Can't Suppress It
Don’t forget to read the post below this, which is new, too.
I just have to rant on this. I can’t stand it. I try not to rant too much on my blog any more, because I became aware at some point that that was mainly what I was using my blog for. This, however…this I cannot stay shut up about.
Illegal immigrants.
Oh my God.
Are they serious?
One time at a local amusement park, as a pre-teen, I shoplifted a key chain. The undercover security guard caught me and hauled my bottom to the security trailer. They called my parents and kicked me out of the park. My parents were very angry. They yelled at me and they grounded me. If my parents were illegal Mexican immigrants, however, I’m sure this scenario would have been very different. They probably would have yelled at the security guards for making me accountable for my illegal actions. They probably would have argued that breaking the law is no reason to get someone in trouble.
That’s all I’m going to say. I could really go on, it’s so annoying. I could rant about the “Day Without Mexicans” protest that caused me to not be able to go to my favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch, and how I have a hard time patronizing that restaurant now because they didn’t fire the workers who refused to come in. I could go on about the fact that my mother is an immigrant who did things the right way, even though it was an expensive pain in the bum for her. I could go on about how I think that illegal immigrants no matter what nationality (even my mother’s acquaintances who just never got back on the plane to Ireland) should have no rights in this country. I could go on about how these people should be taking a good look at their own culture, and figure out why they have the guts to protest the American government but don’t have the guts to change the Mexican government in order to make it a place that they would be able to live with basic needs. I could go on about how our government is bending over to a third world nation. I could go on about how the erosion of the middle class and the widening gap between the rich and the poor can be related to illegal immigrants taking jobs at much less pay than Americans would demand. I could go on about how much social services money is paid toward people who make no tax contribution. I could go on about how many children are being supported by the foster care system but are not legal citizens. I could go on about how mad it makes me that our government is even considering amnesty for such criminals when I still have to pay that $30 parking ticket because I didn’t feed the meter downtown until five minutes after it expired, and how I could actually get arrested for that.
Fortunately for everyone, I won’t go on.
Long Time Coming
Okay, so it’s been a long time since I blogged. Not that it matters, since I think only Shan and Pizzle read my blog. I thought I should update anyway, so I don’t end up in Shan’s graveyard. See, with my new job, I share a computer, so it’s a lot more difficult to while away time making a blog post. Since I don’t get home until 7 or 8 every night, I rarely have the desire to waste precious me-time on blogging.
New things…well, I began my new job, of course. It’s cool working for the government, although it most certainly makes me part of “the man.” I just started working my own cases this week, and now have a comfortable case load of 10. I should get a few more kids and then I’ll have a full caseload. It’s definitely an interesting change. My client base in foster care was kids who have already been pulled out of their homes, and my job duties were to help their families get them home. Now, I work with kids who are at risk for getting pulled out of the home, and my job duties are to work with the kids to manage the behaviors that may cause them to get pulled out. The families I used to work with were abusive or neglectful, but the families I work with now just don’t have the skills to deal with their childrens’ mental disorders. The families I used to work with had their children taken away against their wishes, but the families I work with now are at their wits ends and almost want the kids out of their homes. It’s definitely new. It’s also new that I am in charge of teaching these kids how to manage their behaviors. In my old job, I gave them consequences for their behaviors, but past that I would call in their worker from the mental health center. Now I am that worker, and when a child is having a psychological episode, I’m the one people call to help. I do think I’m going to like it just as much once I get into the swing of things. Oh, and I work a 4-day week now, so every Friday I get off. That is AWESOME.
More new things… I became an ordained minister. This may seem odd for a Catholic girl, but I assure you God takes no offense. I became ordained through Universal Life Ministries (after my little brother did it and I became jealous of his power). God doesn’t care because it’s not a real church, and I didn’t have to make a statement of belief or renunciation of my old church. Now I can seriously marry people. That’s creepy. Anyone need a minister? I’m cheap, I swear.
Further new things…Shan and I have decided not to move to the apartments in my previous post. They were a lot more demanding than any other apartment we’ve ever lived in, and that caused us to second-guess spending the money. After a couple of weeks of jumping through their hoops, we decided to just stay put. In one way, it’s disappointing because it would have been a beautiful place to live. In another way, it’s a very sound decision as the new place was very expensive and a lot smaller. At least now we’ll have tons of free money to through around that we’re not paying toward more rent.
Well, it’s becoming late in the morning and I must get moving for my lunch date. Let’s see…10am on a Friday…I got up at a nice leisurely 9am, had a cup of coffee, read the news, updated my blog, did my nails…yup, three day weekends rock. I wish I could have them every weekend. OH WAIT, I CAN.
