Immigration Discussion

I am not, by nature, a political person. I try to avoid unpleasantness when I can, though I have my beliefs and hold firmly to them, I am not the type of person to argue openly. I believe it's impossible to change a firmly held opinion rooted in emotion. The discussion of immigration that is going on currently is highly emotional - ever more so since 9/11/2001.

People around the country see outsiders as far more sinister now than ever before. Though, let's face facts, it wasn't orange pickers flying jets into our countries trophy buildings. Please don't get me wrong, I'm emotional about 9/11 as much as anyone. I just don't think Jose and Maria should be held responsible for it.

Let's look at a few facts - most of these folks are here because they'd like a better life. For whatever reason, minimum wage working the hardest and most menial jobs sounds like heaven to them. They are, for the most part, less educated than those who call themselves American and who look at the same jobs with a shudder of outright fear and disgust. So, they haven't spent a lot of time before hand looking for a legal entry to this country. Many probably aren't even aware of where to start. I can't say I blame them. I'm not either, and I live here.

Now, let's look at this economically - people are griping and bitching about companies sending work to other countries - outsourcing if you will - because of the economic impact. But yet they refuse to see that these companies are doing this because people here want far more than it's worth to pick oranges. Or dress meat. Or put plastic thingies on shoestrings. Whatever.

Wouldn't it be best, I wonder, to let these folks come here, work at their dream job for pay that we of the spoiled middle class blanche at, and then spend their hard earned dollars here on US soil at McDonald's or RayRay's Realty? C'mon people, if you want, we can pay people twice what we're paying them to pick oranges, but then you're going to be paying quadruple the current going rate for oranges, leaving you less money for McDonald's, and slowing down the sluggish economy even more. Every company in America right now is trying to figure out how to make a profit paying $6 or $10 an hour to people who do no more than push buttons or count hanging nads and don't have to actually think. They're thinking 'hey, if I can do this for cheaper, I can sell my stuff for cheaper, more people can have it, I can sell more, so we can spend more... ' so they can further oil the sluggish and rusted cogs of this economy.

Get a grip. Let them have their dream. It's not like any of you are jumping for these jobs at those rates. Let them have their chance to be 'legal' - let's use this opportunity to continue to build our economy, and stop spending millions or billions or whatever trying (and failing) to push them back over the border. These people have given their lives in some cases to improve life for their families. Damn - if anyone can understand that - can't WE?? This country was built on that ideal.

A comedien - I'm sorry, I can't remember who - once commented on a joke about seeing 10 mexicans in a corolla. His punchline was 'hey, at least they're going to work!' And he was right - they're a hard working, saving, building, goal achieving bunch of people. They've seen the other side and they don't wanna go back. Maybe more of us should see their other side - maybe it would motivate us more to be thankful for what we have and achieve more.

And don't give me that bull crap about how my kids won't have jobs because of them. If we keep off-shoring jobs to keep costs down, my kids won't have jobs anyway. So shut up, let them work, let them become citizens, and let them contribute. I'm sure they'd be thrilled for the chance to pay taxes and fight against your other imagined enemies and vote and get off food stamps and maybe even go to college and come up with new ideas to keep America great.

The rest of you can get out there and compete with them on your own intelligence and will power and work ethic. If you think you can.

Hello again

Wow - it's been a while since I've posted. Not on purpose mind you. My life is just... odd. I'm still working at Solectron. I've been offered other projects here and I like it, so I'll be here for a while longer. I have to say, I love this job. The drive is ridiculous - an hour every morning, an hour ever night, but it's a good job. I mean, I rarely see my boss, which is a good and bad thing, but overall, I'm confident in what I'm doing, I'm getting my job done, and I'm making friends. So, we're good.

I don't have medical insurance yet, which is a little stressful, but I'm trying to decide whether I should wait for open enrollment or sign up for a personal blue plan or something. I have to make the decision soon. Either way, the options are so expensive it's almost better to invest in a medical savings plan. If I weren't worried about some major expensive catastrophe in the coming year (not likely, but I'm a worrywart) that's what I'd do.

