Terra Incognita

more difficulties
The leaky cauldron, of sorts must be overloaded with all you loyal readers. The site seems to be inaccessible to me for a few minutes. I know it's because the server is swamped with all you readers. Hope this post goes up.

i'm a big girl now
I turned down my first real job offer last week. I'm positive it was the right decision. The next possible job offer, though, I'm not so confident in my inclination to turn down. My gut says "it's not the right fit", my intellect says "it's health insurance and a foot in the door." I think I could be someplace better in a few months, but I also shouldn't be idle for very much longer. To my friends who have been out there for a year, how long does the first year of your job really seem to last?

also, because I'm lazy and don't feel like calling the university
I appeal again to you, my predecessors and my peers. How long is it supposed to take for our diplomas to arrive?

out to do my civic duty
I am enthralled by this year's election. In the past few days, I have devoured the recent Newsweeks, been glued to PBS's coverage of the convention (and not just to catch glimpses of Chris Heinz) and have actually read The Mercury's and the Topeka Capital Journal's political sections. This is new. I used to despise politics. But I think that in this post-Florida 2000 election, I have a greater appreciation of my own vote, and I've been able to form my own opinions on the direction I believe this country should head. I firmly believe that Bush should not be re-elected, but I also believe that I shouldn't just vote against Bush, that I should vote for the candidate whom I believe is better. So I'm doing my research. I want to make sure that, come November, if I vote Kerry, it's not just because he isn't Bush.

Also, this is Ally's first election and I feel a sense of duty to make sure that she's an informed voter, too. The other day during lunch, Kerry came on the t.v. screen and Ally said, "Who's that?" My jaw dropped. "John Kerry," I told her. "Who's he?" She asked again. And my jaw dropped even further. So, she needs a political mentor, and I've decided that it will be me. Hope is on the way.

hypocrite
Now that I say that, I have a confession to make. I type this the evening after I declined to vote in advance in the state primary, as my mother did today. But my argument in defense is that I do not know the candidates and am not familiar with the issues right now. Maybe tomorrow, after all the work of the move is done (the moving van pulled away this afternoon with all our belongings) and we've finished cleaning the house, I'll have time to do my research and vote. But just as sincerely as I believe that it is every person's duty to vote, I also sincerely believe that you should not vote if you are not informed. Ignorance may be bliss, but bliss can get the state into trouble when the Board of Education is debating whether or not to include evolution in the curriculum.