So it's December 31, 2010 and I haven't written a blog in two months. I feel bad about that but that has just motivated me to write this. It is very important to look back and think about what has happened over the course of the year.
The majority of this year has been stressful. Between looking for a job and trying to pay my loans on non-existent money I've been super stressed. My anxiety has gotten worse and led to many a panic attack and argument with people I love. I've been deeply disappointed and saddened by near misses of jobs I've really wanted. I've heard no after no after no. It's jaded me quite a bit, given me a tougher skin and an even more cynical attitude. However, it has also taught me how to take rejection, how to be thrifty, and how to appreciate the little I do have. Getting through the first 10.5 months of 2010 without killing myself (and I mean that seriously) wouldn't have been possible without my family. They've helped me out and supported me and I can't express how much they mean to be.
But 2010 wasn't all negative. I've had great things happen too. I have reconnected with and continued some meaningful friendship/relationships. I got to see Miyavi in concert, and we all know how much I love Miyavi. I've joined a gym and made excellent connections. I got to return to Canada with both of my sisters, started grad school and best of all...I GOT A JOB!
My employer of two months is Chicago Public Schools. They work me to death and don't pay me much but hey a little is more than nothing. The people there are hilarious and make the work day go much faster. The best thing that CPS provides me with is the ability to feel like an adult. I love being independent finally, able to pay my bills and buy things for myself and the people I love.
It would be easy to dismiss 2010 as the year that screwed me over but that's looking at the glass half empty. 2010 to me has been a year of growth. Going through the bad usually makes one stronger and more appreciative of the good that happens.
As for my expectations of 2011...I have none. I'm just going to take it as God gives it to me. I just pray that this time next year I am here to write another reflection blog, to tell you about the struggles and triumphs of my life. I'm looking forward to continued maturity. So see you 2010, you've been something I'll never forget.
-Lauren Green aged 23
Friday, December 31, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Chronicles of LG
Well from the previous blog post I really meant to have some photos of my Niagara Falls trip up way before now. However, life kind of happened and in one week I went from unemployed with lots of free time to employed and exhausted. Still though I'm determined to post some pictures up on this blog since it is my main way of sharing. My second Niagara Falls video will also be posted as soon as I get the energy. Now that's enough of my blogger notes. Now it's time to get down with the pic spam. As always enjoy reading, make some comments, let me know that I'm not totally crazy.
Days Inn Near the Falls, this is where the magic happened. And by magic I mean mostly sleeping, sometimes eating, and watching hockey. Lots and lots of hockey. The Canucks, the Montreal Canadians, and some other teams I can't remember right now. The Days Inn wasn't the greatest hotel. The rooms were okay and the bathroom was good but other than that it was super basic. Most of my TV channels didn't work. Hence L became very acquainted with Canadian hockey.
The breakfast at this place was continental, and by continental they mean just dry bagels, toast, donuts, cereal and the most horrid yogurt in North America. I know I probably shouldn't complain so much but it's what I do and it's my blog. Anyway bad food and lack of TV aside the hotel had some good points too. It wasn't super far from the Falls and it did give me my first experience of a sauna.
In the words of my eldest sister "It's hot!". Dude that sauna was freaking hot. It felt like someone had put me in a 350F oven and was cooking me for dinner. I'm sure in reality if wasn't really 350F but still, it was hot. Going in there at first is very overwhelming. Breathing is a little hard because you are just breathing in pure heat. You inhale, it's hot. You exhale it's hot. But then after you sit for a while it gets more and more tolerable. My sister Robyne stayed in the sauna the longest. That girl has a much higher tolerance level than I do.
I'd totally go back and get in that closet sized heater again though. It really was one of the highlights of the hotel. The first thing we did was get in the spa which was warm and bubbly but a little bit dirty (gross). Then Robyne and I got in the pool while Teri lounged around. The pool was nice, cold, smelled like chlorine. Then we got in the sauna. Moral of the story. Everyone should go into a sauna at some point in their life if they can. There's no experience like sitting there with a towel over your mouth, preferring to breath in the chlorine rather than breath in the heat.
Since we were only in Canada for three complete days we had to pack a lot of things into a small amount of time. Things like eating good food suffered from the time and budget constraints but that's cool. No one really comes to Niagara Falls for the food. They come for the Niagara Falls. But in order to get to these beautiful masterpieces of nature you must go through Clifton Hill.
Clifton Hill is the loudest, brightest, gaudiest, most ridiculous combination of haunted houses, wax museums, restaurants, and hotels situated on a super steep hill that you will ever come across. It's like the vegas strip for gullible parents. You have to go down the hill unless you want to pay for the people mover that will take you down another steep hill to the falls (clever bastards!).
I will give CH credit though for having a really cool gift shop where we bought most of our souvenirs from. My sister got me an awesome carved eagle necklace from the section of the store that housed all the stuff related to the First Nations People (a.k.a Native Americans). For those who don't know I'm hugely into the NA culture. If I ever went into politics or law I'd probably advocate exclusively for their rights. I was also one of the original members of the Lane Tech Native American Club. Now back to the point. That section had this super cool totem pole looking carved sort of face. If I hadn't been so poor I would have bought it and hung it over the fireplace in my apartment. It was molto bello!
The rest of Clifton Hill though can kick rocks. It is such a tourist trap. Still though I'm glad for the experience, at least I know I'm strong enough to resist the pull of bright lights.
So at the bottom of the ridiculously steep hill (I being from the plains shall continue to complain about that hill because I am not accustomed to such things) are the falls. Wonderful, majestic, awe-inspiring, loud, and surprisingly moody, the Niagara Falls smacks you in the face and makes you feel quite insignificant.
But that will have to wait for the next post. Happy reading.
-L
Days Inn Near the Falls, this is where the magic happened. And by magic I mean mostly sleeping, sometimes eating, and watching hockey. Lots and lots of hockey. The Canucks, the Montreal Canadians, and some other teams I can't remember right now. The Days Inn wasn't the greatest hotel. The rooms were okay and the bathroom was good but other than that it was super basic. Most of my TV channels didn't work. Hence L became very acquainted with Canadian hockey.
