POINT/COUNTERPOINT

I saw these articles in their respective newspapers. Normally I wouldn't post, but since they were about the same thing albeit from a different perspective, I thought them worthy of inclusion.

POINT:

The Nation's Schools Are Failing Boys by Maggie Gallagher

COUNTERPOINT:

She Works. They're Happy. by Tara Parker-Hope
 

As a boy, I tend to see things more from Maggie Gallagher's point of view. I do feel that the pendulum has swung a bit too far in favoring girls at the expense of boys. That being said, I do NOT believe that the man's place is at work and the woman's place is at home. I don't care who actually occupies those roles. The trouble I perceive is that boys are punished for not acting like girls. I don't know what the solution is. Perhaps we need more male teachers at the elementary level or just in general to provide balance at the administrative level?

I suppose we're going through another one of those social upheavals and we're simply witnessing the mess that's created as one social paradigm yields to another. I do worry about my sex though. It seems that this latest upheaval has revealed us for what we men really are...lazy...and it's a shame really. I'm embarrassed that far too many men are willing to father children with no intent of ever actually being fathers. Ever time I hear "baby mama", I cringe inside. And I blame the women too who are willing or are even encouraging such arrangements. It's frustrating that the social shaming that once came with being a low-life, no job having loser has disappeared...hell, it's practically celebrated now. I wonder how the portrayal of men in media, especially commercial media, is affecting us. When was the last time you saw a man who was both in charge, respected, and competent on television? It's honestly strange watching old TV shows like Leave It to Beaver and seeing the father being both the head of household and respected for it without a hint of irony. When did it become so totally unacceptable to have men portrayed that way? I'm rambling so I'll drop this now and yes, for those of you keeping track, I count myself among these low-life losers and know that I ought to do something about it but still don't.

That being said, the last lines of the Times article are more in line with the way I think as opposed to the way I feel. "I get the same reaction from all the moms," he said. "They say, ‘That’s great, my husband wouldn’t be able to [be a househusband].’ I think they’re selling their husbands short. All guys could do it, just like all women can be the breadwinners."

(originally posted to That Other Journal on January 26, 2010)

I TOTALLY COPIED THIS

The original poster admitted to not knowing who originally wrote this so I cannot give proper credit unfortunately...

Lost...

A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him,

"Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You're in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above ground elevation of 2,346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude."

She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be an Obama Democrat."

"I am," replied the man. "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct. But I have no idea what to do with your information and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me."

The man smiled and responded, "You must be a Republican."

"I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?"

"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You've risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it's my fault."

(originally posted in That Other Journal on January 26, 2010)

ADDENDUM: Apparently this joke is located in Mertzon, Texas. :-)

THE WAY CANDLEMAKER SAYS, "HUH?" WHEN REMARKING ON YOUR HYPOCRISY

I haven't spoken to Best Friend for a while. It's nothing malicious, it's just been over a month of bad timing. Yesterday, I finally got a text from her:

hey...noticed on fb u n Mystic r quite chummy. that chick c*******e was a nasty bitch to me in hs.....it kinda annoyed me how u were bein nice to her.

To which I replied:

You do realize that that was over twelve years ago...right? Let it go.

To which she replied:

well she never friended me like other girls...or showed kindness. she had a real nasty disposition. at least t***a is cool now. u n Mystic should hang...maybe we can all b friends. i need positive pple in my life not negative. u r negative btw

I didn't respond to that one. I didn't feel like fighting since that's only where it could've led. Of course I wanna help you now! I love being insulted all the while you're expecting assistance from me. Immediately to mind came my previous attempts to introduce her to people whom I thought she might like: Ukrainian (whom she spoke with at my Dad's wake), Rabbit (whose number she actually got but never called and in fact yelled at me when I was annoyed at having gone through the trouble of arranging a meeting on her behalf only to see her completely waste the opportunity), Shortii (never got around to her meeting), my cousin J-Girl (whom she was getting along with at another of my cousin's wedding), and another of my cousins, K-Girl (whose number she also got but never did anything about). I've done my part.

As you may have surmised from her texts, she wants me to do all the work. I have no interest in introducing her to Mystic. Best Friend has every opportunity to do as I have been doing, but she doesn't preferring instead to ride on my coattails, those very same coattails she has put down so, so many times before. Ugh... I think her other friends have been giving her the cold shoulder lately so she's looking again to me to leech off.

I've said it before, but I really think Best Friend is the same person I met in high school. She's still trapped in 1997 (or earlier). I mean, twelve years and you're still holding a grudge? I'd be surprised if this C*******e even remembers Best Friend's name. And for the record, the reason I was being nice to her aside from the fact that she had done nothing to me, was that she was remarking on Mystic's and my banter to each other. She wanted to know if Mystic and I were a couple. We've just been goofing around on Facebook, but I'll admit that I like the implication. How could I ever be upset at that? It was also nice to be exposed to a friend dynamic that I hadn't seen in quite a while. Mystic's surrounded by love and support (and a lot of humor) and it's a pleasure to be swept up in it, however temporarily. But I'm the one being negative... :-P

(originally posted to That Other Journal on January 25, 2010)

YE OLDE SURVEY FUN...

You're really upset; who is the first guy you go to?
Roommate

You're really upset; who is the first girl you go to?
It depends on what the problem is. I have a lot more female friends than male ones so I have more skill sets to choose from. :-)

Does it matter to you if your boyfriend/girlfriend smokes weed?
Yes. Whatever your opinion of marijuana, it's still illegal and I don't need that in my life.

Last person you texted and why?
Best Friend...answering one of her grammar questions.

Do you prefer to take showers at night or in the morning?
While they're taken at night, it is morning for me relatively speaking.

