Starcherone Books to become Imprint

Recently independent publisher Starcherone Books announced on their homepage that they will become an imprint of Michigan-based Dzanc Books (a relatively young publisher still). Starcherone says that their editors will retain editorial control with Dzanc taking over production and distribution of Starcherone's books. In 2011, Starcherone and Dzanc plan to release The Girl with Brown Fur, and the anthology 30 Under 30 edited by Blake Butler and Lily Hoang.

I am surprised that Dzanc is acquiring Starcherone as Starcherone has been a round for a while well Dzanc is new (though growing rapidly).  For more information on this, you can visit Starcherone's website http://starcherone.com/

Kinda Ironic

So, I am a May baby. Which means basically nothing, but since my birthday is coming up it means I had to renew my vehicle registration and this year I had to renew my driver’s license as well. I find it funny that I had to pay $62 dollars for a piece of paper and sticker whereas the plastic card that is a driver’s license is only $18.

Why are registration feels so expensive compared to license fees? Although, I guess I shouldn’t complain as my grandfather (another May baby) owed $128 for his renewal. Gotta love make, model, weight class, and year produced which causes the amount you owe to change from person to person, vehicle to vehicle.

150 Year Legacy

This weekend Adrian College will be celebrating its 150th anniversary. Quite a feat. Its roots go back to the civil war. In fact, Adrian College itself was involved in the abolitionist movement. So it has a rich and storied history.

A lot has changed since its inception in 1850. Hell, a lot has changed since I graduated in 2007. Resident halls have been redone (Pellowe has had a complete overhaul), apartments have been bought and built. There is now a skating rink and AC no longer has to share a football field with the local high school thanks to the completion of a stadium in 2006.

When I entered Adrian College in 2003, enrollment was down. A lot of people that I came in with didn't even make it past the first semester, or their first year. Now, enrollment is up and Adrian College has been ranked by US News & World Report as the #1Up-and-Coming Baccalaureate College in the Midwest for the 2nd year in a row.

So it is with even more enthusiasm that this 150 year anniversary is celebrated. Unfortunately, I can't make it to the festivities, but it promises to be a blast. Well, the part I will miss will be getting together with my former English professors, but I have plans to go to Adrian sometime in October.

A Proud Moment

Back in either my sophomore or junior year at Adrian College a group of fellow students and I decided we wanted a place where we could write and receive feedback without worrying about creating a portfolio for a grade, thus our idea of establishing a writing club was born. A few of my friends thought it was too much of a hassle to go through the process of becoming an officially recognized organization, but I went through the tiring process of paperwork, research, and building a constitution, along with my close friend Sassy.

After going through the paperwork approval and then the official approval by the board, The Pen & Ink Society was created. Membership was low, we didn’t advertise and initially decided to forgo any fees, probably not the best idea, but all we really wanted was a comfortable environment where fellow student writers could come for workshops and I think the initial generation did a good job with what we had.

Now, the creation of this club in and of itself was a proud moment, but that is not what I am so happy about today. While doing some research for work, I stumbled across one of the winning essays from Eastern Michigan University’s Education First Essay Contest.  I was shocked/proud to see one of the winners was Adrian College’s own Angie Palaian.

I met her just as my stint as the Pen & Ink Society’s acting president was over, but I remember her work as strong and powerful and I am happy to know that the club meant something to her and am glad to see her go on to bigger and better things, such as pursuing a career as a college professor.

Rock on!

A Financial Quandry

Why is that institutions and programs that are supposed to be giving you money, always try to find ways to get out of it? Examples: Insurance Companies, Unemployment, and Medicare (which, technically, falls under insurance).

Oh, let’s start with unemployment. Besides the fact that money for unemployment is scarce due to the higher levels, especially in Michigan, they are really bad at getting money to people. Sometimes, even though a person is perfectly eligible to receive unemployment, they have to wait three to six months, sometimes longer, just to receive the biweekly unemployment they deserve, which in this economy is definitely a bad thing.

But that isn’t the bone I have to pick with unemployment.

