Fairness???

Fair warning: this is a rant about a somewhat controversial subject. Today in the Wilmington newspaper there was an article about a bill that's been proposed in the state legislature that would allow illegal immigrants -- excuse me..."undocumented students" -- to pay in-state tuition rather then out-of-state if they are North Carolina residents. Opponents pointed out that this would just increase the odds of actual American citizens being pushed out of spots at colleges and universitieis. Supporters said the higher tuition just hurts these students and that making education easier will benefit everybody. Oh, and we're also supposed to be offended because these same illegal residents can't get federal aid like grants and student loans.

Am I the only one who is dumbfounded by all of this? I am all for immigration. I am all for individuals and families moving to a country where they can find better opportunities for themselves and their families. I want these immigrants to have equal opportunties as American-born citizens, with no fear of discrimination. I have the deepest respect for people brave enough to uproot their families and enter a new culture with a new language and customs. It's really awesome. But why can't people do it legally????? Hundreds of thousands of people have immigrated legally and we as a country are spitting in their face by allowing -- no, by making it easy -- for people to live, work and study illegally. And we're not only mocking them, but ourselves and our own laws by essentially rewarding people for breaking the law. This is insane! How about next time someone goes out and steels a car, we just let him or her keep that car, as long as they really need it. After all, it's not fair that they should be penalized just because they don't have a car like everybody else, right?

Utter. Madness. I mean, if we aren't going to enforce our own laws, then let's get rid of it. by all means, open the borders and let it flow. But if not, then let's actually enforce the law. Let's stop doling out health care and education to people who aren't paying taxes. Let's help them go about things the right way, instead of positively reinforcing -- rewarding -- illegal behvior.

okay. rant over.

June, june, june

It's not even June 1, and already the month is jam-packed. On Friday, Jeremy's parents come into town for a few days. June 11-ish, we move to a new house, and before that have to get ahold of our new landlord for some lease and pre-lease discussions. Somewhere around June 15, Jeremy's brother comes to visit. And in the midst of all of that are the usual: work, laundry, cleaning...oh yeah, and getting our decrepit cars fixed. I am looking forward to all of these things, especially the visits from family, and really want to savor and enjoy their visits, not view them as one link in an endless chain of events. Last night, I nearly had a nervous breakdown thinking about it all, but my wondeful husband reminded me that the only thing to do is take each event, each day one at a time. And when you look at it like that, it really isn't as overwhelming, but I have a hard time with that, you know? Piece by piece, moment by moment, one at a time. Why do I have such a hard time with that? I love it in theory, and have even vowed that our next home-improvement project will be tackled that way, but sometimes I take the whole "keeping an eye on the big picture" to the extreem.

a day at the grocery store

Why would a person spend a day at the grocery store, you might ask. Well, you might if you were getting paid to be there. No, I don't work at the grocer store, but I am occassionally scheduled to man the coffee bar owned by our coffee shop. But that's not the point. The point is, it's BORING. Seriously, one day I read two Entertainment Weeklys cover to cover, did two crossword puzzles and read at least two chapters in the book I was reading. Needless to say, any time I'm working there I'm always trying to occupy my time, and last week I decided to exercise my writing skills a little by practicing my people descriptions ( I had read an article on that in a Writer's Digest magazine), trying to make my descriptions more interesting and alive. So I got out my notebook and started describing various grocery store employees. It was actually very interesting and fun, although technically I guess I was "reading a book by it's cover." What made it more interesting was later in the week hearing someone I work with comment about the same people....the difference being she actually knows them a little better. It's always fun to see how your first impressions jive with reality. And it was fun creatively to stretch myself, trying to get away from "She had dark eyes and blonde hair and a pretty smile." or "His eyes were as blue as the sea, his hair like corn." whatever.

Okay, so not terribly interesting post. just a slice from my life. happy Memorial Day.

I'm terrible at titles

I'm also terrible at all decision-making, or at least most of it. But let's not dwell on that. Let's dwell on a very hilarious and happy movie that I saw last night: Bride and Prejudice. For those of you who haven't heard of it, it's a Baliwood (India's Hollywood) remake of Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice. Bride and Prejudice is a full-scale musical extravaganza complete with colorful costumes, cheesy songs and exuberant dancing. It's a little like watching a Disney cartoon musical but live-action, and a little like watching a classic musical such as South Pacific or State Fair. For a modern remake of Pride and Prejudice it remains very true to the original story, although it does add a cultural element -- modern versus traditional, England versus India, America versus India. Fans of the t.v. show Lost should know that the actor who plays Said is one of the main characters. Basically if you enjoy movies that are outrageously cheesy, but don't take themselves seriously, and if you want to see a little bit of India, here some great Indian music and end the movie wanting to dance...then you'd like Bride and Prejudice.

A little bit of everything

So...