The breakfast at this place was continental, and by continental they mean just dry bagels, toast, donuts, cereal and the most horrid yogurt in North America. I know I probably shouldn't complain so much but it's what I do and it's my blog. Anyway bad food and lack of TV aside the hotel had some good points too. It wasn't super far from the Falls and it did give me my first experience of a sauna.
In the words of my eldest sister "It's hot!". Dude that sauna was freaking hot. It felt like someone had put me in a 350F oven and was cooking me for dinner. I'm sure in reality if wasn't really 350F but still, it was hot. Going in there at first is very overwhelming. Breathing is a little hard because you are just breathing in pure heat. You inhale, it's hot. You exhale it's hot. But then after you sit for a while it gets more and more tolerable. My sister Robyne stayed in the sauna the longest. That girl has a much higher tolerance level than I do.
I'd totally go back and get in that closet sized heater again though. It really was one of the highlights of the hotel. The first thing we did was get in the spa which was warm and bubbly but a little bit dirty (gross). Then Robyne and I got in the pool while Teri lounged around. The pool was nice, cold, smelled like chlorine. Then we got in the sauna. Moral of the story. Everyone should go into a sauna at some point in their life if they can. There's no experience like sitting there with a towel over your mouth, preferring to breath in the chlorine rather than breath in the heat.Since we were only in Canada for three complete days we had to pack a lot of things into a small amount of time. Things like eating good food suffered from the time and budget constraints but that's cool. No one really comes to Niagara Falls for the food. They come for the Niagara Falls. But in order to get to these beautiful masterpieces of nature you must go through Clifton Hill.
Clifton Hill is the loudest, brightest, gaudiest, most ridiculous combination of haunted houses, wax museums, restaurants, and hotels situated on a super steep hill that you will ever come across. It's like the vegas strip for gullible parents. You have to go down the hill unless you want to pay for the people mover that will take you down another steep hill to the falls (clever bastards!).
I will give CH credit though for having a really cool gift shop where we bought most of our souvenirs from. My sister got me an awesome carved eagle necklace from the section of the store that housed all the stuff related to the First Nations People (a.k.a Native Americans). For those who don't know I'm hugely into the NA culture. If I ever went into politics or law I'd probably advocate exclusively for their rights. I was also one of the original members of the Lane Tech Native American Club. Now back to the point. That section had this super cool totem pole looking carved sort of face. If I hadn't been so poor I would have bought it and hung it over the fireplace in my apartment. It was molto bello!
The rest of Clifton Hill though can kick rocks. It is such a tourist trap. Still though I'm glad for the experience, at least I know I'm strong enough to resist the pull of bright lights.
So at the bottom of the ridiculously steep hill (I being from the plains shall continue to complain about that hill because I am not accustomed to such things) are the falls. Wonderful, majestic, awe-inspiring, loud, and surprisingly moody, the Niagara Falls smacks you in the face and makes you feel quite insignificant.
But that will have to wait for the next post. Happy reading.
-L
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Niagara Falls...again
Today I returned from my second visit to Niagara Falls, Ontario. This time both of my sisters went on the trip with me which was a great joy. If you know me, you know I took a ton of pictures and will soon be posting them on this blog. Meanwhile, until I get the energy to do so I will post my videos. Hope it's enjoyable. Leave a comment, I love to know what people think about my work.
-L
-L
Sunday, October 3, 2010
So...
I'd be lying if I said I was satisfied with how my photo story turned out. I got some good shots but in the end my heart just wasn't interested in the presentation of it. With that being said the last part of my story which was just basically more photos will no longer be presented on this blog. I'm going to leave the other parts up but there is not point in beating a dead horse. I've found a much more interesting way to present my photography which I hope to share on this blog soon.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Chicago: Oh the everyday
Everyday life in Chicago is usually pretty mundane. You wake up, you go do whatever it is you do, be it work or school or whatever, and on the weekends you relax and party in the evening. But then sometimes you wake up on a Saturday morning and you see six ponies in front of your house. You might blink a little bit and make sure what you're seeing is actually what's in front of your face and sure enough there they are. Cute little ponies that stink. The day the ponies were here it was about celebrating. It was Monroefest and it was the chance to have fun, foster a sense of community, and to just enjoy the day. However, that's not always the case when things go on here. Sometimes it's about raising awareness of the ugly things that are going on in the city. Case in point, the march that my alderman participated in. This march was all about making a stand about the violence going on around the city, especially in the poorer neighborhoods of Chicago.
These are the types of things though that happen on an everyday basis.
Despite these stories, Chicago isn't just the random things like ponies and peace marches. Everyday life is just people going to the beach, or jogging next to the lake. Just like any other city there is tons of traffic. Kids go to school (with their weird clear plastic backpacks) and parents go to work. There are always complaints about riding public transportation.
Everyday life is dealing with politicians who lie and cheat all the time. Everyday life is having to be re-routed because of weather, or movie filming, or a parade for a sports team, or a big political trial. That's what makes Chicago so dynamic I suppose. There's never a boring day here. It's always something to do here that is unexpected.
Now that I've written more than I expected, it's time for the photo spam. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of CHICAGO: THE PHOTO STORY...uh actually it's no so much exciting as it is visually appealing. Anyway, read on.
-L
Lauren Green, 2010
Lauren Green, 2010
Lauren Green, 2006
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Chicago: Now let us pause for History
Chicago is one of the world's 10 most global cities and one visit here will prove why. Every year thousands of tourists come here. They ride the trolley, visit the beach, shop on the Magnificent Mile, eat the great food, and participate in the night life. Chicago really is a scenic and beautiful city. From the beaches to the tree lines streets of various neighborhoods there is plenty to look at and participate in while here.
