Month: January 2009

When my sister was here over Thanksgiving it seemed that every time I made some comment about food or the weather, or anything really, she needed to make some contradictory statement. An example is:
Me: That news restaurant has a huge menu, most of which is pre-fabricated food from a freezer.
Sister: I love pre-fab food! (In reality she never has. She has maintained the aura of an Earth-friendly local food type of person for decades.)

Today I experienced something else. One of the care givers always has to make some kind of damn statement about how we live here at our home. It is driving me nuts. Today, however, it was different. I am expecting a package via Fed Ex. It is a new camera and lens. It is quite an investment and was in the 4-figure range of pricing. The sender (Beach Camera) requires a signature form someone in the house to complete delivery. I am planning to go to the grocery store. In the event that they deliver while I am away I told Elizabeth (her real name) about the possibility and could she sign for me. Her response?

Elizabeth: It’s been my experience that FedEx just drops things wherever they want, and never requires a signature.
Me: But the sender requires it due to the high value of the package.
Elizabeth: That has never happened to me…

All I wanted was “Sure, that’s fine.” I didn’t need her personal opinion and a run-down of her experiences with FedEx. Nor do I really want her opinion on anything except the health and well-being of my mother. It bothers me that she tries to impose her values in my home.

I am tired of these people contradicting me just for the sake of hearing their own voices. They do not contribute to the conversation of the forward movement of society.

On better things…I have finished the dreaded ‘Digital Art and Design’ class. It is over and I will never take another on-line course again as long as I have something to say about it. ‘Unfulfilled’, ‘Bamboozled’, ‘Tedious’, and ‘Waste of time and money’ are some phrases that come up when I think of it. After reading the comments of others I have discovered that I am not alone. I am back on track with the rest of last semester (thankfully!) and start the next one in two weeks. I will begin my Senior Thesis and take a class (Study Group!) called ‘From Page to Stage” which is about reading and staging theater. Sounds fun!

BTW…If you haven’t already, see the documentary ‘Helvetica’…Very fun and cool.

Johnnyboy

Last year I submitted a proposal to my college for credit for previous life experience as a working chef. I had almost 20 years in the business before I left for a new life, much of which revolved around ESC and my completion of my B.A.

It has been made aware to me that the evaluator never sent any of the forms into the college. So I called the evaluator. According to her she sent them three times and then finally on a special form supplied to her by the college itself–all before the holidays.

So where did the form go? Whose in-box did it land in and who deleted it from their file? Who is to blame? Who is lying? Who is guilty of discrimination?

I have to admit that trying to get any credit from the college has been a disappointment. They do not accept credit from “trade schools” like culinary institutes. On the other hand they do automatically give credit to people who have served in the armed forces.

Perhaps I should have learned how to kill rather than cook. Then I would have no problem getting credit.

Johnnyboy