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| Many things have changed since September 05 when I last posted. I think a comparison of me then vs now will be the most succinct and comprehensive way to compare Kati v2.1 to Kati v2.4.
Kati v2.1
School
-deciding between sociology (human sexuality concentration) and fashion design
-not yet completed
Work
-in FDAI, a band from Philadelphia
-selling vintage on ebay
-setting up tagurity.com, for handmade goods
Social Life
-dating Kenny for 2 years
-best friends in philly, maryland and internet, usa
Auto
-1996 Mercury Mystique
-dream car toyota scion
Personality
-crafter
-political
-hermit
Kati v2.4
School
-deciding between sociology and marketing
-not yet completed
Work
-Internet Community Moderation, User Experience and Public Relations Specialist
-I get paid to blog (FOR REAL!)
-tagurity.com still not launched
Social Life
-dating Kenny for 5 years
-best friends in philly, maryland and de (yay work friends)!)
Auto
-2007 Mazda 3
Personality
-crafter
-nerd
-outgoing?
Ok, that was a horrible fail! Anyway, the most interesting thing about me right now is that my job is pretty friggin' awesome! Obvs as a long time journaler (before blogs were blogs!) it is really cool to blog for (part of) my living. It's hard!
The other awesome part is being able to act as the internal consumer voice. You know how if you go to a site and it is all crappy and you think about sending an email like "hey, just a pointer - your on-site search is crap and also NOTHING MAKES ANY SENSE" but you decide against it because "who cares?" I CARE! And then I make other people care! And then we change it! Well, some times and not that quickly. Baby steps!
So that is really cool (and rewarding). I use graphic design but in limited fashion - emails, blog, pr plus help with conceptual stuff.
Unrelated: is it crazy to have 3 blogs? One for secretly friends-only stuff (LJ), craft and design (blogger) and actual thoughts feelings (here). I guess four if you count work (I don't from a personal perspective). My xanga blog is the blog I am most proud of and think I did the best writing of my life. This may also be due to the fact that I was a snotty college kid. I still am, at heart.
Anyway, I missed many of you! Drop me a line! Say hi! Ask me "who are you again?".
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| Ok, I know it has been FOREVER since writing in here and I certainly
don't have anything worthwhile to contribute at present, but I just
wanted to post something important.
Firstly, if you haven't already, please make a contribution to the Red
Cross or the charitable organization of your choice to assist victims
of the hurricane. Even a dollar can make a difference.
Secondly, Crafters United has gotten a bunch of artisans together to
donate goods. 100% of the proceeds go to the Red Cross. We
started with a goal of $1000 and, due to overwhelming response, we are
now well past the $9,000 mark and are hoping to earn $15,000 for the
Red Cross. I have put a few of my items up.
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| Kenny and I watched GATTACA last night. I really love that movie, but
that's because I am a total genetics geek. It always makes me think a
lot about the future and the possibility of having genetically modified
children. I know it seems so wrong at the present to modify human
beings, but if I could know that my child could live a life without
being prone to genetic diseases and things like anxiety and depression,
I would definitely have gene screenings and so forth. Maybe that's
fucked up, but we all select our mates genetically whether we know it
or not.
Many people may say that they have major class issues when it comes to the possibility of people
doing gene selection on babies because it's something that will only be
available to a certain segment of the population, thus it will only
further create a gap between rich and poor because it will be the
people who can afford it who will breed the "undesireable" qualities
out of their children and that leads to all kinds of sticky issues and
inequalities.
A year
ago I would have responded the same way. Long story short, it seems to
me inevitable that there are always going to be class distinctions. I
know a lot of people think that there shouldn't be any sort of income
gap, and I agree that it SUCKS that there is such a huge difference
between upper and middle class. Consider this: you really love going to
school (even if you don't, just bear with me here). You need good
grades to pass the
course, right? Well, what if your teachers decided that there was too
much of a gap between those with good grades and those with bad grades?
"The students with higher grades," they said, "are at an unfair
advantage. They are able to keep their financial aid, receive
scholarships that others are ineligible for, and are more likely to
have a high paying job." The school board agreed that this was, indeed,
unfair. So, instead of getting an "A" on a test, you have to share that
grade with those in your class who are not performing as well. Your "A"
then turns to a "C". "I worked really hard for my grade, this is
completely unfair and unjust." You say. It is of no matter, however,
for the grading system has already been put into effect. Some of the
smarter students drop out of college because they deem this unfair.
Others try to stick with it. Lower performing students now have very
little incentive to try harder on any test because they assume that the
smarter kids will bring them back up. By the end of the semester,
everyone has failed.
