Red Kettle

the rumors are true

jenr — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:06:30 +0000

Yes, the rumors are true… Nate and I are expecting a little one early this fall! As I enter my 5th month of pregnancy, this reality makes itself known as I watch my belly begin to expand, feel faint flutterings, and constantly need to pee. I am still amazed there is someone growing inside of me that is a combination of Nate and my genes. Nate wrote a beautiful post last month that I thought I’d share.

Awhile

jenr — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:06:18 +0000

Hello virtual world. It has been awhile since posting, and I believe my blog stats have flatlined out to a round zero…

It’s now 2009, we have a new President and I am back in the full swing of school. This school term began with a bang, after receving an email from my program director informing me that I did not take a prereq course that was required last semester and was told this would push my graduation back a semester. Joy. But the good news is that this semester I am only taking 3 courses rather than 5 which makes me a more loveable person. It also is providing me with some space to continue to wade through this whole decision of doing social work, now that I am half-way through the program. Some days I love the material, the practicality, and the research. Other days I struggle with disallusionment and the quality of some of my classes. Thankful summer break is arriving soon, and I can take the time and step back and wade through everything, and then move forward.

There should be a hug your TA day

jenr — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:38:12 +0000

I am currently TAing as I write this. I am a Graduate TA for a program outside of my program (I am purposely being vague). The program is actually off-campus so I am the TA for the on campus section as they receive the satellite feed from the off campus location. Picture a window-less room with a big projector screen and a lot of unmotivated 4th year grad students ready to be anywhere but there. My job is microphone/fed ex girl. I bring the mic to students when the off campus professor begs them to talk. Here’s how it goes…professor says, “how about someone in Columbia answer this question…” and I pick up the mic and begin strolling down the rows waiting and searching for someone to answer. Sometimes this takes 5 whole minutes… I stroll…they all sit in silence avoiding eye contact, and then finally after a very long awkward silence, someone will have mercy and say very bored, “I’ll answer.” And my heart leaps for joy as I run the mic over to them and tell myself, “see you are so needed.” And then after class I put all of their assignments in a fed ex envelope and mail it.

We have the class in a room where I guess the janitors decided to be cranky and make it a rule that we can’t have any food or drink in the classroom. There are signs everywhere that read: “No food, drinks, or smoking.” Now I know this is the Midwest and just about everyone smokes, but I think everyone could pretty much assume that they probably shouldn’t smoke in class. But I guess that’s the other part of my job to make sure they don’t light up.

All in all it’s a good job and pretty low stress. Although there are some days when we have technical difficulties like the mic doesn’t work so there I am screaming up at the front of the class, “Dr. ___ can you hear me… can you hear me now… how about now?!”

And all 23 pairs of eyes just continue to stare at me.

Stuff white people like

jenr — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:40:57 +0000

Behold the white, middle class mirror: Stuff White People Like

(This website is hilarious.)

(Thanks for the link, Chris.)

House of Representatives Passes an Official Apology for Slavery in the U.S.

jenr — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:21:36 +0000

I feel like singing Handel’s Messiah… Hallelujah-the U.S. House of Representatives passed an official apology for slavery in the United States. I believe this is an important first step in racial reconciliation. I pray it continues with the senate and the President.

“Whereas a genuine apology is an important and necessary first step in the process of racial reconciliation;

Whereas an apology for centuries of brutal dehumanization and injustices cannot erase the past, but confession of the wrongs committed can speed racial healing and reconciliation and help Americans confront the ghosts of their past;

Whereas it is important for this country, which legally recognized slavery through its Constitution and its laws, to make a formal apology for slavery and for its successor, Jim Crow, so that it can move forward and seek reconciliation, justice, and harmony for all of its citizens: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives:

(1) acknowledges that slavery is incompatible with the basic founding principles recognized in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal;

(2) acknowledges the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow;

(3) apologizes to African Americans on behalf of the people of the United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow; and

(4) expresses its commitment to rectify the lingering consequences of the misdeeds committed against African Americans under slavery and Jim Crow and to stop the occurrence of human rights violations in the future.”

Vancouver, here we come.

jenr — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:58:51 +0000

Tomorrow we leave for Vancouver, BC to attend a friend’s wedding and to take a much needed vacation. I am so excited to attend a wedding where I am not the photographer. I get to just show up when everybody else does, wear cute uncomfortable shoes, and most importantly I get to eat, drink, and dance… in that order. I had forgotten that weddings can be an enjoyable event. And Vancouver! Oh how I have missed your sushi, spanish banks, mountainous views, and perfect summer temperatures (70′s and sunny). I will be sure to take photos… this time for me.

Now here’s a blog worth reading

jenr — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:50:48 +0000

idiot dreams

I hear the author of this site is promising the first 10 viewers with a free cd single of the song “idiot dreams” off his mega hit album “Wood on Wood”.

bbq with the carolina chocolate drops

jenr — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:26:48 +0000

It’s gonna be knee-slappin’ and finger-lickin’ good!

(photo links to an NPR interview and music)

i want to smash your firecrackers…over and over…

jenr — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:20:19 +0000

Call me a cranky old fart, but I dread July 4th in Missouri. Here’s why. Last night just as I was about to drift off to REM sleep, around midnight I hear what sounds like multiple missels shrieking and then igniting in our back yard. Of course it didn’t start or stop there, all day yesterday and even this morning firecrackers are booming through the neighborhood followed by every neighborhood dog barking their heads off. Every dog that is except mine. One of our dogs rarely barks and the other one was shot before we adopted her, so every time a loud boom occurs, she runs and hides behind our recliner. This happens over and over and over again. I have this theory that everyone in our town comes to our neighborhood to set off their cheap firecrackers. We get the firecrackers and south (wealthy) columbia gets the trick-or-treaters.

here kitty

jenr — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:39:40 +0000

Oh the adventures of Nate’s job… so once a week Nate travels 30 miles south to a job-training farm where he hangs out with formerly homeless men. For the last few years, this farm has become the dumping site for a variety of unwanted animals, ranging from dogs, cats, and goats, but especially CATS. Two or three abandoned un-spayed cats, eventually leads to a dozen and then a couple dozen, and then soon you have a Hitchcock film. The local human society near the farm is always full and is never accepting animals. But the town we live in, they for the most part will accept any animal. So this leads to a new job for Nate today,–animal control and transporting boxes full of cats 40 miles to the human society. Sounds pretty harmless right? Hmm… no. The mama kitty who is pretty much pissed about the entire situation finds a way to chew her way to escape, followed then by all her little kitties. This leads to kitties crawling all over the car, up Nate’s leg, batting his head, and this is all happening while he is talking to me on the phone and driving the car down the interstate. I could barely hear him over the screaming meows. But here’s the best part… mama kitty decides to show her extreme dissatisfaction over the entire situation and poops all over the backseat of the car.

I am so a dog person.