Doctoral Disturbances

This is a very pregnant post, I'm afraid, with lots of meaning to these two little words. First, I got the go ahead to start showing my prospectus outside of my committee. If you suffer insomnia, let me know, I can help. With 35 pages of schlock. Thereabouts.

Second, I am pursuing my doctoral degree. I will be addressed as Dr. Regula Meyer at the end of this. Or at least it'll read that on my gravestone, if only in recognition of the pursuit that killed me. Physicians are those in the medical field who oversee the care of patients, diagnose, and prescribe medication. Doctor is Latin for "I teach" not "I cure" so the next person that calls an individual with their PhD uppity for asking to be addressed as Doctor, is asking for a stoving. The primary job of a doctor is as teacher, not medicine man. Get over it. We had the title first.

Thirdly, after reading the introduction notes from my class, I have to ask- why aspire to medical school if you have no interest in biology? Is there something I'm missing? How do you expect to save lives if you don't value the study of life? Yes, chemistry is critical to life, but is that not secondary to the big picture of biology when talking about the treatment and cure of individuals? Or is the plan just to prescribe lots of drugs? At least I have a functional list of doctors not to consult. Physicians. Gah! Even I'm doing it.

Finally, the title of doctor is significantly lower than that of God. Stop acting like you're best buds. Ask Graduate Coordinator at Kent State University, and he will give you a wonderful discussion of positions and authorities of various members of the department. Even department chair (yes, you, idiot) is not the same as God. Or Goddess, as your religion prefers. So freaking pay for benefits that are due to graduate students, as is required of you, and find other places to save in the budget. I, for one, use the REC and will fight this issue. You just pissed off the wrong chica, buddy.

The Battle of Plum Creek Park

The Kent Parks and Recreation Department, along with the City Engineer's office held a community meeting last week about what to do with the stretch of Plum Creek that runs through the parks by the same name. The Record Courier (inaccurately) covered it in this story. Basically, the culvert through which the creek passes under Mogadore Road is in poor condition, and in need of repair. There are four alternatives, ranging from doing nothing to repairing the culvert, removing the dam, and restoring the stream (Alternative 3). Alternative 3 would include minimal cost to the city both short and long term, thanks in part to stimulus money and money for the water improvement that this project would bring about. Also of note is that this dam is one of the few remaining impediments on tributaries of the Cuyahoga River, so removing the dam at this point would help to improve water quality of the Crooked River. You can see the plans in the pictures below, just click on them to see the full size.

"If this project is such a no-brainer, where's the battle?" you might ask. Well, on the other side of the creek from the park. There are a number of houses which lie across the stream from the park right now, and the homeowners have expressed concern about flooding (which will decrease with the improved stream function, but they don't see that), and trespassing on their property. One homeowner apparently has already found a pistol in his back yard, and this is before the improvements (mind you, he admitted it was never reported to the police- me thinks me smells a fish). These same residents would most likely see an increase in their home value thanks to the improved park, but I haven't heard any of them mentioning that. Restoration of the stream should also limit the number of Canada's Geese and mosquitoes there, by restoring some normalcy to the functioning of the stream- both of which are good things for aesthetics- but alas, not being mentioned by the home owners.

My son and I frequent Plum Creek Park, and you can bet we'll be there even more the next couple of weeks (gathering signatures to present to city council in support of Plum Creek Park Alternative 3 while we play, in case you're wondering). There's a great diversity of people that come to the park- all income levels, lots of different cultures, babies up to senior citizens. Not to mention the ball fields as well. If you want to see a great park made even better, and the greater city of Kent benefiting in numerous ways, might I suggest you come check us out at the park? And if you feel like doing something good, feel free to write to your city council member and let them know you support Alternative 3, or let me know and I can provide you with a pre-written letter.





Also, stop by Kitchen Stewardship and see a couple of fun prizes she's giving away.

