11-29-10 The Ceiling

The Ceiling

Many girls my age have had to listen to their parents tell them of a glass ceiling, and how it is their destiny to help make a crack. Today thousands of women are taking the best of the best white-collar jobs out there. By snatching positions as nurses and secretaries, and now CEOs, two thirds of American women enter into the work force. That number is expected to increase by fifteen percent by the end of the year. These are great strides for women since the sixties; however, until our country sees and accepts more women into blue-collar jobs the glass ceiling will remain in tact.

In the early 1900s, only twenty percent of women were involved in the labor market. That number has more than tripled. Today a job has become a necessity. Yet, women still make less than men do. They tend to be higher educated, and due to the maternal instinct spend every dime they earn on their families. So why is it that for every dollar, a man makes twenty-three cents more? Many economists say that this gap is because women tend to work fewer hours than men, and choose lower paying jobs. This gap is closing as more women enter the workplace and fight for equal pay. The actual jobs women are choosing, now, also close this gap. Either women are now choosing higher paying jobs, or they are choosing blue-collar jobs both pledge to pay the same amount to each gender, dollar for dollar. Yet, women in specialty jobs are seen to have lesser pay as seen in a study by the New York Times. For example, a woman working as a physician or surgeon makes forty percent less than men do. Whereas, women working as data entry keyers or as social workers, make equal pay to men.

Women in higher paying white-collar jobs have to work longer than men to be promoted. Some studies contribute this disparity to gender based biases, and others refer to the fact that men and women take different strategies to gain higher positions. This begs the question, whether women are tough enough in today’s society to take the higher positions. Male CEOs still maintain as heads of the best Fortune 500 companies, but women employ thirty five percent more workers than those companies combined. It is expected that women are to take these higher paying jobs, but when women have to struggle more than men to reach them is it worth it? Absolutely.

Women have made great strides in the workplace for my generation and the next. However, a bigger obstacle stands in our way. The lack of acceptance for women to be employed as plumbers, electricians, and postal carriers. Women are more educated and have been on a quest since the beginning of time, to beat men at their own game. We have achieved that goal but it was in this quest that we ignored the male dominated professions.

The east coast is obsessed with the idea of women in blue-collar jobs. Two years ago “NBC Nightly News” spent a whole week following women in those professions, obsessing on how they could possibly manage it. That is the secret to why most of America is obsessed with women like Sarah Palin, women who are frontier like, clubbing halibut and hunting. In the meantime, women in the western states of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, etc. are not impressed by her antics. Here from the very beginning women had to learn to stand on their own and take up the jobs that were necessary for living. Jobs in the utilities sector and the postal industry are part of our every day lives, and it is a shame there are not many women in those professions. They are good paying jobs with plenty of benefits and yet, men still dominate those careers.

My mother is a driver for the United Parcel Service. She has worked for UPS for over twenty years. She has seen the look of surprise on peoples faces when they open the door expecting a sweaty man and see my sweaty mother instead. She was shocked when after she told a New York driver that she was in the same profession he told her that there were only two female drivers at his hub. We cannot bring ourselves to accept that women are equal to men. That is why they are paid less and are in stationary jobs. They sit in cubicles and tell themselves that they need to accept this job even if it pays less than the guy in the office. Women can never be seen as equals until they treat themselves like equals. Then only then can we break through the glass ceiling with men and women working side by side for equal pay and equal opportunity to provide for their families. Women must accept these jobs with open arms.

I do not wish to be taken out of context. I am not suggesting that women should not try to become CEOs, doctors, or even secretaries and waitresses. I am saying that no one should assign a specific gender to an occupation. Men should not think they could not become nurses, receptionists, or bookkeepers because they seem too effeminate. Every job has a use. Every society needs people to seek out these careers to work. The ceiling is then sure to crumble.  

Works Cited

"10 Surprising Statistics on Women in the Workplace - CollegeTimes™." CollegeTimes - College Blog, Reviews, Humor, Forum, and More! 15 Feb. 2010. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. <http://collegetimes.us/10-surprising-statistics-on-women-in-the-workplace/>.

