Kimber's Little Piece of Heaven

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am just an average, everyday citizen. I'm a loving, stay-at-home wife and mother. I'm a 31-year-old college senior pursuing my BA in English with minors in History and Political Science. I was raised with my younger sister in Fort Lauderdale, FL by a single mother in a time when single mothers were not yet given the many opportunities they are given today. I voted in my first election in 2004. I woke up early that morning, making sure my voter's registration was tucked safely in my wallet. I dressed my infant daughter warmly, and headed out to the little Brethren church where my local precinct was housed. I don't know what I expected. Some epiphany to make me change my mind into voting for John Kerry rather than George W. Bush maybe? Neither really heightened my interest. I couldn't identify with either one of them. But I was doing my civic duty. I was doing something that many people of my generation have been wary of since reaching an age that we were legally able to do so. I'd like to say that my reasoning in registering was for the greater good. Unfortunately, I cannot. I simply felt that my husband's job (he's an aerospace engineer for a defense contractor) depended on George W. Bush being re-elected. I had no preconceived notions that Bush's second four-year stint in the Oval Office would be any better than his first. The country was at war--a war that I believed in the beginning was necessary not only in terms of national defense, but also in terms of human rights. I was only a teenager when the first Gulf War began, and although I didn't completely understand the premise for that war, over the years I began to pay attention to the plight of citizens of Iraq and elsewhere. I was appalled at Saddam Hussein's gassing of his own citizens, and the reports of torture and killing that seemed to increasingly dot the international news. Even now, I walk a fine line when it comes to my beliefs of whether the war in Iraq this time around was justified or not. On the one hand, I think it was necessary to oust Saddam Hussein out of a position of power and give the Iraqi's the opportunity for democracy. On the other, I feel that sending thousands of our men and women into harms way was--IS-- a huge price to pay for a country that could possibly become a dire enemy in the not so distant future. Democracy or not. Anyway, my priorities have shifted since that chilly November morning in 2004. Although I look upon my husband's job as indispensable in terms of my family's welfare, I am now looking far into the future. Far beyond the question of war, and national security although they are both still an important issue in my mind. I, as well as my husband, have student loans that far exceed our yearly income at this point. The rising cost of living only exacerbates the need for things to changes in policy and leadership. I worry about our retirement, and how we will fare once we reach an age where we can no longer work for what we have. Will Social Security still be there for us? Will rising healthcare costs cause us to have to refuse medical attention if we are unable to meet the cost? Will our children fare the same? Most of all, though, I worry about my daughters. As public schools become even more crowded due to urban sprawl, I become even more disenchanted with the quality of education my oldest daughter is receiving. As it gets worse every year, I wonder how my youngest daughter will fare once she is old enough to start kindergarten. And as I watch the rates of college tuition rise, I wonder how my daughters will be able to attend college. Especially if my husband and I are still paying student loans of our own. It's a never-ending worry. And although the thoughts and ideas of our current politicians sound good on paper, it seems that not many in Washington are willing to put in the effort to achieve the goals they are so quick to use on the campaign trail. They seem more concerned with their own celebrity, and their own deep pockets, than that of average citizens such as myself that elected them into office in the first place. And I don't relate to them. I can't. The politicians of the former generation do not represent me in any way that allows me to. I believe that is why Senator Barack Obama has caught my interest. His average background and family values have shown me that there is someone in the political sphere that I can relate to. Someone that will put me and my family first, and someone who has the ambition and drive to put forth the effort to get things done in Washington. Regardless of whether Senator Obama decides to run in 2008, it is nice to know that there is someone like him emerging onto the political scene at a time when change is so desperately needed. I have not one doubt in my mind that he has the power to inspire others like him--like me--to get involved and stand up for my generation. After all...we are the ones who will inherit our country once the Bush's and Clinton's and other's of the former generation are long immortalized in the history books. It's nice to think that someday soon, someone will be representing us for a change and that prospect of better days in Washington, and quite possibly the world, are visible on the horizon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi everyone!  Yes, I have been seriously neglecting my blog once again.  I do come in and check up on it every once in awhile, but with school busting my little tushy I don't have the time to update as much as I would like.  It's sad too, because there is so much to tell.  I've left a lot of issues hanging on here and I apologize to the friends and family that still stop in to see what is going on in my life.  I'm hoping that with the semester half over, things will start to die down.  Of course, it probably won't.  I am barely half way through my book as of this moment, and I have a major paper and presentation coming up in my Ethics class...so I guess we'll just have to see.  But on the bright side, I always seem to work better under a tight deadline!

