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A Tiny Little Haiku about My Experience with Rape...
In the very last minutes of last March, almost two days ago, I made a brash decision to publicly post an accounting of my personal experience with sexual assault. I didn't seek the counsel of my friends before doing so, and I didn't really consider that there could be any consequences. For a giddy moment or two, I wanted to shout it out to the ( Read more... ) -
My Personal Experience of Rape....
In the future, when I think back upon the news and media of 2012 and 2013, there's a word I'm going to recall having heard a lot of, "RAPE." The instances are too many for me to hyperlink to now, but a short list might highlight: Tosh O., Military Rapes, Rape Jokes, Legitimate Rape, Rape Easy, Steubenville, Sandusky, and Rape Culture. There are far ( Read more... ) -
Ten observations about my moonlighting job...
For over a year and half, I’ve led a secret professional life. My primary source of employment, and my heart’s true calling, is in the emergency services field as a 911 responder. And that’s clearly no secret! I’ll tell anybody who stands still long enough to listen about my beloved vocation as a paramedic. However, I’ve been afraid to be honest ( Read more... ) -
In a Room full of Love....
Standing at the front of the church, I was surrounded not only by the kind faces of the congregation in their pews. I was also encircled by my own memories and thoughts. It often strikes me that even the most intense moments of communion leave some private core of a person quite alone. 'Self-conscious' is a term often bandied about. But when are we ( Read more... ) -
"They would miss us if we didn't come."
I've recently been attending church. The pleasure this experience gives me has been a genuine surprise. I met the pastor through a chance encounter in my neighborhood and I wanted to hear him speak. However, the church was having a rash of guest speakers around then, so I didn't hear one of his sermons right off. That was a blessing, since the ( Read more... ) -
Stoicism and its Untimely Demise
I feel a bit hypocritical marking this loss with any grief, as I am not a Stoic in any real sense. I am extremely emotive, with my joys and sadnesses being both deeply felt and frequently shared. If there is any person who is not contributing to a widespread culture of self containment and reserve, that person would be me. However, I have an ( Read more... ) -
Partners...
A semi-constant concern, and an endless source of fodder for workplace discussion, is the question of who ones partner is on any given shift. I have had the position of working at agencies without set shift bids, so it's often possible for me to have a different partner for every day that I work in a month. It's hard for my non-EMS chums to ( Read more... ) -
Evil Socialist Healthcare Reform...
If you're here visiting, or a Johnny-come-lately, here's a little about me: I am a relatively liberal paramedic working in a very conservative rural geographic region in Northern California. (Yes, there are Conservatives in California, too.) In general, this experience is positive. In tough news weeks, I might downgrade my impression from 'positive ( Read more... ) -
Book Meme...
Instructions: Don’t take too long to think about this. List fifteen books that you’ve read that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen that you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.
1.) The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
2.) Wild Swans by Jung Chang
3.) Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
4.) Woman: An Intimate ( Read more... ) -
When a Friend Dies...
I lost a childhood chum recently. This week has been the week where I cope with the loss. I was in a different country during her memorial service and I am pained to have missed that celebration of her impressive life. It's been a lot harder for me than I expected it to be. I have been reading some of the things that she wrote and looking at her ( Read more... )