It has been ingrained in all of us (or at least people who know anything about unemployment) that if you are a student (student here meaning college student) then you are unable to collect unemployment benefits even if you work full time while also going to school (full time or otherwise). This is actually not true. A student can collect unemployment (as long as they have proof of working full time and attending school – which really isn’t all that hard to get).

The problem is unemployment does not tell you this. There is nothing that is easily accessible on their website that gives you this information. A friend of mine applied for unemployment even though he was a student and unemployment sent him a letter rejecting his application and then they turned around, accepted it, and started to give him money, which they later claimed he owed them back + interest because he was a student.

Truthfully, a rather gross error on their part. But the kicker is that there is a waiver you need to fill out when submitting your application that applies solely to students that allows you to legally collect unemployment. However, like I said, nothing of this is actually mentioned on the website, or if it is, it’s buried so deep you will probably never find it. Of course, why would unemployment tell you this? They don’t want to give you money if they don’t have to.

Needless to say the matter went to court and my friend won and can legally collect unemployment. The whole process was drawn out over quite a few months and now he has to apply for an extension for his unemployment as his work still has not called him back yet.

Now, Medicare. All things considered, we pay an ungodly amount in taxes every year for Medicare and Social Security. (When you have to pay in taxes at the end of the year, it’s those two things above which kill you, not state or federal.) However, Medicare is getting more reluctant to pay. My grandmother was in the hospital in June and then again in September of last year. It took until just a few months ago this year before Humana and the hospital finally got Medicare to cough up the money they were supposed to pay from the beginning. And now, Medicare is trying to put into effect that they will not repay for repeat visits and treatments. Meaning if you have to go into the hospital more than once for the same thing, then you are essentially screwed.

For a service that is supposed to help the elderly, especially at a time when it is hardest for them to afford health insurance, Medicare isn’t really all that good. But, I am told that it is really hit and miss. Some people get care and help right away while others are shoved onto a shelf and left to dust.

I have no real hopes that Obama or the government can really do anything to reform health care because even the federal institutions are getting more and more reluctant to help anyone, not to mention, even with all the money paid into these programs vis-a-vis taxes, there is still shortages and a growing national debt.

Where have I heard that before?

My little sister told me that she wants to be a famous writer.  Nothing wrong with dreaming, although we all know the likelihood of them hitting it big is relatively low, especially in this economy, digital age, and the instant gratification factor.

My favorite part about this is the fact that she hates reading.  Now, this could be because of her ESL nightmares, however, I think not. She is enraptured with her movies and television, but can’t be bothered to pick up a book.

Now, I am from the school that to be a good writer, you have to be a good reader.  Am I wrong?  I guess one doesn’t have to read a book to write a book, but it helps.  Especially if you can get your hands on those really special, well-written tomes.

I have always been an avid reader.  I have had stories and poems circulating and percolating in my brain for ages.  But I believe all the literature I have read, and the classes I have took, have made me the better writer.

It really breaks my heart to hear that the majority of children would rather watch tv than curl up with a good book.

Snow, Snow . . . Did I mention SNOW?

So. Winter. I wish I could say it's almost over, but (especially in Michigan) there are no guarantees. I don't start breathing a sigh of relief until May. Seriously. Poor Michiganders (and I am sure many other states) suffer through ice and snow storms until late April. It is rare for winter weather to continue until May, but not impossible.

This is a bit late considering how much snow has been dumped across the country at the end of 2008, but it is still something rather annoying. Snow removal. Bay County is pretty decent. They are doing well to keep the roads (the main ones at least) salted and plowed. Woohoo. The sucky part in all this is that the residential streets within the city always seem to be covered in snow and ice. Last year, there was damn near a foot of packed ice and snow to drive on. Not fun at all. And of course living out in the country you have all those secondary side roads (gravel, dirt) that rarely see a salt truck let alone a plow. I am happy that I live on more of a "main" road.

