This month, I chose to donate to the Council for Economic Education (CEE). This was the only organization I could find on Charity Navigator that works on financial literacy, but I found myself excited about their model. They provide workshops and lesson plans for K-12 teachers to teach financial literacy. I don't have a specific tie-in between "financial literacy" and June, but I feel like the recent economic climate makes a need for this kind of curriculum pretty clear.
I don't think I was ever specifically taught financial literacy. I've never taken a finance class in my life: I took Microeconomics in college, and I don't even remember what we covered. I certainly didn't live within my means for the first 10 years of my adult life, and I'm still paying for that. On the other hand, I've been really lucky, financially, and I've never missed a payment on anything that I can recall (or that my credit report shows). I just took out additional loans to pay off existing ones... for years. I'm finally getting out of that hole now. Actually, I will be making the last payment on my student loans in a couple of months (Huzzah!).
I hate the rhetoric about "predatory lending" because an arrogant elitist part of me thinks that people ought to understand any agreement they enter into. I like to think that contributing to CEE is a step towards making that happen. On the other hand, when is the last time I fully read a software product's user agreement?
You can follow TouchyTranny on LJ, but responses may be delayed.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Birthday Present
It has become tradition, and one of my favorite traditions, for my sister to give me a cameo in her comic for my birthday. It's one of my favorite presents each year. This year is no exception: Stupidity In Magic Comic 6/17/2009. Thanks, Willow!
I also got 2 text messages, 2 birthday cards, 2 voicemails, 24 facebook wall posts, a tweet, and a cake. Not bad for 33: I keep expecting birthdays to start passing without comment, but so far, they keep getting better.
My *actual* birthday evening was spent curled up with a Kindle and a headache, but the "birthday season" is going pretty well.
You can follow TouchyTranny on LJ, but responses may be delayed.
I also got 2 text messages, 2 birthday cards, 2 voicemails, 24 facebook wall posts, a tweet, and a cake. Not bad for 33: I keep expecting birthdays to start passing without comment, but so far, they keep getting better.
My *actual* birthday evening was spent curled up with a Kindle and a headache, but the "birthday season" is going pretty well.
You can follow TouchyTranny on LJ, but responses may be delayed.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Help identifying two novels?
Oh great and powerful internet, who never judges my reading habits:
Two novels I started reading (but never finished) in the 1980's have stuck in my brain for nearly 20 years, but I can't remember the titles. My memories are too vague for Googling to help; I've tried many times! I'm hoping someone will recognize the descriptions. I believe I encountered these books between 1986-1991, but they could be older.
Book #1: This fantasy novel features fishermen on river boats. The river is contaminated by some disease (possibly called "blight") which turns animals into wood. A riverboat captain pulls a wooden pregnant woman out of the river, and for some reason keeps her -- over a course of years, it becomes clear that she's slowly moving, and eventually gives birth. (ID'ed by by metalfatigue0 and aroraborealis as The Awakeners! Thanks!)
Book #2: This book features a futuristic space army, and is a parody of the genre. (Phule's Company reminded me of it). The army's uniforms were disposable and on rolls like paper towels. I also remember one line: "her voice dripped with sarcasm. she wiped some off her chin." (edit to add more detail: Army was co-ed. Focuses on a small team, not a whole unit. Remember vivid descriptions of large-breasted character.) (Multiple votes for this being [Bill, the Galactice Hero on the] Planet of the Robot Slaves, by Harry Harrison, as suggested by downtownguy & kengr on LJ)
Any help in identifying these books would be greatly appreciated. Not finishing them has been a literary earworm I haven't been able to shake. Help me close this chapter!
Yr humble servant,
Dan4th
(also posted to LJGenie)
Two novels I started reading (but never finished) in the 1980's have stuck in my brain for nearly 20 years, but I can't remember the titles. My memories are too vague for Googling to help; I've tried many times! I'm hoping someone will recognize the descriptions. I believe I encountered these books between 1986-1991, but they could be older.
Book #1: This fantasy novel features fishermen on river boats. The river is contaminated by some disease (possibly called "blight") which turns animals into wood. A riverboat captain pulls a wooden pregnant woman out of the river, and for some reason keeps her -- over a course of years, it becomes clear that she's slowly moving, and eventually gives birth. (ID'ed by by metalfatigue0 and aroraborealis as The Awakeners! Thanks!)
Book #2: This book features a futuristic space army, and is a parody of the genre. (Phule's Company reminded me of it). The army's uniforms were disposable and on rolls like paper towels. I also remember one line: "her voice dripped with sarcasm. she wiped some off her chin." (edit to add more detail: Army was co-ed. Focuses on a small team, not a whole unit. Remember vivid descriptions of large-breasted character.) (Multiple votes for this being [Bill, the Galactice Hero on the] Planet of the Robot Slaves, by Harry Harrison, as suggested by downtownguy & kengr on LJ)
Any help in identifying these books would be greatly appreciated. Not finishing them has been a literary earworm I haven't been able to shake. Help me close this chapter!