Hopkins, Jim. "USATODAY.com - Female-owned Companies Flourish." News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com. 05 May 2003. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. <http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/2003-05-05-women_x.htm>.

"USATODAY.com - Study Finds Women Largely Confined to 'pink-collar' Jobs." News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com. 04 May 2003. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. <http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-05-04-pink-collar_x.htm>.

"Why Is Her Paycheck Smaller? - Interactive Graphic - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 30 Nov. 2010. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. <http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/01/business/20090301_WageGap.html?8dpc>.

11-07-10 "My Opponent Is..." Works Cited

Works Cited 

Boyce, Greg. "Unofficial 2010 Election Results | NewsFirst5.com | Colorado Springs | Pueblo." Unofficial 2010 Election Results. 04 Nov. 2010. Web. 07 Nov. 2010. <http://www.newsfirst5.com/news/unofficial-2010-election-results/>. 

"Elections Over, Ads Just Beginning? - Local News - Jacksonville, FL - Msnbc.com." Breaking News, Weather, Business, Health, Entertainment, Sports, Politics, Travel, Science, Technology, Local, US & World News- Msnbc.com. 04 Nov. 2010. Web. 07 Nov. 2010. <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40014158>. 

Sorensen, Adam. "Can the Republicans Make a Twin Killing in California?" Time Magazine. Time Magazine, 20 Sept. 2010. Web. 07 Nov. 2010. <http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2019138_2019132_2020303,00.html>. 

11-07-10 "My Opponent Is..." Negative Advertisements Form a Negative View on Government

           For the past year, negative advertisements have swarmed the airwaves. “My opponent dresses like a Nazi on weekends…” “My opponent isn’t a true Christian…” “My opponent is a socialist… “ These comments are only a few left over from the past midterm election. All parties involved were guilty, painting their opponent as outlandish, cruel, and dishonest. Yet, for once both parties could finally agree on something. Those commercials are exhausting. Elections have always had negative advertisements, but this year’s election was filled with only negative views. Making it impossible for any person elected to receive respect from the American people. Negative advertisements have been seen to have a deeper affect on voters, yet once in office there is distrust from the beginning.

            Studies have shown that in today’s society, negative advertisements tend to have a deeper influence on voter turn out. Almost as if the American people enjoy watching a candidate go up in flames. Yet, most polls show that the American people feel like these ads have no impact on their voting decisions. Then why do politicians feel like they need to continue using violent advertisements? This tactic is not only reserved for politicians. In Colorado there was an ad supporting Amendment 62, a law stating that protozoa in the womb are humans, making it impossible for any woman to have an abortion under any circumstance. This ad portrayed President Barack Obama the “angel of death.” The commercial was so offensive it was taken off the air immediately. On Election Day, seventy one percent voted no, and the amendment was not passed. Could this have been due to such a negative campaign?  Yet for politicians, negative advertisements make one look slightly better than the other. An edge that is necessary in harsh elections such as these.

            Could this edge help them when in office? The answer is no. Already they have a bad reputation, and the American people have trouble trusting them. In 2008 twenty three million Americans between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five voted, the highest turnout of young voters in history. In this weeks midterm election only nine million turned in their ballots. True, midterm elections always have a smaller turnout than presidential elections. But, what happened to that enthusiasm? Could it have been smothered by negative political ads by either party? Meghan Mohon, although she is only sixteen and not old enough to vote, made an excellent point: “It’s like choosing between the lesser of two evils…” This is what happened to the young voters. Negative ad after negative ad has formed a pessimistic view on government as a whole.

