CORI

This article in the Boston Globe has me pulled in two directions, so I thought we could discuss it here. The premise of the article is that CORI reform is necessary and that convicted felons should be allowed to have their records sealed in order to get better paying jobs or housing. For those of you who don't know: CORI is the criminal record that your employer, your landlord and your kids' school can get on you before you start a job, rent an apartment or volunteer at the school. As a former substitute teacher and summer camp counselor, I have been CORI'd many times.

But, I am having a hard time with this article because it focuses on a few individuals (tug at the human heartstrings, oh Boston Globe) to, in essence, add some personalization to the story. One of the women "highlighted" is a woman my age who was in jail for drugs and then assaulted a corrections officer. And wants to work with kids, which I think is admirable... kids should see the consequences of selling drugs and assaulting officers. Another 'gentleman' was working at a car wash before being dismissed by his boss due to his CORI record. His crime? He hit another man. With a handgun. Who was that other man? A rival drug dealer.

I do understand the idea of 'paying your debt' and moving on. I wish we could do that, I really do. But do I have the right to say, if I were a landlord or potential employer, that this is too much risk for me to assume by accepting this person in my home/office? Yes. Yes. Yes. and Yes again.

As a conservative, I don't want to see these people on the public dole for a lifetime either, so I do think they should be earning a living and paying for housing. What do we do? I know that some employers do hire ex-convicts and provide them with a decent wage and the opportunity to move ahead in life, but perhaps we should consider alternatives to relying on private companies to do this. One of the women in the above article was complaining that her $11/ hour job wasn't helping her get out of the public housing in Dorchester... and she intimated that she would have to return to selling drugs. How's that for trying to hold the state hostage?

My largest concern with CORI reform is that it will take the right to proactively protect yourself, your home, your investment, your business, your employees in a prophylactic manner and hand it over to the select "few" who have willfully chosen to disobey the law or commit violent offenses.

My $0.02 for what it's worth... this is just what's on my mind today. Feel free to chime in, but remember, I'm a person so please don't just yell at me. :)

A friend helps you move, a best friend helps you move a body.

In this case, my best friend wouldn't let me leave our shoe-shopping extravaganza without these:

Perfect. Shoes. They go with my khaki linen pants, my blue linen pants... dresses, skirts. :)
And, today, they are being shown around my office with a blue top and cute jeans (which are less tight today than last week: yahoo!).

Another great bonus of shoe-shopping with my best friend? The chatting and laughing... knowing that she's there to listen. Knowing that I am there to listen. Griping about our men, our moms and why do they make cute shoes so damn narrow? And what is up with high heeled flip-flops. We are both pretty anti-flip-flop... the sound in the office (yes, we can wear them in the office... we can wear tank tops & shorts as well. Office rule: clean, and not naked) is like nails on the proverbial chalkboard.

So, Syl, thanks for last night... I needed it. PC just about fell over when he saw the bag come in ( I was brave,but I totally get if you left yours in the car)... but he liked my selection. He is pretty adamant about me finding "somewhere to put them." Hm. Didn't think of that. So, ladies... where do you put your shoes?

Oh, and these followed me home too...

.
and 3 more pairs...
:)

10 on Tuesday

10 on Tuesday... taken straight from Carole's blog. I love it when she provides me with blog fodder. :)

10 Places That Make You Happy:

1. My dining room. I love my table and chairs and how PC's big clock looks in our dining room. I have made a very strong effort to make this room cozy and inviting for friends and family to sit for hours, talking and laughing.

2. Lake Conway, NH. Especially early in the morning, when PC's fishing, I'm getting eggs and coffee ready. It's early, you can hear campers waking up, but mostly we can hear birds and the quiet sounds of the lake

3. Rand Pond, Goshen, NH. Where I spent my summers as a child. The early June light, at 5pm... bouncing off the water. Sounds of kids jumping in the pond, fisherman casting out... smell hot dogs cooking and campfires being lit.

4. The left side of the couch... snuggled with PC. It's "my side" of the couch.

5. My car. I know that isn't really a place, but I like driving (probably one of my favorite activities) and I like being in my car, listening to the radio (or not, sometimes silence is best) and just driving. I used to think nothing of popping into my car for a 2 hour drive to see a friend. Good thing PC is a road-tripper like me.