Yr humble servant,
Dan4th
(also posted to LJGenie)
Friday, May 29, 2009
Diary: April
Apparently, I've been working. I suspect I've been working a lot, because damn, I haven't posted at all, and totally forgot to write my April summary.
I'd say the big notes of April were social. I did catch up with a couple of people, which was very nice. For example, I got to see my friend Emmy Cerra play an awesome set at All Asia. I also caught up with my father's college roommate, who was full of great stories. Grayskale started another Formula De racing league (well, it started in the last weekend of March). Martini hosted a poker night, which was a blast. On the other hand, I did completely fail to catch up with one friend -- we've cancelled plans three times in the past two months, which I think might be my fault. This makes me sad.
Apart from social engagements, I don't feel like much happened. I fixed my hammock, which I broke at the end of last summer. I had a doctor's appointment, which went smoothly, but ended up having to switch seasonal allergy medications due to change in my insurance coverage. I have not been as satisfied with Zyrtec and Claritin as I was with Allegra. I went to a thesis writer's workshop, and almost lost my laptop, but got it back. Thesis progress didn't really happen in April, despite this attempt at inspiration. Basically, April was all about the social. By the time May started, I was ready for a nap.
Funny: in the March summary, I complained that I couldn't review each month as it ended because I didn't have any perspective on it. Now I feel like I waited too long for April: I can't remember it.
You can follow TouchyTranny on LJ, but responses may be delayed.
I'd say the big notes of April were social. I did catch up with a couple of people, which was very nice. For example, I got to see my friend Emmy Cerra play an awesome set at All Asia. I also caught up with my father's college roommate, who was full of great stories. Grayskale started another Formula De racing league (well, it started in the last weekend of March). Martini hosted a poker night, which was a blast. On the other hand, I did completely fail to catch up with one friend -- we've cancelled plans three times in the past two months, which I think might be my fault. This makes me sad.
Apart from social engagements, I don't feel like much happened. I fixed my hammock, which I broke at the end of last summer. I had a doctor's appointment, which went smoothly, but ended up having to switch seasonal allergy medications due to change in my insurance coverage. I have not been as satisfied with Zyrtec and Claritin as I was with Allegra. I went to a thesis writer's workshop, and almost lost my laptop, but got it back. Thesis progress didn't really happen in April, despite this attempt at inspiration. Basically, April was all about the social. By the time May started, I was ready for a nap.
Funny: in the March summary, I complained that I couldn't review each month as it ended because I didn't have any perspective on it. Now I feel like I waited too long for April: I can't remember it.
You can follow TouchyTranny on LJ, but responses may be delayed.
Friday, May 15, 2009
The saddest shave
playoff beard...
...all gone.
You know, an "Original Six" Stanley Cup final would have been pretty sweet.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
12 Donations: Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Given the fact that science is as close as I get to religion these days, it's sort of surprising to me that it took me until my 5th donation to get around to any research institution. There's just so many places doing research that it was hard for me to pick one. That's where CSniezek's suggestion of Charity Navigator came in handy.
In general, I'm not particularly fond of disease-specific giving: what makes one disease more terrible than another? It seems to come down to personal involvement, and that feels weird and narcissistic to me, especially because people seem to get involved only when a disease hits a loved one. It feels like an anger or vengeance response, although I recognize that it's psychologically helpful to be able to do something when you're feeling helpless. All the same, it tends to rub me the wrong way. However, my emotional involvement with Alzheimer's Disease doesn't have anything to do with my personal experience. As the psychiatrist says in Grosse Pointe Blank (1997): "I'm emotionally involved with you ... I'm afraid of you." Now, fear may not be any more noble than anger, but it's what I've got, and I'm going with it.
Charity Navigator gave me a list of five charities doing research on Alzheimer's Disease. The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation was by far the top rated. I chose "Neurosciences and Diseases of Aging" as the gift designation. I think that actually makes me feel a little bit better than designating it to a specific disease would. Brains: keep 'em working.
You can follow TouchyTranny on LJ, but responses may be delayed.
In general, I'm not particularly fond of disease-specific giving: what makes one disease more terrible than another? It seems to come down to personal involvement, and that feels weird and narcissistic to me, especially because people seem to get involved only when a disease hits a loved one. It feels like an anger or vengeance response, although I recognize that it's psychologically helpful to be able to do something when you're feeling helpless. All the same, it tends to rub me the wrong way. However, my emotional involvement with Alzheimer's Disease doesn't have anything to do with my personal experience. As the psychiatrist says in Grosse Pointe Blank (1997): "I'm emotionally involved with you ... I'm afraid of you." Now, fear may not be any more noble than anger, but it's what I've got, and I'm going with it.
Charity Navigator gave me a list of five charities doing research on Alzheimer's Disease. The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation was by far the top rated. I chose "Neurosciences and Diseases of Aging" as the gift designation. I think that actually makes me feel a little bit better than designating it to a specific disease would. Brains: keep 'em working.
You can follow TouchyTranny on LJ, but responses may be delayed.
Friday, May 01, 2009
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