It's official. My interest in BookMooch has now become an addiction. My parents dropped off three boxes of books that they didn't want anymore and said that I could sell them at the used bookstore, which I did. Theused bookstore only took six books so I have decided to mooch the rest. It is becoming like a small business. I am wrapping and sending books, emailing moochers, and checking my status several times a day. It is such fun. I just wish I was earning some money for all this fun. I always thought I should run a bookstore, and maybe I should but not a brick and mortar bookstore, but an online store.
In the meantime, I get to read a bunch of interesting books. I finished a book titled Names on a Map and found it underwhelming. It is very fractured with too many voices narrating the story. I didn't feel like I got to know any of the narrators well enough to care about the story. I also found Saenz's use of language very pedestrian and uninteresting. He is extremely fond of series of threes, three metaphors, always three metaphors. But the most disturbing thing about this particular book is the way he introduces early on in the book the fact that one of the main characters, Xochil, is raped at the age of 12 or 13 in an alley. This causes her to have a fear of alleys which she doesn't get over until the end of the book. Although the book is 432 pages long (give or take a page of two), the issue of Xochil's rape doesn't come up again until the end of the book. It is used to justify her having sex with a boy that she doesn't love. But at least SHE got to choose who she had sex with.
I was appalled at the fact that the rape was not dealt with more deeply. There was no discussion of how the rape helped to form the person that she became. And since she never told anyone about the rape, it is very difficult to believe that she never had any consequent psychological problems. Xochil never dealt with the rape, but also, according to the book, never NEEDED to deal with the rape. She just filed it in the back of her brain and there it remained, causing her no concern whatsoever.
We all know that this is not in the least realistic. It shows me how little the author is concerned about the subject of rape and how it affects those who are raped. Xochil's character and her rape were just used as vehicles to move the story forward.
Although I didn't like the story and found it very difficult to finish, there were some interesting tidbits, like the description of southern New Mexico in the 1960's, a positive and emotional description of living in the desert, and the description of the uniqueness that residents love about living in the southwestern United States.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Back on Track
It has taken me a long time to write this blog post but I finally got a job. It's ironic that I am working as a contractor for IBM, working for the same team that I worked for for 4 years. I am not earning as much and my benefits aren't as good but that just makes me realize how spoiled I was when I was a regular employee at IBM. It's good to be working again and earning some money. And for the moment, we don't have to leave Tucson.
In addition to a job, I am going to start taking some writing classes at The Writer's Studio. I am really anxious, not only to get some guidance on my writing, but also to expose my writing to other people. Most of my stories have only been read by one person other than myself. I hope to someday have some of my stories published in magazines but the only reason for that is so that others in the world, aside from my family, know that I write and have read some of my words.
In addition to a job, I am going to start taking some writing classes at The Writer's Studio. I am really anxious, not only to get some guidance on my writing, but also to expose my writing to other people. Most of my stories have only been read by one person other than myself. I hope to someday have some of my stories published in magazines but the only reason for that is so that others in the world, aside from my family, know that I write and have read some of my words.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Letter to the governor
Dear Governor Brewer ~~~~
I am very concerned about the proposal to remove funding for GED and adult education from the budget due to the budget crisis. If we want to improve the economy in this state, then it is more important than ever to support education for adults. We need this funding to ensure that every Arizonan has the opportunity to get the education they need to be the best and most productive citizens they can be.
Without this education, more people will be out of work and remain out of work for longer periods of time. Without this education, more children will grow up in poverty because their parents couldn't get the education they needed to get a decent job. Without this education, we will see Arizona slip deeper down in the ranks of states providing a good education for their citizens. We can't afford that, we need you to ensure that funding for GED and adult education remains in the budget.
If we lose this funding, we will all be sorry.
Sincerely,
Erin Cizina
I am very concerned about the proposal to remove funding for GED and adult education from the budget due to the budget crisis. If we want to improve the economy in this state, then it is more important than ever to support education for adults. We need this funding to ensure that every Arizonan has the opportunity to get the education they need to be the best and most productive citizens they can be.
Without this education, more people will be out of work and remain out of work for longer periods of time. Without this education, more children will grow up in poverty because their parents couldn't get the education they needed to get a decent job. Without this education, we will see Arizona slip deeper down in the ranks of states providing a good education for their citizens. We can't afford that, we need you to ensure that funding for GED and adult education remains in the budget.
If we lose this funding, we will all be sorry.
