Crazy, perfect diamond

Some random, but related thoughts...  Read them here.

On butts and burns and when they coincide

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If I were mayor - driving edition

image: http://images.lexmark.com

You know what makes me insane? I mean, other than bad service and people not respecting the rights of pedestrians in the crosswalk?  Double parking when there is a space available.  I don't think I've ever seen this done with the frequency I see it happening in Albany.  It seems that usually when I observe this, the driver is still in the car - perhaps waiting for some sort of colossal geographical shift in the earth to park the car for them, at which point they will simply lock the doors and go on their merry way.  I must admit, there have been times when I have triple-parked momentarily just to ask - "Hey, are you going to park in that available space right there or did you forget how to parallel park immediately after your road test?"

My other issue with driving in Albany is red light etiquette.  It has been well documented that Albany drivers excel at running red lights.  I know that when I'm driving, I usually do a mental 5 count before proceeding through my fresh green as a precaution - how about you? And if you're making a turn at the red light, be it a right or a left at the intersection of two one way streets, you must stop first. Stop and yield are not the same thing and I find it shocking how many drivers apparently do not understand this fact. If I were mayor, I would have police officers writing tickets left and right for these reckless drivers.  It's another one of those situations where the laws are in place, perhaps it is time to simply enforce them.

My final Albany driving pet peeve originates, like many of my life lessons, in my youth in groovy Greenwood Lake. Teenagers do lots of boundary pushing and experimenting, right? Well, thanks to Aloysius' antics (with perhaps the contribution of another young man in a bathrobe. In the car. In the afternoon) we all learned the precise difference between stopping at a stop sign and rolling through a stop sign. Now, not everyone has had the benefit of having their friend arrested for such an offense, but, take my word for it - Stop means all forward motion of the wheels ceases and that's what lawful drivers are expected to do. For more information on this topic, please speak to Aloysius. He is the expert. 

Being better drivers by respecting pedestrians and traffic laws doesn't cost anything. Wouldn't it be awesome if we all tried just a little bit harder to make Albany a city that abides by traffic laws?

Reading between the (budget) lines

A number of years ago, then Attorney General Andrew Cuomo conducted a press conference in the library where I have worked for the past 8 years. The topic was predatory lending to college students and the media was there with notepads and cameras. This may have been the first time I became aware of Cuomo's self proclaimed assertion that he was to be a voice for the students, their powerful ally in a world looking to take advantage of them. We spoke briefly. I earned his laughter when I responded to his question regarding why the librarian field was so dominated by women with a cheeky, "because the job requires a lot of multitasking," letting the reply lie there for the moment it took for him to get the joke. His aide said it was the best answer to a question he had received all day.

But maybe my answer was incomplete. Maybe it's time to consider some additional factors that might make the position more appealing to woman than to men. Because, while dividing my attention, sometimes in 200 ways when "my" library approaches capacity is something I do every single day, there are some other aspects of the role of school library media specialist to consider. And, no, they're not on the evaluation form Mr. Cuomo has strong armed districts around the state to adopt. I have a facility with more than 40,000 items - books, movies, audio books, electronic items such as databases and e-books, equipment, newspapers, 60 computers stations... There is a budget to be supervised and staff as well, but these items will prove to require less attention as money and staff are further eliminated each year, I suppose.

Another reason females may be more prevalent in the librarian field is the fact that women are typically more accustomed to being marginalized. Year after year librarians are made to justify their contributions to the academic success of students. Elementary librarians are continually being replaced by untrained clerks and parents because the state does not mandate trained professionals fill a position that is often perceived as one where reading and shelving books are the primary focus. And we all know anyone can do that.

My library is anticipating a reduction in our staff by nearly 50% for next year. People, just so you know, the fat is gone - we're cutting through muscle and bone at this point. I'm disturbed, dismayed and disappointed by the decisions which have been made regarding which positions to eliminate, but I can't be angry with my district. Not to the degree that people seem to be angry with teachers, that is. Can we clarify a couple of things here? Thanks, I've got a couple of points to make...

