Warning - I am a nerd.



I am taking a statistics class this semester and my teacher is nothing short of insane. A sweet, brilliant, more-than-forthcoming-with-information, and goes-above-and-beyond kind of man, but insane. *chuckle* He is crazed and wild, which makes both my interpreter's and my own life rather difficult at times. However, that's not the point...

He posted an article to his website which discusses the socio-political upheaval that is being caused by the male-to-female ratio in China. "According to China's latest census, 116.9 Chinese boys were born for every 100 girls in 2000 -- up from an already alarming 'sex ratio at birth' of 111.3 boys in 1990. Both figures are well above the 105-107 boys for every 100 girls considered normal worldwide." (pp. 01-02)

One paragraph of the article discussing alarm of both the Chinese government and experts worldwide at the surplus of bachelors in China quotes one Chinese magazine's input on the matter. "The Chinese magazine Beijing Luntan predicted as early as 1997 that 'such sexual crimes as forced marriages, girls stolen for wives, bigamy, visiting prostitutes, rape, adultery . . . homosexuality . . . and weird sexual habits appear to be unavoidable.'" (p. 02)

Alas, another disturbing, yet amusing, moment in my day. Laughter is good for the soul.

I am taking two online classes this semester, one of which is a psychology class. The teacher of that class asked us to take a survey, which she had posted, about our opinions of online learning. Apparently the district is arguing whether or not to continue offering online classes (for a number of seemingly ignorant reasons, IMHO). In any case, I opened the survey and question number one shocked me so much that I nearly choked on my toast.

(Yes, I know ... sex and gender are two very different questions. But that really wasn't my point.)

יתגדל ויתקדש שמה רבא. אמן בעלמא די ברא כרעותה וימלך מלכותה, בחייכון וביומיכון ובחיי דכל בית ישראל, בעגלא ובזמן קריב. ואמרו אמן. אמן
יהא שמה רבא מברך לעלם ולעלמי עלמיא.
יהא שמה רבא מברך לעלם ולעלמי עלמיא.
יתברך וישתבח ויתפאר ויתרומם ויתנשא ויתהדר ויתעלה ויתהלל שמא דקדשא
בריך הוא
לעלא מן כל
לעלא ולעלא מכל
ברכתא ושירתא תשבחתא ונחמתא, דאמירן בעלמא. ואמרו אמן. אמן
יהא שלמא רבא מן שמיא, וחיים
טובים
עלינו ועל כל ישראל. ואמרו אמן. אמן
עשה שלום במרומיו, הוא יעשה שלום עלינו, ועל כל ישראל. ואמרו אמן. אמן

יתגדל ויתקדש שמה רבא. אמן בעלמא די ברא כרעותה וימלך מלכותה, בחייכון וביומיכון ובחיי דכל בית ישראל, בעגלא ובזמן קריב. ואמרו אמן. אמן
יהא שמה רבא מברך לעלם ולעלמי עלמיא.
יהא שמה רבא מברך לעלם ולעלמי עלמיא.
יתברך וישתבח ויתפאר ויתרומם ויתנשא ויתהדר ויתעלה ויתהלל שמא דקדשא
בריך הוא
לעלא מן כל
לעלא ולעלא מכל
ברכתא ושירתא תשבחתא ונחמתא, דאמירן בעלמא. ואמרו אמן. אמן
יהא שלמא רבא מן שמיא, וחיים
טובים
עלינו ועל כל ישראל. ואמרו אמן. אמן
עשה שלום במרומיו, הוא יעשה שלום עלינו, ועל כל ישראל. ואמרו אמן. אמן

יתגדל ויתקדש שמה רבא. אמן בעלמא די ברא כרעותה וימלך מלכותה, בחייכון וביומיכון ובחיי דכל בית ישראל, בעגלא ובזמן קריב. ואמרו אמן. אמן
יהא שמה רבא מברך לעלם ולעלמי עלמיא.
יהא שמה רבא מברך לעלם ולעלמי עלמיא.
יתברך וישתבח ויתפאר ויתרומם ויתנשא ויתהדר ויתעלה ויתהלל שמא דקדשא
בריך הוא
לעלא מן כל
לעלא ולעלא מכל
ברכתא ושירתא תשבחתא ונחמתא, דאמירן בעלמא. ואמרו אמן. אמן
יהא שלמא רבא מן שמיא, וחיים
טובים
עלינו ועל כל ישראל. ואמרו אמן. אמן
עשה שלום במרומיו, הוא יעשה שלום עלינו, ועל כל ישראל. ואמרו אמן. אמן

I'm posting to let ya'll know, if you don't already, that San Diego is currently experiencing some of the worst wildfires in recent history. The county has declared a state of emergency and thousands of residents are evacuating.

I have friends and family in the fire zones, some of whom have already evacuated, and I'm worried about them. I, however, am alright, at least for the moment.

If anyone needs to reach me, you can find my contact info on my profile.

What the hell? *shakes head in disbelief* Of ALL the many, many photos from RAD and IDL that there are, the following is the only one in which any part of me appears. [And I was mingling around at nearly everything!]

Yes folks, that is my back.

*big, cheesy grin*

I FINALLY had the chance to VP with our most fabulous dodgingwndshlds! Our connection was a bit wonky, tho... Sadness. :( Robot-like quality video makes ASL quite difficult to understand. [I miss you! Perhaps a trip to Portland is in order soon... Cowboy bar?]



Who *else* has VP? Someone must! I need to add people to my address book. It's rather barren at the moment.


PS -- I have a Sidekick 2 for sale. [inc. charger (wall and car, if needed), carrying case, wired headset, manual, and new SIM card] Anyone interested?







In other exciting news, although I've had quite the trial as of late with regard to medical issues, I finally managed to see my GP today. In a very pleasant surprise, I was not there for a million hours and I had a very productive visit! All my scrips have been renewed, all my referrals have been submitted, and I was pleased with the quality of the latest report from the neurologist. If only I didn't have to wait til nearly November to see the spinal-neurosurgeon! [Gotta love how a top-tier priority referral takes just shy of six months!]

Pride this past week-end was enjoyable. My room is slowly but surely getting back in to organised cleanliness. My parcel o' love from shakay finally rocked up. I found out recently that I was awarded a nifty scholarship for excellence in leadership in the queer community. And ... that may be it for the updates.

Where are my Netflix House DVDs?!? I was planning on hunkering down with them this evening... *le pout*

My travel plans have been finalised. *does a little happy dance*

I'm leaving for Atlanta Monday evening. I'll be there til Sunday for the Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf conference and the co-occurring International Deaf Leather. I'm rooming with Alex (yay!) and I'm very excited. On Sunday, I'll be taking a train, probably to Birmingham, where shakay will be picking me up. Then we're headed somewhere for a country concert.

[Lemme just say that packing is going to be a horror ... cowboy clothes, everyday clothes, chaps, jump boots, cowboy boots, cowboy hat, other shoes... I clearly need the help of some high-maintenance packing-fabulousness.]

The only entirely crap part of this trip that I'm anticipating is my arrival sector of the journey. I arrive in Nashville around midnite and have to take a taxi to the bus station, a Greyhound to Atlanta, and then a taxi to the hotel. I will probably arrive at the hotel around about 0600 or so. EEP! I've already warned Alex that he's going to have to come down and get my arse and then put my haggard and fucked-up-'n'-totally-knackered self TO BED.

I come back to San Diego on 14 July.

If anyone else will be in Atlanta, let me know. :)