Sincerely,
Erin Cizina
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Tinted Glass
I recently submitted the following story to the NPR 3 Minute Fiction contest. Check out some of the other stories, they are quite good.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105660765
Jemma was just leaving the thrift store with a sack of clothes for her and the kids. She didn’t have to rush since her ex had agreed to keep the kids and take them to school the next day. So she wasn’t rushing as she passed the café window. She looked in through the tinted glass and noticed the empty table with a stack of papers, waiting for someone to return. The slate gray of the clouds loomed in the glass behind her and reminded Jemma of the stormy cold days when she had chosen working in a café over working at home. In fact, she had been in a café the day she got the call, over a year ago now.
Normally, they ask you into an office to give you the news but Jemma’s boss was over 500 miles away, so she got a call. Yes, ten years with the company, not a lifetime by any means but not exactly a drop in the bucket. Of course that was true for so many now. Jemma could practically see herself that day, sitting at the table, with her tea and bagel, hanging up, putting her cell phone in her purse, shutting her laptop, and pensively sipping the rest of her tea. The bagel never got eaten.
Jemma continued going to the café after the call, looking for jobs online until she decided she shouldn’t spend so much on tea and pastries every day. The jobs were scarce and the money began slipping away. There were a few health expenses, nothing major, thank God, but the doctors were feeling the pinch too, so they said, and couldn’t subsidize everyone. After a while she just stopped going.
Jemma stood in front of that café, the bags getting heavier, the drops of rain beginning to patter on the sidewalk next to her. She wanted to go in and sit down at that table, order an Earl Gray with lemon and a chocolate muffin. But she couldn’t break the abstinence. It was her only control over the situation.
She smiled to herself to think of how she was saving on everything, using sugar instead of honey in her tea, walking the mile and a half to the thrift store instead of driving, forgoing the movies and the gym. Even the dog got only dry food, canned was for when times were flush.
Her features stared back at her in the window, no makeup, no jewelry, no hope, it seemed. It had been a year and her ex couldn’t help with the mortgage any longer. She knew she would have to call a realtor next week, not knowing if she would be able to sell the house with the mold problem.
She rubbed her wrist but her watch was no longer there. Fortunately, the price of gold had been strong during the last year. Even the kids had helped to dig through the drawers for cuff links her ex had left behind or an earring that she had been meaning to get repaired. The cash hadn’t been much but it paid for the groceries for a few weeks.
Jemma felt the chill creep through her bones even though the rain drops had ceased. She pulled the green chenille sweater closer around her, remembering how an old co-worker who she had run into the previous week, had asked her about it. “It is an Ann Taylor, isn’t it?” she asked.
“Oh yes, it is.” Jemma had replied. Who would have thought that you could find Ann Taylor at the thrift store?
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105660765
Jemma was just leaving the thrift store with a sack of clothes for her and the kids. She didn’t have to rush since her ex had agreed to keep the kids and take them to school the next day. So she wasn’t rushing as she passed the café window. She looked in through the tinted glass and noticed the empty table with a stack of papers, waiting for someone to return. The slate gray of the clouds loomed in the glass behind her and reminded Jemma of the stormy cold days when she had chosen working in a café over working at home. In fact, she had been in a café the day she got the call, over a year ago now.
Normally, they ask you into an office to give you the news but Jemma’s boss was over 500 miles away, so she got a call. Yes, ten years with the company, not a lifetime by any means but not exactly a drop in the bucket. Of course that was true for so many now. Jemma could practically see herself that day, sitting at the table, with her tea and bagel, hanging up, putting her cell phone in her purse, shutting her laptop, and pensively sipping the rest of her tea. The bagel never got eaten.
Jemma continued going to the café after the call, looking for jobs online until she decided she shouldn’t spend so much on tea and pastries every day. The jobs were scarce and the money began slipping away. There were a few health expenses, nothing major, thank God, but the doctors were feeling the pinch too, so they said, and couldn’t subsidize everyone. After a while she just stopped going.
Jemma stood in front of that café, the bags getting heavier, the drops of rain beginning to patter on the sidewalk next to her. She wanted to go in and sit down at that table, order an Earl Gray with lemon and a chocolate muffin. But she couldn’t break the abstinence. It was her only control over the situation.
She smiled to herself to think of how she was saving on everything, using sugar instead of honey in her tea, walking the mile and a half to the thrift store instead of driving, forgoing the movies and the gym. Even the dog got only dry food, canned was for when times were flush.
Her features stared back at her in the window, no makeup, no jewelry, no hope, it seemed. It had been a year and her ex couldn’t help with the mortgage any longer. She knew she would have to call a realtor next week, not knowing if she would be able to sell the house with the mold problem.