For the last three years my union has voluntarily given our salary increases back to the district to preserve programs. We were under no legal obligation to defer our raises, but it was the right thing to do in these economic times (for which we, as a profession, are completely devoid of responsibility) and it was done with very little grumbling. I haven't ever noticed a professional athlete returning their salary due to their having a less than stellar season, but teachers, who will never make in a lifetime what an exceptional baseball player makes in a single season, allowed their anticipated income to be redistributed for the benefit of the students. And I don't ever hear anyone complain about how few days a year a professional athlete works either.

The salary and benefits package a teacher earns are negotiated and agreed upon. For teachers to be vilified for coming to an agreement with the representatives the residents have freely elected, is unfair and small minded. Health insurance premiums continue to increase, yet, I don't recall demands for fiscal conservatism or retention of current rates, being made of these corporations. We all recognize that our economic situation as a nation has suffered in the last decade and future contracts will certainly reflect these conditions, but please, can we stop blaming teachers for the current fiscal state of affairs?

My district is moving ahead with an action to challenge the governor's 2% tax cap. I was proud of the leader of my district for taking this stand, yet found it more than a little bit ironic that the news conference to discuss this legal action was held, again, in my library. I couldn't help but consider why the library media center is perceived as such an ideal location for news conferences, yet is held in such low regard educationally. I have to wonder if future news conferences might be just as convincingly conducted with the backdrop of a magical green screen and an lcd projector. It seems that the library media center after all is merely the setting for a story which I'd rather not have to read.

Can't get no satisfaction

If only everything was as good as Yono's pork belly

Maybe this is the payback for eating a mess of pork belly and bakmi last night?  Despite the brilliant warm sunshine today, I seem to be having the most frustrating day I can remember.  Here's how it has gone down, dare I say, so far...

Woke up and recognized that with that hour being stolen from me (and you, too!), there was no way I could do the three things I had hoped to manage.  And still feel like I had a day off, that is.  Immediately cancelled my lunch plans via text and allowed myself to imagine an afternoon reading the paper and puttering.  Ate some breakfast and walked to yoga and found the parking lot surprisingly crowded.  Realized that today was a special workshop or something and there was no Sunday morning Sadhana.  Consoled myself with thoughts of leisurely reading the paper and perhaps doing some yoga at home.

Bought the paper, walked home and grabbed my scissors to clip coupons.  What?  No coupons?  Did some investigating and determined that none of the "good stuff" was in my paper - no coupons, no book reviews, no weekly restaurant skewering or "journalistic" ridiculousness to mock for the week.  Someone at Stewart's didn't do their job correctly.  Crap.  Hopped in my car to go to Lowe's for some moth traps so I can finally confirm that the closet moths are truly gone.  Guess what I found on the shelf?  Yep, nothing.  They're all out.  Merde.

Decided to stop in at Marshall's in the still optimistic mindset that perhaps I could find something green for next week's Running of the Green.  Nope, definitely not experiencing the luck of my people today, unless you're considering the Potato Famine era.  Drove to the pharmacy to pick up the two prescriptions I dropped off last week, fully prepared for them to be closed.  Was slightly gratified to see the Open sign illuminated.  Was completely nonplussed when the pharmacist said he didn't have enough synthroid to fill my order.  Of course, he doesn't.  Why would he on such a day? Scheisse.

So...what to do?  How about a load of laundry and hope the machine doesn't break down?  Maybe rake the front yard and release those crocus from the leaves and debris which have sheltered them all winter.  Rake the back yard, as well, because it is something I can do without relying upon anyone or anything else.  And go for a run.  Better make it a long one.

