Better Late Than Never? Maybe.

Dude. Where to begin? I know I’m a bit of a flake when it comes to posting regular blogs,

** As evidenced by these two sentences and an incomplete sentence, which I started writing SIX DAYS AGO, I really do suck at being consistent when it comes to writing things that are not for work or school **

*** Here it is, the end of the month. I started writing this blog on the 12th of July. It’s now the 31st. Yet another failed attempt at trying to be consistent. ***

However, is it really a failure if I was able to work on a few things aside from what I was intending to complete? I am currently in my second to last course required for my MS in Clinical Psychology, with an added specialty of Applied Research. It feels like I have been chugging away in grad school for eons. One course after another that has nothing to do with my desired profession. Sometimes it just seems utterly pointless to throw money at a school that I really don’t feel has my best interest in mind. Heck, for crying out loud, I had to bring it to the attention of my previous professor that a fellow student had literally copied and pasted her discussion post directly from Wikipedia. Including the hyperlinks. Seriously. Then I had to remind my professor AGAIN a few weeks later that the same student was plagiarizing. However, I am nearing the end. Only one more course after I finish my current one. But, that begs the question, Then What?

I have a few ideas that I want to pursue. I currently work as a freelance writer, which allows me some flexibility in my schedule. This is how I have been able to walk the dogs for about 90 minutes total each day, which is good not only for them, but for myself too. Not only does walking help to tire out the pups, but walking, in conjunction with other measures, has allowed me to steadily lose weight, with my current loss standing at 91 pounds (41 kg) over the past two years.

As you can see, my days are quite busy. However, upon graduation, I will have a bit more time to explore additional avenues. One such possible venture will be able to be an outlet of sorts, while also using my academic achievements, as well as my personal achievements. Still a bit to figure out, but I will try to be a bit more consistent in sharing with you via my blog. You can also find me on Twitter and Instagram.

Let me know if you have any time management tips that you’d like to share. Also, feel free to share this blog on your social media sites. I’d love to hear from you!

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

As stated in the United States Declaration of Independence, there are three rights that are referred to as unalienable, yet many who reside in this country don’t experience the benefits of these rights. The right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness often are pushed to the background, in favor of lobbyists who have their own interests in mind, rather than the individuals whose lives are affected by the choices that are made behind closed doors, often with money changing hands. In effect, this is blood money, particularly in regards to the National Rifle Association, or NRA, which is one of the most influential lobbyists. The NRA spends a tremendous amount of money in order to defend the right for citizens to own weapons of mass destruction, while also working to reduce gun regulations, even when it comes to assault weapons. I don’t think that the Founding Fathers had this level of carnage-capable weapons in mind when they drafted the Amendments. According to recent figures, the NRA spends over $3.3 million annually trying to stop gun regulations, even when most of the registered gun owners in the United States support the use of expanded background checks and other proposed measures. 

Life: The opposite of death

How are people supposed to pursue life when there are bigwigs who are trying desperately to prevent this very thing from happening? People are dying due to the use of guns instead of common sense or effective conflict resolution skills. Sarah Winchester recognized the destruction of lives that were attributed to the Winchester rifle, going to the lengths of constantly building on the house in San Jose, CA in order to appease the spirits of those who died by the very thing that was named after her family. Why is it that she could recognize the death and destruction that is caused by the weapons that bear her namesake, but our current society appears to be blind to the issue? More accurately, the politicians, specifically the Republican party, prefer to have people armed to the gills, while also taking away or reducing access to mental and physical health care.

            Now, this isn’t a post against the Republicans or NRA per se, but more of a way to bring to light the “unalienable rights” that have been squashed by the power of the almighty dollar. When it comes to the pursuit of life, access to health care seems to be a no-brainer, but sadly, even with the recent introduction of the Affordable Care Act, many in this country lack access to sufficient or adequate care. While the rich are able to access any type of healthcare they may want or require, it is the poor who pay the price for the decisions made by those in power. As of February 2016, the Republicans have voted 63 times to limit access to health care services. Sixty three times. Although the Republicans have opposed this plan 63 times, they have yet to bring an alternative plan to the table. The changes wouldn’t affect them, but rather the millions of families that would lose any access they may currently have to the services that help them to sustain life. So, there goes the right to pursue life.

Liberty: Freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control

            Gee, does that sound familiar? In politics, this pertains to both the social and political freedoms that citizens of the United States hold. However, in light of the current political system, it doesn’t appear that this right is achievable. Our current presumptive nominees for the role of the President consist of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, even when other candidates have received higher voter turnouts. Why is it that the “superdelegates” play any type of role in our political system? What ever happened to every vote counting? Our political system appears to be more of a popularity contest, with the one with the most name recognition, winning, despite any of their views, history, or plans for the country.

            Now to the arbitrary government or control aspect...long ago, it was written that there is to be a separation between church and state, but it appears that too has been crossed out in many of the playbooks that our elected officials use to make decisions that affect the citizens who pay their salaries. Many states have placed the lives of those who they are supposed to represent at risk due to the rulings that have been made, often with quotes from the Bible intertwined with the legal standing. This can be seen in the fight against the right to access comprehensive medical care for women, protection for the LBGTQII community, and even legalizing the right for a business to refuse service or insurance coverage if they don’t agree with what’s at hand. There is not a war against Christianity, far from it. There is a war against equality.

Happiness: A mental or emotional state of well-being, defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.