She rubbed her wrist but her watch was no longer there. Fortunately, the price of gold had been strong during the last year. Even the kids had helped to dig through the drawers for cuff links her ex had left behind or an earring that she had been meaning to get repaired. The cash hadn’t been much but it paid for the groceries for a few weeks.
Jemma felt the chill creep through her bones even though the rain drops had ceased. She pulled the green chenille sweater closer around her, remembering how an old co-worker who she had run into the previous week, had asked her about it. “It is an Ann Taylor, isn’t it?” she asked.
“Oh yes, it is.” Jemma had replied. Who would have thought that you could find Ann Taylor at the thrift store?
Saturday, February 20, 2010
BookMooch & Uncle Tom's Cabin
I am surprised that I haven't written a blog on BookMooch before now. I am not one to swoon over websites. Sure there are cool sites that do cool things but it's not really a big deal for me. But when I was introduced to BookMooch, I swooned, and I am still swooning.
BookMooch is a book trading site. I know that all my Quaker friends are going to say, well, I know another book trading site, it's called the LIBRARY! But for book fanatics like me, well, some books I just have to own, especially books about language, linguistics, etc. Besides, being that I'm a mom of two young boys, I rarely can get through a book fast enough to get it back to the library on time. So BookMooch is perfect for me. You enter the site, sign up, create a list of books that you have that you want to trade, then make a list of books that you want to "mooch" and you're off. After you have sent a book, your can mooch a book, or request it. They will also send you an email when one of your books is available, or if you're like me, you can obsessively check your wishlist every hour or so to see when a book you want comes available. Usually people will mail the book to you within a week. There was a spell there where I was receiving one or two books every day. (P.S. I'm also helping to keep the USPS alive, doing my good deed for the country.)
So now I have nearly an entire shelf of books that I have mooched. It's such a wonderful treat for me. Some people have drugs, others sex, others shopping, I have books (and tea, and travel). So I'd like to tell you about one of these books.
Recently, on NPR (where else?) I heard a story on a book about the 100 most influential books of American literature, not the best, the most influential. I was not surprised to hear that Huckleberry Finn was one, but I was a bit surprised to hear that Uncle Tom's Cabin was on the list. So I mooched it and I have begun reading it. Although I am not yet done, I would like to write a review of it.
When I began reading Uncle Tom's Cabin, I was expecting to see some dialect in the dialog. Reading dialect is always slow going, at least for me, so I got somewhat discouraged. But I forged ahead. I was feeling a bit like I just wanted to read the book and get it over with so I could say that I had read it and I would understand all those obscure references to the book that at that time were flying right over my head. I was feeling that it was a bit of a self-imposed chore.
After the first night, I was mildly intrigued with Eliza and her predicament (which I shall not reveal, if you wanna know, you gotta read it yerself) and so knew that I would read more the next day, although I was still not sure that I would finish the book. As I met more characters, especially the Quakers, I found that I wanted to know more. Those Quakers sure were good people (lol) and the way they were represented in the book made me glad to count myself among them.
Well, now I am about a third of the way through the book which tops out at over 400 pages, but I know that I will read to the very last word. The characters are very vividly drawn and the way she depicts daily life is fascinating. I feel like I am really there, sitting in the drawing rooms or in the slave shacks. I can hear it, feel it, breathe it, and live it through Stowe's description. Although the writing is dated (it's over 150 years old after all) I am finding it much easier to read than I expected. It isn't all presented in dialect.
I already understand most of those obscure references that I used to miss and I am astonished to find out how much this book has contributed to our cultural heritage, in linguistic references, character references (Uncle Tom, Simon Legree etc) and historically. The writer of the 100 most influential works stated that Uncle Tom's Cabin did a tremendous amount to push forward the cause of abolition, that it spread the word around the country and the world of the pathetic condition and treatment of slaves in the states and had this book not been written, it could have taken much longer for abolition to occur.
If for no other reason, the book is worth reading to better understand our country at this dire time in its history.
BookMooch is a book trading site. I know that all my Quaker friends are going to say, well, I know another book trading site, it's called the LIBRARY! But for book fanatics like me, well, some books I just have to own, especially books about language, linguistics, etc. Besides, being that I'm a mom of two young boys, I rarely can get through a book fast enough to get it back to the library on time. So BookMooch is perfect for me. You enter the site, sign up, create a list of books that you have that you want to trade, then make a list of books that you want to "mooch" and you're off. After you have sent a book, your can mooch a book, or request it. They will also send you an email when one of your books is available, or if you're like me, you can obsessively check your wishlist every hour or so to see when a book you want comes available. Usually people will mail the book to you within a week. There was a spell there where I was receiving one or two books every day. (P.S. I'm also helping to keep the USPS alive, doing my good deed for the country.)