Unassured

Last week I got a postcard in the mail touting a program my insurance company, I mean Health Plan, offers. There's some sort of rewards program that I can opt into earning points towards gift cards and other discounts if I register and then log my healthy choices. I went on line and registered already imagining how I would spend my "money" buying more running clothes. After I selected my user name and password, I prepared to begin logging all those runs and sculpting classes. Except...my brand new login and password didn't work. Hmmm. So I requested a new one. Which also didn't work. At this point, the process was proving to be more detrimental than beneficial to my health so I abandoned the task, for now.

Two days later I received a letter from CDPHP thanking me for enrolling in the program. Or, to be accurate, I received THREE identical letters all dated 2/9/12 saying exactly the same thing. Really??? I couldn't help but recall that each time my union made concessions to the contract we had agreed to, I watched my health insurance premiums continue to increase. I understand that companies are people and all, but why aren't these businesses being asked to toe the fiscal line? Is the company that is sending out an identical letter 3 times to me doing more effective, important work than the professionals teaching our children? I don't mind doing my part and I'm a practical person. I get it. My problem is that I'm sick of having to justify my existence professionally annually. As if being a librarian didn't already come with its own lack of educational street cred.

The governor has demanded a change to teacher evaluations and I'm now supposed to be rated on the same rubric as a classroom teacher. Which means that 40% of my annual performance should be based upon standardized tests. Thinking back on your time as a student (or what you have observed) do you recall taking any exams or filling in bubble sheets in the LMC? How about during your time in the guidance office or while in P.E.? Exactly.

From what I understand, folks are upset about the benefits teachers now possess, things like our "part time" status, excessive retirements and practically free insurance premiums. For the record, I didn't ask to discontinue contributing a mandatory percentage of my salary to my retirement. That decision was made by someone else, probably a financial expert. And, incidentally, I opened a 403B immediately after becoming "vested," to continue saving for my retirement, because I'm not, nor have I ever, asked for something for nothing.

I've invested - in my education, my profession and my future. Guess I'll just continue making healthy choices for myself and not count on my health insurance plan or my government to reward me for my efforts.

Shower of filth

I have been sick to my stomach since yesterday morning when I read Maureen Dowd's column about the Penn State child sexual abuse cases.  She deftly wove a child's perspective throughout the paragraphs and, at one point, I literally threw the newspaper down because I was so distressed by the explicit description of one of the incidences of rape.  Yes, rape.  I'm sure you're aware that there was an eye witness to one of the crimes.   After hearing and then investigating the source of a repeated "slapping" noise, a 28 year-old coaching assistant witnessed a ten year-old boy being subjected to anal intercourse in the shower.  His response? He walked away.

Now, imagine that ten-year old boy is you (or one of your three sons).  Put a face on that child and consider for a moment that maybe, even with the noises being emitted by the running water and the disgusting old man who is raping you, he managed to hear the witness to this crime as he approached the horror scene.  Now, accept the fact that your could be hero, savior, walked away and left you to be brutalized by a pedophile.  

There isn't enough water in all the world's showers to wash away the filth that was knowingly present in Penn State's football program.  Perhaps those supporters of the program, and their rightfully shamed head coach, should consider who the innocent victims were in this situation and riot on behalf of the children whose only crime was being involved with an organization designed to provide them with "help and hope."

Scariest things at Fright Fest

Yesterday afternoon the boys and I headed up to the Great Escape's Fright Fest in an attempt to get into the spirit of Halloween.  We had been persuaded to buy season's passes for 2012 by what seemed to be a pretty good deal - $49.95 per person with free parking for the year along with admission to Fright Fest.  I figured if we made it there twice it would be worth the cost.   I guess I still feel that way after our experience yesterday, but, I definitely have doubts about how many more times we'll visit this place beyond next season.  Let me share with you the most frightening aspects of our time at the park.  Regrettably, I did not snap a photo of the most horrific thing I saw: a milkshake at the Ben & Jerry's concession was $7.99!!!  Yes, a single penny less than 8 dollars for a milkshake.  Now, that is some frightening stuff.  And I saw people who looked they could neither afford the expense nor the calories seemingly happily sucking them down.  How scary is that?

