college vs directionless abyss

An article in today’s Oregonian shares the news that Oregon high schools are “not preparing students for college and careers”

This report responds to concerns that the state will not meet “Oregon Progress Board's goal of seeing at least 20 percent of our youth graduate from high school, another 40 percent from community college and 40 percent more from a four-year college or university.”

I’ve been pondering on the topic of college and career preparation in high schools for a few weeks now.

We’ve seen many articles and studies demonstrating fewer men are attending college. Theories abound about how to attract men to the four-year college experience, yet there are very few suggestions as to where the men are going after high school.

I know a 22-year-old who just joined the US military. He did this not out of patriotic duty, but because in the four years since high school he has suffered from an absolute loss of direction. Now, as some of his high school classmates are preparing to graduate from college, he’s shipping out in hopes that the military can help develop his skills and show him options he doesn’t currently see.

My little sister is about to graduate from high school and hopes to go to college, yet her facebook profile proclaims a weekly dread of academia.

The question isn’t how well young people are prepared for college; the question is what do they do if they don’t go to college?

I attended college against great adversity. I am the only person in my immediate family to attend college, much less finish. My closest relative to also hold a bachelor’s degree is my dad’s cousin. I believe in the opportunity for every young person to be presented with the option to attend college – in fact provision of those opportunities has become my life’s work thus far – but there should be more than one option.

Perhaps my sister will follow my path and perhaps she won’t, but I promise we have both been fed the same statement with regard to success in life -- attending college is the only way to find success.

College worked for me. I enjoyed academia and flourished in the culture. It has helped bring me success. But, I can’t help think I got lucky. I’m not lucky to be successful (I worked hard for my success), but I am lucky the things I am good at happen to be the things society values.

So, let’s say the Oregon Progress Board achieves their goal of college attendance for 40% of the population by placing the premium of success on the college experience. What happens to the other 60%?

Will they simply wander directionless through life?

It seems the state of Oregon would be better served by taking a realistic approach and offering a suite of options including college, community college, trade and tech school, military service and certification programs.

High school students should be taught they have multiple options – not College vs. Directionless Abyss.

remembering lucy stone

In a moment of particular frustration about my name and the fact that the world does not understand the hyphen, I am reminded of Lucy Stone who was always my favorite of the suffragettes (I think because her name is so awesome). Lucy gave us this:

"A wife should no more take her husband's name than he should hers. My name is my identity and must not be lost."

Lucy Stone was the first American woman to keep her birth name upon marriage. Although many countries do not allow anyone, man or woman, to change their birth name, apparently the U.S. has always felt strongly that women should accept their husband's name at marriage.

"When women were given a limited right to vote in 1879, Stone was refused this right unless she used her husband’s name. She also found that her signature was not considered valid on legal documents, unless she signed as 'Lucy Stone, married to Henry Blackwell.'" (source)

I adore my dash. It symbolizes the transition I made in life when I entered into marriage. I am still my own person, but I am now part of a partnership.

Like Lucy, my husband is wholeheartedly welcoming of combining our names. Although he did not change his legally, he is happy to write out both names, joined with a beautifully poetic hyphen as the return address on all of our mail. He is happy to be called by both names and recognizes and respects my need to retain my identity.

The Social Security Administration recognizes my dash, so does the State Department who granted my passport and the Department of Motor Vehicles. So, why can't everyone?

Yes, I'm talking to you US Bank! And you, Blockbuster! And you all airline companies! And you ...

What did Lucy Stone and the rest of the suffragettes fight for, if not the right to be our own people? The right to vote, work outside the home, wear pants, request a divorce and be protected from domestic violence also comes with the right to choose our own last name. If we want to keep our name, change or name or hyphenate our name, we should have the right to do so. And that choice belongs to each of us and the world should recognize and respect it without question.

Thank you Lucy Stone, for giving it a try. I'm sad to report that some of us still fight your struggle more than 130 years later.

new blog

The husband and I will be chronicling our adventures in home ownership here.

searching for happier news

My google news feed has recently alerted me to the reality of far too many unstable people carrying guns in Washington County. We have had at least three fatal shootings in little more than a week. I doubt our little set of country suburbs is any different than any other part of the nation right over the past year. It has seemed that the news has been filled with an abundance of violent crime.

In such times of trouble I like to keep on scrolling right on down to the entertainment news where the headlines are lighter, if not a bit boring.

• Pamela Bach arrested for DUI, ex-husband David Hasselhoff released from hospital
• 'New Moon' Overshadows 'The Blind Side' At Box Office
• Reputed 'Other Woman' Denies Affair with Tiger
• 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' DVD To Hit Shelves On January 26

Ah, but what is this? "Chelsea Clinton Engaged to Marc Mezvinsky" A headline guaranteed to make me smile.

I've always held a bit of fascinatioon with Chelsea Clinton who moved into the White House when we were twelve.

I watched in horror when we were thirteen and the media ran her through the wringer for not being pretty enough.

I watched in horror again when we were 18 and scandal ripped apart her world.

I watched with pride when she went off to college, a year ahead of me.

I watched with pride again when she campaigned for her mother and impressed the world.

And now I watch with joy.

Best wishes to Chelsea Clinton on the happy occasion of marriage!

talkin' the homeowner blues

I am sitting in a very nice hotel room that smells moderately of cigarette smoke. Our nation's capitol unfolds around me under a gray drizzle chilled by fierce wind.

I look forward to this time tomorrow when I will return home to gray drizzle chilled by fierce wind. The history of a country cannot compare to the history of our new farm house and all of the projects it brings.