My hubby is so darned smart. He really is. I thought our truck was dying. It spluttered, it popped, it was sluggish. I was rubbing my temples and praying and all that. He said "It's that cheap gas you use." What?? I use regular unleaded like the rest of the world. "The rest of the world doesn't put over 100 miles a day on their car." Um, ok, you have a point. So, per his instructions, I ran the tank down to fumes and a prayer and filled up with unleaded plus (at $2.32 a freaking gallon mind you) and voila - the truck can now pass cars in the fast lane again. It was darned near immediate - the improvement I mean. Plus, my gas mileage is now better. I was using about a quarter of a tank every day, now it's using about half that. So, while it's more expensive per gallon, I'm now saving money on overall gas mileage and the truck doesn't feel liek a dying cow. I might have to keep my hubby around. He's got some fairly decent ideas up there in that hot little noggin of his.

My two eldest boys have started baseball practice. Sortof. Nicholas played his first practice with a glove meant for right handers. He's left handed. So, he'd catch the ball, take off the glove, and throw the ball. It went slow for a while. Then he complained that no one was throwing to him. So the coach, obviously a very bright man with kids of his own, made Nicholas the catcher. He had to stand behind the little kids who were just learning to bat (just like he himself) and catch all the balls that didnt get hit. Which were probably 99.9% of them. So now *everybody* was throwing to Nicholas. And he was chasing a heck of a lot of balls. Smart coach :) Careful what ya wish for kid. Nick's grandmother promptly went out and bought him a glove for left handed little kids. Big basket :)

Grayson had his first practice last night. He grabbed Nick's glove. Grayson is *right* handed. So, he drove his coach nuts because he couldn't throw very well. Mainly because he was trying to throw with his left hand. At the end of the practice the very sweet man (who apparently didnt want to hurt my feelings and thought I was a clueless momma) walked up to me and said "Mizz Bailey? Grayson's glove is a little small for his hand..." He probably would have continued on, but I couldn't help it. I started to laugh, turned around to Grayson and Nicholas and said "Grayson, please tell Coach Brent why your glove is too small?" At this point, Nicholas piped up indignantly "He was wearing MY glove!!" I smiled at poor coach Brent and explained "And Grayson is right handed, he was wearing Nick's glove, and Nick is left handed."

The coach looked *very* relieved and said "Oh, so you can throw better than that?" and Grayson blushed about 10 shades of red. I said "I think he probably can. We'll work on it." So, all in all, I like both coaches. They seem really nice - I can't help but think good things about large grown men who are afraid to hurt my feelings or that of a little 6 year old kid. And both seem to really want to help my kids learn baseball and team values. I'm happy I got them on the teams.

I'm learning some new things too. I've faced the fact that I have ADD, that it's a real thing, and that I don't have to be a constant failure. For those of you out there pshawing me, I have to tell you - ADD is not something I want to have. And no matter how things look on the outside, I do feel like a constant failure. I think people who really have ADD don't want to talk about it - I know that I hate to do it - because other people are constantly saying "Oh, that's just an excuse, ADD is boredom." Ok, whatever makes you feel good, feel free. But I'm telling you that I don't want excuses. I just want to be able to set goals and finish the damn things.

I have lost 25 pounds thus far on my weight loss goal. That's good, but I had thought I'd be further along by now. I'm trying still. I fall off the wagon. I had a donut yesterday afternoon. I've found it's a lot easier to stay on the wagon if I simply am more careful when I shop. If it's not in the house, I can't do the impulse eating thing and devour it. I must have OCD too - because I feel like I have to be a human vacuum cleaner and clean the kids plates. I'm learning to overcome that particular vice. I eat what's on my plate. If they don't finish theirs, it goes in the trash. OUCH I hate wasting food. I abhor it. But it's not like I'm saving the world by eating it myself. So, trash.

I'm working on a manuscript I've called "Grayson's Web" - it's hard to stay focused on it, but I love the story, so I'm doing bits at a time and hoping to finish. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

Best wishes,
Danielle