The lonely bull
I reeeeeallly don’t want to return to the odious Petraeus / Broadwell / Kelley / Allen / shirtless-text-guy / who’s next “scandal”. I actually don’t have a further opinion on that whole subject except for maybe “double-bleeechh”. We don’t normally talk about news or politics much at work but today we had a dog and pony show and somebody said that maybe it would end up being a movie. I said, “Well, they will have to dumb the whole thing down to the point where somebody like me can actually understand it.” And I am a systems analyst. I get paid to pick apart complex systems and try to re-work them into something an average user can understand. But I don’t get it. Of course, who knows what my business, the on-line banking business, will look like in the year 2525. If man is still alive. If woman can survive. They will find… Whoa-ah-whoa…
I am heartened to see more women take positions in our government and I would like to see even more. After all, 51% (or something) of the population is female. We need representatives. I don’t want women to be elected just because they are women (I *certainly* don’t agree with every woman on earth). I want people to be chosen because of their skills and position. I also hate when the media (or whoever) gets nasty about white males. For quite a few years, as I was raising my children, we were all dependent upon my highly skilled and experienced white male husband’s salary. Losing that would have been devastating. But still, a more proportionate number of *competent* and *qualified* women. We can’t get there by quotas. We have to get there by having more *qualified* women running for office and having them run decent, honest campaigns.
I would also like to see so-called women’s professions be more valued. Teachers, nurses, nurse’s aides… When The Commander became dependent on others for basic care, the women who cared for her (mostly women, there were a few *wonderful* male nurses / aides), saved my life. I was totally unequipped to do the hands-on care of an elderly parent myself and my elderly parent would have been mortified to have *me* be her hands-on caregiver. I loved her caregivers and that kind of work *must* be more highly valued and paid.
… … … I have lost my train of thought. You are happy about that. As I was heading over to work this morning, I was *blessed* to listen to an NPR article on A&M records, featuring one of its founders, Herb Alpert. Seeing this guy on YouTube after all these years, I am wondering why I didn’t have a huge crush on him back in the early ’60s’…
November 14th, 2012 at 9:23 pm
I’m trying to avoid the scandal or hearing any more about General “Betrayeus.” 🙂
November 14th, 2012 at 10:15 pm
Things must be different outside of healthcare. In hospitals I think women are highly regarded in all positions and are well represented at all levels and are paid no differently. I think maybe that is why I feel a big disconnect between my experiences and the assertions out there that are women are treated so differently. I imagine men are not treated equitably in some circles as well.
I do think the dual role of mother and career may often slow a woman’s career path, but that is part of the price of motherhood. It’s a tough choice. Renee is coming up against it. Will be tougher without family support nearby.
I agree with Margaret today.
November 15th, 2012 at 7:33 am
Weellll… My experience in the IT business is *also* that women are treated fairly. But my point was that in what are “traditionally” women’s fields like teaching and nursing, I don’t always think that’s always the case. I am particularly disheartened about the teacher-bashing that seems to be all the rage these days but that would be a whole ‘nother post (or 10).
Speaking of the health care business, what about those “lowly” nurse’s aides who do the nitty-gritty work of caring for the old and the sick? Are they treated equitably? Are they respected? Are they paid what they are worth? I would have to argue not.
Motherhood does have the potential to throw a few roadblocks into one’s career path and I know *well* what it’s like to raise children without family support nearby because I did it. I also had an intense albeit part-time job (in the IT business) while raising young children. I am not complaining about that. In my *personal* situation, I have never been ambitious enough to care about reaching the top of my profession. But that’s just me and it is likely a function of not knowing what I want to do when I grow up.
Anyway, I do have a job (a good one) and I better get crackin’ 🙂
November 16th, 2012 at 8:38 am
“There is a rose in Spanish Harlem” was always a favorite Herb Alpert song, for me.