Posts by wegg

I love it. I have no idea how feasible it is, but I think most great ideas are a little "pie in the sky" to start.

While we're being whimsical, I've got a business idea for you: socially/environmentally conscious custom built computers. Granted, I know nothing of this business except that it isn't all that difficult to build a computer, custom built machines are far superior to the bloated name-brands, and you can charge decent money for them. I also think you might avoid some of the "ick factor" that certain people might have in using a more intimate good made by ex-cons (like food). Additionally, technical skills are highly marketable. Finally, and most importantly, you can call them Con-puters, because everybody loves a good (or bad) pun.

Back to reality, I think it might be best to start relatively small and local. Like, partnering with one specific local prison to create a re-entry program that involves some pre-release training. Convicts could be accepted into the program (hired) prior to release to maximize re-entry support; they go straight from prison into your program, with no time in between to start faltering. If the program is successful, you could expand or help other prisons partner with local business to implement similar programs.

I really like it, and I agree that the housing piece is crucial.

I think your first step would be to do some research on starting a non-profit, as that'll be quite a bit different than a traditional business plan.

Thank you everyone for your responses. It's really helpful to hear other people's experiences and input. I have been struggling so hard to get anywhere in this economy, I have to admit I'm just really frightened of making the wrong decisions and setting myself back.

I should clarify, donuthole, that it really is just the schedule that's unappealing, not the job itself. The position would be fun and very similar to what I do currently.

I do have a hard time keeping work in perspective. And I'm feeling a lot of pressure to get my career rolling; right now, we don't make enough money to save. We live in a very small apartment, and it's not an unpleasant life but I desperately want to own a home and have a child someday. I guess my "biological clock" is ticking.

TVFH, I do consider going back for the MSW. It's nice to hear your experience with that.

Can you believe that five years ago, before I earned my degree, I made $4 more an hour than I do now?

Original Post by lostpumpkins:

Original Post by armandounc:

So basically what you want is a "bad boy"

 

Seems like all these men just bore you because they are just too plain and normal.

 

Go outside of your comfort zone.

I hate that you said that.

But I fear that there might be an element of truth to it.

 

I bet you could find someone who excites you without being toxic.

I dumped a very nice guy in favor of my (now) husband, because that's where the spark was. He wasn't a "bad boy"--he's responsible, kind, commitment-minded--but he's got a bit of an edge. So far, following my gut has worked out pretty well.

To answer the questions:

- When I met my SO, I wasn't looking for a relationship. But I could tell right away that we were compatible.
- I don't think it's reasonable to expect one person to fulfill all your needs, although I'll admit this is still something I struggle with. So, no, my SO is not my "everything".
- To be perfectly honest, I liked my SO so much when we were new that I overlooked some traits that I had previously considered deal-breakers. Some of these things we've worked on together, and some of them I've just adjusted to. Our relationship is not a fairytale, but we're happy.
- I think my husband and I are well-matched. Sometimes I feel like he's out of my league, but I think that's natural because I do love and admire him. Ultimately I think we're pretty well-aligned in terms of attractiveness and intelligence.

Original Post by mjsophia:

Original Post by wegg:

From the link:

"A school bus monitor monitors the conduct of students on school buses to maintain discipline and safety and participates in school bus safety drills. They also ride school buses to prevent altercations between students and damage to the bus."

...I cannot help but think that this woman is ill-equipped for the job of maintaining discipline and preventing altercations.

I have to admit I find all the comments (on youtube) about harming these CHILDREN almost as disturbing as the video itself. Truly an ugly situation, all-around.

This woman is 60+ years old. I guarantee when she was a child, or even in the 15 years she has been doing this, that she has never witnessed children act this horribly. I wouldn't be surprised if she was just completely caught off guard and stunned by their DISGUSTING behavior. How exactly is anyone equipped with this abuse?

And, just for the record, I would've risked going to jail to B*tch slap each of those teens in a heartbeat.

I have a hard time believing that this was a totally isolated incident, but maybe you're right and she was simply stunned into silence. I think it's more likely that this woman has endured varying levels of disrespect and abuse for years. I do hope the video showcased the worst of it.