Really, really long lines.

Are these deceased employees or park guests who waited too long for a ride?

Little Lillys on rollercoaster*

 *The Comet wasn't running nor was the Bobsled ride.  Not a lot of options.

Performances which were impossible to see due to lack of a stage or crowd management.

Boys not getting everything they wanted!

The thought of G driving in a mere 4 years.

The Ferris wheel rotating with only 4 of the 20 cars filled

April Foolishness

image from:http://amamasblog.files.wordpress.com

• Grown men who use the diminutive form of their name
• Those silly stickers people place on the back of their vehicles showing the composition of their family.
• Medical facilities charging the uninsured more than they charge those with negotiated insurance rates.
• The incidence of double-parking in Albany, especially when there is a nearby legit space.
• The potholes all over town which are threatening to swallow my family wagon.
• The price for the delivery of utilities.  It isn't as if picking up my electricity or natural gas is an option.
• Viruses on Facebook which litter my virtual wall.
• Folks who fail to acknowledge crosswalks
• Glasses of wine that cost more than $12
• Extra airline charges for luggage when flying.

I'm sure you can add something to this list...

A $9 Billion Problem

image from: turbo.inquisitr.com

We're living in some crazy times, my friends.  Driving to work the other morning I was listening to the radio and heard about challenging union negotiations taking place in our country.  I'm sure you're aware of the chaotic circumstances in Wisconsin, Rhode Island and NYC, right?  The irony here, however, is that the emergency 24 hours extension in contract talks was not related to teachers, police officers or firefighters; instead the dilemma centered around the NFL and their players' union.  Take a minute to grab a box of tissues - you're going to need them.  You see, the National Football League is so incredibly profitable that last year they made $9 billion more than anticipated.  I would have written that figure out in numerals, but was concerned I wouldn't know how to express it with the correct number of  zeros.  Am I the only person who thinks it is absolutely absurd that a professional sports association  should make 9 BILLION dollars more than the greedy bastards had initially expected?  In a single year?

All over the country there is a growing anti-union fever.  Benefits such as salary, medical insurance, retirement, and job security relating to seniority, are being attacked and eliminated when possible.  Legislation is being written to facilitate the deterioration of employee agreements that had been achieved after decades of public employees accepting verbal appreciation for their contributions to society, rather than monetary rewards for their efforts.    Professional public servants (Servants!  Now I understand where this phrase comes from) are being asked to forgo agreed upon salary increases for the sake of these difficult economic times - a reasonable request as our country tries to regain a sense of productivity and stability in a world gone mad for consumption.  I certainly am not an economist, and I would never claim to be an expert in anything that pertains to finances, but I am puzzled by this situation.  Can someone please explain to me how stripping benefits from educators came to be perceived as the solution to a crisis created by those with much more lucrative professions?  Do football players and the billionaire franchise owners really contribute more to American society than educators and public safety employees?  Did bankers from the top 5 U.S. banks really deserve to be awarded bonuses totalling more than $119 billion dollars in 2010?  Why aren't they being asked to sacrifice benefits or to justify their  contributions to the community?  I wish I had more answers than questions - as well as the problem of how to divide $9 billion.  God bless America.