 

So what's been going on in my life (and others)?  Well, to start with...My sister filed for divorce and put her house up for sale, which I am happy to say has been sold.  She closed on it on the 12th, and things are really looking up for her.  She is currently seeing a guy that my mom deems as "nice but a little wierd."  Wierd to my mom is having a long goatee and tattoos.  But she says he is very sweet and treats my sister like a queen, which is what she really needs right now.  My mom seems to think that this guy will stick, at least for awhile.  Time will tell I guess.

 

Ashleigh:  She is doing much better in school, although I think I may stop taking her to the child shrink.  The truth is that he is not really doing anything differently than her pediatrician, and I'm paying him more just for 15 minutes of his time once a month.  Honestly, I think her ped did a lot more in terms of checking up on her progress.  I'm highly disappointed with the way things are being handled at the shrink.  She is currently on a waiting list for behavioral therapy...which of course could be months before they actually call me to make an appointment so that's not really helping her NOW.  Yeah, I think I'm going to call that whole thing off.

 

Kayley:  Ahh...the terrible twos!  I thought she may actually skip it, but it is now here in full force!  She fights me on naps, eating, drinking, changing, bath time, and while we're shopping.  Her new thing is climbing...she tries to climb everything including her huge dresser in her room.  We had to get a second baby gate so that she can't climb over it (one on top of the other).  The other morning, I woke up to find that she had managed to get out of her room without anyone hearing her, grabbed a chair and pulled it into the kitchen, and was terrorizing Ashleigh's pet fish.  The fish was a bit shaken, but unharmed...but I don't even want to imagine what COULD HAVE HAPPENED had my mommy instincts not kicked in and woke me up.   Yikes!

 

Husby:  HUSBY GOT A PROMOTION!!!  He is now middle management...in other words, he is basically the head of the structural engineering department which is what we have been waiting for.  Hopefully, this will mean a decent raise in January...crossing my fingers!

 

As for me...well, I'm managing.  Just trying to get through another semester.  On a good note, my CORNY advisor (Dr. Cornelius) has informed me that if I play my cards right I can graduate next December instead of 2008.  I have to say, I would really like to see that happen.  Imagine all the time I would have on my hands!!  Um...imagine all the time I would have on my hands?   Ok, I think I am a bit intimidated now.  I haven't had time on my hands in years.  Aside from writing and kids, what the hell else will I do to fill my time?  Yes, part of me is scared to graduate.  I like being in the classroom.  So much, in fact, that I may decide to go back for a second BA or even on to grad school at some point.  It's who I've become.  I'm not sure that I'm ready to enter the world with a degree quite yet.  Hell, I don't even know what I want to be when I grow up aside from a writer!  I'll really have to start thinking about that I suppose.

 

Oh well.  Anyway, it's late and I have some work to do before I get off here for the night.  I just wanted to let you all know that I am still alive and kicking and trying my best to keep the world informed of my presence.  Hopefully it won't be another month before I get back here with you all.  I kinda miss it   

 

Ok, take care all.  Don't write me off quite yet! 

Hi everyone.  As always, I apologize for going AWOL on those of you who still visit me from time to time.  Ya'll seem to understand my dilemma though...homework, kids, house vs. blogging, email, mindless rambling.  Gotta have priorities, and although this little blog is my escape from reality at times...sort of...I just don't seem to have the time I used to have to keep it up.  But I know you all still love me...you still do, right?