From this view behind in Burnham Harbor which is on the Museum Campus.The Museum Campus is where the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, and the Field Museum are located. Way off in the distance you can see Navy Pier, a fun little place with boats and rides and other random fun.
In elementary school whenever we took a trip to the museum it was always the Field Museum. I HATED IT!! To me the Field Museum was the most boring museum of all. It was only when I grew up and visited as an adult that I was able to appreciate it.
There's just so much coolness inside this Museum. I can't advocate enough people going to visit this place. So go! But only after you finish reading this blog.
Lauren Green, 2010
Lauren Green, 2010
Lauren Green, 2010
Lauren Green, 2010
Laure n Green, 2010The John G. Shedd Aquarium opened in 1930. John G. Shedd gifted the museum to the city and was a protege of Marhsall Field. It is another fun place that gets lots of visitors. Most people like to go and see the live shows with the dolphins. It's just really cool in general to go around and look at the different fish, dolphins, and beluga whales. 
This just might be the only museum like place that I've ever seen have a line that goes out the door and wraps around several times.
The last building in the museum campus is the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum which was founded in 1930. I found out that it was the first planetarium built in the western hemisphere. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the building. However, since I am me I'll probably be going there soon and it will have it's own blog post.
I enjoyed going to the planetarium as a child, mainly because I was very much into astronomy. I wanted to be an astronomer until my father told me that they don't make very much money. That shouldn't have influenced me so much to drop my dream but hey I was a kid.
Now with this, I end part two of my photo story. Hope the photos are being enjoyed. Part three shall be coming soon. Thanks for reading.
-L
This just might be the only museum like place that I've ever seen have a line that goes out the door and wraps around several times.The last building in the museum campus is the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum which was founded in 1930. I found out that it was the first planetarium built in the western hemisphere. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the building. However, since I am me I'll probably be going there soon and it will have it's own blog post.
I enjoyed going to the planetarium as a child, mainly because I was very much into astronomy. I wanted to be an astronomer until my father told me that they don't make very much money. That shouldn't have influenced me so much to drop my dream but hey I was a kid.
Now with this, I end part two of my photo story. Hope the photos are being enjoyed. Part three shall be coming soon. Thanks for reading.
-L
References
http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20100817/838/tbs-delhi-mumbai-kolkata-lag-behind-in-g.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_Museum_of_Natural_Historyhttp://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20100817/838/tbs-delhi-mumbai-kolkata-lag-behind-in-g.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shedd_Aquarium
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adler_Planetarium_%26_Astronomy_Museum
Chicago: The not so Second City
The Chi is my hometown. For better and for worse I love this place with every part in me. I love the beauty of it. I mourn for the ugliness that exists in it. My love for my city and my love for photography is what has influenced me to do this photo story. Enjoy.
Chicago was founded in 1833 and since then it's grown to be quite a huge place. Chicago is loud, it's messy, it's annoying and it's cool. The weather is bi-polar and it's gets ridiculously windy. No lie, sometimes you have to walk backwards if you'd like to reach your destination in time. Chicago can be both bitterly cold and tirelessly hot. It has a huge feeling and small feeling all at the same time.
There's no way to get away from construction no matter how hard you try. Chicago is the type of place that makes you wonder sometimes. There are so many contrasts that exist in this place that you wonder if it's really real. How can a city be both beautiful and terrible?
I never thought of Chicago as being a second city despite that nickname being given to it. To me it's a first class city with all the drama and greatness that comes along with that label. Sometimes I want to escape, get away from the ridiculousness of the politics and the red tape. But where would I go. Having grown up here I'm ingrained with the ability to deal with all the crap thrown at me.This post is just an introduction to what I hope turns out to be a thoroughly enjoyable story. I'll show the beauty and the beast that is Chicago. I hope to inspire other people to get out and take a look around their own cities. Takes pictures of the mundane things. Become a tourist of your own town. Appreciate everything that is around you. Now onto the lovely other pictures! Part II is forthcoming. YAAAAAAAAAY!
Lauren Green, 2010Thanks to Teri Green and Perry Baylock for being my adventure buddies and going around with me. Thanks to Rakesh Prem for being my research assistant and getting me motivated enough to actually put this up.
Tourist in your own city
Sometimes I wonder if people actually know how to enjoy their own city. See I don't have a lot of money to be able to go on vacations so I have to find my enjoyment in different ways. My mission this summer has been to explore Chicago. It's nothing fancy but there is certainly something very enjoyable about going around your hometown and taking photos. It's simple but oh so much fun. So after months of work I'm putting up my photo story. It isn't professional but it's definitely been a labor of love.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Can't find a good man?
So my friend directed me to Nightline which was having a panel about why successful black women can't find men. There was blame back and forth stemming from men being intimidated, to women eliminating brothers with potential in favor of those who've already made it. In the end though, no real conclusion was reached.
It made me think, really it did. Why can't successful black women find a man? I don't think it's because men are intimidated by strong black women. I don't think it's because women discard potential. Those might be factors with some people but in my opinion it's not the only factors. I think a lot of the issues that lead to the lack of marriage relationships for black women stems from being too independent.
I'll preface by saying there is nothing wrong with being independent. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman who can get what she wants when she wants (for herself). But really there is a point where the independence can turn into stubborn pride. That's when we get the women who don't allow a man to do anything for them. They don't want to cook or clean or do anything that might put them in the running for securing the dreaded label of "traditional".
Women in general now don't like the idea of being traditional, or being humble, of being submissive. Calling a woman traditional is almost like cursing at her. Submission has become a dirty word. Humility rarely exists in our society. These are all qualities that need to exist for a successful marriage. At some point in the marriage relationship either the husband or the wife is going to have to submit to the will of their partner. That's are how decisions and compromises are made. If you live without humility you are bound to piss people off and gain the reputation of being prideful. So really I think subconsciously many of these women are not prepared for a serious/marriage relationship. That requires being humble, submissive and a tad dependent. If they are not prepared to do that then they are not prepared to have a man.