            This disapproving view on government was at times the basis of many political ads. “The Pelosi /Obama agenda” and “taking back our country” was at times plastered on TV screens for the entire commercial break. This promise to change, yet again, was the reason sixty house seats were turned over to the Republicans, furthering the party divide. This divide will make it harder for either party to continue with their plans.  This forces them to compromise, a plan which some senators and representatives have already shot down. Words used throughout the campaign like socialist, communist, muslim, and infidel stick even after Election Day. Now many congressmen have to compromise with these people they insulted for the past year. These are people who they openly disagree with, and now, together, have to find a middle ground. Their negative advertisements are now becoming their downfall.

            One would think that once the election is over, the ads would cease. Yet, that is not necessarily true. Now those elected in office have to keep their supporters enthusiastic for the next two years, something the Obama administration did not focus on. It is projected that now, more than ever, the American people will continue to see negative political ads. The plan is to keep the populace angry, and end the current administration. It is not to form more jobs, fix the economy, or help solve the current education crisis, it is to gain power through harmful bantering between the two parties. If these elected officials spent as much money on the country as they do political ads, the economic recession would be softened. In a “Time” article on Meg Whitman’s campaign: “She has already given $119 million to her own campaign, making her the single largest self-donor among statewide candidates in U.S. history, and is on pace to spend tens of millions more by Election Day.” (Sorensen Sept. 20, 2010) This in a state where unemployment has reached twelve percent and the deficit is around twenty million dollars. (Sorensen).

              The political world has become nothing more than blasting ones opponent. They throw around insults, lies, and secrets to portray their rivals as scum to give them an edge. Yet, when in office, they struggle to cooperate with those whom they disagree with, and the American people sit waiting for the change promised. The younger generation of voters loose interest quickly when political candidates attack each other ceaselessly. What is the cause of this pandemonium? Negative political ads. The effect is a nation divided by hate and gridlock, a populace with deep seeded distrust in the government and a lack of interest in change. The solution for this struggle cannot be for the American people to be nice to each other, that does not win elections. Yet, citizens should not be forced to listen to one angry ad after another. Instead, it is the candidate’s job to think of how they will present themselves to the voters. In Governor Hickenlooper’s campaign, he produced a commercial showing how after every negative ad he feels like he needs a shower. He told the voters his views while not portraying his opponents negatively. He won with fifty one percent of the Colorado population’s vote. If more candidates had ran a campaign like this one, there would have been less anger in the voting places. And maybe the American people would be confident in their choices. 

            

Citing for Dark Drug

Works Cited

Bourne, Jr., Joel K. "The Gulf of Oil: Is It Worth The Risk." National Geographic Oct. 2010: 40-75. Print.

Johnson, George. "Plugging Into The Sun." National Geographic Sept. 2009: 32-51. Print.

Klinkenborg, Verlyn. "Our Vanishing Night." National Geographic Nov. 2008: 106-23. Print.

Roberts, Paul. "Tapped Out." National Geographic June 2008: 87-91. Print

Staraobin, Paul. "Send Me To Siberia: Oil Transforms a Russian Outpost." National Geographic June 2008: 68-85. Print

10-29-10 A Dark Drug

A Dark Drug

            One would think that after thirteen spills in one year, America would reduce its dependency on oil. Sadly, that is not the case. In a 2009 ranking for the top five offshore oil producers in the world, America came in second (Bourne, Jr.  National Geographic). Barrel after barrel, our country drained the world of a natural resource without any regard to the environment, the economy, or the oil supply left in the Earth’s reserves. From the start of America’s addiction in 1900, the nation went from a few thousand barrels extracted a day to a staggering eighty-five million barrels (Roberts, National Geographic). This number is quickly leveling out. America, as a nation, must come together and search for fuel alternatives, whether this may be power provided by the sun, wind, or organic oils, we must find a solution.

            “World oil demand is surging as supplies approach their limits…For decades oil geologists have theorized that half of the world’s original endowment of oil has been extracted…” (Roberts, 87-92) As America has grown a lust for energy, the world’s supply for crude oil has depleted. True the Earth works in a continuous cycle, providing more oil over the years, but the process is time consuming. It is projected that in 2015 the world will hit the peak for oil production. When that time comes Saudi Arabia, the United States, Norway, Mexico, Brazil, and all other forerunners of oil production will be struggling for finding new fuel alternatives. This is why the United States must utilize these few years to focus on funding new alternatives. Solar panels, bio-fuels, and the extraction of oil from tar sands and coal deposits are all alternatives. Scientist and environmentalists have these technologies but lack the funding to continue with their plans.

