Diversity Seminar Day 1 Recap

Today in our seminar we talked about why diversity is important.  On thing became painfully clear:  Some people just don’t get it!  Or maybe they don’t care.  I was surprised at some of the people who actually participated, but there were lots of people who didn’t say a single thing and who you know were just upset that they even had to be there.  One guy even made a comment about people claiming they’ve been discriminated against when they really haven’t been.  I’d love for this straight white man from what seems to be an upper class family to tell me when was the last time someone followed him around a store, locked their doors as he walked by their car, clutched their purse as he get’s into the elevator, or been waved down by an old White woman who just assumes that you work in the store.  Because as the very intimidating, not-quite-five-foot-two, black woman that I seem to be, I have these things happen to me all the time.  

There were statistics shown about our profession, and the number of under represented groups.  Right now our profession is about 77% female.  So for once, and probably one of the only places you can find this, men are the minority.  Racial/ethnic minorities don’t even represent 2% of this profession.  A lot of my classmates seem to not even get that this is an issue!  One girl brought up an interesting idea from a study she participated in, where people seem to feel more comfortable around people who are like them.  that being said, maybe some people would feel more comfortable with vet who is male vs female, black vs white, etc.  Maybe some little brown girl will see that there are Black vets out there and not feel like it’s an impossibility for her.  

We did some interactive activities, including one where we talked about 5 things that make us who we are, a time when those things brought us pride and pain, etc.  We also had so feel in a blank with a stereotype that doesn’t fit us.  For instance, I am a Black woman, but I am not from a broken or troubled home, consider my family to be middle class, prefer my chicken grilled to fried, etc.  the second activity was… interesting.  We played “Who am I??”  We identities on our backs and had to ask yes or no questions to figure out what we were.  I think the one thing that happened at that point that really upset me is that someone told the “veiled woman” that she was related to the “terrorist.”  Seriously? 

I can say however that all in all I enjoyed it.  I think that diversity in veterinary medicine is important, but also just diversity in general.  I hope that someone is able to change their view on the subject, open their minds, and be a better person.  But honestly, I don’t think much will change… I think that the main people who don’t think their is a problem are the one’s who are prejudiced and will stay that way.  Especially the confederate flaggers. 

Diversity Matters

Today at school we are having a Diversity Symposium that will continue tomorrow morning.  I am very excited about it, and hopeful that my class mates will open their minds and see why diversity in veterinary medicine is so important.  And not just in veterinary medicine but just in life.  They need to know not to judge colleages or clients based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religion.  They need to know that with our probably 10 or 12 non-white students (out of about 400), AUCVM is NOT really diverse.  they need to realize that things they do or say may be offensive to others (like all those damn confederate flags- one girl even has a confederate cell phone case).  So I pray that everyone goes into this with an open mind. 

Extreme Makeover: Blackberry Edition

A couple of weeks ago a piece fell off of my blackberry bold.  It's a little metal piece in between each row of keys, and mine had started randomly cracking as I typed.  When I went to the T-Mobile store, the guy there was amazed, and sure it was a manufacturer's defect.  Unfortunately when he called customer service, they still wanted to charge me $100 for a "warranty" exchange.  I'd get a new phone, but for $100.  That's better than the $130 insurance deductible to possibly get a refurbished phone, but still, $100 for cosmetic damage is a bit... excessive.

So I came home and decided to look up how to change the housing.  I see where people over at Crackberry.com do it all the time.  I've also seen it on some of the blogs that I follow.  (Check those out if you ever want awesome BB themes and wallpapers, mostly for free.)  So I went to YouTube, CrackBerry, and those blogs that I followed and did some research on how to do it, where to get the supplies, etc.  I settled on a white housing from SW Box.  They are in China so I wasn't expecting that the housing would be here for another week, but surprisingly, it came today.  i got mine with the keyboard, but if you want to keep the stock keyboard, you can order the housing without it.  Another important thing that I learned is that you want to buy a housing that has the sides and the top pice that says "blackberry" already pieced together.  If you don't you'll be sorry.  This is mine: 

 

So this is what TootsBerry looked like before: 

See the finished product after the jump:

And this is her after, front and back: 

 

And one of her in her OtterBox case:

It's Our Anniversary

Forty years ago today, my parents became one.  Yes, you read that correctly.  My parents are STILL married and it's been forty years!  i am very proud of this. Growing up many of  my classmates had divorced parents, parents that were never married, and some didn't know who their fathers were.  I know that the world is a lot different than what it was forty years ago, but with my parents as role models, I hope to one day celebrate my fortieth anniversary with the man I love.  My parents are a great blessing to me and to each other, and I congratulate them on this day!