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith was pretty sweet. I mean, it's Star Wars, so color that with whatever that means to you (if you hate Star Wars, you'll hate this; if you like Star Wars you'll like this; etc.). One thing I really noticed especially was how much the soundtrack rocked. It really added to the emotion of the film.

On the vehicle front: AHHHHHHHH!!!!! That's all I can say. But I'm feeling more optimistic today that it will soon be fixed. I guess this is what you get for driving around a car with 149,000 miles on it.

Other stuff: I've realized that I put too much stock in things, life being "in control." I want things to be ordered, stable, ducks-in-a-row type stuff but you know what? Life isn't like that. I can't control it. I'm not the one in control and the sooner I realize that and just hop along for the ride, I think the better off I'll be. Not that it's a bad thing to want order and stability -- it's just part of my personality I think, and not a bad part. But my problem is that I try and put my faith in that rather than where it belongs -- in my Lord. Anyway...deep thoughts for my day off (which...I also have tomorrow off, the first Saturday in at least two months and I'm so excited!).

Happy Friday, ya'll!

vehicle frustration or why friends are the bomb

So the transmission went out on our 1980 GMC truck (and most of you who know me are not at all surprised I'm sure. After all, the truck is just a miracle on wheels anyway). Sharing a car until Jeremy can get it fixed has been tricky, but thanks to rides from friends it hasn't been impossible.

Then today, the Honda won't start. And I had to be at work at 6:30 a.m.

What a way to start the day, right? Two cars...two cars down. Which just reafirms my dream and desire to live someplace where I don't have to own a car at all. Or I can at least get to work and the grocery store without a car. Public transportation is something this country really needs to get a handle on. I mean, I know that we're a nation that's in love with our vehicles, and that's not inherently bad (my sources tell me it helped us win WWII), but come on people. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. Those are not dirty words.

Okay, rant over. Now to the good part of the day. If I didn't already know it, Jeremy and I have some awesome friends. Not only have they dropped us off at work, picked us up from work and unflinchingly let us borrow their cars, they didn't bat an eye when I called at 6:30 this morning to borrow the keys to their car so I could get to work. It always humbles me when I think of the kind of true and generous friends God has blessed me with (and not just here in Wilmington -- in Houston, in Arizona, in Arkansas, in Georgia, in Missouri...), and that has never been more apparent than the past couple of weeks.

oh, and does anyone know someone selling a running-condition vehicle for under $500? (haha...in my dreams. Doesn't hurt to ask though, right?)

peace

Other people's expectations

There are certain expectations that society puts on a person; certain "norms" that most of us feel some pressure to live up to. Now, some of these are good and productive for a harmonius society -- the expectation to not be a murderer for example. But others I'm not so sure about. Like the expecation to have a certain type of career or a certain kind of home. But why do we let ourselves feel pressured by this? Okay, I'll just be honest: why do I let myself be pressured by this; by what other people think? Are there people out there who can honestly say they don't care what other people think, and if you're out there.....how do you do it!!!!???? I try, and sometimes I just go ahead with what I want to do despite how strange it might seem to some people. But deep down I wonder what those people DO think. But I'm working on it. Thankfully I've got some wonderful friends and family who even if they think something I do is weird, they never show it and are nothing but supportive; I hope I never underestimate that blessing.

who knew

Blogs are popping out of the wood-work! Who knew that so many people are keeping in touch/expressing themselves/igniting discussion on the internet. It's like I've now been inducted into a secret society with friends that I've known in other contexts for years. Fabulous.

Also randomly fabulous:

Cars that no longer overheat (this is a shout-out to Jeremy, who has once again breathed life into my Civic, thanks to a God-given ability to work on cars).

Ansel Adams calendars

Chocolate biscotti and fresh coffee

Lime (the color and the flavor)

God's faithfulness

Hot-Lanta

Just got back from visiting my good friend Lesley in Atlanta this week. An awesome trip, if not nearly long enough. We did have some crazy times getting there and back. On the way there we discovered our slight radiator leak had become a raging river of leakiness. Jeremy replaced the radiator on Monday (the first day of our trip, but fortunately the day with no activities planned) so we could get home. And on the way home on Wednesday, there was a bad wreck on I-20 in Columbia, SC that included a Medi-Vac which meant the interstate was shut down and we sat in Columbia for two hours.

But aside from those two things, we had a great time. Atlanta is a cool city, and it's always nice to see good friends. Lesley is one of only a few friends from college that I've actually gotten to see since graduation, and now that we live in North Carolina we're actually within driving distance which rocks. I've had a little post-trip funk though. Why is it that seeing people after a long absence often makes you miss them more? It's as though it reminds you of how much you wish you could be with them in person all the time. Ultimately though, I am thankful when I do get to see those friends, even with the post-visit ache, because there are a lot of people I love who I haven't seen at all in quite a while.

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them" -- Ralph Waldo Emerson