            With thirteen major oil spills in the past year it would be easier for the United States’ government to look into providing other energy alternatives. The cost of clean up, workers compensation for those on the oilrigs and those in the towns, and providing lodging for the workers does not compare to lesser amount the government could spend on solving our addiction. In truth it is more affordable looking for ways to invest in the worlds future. This investment provides jobs in science, engineering, and construction, while reducing our dependency on oil. It will also reduce green house gases. This seems so simple, provided the government contributes to the cause.

            Oil does provide a ecological boom to many towns near oilrigs. In Serbia the town of Surgut “… was a collection of wooden hovels, in a place where severe winter lasts four months. Today it is one of Siberia’s largest cities, with 300,000 people” (Starobin, 81). This is all because of the oil sector of their economy. Today Russia is the top supplier of the world’s oil, 70% of the world’s reserves are in Siberia.  The sudden increase in demand for oil made the smallest desolate towns in Russia into bustling metropolises. Filled with trend setting clubs, rich oil moguls, and the workers and their families, these cities show all of their appreciation toward the oil rich earth. The jobs provided by oil companies are irreplaceable. Many workers are second or even third generation oil workers. In Louisiana most revenue was provided by oil production. $31.1 million of revenue shared with the states is supplied by Louisiana.

           
             During the last oil spill it became all too clear how important the oil industry is. Thousands of American’s were out of work for months during the clean up, while Louisiana suffered an even worse recession than the rest of the nation. While oil may offer the country the most revenue, Louisiana’s main industry is tourism. Black beaches littered with fish and bird corpses are appalling contrasts to the once white pristine beaches that created the industry. The dependency the nation held to those oilrigs caused gas prices to rise and the fishing industry to falter. Animals died as clean up crews desperately tried to fix the mess left behind by the track marks of our addiction. We are a nation of addicts and it is time to break the habit.

           

            “ If photovoltaic panels covered just three tenths of a percent of the United States, a 100 by 100 mile square, they could power the entire country.” (Johnson, 38) The technology is there. The funding and enthusiasm for new fuel alternatives is lacking. The solution will not be a complete switch from one fuel to another; it must be a combination of different fuel methods in order to reduce oil dependency. Solar panels, bio-fuels, coal, oil, and even nuclear power must be used in concert and in moderation as a bridge to meet our existing energy needs. Only one of these methods is not the entire solution alone, each is costly and time consuming and each expel green house gases.  However, breaking this reliance on oil will help our country stand on its own economically and environmentally. It will provide new jobs and new educational opportunities as more and more colleges add environmental and conservation studies to their curriculum. Advancements in architecture, automobiles, and infrastructure will allow more people to explore these new sciences and do good for the planet. In other words, we cannot afford not to explore new alternatives.

            The grasp oil has on the United States is disturbing. Oilrigs may bring jobs to the world’s economy; however, when entire towns depend on the revenue it brings, there is a problem. The damage oil causes when there is an accident is horrifying, families and wild life suffer as the government continues to sit on the solution. The technology is there, the funding, however, is not. We as a nation cannot continue without these fuel alternatives. The American people and the government must accept this need and seek out means to use these technologies. Together we will bring about change in the environment and in the economy. And maybe then we can break away from this addiction.

A Dark Day in Disney World Abridged!

            I watched in horror as hundreds of four-year-olds, filed out of the dark abyss, sobbing, with terrified looks plastered on their young faces. After fighting my parents for an hour, I reached above my head and opened the great doors. I took my first step inside the darkness, holding my mother's legs. I felt my eyes swell twice their size. There I was staring face to face with a tribe of lions. One lion transformed in size with every step I took, rambling songs played in the background. “Hakuna Matata,” a small rodent said to his audience, my parents laughed and shook my arms in the air. My eyes grew bigger. I quickly drew my arms into my pockets, grabbing the hood of my sweatshirt, covering my head. Suddenly a ferocious lion came and attacked the others.