I think everyone feels that utilitarian
economics are the right way to go until they put themselves in the
situation. Most people agree that they don't think it is fair that
their hard work goes to support people who do nothing to support
themselves. Also consider the next example: When socialism was
prevailent, they found that the gardens of farm labourers did far
better than the government lands. Why? Because when you are allowed to
reap the benefits of your own hard work, you will work much harder to
maintain a higher quality of output. In the automotive industry during those times, the
cars were horrible because everyone cared only about meeting quota.
Morally,
I am all for utilitarianism, but economically I don't see it as being
viable. In school, I work hard for my grades and I'll be damned if I
would ever share them with anyone else. Similarly, right now I am
unemployed. I know that my inability to do things that I would really,
really LOVE to do (like study in Prague this summer) stems from the
fact that I have not been as financially responsible as I should have
been. My economic well-being is my own responsibility and no one
else's. I think that's it's very admirable to want to make everything
equal, but "life isn't fair". If I'm willing to work harder, faster,
and longer I expect to be justly compensated. I know it is totally
uncool for someone to be politically liberal but economically
conservative, but that's where I fall and it's a weird WEIRD place.
Genetic
screening for most diseases is already becoming more widely available.
Although there are only 2000 genetic counselors in the US, these
numbers are quickly growing. Just like mothers can get free pregnancy
counseling and care through certain programs, someday, genetic testing
will likely be readily available at these places. Also, I am talking
more about screening for diseases and not making my kid some super
smart super hot double helix.
I think genetic testing is a positive thing and can lead to a reduction
in the number of children who grow up neglected. For example, if you
know that you are going to have a child who is going to have downs
syndrome or some cry du chat kind of genetic abnormality, I think it's
in a person's best interest to know this asap and plan for it
accordingly. Perhaps this would save the numerous children who have
been locked away in state institutions or neglected for years because
of their handicaps. I know that sounds even MORE messed up to be like,
"Yeah you should get genetic testing done so that way you can KILL they
little buggers!", but really I think it's more humane than a life or
neglect or, worse, a life of pain and suffering for both parent AND
child (since some genetic diseases are indreibly painful and the
children rarely live long enough to reach puberty).
There are a lot of potential hazards to the situation, but I feel as
though it is unfair to rule out all of the positives. It all
depends on whether we use the power for good or evil.
And then again, it all depends on our definitions for those terms as well, huh?
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| Ugh! I could have SWORN I was keeping up with entries!!! It's been since December? Dang, I suck!
Well, Flo, I wrote you back. I hope you got it.
Not much has been going on. I am enrolled in a sexuality course
this semester. It has been AWESOME. Unfortunately, the
course is an online course so I miss out on all the discussions and
movies. The only drawback of taking a sexuality course is that I
get totally turned on by the material and it makes it a little hard to
concentrate (heh).
School has been hella busy and the band has been touring a lot more
which is good. Speaking of, we are playing the following cities
on the following dates.
Friday,
March 11th - Bel Air, MD
w/ Forest Dwellers, Passiou, Doctor, Milford, and The Pills
1200
Churchville Road
Bel Air, Maryland 21014
Show starts at 7, we play last.
Saturday,
March 12th - Baltimore MD
w/ Double Dagger, Hunchback, The Sentimental Favorites, Thinking
Toys, +1
Charm City
Art Space [directions]
1729 N. Maryland Ave.
Baltimore, MD
Show
starts at 7, we are on FIRST (7:15)
Sunday,
March 27th - Philadelphia, PA
w/ red line index, no omega, mothra (japan)
255 s. 45th street
Philadelphia, PA
Show starts at 4pm, I am assuming we go on first.
It
would be great to see some of you guys there! Especially since I
have been kind of lax on here and haven't had the chance to catch up
with any of you. The Philly show is probably your best bet since
I am kind of sick right now and I am not sure if my voice will be 100%
by this weekend *EEP!*. Oh, I don't even think I ever posted a
link for the band on here (it has been a while and I have been off and
on with thinkingamerican).
http://www.fiftydaysatilium.com
If yer interested.
Ugh. I am so tired of being sick. Time to shower and then go to the doctor's office. FEH!
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| Ugh, I spent an hour looking at the website for Fashion Institute of
Technology in NYC. I almost threw up. I want to go there so
badly, but I know that a degree in Human Sexuality would do so much
more for me.
Must I really choose between that which I love and that which puts food
on the table? I like them both, but the idea of sewing and
stitching and designing is so much more appealing than writing an essay
on the mating habits of aboriginal pygmie midgets. I don't want
to be that girl that can never make up her mind and can never commit to
one thing.
What a pointless lament.
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