The irony of Friday February 6th was that while it was a very sad day for my lady Cathy’s family, I actually received good news about a three-month “consulting” (i.e. temporary) assignment for a client in downtown DC. Interestingly enough, the client is a trade association that deals with wind energy... and not the kind that Cathy exudes in her sleep! (LOL Just kidding.) Back when electric utility choice was introduced in Pennsylvania, I chose to switch to a company who used wind power. However, when their rates jumped dramatically a year later from the slight premium I was willing to pay, I jumped back to the default utility.
Anyway, back to the job. I impressed my supervisor right away in finishing my first task in the first day. I had apparently accomplished more in the five hours I worked - they asked me to come in at 11:00 to start – than either of the two previous temps who were subsequently let go. Later tasks have become somewhat more challenging but I seem to continue to meet expectations.
One thing I noticed immediately is not only the newness of the office but the many yet-to-be-occupied cubicles and offices. I also knew that the Obama administration was planning to support and encourage alternative energy sources. So I figured that the company was definitely in expansion mode. A field visit from my recruiter confirmed my thoughts as she recommended that I “treat every day as if it were an interview”. My supervisor even admitted that if she had her druthers, she would like to get permanent help with her overabundance of work. So I think she may consider my time there as an audition as well.
The aforementioned recruiter also spent some time with the two other “consultants” in my department. One of them is an affable guy with a Vietnamese surname who seems all but hired. To wit, he is the only temp with a nameplate, albeit made out of paper. With his sensitive lilt to his voice, I’m tempted to nickname him “Geico” after the Asian restaurant owner in the “wad of money” commercial. Since Cathy and I may be the only ones to find that funny, I will instead honor his heritage and re-christen him Ho Chi Minh.
The other temp is a black guy whom I thought by his appearance that I would vibe with on a “nerd” level. However, he was all-business. If he wasn’t talking to his own supervisor, his conversation was pretty limited. For the first several mornings, he didn’t even acknowledge me. Once he even walked by and averted my gaze. He finally broke the ice one day by asking what kinds of assignments I was doing. My cynical side thought he might have been comparing our responsibilities to see how he can position himself better for a permanent position. I do have to give him credit though for providing me with a time card last week when I forgot mine. Still, he will be known from this day forward as Robocop.
Out of the full-time employees, there is one guy that stands out for his own unique personality trait. By his appearance, you’d think he might make a good stunt double for Curly from the Three Stooges… except when you hear him talk, he sounds like the overnight host of the Quiet Storm show on some R&B station. Even the black ladies in the department find him amusing. So of course I call him White Chocolate. It was sure confusing for the first few days as the high cubicles made it hard to tell if it was White Chocolate or Robocop speaking.
A full-time return to accounting isn’t exactly a thrilling idea for me but I do have to be realistic that my other career interests will not provide the consistency let alone income that I need to make. If anything, the ability to save for tuition to get my Master’s in Library Science would be my main motivator. But I have to remind myself not to get too comfortable or nervous – just to stay focused on accomplishing my assignment goals and letting the chips fall where they may later in the spring. In the meantime, I anticipate more interesting stories from the field which I will look forward to sharing here.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
No More Excuses
In the weeks following the elections and especially after the Inauguration, I’ve read a lot of political forum posts as newspaper article comments online whose general sentiment was that with the ascendancy of President Barack Obama African-Americans and other minorities have no more excuses about being held back or marginalized in achieving their goals.
And you know what? They’re right.
President Obama should be an inspiration to minorities that with hard work and determination, one can overcome one’s socioeconomic circumstances to live out their dreams. So-called welfare queens and kings should not look to The Source and Slam for role models so much as Ebony, Essence, Jet and especially Black Enterprise.
On the other hand, it is also time for the old boy network to, paraphrasing President Reagan, “tear town this wall” and officially dismantle the remnants of the glass ceiling. President Obama’s success as well as the excitement over both Senator Hillary Clinton and Governor Sarah Palin shows that the vast majority of Americans are comfortable with the idea of women and minorities in positions of power.
