Featured Post
Posted by Lizzie on Sep-5-2008
There’s a lot of talk about women’s issues this election cycle. Thanks to Hillary Clinton, and now Sarah Palin, we’re back in the spotlight. In that vein, Congress is pressing for a revote on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which failed to pass previously. McCain has come out again it:
“I am all in favor of pay equity for women, but this kind of legislation, as is typical of what’s being proposed by my friends on the other side of the aisle, opens us up to lawsuits for all kinds of problems,” the expected GOP presidential nominee told reporters. “This is government playing a much, much greater role in the business of a private enterprise system.”
I’ve recently engaged in a half-hearted IT job search - in anticipation of my eventual graduation from the Tech program. There seems to be a little available, but I’ve heard that women are not treated favorably in the IT industry. It would please me, and thousands of other women, tremendously if this actually became law. Would I know that my male counterparts were making more than me? Probably not. But this act would give me recourse should I find out about a pay discrepancy after the fact. As a woman hoping to work in a male-dominated field, I would feel just a little better knowing I had a safety net.
There was some talk that this law isn’t necessary. I beg to differ. I worked with a company (unrelated to the tech field) that cut me a mystery check. When I inquired to what the purpose of the check was, I was told that it was to make up for a pay difference between me and my male counterparts. I had no idea that the men were making that much more per hour than I was, but there was a lawsuit and the settlement agreement was that this company would pay the hourly difference to each female for whatever period of time they agreed to (I think it was 3 months, even though I’d been there for over a year at that point). I left that company not long afterward, but my eyes had been opened. The reasoning for the lower pay was that women are mothers and so are prone to miss work because of their sick children. Men, on the other hand, are more reliable and should be rewarded. Really?
At a time when a major political party has nominated a self-proclaimed “hockey mom” to be vice president, there should be no more “she should get less because she’s a mom”. This woman is seeking a job while parenting 5 children (and potentially helping parent a grandchild) so the reason listed above would apply to her and her pay should be cut significantly. Right? No. Wrong. Her husband will be able to tend to the children while she runs for office and he can tend to the children while she continues to govern Alaska (except that he’s got a full-time job plus an extra job on the side in the summer, but that’s not this issue). It’s only fair that the rest of American women enjoy the same equality in pay as the women who govern them.
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Archive for the ‘sinful pleasures’ Category
May
22
Posted by Lizzie
I have been trying to lose some pounds for a while now. I’ve been doing yoga, dancercise and even considered top diet pills. All to no avail (of course, just considering the diet pills doesn’t help, buy you get my gist). I have been steadily gaining the pounds. I was having a difficult time understanding it, but then realized something.
My medication for the FM is probably making this happen.
One of the methods of treating Fibromyalgia is anti-depressants. I can’t take the usual kind- such as Lexapro - because I’m allergic to SSRIs. So I’m taking Elavil in small doses. Still, one of the side effects is, sadly, weight gain. And it’s working a little too well in that area, I think. Yikes!
Another thing that could be working against my efforts to slim down is my reproductive ills. I have a 3.3 cm (1.15… inch) cystic mass on my left ovary. My Gyn says that it’s nothing to be worried about, but that it could be messing with my hormones. That can cause a whole range of issues, most of which I’m certain affect me right now. The solution? Medication, of course. Birth control pills. I think we all know what one of the side effects of those is. That’s right, folks. Weight gain.
I should be thinking about my self in a more positive manner, but I am absolutely convinced that some of my medical issues are stemming from my weight. For instance, my lack of energy. Were I a few pounds lighter I would no doubt have more energy. Also, my hip and ankle issues. Hello? I’m 5 foot 1 inch tall and my poor ankles and hips aren’t designed to carry this much weight. I think if I dropped down to a more healthy weight these issues would resolve themselves. Ya know?
