Tuesday, October 17, 2017

#metoo

A couple of days ago, two little words flashed across my screen on Facebook.


My first thought of was Meghan Trainor and her jam: Me too. 


It's a song about a woman who wakes up everyday and is grateful for her life. She loves who she is. I have had this song stuck in my head since Monday. But that is not what those two words reference. "Me too" has been spreading across all forms of social media. 
Too many of my female friends have made this as their Facebook status, their Instagram post or tweeted this on Twitter. These two little words are meant to "shock" and bring a reality, give a face to a monster. I am not shocked. I am not surprised at the number of "Me too" posts that have been flooding my social media pages. 

Disclaimer: My non-shocked reaction has NOTHING to do with the person who has typed those two words! My non-shocked reaction has everything to do with the fact that this is what happens and no one wants to change anything. I hate to admit this right now but sexual harassment/assault is something that I have seen and heard too often. It has happened so often that I am no longer fazed by it. That is not to say it is not painful to hear, I just hear it too often.Wait... just keep reading. 

"Me too" is meant to change something. Isn't that the point of all of it? Typing two words is only the beginning. 

If you have been sexually harassed or assaulted, your first step is admitting what happened. No one ever asks to be harassed, molested, abused or assaulted. THERE IS NO SHAME IN WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU! (You see what I did there? I made that statement in all caps because it is a true statement.) Your worth as a human being does not diminish because you have been victimized. If you have had the courage to type those two little words, you have taken a huge step. 

Your next step, if you haven't already, is to seek professional help. Once again, there is no shame in what has happened and it is not your fault. We must all be able to heal from our wounds. Help is out there. You can heal and become whole again. 

We each have a story to tell. We each have a "Me too" in our lives and we can help each other heal. Our experiences, when we use them as a force for good can make the changes. Simply typing those words or admitting our pains and then doing nothing about it will not stop it from happening to another person. Now that you have typed those words, get involved! If you want to put an end to sexual harassment and sexual assault, if you want to protect future generations from the pain that you have felt- do more than type those two words. 

Teach your sons to be gentlemen. Teach your daughters to be strong and find no shame in who they are. Teach your children to respect all persons- no matter their abilities or gender. 

Love yourself, be grateful for you life and help others do the same. 



... me too. 


National Sexual Assault Hotline
Call 1-800-656-4673
https://www.rainn.org/ 

National Domestic Violence Hotline 
1-800-799-7233
1-800-787-3224 (TTY for Deaf/hard of hearing)



Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Because my loan isn't already big enough and I don't have enough paper.

I graduated in December with my Bachelors Degree. I thought it was enough. I thought for sure I would have a job by January 15th. I was going to have health insurance after not having any for three years by March 1st at the latest! I had this huge plan:

Step one: Get a job! 

Step two: Sit for RHIA credentials by April 1st, 2017

Step three: Receive CHIP credentials by Summer 2018 

Step four: Enroll in graduate school by Summer 2019

It's now February 21, 2017 and Step four is now completed two years ahead of schedule.

Yep, you read that right. I am now officially in Graduate School. I will be pursuing a Masters of Science in Health Informatics at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. The best part- no relocation necessary. The worst part: I really thought that I could break up with my homework but it looks like that will not be possible.

So why is this happening two years ahead of schedule. Because despite the 30 plus job applications I was sending out every week, I was meet with the same rejection: we cannot hire you because you have no managerial experience (and we are not willing to give you any).  Okay, I added the last part. I thought I had paid my dues. I had spent 9 years doing grunt work and the last three of those bettering myself through education. Every rejection was another way of someone saying you are not good enough. Apparently, I had not done enough and I was not good enough.

I am sure that by going to grad school will not increase my chances for a job. This is a long term decision for a long term result. I completed my counseling for my loans today and it will take me 10 years to pay off what I will owe at almost $750 a month once I am done in two years.

So now, I re-write my plan.

Get a job! 
Get RHIA credentials! 
Do my Homework (classes start March 16th) 

I am not putting anything in any order!!

The kids are not thrilled about grad school but are okay with this program. It's all online, I will be more available and I will be able to work.

I've wanted a Masters degree since I was 17 years old. I started myself on a path that would place me where I wanted to be in life. Things, wonderful and miraculous things happened along the way; My Hotstuff, Miss May and Bubba Jones were those wonderful events. It didn't stop me from continuing on my path. It created a new path so that I could continue on the journey I started.  Now, I am finally finishing a journey that I started when I was 17.

I have really truly witnessed in the last couple of years that prayers are heard and prayers are answered. Those answers may not come under the circumstances that we choose or desire but they are heard and are answered.



Friday, January 6, 2017

What adding to my already massive student loan and getting another piece of paper taught me

As stated once before...

  " Massive life decisions are made for two reasons: desperation or necessity.

   I made one out of desperate necessity: I went back to college because I needed to make a difference in my life and the life of my family."

About three months and two days after I claimed my first, very expensive piece of paper, I realized during Sunday Dinner (no less) that I needed to pursue a second piece of paper. I immediately called my sister, because that is what one does in this situation. I got her advice because your sister usually has the very best advice. Plus, the fact that she works at the University really really helped!

I emailed my former adviser, asking for help and the directions I need to follow in order to get into the Bachelors program. Less than 24 hours later she replied: "you don't need to do anything, congratulations you are in the program". Now... classes started in less than three weeks and I scrambled for money and books and everything!!!

But I had to break the news to my kids- this was not going to be easy. They hated the fact that I had already been in school for that last two years and I was going back for another year.