Pre-Study Quickie

Not the fun type of quickie, just a blog post.

I was just thinking, about people who don't know what they want to do with their lives.  It takes some of us a while to figure it out.  When it comes to something like professional school though, I think you should know what you want! We are talking about people who come out of school $50,000-150,000.  Whether it's veterinary, nursing, law, medical, pharmacy, dental or physical therapy school, it's a big decision.  If you start and quit after a year or a semester, that's a lot of money wasted, but let's be money I don't care about your money.  There's some kid sitting out there who is wait-listed.  Someone who could have had your spot.  Someone cried when they got their rejection letter because this is what they really want to do and it is their passion.  Someone who would appreciate every second of the opportunity they were given and make the most of it.  Yet you sit in class, wasting a seat, only to flunk out or just quit because it's not "really what you want to do."

What the Hell is She Wearing???

I find myself asking this type of question more and more these days.  As I sit under the dryer, preparing to start my second year of veterinary school, I wonder if dressing appropriately is a thing of the past?  When I was growing up, you had clothes you wore to school, clothes you wore to church, and clothes to play in.  My mother always wanted me to look my best.  I never understood it as a child, but I completely understand her reasons as an adult.  As a member of Culturama (a group for teens sponsored by the Delta Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc.) we went through several workshops, including a "What Not to Wear" type of program.  As an undergraduate I went to the Minority Medical Education Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  There I took a class on how to interview successfully and there was yet again a "What Not to Wear" workshop.  It made me think about the cliche about how the clothes don't make the person, when clearly, that is not the case.  




After graduating, I found myself interviewing for hundreds of jobs.  I planned to go to graduate school at some point, so I wasn't looking for a career, but a job to pay for my personal expenses.  Whether it was a veterinary clinic, hospital, pharmacy, or just a retail store, I always dressed my best.  Suits, slacks and button down shirts, blazers and skirts.  But I noticed something strange.  Not everyone did the same.  I've seen people going for interviews in jeans and t-shirts, low-cut blouses and mini-skirts, you name it.  People wear the same outfits they would wear to the club to class or church.  Students roll out of bed and head to lecture halls without changing out of their pajamas. Is dressing appropriately becoming extinct? 

Apparently Morehouse College thought so.  This article explains that Morehouse enacted changes to the dress code last year.  I can remember seeing links to articles about this all over the place, including a community that I frequent on LiveJournal.  People were livid about the the dress code! I found it strange.  I was about to enter vet school, where I'd have to dress a certain way.  Unless we are in labs, we are to be in professional dress at all times.  Nothing less professional than business casual is accepted. I think that a lot of people who had a problem with the dress code were upset about the statement on not wearing items made for women-- but that's a completely different blog.  When I was growing up, even in South Alabama, you heard about Morehouse.  Men who went there went on to do great things.  There was a legacy there.  What I don't understand is if you go to a school with such a great legacy, why would you not want to dress the part.  Maybe requiring ties and dress shirts at an undergraduate institution is a stretch, but I don't see anything wrong with requiring students to have some pride in themselves.  You can wear jeans and a shirt without looking like a hoodlum.  There is nothing wrong with pants that fit properly and wear clothing that is meant for sleeping only in areas meant for sleeping.  


Even at my school I sometimes make comments about our dress code.  Wearing slacks, blouses, heels, blazers, and other professional attire can get a little tiring when you are sitting in a classroom about eight hours a day.  But what can I say... we look GOOD.  Here at my school, and a few other vet schools that have dress codes, visitors see us as professionals.  They see us as students who are serious about their careers.  Potential employers, students, and donors are impressed.  


Maybe clothes don't really make the person, but they can pave the way to success or hinder one from reaching their goals, and I wish more people took the time to dress like the person they want to be. 

She Stole My Man!

No she didn't.  Let's be truthful here folks, a man/woman/husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend is not a piece of property that can be stolen.  I think that No Limit Records  artist Mia X said it best in her remake of Salt N Pepa's "I'll Take Your Man."  The words have stuck with me since I first heard the song: "I can't take yo n!**a unless he's ret ta go." Translation: no one can "steal" someone's significant other... that person always goes willingly.