            Now, here is where I will put my psychologist hat on. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, there are a few basic human needs that need to be met in order to obtain maximum psychological health and pursue happiness. These include physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and then the ability to self-actualize. Under the physiological needs, you will find food, water, and sleep. Now, let’s look at our current society. Are these needs being met? The answer is no, they are not, and they are not being met for millions of people residing in one of the richest countries in the world. How are we supposed to pursue happiness if we don’t know where our next meal is coming from or if we are going to have a safe place to sleep at night? How about clean water? One just has to look at the events that have taken place in Flint, Michigan, where in order to save a few bucks, the safety of the water and health of the residents were sent into jeopardy without their knowledge. Even more states have been affected by lead-tainted water, with some suggesting that approximately 20% of the water systems in the country have lead levels that trigger the alarm for a call to action.

            Okay, let’s move to safety, which is the second tier of the hierarchy of needs and is considered to be a basic need. This group includes the security of body, employment, resources, family, health, and property. Again, this basic need and requirement to strive or pursue happiness is not being met for millions of people who live in the United States. Rape, violence, outsourcing of jobs, splitting families up due to some biblical passage that is misconstrued in order to fit the needs of the conservatives, the blocking of access to medical care by the Republican party, and the overpriced housing market...this is just a small number of examples that support the idea that the safety aspect of the steps to pursue happiness are road blocked and inaccessible to millions of people.

            In conclusion, there appears to be a great divide between the haves and the have-nots, with the rift growing larger by the day. If these unalienable rights are supposed to be applicable to all, why are just the elites able to ensure that they have all of their needs met, while millions of people watch from afar, unable to have access to the same quality of life? I don’t pretend to have all of the answers, but I do think that instead of making the divide greater in our society, perhaps we need to build a bridge, instead of a wall. We need more peace, love, unity, and respect, not more wars, carnage, and hate. That’s just my 2¢ though. If you have any other suggestions, feel free to comment.

Steady in a Centrifuge

Yes, it has been a while since my last blog post, but life has a funny way of taking up time. Well, if it wasn't taking up time, I'd be dead. If by such a theory, then if life didn't take up time, am I writing this from beyond the living realm? Perhaps.

School is starting back up this week, and I find myself surrounded by nitwits...again. I often think I am a magnet for such individuals. I also have to attend a residency later this month, which will be a challenge. Not the topic, but rather the interaction I will be required to do with such twats. At least it will be more tolerable, as I have a reason to resist killing or flogging my classmates (or at least to be crafty enough to not get caught).

I made the trek successfully from Oregon to Texas, and am settling in nicely. I have never felt so supported, understood, and appreciated as I do here, which I feel fortunate (and sometimes not worthy). We have our happy, albeit dysfunctional, dog family, who aside from the occasional barking match, get along well. 

Work is picking up again, as just this week alone I have five projects due. It's nice to get back into my routine, as that is how I thrive the most. Some are able to tap into their creativity anywhere and anytime, but that is not my style. In order to write, I need a clear desk, some good audio entertainment to please my ears and stimulate my brain (usually BBC Radio 4, music, or even a Greg Proops podcast...aka "Proopcast"). Some good coffee and a snack are good additions too. By "good coffee," I don't mean some overpriced, over-commercialized trendy brew, but rather a quality bean, freshly ground, and brewed at home in my French press. It is so much better than drip coffee, and not as pretentious as "Starfucks."

Sometimes I think I am just going to school to obtain a piece of paper that will give my writing more credence, as I am not really a "people person," and have zero tolerance for potential clients who either complain about piddly crap or are stuck in the victim role (and happy there). I may be too harsh of a counselor for some clients.

Okay, back to work. Oh, and for any freelance writers out there in the blogosphere, I can recommend the Samsung Chromebook. While I still need to keep my old laptop for a few things (Grammar checking, language translation, and printing), it works well for my needs. It works fast, doesn't make my hands sweat by the heat that accompanies most laptops, and I don't have to worry about losing my work.

Another Experience to Add to my Life

Well, this weekend brought about another first for me…and I have learned from it too. I signed up through a temp agency to work at a “big box store” in a warehouse, working in the inbound department. What I did was basically sort and label boxes of things. On my feet for 12 hours, walking on concrete, unpacking pallets of boxes that came into the warehouse, throwing (literally) the boxes onto a conveyor belt, then for those items that did not have a “conveyable” sticker, I had to unroll the SKU and routing stickers, placing them on each package.

About halfway through the day, my body wanted to quit on me. There was mental fatigue as well as physical. I think the mental fatigue occurred due to so many ineffective methods being used and trying to make sense of it, which seemed to be illogical. And while I enjoy physical activity, I am not sure my back (with degenerative discs) would hold up for an extended period of time, sorting and throwing boxes that weighed between 20 and 60 pounds for about 34 hours per week.

I also didn’t like being cut off from the rest of the world, as I was not allowed to bring my cell phone with me onto the warehouse floor. It’s not that I would be busy texting or on Twitter, but I rather enjoy reading the news and knowing what’s going on. I also enjoy using my brain rather than relying on my body, especially if I can think of a better way to do something.

I realized after the first day that the job was not for me. I enjoy writing and research, as well as feeling that I have accomplished something at the end of the day. I didn’t get that feeling working at the warehouse. I do however, get that feeling when I write. Sure, there’s a bit of stress involved when you have to rely on yourself and the possibility that clients will need help on assignments and projects, but I find that to be a stress I can handle. I like the freedom it allows too. My writing jobs continue to roll in, and while I may not be able to become rich off of it right now, I enjoy it and it pays enough to address my needs.