So now I have nearly an entire shelf of books that I have mooched. It's such a wonderful treat for me. Some people have drugs, others sex, others shopping, I have books (and tea, and travel). So I'd like to tell you about one of these books.
Recently, on NPR (where else?) I heard a story on a book about the 100 most influential books of American literature, not the best, the most influential. I was not surprised to hear that Huckleberry Finn was one, but I was a bit surprised to hear that Uncle Tom's Cabin was on the list. So I mooched it and I have begun reading it. Although I am not yet done, I would like to write a review of it.
When I began reading Uncle Tom's Cabin, I was expecting to see some dialect in the dialog. Reading dialect is always slow going, at least for me, so I got somewhat discouraged. But I forged ahead. I was feeling a bit like I just wanted to read the book and get it over with so I could say that I had read it and I would understand all those obscure references to the book that at that time were flying right over my head. I was feeling that it was a bit of a self-imposed chore.
After the first night, I was mildly intrigued with Eliza and her predicament (which I shall not reveal, if you wanna know, you gotta read it yerself) and so knew that I would read more the next day, although I was still not sure that I would finish the book. As I met more characters, especially the Quakers, I found that I wanted to know more. Those Quakers sure were good people (lol) and the way they were represented in the book made me glad to count myself among them.
Well, now I am about a third of the way through the book which tops out at over 400 pages, but I know that I will read to the very last word. The characters are very vividly drawn and the way she depicts daily life is fascinating. I feel like I am really there, sitting in the drawing rooms or in the slave shacks. I can hear it, feel it, breathe it, and live it through Stowe's description. Although the writing is dated (it's over 150 years old after all) I am finding it much easier to read than I expected. It isn't all presented in dialect.
I already understand most of those obscure references that I used to miss and I am astonished to find out how much this book has contributed to our cultural heritage, in linguistic references, character references (Uncle Tom, Simon Legree etc) and historically. The writer of the 100 most influential works stated that Uncle Tom's Cabin did a tremendous amount to push forward the cause of abolition, that it spread the word around the country and the world of the pathetic condition and treatment of slaves in the states and had this book not been written, it could have taken much longer for abolition to occur.
If for no other reason, the book is worth reading to better understand our country at this dire time in its history.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Happy New Year!!!
Why haven't I said that before now? I guess because I felt like everything was on hold. I had been out of work for a year and I just felt like life couldn't move forward until I had a job or something of the sort. I am glad to say that 2010 may now proceed. I have gotten not one, but three jobs, sort of.
It all started when my counselor asked if I would consider cleaning someone's house. Now that was not the job that I was hoping to get but I had reached a point where I felt that I could not be too proud to clean someone's toilet. I had not earned a cent in a year and I had run out of savings. So I said "Sure, why not?" and was given a number. I arranged to go to the woman's house, explained my situation and was told that I would be paid "handsomely" (isn't that a funny way to say "well") to clean her nearly immaculate little house. Well, I did and I was. In fact, she said that she thought I was working too hard but I explained that I only knew one way to clean a house and that was well. (Just because I don't do it at home, doesn't mean I don't know how to). So I clean her house twice a month. I've done worse work.
The second job is to work part time as an assistant to a friend of mine. She works for a textbook publisher. I do mostly data entry and research. It's only about five hours per week but it is a little something and although it reduces my unemployment insurance payment, it makes me feel like I am earning my money.
The third job is working as a contractor for my old boss at IBM, of all places. Well, I'm not really as surprised as everyone else. I knew that there was a good chance that I could contract for them. My old boss had told me about it in the first place. It's also not really what I want to do, but it will tide me over until something better comes along, maybe right here in Tucson. And if not in Tucson, at least somewhere where I would like to live in California.
So, when it rains it pours, as they say. Now I can get back to some sort of "normal" life and we can stop talking about moving imminently. It's not that I don't want to move, it's just that I want to move when I want to move, not when I have to move.
Thanks again for all your support. You have all really helped me get through this last year, especially thanks to the folks at Pima Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.... You guys are Absolutely Awesome!!!
