peeved.

I'm a little peeved at the political memes that people keep posting on facebook because it just proves how shallow our political beliefs are in this country.

so  a friend posts a meme about San Francisco's minimum wage ($10+) and unemployment 6.8% (below california average of 9 point something).  Obviously correlating the high minimum wage to higher employment. well, I thought that was weird because I knew from a trip there, that Jill had told me that the City of San Francisco is 7 miles long, 7 miles wide and compromises of mostly businesses.  It was really expensive to live there so most people commuted to the city to work there.

so with help of another guy thinking that the meme was a little fishy, he did some research.  well, San Francisco - when the economy is *good*, will have an unemployment of about 3%.

well.  damn.

Another point that I research was my home town of torrance, has an unemployment rate of 5.3% the same year. Lower than the city of san francisco but no special minimum wage advantage.

well.  damn.

so the meme's message was proven false... but she keeps going on and on about living wages and higher minimum wage.  a friend of hers even claimed that everything will be better for ALL.  she had the audacity to say that 'in her opinion' franchise owners were not small business owners - no don't mind the fact that Mc Donald's franchisees need to own at least three restaurants to make a living for themselves.  I mean everyone knows that bending to the will of big business means you're evil and cruel.  she even linked an article from a progressive think tank (errm... bias some?) that minimum wage would not hurt businesses.

so I did more research because I don't trust a progressive website to have balanced news coverage.  so I look on CBS news.  OH oh.  well,  raising minimum wage does not hurt businesses, hurt the economy by stagnating hiring.  Also another blow to their argument was that I learned that the earned income tax credit was there to actually OFFSET the minimum wage staying low (thus putting the burden on tax payers) for people making less than 45,000.  I'm not sure if these people even know what the ETIC is for (it is really thought to be a better way to infuse income to low income families without raising the minimum wage).

well.  damn.


of course after I had made these points, she still did not admit the picture was wrong.  the meme continues to be shared by people who believe that raising the minimum wage would have no consequence on how they live, backed by a slew of bias websites. 

I don't really care if you do think that raising the minimum wage would be good even if it does stagnate the economy some because it'll be good in the long run.  that's your educated opinion you are entitled to but to spew bullshit like 'raising the minimum wage will benefit ALL'.... that's got to STOP.  STOP saying that, stop BELIEVING that.  life isn't that simple.  only if it was - we'd have world peace.

I just wish people would take more responsibility for the information they share.

daily

moo contemplates doing something productive
bean wants to be with moo
bean wants up
bean wants to use the computer
moo leaves bean on chair to play with computer
bean wants to be with moo
moo lets bean down
bean wants up
bean wants to use the computer
moo leaves bean on chair to pl....

lesson learned: don't contemplate doing something productive. 

so I have 78 post and 47 drafts of blog posts.

I do sit down to put my thoughts in to words.

so my last 5 musings have been this:

Chris Dorner.

I'm really sad it had to come to this, but I do understand where it's coming from.  I remember watching the news during the 92 riots.  my grandfather lost his liquor store overnight.  it was looted, and burned to the ground.  Do I blame the LAPD?  Maybe.  I don't know.  I was secretly rooting for the guy.  Even though what he did was absolutely wrong and reprehensible, I do think his actions said a lot.  I remember when Paul decided to join the military, he said "(after 9/11) I couldn't just sit there and do nothing."  There are days when I feel like that too, but I sit there and do nothing.  my husband has answered that call to duty. for Chris Dorner to take a stand, for him to not just sit there and do nothing - I know that it must have taken a lot of courage.

Elimination communication.

there have been good days and bad days.  mostly bad, but I can't believe it's 'working'.

breastfeeding support.

I had started a post about my grandfather who had been very pivotal in me successfully breastfeeding zilla.  I think I am going to go back and finish it.

 anniversary.

13 years ago paul and I became a couple at the local pizza hut.  wow.  13 years.  in numbers it seems so big yet in reality it doesn't feel long at all.

Project Igloo 2013

One of the things I really want to accomplish while I live here in alaska, is to build an igloo either this winter or the next.  

Kids.

wtf kids.

first you urge our team to surrender - MULTIPLE TIMES because you're team is full of noobs, idiots, etc.

when we refused (paul and i), the team because cohesive (rly? ya, rly!) because I guess they didn't really want to lose, but quitting is TOTALLY ok.

we were about to win and the other team surrendered.

the lesson learned is...

our team: I'm FUCKING THE BEST!! I CARRIED THE TEAM SUCKAS!!!!
their team: we would've won but we had a disconnect /crycry

*facepalm*

2012 is gone

happy new year. 