 

Anyway, as I always do at the beginning of a semester, I would like to update you on my first week of school.  Can everyone say...HECTIC?  Like that's anything new.  Aside from only having one vehicle to get by on, and other more pressing financial things on my mind, this first week wasn't much different than any other first week.  The same rush to get to class on time...the same panic attacks I always get when I'm going into a class not knowing if I know anyone...the same realizations that I have yet again purchased the wrong edition of the texts on ebay...yup, pretty much the same. 

 

And as always, my professors all have little nuances that are bound to drive me mad this semester.  There were also a few surprises that I really wasn't anticipating which are also bound to make this semester FUN FUN FUN!!!

 

Take Spanish, for instance.  Everyone warned me to take this class with a certain professor and avoid the other like the plague.  So, I signed up for the more favorable of the two and...BAM!!  Wouldn't fate have it that the more desirable of the two decides to up and quit a week before classes begin, leaving the less desirable to pick up the slack.  Lucky me!!  Seems to be the story of my life these days.  Now, this is a beginner Spanish class, mind you.  Most of the people in it have not had any Spanish EVER...that's why it is called Beginning Spanish.  Not advanced...not intermediate...BEGINNER!  Well, seems someone did not tell this to the professor who came into class and immediately began to teach...IN SPANISH.  Now, I know immersion is the best way to learn a language, but at least teach us a few basics.  Start gently, for heaven's sake...for many of us, it's our first time!!  Granted, I had two years of Spanish in high school which is helping me cope...but my friend Annette, who has never been privy to this, is about to have an aneurism.  And it doesn't do any good to tell the professor this, because he just keeps talking, and writing EVERYWHERE on the board, and just as your writing something down he asks you a question in ESPANOL and expects you to answer in ESPANOL, even though you have no idea what he just said, which causes you to panic and forget what the hell you were writing down in the first place...sigh.  And no one is exempt...everyone gets called on.  The best thing to do is to not make eye contact with him.  Just keep writing...doodle if you have too...just don't get caught in his stare!!

 

Ok, who's next...ahh, my caffeine-junky, over the top hyper Ethics professor.  Now he's a trip!  I have to admit, the stuff we are covering is a bit deep and gives me a bit of a headache, but at least he's an interesting individual.  He's very...how should I say it...animated?  He beats on desks, he jumps around the room, and is even willing to give a striptease if time allows.    Ok, at least he's not too terrible on the eyes.  Should be an interesting class, to say the least.

 

Then there's the new Journalism professor.  She's a feminist.  But she's down to earth, and willing to let us dictate what we learn in class...which is a plus.  There's only eight of us, and to her dismay most of us never took the prerequisite to the class...our loving advisors had us forced in because we are all writing majors.  But she's willing to work with what mad writing skills we do have, so it's all good.

 

Finally, there is the always great Dr. Cornelius.  Yes, I truly enjoy taking classes with this man.  He's definitely one of a kind.  Granted, his job this semester is basically to rip apart my dreams of my book ever getting further than the confines of my computer...but at least I can trust his unbiased and brutal honesty.  I'm guaranteed to cry at least once this semester...hey, it wouldn't be normal if I didn't! 

 

Anyway, so there you have it.  The people I will be spending a good deal of my time with this semester.  Should be a good one...but as always there is room for error in judgement.  Guess I'll just have to wait and see.  So take care everyone.  Say a prayer for me and the hope that your Kimber will survive yet another Wilson year...

Ok, that was just plain scary.  I logged into my space here.  And something entirely NOT MINE popped up with the profile thingie saying that I better keep it clean or they will report me.  All my stuff was gone...I nearly cried! 

 

Did I do something wrong?  Was it something I said?  Please, someone tell me that they have had this happen to them as well.