6. My kitchen. I like our kitchen, even more now with the big island. It's homey and usually smells good.

7. My parents' deck. I love their yard and wish we spent more time there.

8. Abbey Church at Saint Anselm College. My alma mater. I spent every Sunday evening for 4 years in that church. It's gorgeous and has a definite feeling of comfort. I don't think I've ever felt comfort like I did at that church. It's where I ran to the day my godmother died. It's where I prayed for faith when mine was tested. It's the place where I learned it's okay to have faith in my beliefs, but challenge the Church and it's ways. A priest at school once said "Kathleen, you can have faith in God, but still be wary of man."

9.Newfound Lake, NH. It's clean, the state park is amazing and i have happy memories there.

10. anywhere with PC (and Pumpkin).

has anyone noticed a theme here? I think it's time for a LONG overdue camping trip and for me to sit by some water. :)

quilting

My next project is not a knitting project, it's a quilt for my niece, Chloe, who will be turning 2 this summer and, soon, will be in a big girl bed! I am doing this in "chloe-colors": orange, purple, yellow, pink and turquoise... very bright! All the pieces are cut and I am going to start sewing together the blocks tomorrow night. :)

10 on Tuesday

The topic this week is 10 People You’d Like To Interview. (taken from Carole)

1. President Obama: I'd like to know when he's going to stop running for office and get some stuff done.
2. Elizabeth Dole: this one shouldn't shock anyone. She's been an idol of mine for a long time.
3. the Pope: as a Catholic, I have some questions about being faithful vs. being devout. I'd like to have an honest talk about my role in the Catholic faith as a woman.
4. Anyone who worked at Ellis Island from 1892-1930: what did they see? Who did they meet?
5. Sigmund Freud: I have a few questions about his mother...
6. Suze Orman: wouldn't it be great to peek at her checkbook? See if it's really balanced?
7. Rosalind Franklin: her opinion on women in science and professional credit in peer-reviewed publication would be of significant discussion
8. Henrietta Lacks: I wonder if she knows how many lives she has saved. And how significant her contribution to modern drug discovery has been.
9. Jamie Oliver: I'd like to talk about the locavore movement and what fresh foods can do for America... his opinion on how to create long term proclivity to fresh, natural foods would be interesting as well.
10. the White House gardener: for gardening tips, using organic mulches and pesticides, etc.... b/c we know Michelle Obama isn't out there squishing tomato bugs.

Water, Water Everywhere

And not a drop to drink? Not in the casa de Mini y PC... we are in Newton, in the midst of the "boil" zone. Good thing they have those signs on I-95 telling us so, too. Friday night, PC surprised Mini with an impromptu trip to NYC for a night of romance and urban delight. (Mini *hearts* NYC and can't wait to go back)

Saturday a.m. was: up early, breakfast at the Starlight Diner in Midtown and then off to Central Park via Times Square (straight up 7th avenue) until we walked straight into the Revlon Run/Walk for Breast Cancer. 40,000 people in Times Square + Hallie Berry. Yup, saw her. :)

Once we got to Central Park, we wandered and headed to the zoo... what cute zoo! The animals were out, like they were waiting for the kids to arrive. A quick trip to FAO Schwartz for a bday gift for a certain little person's party the next day and we were hailing a cab back to the hotel to check out. By 2pm, we were on the Cross Bronx Expressway (which was not express....it was a parking lot) and by 3pm, we were in Connecticut.

Dinner in Mystic, CT (RiverView, near Mystic Yarns, and yup... I got yarn. Photo tomorrow) and then off to the NE Revolution game in Foxboro MA at 7:30pm.

I made it to the 60th minute of the soccer game and just.couldn't.do.it. I was road-weary. And cranky. And wanted to go to bed.
We went home. :)

And on the way home, I saw "East of Weston, MWRA Boil Water Order."
Crap.

At home, checked the internet...yup. That means Newton. *le sigh*
Water was boiled and cooled overnight and then poured into a large Brita filter. Sunday morning began w/ a trip to BJs in a non-water banned city, to get some bottled water. A trip to a bday party (fantastic!) and then home to an elaborate dishwashing set-up rounded out the evening.

What.a. weekend.