Now on the Nightline panel, Sherri Shepherd said something that I found very interesting. She said she doesn't have the energy or time to keep validating a man's ego, and that is part of the problem she finds with men. Now if the situation was reversed and a man said that about her then I'm sure she would find it quite insulting but this is how people talk to each other. This is part of the problem. Folks don't know how to edit their mouths.
I don't want to put all the blame on black women because it isn't all their fault. There is a genuine lack of men who are motivated enough to even be worthy of getting in relationships with. Many of these men do cheat on their women. Or they leave the women who have had their backs years in favor of some arm candy.
Let's be clear that I'm not advocating that black women allow themselves to be dominated. I hate a pushover woman just as much as I hate one with too much pride. Both are extremes and extremes are never good. It is comforting however to know that so many of these women want companions. It shows that we haven't let ourselves get to the extreme point where we feel we don't need a companion at all. I just think these women should evaluate themselves. They might biologically and physically ready for a mate but are they mentally and emotionally ready?
-L
It made me think, really it did. Why can't successful black women find a man? I don't think it's because men are intimidated by strong black women. I don't think it's because women discard potential. Those might be factors with some people but in my opinion it's not the only factors. I think a lot of the issues that lead to the lack of marriage relationships for black women stems from being too independent.
I'll preface by saying there is nothing wrong with being independent. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman who can get what she wants when she wants (for herself). But really there is a point where the independence can turn into stubborn pride. That's when we get the women who don't allow a man to do anything for them. They don't want to cook or clean or do anything that might put them in the running for securing the dreaded label of "traditional".
Women in general now don't like the idea of being traditional, or being humble, of being submissive. Calling a woman traditional is almost like cursing at her. Submission has become a dirty word. Humility rarely exists in our society. These are all qualities that need to exist for a successful marriage. At some point in the marriage relationship either the husband or the wife is going to have to submit to the will of their partner. That's are how decisions and compromises are made. If you live without humility you are bound to piss people off and gain the reputation of being prideful. So really I think subconsciously many of these women are not prepared for a serious/marriage relationship. That requires being humble, submissive and a tad dependent. If they are not prepared to do that then they are not prepared to have a man.
Now on the Nightline panel, Sherri Shepherd said something that I found very interesting. She said she doesn't have the energy or time to keep validating a man's ego, and that is part of the problem she finds with men. Now if the situation was reversed and a man said that about her then I'm sure she would find it quite insulting but this is how people talk to each other. This is part of the problem. Folks don't know how to edit their mouths.
I don't want to put all the blame on black women because it isn't all their fault. There is a genuine lack of men who are motivated enough to even be worthy of getting in relationships with. Many of these men do cheat on their women. Or they leave the women who have had their backs years in favor of some arm candy.
Let's be clear that I'm not advocating that black women allow themselves to be dominated. I hate a pushover woman just as much as I hate one with too much pride. Both are extremes and extremes are never good. It is comforting however to know that so many of these women want companions. It shows that we haven't let ourselves get to the extreme point where we feel we don't need a companion at all. I just think these women should evaluate themselves. They might biologically and physically ready for a mate but are they mentally and emotionally ready?
-L
Friday, March 12, 2010
Freaknik: The Musical
Not much can make me speechless but this is one of those things.....
Disclaimer: This is 50 millions types of ignorant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXo_1ba34aE
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6250GF20100306
As I write this I am loath to put up the link, I feel like my linking this is encouraging this animated filth. I don't know what hurts me more; the fact that someone actually had this idea, the fact that this idea was put into fruition, or the fact that people have actually watched this and enjoyed it and hope for a sequel. Have we as a society devolved to such a degree that we actually support this? Why does T-pain have a Grammy? Why does he have a cartoon? Why does he have a career?
If black folks ever want to wonder why we don't get anywhere in this society then we should look no further than the mirror. We talk so much about the civil rights era, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, etc. etc. We talk about how we should be treated equally. About how black is beautiful and we should have pride but then we throw all that down the trash and uphold Freaknik and doing the stanky legs, we don't value education or hard work, we allow our schools to fail, make babies with multiple partners, and go on Maury wearing nothing but a bra and panties claiming that "I'm thickalicious!" We complain about the cops coming after us but then sit on the porch in 30 degree weather selling drugs with the police van sitting directly in the line of sight.
Seriously?!
There are so many things that we should be proud of but it's overshadowed by the GLARING IGNORANCE!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so pissed because the ones of us who work hard, who go to school, who bust our behinds at work and try to rise above the ignorance are labeled as haters, or go unappreciated, or are teased and made fun of for "trying to be white". Buy a clue! Not everything in life is about race or trying to be white or fighting "the man". It's about carrying one's self in a respectful manner.
So please, let's not encourage ignorance. Continued support of ignorance leaves absolutely no excuse when circumstances don't improve.
-L
Disclaimer: This is 50 millions types of ignorant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXo_1ba34aE
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6250GF20100306
As I write this I am loath to put up the link, I feel like my linking this is encouraging this animated filth. I don't know what hurts me more; the fact that someone actually had this idea, the fact that this idea was put into fruition, or the fact that people have actually watched this and enjoyed it and hope for a sequel. Have we as a society devolved to such a degree that we actually support this? Why does T-pain have a Grammy? Why does he have a cartoon? Why does he have a career?
If black folks ever want to wonder why we don't get anywhere in this society then we should look no further than the mirror. We talk so much about the civil rights era, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, etc. etc. We talk about how we should be treated equally. About how black is beautiful and we should have pride but then we throw all that down the trash and uphold Freaknik and doing the stanky legs, we don't value education or hard work, we allow our schools to fail, make babies with multiple partners, and go on Maury wearing nothing but a bra and panties claiming that "I'm thickalicious!" We complain about the cops coming after us but then sit on the porch in 30 degree weather selling drugs with the police van sitting directly in the line of sight.
Seriously?!