Now for the annoying part (aside for the huge amount of pileup - but there really is nothing to be done about that unless your run your plows 24/7). My sister lives in Lenawee County. Or rather the city of Deerfield, but due to fiscal issues, Lenawee is not salting their roads. Seriously. There was the salt shortage the year before and this past year, salt prices sky rocketed so Lenawee's big idea is to not salt. And I have no idea if they are plowing at all.

Now, there are enough accidents with regular salting and plowing . . . can you imagine how much it would increase if there was none at all? Sure, pickups have four wheel drive, which works well in snow generally, but ice . . . NOTHING works well with ice. It's just a wing and a prayer and a hope to make it through without spinning out. Not fun at all. You would think the county would try to find another option instead of salt if the price is really that far out of their range. It is rather ridiculous they are doing nothing to the roads. Especially when you have idiots who drive like bats out of hell regardless of conditions. Sigh.

To top off troublesome winter roads, we have huge-ass potholes. Which so happens, winter just makes worse. Ice and snow and below freezing temperatures takes the cracks and holes and turns them into a nightmare for vehicles. It would be nice to go down a road without the annoying uh-uh-uh from all the pisspoor patch jobs and increasing cracks and holes. This one section of 23 between Deerfield and Ann Arbor is particularly harrowing.

Is it too much to ask for better roads? And snow removal (at least in counties where they decided that it was too costly to do a damn thing)? I think not. But hey, why expect bang from your tax paying buck?

Minimum Wage Debacle

     Besides the fact that a federal government regulated minimum wage is a joke, let's talk about Michigan's raise.  Now, getting paid $6.95 versus $5.15 is a good thing, however, it is not helpful at all.  First of all, the cost of living demands that we get paid more than this in order to have all the basic necessities.  Unfortunately, a national study proves you need to be making $9 and upwards for that to be happening.  Go figure.  While wages have stagnated, the cost of living skyrocketed.  Joy of joys, people do not understand this.  There are people out their in working poverty who are making minimum wage.  The great thing about minimum wage is that it is not the least amount of money needed to get by.   It is a ploy developed during the New Deal to regulate wages.  They thought having a federally mandated minimum would solve the problems they were facing.  They were wrong.

     Why?  Well, having a minimum, in theory, is an excellent idea, however, in praxis it just doesn't work.  One of the great reasons for this little problem is the fact that the government refuses to raise it even though it is PROVEN that people cannot get by on minimum wage alone.  You have to love the irony of that, because we all know that a good portion of some (if not ALL) congressmen are definitely getting paid way over the minimum value.  Hell, there was a congressman who refused to take a certain job on because he swore to help the people, not take a vow of poverty, and that was for a job that made slightly over $200,000 a year.  Vow of poverty my ass.  You can definitely live more comfortable with that much money a year than you can for, oh lets say $11,000 which is roughly what federal minimum wage gets you.  Heaven forbid you make only 20 times that amount.  People are such freaking idiots!  I am doing my research paper on minimum wage so when I figure out just how the government calculates it and decides how and when to raise it, I will let you know.  It really is a fascinating topic.

*AC Update: the door that never locks has now been fixed.  The mold problem is still ongoing though I have been told that the college might be looking into it now.*

Black and Green

     Mold.  That's right mold.  It is invading our living spaces and getting people sick.  You could say that it's just this craptastic Michigan weather, you know it changes every five minutes, but that is not it.  When you are perfectly healthy until you move back into a resident hall where no one else was ill until they moved back in as well, you know that something is wrong.  Well, the Chi Omegas, ASAs and Alpha Phis are all in a pickle.  Their halls are filled with mold.  Some have black mold others have, I think green.  Girls have already been to the hospital this year due to mold related illnesses.  It is bad when every year you get sinus infections and bronchitis due to deplorable living conditions.  The funny part is that the college does nothing to the sorority houses.  Uh, hello, they are part of our campus.  It is not right that they should be marginalized because it is not a major part of campus.  Sororities do help bring people in, as much as I hate to admit that.  And most of the girls, or at least some, are pretty decent people.  Is it right that their needs get ignored?  Especially when most of their problems directly effect their health and safety?