Lightning stuck a branch behind them and flames engulfed the two fighting lions. I saw the flames as my cue to make my escape. I did everything: I pointed, screamed, and even did the potty pose.  I looked forward, a bright rectangle revealed an exit. I made my way through the other helpless families, leaving my own behind I ran towards the door.

The last thing I remember vividly is a mouse in a suit and a dog like creature grabbing me. The rest is a blur, I remember a woman with a tired voice taking me away. I also remember eating ice cream shortly after, contemplating my revenge against the giant animals.

 250 words

10-08-10 Ko’u Houna (My World): English’s Quest to Dominate the Hawaiian People

Ko’u Houna (My World): English’s Quest to Dominate the Hawaiian People

            Before Captain James Cook stumbled upon the small pacific islands in 1778, around 250,000 to one million Hawaiians occupied the islands. By 1848, the population decreased to around 88,000, while American missionaries were dissolving their religion and culture. In these seventy years, volunteers came to the Hawaiian Islands seeking to “help” the native peoples; but left them abused, used, and their unique culture Americanized, as portrayed in the movie Hawaii. This shameful moment in our country’s history proves on how once a culture feels developed enough, in this case the English speaking culture, it spreads to other countries controlling the native languages, religions, and traditions.

            Before Euro-American exploration, Hawaii had a unique language. Having but a few choice words, explaining their environment, relationships, and feelings, British or American missionaries found these words different from anything they had seen before. The Hawaiians seemed to “click” their vowels and accentuated sounds in different words. Once Euro-American settlers came to the islands, the language dissolved into a more English dominant world. Missionaries and settlers taught the natives English, and then later forced them to use the dominant language. They had pure intentions; in order to trade with one another English became necessary. In the movie, many Hawaiians asked American teachers to teach them English. But this was because they needed to reach out to the President of the United States to ask if he could help their people from further abuse. When they alienated those who chose not to speak English, they lost support from the Hawaiians. Missionaries taught them basics to work in society (vowels, structure, etc.) but they also taught the Hawaiians that their culture could never satisfy their standards.

            Looking at the English language today, one can find very little Hawaiian influences.  Many would assume the word pineapple had some Hawaiian origin, but in reality, it came from a late Middle English origin, and the Spanish introduced the fruit to the Hawaiian people in 1813. Considering the language is like a sponge allowing words from other cultures to enter in its dictionary, the idea that Hawaiian had no influence on English surprises me. The reason for this disconnect between the two cultures is due to the arrogance of the European and American teachers. English speakers saw it as their way or no way at all when it came to transforming Hawaiian culture, this characteristic can be seen in the character Reverend Hale in Hawaii. He never learned much Hawaiian in the forty years he was on the islands, he learned just enough to get by and teach Christianity; in any other situation he just used a translator.

            English speakers also have a difficult time speaking Hawaiian words. The clicks, and drops the sounds go through has differences than speakers are used to and they found it easier to teach Hawaiians English. They did not want to learn Hawaiian and so as a result, the language became unpopular quick, and now very few people know Hawaiian. Words used in pop culture references like big kahuna, hula, aloha, and other words used in American songs. Now over five million people visit Hawaii each year and their language has become a tourist attraction, like their beaches and hula dancers.

            In Hawaii, the Euro-American settlers also demolished their polytheistic religion. Protestant ministers, like Rev. Hale, could not wrap their heads around the fact that the native peoples did not believe in God. They decided to make their way to the islands to teach the native peoples how to lead Christian lives, thus proving to God that they are worthy enough to in His eyes. However, these ministers did not treat the Hawaiians with respect, instead they demanded that they should resent their Gods or they will burn in Hell’s hottest depths. This scare tactic worked to convert many Hawaiians, but like the language barrier, many found themselves left on the other side. It came as a cultural shock to the Hawaiians; they did not prepare for such a change. To be told that something they believed in, something that created their entire existence does not exist, and that by believing in it they will burn in Hell when they die would be a terrifying experience, I am surprised they had any converts at all.