Of course, it doesn’t help that my beautiful daughter weighed in at 161 lbs when she gave birth and almost two weeks later is a svelt 120 lbs. She’s lost 40 pounds and that makes me green, green, GREEN with envy. Seriously, I want to do that. LOL! I would like to mention, though, that I’m happy for her because she’s gotten past the danger of the pre-eclampsia and my jealously is purely selfish wishing. She still looks much better than that cheeky friend of hers that I can’t stand.
Today we go for a long walk and HOPEFULLY I’ll be able to manage my pain afterward.
Keep your fingers crossed.
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May
21
Posted by Lizzie
We’re pretty creative with old stuff around my house. For instance we use a couple of audio racks as book cases/toy shelves and a wobbly end table as a plant stand. I like to save money that way, so “Design on a Dime” is my friend. But I’ve noticed a trend in my neighborhood with yard “art”. And I don’t think I like it.
For those unfamiliar, this is taking something old, making it look “rustic” (old but pretty) and, well, sticking it in your yard. Used to be that men would bring home huge tires and the women would either use them as planters or hang them from trees. I’ve even seen them cut in half, cemented in and used as the base for a teeter-totter.
Old bathtubs are popping up in yards near me. The claw-footed kind. They’re usually white and are usually filled with pansies of some sort. I guess they’re supposed to look folksie or something, but really? They look trashy. I feel like they should just drive that beat up old Chevy into the front yard, take the tires off and put that baby on blocks. It’d have the same effect, yes? I do blame HG TV, because I remember seeing something like this on there. The look on the television was sweet and almost nostalgic. However, my neighbors cannot pull it off. Pansies? Really? Where’s the vines and ivy and the pretty little bushy things? tsk, tsk.
I won’t be keeping up with the Joneses with this trend. I do believe, though, that I will ask them for their big rocks (last years trend, I think) so that I can put them around my own flower beds. I’m going for the “wild” look and need something for a “natural” border. I don’t have any old bathroom fixtures to trade, but maybe they’ll take my old washer off my hands.
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May
18
Posted by Lizzie
I have decided that I have a new goal. Ok, it’s an old dream that I put away because of life’s little twists, but now I’ve decided it’s not a dream. A goal. That makes it more real and more obtainable. And I can plan for it. Right?
My goal is to get a passport (those things don’t expire for years, right?), save up some money, and go with my sister to The British Isles. I would love to see Wales and Southwest Ireland and she wants to see, well, Irish men. Our kids are getting older and our career paths are finally getting mapped out (we sucked at being grownups for a while) and now we can do this.
We were talking about it last night and about how our mother had all these wonderful dreams of places she wanted to see and things she wanted to do before she died. She really wanted to become a novelist and travel throughout the Outback. Unfortunately, my mother was never able to accomplish any of that (for reasons not suitable for this particular blog) and so she’s slightly unfulfilled. My sister and I decided we didn’t want to end up like that. What’s life if it isn’t for living, right? We don’t want to have a lot of “coulda-shoulda-wouldas” in our lives when it’s time to go. We want fun, happy memories and millions of photos to keep our families company when we go.
We want adventures.
Of course, we’ll be a lot older when our goals are realized and probably won’t have the type of fun a 22 year-old would have, but that’s ok. As long as it happens we’ll be all good.
I told my sister that’s why I want to have a career that doesn’t tie me down to one place. I want to be able to work from wherever I’m at. I want to take my kids to see the Eiffel Tower and blog about it while I’m there. How fun would that be? That would mean, of course, that I would need money to get from here to there and a stable means of getting that money into my pockets. That’s what school’s for. To give me that degree that will tell people that I’m smart enough to rack up school loan debt and somehow pass the courses. Ha! At any rate, my sister is studying to be a nurse, but she told me it would be really cool if she could work for a cruise line. How funny! I can’t even imagine her working full-time on cruises trying to keep the passengers from dying of seasickness. It’s her goal, though and I respect that.
I feel like I’m too old to be having “dreams” and unreachable goals now. Now it’s time to be more sensible. Taking a trip to the British Isles is a sensible goal, don’t ya think?
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