I've never written a diary before, however, I just feel the 'need' to do it tonight--I know this might not go anywhere--but hey, what the heck, right?
I don't know where to begin--so I'll begin here. It's been one heck of an extremely interesting life. In reflection upon my entire life, I think I was just 'wired' to be a political person. I have few memories of regular childhood things, like playing, friends, and such. Instead, I remember political events such as asking my mom as a very little girl growing up in a segregated city what a sign said in a women's restroom. She responded it said 'no coloreds allowed'. WOW. What an impression that made, like 'why not?".
(Follow me after the jump)
I well remember at the tender age of 6 the Brown decision, in 1954, then Rosa Parks when she refused to get out of her seat. I was in awe and knew instinctively that something very important was going on. Then there was Dr. Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement. One facet of my life was most definitely on a trajectory away from what was towards what would be.
At the very same time, I was walking a picket line with my dad for a union for his place of employment-they won. Our family was finally able to live a better life. We bought a house that had central heat--we no longer had 'coal stoves' in each room for warmth.
When my dad, now passed over in 2002, finally retired from that place of employment-he had been employed there for 45 years without missing a single day 'on the job'.
I've enjoyed a glorious political life. In 1967 I was 'awarded' Affirmative action jobs as a female, under the Civil Rights Act, even a though I was a European descendant, not based just upon my gender but also upon volunteer work I had completed all through my youth.
I didn't go to college until I was 30 years old. I was so enmeshed in those old stereotypes of women not being as 'smart' as men, as well as the institutional biases against females as being not as intelligent--I admit that for years I didn't challenge it to the fullest.
I did go and earn two degrees in Political Science with a minor in Women's studies. After those degrees in 1986--BA--and 1988--MA--I went into the Peace Corps to serve in the Dominican Republic. Came back home to become a 'City Planner", both in Kentucky and in Florida.
Since I returned from FL in 1998--I've been a Substitute Teacher in Kentucky. I'm a darn good one. I've always had a summer job to get me through the summer.
Except this summer. I had a summer job, same one as for the past four years--Lifeguard.
For some reason pools have been shut down--I've lost my wonderful summer job--I'm now 'unemployed".
And here I sit at 61 wishing I was 62 and eligible for Social Security.
I suppose in the end, it doesn't matter. I've lived a very good life based upon upheavals of change. Today I'm telling myself that this new change is good and necessary-- just like it has been all my life.