            With every culture comes its own traditions, and to the Protestant missionaries these traditions seemed barbaric, and to them showed signs of weakness and impurity. King Kamehameha II started to dissolve traditions, starting with creating a law allowing women to eat with men. Some traditions needed to be dissolved, such as the twenty six types of adultery and incest discussed in the film. However, the manner in which the Euro-American settlers caused these changes showed arrogance. They pressed Euro-American ideals on to the people and demanded that they see change soon, as opposed to letting the change take place in peace. This would have prevented riots such as the ones in 1887 and 1893, and America’s forced abdication of Queen Lili’uokalani. Queen Lili’ukoalani’s resignation marked the end to the Hawaiian monarchy, a strong tradition in the islands. She left promising to the United States government her possible return:

“Now to avoid any collision of armed forces, and perhaps the loss of life, I do this under protest and impelled by said force yield my authority until such time as the Government of the United States shall, upon facts being presented to it, undo the action of its representatives and reinstate me in the authority which I claim as the Constitutional Sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands.” (Queen Lili’ukolani January 17, 1893)

Hawaii was annexed as a territory in 1900 and was used as a constant resource for sugar cane production until 1995.

            Americans and Europeans came to the small islands thinking they were helping the native people by introducing their languages, religions, and traditions; however, they brought disease and outside pressures. Missionaries taught that the unique Hawaiian language could not work in society, and today that language is slipping into extinction. Like language these people were also taught that the Gods they followed their entire lives did not exist, and they were pressured into following a Christian God. The Hawaiians were also force fed Euro-American traditions, and watched as their Queen was forced to leave her throne to American rule. When that first ship landed in 1778, the Hawaiian people could not have imagined the fate their culture suffered. For those who did not succumb to leprosy, measles, or small pox they witnessed their culture die instead. 

09-18-10 Porcelain Paradise

Porcelain Paradise

            Something clogs the fan and wakes me up. I stare at the lit hall while I search for the strength to move my legs from under my warm covers. My sister snores in the bed next to me; at the foot of my bed, I find a mass of stuffed animals that she threw during the night. My feet swing over the edge and I sit for a second staring in disbelief as my clock displays “6:20 AM.”

            “Honestly?” I mutter to myself, “Ten minutes before I’m supposed to actually wake up?”

            I walk down the long hall and turn to the white door on my right. I knock twice. No one is there. I walk in and enjoy the peace and tranquility my bathroom can give me. I look around and think to myself that this might be my favorite place in the world. When living in a small house, solidarity is hard to come by. I share a room with a twelve year old and two psychotic cats, my kitchen is connected with the living room so privacy is limited, and one too many incidents with an antique vase made it so I am banned from my parent’s room. My bathroom is always accessible, clean, and private.

            I do believe, however, that there is a difference between bathrooms and restrooms. In a bathroom, I have a precise idea what is in it, and what has passed by. I know that the makeup tray will always be by the sink, that the toothbrushes are always on the sink’s right side, and that the toothpaste is in the cabinet. When I am injured there is always medicine available in the last place I saw them, and the band-aids are on the shelf above the toilet. A restroom is the equivalent to a foreign land. I never knew who was in the stall before me, who “Jenny” is and why she loves “Jason,” if the soap will be gel or that foamy stuff, and whether or not the hand dryer will work this time. Restrooms are public, there is always someone in the stall next to me, or they steal some soap from my dispenser because theirs is empty. Then there is that woman who is always on the phone the entire time she is doing her business. In a bathroom, this is not an issue.

            Then, there is a knock at the door.

            “Who is it?” I reply and I understand my time here is up.