Of course, a gap in educational resources in poorer minority communities still exists. And there is a real shortage of qualified minorities for many occupations that should not be filled with marginal candidates. But these related issues should and hopefully will be given more attention by the current and future administrations.
In the meantime, there is no excuse to deny the vast majority women access to any career for which they can prove to be qualified. Perhaps the biggest sea change will be how families adjust responsibility when more women become the breadwinners. Ideally, “supermoms” will become an anachronism as their husbands are more socially accepted as primary caretakers and/or domestic engineers.
And you know what? They’re right.
President Obama should be an inspiration to minorities that with hard work and determination, one can overcome one’s socioeconomic circumstances to live out their dreams. So-called welfare queens and kings should not look to The Source and Slam for role models so much as Ebony, Essence, Jet and especially Black Enterprise.
On the other hand, it is also time for the old boy network to, paraphrasing President Reagan, “tear town this wall” and officially dismantle the remnants of the glass ceiling. President Obama’s success as well as the excitement over both Senator Hillary Clinton and Governor Sarah Palin shows that the vast majority of Americans are comfortable with the idea of women and minorities in positions of power.
Of course, a gap in educational resources in poorer minority communities still exists. And there is a real shortage of qualified minorities for many occupations that should not be filled with marginal candidates. But these related issues should and hopefully will be given more attention by the current and future administrations.
In the meantime, there is no excuse to deny the vast majority women access to any career for which they can prove to be qualified. Perhaps the biggest sea change will be how families adjust responsibility when more women become the breadwinners. Ideally, “supermoms” will become an anachronism as their husbands are more socially accepted as primary caretakers and/or domestic engineers.
A Simple Solution To A Complex Problem
Sign me up! Where does the line form...?
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/cheney_dunk_tank_raises_800
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/cheney_dunk_tank_raises_800
Thursday, January 22, 2009
John Roberts And Me
I never thought I'd say this (truly, I didn't) but it appears that I have something in common with Chief Justice John Roberts.
Everyone knows by now how Chief Justice Roberts essentially flubbed administering the Presidential Oath of Office bad enough that President Obama requested a private do-over. But while Roberts may be razzed by others, I actually feel his pain.
I have a tendency to freeze up when I meet someone new or have to speak in front of a number of people. My lady Cathy just loves to tell the story of how I inexplicably introduced her as the name of an ex (who also inexplicably shares the same birthday). And I just "love" when she tells it. (Not.LOL) I can only imagine the pressure that Roberts felt knowing there are not only a couple million people looking at him in the foreground but a billion or more others around the world.
So I guess the moral of this story is that everybody goofs sometimes. You just don't always see it in public. It does make me feel a little better that John Roberts and I have at least that one thing in common.
Everyone knows by now how Chief Justice Roberts essentially flubbed administering the Presidential Oath of Office bad enough that President Obama requested a private do-over. But while Roberts may be razzed by others, I actually feel his pain.
I have a tendency to freeze up when I meet someone new or have to speak in front of a number of people. My lady Cathy just loves to tell the story of how I inexplicably introduced her as the name of an ex (who also inexplicably shares the same birthday). And I just "love" when she tells it. (Not.LOL) I can only imagine the pressure that Roberts felt knowing there are not only a couple million people looking at him in the foreground but a billion or more others around the world.
So I guess the moral of this story is that everybody goofs sometimes. You just don't always see it in public. It does make me feel a little better that John Roberts and I have at least that one thing in common.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
As an African-American, I’m going through a lot of emotions regarding the ascendancy of Barack Obama to the Presidency: excitement, shock, anxiety, and pride to name a few.
As a progressive, I am optimistic that President Obama will successfully work with Congress to come up with bipartisan solutions to our most pressing issues while providing a fresh perspective from the previous administration.