It all started when my counselor asked if I would consider cleaning someone's house. Now that was not the job that I was hoping to get but I had reached a point where I felt that I could not be too proud to clean someone's toilet. I had not earned a cent in a year and I had run out of savings. So I said "Sure, why not?" and was given a number. I arranged to go to the woman's house, explained my situation and was told that I would be paid "handsomely" (isn't that a funny way to say "well") to clean her nearly immaculate little house. Well, I did and I was. In fact, she said that she thought I was working too hard but I explained that I only knew one way to clean a house and that was well. (Just because I don't do it at home, doesn't mean I don't know how to). So I clean her house twice a month. I've done worse work.
The second job is to work part time as an assistant to a friend of mine. She works for a textbook publisher. I do mostly data entry and research. It's only about five hours per week but it is a little something and although it reduces my unemployment insurance payment, it makes me feel like I am earning my money.
The third job is working as a contractor for my old boss at IBM, of all places. Well, I'm not really as surprised as everyone else. I knew that there was a good chance that I could contract for them. My old boss had told me about it in the first place. It's also not really what I want to do, but it will tide me over until something better comes along, maybe right here in Tucson. And if not in Tucson, at least somewhere where I would like to live in California.
So, when it rains it pours, as they say. Now I can get back to some sort of "normal" life and we can stop talking about moving imminently. It's not that I don't want to move, it's just that I want to move when I want to move, not when I have to move.
Thanks again for all your support. You have all really helped me get through this last year, especially thanks to the folks at Pima Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.... You guys are Absolutely Awesome!!!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Long absence
So the new year has finally begun and I was hoping for some better luck. On the 21st, it will be one year that I have been looking for a job, with a major gap in the middle. Nonetheless, I feel like I have been looking for a job for a year and that's hard on the morale.
I have been thinking a lot about what my options are. I have not wanted to leave Arizona because the boys' dad lives here, likes it here, and doesn't want to leave. But I am running out of money and I am running out of options. Part of me thinks that I should just suck it up and do anything. At this point I would, but I can't find "anything" probably because I am overqualified. The other part of me wants to do what I know, what I am reasonably good at, and what I am used to doing. I must be getting old because I never would have said this ten years ago.
Anyway, aside from the job search, I have to decide what I am going to do to make the money stretch. I have already eliminated as many extra expenses as I can, although I may be missing something, like canceling the cell phone. I am now thinking about the house and feeling like, if I can't figure out some alternative, I may have to put it on the market. I was hoping to hold on to it a bit longer because I am just not ready to pack all my stuff up and move to a studio apartment but that may be my best alternative.
I am so amazed to find myself in this situation and I thank God every day that I have a support network around me that won't let me and the boys end up on the streets. Nonetheless, there are people who have been out of work less time than I have who are getting their food at the community food bank. Sure glad that I have supported them all these years.
So I am once again applying for jobs in Arizona, California and Oregon. If nothing pops up soon, I will expand that search to include Washington, Nevada, Utah and Colorado. After that, the whole continental US will be up for grabs. I hate the thought of moving farther away from family and friends, but we can always come back. We just have to get back on our feet.
Please keep myself and the boys in your hearts and minds, think of us every day, and send all your positive energy (and prayers if you believe in that) our way. Thank you and peace to all.
I have been thinking a lot about what my options are. I have not wanted to leave Arizona because the boys' dad lives here, likes it here, and doesn't want to leave. But I am running out of money and I am running out of options. Part of me thinks that I should just suck it up and do anything. At this point I would, but I can't find "anything" probably because I am overqualified. The other part of me wants to do what I know, what I am reasonably good at, and what I am used to doing. I must be getting old because I never would have said this ten years ago.
Anyway, aside from the job search, I have to decide what I am going to do to make the money stretch. I have already eliminated as many extra expenses as I can, although I may be missing something, like canceling the cell phone. I am now thinking about the house and feeling like, if I can't figure out some alternative, I may have to put it on the market. I was hoping to hold on to it a bit longer because I am just not ready to pack all my stuff up and move to a studio apartment but that may be my best alternative.
I am so amazed to find myself in this situation and I thank God every day that I have a support network around me that won't let me and the boys end up on the streets. Nonetheless, there are people who have been out of work less time than I have who are getting their food at the community food bank. Sure glad that I have supported them all these years.
So I am once again applying for jobs in Arizona, California and Oregon. If nothing pops up soon, I will expand that search to include Washington, Nevada, Utah and Colorado. After that, the whole continental US will be up for grabs. I hate the thought of moving farther away from family and friends, but we can always come back. We just have to get back on our feet.
Please keep myself and the boys in your hearts and minds, think of us every day, and send all your positive energy (and prayers if you believe in that) our way. Thank you and peace to all.
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