There are so many things that we should be proud of but it's overshadowed by the GLARING IGNORANCE!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so pissed because the ones of us who work hard, who go to school, who bust our behinds at work and try to rise above the ignorance are labeled as haters, or go unappreciated, or are teased and made fun of for "trying to be white". Buy a clue! Not everything in life is about race or trying to be white or fighting "the man". It's about carrying one's self in a respectful manner.
So please, let's not encourage ignorance. Continued support of ignorance leaves absolutely no excuse when circumstances don't improve.
-L
Friday, February 26, 2010
Re: School Closings
Disclaimers: statistics are courtesy of the Illinois State Board of Education website and their report cards on schools. Any news articles will be referenced accordingly.
So there's this uproar going on in Chicago right now. Frankly it goes on just about every year recently. The Chicago Board of Education decides that some schools will be closed and undergo a "turnaround". Parents, teachers, community leaders, etc. all protest and say that it's terrible to close these schools. Teachers will lose jobs, the destabilizes the children, etc.
I went through CPS both the good schools and the bad schools. I HATED elementary school for two main reasons, one I was socially discriminated against and two because I was always so bored. We always went over the same things over and over. I was one of those "smart kids" who was beyond grade level but there was nothing for me to do. The school had no resources and everything was dedicated to helping those who were not meeting grade level. As a child that annoyed me to no end. As an adult I understand why that's important. Especially in the climate of no child left behind and the constant pressure to get our children up to grade level in reading, math, and science. It's stressful to be a teacher. That is why I ended up not going for a teaching job. I knew myself well enough to understand that I would not have been able to deal with what teachers deal with. They have to be mother, father, teacher, and disciplinarian to these children. School closing only add to the stress, costing teachers their jobs and livelihoods. I respect teachers. I know teachers and their dedication is AMAZING!
If I'm so understanding then what's my problem? Well I have a big problem with much of the complaining coming from some parents and community leaders. Where is all this outrage before the announcement of the school closing? In fact how did we even get to the point that our schools are under-performing to the point that they need to be closed? Why do these schools closings take people by surprise every year?
I want to throw out some quick facts about one of the schools that is being slated for turnaround. Marshall Metropolitan High School is behind the elementary school that I attended. I've always known it was a bad school, so I wasn't surprised by the fact that it was listed as one of the schools being closed. Let's look at how the school is doing.
Graduation Percentage
2009: 41.1%
2008: 28.0%
2007: 46.9%
PSAE Scores (the Prairie Sates Achievement Exam is given in grade eleven to test students progress)
level 1 (academic warning)
level 2 (below grade level)
level 3 (meeting grade level)
level 4 (exceeding grade level)
Reading Math Science
2009
level 1 27.9% 42.7% 31.8%
level 2 63.9% 55.9% 65.9%
level 3 8.2% 1.4 % 2.3%
level 4 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
2008
level 1 34.0% 42.7% 29.3%
level 2 59.6% 54.1% 68.2%
level 3 5.8% 3.2% 2.5%
level 4 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
2007
level 1 31.6% 42.2% 36.2%
level 2 71.6% 55.6% 61.2%
level 3 6.9% 2.2% 2.6%
level 4 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
I should have looked at more than three years but to me this was enough to give me a quick snapshot. The graduation rate is below 50%. There is consistently less than 10% of these students meeting grade level and none are exceeding. Now if you just take twenty minutes and look at these figures and think about them then would it really surprise you that this school is slated for closure? I know it's kind of unfair to look only at figures and not take into account what the students will have to go through when their schools are closed and they are uprooted. But really what is the choice? Do we continue to let these students back slide? How can the US keep up in the world when we have such poorly educated students? We have to look at the figures because they are tangible proof of what is going on with the students.
But back to my irritant. Where are the parents? Where are the community leaders? Why aren't they doing something about this? I feel like they should be making a big deal every year. How can you possible not know that a school is doing this bad? 28% of students graduated from Marshall in 2008 yet I can't recall hearing anything huge in the news about it.
I don't want to be the villain and blame one person for everything. I blame our culture. We have an ingrained culture of sweeping problems under the rug. We don't deal with problems until it has gotten so terrible and that there is no other way around it. I hate to say this about black people (my people) but we accept these low standards. We accept our children dropping out of school. We don't encourage education but we sure do get angry if someone tries and take it away. Why are we allowing schools like Marshall to fail?
Let's take all this outrage over school closings and direct it into positivity. Let's be outraged over what we have done to ourselves. Let's encourage our kids to go to school, to pay attention to the teachers who have gone through so much training and education to service the schools. Let's participate more in the lives of our children. Maybe slowly we can reverse this terrible trend that we're in.
-L
So there's this uproar going on in Chicago right now. Frankly it goes on just about every year recently. The Chicago Board of Education decides that some schools will be closed and undergo a "turnaround". Parents, teachers, community leaders, etc. all protest and say that it's terrible to close these schools. Teachers will lose jobs, the destabilizes the children, etc.
I went through CPS both the good schools and the bad schools. I HATED elementary school for two main reasons, one I was socially discriminated against and two because I was always so bored. We always went over the same things over and over. I was one of those "smart kids" who was beyond grade level but there was nothing for me to do. The school had no resources and everything was dedicated to helping those who were not meeting grade level. As a child that annoyed me to no end. As an adult I understand why that's important. Especially in the climate of no child left behind and the constant pressure to get our children up to grade level in reading, math, and science. It's stressful to be a teacher. That is why I ended up not going for a teaching job. I knew myself well enough to understand that I would not have been able to deal with what teachers deal with. They have to be mother, father, teacher, and disciplinarian to these children. School closing only add to the stress, costing teachers their jobs and livelihoods. I respect teachers. I know teachers and their dedication is AMAZING!
If I'm so understanding then what's my problem? Well I have a big problem with much of the complaining coming from some parents and community leaders. Where is all this outrage before the announcement of the school closing? In fact how did we even get to the point that our schools are under-performing to the point that they need to be closed? Why do these schools closings take people by surprise every year?
