Musings, etc.

The classroom and religion

Chelsey Heath — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:16:30 +0000

In an unnamed class on an unspecified day lately, I had an uncomfortable experience with the other students on our topic of the day: faith-based organizations, or FBOs.
One of the debates surrounding FBOs is their ability to compete for and get government funding for providing social services to specific groups, such as people who are homeless and people addicted to drugs.
The woman teaching that day put up a quote from someone who disagreed with funding FBOs with government money because FBOs provide social services at a much lower costs than other groups, causing this individual to comment that the government may relieve itself of the burden of social services exclusively onto FBOs.
Now, my opinion on this matter is mostly irrelevant. My point is that at least three students in the class spoke up, saying they completely disagreed with the statement. One student said he/she didn’t understand why someone would think that way, and gave the anecdote that in bygone times, when a catastrophe happened, like a house burning down, people went to their church. Another student said he/she has always relied on the church and lived his/her life in the church.
I think that it’s completely fine for people to be reliant on their church and faith. I also understand that FBOs are required to serve every person who comes through their doors that needs help.
However, I do not feel comfortable getting social services from a FBO because I have no religious affiliation. I do not want to hear a religious message, and I do not want to make the service givers uncomfortable because of my attitude.
I realize that in most areas, there are other social services choices than FBOs. However, in some rural areas, this not be the case – also, if government does start to rely on FBOs for social services, they may become the biggest providers.
I would just like to leave you with the wish that you consider the perspectives around you that you might not share by experience when you’re making a decision or sharing an opinion.

I really need to like, study a Rolling Stone

Chelsey Heath — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 07:53:43 +0000

In the past week, I realized the Deftones covered a Sade song (No Ordinary Love) and a Duran Duran song (The Chauffeur). Completely mind-blowing. I did know “The Chauffeur” was a Duran Duran song, but the spellings showed up differently in iTunes and I wasn’t being a good little journalist and double-checking my song title or lyrics facts.

I have a long way to go with this music thing, I think.

In other news, the Highwaymen disk is stellar.

Do YOU need an all-purpose break up song?

Chelsey Heath — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:46:36 +0000

Have you just split with your (not-so_ significant other? Are you mad, sad, angry, seething, jealous, frustrated, bitter, pining, tired, apathetic, cynical, feeling the need to explain yourself, feeling the need to scream?

I have just the song for you:

My favorite lyric?
“You’re an idiot, babe. It’s a wonder you still know how to breathe.”

More thoughts from class

Chelsey Heath — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:43:37 +0000

For whatever reason, I seem to question the world around me most when I’m sitting in NLM 220.
The fact that we discuss politics, world views, civil society, governments, and rights every class period might help.

Observation on the healthcare debate: It struck me today that many of the opponents of gov’t run or assisted healthcare are worried about the lack of personal choice in where they can receive treatment and what services will still be available. To me, this translates to: will the people with the means to afford skyrocketing healthcare prices still be able to use their artificial clout to get better medical services than people who cannot afford little to any healthcare?

I stress, this is merely an observation of the situation.

Struck by Waits

Chelsey Heath — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 08:19:59 +0000

“And I admit that I ain’t no angel
I admit that I ain’t no saint
I’m selfish and I’m cruel but you’re blind
If I exorcise my devils
Well my angels may leave too
When they leave they’re so hard to find.”
-Please, Call Me Baby by Tom Waits

Touched my mood tonight. I’ve never heard his older work before tonight – I thought he just did strange electronics and experimental music – he actually had a folk career on par with Paul Simon, Dylan and Cohen (or so judges Pandora).

Speaking of Leonard Cohen! He’s going to get a Lifetime Achievement Grammy. I say it’s about time.

‘Contra’

Chelsey Heath — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:10:13 +0000

“Basically, a contra is anybody you try to frame as your opposite – as not a part of your world. It’s setting up a dichotomy. You can talk about people in very nuanced, compassionate ways – or you can be like, ‘I’m liberal; that person is not. I’m real; that person is a sellout.’”
-Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend in the Feb. 2010 issue of Rolling Stone

Abbreviated thoughts on religious freedom

Chelsey Heath — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:53:18 +0000

Today we talked about some religions coming to America for “religious freedom.”
The individuals of the faiths in question may have been escaping persecution in their homeland, but they did not come looking for religious freedom.
They came looking to establish a sort of religious empire of their own, a place to persecute those who did not conform to their standards, for example those of the Pilgrims/Puritans. That people/religious group persecuted Native Americans for their religious beliefs in nature. Puritans also persecuted atheists, agnostics and those in the community that did not conform to prescribed and arbitrary norms established by the church, through atrocities such as infamous witch-hunts.
Therefore, in my opinion, no progress at all.

For the record~

Chelsey Heath — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 11:08:39 +0000

Any boy who plays/sings this song to me, can have my heart, free of charge.

Nomad

Chelsey Heath — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:44:02 +0000

I was thinking about it a little bit earlier this evening — I’ve always felt like a little bit of a nomad, even thought I’ve always lived in Arizona. Let me explain.

I was born in Central Phoenix, but moved to Maryvale soon afterward. We lived there for a few short years, then moved to Cordes Junction/Lakes (I’ve heard both, though there’s no longer a lake). We stayed there for a few more years, then back to Central Phoenix with my mom to live with my grandmother. Then up to live with my dad in North Phoenix, first at a rental, then at a home he owned. I also made frequent trips to my mom’s new house in Chandler. This two-way existed for some time, until my mom moved to a different house in Chandler, and so I went there. College rolled around, and I packed up my belongings for a summer at grandma’s again and then to the dorm in central Phoenix. I stayed there for my first semester, then back to my dad’s old house for a couple nights. He then moved us into a different house in the same area. i’m about to go back to central Phoenix in two weeks.

That’s a lot of wandering around. And I think it’s part of the reason I have such an itch to travel.

New Year’s Resolutions, version 20.10

Chelsey Heath — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:47:28 +0000

Go out dancing at least once a month
Go to a concert at least once a month

Find some way to road trip to at least one of the following:
Graceland/Dollywood
Idaho
Roswell, New Mexico

Save more money

Drink less soda and more water

Work out more – you have workout buddies now!

Read. Much, much more. Less social media, more intelligent examinations of many topics through novels, non-fiction long form, etc.

Finish Europe blogs and make at least one scrapbook of resulting materials and pictures

Get rid of the lying, draining people in my life. Now.

Try to be less cynical – this was also one last year, but I think I failed to implement it because it is too broad of a statement. So, this year, I will ascribe certain concrete changes in order to make this happen.
-Spend more time volunteering
-Make at least one new friend per month, and say hi to someone you have seen but never spoken to every week
-Go out on walks and take hundreds of pictures whenever you think the stress is going to make you scream
-If someone is bothering you, sit down and make a list of everything good about that person
-Listen to a LOT of new music but always relish returning to favorites