I've kind of avoided posting anything about Katrina's gulf coast hit, and the horrific aftermath, because these events have really been challenging my faith in the basic decency of humanity. Between the looting and violence on the ground, and the pathetic government "response", I'm saddened and deeply disappointed.
I did, however, participate in a Katrina relief fundraising effort by my Bellydance meetup group that raised $400. A previous event had raised $200, and now we will be donating through a group member whose employer will match contributions. So I'm feeling good about that.
My neck hasn't been feeling too good lately; I visited Michael's chiropractor for a "free evaluation appointment." Bad decision. Though he apparently gave my neck the most subtle adjustment possible, the only time I've experienced significant neck pain is in the week following that appointment. For a while I was really scared that something was wrong; fortunately, after about a week it started to improve dramatically, and now I feel much better. I still have more cracking noises in my neck than before, and sometimes there's just a twinge of acheyness after a long day, but I haven't lost any range of motion and I'm assuming that, long term, I'll be okay. Mr. Chiropractor's office staff, of course, told me that pain was "normal" and "goes away during treatment". Mr. Chiropractor himself, naturally, offered me free physiotherapy treatments to help it feel better. Thanks, really, but really, NO.
Michael had this web page outlining the Lies we learned in Library School sent to him by a colleague. Pretty much sums up our experiences perfectly. I've felt so disillusioned in so many ways since I left SLIS...I'm starting to think that the only way I will find a *good* job that will *pay me decently* is if I leave the profession and take my skills elsewhere. Not quite sure what direction to go yet...but...there's got to be many many better things to do with one's life than sitting in a desk, bored out of one's skull, getting paid less than one would working retail.
(Seriously. Michael's brother supervises people who manage those little sunglass kiosks in the mall. They get paid more at their jobs than either of us do at ours.)
Well, this has been a downer of a post. I'll leave on a more positive note: this weekend I am attending workshops put on by Alexandra King, one of the most highly regarded dancers in the U.S., with two of my closest dance friends. And boy am I looking forward to it! Can't wait.