I want to throw out some quick facts about one of the schools that is being slated for turnaround. Marshall Metropolitan High School is behind the elementary school that I attended. I've always known it was a bad school, so I wasn't surprised by the fact that it was listed as one of the schools being closed. Let's look at how the school is doing.
Graduation Percentage
2009: 41.1%
2008: 28.0%
2007: 46.9%
PSAE Scores (the Prairie Sates Achievement Exam is given in grade eleven to test students progress)
level 1 (academic warning)
level 2 (below grade level)
level 3 (meeting grade level)
level 4 (exceeding grade level)
Reading Math Science
2009
level 1 27.9% 42.7% 31.8%
level 2 63.9% 55.9% 65.9%
level 3 8.2% 1.4 % 2.3%
level 4 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
2008
level 1 34.0% 42.7% 29.3%
level 2 59.6% 54.1% 68.2%
level 3 5.8% 3.2% 2.5%
level 4 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
2007
level 1 31.6% 42.2% 36.2%
level 2 71.6% 55.6% 61.2%
level 3 6.9% 2.2% 2.6%
level 4 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
I should have looked at more than three years but to me this was enough to give me a quick snapshot. The graduation rate is below 50%. There is consistently less than 10% of these students meeting grade level and none are exceeding. Now if you just take twenty minutes and look at these figures and think about them then would it really surprise you that this school is slated for closure? I know it's kind of unfair to look only at figures and not take into account what the students will have to go through when their schools are closed and they are uprooted. But really what is the choice? Do we continue to let these students back slide? How can the US keep up in the world when we have such poorly educated students? We have to look at the figures because they are tangible proof of what is going on with the students.
But back to my irritant. Where are the parents? Where are the community leaders? Why aren't they doing something about this? I feel like they should be making a big deal every year. How can you possible not know that a school is doing this bad? 28% of students graduated from Marshall in 2008 yet I can't recall hearing anything huge in the news about it.
I don't want to be the villain and blame one person for everything. I blame our culture. We have an ingrained culture of sweeping problems under the rug. We don't deal with problems until it has gotten so terrible and that there is no other way around it. I hate to say this about black people (my people) but we accept these low standards. We accept our children dropping out of school. We don't encourage education but we sure do get angry if someone tries and take it away. Why are we allowing schools like Marshall to fail?
Let's take all this outrage over school closings and direct it into positivity. Let's be outraged over what we have done to ourselves. Let's encourage our kids to go to school, to pay attention to the teachers who have gone through so much training and education to service the schools. Let's participate more in the lives of our children. Maybe slowly we can reverse this terrible trend that we're in.
-L
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Perspective
Perspective: the state of one's ideas, the facts known to one, etc., in having a meaningful interrelationship (Dictionary.Com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perspective February 10, 2010, 8:33pm)
I love my country but I have to admit that we as a people are not the most observant group that ever did exist. There's nothing wrong with being concerned with what's going on in your immediate vicinity but it makes us ignorant to what is going on in other parts of the world. I got a really interesting reminder of that impression that we Americans make on other countries.
So I was talking to a friend of mine in India and some how we got into this conversation about movies and how they portray life in the settings these movies take place in. His thing was that life here must be pretty good, everyone can afford cars and homes, etc. That's not too far from the truth but me being me I had to stop him. Not everyone can afford a car. My own car was gifted to me, if it hadn't been then I would have no car. Just maintaining it is expensive. Not everyone can afford a house. That much is clear from the housing crisis that has contributed to the downfall of the American economy. There is an illusion that we can afford these things.
So why are these movies portraying American life this way when we all know that it isn't the reality? Well my personal theory is that we don't want to face the actual problems. I live in a part of Chicago where it is pretty evident that people don't live so well. I've seen prostitution and homelessness. I've been approached for money by peddlers. I watch drug deals go down on a daily basis. What I don't want to do is go to a movie and spend $8.75 to see these things on screen. I can see them for free.
The easiest and most dangerous way to deal with a problem is to pretend it doesn't exist. But what impression does that give to our fellow man outside of the US? That we are excessive, ignorant, spoiled...and that they too can come here and join our excess. At the same time we are lying to ourselves. We pretend that homelessness is a result of someone not doing their share of work. We say to ourselves that they deserve it. That they could do better if they really wanted to so they must not want to. Maybe sometimes this is the case, but sometimes it isn't.
It's a circle. It is endless. It leads to my pet peeve. The thing I can't stand the most is when a natural disaster happens in another country. Lord help us, it brings out the most arrogant attitudes of Americans. But it goes beyond the immediate superman mentality that we develop, that of "We have to help these poor people!" No, no, then we seep into the false humility. The "we must be grateful for what we have because we could have nothing". I mentioned how upset I was about something and a person I know brought up Haiti and how I shouldn't be so upset because I live in the US and we have so much here, more than we should. Isn't that true? Shouldn't I rethink my sadness? I say it is a pet peeve because it is comparing problems. I dislike when people do that because problems are problems no matter what country it's in. Should the woman who lives in the US that is 9 months pregnant and homeless be happy because after all she lives in the US. Should the people in Haiti who lost everything be happy because at least they aren't in the Sudan or Darfur being raped and murdered. All these situations are sad and all these problems are real. These people are looking at their problems from their own perspective, the perspective of the country they live in...as they should be.
Because I am annoyed by these types of issues I try and keep an open mind. I try and learn from different people so I can learn their perspective on how I live. It's not because I have an urge to show off but rather because I don't want to be ignorant to what is going on around me.
I love my country but I have to admit that we as a people are not the most observant group that ever did exist. There's nothing wrong with being concerned with what's going on in your immediate vicinity but it makes us ignorant to what is going on in other parts of the world. I got a really interesting reminder of that impression that we Americans make on other countries.