As a progressive, I am optimistic that President Obama will successfully work with Congress to come up with bipartisan solutions to our most pressing issues while providing a fresh perspective from the previous administration.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Bush, Part Two
As I said in "Bush, Part One", I feel that there are two underlying reasons that President George W. Bush insisted on going to war with Iraq that, if not officially acknowledged, are an open secret nonetheless.
1. Oil. Certainly a concern to two former oilmen like Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney. After all, they've got their post-government careers to think about.
2. Family honor. George W. Bush admitted as much that he did not appreciate his father George H. W. Bush’s life being threatened by Saddam during the first Gulf War.
Even if one doesn’t believe those two “conspiracy theories”, one should admit that the war in Iraq has not brought us closer to peace but instead has left not only our national security vulnerable but our international support and standing as well. A different “axis” of sorts – China, Russia and Venezuela - has been emboldened to criticize and bypass us. (While the current recession has freefall has especially hurt oil-powered Caracas and Moscow, all three countries will continue to be a cause for concern as the world economy recovers.) Billions of dollars that could have been used to stanch our financial crisis – let alone nullify bin Laden and Al Qaeda - is instead being poured into a country whose citizens never attacked us.
“But now that we are in Iraq, we need to finish the job!”
Fair enough; we should stay in Iraq long enough for their government to reach a certain level of stability and security, although what defines those benchmarks is certainly up for debate. But can we at least acknowledge that it was a mistake to be there in the first place?
It’s okay to be a Republican or a conservative in general and admit that going to Iraq was wrong.
It’s okay to support Bush’s domestic policies and admit that going to Iraq was wrong.
One can be patriotic by supporting the troops accomplishing their missions while conceding that their sacrifice would have held even more resonance if they were in Afghanistan and Pakistan instead of Iraq.
When I originally wrote this a couple months ago, I felt that Bush, would never admit that he made even in his most private moments, let alone publicly, that his motivations for going to Iraq were either different than what he presented to the public or just plain faulty. Shockingly, he did concede to some degree the latter as noted in the press conference referenced above. Time will tell if President-Elect Barack Obama, whom as Senator was one of the relative few who voted against going to Iraq, will diplomatically albeit more directly acknowledge some sort of regret on behalf of the United States after he takes office.
Most conservatives are probably not fond of the catchphrase: “No one died when Clinton lied.” Nonetheless, despite the Gulf War success that the most fervent Bush supporters see, the Iraq War will be as defining a moment of his presidency as Bill Clinton’s ill-advised affair with Monica Lewinsky. Each situation repulsed a significant amount of citizens while somehow galvanizing their respective political bases.
1. Oil. Certainly a concern to two former oilmen like Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney. After all, they've got their post-government careers to think about.
2. Family honor. George W. Bush admitted as much that he did not appreciate his father George H. W. Bush’s life being threatened by Saddam during the first Gulf War.
Even if one doesn’t believe those two “conspiracy theories”, one should admit that the war in Iraq has not brought us closer to peace but instead has left not only our national security vulnerable but our international support and standing as well. A different “axis” of sorts – China, Russia and Venezuela - has been emboldened to criticize and bypass us. (While the current recession has freefall has especially hurt oil-powered Caracas and Moscow, all three countries will continue to be a cause for concern as the world economy recovers.) Billions of dollars that could have been used to stanch our financial crisis – let alone nullify bin Laden and Al Qaeda - is instead being poured into a country whose citizens never attacked us.
“But now that we are in Iraq, we need to finish the job!”
Fair enough; we should stay in Iraq long enough for their government to reach a certain level of stability and security, although what defines those benchmarks is certainly up for debate. But can we at least acknowledge that it was a mistake to be there in the first place?
It’s okay to be a Republican or a conservative in general and admit that going to Iraq was wrong.
It’s okay to support Bush’s domestic policies and admit that going to Iraq was wrong.
One can be patriotic by supporting the troops accomplishing their missions while conceding that their sacrifice would have held even more resonance if they were in Afghanistan and Pakistan instead of Iraq.
