Single Rage

Just like after 9-11, i am at a loss as to what is the appropriate ammount of anger, sadness, fear. Should I talk about it more or less? Should I read about it more or less? More CNN coverage? Less article reading? Can i afford to give more money to the red cross? Is my money even getting there? Would I be better off giving blood, food, clothes, diapers? Where is Andy?

I have decided that I can do whatever works for me and trust that people will understand that. Understand that even though I rage about small things, that I havent given up on the BIG ones.

One thing I think is very important...keep your government honest. Sure this is a tragedy but I dont think it means you cant talk about what was/wasnt done to help/prevent this. I know, natural disaster and all but really, New Orleans has a drink called the hurricane...this wasnt a surprise. NO is a poor city, mandatory evacuations, obviously, didnt help the people who couldnt afford to travel. Who had no car, no money for gas, no place to go. These are the people suffering now and these are the people that someone let down. Keep your govenment honest, whether they are democrats, republicans, reform...whatever. You pay their salary. Dont feel bad about asking for answers. We deserve them.


Two Minutes Hate
Anyone who has worked in an office setting, tell me; how many wedding showers, baby showers have you been to? How much money have you forked over for girlscout cookies and book drives? Have you ever had to work late or on a weekend because one of your co-workers had family commitments? Sometimes it seems like we single, childless people get the shit end of the stick (my least favorite).

Now please, dont get me wrong. I am not anti-family. I like families. I came from one! I have many friends with children and I love them and their little rugrats! I like and support the laws that allow for a man to take time off of work so that he can bond with his newborn child. I love that more companies are supplying childcare centers so that working mothers (a name i dont like...show me a mother that isnt already working even before she leaves the house!) can get back to their 8-5 jobs.

However, it cant be denied that single people are often discriminated against. I saw an episode of sex and the city about it once so it must be true!!

A perfect example of this discrimination just happend to a friend of mine. The Australian works with computers and every five weeks he has to spend one week on call. All night, waiting for pages from the computer.."I broke myself" and he must fix it. Stupid computers. There are 5 people on his "team." Recently, the powers that be decided that they needed to impliment night shifts. One person said they wanted to work the night shift. The other two pulled out the....well, I have kids so. Take a guess as to who has to work the dreaded 4pm-1am shift? Of course...the Australian...the single guy with no family.

I think decisions like this need to be based on a thousand other issues and none of them are whether or not the workers have children. Maybe the Australian has a sick mother to take care of...maybe he has a little brother he watches. Maybe he just doesnt want to give up his life. It isnt fair to punish people because they havent yet, or have chosen not to procreate.

Raises and promotions based on how big your family is. Someone has to work on Christmas day, make the single person do it. My kids soccer game is this weekend, I suppose the single person can come in then. God knows that without a husband/wife and a gaggle of kids they have nothing better to do!

So, good luck to you Aussie. You are much less angry about it then I would be...although, i suppose they could have you deported if you put up too much of a fight (wink wink).

The Bird