So I was talking to a friend of mine in India and some how we got into this conversation about movies and how they portray life in the settings these movies take place in. His thing was that life here must be pretty good, everyone can afford cars and homes, etc. That's not too far from the truth but me being me I had to stop him. Not everyone can afford a car. My own car was gifted to me, if it hadn't been then I would have no car. Just maintaining it is expensive. Not everyone can afford a house. That much is clear from the housing crisis that has contributed to the downfall of the American economy. There is an illusion that we can afford these things.
So why are these movies portraying American life this way when we all know that it isn't the reality? Well my personal theory is that we don't want to face the actual problems. I live in a part of Chicago where it is pretty evident that people don't live so well. I've seen prostitution and homelessness. I've been approached for money by peddlers. I watch drug deals go down on a daily basis. What I don't want to do is go to a movie and spend $8.75 to see these things on screen. I can see them for free.
The easiest and most dangerous way to deal with a problem is to pretend it doesn't exist. But what impression does that give to our fellow man outside of the US? That we are excessive, ignorant, spoiled...and that they too can come here and join our excess. At the same time we are lying to ourselves. We pretend that homelessness is a result of someone not doing their share of work. We say to ourselves that they deserve it. That they could do better if they really wanted to so they must not want to. Maybe sometimes this is the case, but sometimes it isn't.
It's a circle. It is endless. It leads to my pet peeve. The thing I can't stand the most is when a natural disaster happens in another country. Lord help us, it brings out the most arrogant attitudes of Americans. But it goes beyond the immediate superman mentality that we develop, that of "We have to help these poor people!" No, no, then we seep into the false humility. The "we must be grateful for what we have because we could have nothing". I mentioned how upset I was about something and a person I know brought up Haiti and how I shouldn't be so upset because I live in the US and we have so much here, more than we should. Isn't that true? Shouldn't I rethink my sadness? I say it is a pet peeve because it is comparing problems. I dislike when people do that because problems are problems no matter what country it's in. Should the woman who lives in the US that is 9 months pregnant and homeless be happy because after all she lives in the US. Should the people in Haiti who lost everything be happy because at least they aren't in the Sudan or Darfur being raped and murdered. All these situations are sad and all these problems are real. These people are looking at their problems from their own perspective, the perspective of the country they live in...as they should be.
Because I am annoyed by these types of issues I try and keep an open mind. I try and learn from different people so I can learn their perspective on how I live. It's not because I have an urge to show off but rather because I don't want to be ignorant to what is going on around me.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Canada baby!
I went to Niagara Falls and Toronto in September of 2009 but I never properly wrote about it. I think it was the best trip of my life so far. There's nothing like seeing the raw power of nature and experiencing another country. It was my first (and hopefully not my last) trip outside of the US, so now even though I'm months late I'm going to give the trip the spotlight it deserves.
It was a spur of the moment trip. My sis was taking a vacation from work and decided that she wanted to go somewhere. Naturally I couldn't let her go alone so she graciously paid for me to tag along.
Anyone who's ever been there will tell you that Niagara Falls, Ontario is a touristy place fills with horror houses, wax museums, overpriced gift shops and casinos. Had I been a person with more money I probably would have fallen into the trap. However, I am a broke person and I hold onto my money quite tightly so the only thing I invested in was a Cuban cigar. None of this touristy stuff takes away from walking down that ridiculous Clifton Hill and seeing the Niagara Falls. It's in your face and all around you, bombarding you with mist and the roar of the water. It's overwhelming and beautiful and somewhat terrifying. Everyone looking at the falls are either just standing there staring or snapping fifty-million pictures. As for me I stared and then I snapped fifty-million pictures.
Maybe it's cliche to say that people are nicer in Canada but that's really how I felt. For four days I was able to detach myself from my iPod and engage in human interaction. Complete strangers talked to each other and went beyond the usual "hey can you take a picture of us?". I spent an hour in the pool of my hotel talking to a woman about life, about how her granddaughter was born on September 11, 2001 and could never really have a nice birthday, and about things one could do outside of the tourist area. While chatting with a friend of mine on the IM he said to me "L you seem much more pleasant now that you're in Canada". Hey what can I say, the niceness rubbed off on me. All these pleasantries made it somewhat hard to return back to Chicago. Suffice to say I had Canada withdrawal for quite some time.
But back to the trip. My sister dragged me on the Maiden of the Mist boat tour. I freaking hate being on the water. I always think that the boat can tip over and me being unable to swim, I'd die. However, I was much more interested in seeing the falls up close then I was in being anxious over boat accidents that would probably never happen. So we go up to this boat and it goes right up to the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls. These falls are beautiful from a distance but they are absolutely awe inspiring up close. There's nothing to do on the boat except get wet, look at the rainbow and marvel.
I still kind of can't believe that I was actually in this place looking at something like this. I can't thank my sister enough for making me get on that boat.
My sister isn't one to stay still so it was off to Toronto for us, to go to the Royal Ontario Museum. Our purpose? To see the dead sea scrolls. The theology minor in me had a geek moment when I read that the dead sea scrolls were at the ROM. They are one of the single most important discoveries and I never thought I would be able to see them. It took hours to get to Toronto and my legs were killing me from walking so much but it was so worth it. I wish I could have taken pictures but it wasn't allowed. The dead sea scrolls are such tiny little things it makes you wonder how someone could have sat down and wrote them. There was a psalm and of course a legal document (the most intact of the all the scrolls...).
Exploring the rest of the museum was fascinating. Memories were conjured up in a most unexpected way. There was a copy of the Egyptian book of the dead; a seriously long scroll that I couldn't even get in one shot. It reminded me of my grandfather, he liked to talk about how he had a copy of that book sitting in his bookshelf. There was so much at the ROM that I couldn't talk about it all, no matter how many blog entries I write.
Our visit to the ROM ended by looking at an exhibit of precious stones. Some were carved into detailed statues, others were placed in jewelry, and still others were left in their polished state. My favorite piece was the tiny carved statue of a man. I can't remember what it's carved out of but when I saw it I couldn't look at anything else.