Unions - other than marital, for a change

image from: /www.wgta.net/

My first teaching job in 1995 was a long term substitute position in a small Capital Region district.  It was my first experience with being in a union and I had mixed feelings about being a member.  While I understood the necessity of a union historically, there were some aspects that I found puzzling.  For instance, since I was the only librarian for 3 elementary buildings I had a large population of students to provide instruction - which kept me pretty busy.  I felt that it was important for all students to have library skills and literature lessons and I re-worked the schedule so that I could accomplish this goal, which meant that I was teaching more classes than the contract specified.  Because I was only initially there for a  4 month maternity leave, I was allowed to alter my schedule without a problem, and I did my best to meet the needs of my students and teachers.  Things went well and the librarian for whom I was filling in extended her leave until September 1st, from the original May return date, which gave me another few months of employment and health insurance coverage.  Since the district did not have a position for me in the fall, I was able to qualify for unemployment insurance that summer for the only time in my life, and had the opportunity to COBRA my health care.  Terrific.  In late August I received a phone call from one of the principals I had worked with offering me the chance to return to the position as the teacher had decided to extend her maternity leave - again.  I thought that it was wonderful that this new parent elected to remain at home with her daughter, but, there was a part of me that recognized how absurd it was that:

• She could continue to extend a leave numerous times (ultimately she resigned).
• Had the district known in June that she didn't plan to return in September, I would not have qualified for unemployment benefits, thus saving the state a few thousand dollars

My next position, south of Albany, provided yet another educational experience for me.  I was fortunate enough to be able to devote my attention to a single school population and spent a lot of time organizing and automating my library.  In addition to a collection of materials that sorely needed to be weeded, I inherited a full time assistant who was incompetent.  She had been with the district for a number of years and was on her second lap through the library, having already proven her lack of ability in at least 3 other assignments in the district.  As the new person, I was put in a position of collecting anecdotal evidence against her and then testifying against her in a hearing to terminate her.  Apparently, this how civil service employees are disciplined or dismissed.  The day after the hearing we returned to our neighboring desks - talk about awkward!  She was ultimately fired after a decision was reached some 8 or 10 weeks later. See, there is a system to remove ineffective employees, it is a tedious and meticulous process to arrive at that outcome, but certainly not impossible.

Permanent position number two was west of Albany.  The district was progressive, had amazing technology and provided me with an extremely generous budget for purchasing library materials.  During my time there I made an effort to attend school board meetings in the district where I pay taxes, Albany.  At one particular meeting I expressed my opinion, during the public comment period,  that Albany teachers needed to begin contributing to their health insurance premiums.  At that time (as recently as 8 or 9 years ago), there was no member contribution to individual health coverage.  Within days, the president of the union where I was employed, publicly chastised me for expressing my personal opinion at a meeting in the city where I reside.  Excuse me?  Membership in a union does not mean that I will be muzzled, ever. 

And, now I work in a district just south of Albany,*  a district where I've always imagined I would complete my professional teaching career.  You see, once teachers reach a certain level on a salary schedule it no longer becomes economically feasible to change districts because of the salary reduction we would experience as new hires.  Most districts have a formula when they hire experienced educators - perhaps 1 for 1 for the first 3 years of experience and then a diminishing scale such as 1 for every 3 years experience.  Meaning, that my 15 years of experience might place my on a salary schedule on par with someone with 7 years professional, full time experience.  Oddly, the same formula does not pertain to administrators who almost always increase their salaries as they change districts - and frequently are able to negotiate a benefit where they bring their accumulated sick, personal and vacation time with them.  The union in my present district has been nothing short of generous with the givebacks we've provided to the resident taxpayers during these tough economic times, but still it seems to me that teachers, as well as other public employees, are being vilified for the salaries and benefit packages we receive. It is public knowledge, so I'll tell you right here, I make just under $60,000 a year with 15 years experience and a Master's degree.  I think it is a fair salary and my biggest fear about working in a district that will potentially eliminate 40+ teaching positions this year, is losing my health insurance benefits, benefits for which I contribute 20% of the premium cost. 

What's the point of this tedious description of my professional experiences with unions, both positive and negative?  I suppose I wanted to express my own mixed feelings about the union to which I am obligated to belong. I find the NYSUT headquarters in Latham to be an ostentatious embarrassment, I resent the solicitations I receive in the email from my union promoting insurance agencies and rental car companies and I find behavior such as this reprehensible.  I also have an understanding about the advantages of collective bargaining and don't ever want to go back to the days of male teachers being paid more than female teachers or faculty being denied academic freedom.  It seems, however,  that a discussion regarding the true purpose of a union is long overdue.  I have always been proud to be a teacher and would like to also be proud of being a member of a union. 