            “Dad”

            I get up wash my hands, and leave my sanctuary. As I figure out my outfit, I continue to ponder my epiphany. I have lived in New York, I have swam with dolphins in California, and I have hiked up steep cliffs to see Native American ruins and yet I still find the bathroom my favorite place in the world. I love those other places but they are not as accessible as my bathroom. For the past seventeen years, my bathroom has always been in the same place, and, aside from a few cosmetic changes, has not changed. I slip on some old jeans.

            The safety and security my bathroom provides is one thing and the privacy is another, but there is a strange connection between a person and their own bathroom. Every individual plans each detail whether it is towel color or the lavender soap in the dish, each is an important reflection of the individual’s taste. Moreover, the bathroom is the most redecorated room in the house. I remember when I was younger we had a fish themed shower curtain. It was blue, yellow, and red with happy fish swimming around and sailboats floating above their heads. As my sister and I grew older, the shower curtain was replaced with a more mature plastic blue one. The instant the shower curtain was traded the room seemed new again. I grab my new cardigan and walk out of my beadroom.

            The bathroom was free again. I grab my contact lens case and a few essential makeup products from the makeup tray. I forgot to close the door and, like clockwork, my mom’s head pops into the room.

            “Hi sweetie, I need to do makeup too. Can you share the bathroom for five minutes?” She laughs and I roll my eyes. I may be a teenager but I understand how to share space.  I nod and she walks in. We stand at the small sink for fifteen minutes talking and fighting for space, joking how we should have two bathrooms. Then it dons on me. The privacy is nice when I need it but with a small bathroom, like mine, the need to get along with those I live with becomes essential to life. My mom and I created a morning system; she gets eye shadow while I apply eyeliner close to the mirror, and when I go to get my mascara she uses the mirror.  It is bathroom coexistence, where two organisms will share the same space at the same time while providing a respectful distance.  I hear my dad down in the kitchen calling me for breakfast.

            I wonder if this could be the meaning to life. As if the world is a great metaphor for a bathroom. That in order to solve our world’s problems, humanity needs to look at what a small bathroom can offer the world. A bathroom offers peace, efficiency, patience, security, cleanliness, privacy, and a symbiotic relationship in a small space. So yes, bathrooms are cool. They bring so much more than expected. It may not be Central Park, Disney World, Cancun, or rolling Irish hills, but it is home. It is where I dyed my hair bright red without telling my parents and then where I had to wash it out the next morning before school. It is where my mom showed me how to apply eyeliner for the very first time, and how I will show my sister later this year. It is where I finished the Harry Potter Series, and where I took hot showers the week I had strep.

            I finish my breakfast and put my shoes on. I find my backpack and purse from under my jackets. I am ready to go to school. Right after one last visit to the bathroom. 

9-10-2010 "A Dark Day in Disneyworld"

"A Dark Day in Disneyworld"

            I watched in horror as hundreds of four-year-old girls just like me came out of the dark abyss, sobbing, with terrified looks plastered on their young faces. I was exhausted after my long journey here and I longed for the nice comfort of my hotel room bed; yet, my parents pressured me into coming here, to this cavern. At my first glimpse of the dark door, my mind was flooded with questions. How could I possibly be convinced to walk into the unknown? Why in a place of happiness were there shrines of such beasts? Why in the world did my parents want me to enter into such a terrifying dwelling?

            After a long fight with my parents, I gave in. I reached above my head and opened the great doors. A cool sweep of air hit my face almost immediately. I looked back once more, sure, that this was the last time I would ever see sunlight again. I took my first step inside the darkness, clutching to my mother's legs. I felt my eyes swell twice their size, and my jaw seized. There I was staring face to face with a tribe of lions. “Go on sweetie,” my mother said, “it’s ok I’m right here.”

            Realistically, she had nowhere to go, I now had a half nelson on her kneecap. We walked together my father close behind with that silly grin on his face. "Why is he smiling?" I wondered. Here we were surrounded by creatures that could at any time eat our faces off, and my dad was there smiling. It was illogical. We continued on, the lions moved gradually, never making a sudden move and neither did I.           