     They have always had mold, but apparently the administration has not cared to take care of that potential health problem.  I think they might be looking into find a way to get rid of it, but not in both halls, just half of one.  Makes you feel loved by the administration, doesn't it?  Besides the mold problem these girls had showers caving in and sewage flooding their building.  Why has AC done nothing so things have gotten as bad as they have?  Well, for one they never close down either hall or strive to do major improvements in the summer.  Herrick and Lowry are generally untouched.  If the halls belonged to just the sorority and not the campus, it would make sense that campus would not interfere, but that is not the case.  The college just doesn't give a damn.  At least that is how it appears when these girls are turning up sick and (like last year, although they finally fixed the problem like in April) have human waste floating in their basement.

     I would say I am glad I am living in my hall instead, but I can't.  One door has no lock, which was supposed to be taken care of the second week of school, but here we are a month later and no lock.  There is the door that only unlocks for certain people and the revamped bathrooms suck.  Taking a shower is interesting because one shower has no water pressure really and another one gets hotter than Hades and there is really no way of cooling it down.  I have no idea how the handicap shower handles because I have never used it, but it was only after our water was shut off and turned back on that these problems began to surface.  Really, it's ridiculous.  And I won't even get started on the paint job.  The first floor is relatively okay, but I here the second floor is hideous.  Needless to say I avoid it now that I am living on the first floor.

**Upon receiving tests back, it has been determined that mold and mildew are present, but not black mold**

That Time of Year Again

     Along with cooler weather comes something else.  Something that any sane child would do their best to avoid for three months.  School.  Nothing's wrong with school, I do enjoy it for the most part, but I just can't believe that it's here already.  They say time flies when you're having fun.  Well, that is true, but I cannot believe I've had that much fun this entire summer.  It is odd.

     Our dead campus is coming alive again.  Instead of administrators and construction workers we have students and faculty coming back.  It's nice to see life on campus again, but I don't like the fact that school starts on Monday.  It seems too soon . . . or not.  It seems weird that it's starting up again.  Maybe it's because I haven't left Adrian or the college all summer.  That's probably it.  Being here year round has made me bonkers.

     I am tired.  I need a vacation where I don't work or have anything else important to do.  Yeah, that'd be nice.  I feel like I am burning out.  I am getting sick of school, but I am even crazier contemplating graduate school.  I guess I am a glutton for punishment.  I still can't believe September is around the corner, but with the weather doing it's chilly thing, I guess it should make that fact more plausible, but it doesn't.

     The end of August is here.  The beginning of school is near.  Bah humbug.

Communications Skills

Communication: a necessity for getting around in today's world.  From family solidarity and understanding to a productive workplace, communication is essential.  Too bad that people forget this.  My dad has communicated nothing about coming to the US, and the people on this campus do not always see fit to tell you what in the world is going on.  It's great.

     How can they expect everything to be set up and ready if they don't tell you there's a group coming in?  Really.  You'd think that as professionals people would know that they have to communicate with one another, but apparently that is taboo.  Why work smoothly when you can run around like a chicken with its head cut off.  Geez Louise.  It's ridiculous with a capital R.

     Also, you'd think family would know to communicate, but no.  Gasp!  That might mean they actually have to talk to one another!  What is up with that?  Failure to communicate leads to failures elsewhere.  You can fail your family, your friends, your coworkers . . . your students.  Funny how practically every college requires a communications course.  Too  bad no one learns from that.  Even if it is just a glorified speech class, it does talk of the importance of communications, saying the right things, talking to people.  Hell, we had a convocation on communications.  Yet, people ignore the fact that if they don't talk to each other things don't get done, get done twice, or are done in a half-assed sort of way.

     Ain't it wonderful.  It's an interesting thing to think about.  How much do you communicate in your life?  Is it enough?  Who knows, but if you have no idea what's going on and why, suffice to say you need more communication.  Either that or you really need a better attention span.  I know I do sometimes.