*I've had tenure in all three of my permanent positions.  I've changed jobs to decrease my commute and to improve my working conditions, always of my own volition.  I don't want anyone to get the false impression that I've not been able to retain a job!

10 Things Restaurant Guests Should Never Do

I'm sure many of you are familiar with Bruce Bushel's 100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do (parts 1 and 2), perhaps you have even contributed your own personal pet peeve(s) in the form of a comment. A recent incident at the restaurant caused me to consider what Restaurant Guests should never do - although I would never be didactic enough to compile 100 items. I mean, really, 100?!?

1. Do not call a restaurant on a Saturday night at 6:45 and demand a table for 10 in 20 minutes. Believe me, I would love to accommodate your party but when you consider the size of a restaurant, the size of your party and the fact that it is Mother's Day weekend, it just isn't happening.

2. When I explain all of these circumstances to you please do not assert that you are "good friends" with the restaurant's owner. You know what? The owner of the restaurant and I share a great mutual respect - and that's why he trusts me to represent his business on the busiest night of the week. By all means - call him. Tell him I said "hi."

3. When your party arrives an hour earlier than your reservation, please make yourself comfortable at the bar and enjoy yourselves. This does not include standing on a booth to take photos of your group. Believe me, your faces are indelibly engraved on quite a few memories after your behavior - no photo necessary.

4. How about acknowledging the fact that you are in a nice restaurant on a Saturday night with your attire? Baseball hats and t-shirts don't really impress anyone or at least not in the right way.

5. Having some fun and shared laughter is wonderful and what the hospitality industry encourages and supports. This does not mean you are welcome to inflict your humor, or a conversation about how "hot " you are, on my entire dining room. They were having their own conversations until the volume of your conversation made their own impossible to maintain.

6. When your excessive volume is pointed out to you, in a direct but quiet manner, the appropriate response is not "REALLY???" Nor is it appropriate to repeatedly give me the stink eye and mumble each time I walk past you. Please - this Saturday thing that I do is supposed to be more dissimilar to my Monday -Friday gig working with teenagers. Really.

7. After spending more than an hour at the bar, completely stiffing the bartender is an irrefutable display of classlessness. Well done.

8. Having a discussion at an elevated volume about whether you are going to stay at the restaurant to eat should have occurred prior to your being graciously brought to your table. And that nice party of 4 at the nearby table might have remained for dessert if they knew you were leaving.

9. When you loudly declare that you are leaving because you are unhappy with the way you have been treated, it probably isn't really necessary to loudly state where you are going to eat instead. Especially since I know people who work there and will be calling them as soon as you leave.

10. Do not equate the possession of cash with the ownership of class. Believe me, I never do.

Photo courtesy Joe Schumacher.

Celebrity Whores

An open letter to the women who sleep with famous married men and then try to sell their stories:

Dear Loose Lips -

I wanted to congratulate you on reaching new depths in whoredom. You've really upped the ante for all of the future infidels because it is no longer enough to simply sleep with another woman's husband. Oh, no. Thanks to your capitalist nature and opportunistic ways, the act of deception is insufficient unless the entire universe hears your version of the sordid affair. Well done!! You're famous and perhaps have even gained financially from some woman's husband's transgression. You do, of course, realize that you are famous for being a whore, right? I'm sure your family is really proud.

Marriage is challenging and I do understand that extramarital affairs sometimes occur. What I do not understand is why anyone would value celebrity and money so much that they are willing to abandon any shred of self-respect or integrity. But, please stop trying to explain to the media (and to the wronged wife) what happened, marital interloper. I think the only person who might care to hear your perspective less than me is busy right now meeting with a really good divorce lawyer.

Sincerely - Mrs. Silvia Lilly