Here's BONNIE!

Father Bless me for I have sinned, it has been ...a long ass time since my last confession...



Yup, I'm back. Why? I'm not sure. I'm participating Cannonball Read and wanted to be able to post my reviews here and link them to there.


Also? I like writing. I like talking. I have a lot to say that absolutely no one cares about, but I'll say it anyway.






YOU. HAVE. BEEN. WARNED.




THE BITCH IS BACK

Thoughts for Ash Wednesday:

The Catholic Church and the Republican party are very, very similar. Both are into self-aggrandizement, both run by old, rich, white men who hold that women are "lesser" beings, and that all must bow to their wisdom and power....and if you don't agree with their ideals you must be the devil and must be vanquished in battle. Also, they are both so tied up with RULES that they overlook the point of what they are SUPPOSED to be and stand for.....but, they are more than willing to bend the rules to fit their own purposes.

All this was prompted by a very specific person and incident.....

Happy Lent, kiddos!

Stolen, once again, from the brilliant Chez at Deus Ex Malcontent. Sad, really. Sums up where we are heading and why.

Update: My co-worker state legislators today begin their 3rd week of hiding in Illinois. Seriously, if I was going to take off and hide from my job, I'd like to think I'd pick somewhere a little more....exotic? than Urbana, Illinois.

For the People?

You know, I have to admit. I used to be one of those people. I used to think that people who worked in Government....local, state, federal....had it made. Good pay, easy job--maybe even a job where you could feel like you were accomplishing something, great benefits, and you worked for "the people," and they cared about you. You would find compassion, understanding, kinship, and have a solid place to stay and work until it came time to take advantage of your fantastic retirement benefits.

Then I went to work for the state.....and man, I couldn't have been more wrong. I have been here just over 2 years now. Long before I came on board, in fact just after our Governor took office, he rescinded state employees' right of collective bargaining (http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/1409). This year was the first year that state employees have recieved any sort of raise at all in several years, via a very flawed system ( http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20101221/NEWS07/101229913----- hint, hint...I know of MAYBE 2 or 3 people who got EXCEEDS on their reviews.....OUTSTANDING isn't even an option on our forms....so 98% of employees got the lowest raise possible).





Of course, this year they also changed our insurance.....raising our rates, lowering our coverage, and putting us through an audit process that caused many people to lose coverage for family members or to go through a prolonged battle over what information was required, who was eligible, etc. ( https://extranet.idem.in.gov/?section=news&page=announce_20100707) .





I have been in the working world for nearly 30 years.....at least 20 0f those in some sort of office/administrative position. For my experience and position, I am sadly underpaid---as are most of my co-workers.

Now, several of our state legislators have run away from home....gone off to Illinois in protest of several pieces of legislation on the floor. (http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-pat-bauer-bauer-returns-to-indiana-20110302,0,2659478.story). I am torn about this....on the one hand, I completely understand that this is their right....they want to block a vote, and being a minority, this is how they choose to do it. But, they are state employees just like me! For a session of between 3-4 months, they are paid MORE than what I make a year....( http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Indiana_General_Assembly) along with their per diem, and the fact that most if not all of them have other employment, or don't NEED other employment. And perks? Please.

My question, then, is this: I am a state employee, the same as Rep. Joe Schmoe....so, if I don't want to work on a particular day, or on a particular issue, can I just run away to another state? Of course not! I can't even use a sick day for a vacation day or a personal day. So, why is this ok? If you want to fight for or against something, stand up and do it! That's what you were elected to do...that's what you are PAID to do!

Supporting the rights of the working people is absolutely the right thing to do. Alienating them at the same time? Not so cool.

Chez at Deus Ex Malcontent again hits the nail on the head:

I can't thank Joanna Robinson enough for including my note about my niece in Pajiba Love last week. I was on Facebook chat with her this morning...she is home from the hospital, and gets her staples out on Wednesday. They ended up having to open her up from her sternum to (her words) her "hoo ha bone".

Her husband is transferring to NC for Special Forces training, and she is going to come home and stay with either her grandmother or her aunt. She is expecting to be here at the end of January and stay for at least 2 months.

I really, really appreciate all the messages I got from Pajibans. My kids tease me for being on Pajiba ALL THE TIME, but I really do look at all these people as real, true, personal friends. So many people left posts and so many more sent me personal messages. All of them are awesome.

Thanks again for the support. I promised an update, so here ya go.

Love you ALL!!!

Come let us go to my flat for a little wine, und a little spongecake...


Bonnie aka dammitjanet

I just want to thank all the Pajibans for being awesome. Your support is immensely appreciated. I don't want to say too much, but you know who you are what you are doing. Love you all. Will give updates as I get them.