It is so expressive, I wanted to stare at it for hours.
I wish I would have had more time to explore Toronto and see what it had to offer. Maybe I'll go again some day. For the brief time I was in Canada I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It wasn't the most elaborate trip ever but it was all that it needed to be.
-L
It was a spur of the moment trip. My sis was taking a vacation from work and decided that she wanted to go somewhere. Naturally I couldn't let her go alone so she graciously paid for me to tag along.Anyone who's ever been there will tell you that Niagara Falls, Ontario is a touristy place fills with horror houses, wax museums, overpriced gift shops and casinos. Had I been a person with more money I probably would have fallen into the trap. However, I am a broke person and I hold onto my money quite tightly so the only thing I invested in was a Cuban cigar. None of this touristy stuff takes away from walking down that ridiculous Clifton Hill and seeing the Niagara Falls. It's in your face and all around you, bombarding you with mist and the roar of the water. It's overwhelming and beautiful and somewhat terrifying. Everyone looking at the falls are either just standing there staring or snapping fifty-million pictures. As for me I stared and then I snapped fifty-million pictures.
Maybe it's cliche to say that people are nicer in Canada but that's really how I felt. For four days I was able to detach myself from my iPod and engage in human interaction. Complete strangers talked to each other and went beyond the usual "hey can you take a picture of us?". I spent an hour in the pool of my hotel talking to a woman about life, about how her granddaughter was born on September 11, 2001 and could never really have a nice birthday, and about things one could do outside of the tourist area. While chatting with a friend of mine on the IM he said to me "L you seem much more pleasant now that you're in Canada". Hey what can I say, the niceness rubbed off on me. All these pleasantries made it somewhat hard to return back to Chicago. Suffice to say I had Canada withdrawal for quite some time.
But back to the trip. My sister dragged me on the Maiden of the Mist boat tour. I freaking hate being on the water. I always think that the boat can tip over and me being unable to swim, I'd die. However, I was much more interested in seeing the falls up close then I was in being anxious over boat accidents that would probably never happen. So we go up to this boat and it goes right up to the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls. These falls are beautiful from a distance but they are absolutely awe inspiring up close. There's nothing to do on the boat except get wet, look at the rainbow and marvel.
I still kind of can't believe that I was actually in this place looking at something like this. I can't thank my sister enough for making me get on that boat.
My sister isn't one to stay still so it was off to Toronto for us, to go to the Royal Ontario Museum. Our purpose? To see the dead sea scrolls. The theology minor in me had a geek moment when I read that the dead sea scrolls were at the ROM. They are one of the single most important discoveries and I never thought I would be able to see them. It took hours to get to Toronto and my legs were killing me from walking so much but it was so worth it. I wish I could have taken pictures but it wasn't allowed. The dead sea scrolls are such tiny little things it makes you wonder how someone could have sat down and wrote them. There was a psalm and of course a legal document (the most intact of the all the scrolls...).Exploring the rest of the museum was fascinating. Memories were conjured up in a most unexpected way. There was a copy of the Egyptian book of the dead; a seriously long scroll that I couldn't even get in one shot. It reminded me of my grandfather, he liked to talk about how he had a copy of that book sitting in his bookshelf. There was so much at the ROM that I couldn't talk about it all, no matter how many blog entries I write.
Our visit to the ROM ended by looking at an exhibit of precious stones. Some were carved into detailed statues, others were placed in jewelry, and still others were left in their polished state. My favorite piece was the tiny carved statue of a man. I can't remember what it's carved out of but when I saw it I couldn't look at anything else.
It is so expressive, I wanted to stare at it for hours.I wish I would have had more time to explore Toronto and see what it had to offer. Maybe I'll go again some day. For the brief time I was in Canada I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It wasn't the most elaborate trip ever but it was all that it needed to be.
-L
Credit or Debit?
Anyone who knows Chicago knows that though it is a highly diverse city this diversity comes in the form of concentrated pockets around the city. There are places in Chicago where you can go and hear no English. It's kind of a cool thing, I don't have problems with it. I personally live in what used to be a predominately African-American neighborhood and it is now changing and becoming a more mixed neighborhood. It's great for me since intermixing means that the city gives more benefits and allows new business to grow. Gone are the days of having only liquor and corner stores! Head a little further south from my neighborhood and you run into a predominantly Mexican neighborhood. I go there a lot since they have the nearest grocery store (more on that in another blog) plus I'm a foodie and the store inspires me.
So I head to the grocery store because I'm in serious need of Szechuan sauce and yogurt. What fascinates me about this store is that a lot of Asians come there. I think it's because the store contains such a variety of products that you can't really get at the local Jewel or Dominick's. So it's check out time and I'm waiting behind a Chinese woman (yes I know she's Chinese because I heard her speak and I know she was speaking Mandarin!) and chatting with the woman behind me as we wait. The cashier is a Hispanic woman with a seriously thick accent and she's trying to talk to the Chinese woman who also has a seriously thick accent. Both women are trying to figure out how to use the credit/debit machine but they can't really communicate well because neither understands the other. After some struggle the friend of the customer takes notice that it's taking a while for her friend to complete her check out and comes to see what the problem is. She proceeds to explain how the machine works and the rest of the checkout process runs smoothly.
I was so amused by this interaction because it was so odd yet natural. I want to have some insightful political thought about what happened at the store. The truth is...I've seen it before. What happened between the two women didn't make me stop and think, really I just went on and paid for my stuff and went home. It wasn't remarkable but for some reason it stuck with me.
I said before that this grocery store inspires me and this trip was no exception. This particular one didn't inspire me to cook but it did inspire me to break my 9 month writers block. Really it was just what I needed.
-L
I said before that this grocery store inspires me and this trip was no exception. This particular one didn't inspire me to cook but it did inspire me to break my 9 month writers block. Really it was just what I needed.
-L
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