2013 has been on for 5 days already but I never find the time to blog about anything.  It got really warm over the new year (above freezing!), and times were spent happily outside sledding.   the temps are mild now as opposed to the month of november and december.  interestingly it wasn't that bad.  I don't really know how to explain it.  I was about the type 'horrible months of....' but looking back, it was just cold, foggy, and smoggy.  hm... just like some days in LA!  LOL.

we didn't have anyone over nor did we go anywhere for new years and it was quite fantastic.  Usually at this time of year I am stresses to the max with planning something at the house or running around town going to get togethers.  this year we just decided to stay home and eat some (ok three pounds of) alaskan red king crab.  it was sooo good I don't think I could ever eat any other kind of crab anywhere else again.  not even at the redondo pier. 

it was a fabulous way to ring in the new year.

we had a power outage that lasted an hour tonight.  it was the closest I ever came to a 'survival situation'.  as silly it might sound, its quite a possibility during the winter here in fairbanks.  several things I wanted to make a note of and blog! 

so the lights go off and I am freaking out... then I realize I have a flashlight app on my phone.
I am so glad that my sister told me about it.  at the time I thought it was the most ridiculous thing.  who would need something like that ever?  well.  it came in handy today!  I have the flashlight XT for windows phone.  P has DLed as well for his iPhone.  it makes your camera flash in to a flashlight!  of course you should have real flashlights with batteries but for that moment, it does a great job. 

don't panic.

sure its easy for anyone to say that, but when its -20 outside and you don't have power you might just panic.  it was really hard for me to not break down and cry.  I kept asking zilla if he was cold, if he was scared, if he was panicked.  truth was I was scared.  I was slowly getting cold, and I was on the verge of panic.  I wanted to pack the car and drive off somewhere warm.  at least we have heat in the car. we have a full tank. GET OUT OF HERE!!! is the only thing I could think of but I've watched a lot of survivorman to know that that could be the worst think you can do.  stay calm.  take your time and asses the situation so you know where to take your kids and the pets if the power doesn't come back on.

OMG.  the PETS.

in my panic, I had complete forgotten about them.  I would have left them or put them in to the car and realized that I had to stay in the car with them instead of going to a store or something where it would be warmer.  after realizing this, I went upstairs since it was getting colder downstairs to calm down and rethink things.  I sat there and kept zilla occupied (bean was asleep through the whole thing) then I felt the temperature upstairs equalize for a moment and it wasn't getting cold as quickly as I thought it was going to get. 

by the time I was done thinking and assessing 45 minutes had passed.  15 minutes later as I was nagging zilla to put some socks on because he was getting restless, the power came back on.

the most important thing I have left for last though.  I am thankful for my friends who voiced concern on facebook when I announced that the power was out.  Honestly I don't know what I was thinking when I posted that.  I feel bad to worry people but I felt instinctively to do it.  It does feel lonely and it feels good to have friends rooting for you and letting you know that they are sending positive vibes.  I think that's what was able to calm me the most.

holidays and random musings about attachment

november is over!  fall is over! it's been winter already for better part of september and october, which confuses zilla.  (LOL).  thanksgiving was a great hit.  we fried 2 turkeys and made a ham.  I loved the fried turkey so much I want to make a fried truducken next year.

-20*F isn't as bad as people think, especially if there is no wind and that wind just about kills you.  sun is low on the horizon.  I always wondered how it all worked after hearing about polar nights.  I love that we are living all the awesome stuff people talk about.  midnight sun, polar nights, moose, aurora sightings.  I kind of crack up at all those alaska reality shows on TV.  granted, it IS like that.  even those who don't 'homestead' are encouraged to have at least a week's worth of non perishable food.  yes, cans explode so there are cases of dried foods.  plug in your car.  life is so different here even if you live an ordinary life.  when you live the extraordinary life, there are a lot of EXTRAS. 


Paul just left for a week long training exercise.  every time we are apart I analyze my feelings I begin to understand the core of attachment parenting.

almost 13 years ago when we started dating, I was insecure, this was my first real relationship, I had come from a broken home, and my self esteem was at an all time low.  the future I saw in me was a lonely one, where I would never get married or have kids because I wasn't worthy. 

I had quirks.  I wanted him to page me.  I wanted him to call me.  I wanted him to say I love you even if it made him uncomfortable.

he did it for me.  respected those feelings and insecurities I had.

I see our relationship now and I still have those insecurities in different forms.  what if I neglect my children like my mom did when she was depressed?  what if I lash out at them when I get overly tired while he is gone?  He reassures me that that is normal.  he doesn't minimize those feelings.  he buys some video games for zilla so I can have time to myself. 

I feel attached to my husband who respects my feelings and when he is gone I feel it the most.  a feeling I'd love my own child to experience when I am gone as well.