What I want

So if I don't want to be cubicle fodder, what do I want?

As part of my Secret homework, I've been putting off this exercise.

Why? Because I'm afraid that if I voice it, it won't happen or that it will.

This is painful. I've spent the last few months working on convincing myself that I have the power to make these kinds of decisions instead of having things happen to me. But that is painful. Knowing that I had a choice instead of being a victim of circumstance is a very powerful thing.

So what do I want?

1. I want to be happy.
2. I want to have a loving and caring mate in life.
3. I want children.
4. I want a comfortable home with plenty of space for entertaining but cozy enough for an afternoon with a book and a beverage.
5. I want to work for myself. I want to determine my own career destiny. I want to open my own scrapbooking store and have time to show others how much fun scrapping is.
6. I want enough money to what we want, when we want. I want to have enough money to give away. I want enough money to start a trust fund for hospice patients who don't have medical insurance, but aren't poor enough to qualify for Medicare/Medicaid/public assistance.
7. I want to be healthy and thin. I want to hike up Stone Mountain without feeling like I'm gonna die. I want to be able to shop at any store I like.

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Why I hate my job

I work for a major HR outsourcing company. I work in technical support where I help customers make their software and their processes (primarily payroll processes) work like they should. I am very good and my job and in the few months since I've been with this company, I've been a real success. I have clients singing my praises. I've received a number of good reviews from my superiors and I even got a bonus recently. Despite all that, I hate my job.

You would think that with this success, I'd really be enjoying it. I mean, who doesn't thrive on success and praise? The problem is that no matter how hard I work at succeeding, I don't feel like I matter to the success of the company.

The group I'm in is the worst performing as far as revenues go. We've got crappy furniture (the rest of the building has been refurbished and has new furniture).We're the last to get any recognition. And our new president has threatened to outsource us to India.

When I'm out of work for a day, whether planned or not, I don't feel like I'm missed. I just don't feel like I matter there.

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Risky behaviour

A new study has proven that adolescents are far more likely to engage in risky behavior than other folks.

I say... Did you really need to fund a study to come up with these results? I mean, how many of us did stuff our parents told us not to (bungee jump, make out in the back of cars, do drugs, etc?)

The survey goes on to say that the way to deal with this is by:

"The best approach to helping teens stay safe probably involves controlling
opportunities for them to get in trouble by enforcing laws restricting the sale
of alcohol to minors, expanding access to mental health care and birth control,
raising the driving age, and good old fashioned parenting... "

The report goes on to say that:

“the cognitive control system responsible for regulating emotions, controlling
impulses, delaying gratification and withstanding peer pressure doesn't fully
mature until young people reach their 20s”

So, should the alcohol sales age be raised to 25? 30?

How about driving? Should we raise it to 25?

Hmm... what about other things we allow these irresponsible youth to do? Like getting married? In most states you can legally marry at 16 - some states, it's even lower (in New Hampshire, it's 13 for girls and 14 for boys).

Oh and hey, you can VOTE when you turn 18! Well, no risky adolescent should be allowed to vote! They might elect someone good for a change who doesn't embarrass the US in world relations! The very idea is frightening!

And what about our military? You can legally join the military at 18 - can even sign up while you're 17! This behavior is far too dangerous for a young impressionable dangerous adolescent to do!

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