| Today was my first day working for the state of North Carolina as an employee of North Carolina State University. I spent eight hours in New Employee Orientation, during which we were treated to six different speakers in the following areas: Welcome to NC State, Benefits, Diversity, Health & Safety, Discrimination & Harassment, and Information Technology.
The guy who did the benefits topic (which was by far the longest presentation) was the best presenter, and he immediately caught me off guard when he introduced himself saying, “I’m Rob Stephenson.” That was my ex of 6.5 years’ name. Who said, “There’s no free lunch.”? We received a coupon to eat free at Fountain Dining Hall today. Delish, and the eye candy was beyond belief. I’ll just leave it at that. |
Although, I believe I’ve heard this in the past, it was really driven home today during the benefits presentation, that the state of North Carolina’s State Health Plan (which administers our medical benefits) has no (zero, nada, zilch) provisions for domestic partners. Quite the difference from my previous employer, in which just about every benefit offered has a domestic partner option.
From Tim Wise’s Red Room blog…
| This is Your Nation on White Privilege
By Tim Wise For those who still can’t grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are constantly looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help. White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because “every family has challenges,” even as black and Latino families with similar “challenges” are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay. White privilege is when you can call yourself a “fuckin’ redneck,” like Bristol Palin’s boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you’ll “kick their fuckin’ ass,” and talk about how you like to “shoot shit” for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug. White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action. Click here to read the rest of the article from its original source… |
When I saw this headline this morning, “Vishwa Shanthi Yagam held in Cary”, I thought: “I have no idea who that is. I wonder who he is and what he’s being held for.”
This seems a little excessive! Remind me again how it’s gay people getting married that is “denigrating the institution of marriage.” I’m just saying…
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BreakingNewsOn Mohammed Bello, a man from Nigeria, has been ordered by court to divorce 82 of his 86 wives; Bello fathered 170 children in total – reports. |
I really wanted to get the survey for myfriessuck.com that I committed to create “soon” done tonight. I didn’t.
I really wanted to get to the gym tonight. I didn’t.
I really wanted to download the audio Chinese lessons available from the Wake County library tonight. I didn’t.
Let’s hope I can be more productive tomorrow night.
I’m looking forward to my first day in the office tomorrow.