Lately, singer/song writer Alicia Keys has been at the center of this topic.  Now another celebrity has joined her.  Fantasia Barrino, winner of some season of American Idol (I could google her to see which season but let's face it, who really cares) has been dating a married man.  I remember reading articles about her and this man a year ago.  Now, Fanny is recovering from a suicide attempt after divorce papers from the guy's wife make all kinda of allegations for her.  In addition she's being sued, because in her state the wife can sue the mistress.  If you haven't been keeping up with all of this, I'm not going to waste my time updating you because Google works for everybody.

Here's my problem with the situation.  The wife is obviously just in it for money.  Yeah, I'm sure it hurts for your marriage to break up.  Hell it hurts to be cheated on and I know that FIRST hand.  But I think the problem these days is that people don't take that shit up with the person who cheated on them.  You want to fight or sue the other woman, but what about the person who stood before God and made vows to you?  In my mind two things are certain.  Fantasia WAS wrong for knowingly engaging in a relationship with a married man, and something was going on in that marriage that had nothing to do with Fantasia.  If everything was peachy, this wouldn't be a hot topic of conversation.  So now, as a woman scorned, Mrs. Cook wants to sue Fantasia, because she can, and because she has money.  If this had been Keisha down at the Walmart sleeping with her man, she might go snatch her lace front off of her head. But instead, her husband cheated with a famous person, and knowing that working at T-Mobile isn't bringing her husband a huge paycheck, so she's going after Fanny's cash.

All I can say is that Fantasia has really gotten herself in deep shit.  I hope she can learn to better cope with this situation.  You made this happen.  Deal with the consequences.  Aspirin and sleep aids are not the way to solve your problems.  Learn from your mistakes, hire a good lawyer, and move forward.  Besides, you have a new album coming out.  The sales will either be really hurt by the adultery or helped by the suicide attempt.  Either way, there will be concerts, and she needs to get herself together so she can abandon her voice and scream into the mic and kick her shoes off like she's Patti Labelle.

Battle of the Cases...

No one can deny that Otterbox makes tough cell phone cases.  But from the moment I heard about these cases my main thought was "God they are fugly."  I tend to drop stuff, so I want something to protect my phone, but I also want something that looks nice.  So I gave up on ever having an Otterbox.

Case-Mate Hybrid case for the 9700 in Pink/Dark Grey

Then Case-Mate came out with their Hybrid tough cases.  Originally I thought they were pretty boring, but they've come out with many skin and shell color combos that can be ordered separately to mix and match.  I've been considering one of these for a while.  They look like they are a bit bulkier than I'd want but the amount of protection seemed to make it worth it.  I wanted to order the military sand (looks kinda white)/purple combo (and probably a pink skin for those days I'm feeling more pink than purple) but alas, military sand was sold out.  My plan was just to stalk the Case-Mate website until my perfect combo was available.  But things change. 

I was browsing some Blackberry theme blogs, when I came across a post about the Otterbox 9700 Commuter Series Strength Case.  I was intrigued and followed the link.  Not only is this an Otterbox case (which means wonderful protection for my beloved Blackberry) but it is cute (moreso than the Case-mate one), pink, and doesn't seem as bulky as the hybrid case.  The icing on the cake is that 10% of the proceeds will be donated to Avon's breast cancer fund.  I signed myself up for the email to let me know when the product is available for purchase, and I will immediately buy and write a review when I receive it. I am super excited about this.  I guess that makes me a nerd but I do love my blackberry.

**EDIT**
Got my email about 10 minutes ago. First thing I did when I got home was make my order. Now I wait. 

My next purchase...

...will be a new mp3 player.  Mine is dying on me.  It was a slow death but I'm going to have to pull the plug on the life support soon.  My current player, is very full and has a 30gb capacity, so first requirement is more space.

What I really want is an ipod touch.  Of course the largest capacity I can get is 64mb.  I'd really prefer 80 but that's good for now.

Then comes the next dilemma.  there is talk of a new ipod touch on the horizon.  If I wait until the end of the month I could get some exciting new ipod.  Rumor has it that it will have a front-facing HD camera giving it the same Face Time capabilities of the new iphone4.  That's fine, but I'd have to have someone who had one and none of the people I'd actually want to see while I talk have iphones, so what's the point?  I can update the current one to the new OS and be fine.  Plus the prices on the ones currently for sale have been dropping, and surely a new 64gb ipod touch w/ all these new capabilities would be much more expensive, and the one I'm getting costs enough as it is.  I've already looked in itunes and found a couple of cool apps and games.  One is a flash card app that I can use for school so that's pretty awesome.  Best of all, a new toy to play with.