Rescue iPad.

Jackie: Don’t touch the iPad.

Chris: I am IT. I can do whatever I want.

Jackie: No, you can’t.

Chris: I’m calling HR.

Jackie: I am HR.

Chris: Let me get my HR representative. Picks up Kit Kit.

Jackie goes downstairs to iron clothes.

Kit Kit jumps down from Chris’ arms and follows Jackie.

Jackie: I buy your HR with kibbles.