t’s 2008! Should we be excited about that? I still kind of want to go about ten years back. Am I the only person that actually really liked high school? Maye I just enjoy school in general. Otherwise I guess I wouldn’t keep coming back. And I do, all the time. I tried to think of some new year’s resolutions. Here’s what I’ve come up with:

1) write. really.
2) begin training for some sort of event- swimathon, marathon, 10K, just something. What’s the point of all this exercise and healthy eating if it doesn’t lead anywhere?
3) Let go of things that are out of control. But don’t think I’m going to quit lecturing on recycling and water conservation
4) Forge my own path
5) do something I’ve never attempted before
6) Find a barn somewhere, and ride a horse. Why did I ever stop?
7) Speak out for those who have no voice
8) Speak less, listen more.
9) Start planning a trip somewhere I’ve never been before.

I’m pretty happy with my life here now. I’ve spent so long being sad over leaving new York that i haven’t been able to think about everything I can do in NC. Like afford to travel abroad, like have a home with more than one room. Like being back in an academic environment that I love and surrounded by people that I admire. It’s so hard sometimes to be grateful. I know there are people out there who have it together more than I do, but I am really trying. And that’s what counts. Plus i’m happy. Here are my resolutions from last year:

1) Learn to bake bread (uh, no. I’ll do it this year…. maybe)
2) Pay off any debt I have accrued (yes!)
3) Max out my IRA (as all of you should!) (almost, but I’m optimistic for this year)
4) Try snowboarding (I’ve only been once and sucked, but I believe in giving things a second chance) (No.)
5) Do something culturally productive every month (I’m not even sure what I meant by this. But I think yes)
6) Stop being late to work (That one’s going to be the hardest, but I have faith in myself) (Not really…)

I think it’s interesting to see how far or not far you’ve come since the year before. I think this will be a year of greatness. We’ll see how that rolls….

Always a socialist at heart (I told y’all I love the French), I’m speaking out on insurance in the US today. It started with a phone call last night. One of my friends just suffered her second miscarriage in a very short period of time. She went to the ER and then to her normal doctor. Who said she suspects she has lupus. I’m not going to judge her for actually getting pregnant on purpose without health insurance. But I am going to judge Blue Cross Blue Shield for trying to charge her $700 a month for insurance. When her husband hasn’t received a paycheck in two months. When she has two children to feed. She doesn’t know if she has lupus- she doesn’t have money for the test required. Nor does she have the insurance to cover it.

Now, onto situation 2. My friend has a friend who has a medical disease that requires daily medication. But he isn’t getting it because he again doesn’t have health insurance. And he needs it- without it he could get really sick and end up in the hospital- again, with no insurance.

And I’m throwing in one of my mom’s acquaintances. who lost her insurance when her husband was fired. Now, she has colon-cancer, and he just had open-heart surgery, and they have no way of paying for these treatments. Last year they made less than $20,000 combined.

I’m confused about why, if we are going to do privatized insurance we’re only going to let rich people have it. Then we’re going to complain when people use the clinics. Then our president is going to veto a bill to help children get the health care they need while all the time talking about how he’s anti-abortion. Someone please explain this to me.

or at least the Triangle area. Today may have been a day out of “Office Space”. I spent two hours on 40-E going 25 miles. at approx. 20-25 miles per hour. It really took that long. In the time I was on the road, I had two phone conversations, worked on my nails and hands, and thought of reasons to carpool. Or at least incentives that would help people want to carpool. These are some of the ideas I had:

1) Tax break for people driving and participating in organized car pools
2) Gas cards for drivers of carpools (maybe $150/year?)
3) Discounts on car maintenance through Jiffy Lube or something for drivers
4) Special lanes for cars holding three or more people
5) Free Satellite radio

I think the best thing would be for hte Triangle to realize it’s becoming more urban and embrace it. And put in a true Public Transportation System. I was imagining, to start, a high speed train looping from Raleigh to Durham to Cary and Chapel Hill. It would make few stops, but each one would be located near a parking lot, for people who wanted to essentially park and ride. It would be inexpensive, “green” and fast. Maybe looping at 80 mph it could make complete trips in under an hour. It would offer comfortable seating, a cafe car complete with bookshelves for trading reading material, and wireless internet. I think it’s brilliant.