Great Job, Commenters. You Do Not Suck At All.
Thank you to everyone who commented on my questioning Catholicism post. For the most part, things stayed respectful and I appreciate everyone who shared their personal stories. You guys rock. For the sake of fairness, the Christians are next, because I just watched Waiting for Armageddon and that noise will stop you dead in your tracks. My friend Christine e-mailed me and said, “You know who I feel bad for in the whole Catholic scam…Jesus. That dude has a lot of fucked up shit happening in his name and he’s not even around to be like, “Hey. Don’t do that. Thanks, bro.” And that’s how I feel about Waiting for Armageddon, but with the Christians. It’s on Netflix Watch Instantly if you want to prepare yourself for my eventual rant. I was raised Lutheran, which is totally Catholic-lite and not really into fear-based end-times chatter, but I’ve read some of the Left Behind books (shut it, I was in high school/early college) and so I have opinions, and they involve Kirk Cameron.
In the meantime, Chris started school again this week, so I’m getting into a new routine without him and with these three animals. Neko believes that her role in my life is to supplant my alarm clock, and I awaken each morning to a 55-lb pitt mix sitting on my head, trying to gnaw my White Girl ‘Fro. Luckily, the heat has broken, at least temporarily, so each day starts with a walk. This allows the dogs to run their crazy off so when we come home, they are knocked out and I can get something done while my body absorbs the methane steadily leaking out of sleeping dogs’s asses, which I prefer over incessant barking at phantom menaces like the dishwasher, the television, and sunflowers.
Here’s another question for you wise readers: I’m fairly certain that this blog and my blogging in general is going to come up at some point in this charter school process. The people I work with on our team are already aware of how I roll. I might not be their cup of tea, but they’ve known for a while that I do this, and it hasn’t been an issue, at least that I’m aware of. But I’m not naive, and I know people who are evaluating our plan probably do at least a little Googling.
My opinion is that my writing persona (which is damn close to my regular persona), no matter how opinionated and curse-y I am, shouldn’t influence my ability to kick ass in the professional world. I feel very, very strongly about that, because I know that I am knowledgeable in my field and I am more than capable of contributing to my field in ways that will benefit the community I serve. If people have a problem with the fact that I publicly talk about dog farts in my free time, I argue that they must not care too much about providing quality schools for kids, because I can do that, and do it well. While I recognize the need for relative discretion, I’ve also been in the position of having to delete and entire blog in order to protect my employment and I vowed I would never, ever let someone take my words away from me again. Plus, I’m in too many places to try to cover my tracks at this point. I’m slutty like that.
Then again, I may think I’m edgy, but someone on the charter school side of things told me I was “Stepford-ish” in our mayor’s presentation, so I guess I can’t win.
Your thoughts? If a stakeholder brings up this facet of my “public persona”, how should I deal with that?
Tags: Catholicism, dog farts, dogs, Jesus, Kirk Cameron, Left Behind, Lutheran, Netflix, pets, puppies, Waiting for Armageddon
(On August 19th, 2010 at 11:05 am)
I don’t have a good answer for that question. I was asked by my ex to take down a post about his then-girlfriend, and I refused, but I did change the names. It wasn’t a mean or hateful post at all. After that, though, I thought long and hard about what to post.
Oh, look, I’ve hijacked your post. So sorry. Point is – there is no easy answer to that question. If they’re complimentary, say thanks. If they’re not, say See First Amendment.
(On August 19th, 2010 at 11:12 am)
Christianity is responsible for our culture’s unquestioned relationship to nature and animals. It was all made by God FOR us, so we can do whatever we want with it and hang the consequences. Take a look outside. That’s where Christianity got us with it’s human-centered vision of Being. It’s not done much for women either.
Hi Kelli. You can delete this if you want. HOWLLLLL.
(On August 19th, 2010 at 3:58 pm)
Well I agree with you…what you do outside of work is just that and should be treated as such. Whether that is a personal blog, skydiving, food eating contests, or pulling tubes with Michael Phelps…But regardless of the awesomeness you do in your career life not everyone thinks that way, and in fact some of the more judgmental and less forward thinking folks in this town will certainly hold it against you.
And I would say, the fact that you are working in a somewhat public role is another reason folks may want you to at least appear, dare I say, more god like
I say, Fuck’em and Feed’em to the Fish.
(On August 19th, 2010 at 7:18 pm)
“The free exchange of ideas is, of course, a critical principle of any quality education, and I am sure you feel the same. My personal blog allows you to see that I engage in such free exchange quite comfortably, so you can be confident I will hold true to my principles whether in my personal life or my professional life.”
Fight bullshit with bullshit, I say. Not that any of the above isn’t true, it’s just the psych-y “I’m sure you understand. Here’s why my way benefits you” thing. Works every time.
(On August 19th, 2010 at 10:18 pm)
Kelly,
I can answer this question for you. I have been reading your blog for a while now. I also happen to be the one who decides if UMSL sponsors your school. I never really made the connection until two weeks ago. We don’t tend to google people who are su mitting ton us unless we have reasons to be concerned.
Don’t worry about it-if the rest of the board is cool and this is your personal space go for it. Personal and professional are different and I haven’t read anything here that effects your ability to do the job you have taken on.
Looking forward to meeting you soon.
(On August 23rd, 2010 at 7:37 pm)
Kell – Remember when you got hit by a girl in middle school because you wrote she was a ‘ho and she got a hold of the note. I told you then not to write anything down that you didn’t want to bite you in the butt. You got in school suspension then. Now you are an adult and you will deal with it when/if it happens. It didn’t stop you in 8th grade – don’t think it will stop you now. You have a lot of your Grandpa Dean in you (say what you want and damn the consequences!).
(On August 25th, 2010 at 1:12 pm)
This has nothing to do with your post (sorry) but I just had to share another apocalyptic YA novel title with you, in case you’d missed it: The Knife of Never Letting Go (first of a trilogy) by Patrick Ness. The anguish! The pain! Aaaaack! I couldn’t put it down even though it was filled with heartrending stuff.