Bubba Jones's reply was a flat out NO! I couldn't go back because I would always be in (what I called) "homework mode". Miss May wasn't too thrilled either- in fact, I vividly remember my preteen rolling her eyes. Hotstuff... he wasn't thrilled but what can I say?!? I would not have been able to do the last three years without him and his unconditional support and love.

One year and 4 months later- I finished with my Bachelors Degree! Going full time, full speed and taking no less than 13 credits a semester. I graduated!!!



I heard my name called... I walked forward... I shook the hand of my college dean, accepted my diploma cover and smiled really pretty for the camera. I am not going to lie... it was one of the very best days of my life. I knew in that moment, that I can do hard things. I had proven to myself that I could.




My mother once told me that her biggest regret in life was not getting her associate degree. She didn't want me to have that same regret. So there I was, dressed in black, with no regrets.

To quote the ever awesome Tom Petty:
Runnin down a dream, that never would have come to me! Workin on a mystery, going where ever it leads... ya, runnin down a dream!

So what did adding to my already massive student loan and getting another piece of paper teach me?




1. Take time for God
Salt Lake City LDS Temple 
 So many times, we are told of the importance to take time for ourselves, take time for our families, take time for this... take time for that! As if there is 270 hours in the day!!  My "Me Time" was spent on my commutes to and from Campus or my internship. Time management took on a whole new meaning while I was in school. I understand, you don't want one more thing you have to give a priority to.
Seattle LDS Temple
I took the time, once a month, to faithfully attend Temple. However, once I began to devote some time to my God, to my faith; miracles began to happen. I made honor roll almost every semester. I found more time for my family, for my Hotstuff, for my school work, for everything. All of those hard things- I was able to do them because I took time for my God.

"But I am an atheist!" you claim. That is okay... take time to recognize the creations that are around you.  Recognize those wonders that are bigger than you are. Take a moment to be amazed by this great big world you live in. Find the good in your life.
My good in my life- My Miss May

2. What is required isn't what is always right 
I had this class... two classes. I hated them. Took them both in the same semester. One class, I couldn't understand why I needed to take this "upper division" class and why it wasn't a required freshman class. The other... while it was very informative, had NOTHING to do with my degree but it was required.
Steve Jobs, in his 2005 Commencement speech at Stanford University talked about dropping out of college.
"So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made.The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn’t interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked far more interesting.... If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards 10 years later." 

I never quite understood what he meant until I had been in my "informative but nothing to do with my degree class". I was there because it was required. The assignments I needed to do had nothing to do with anything I could apply practically to any part of my life- personal and professional. Those classes were a waste of time and money but I was on a time and money crunch. I needed to get things done but if I had had the chance, I would have taken those classes that were not required of me. I would have taken the time to learn something valuable and worthwhile. 

3. I can do hard things!! 
I have fibromyalgia. I have IBS-C. I have a broken uterus. I am an Asthmatic. I have a broken body.



Every single one of us can do hard things. The only thing that really truly is stopping us is ourselves. Many times I blogged about not being able to paint or crochet. I started painting a year ago and it finally clicked in my brain on how to crochet. I realized I couldn't do those things because I was stopping myself- I gave up too easily. I am the next Rothko? Probably not, but I enjoy learning about art and painting. I may never crochet as well as my Oma did but I have a small skill that will provide lots of newborns with hats. 

4. Learn by example 
There are some things that our textbooks and professors can't teach us. Those are the things that we need to learn through the experiences we have outside the class room. 

5. How I did it.... 
                                                                        "I don't know how you do it!" 
It was the one phrase that so many would tell me. I didn't know how to answer them. Truthfully, it all goes back to taking time for my God. There was something bigger than me helping me. I had the support of husband and two amazing offspring. I had a words of encouragement from friends and family. I had professors who cared about me and worked with me. I finally passed that stupid effing math class!!!! And I got a B+!!!!!!!! 
There is something bigger than ourselves. Call it what you want. But that something bigger than me, I know that is how I was able to do any of it. 

6. "Bob Ross is Marijuana! Except, you don't smoke him- you just watch him!" 
Those are the wise words my Mother in Law claimed. While writing my final paper [my internship report... 20 page nightmare!] I was extremely stressed. My blood pressure was through the roof. I was ready to cry. I hit the worst mental block of my life and I had nothing to help me!! I was sitting at my computer staring at my screen and realizing it was too quite in my basement. I needed some noise. So off to the trusty Netflix for some background noise and what do I find?!? 

CHILL with BOB ROSS!!! 

OH MY GOODNESS!!! It was like Marijuana from Heaven! I turned on the first episode and turned back to my paper. Within in a few minutes, my blood pressure began to bottom out. I was super relaxed. My mental block began to fade. I was golden. By the end of the third episode, I had to turn it off because I ready to fall asleep and I was hungry.
I was so relaxed I couldn't give an (expletive F-word) about the fact that he had just painted the same damn picture 3 times! Or that all of his trees were happy!!! I was so chill that I could finally write my paper.  I called my mother in law to tell her of my experience, later that night. And that is what she said to me: "Bob Ross is Marijuana! Except, you don't smoke him- you just watch him!" 


That is what I learned, for a whole lotta money! 


Oh! and I finally received my Credentials!!! Now, I have to study for my next set of credentials. 

The job hunt has begun and I while I wait for my phone to ring, I am going to enjoy being a "stay at home Mom" until I go completely nuts! And in the meantime, I will wait for the anxiety attacks regarding my impending student loan bill slowly creep up on me. 



Was it worth it?
Worth every last student loan dime!