I did it...

Yesterday I got some interesting news. After a year and a half of hard work, grief, and even on occasion tears, I found out I was again not going to get a raise at Bath and Body Works. I got the news while having lunch with my girlfriends at Olive Garden, and suffice it to say I was not happy. It occurred to me that I've been threatening to quit so many times now, and because I've never actually done it I've given the powers that be no reason to take me seriously. I had an epiphany, however, and that is that I am a doer! I absolutely am! I can make things happen, and I don't have to take crap from anyone. In a lot of areas of my life I've gotten rid of negative energy, so why do I allow it to exist in a stupid part-time job. A job that I have no desire to turn into a career, and a job that I have many moral and ethical problems with. So I did it. I quit. I'm now one of the millions of unemployed Americans, and it really does suck. I chose to end this relationship, and in spite of the fact that I was only getting several 3 hour shifts a week, I'm still in a better position than most people who are actually laid off (actually I was laid off from my last job too though...). This brings me to another point that I'm certain will become far more rant-like...

Tomorrow is a truly historic day! The inauguration of President elect Barack Obama. I will be the first to admit he was not my first choice (sadly he is not liberal enough) but I'm very comfortable jumping on his current bandwagon. I've always held the belief that there is something inherently wrong with a persons morals to even be able to be in the position to become President of the United States, but in this instance I believe he's a far better person than his opponent. At the risk of sounding completely cliche, I believe that the element of "hope" that he provides is the most important thing we need right now. There are many people who don't support him, but I think if we could all just take a step back and look at the psychology of the issue, people would agree that having something to hope for is a truly great thing. The last 8 years have taken a great toll on the people of our country. There are too many people unemployed, too many people without health insurance, too many people losing their homes... It's very easy to feel that these things don't touch you if you're one of the lucky ones who isn't immediately experiencing any of these tremendous problems. It's easy to say that those who are experiencing them need to work harder, and take it upon themselves to fix their situation. It's easy to say these things, but I find it offensive, because it puts the blame upon individuals who maybe have had unfair setbacks that they could not control. It is because of this that hope becomes so important. If nothing else, people NEED something to believe in. They need to believe that things will get better, and they need to have something to feel positive about. Whether you buy-into the whole "Yes We Can" mantra or not, this kind of thinking can be a powerful thing for the masses. It just might motivate people to believe that things are going to get better finally. It may lessen the burden for some families who are just trying to survive. I knew this would turn into a rant...

But before I change subjects again, I must say that one of my absolute favorite things about living in Lansing is being able to have intelligent conversations about politics with people. It's not hard to research things, and look into issues...but for some reason many people don't want to do it. One of the most difficult things about working at the truck insurance agency was having to deal with the Rush Republican talk radio arguments. It's asinine incorrect bs...but people who listen to it are looking for a quick response to use, and they don't realize how open-ended and ridiculous it always sounds. You can't argue with those people, because no matter what they refuse to believe they may be wrong. They refuse to watch documentaries, or read testimonies. They refuse to hear the other side. I guess this is part of why I'm going into social work. I've been surrounded by ignorance my whole life, and I'm so thankful that I'll have the opportunity to be able to actually help people. All the rehtoric in the world does nothing except cause frustration. I don' t want to argue with someone who will never let me win... I just want to do something about it.

So anyway...I already have applied to about 5 places, and I'm feeling really hopeful that I'll hear something tomorrow. Also, I get to start volunteering at South Brook Villa, and I'm so excited!

Just a few days until I go up north! In spite of the minor frustrations (I consider being out of work a minor frustration because I just put in my 2 weeks...if at the end of that I don't have another paycheck to look forward to, then I may begin to panic) going on right now, I feel really "hopeful" about things.

The times...oh how they are a changin'.