            As we walked, I saw before my eyes a lion transform from a small cub to a massive beast with rambling songs playing in the background. “Hakuna Matata,” a small rodent said to his audience. I never understood this; they repeated it over and over again as if these strange words were to mean something. My parents laughed and started to shake my arms in the air. My eyes grew bigger, "What is this?", I thought, "We can’t dance! No sudden movements the big lion is eyeing me". I quickly drew my arms into my pockets, and in the midst of all of the confusion, I grabbed the hood of my sweatshirt and drew it over my head. "Maybe if I can’t see them they’ll go away", but the idea came to a quick end when suddenly a ferocious lion came and attacked the others.

            This lion had a history of violence, before we saw him drop another off a cliff. The small lion cried as he saw the beast fall flat to the ground in a paralyzed slump. I should have left then, now this lion with the grotesque scar lining his face was murdering his own kin. Lightning stuck a branch behind them and flames engulfed the two fighting lions. I saw the flames as my cue to make my escape. I pulled my mom’s pant hem desperately trying to make her look down in my direction. "Look at me mom! This place is going to burn to the ground we need to leave!" What I received in reply was a good shushing and a hopeless wave.  Next, I tried Dad I did everything. I pointed, screamed, and even did the potty pose.

            “Shana,” my dad said turning to my mom, “She has to pee.”

            “She can make it five more minutes I can see the end.”

            I looked forward, a bright rectangle revealed an exit. I bolted. Making my way through the other helpless families, leaving my own behind I ran towards the door.

            “Alex! Alex! Come here sweetie, it’s fine! Alex! Come back!”

            I kept my pace, running, until I finally reached the portal. I stepped back into the light, adjusting my eyes to the brightness. I was shocked to see that in front of me was another lion. I turned left and there they were, to the right were hundreds of them. I was surrounded. “Gottcha,” I felt a tap on my shoulder. Startled, I screamed and ran out of the lair, out into sunlight.

            Then, I realized this place was truly disturbed. Coming straight towards me was the mouse in a suit, and a tall lanky creature that looked like a dog. However, none was more terrifying than the duck. It had no pants. They grabbed me; their smiles caked onto their caricatured faces. I heard giggles as the flashes of 1990s disposable cameras went off around me. I tried desperately to squirm out of their grip, but the mouse’s gloved hands were like cuffs. "Now I know how my mom’s leg feels like."

            I gave up. I thought of what I knew about the world in my four years of existence: the smell of spring flowers, rain, and hamburgers, the mysterious worlds in books, how rainbows seem to make a cloudy depressing day better, and the nonsense lullabies my mom sung to me after a nightmare. I expected to never sense those beautiful things now that I have become a captive of the Giant Animal Gang.

            Then a smiling woman came from the crowd. She lifted me into her arms and held me close. “Thanks, Mickey.” She said. I didn’t look up as she carried me off in her arms. "Is she the one who takes the cute little girls into their fortress and put them in cages? Should I expect to be their slave forever or is this just a temporary agreement?"

            “You scared us there, Alex,” said the woman in a familiar voice. “don’t do that ever again. Good thing you went to Mickey.” She was tired I could tell.

            She put me down for a second and walked me over with her to one of the ice cream venders. She ordered three “Mickey Pops” and then set me down on a bench. My parents and I sat there for an hour eating our ice cream as I contemplated my revenge on the giant animals, and I knew that eventually I would get it. 

FIRST POST!!!

Hey this is my first post of the year! Hopefully I will continue to write on this blog (although I highly doubt  I will) and you will continue to criticize my writing and weird crazy posts I do at 12:00 on Wednesday nights. Remember you can give me feedback on ANYTHING I write here. So, with this post, if you think my parenthetical phrase was a little too much tell me, and I'll choose to ignore you or not. Any who this is going to be cool!