Yesterday I was finally able to scrape the last of the weekend paint from my skin. I suppose if I am to be a messy painter it may as well drip down my arms and send flecks into my hair than drips and flecks on the walls and floors.

Though it takes time, the painting is a manageable pursuit. I can't think of the other projects for long before the anxiety grips my lungs. I can't let my thoughts stray too far toward the thought of a condo lacking gutters in need of repair or I start to lose my enthusiasm for my delightful house.

I suppose to be a homeowner means, among many satisfying forms of joy, an ownership of dirt and mold and questionable pipes and countless hours of work.

Here's to home ownership and all the adventures it may bring!

success in the hunt

So, I had originally planned to post a few of our favorite houses to the blog, but we ended up having just one favorite. We viewed 10 houses in one day. Two of them were immediately ruled out. Seven of the remaining houses were ranch houses -- virtually indistinct from the others. This left us with one house. It's a great house -- 1910 farm house. So how does it stack up against the list?

• .25 Acres | .18 acres
  
• 3+ bedrooms (separated by floor plan or multi-story) | 3 bedrooms on two levels
  
• 2+ bathrooms | 1.5 bathrooms
• Wood flooring throughout (tile in kitchen, bathrooms) | wood except the kitchen and half bath which have laminate
  
• Open kitchen w/ island and window(s) | Fairly open kitchen w/ windows and tons of possibility
  
• Natural, solid-surface kitchen counters | Countertops in dire need of replacing, some laminate, some natural
  
• Wood cabinetry | Wood cabinetry (possibly original or at least very old)
  
• Gas cook top | Gas cook top
  
• Electric oven | Gas oven
  
• Energy efficient refrigerator| No refrigerator (yet)
  
• Dishwasher| Dishwasher
• Double sink | Not sure ...
  
• Designated dining room | Designated dining room
  
• Laundry room with sink and folding counter | Mudroom with hookups
  
• Detached (or low focal point) garage | Detached (huge!) garage
  
• Near good elementary school, library, shopping, parks | Across the street from school, within ten minutes of library, shopping and parks
  
• Established neighborhood with sidewalks | Fairly established but possibly transitioning to commercial
  
• Central Location (20-40 minutes to Forest Grove, Portland and Oregon City) | 15 minutes to F.G., 30 minutes to PDX, 50 minutes to O.C.
  

Considering my list was intended too be a dream list a la House Hunters, I think we did pretty darn good! When the husband took a look at the list he added a few items, molding, built-ins, outbuildings (all of which the house has). Also, this house falls well within our budget where all the ranches pushed a little past comfortable.

We go for our second look tomorrow afternoon and then we'll likely place an offer. Here's hoping...

the house hunt begins

I've been watching many, many episodes of House Hunters this year, thanks to hulu.com. I spend most of the viewing time mocking the "hunters" for their mindless wish for the exact same thing as everyone else ever featured on the show. (I swear they are coached!) The show provides fascinating insight into the priorities of the American public.

Every single couple is after hardwood floors, dark kitchen cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, granite counters, double vanity sinks in the bathroom and more square footage than they can possibly need. And every single woman ever featured on that show wants a closet the size of my bedroom. Oh, and they all adore tray ceilings and crown molding. (Incidentally they call all molding "crown" molding.)

This not to say that these are not good attributes in a house, but I just wish House Hunters would find a new story. I am slightly ashamed to admit that I was not-so-secretly delighted to learn that some granite counters can emit potentially cancer-causing levels of radiation. Take that House Hunters!

The husband and I are about to begin the hunt for our urban homestead and I've been thinking constantly about what I am looking for in a house. If we were featured on House Hunters, the opening sequence would be us detailing the following wish list.

Best Case Scenario House

• .25 Acres
• 3+ bedrooms (separated by floor plan or multi-story)
• 2+ bathrooms
• Wood flooring throughout (tile in kitchen, bathrooms)
• Open kitchen w/ island and window(s)
• Natural, solid-surface kitchen counters
• Wood cabinetry
• Gas cook top
• Electric oven
• Energy efficient refrigerator
• Dishwasher
• Double sink
• Designated dining room
• Laundry room with sink and folding counter
• Detached (or low focal point) garage
• Near good elementary school, library, shopping, parks
• Established neighborhood with sidewalks
• Central Location (20-40 minutes to Forest Grove, Portland and Oregon City)

(This is the point in the post when I know every homeowner reading this is rolling their eyes and I shaking their heads at my silly naivete.)

Of course I won't find all of these things, but I hope we can have the potential for most of them in our home.

We're nearly finished saving for our down-payment. Our next step is visiting with a mortgage broker and then hopefully house hunting by this time next month!

Stay tuned -- perhaps I'll post three houses with a chance for guesses as to which we'll pick!

ten stray thoughts

I am due for a tetanus shot this month. I am also headed to my ten-year high school reunion next week. I feel roughly the same about these two events.

I spent the weekend in Seattle. I watched hundreds of people waiting for dozens of buses.

I spent both Friday and Saturday afternoons forcing myself to read The Zookeeper's Wife at coffee shops.

I went to the doctor today to see a specialist for my 18-month long ear infection. The doctor put purple dye in my ears. I'm not sure why.

Work has me burned out. I think at least once each day of joining a gym and taking a class. I suspect these things will not happen.

I miss living in Portland so much that I feel it in my soul.

Our good friends had a beautiful baby boy yesterday.

I am going to Los Angeles next month.

I took my engagement ring in to be cleaned today and the scary British clerk got very annoyed that the stone is loose and took it away from me. I don't get it back until next Tuesday.

I miss my husband.