Sleepy time

I can't sleep. The last four or five days. It's really starting to suck. But I did get an (hopefully) awesome wool topper for the mattress in from our favorite organic home store up in Rocky River. D-train said it was pretty nice (because he has no problem sleeping, any time, any where). Now I just have to wait for the darn sheets to dry so I can put the bed back together. Also did some extensive sampling- I really need to get the key to the shed at the wetland. I want to at least be able to use the radio in there, daggumit.

For some reason, I planned a half birthday party for Ken tomorrow. Oh, yeah, because he was born on the 25th of December and getting anyone to come to his birthday parties then has been, well, impossible. And tomorrow looks to be no different. I have such a complex from sucking at birthday parties when I was a kid, I have to wonder about this whole thing. Would it be better to keep trying and risk him having this same complex? Or should I just stop trying? Stopping would be a h3ll of a lot easier and less expensive. Grrrr...

He and I went to the park a couple of days ago, and had a bunch of fun. I brought my camera, and was snapping shots of him playing with the other kids, when the other kids at the playground got interested in the camera. So I have about 100 photos taken at the eye level of three to six year olds, all of the most random stuff (even random for me!). It was cute, I just hope the moms weren't too upset. They kept telling their kids to give me back the camera, but I was really fine with what they were doing. They always had neck strap on, and I was always nearby. Oh well.

Hoping to maybe write something a little more coherent and thoughtful tomorrow (or Sunday? see how busy I am tomorrow). There have been a lot of things running around in my head, trying to put the right words to them. Thoughts needing a release, or a way out. I would much rather write them than drill a hole and shake them out. Ta for now!

Really, guys?

Kent has an interesting history that includes the Ohio four of 1970, as well as heavy partying, liberal views, and a diverse student body, in color, culture, and ideology. Most of us are proud to go to a school with an active Socialist group, PRIDE! Kent, Black United Students, Arab group, as well as College Libertarians, Republicans, and ROTC. We may disagree here in Kent, but we get along and (generally) respect other people's views. That goes for the city and the university. No one's proud of the incident that marked May 4th, 1970, but we are proud that the whole incident started out with people standing up for what they believe in. Yes, it turned ugly, and there are ideas as to why that happened, but I'm not going to get into finger pointing right now. If you read some of what I have to say in other places, you probably can deduce where I stand on the matter of May 4th.

This weekend, Kent had another brouhaha involving students and uniformed individuals. Over a block party. A freaking end of school year block party. I have some issues with this turn of events. Like wanting to brain the parties involved.

Lately, there's been lots of moaning on the campus about the economy. Understandably so. It's the idiocy behind the whining, and the hypocrisy that baffle me. One page will have students worrying about financial aid and how their going to pay for school, the next has the latest greatest new techno toy. One page with complaints about how the university wastes money left and right, the next about exactly how to exploit your food plan to the greatest advantage before the end of the year.

So now, almost forty years after May 4th, and just a few days from its remembrance, you spoiled brats decide to throw a party (by the way, school's not over yet, genius- still two weeks plus exams) and don't know when to stop. The police get there, you start fires. Riot gear and SWAT teams arrive, you throw street signs into the fire. At what point did it maybe occur to you that you're just being ignorant and childish? Oh, that's right, it didn't or else you would have stopped the wanton destruction. All this over a stupid party. You'd think we were becoming Ohio State University or something.

You want so badly to celebrate not having classes? Fine- drop out. You hate the way the school schedules classes, making you take thing unrelated to your career goals? Fine, leave. Maybe, if learning is such a bane on your existence, you should do everyone a favor and go get a job at McDonald's. If you hate something so much, then stop doing it. Maybe then the college could offer better scholarships to those who want to be here and are benefiting from their time at KSU. How's that for a financial aid package?

What hurts me the most is the change. When did students stop giving a shit about the world around them and only care about their own Id? To this degree? I'm off to find something fun for next weekend on the weekly volunteering email blast- ta!