It's a New Year

I didn't even post this entry and photo when I first put them together, relegating it to my drafts instead. But I've not written in a while, and am staring the remaining work on my desk waiting to be filed and decided I need a break. So I'll post the following paragraph, written on 1/4/10 and the photo now! 

While chatting with Cameron on the IM between signing off case notes, this fabulous picture from Flicker popped up as a background. The extraordinary colors really grabbed me, so I felt compelled to share.


The utter exhaustion from a year of work/making jewelry, flea marketing and classes has overwhelmed me in the last couple of months. While the weekend promises to be wonderful, it will not bring any much needed rest, either. We are off to the annual GAFILK convention this year featuring the Alexander James Adams, the former Heather Alexander. I expect transgender issues to be on the forefront of my mind this weekend. Visit Cameron's blog if you are curious about Filk, GAFilk or Alex!


Incidently, GAFilk (pronounced Ga Filk) was where I met Cameron for the first time. So it has been 12 years since she entered a room wearing boots with bells...many transformations since then.



Speaking of transformations, I expect transgender issues to remain at the forefront of mind for quite some time to come.  I have just submitted my syllabus to my teacher for my directed independent study. Once she approves it, the Dean of Grad Students approves it, and I will be writing a 25 page research paper based on a project done two years ago and updated to reflect new research (50 articles published in the last year and a half on transgender issues! Talk about a hot topic.). I'll also be conducting a few interviews with an eye to gaining a greater understanding of what Transgendered or Gender Variant people need from a therapist when they enter therapy.


As Cameron continues her journey of self definition and discovery, being transgender is taking a backseat with her discovery of a learning disability. Certainly the disability explains a lot of things (like why such an intelligent person with excellent grades) can't pass Spanish. But the effects of this disability are far more reaching as it affects her ability to process information, sensory data etc. I never realized, until the time to do so was taken away by school/practicum/work, that the talking we used to do, hours and hours of it, was more than dating, more than simply the pleasure of being together, but actually allowed her to process her world and find ways to relate the information together or file it away. Something in the talking, the discussion, the process of communication, makes her far more competent at functioning. And since she has learned to function so well, not even me, the woman who loves her beyond measure, realized what I was seeing all these years.


Looking ahead this year, I'm also taking my last class at Converse in the art department looking at children's art therapy. I think it will provide a much needed opportunity for deprograming as I finish my degree. Then there will be festivals and jewelry making around taking my board exam in the Aug-Sep range. What an amazing year this year promises to be!

Barack Obama - The Tide Is Turning

Because others can sometimes say it better than I can:

Backporch Priestess: When the news makes me want to tear my hair and throw things, I keep going back to this. Seriously people, no matter which side of the political spectrum you're on, it's time to help make things better or shut up and get out of the way. I...f you can't do anything but heckle (I'm looking at you, Senator Soon-To-Be-Unemployed,) sit the hell down until you have something to contribute.


I believe. Won't you?

Follow Up on President's Speech

South Carolinians that objected to President Obama's inspirational speech seem to have underestimated the power of children to tune him out. One young blogger on the Internet reports that out of 200 students, only two listened. For her account, click here.

So much for the government and Obama's plans to indoctrinate young people in his political agenda. I'm not sure now why I want to weep more...because drinking parties are more important than a president who cared enough to take time from his schedule for future voting citizens, or for the two students who wanted to hear and could not. I've emailed my son, who teaches high school, how this went in Arkansas. I'm not terribly hopeful for a better response.

I think the folks who were so worried about our children being adversely affected by the president's speech underestimated the energy/noise level/attention span of most kids!

The front page of the Harald-Journal reports first Lady Bush supported Obama's plans to encourage children to stay in school. Locally, SC state Rep. Harold Mitchell led black leaders to issue a statement critical of the seven school districts who refused to air the broadcast. While one changed its mind, the rest recorded and reviewed the broadcast for teachers to incorporate the broadcast into their lesson plans.

Uh-huh. And SC leads the nation to educational success/standards, too. Right.

Anyway, the statement reads, in part:

We are embarrassed by the decision of the superintendents of the Spartanburg County Schools not to allow our children to participate in this historic event. Many parents are insulted, as are we. This speech is not only appropriate for our children to hear, but is exactly the type of message they need to hear.

In another quote, they state:

Why was this president second-guessed? Why was it assumed that political indoctrination was his goal? By blindly following certain biased mass media outlets, our superintendents have failed our children and have missed an opportunity to teach a valuable civics lesson. A lesson that everyone, even a school child, has responsibilities as a citizen of this country, and that good citizens obey the rules and work hard.

Apparently our local news, Fox News, is to blame for this disaster. Indeed, it seems that the school has reversed its position and is broadcasting the speech today. They are justifying their decision by saying SC started school three weeks ago and teachers needed time to adjust their curriculum. They also say they have recorded previous presidents for playing at a later time.