Ideally, a person responsible for the discipline and safety of teenagers should possess some skills to do the job. And it's not, obviously, an easy job. I also suspect (along the lines of smashley's post) that this woman was provided with little disciplinary recourse, which puts her and other bus monitors in an almost impossible position. That said, crying and quoting moral cliches is clearly not the most effective way to deal with wayward teens.

For the record, I work with troubled teenagers and I would absolutely not want to be a bus monitor or driver. And I do feel badly for the woman.

Original Post by kotov_syndrome:
...

he is convinced that "sexual abuse" on its own is not particularly harmful, citing his own experiences as an example, but also several, several cases that he's studied. he believes that sexual abuse, in tandem with verbal or physical abuse, is where the damage happens. apparently, he was molested from the time he was 11 until he was 14 or 15, and usually looked forward to it. he said that other days he didn't really feel one way or the other about it.  

he's said that it's society's reactions to molestation that make the victims feel ashamed and...all the other emotions and feelings typically associated with it.

...

This reminds me of a book that I read about men who sexually abuse children. Based on a handful of in-depth interviews, the author suggested that sexual offenders frequently have their own history of childhood sexual abuse, characterized by responses from relevant adults which normalized the abuse. Virtually all of the men felt that they had suffered no ill consequences from the abuse, and many reported having enjoyed it--which served, of course, as justification for their own offenses. I wouldn't place too much stock in these findings, given the small sample size, but it certainly seems plausible (Unspeakable Acts: Why Men Sexually Abuse Children is the book, if anyone is curious).

That was fun, thanks for posting jane.

I took one hit on Battleground God--got a little sloppy. And I got a tension quotient of 7% on the Philosophical Health Check.

Without knowing the details of the case it's a little hard to have an opinion on this one.

I would point out, however, that when CPS removes a child it has nothing to do with punishing the parent, or deciding who deserves to keep their children. It should be fairly obvious that a normal, well-adjusted adult does not allow their child to become obese, but that isn't really the issue; if CPS decided to remove children from every suboptimal situation they'd have to open a warehouse to store them all. These decisions are made based on concerns for the safety of the child, not feelings about the parent.

Got in a fight with my partner on Monday when we were supposed to be going to the gym, and Saturday I just ran out of time. I wonder how much farther I would have progressed by now if I didn't miss so many workouts.

On the bright side, however, I did try jogging for the first time last night (one of this month's goals). I can't go for long, take lots of walking breaks, but I expected that. The good news is my unstable knee felt  fine, and I think this is something I would enjoy working on. Now I just need to buy some suitable running shoes.

Original Post by hatamoto: ...

There's a legit point in the article, but I'm not a fan of the implication that it's an intentional thing... while I'm sure that some guys do it intentionally as a tool to manipulate, most men (at least in north america) are trained from childhood to dampen and control emotional outbursts, whereas women are generally trained to share how they feel. In this scenario, it'd be weird if women didn't feel that men tended towards the cold and unemotional and men didn't think that women weren't collectively overly-emotional.

"I don't think this idea that women are "crazy," is based in some sort of massive conspiracy. Rather, I believe it's connected to the slow and steady drumbeat of women being undermined and dismissed, on a daily basis. And gaslighting is one of many reasons why we are dealing with this public construction of women as "crazy."

...

While I take total responsibility for my actions, I do believe that I, along with many men, am a byproduct of our conditioning. It's about the general insight our conditioning gives us into admitting fault and exposing any emotion."

Original Post by nicepumpkins:
 I've tried the dollar limit thing, but for certain people (again, dad) it's just so impossible.  I really want to give useful, meaningful gifts if I'm going to spend the money, and it's hard to find anything useful and meaningful for a dude that hunts raccoons in 30 year old loafers and watches John Wayne movies on the weekends.  So I usually end up buying him several random things...and spending too much.

I don't post much but I seem to recall from another thread that you are something of a writer.

Maybe you could write up a special memory that you have of your dad. Meaningful and free.