Have you been to New York City?
Yes

Who was the last person you talked to on the phone ?
Bronx last week. I don't get a lot of calls. My cellphone's battery still gets an average of ten days to a charge. :-/

Do you think you have made a difference in anyone's life?
I'm sure I have but whether it will be a long-term or short-term difference remains to be seen.

How many piercings do you have and where?
None

Which year has been the best so far?
It's still been the time between August 1998 and May 1999.

Last time you laughed really hard?
Probably yesterday listening to the Opie and Anthony Show

Do you know anyone addicted to anything?
Yes

Where is your phone?
Nearby

Do you know anyone by the name of Lee?
Yes. We're not friends, but we did go to school together.

What color phone do you have?
Blackish

Does a heartbreak feel as bad as it sounds?
No, because there's an implication that once something's broken, it's done and over with. It's much more of a lingering feeling that doesn't let up for quite a while.

Have you eaten popcorn in the past 48 hours?
No

What happened at 10 AM?
I was reading this survey before deciding to post myself :-)

Do you need to say anything to anyone?
Probably, but I tend to keep my mouth shut.

What were you doing at 7AM?
Listening to the Opie and Anthony Show

How do you feel?
Glad that I don't have to sleep this morning because there's a lot of banging/noise coming from downstairs. It sounds like they're retiling the bathroom.

When was the last time you cried?
March 4, 2009

What is bothering you right now?
I'm calm.

Have you ever done drugs?
No.

When was the last time you saw your grandpa?
Sometime in September 1983 I gather and Thanksgiving 2004 (or at his wake in Feb.2005 if you want to get technical).

The thing that was bothering you before, is it still bothering you?
No, but it will. My mind is relentless.

What bed did you sleep in last night?
My own

What are you looking forward to?
I try not to. Except for this one time, any time I get my hopes up, they're inevitably dashed.

Do you get mad or discouraged when you're wrong?
Mad? Possibly. Discouraged? Hell no, I'm stubborn. I don't give up until I have to.

What was the first thing you did when you woke up?
Checked to see what time it was.

Last thing you drank?
Pepsi

When was the last time you talked to your number 1 on Myspace?
May 1999. If the internet counts, then considerably more recently via Facebook. :-)

Have you ever kissed anyone who's name started with a R, A, M, or V?
No, Yes, No, and No

Do you prefer warm or cold weather?
Cold weather...to a point.

What are you wearing?
My bedclothes

What/who woke you up today?
The urge to pee.

When was the last time someone yelled at you ?
Sometime in November. I got sent home early too. :-)

Have you ever been given an engagement ring?
No...

When was the last time you talked to one of your best friends?
Last night considering I live with him.

Where's your best friend?
At work

Who was the last person to make you laugh?
In real life? Twin at work harassing one of our regular customers.

Is there any emotion you're trying to avoid right now?
No

Do people make fun about your nationality?
Not me personally but I'm German, Irish, and Polish...there's volumes written about the latter two and when was the last time you heard German brought up without a Nazi reference?

Did you have a dream last night?
Probably

Do you own a polo shirt?
Several...they even have my work logo embroidered on them!

Are you excited for winter?
I much prefer the winter time

What's your favorite color?
blue

Have you ever been awake for 48 hours?
No. I've maxed out at about 36.

Do you like your first name?
Sure

Where do you want to live?
Hometown or Collegetown

What are you currently doing?
Filling out this shitty survey and listening to the Opie and Anthony Show

Do you miss anyone?
Yes

Is there anyone you want to be with right now?
Yes

Are you going to be home alone tonight?
Roommate lives here too so technically no...

If you could change your eye color what would you change it to?
My eye color doesn't concern me so I'd leave it as is.

(originally posted in That Other Journal on January 19, 2010)

DAY 30 - WHATEVER TICKLES YOUR FANCY

The last day of this thing...Finally.
And how awesome is it that it's "whatever tickles my fancy"? So, for Day 30 I choose:

Nothing.

Nothing is what suits my fancy today. I am using the power of today's choice to simply not choose and finally lay this meme to rest.

Fin

(originally posted in That Other Journal on January 16, 2010)

DAY 29 - HOPES, DREAMS AND PLANS FOR THE NEXT 365 DAYS

Is anyone still reading this?

My hopes are that my life will continue to improve. I've been talking to more people my own age which I hope will lead to actual hanging-out type friendships. I hope I will make more money this year than I did in 2008 since I had my first year-over-year decline in income last year (-7.6%) since 1997-1998. It was mostly interest income that was lost, but I even lost money at my primary source due to them nibbling away at my hours (15 minutes each day of the weekend and a whole hour on Friday) which was a first since I started working there. I'm not happy about that. I continue to hope that somehow a girl I like will actually like me back. I have been officially chosen twice back in 1998. I've been suspicious of a couple of others, but otherwise I have been drawing from a very dry well for a long time now. Can I be right about someone just once?

I don't know what my dreams are as I haven't dreamt them yet. ^_^

My plans are what they have been. So long as my life continues on the course it has, there's no need to change them. :-/

(originally posted in That Other Journal on January 15, 2010)

DAY 28 - THIS YEAR, IN GREAT DETAIL

Is this thing over yet? Geez...

As for my year in detail, I again refer you to my That Other Journal for the majority of it. Y'know, the frustration of finding out who sang that song, random memes including this one, miscellaneous audio and video posts, my heart tearing itself apart over Digby, my trials and tribulations of living with Best Friend, and my moving in with Roommate. The big event, of course, for 2009 was my Dad dying. I'm still putting all that into perspective so I'm not too keen to write about it just yet. I'm tired of this meme already. I've been tired of it since it got to this "great detail" section. Hell, even the one I stole it from (McLittleBitch) hasn't posted since Day 9. Fuck it. I'm done.

(originally posted in That Other Journal on January 14, 2010)