When I originally wrote this a couple months ago, I felt that Bush, would never admit that he made even in his most private moments, let alone publicly, that his motivations for going to Iraq were either different than what he presented to the public or just plain faulty. Shockingly, he did concede to some degree the latter as noted in the press conference referenced above. Time will tell if President-Elect Barack Obama, whom as Senator was one of the relative few who voted against going to Iraq, will diplomatically albeit more directly acknowledge some sort of regret on behalf of the United States after he takes office.
Most conservatives are probably not fond of the catchphrase: “No one died when Clinton lied.” Nonetheless, despite the Gulf War success that the most fervent Bush supporters see, the Iraq War will be as defining a moment of his presidency as Bill Clinton’s ill-advised affair with Monica Lewinsky. Each situation repulsed a significant amount of citizens while somehow galvanizing their respective political bases.
Those who have heard what might seem to be constant criticism of conservative policies and Republican politicians that I feel that progressive and liberal views are superior and that Democrats are practically perfect in every way. Well that’s not true.
Okay, progressive views are “superior” LOL but conservative views certainly have their place and can provide a healthy counterbalance. When I came of age in Pennsylvania, I was required to pick a party in order to participate in the primary elections. Naturally (for me) I chose the Democrats. When I arrived in Virginia, I was actually glad to find out that the state allows voters to participate in both major primaries without declaring a party. While I’ve considered volunteering for Democratic campaigns in the past, I would not be interested at this point as I no longer consider myself to be a Democrat but simply a generally progressive/liberal-minded person with an occasional nod or two to the center-righton fiscal issues.
Politicians on both the right and left have had their share of misuse of power and overall scandal. Enough embarrassing situations have happened to individuals in both parties that one could essentially call it a draw.
Growing up in the Philadelphia area, where one-party Democratic control of city government was the rule, I saw how entrenched policies and politicians could stymie potential. I think the City Council would actually benefit from more GOP voices – or at least “Blue Dog” Democrats – to keep things more honest there. For my part, regular readers might recall that I voted for GOP Mayoral candidate Sam Katz when he last ran for the office in 2003.
Even here in Fairfax County, an affluent left-leaning area touted for its seemingly harmonious diversity and international culture, more than a few in the higher-income brackets turn into NIMBYs as they purposely avoid or attempt to restrict those of lower socioeconomic means from living in the same neighborhood and being educated in the same schools.
So I recognize that the Democratic Party is far from perfect. But as my views tend to hew closer to their platform, I’ll continue to support them while learning to respect and find common ground with the Republican Party.
Okay, progressive views are “superior” LOL but conservative views certainly have their place and can provide a healthy counterbalance. When I came of age in Pennsylvania, I was required to pick a party in order to participate in the primary elections. Naturally (for me) I chose the Democrats. When I arrived in Virginia, I was actually glad to find out that the state allows voters to participate in both major primaries without declaring a party. While I’ve considered volunteering for Democratic campaigns in the past, I would not be interested at this point as I no longer consider myself to be a Democrat but simply a generally progressive/liberal-minded person with an occasional nod or two to the center-righton fiscal issues.
Politicians on both the right and left have had their share of misuse of power and overall scandal. Enough embarrassing situations have happened to individuals in both parties that one could essentially call it a draw.
Growing up in the Philadelphia area, where one-party Democratic control of city government was the rule, I saw how entrenched policies and politicians could stymie potential. I think the City Council would actually benefit from more GOP voices – or at least “Blue Dog” Democrats – to keep things more honest there. For my part, regular readers might recall that I voted for GOP Mayoral candidate Sam Katz when he last ran for the office in 2003.
Even here in Fairfax County, an affluent left-leaning area touted for its seemingly harmonious diversity and international culture, more than a few in the higher-income brackets turn into NIMBYs as they purposely avoid or attempt to restrict those of lower socioeconomic means from living in the same neighborhood and being educated in the same schools.
So I recognize that the Democratic Party is far from perfect. But as my views tend to hew closer to their platform, I’ll continue to support them while learning to respect and find common ground with the Republican Party.
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