Journal Entry 16

Wow. That digs deep into my soul. I am an artist by heart. My dream would be to open a photography gallery. I want to capture the essence of human life, still life, just life in general. I would want to sell my photography at a reasonable price to prove that art can be affordable. I want to have huge windows with natural light and do photo shoots all day. I want to make portfolios celebrating my subjects with a quote under each photo. Additionally, I want to sell local pottery in this shop. I want people to come through my doors and feel welcomed, loved, wanted, and special for their own uniqueness. I want to feel alive by everyone that surrounds me. I want to capture the celebration of life. I want my job to feel like a calling.

Now that my soul is exposed, do you have $100,000 to get me started?

All jokes aside, one day... one day...

"Don't be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams." ~ Douglas Everett

Journal Entry 14

Good teachers change lives and help guide students in the right direction. Compassion is key. Tough love is necessary as well. The student should be aware that sailing through anything is not good enough. Hard work is the key to success. I think it is also necessary to not be overly judgemental, as each student has a different personality and way of doing things. My favorite teacher was my friend as well. She taught English and told me that I could do anything. She was like my coach, and suggested that I get out of my small town. I was terrified, but it was also the best decision I ever made. I remember when she said, "Jamie, just leap. Don't worry about the rest- the safety net will appear." I did, and she was right. Now I am not scared to do anything... all thanks to a teacher who chose to stay in a small town to mentor students.

Journal Entry 13

Oklahoma weather---

It makes my eyes watery. I never had allergies until I came to this state. I saw my first tornado here. It was an F3 that hit the flightline on Tinker AFB. I watched it from Crossroads Mall until it hit base. I was so scared yet thrilled at the same time. I told my comrads, "I am from Tennessee. I don't do tornadoes." But this tornado was beautiful. I was enthralled with how it picked everything up, slung it down, and then- WOOSH- it was gone and there was an eerie silence. The skies are beaitiful here on clear nights, and luckily the city is spread out so one can see the stars better here than most cities. If there is one thing that I have learned about the weather if I don't like it--- it would be to just wait a minute- that's just how quickly it changes.

Journal Entry 12

It's funny that men and women's roles in society is this week's topic. I just attended an Air Force women's heritage symposium in Washington DC to discuss being a woman in the military and reflecting on women's roles in history. The best advice that I received was 'Don't tell them that you can type!' I do feel like the roles have changed a bit. I feel like the metrosexual movement killed a man's image and made them feel more self conscience. But women have been feeling self conscience for all of history, so I don't feel all that bad about it. Women are more educated now more than ever. Of persons aged 25 years and older, 27% of women and men had attained a bachelor’s degree or higher; 32% of women and 29% of men had completed only high school, no college. There are more females in law schools than males. But for some reason, women make less money. The median weekly earnings of women who were full-time wage and salary workers were $600, or 81 percent of men’s $743. When comparing the median weekly earnings of persons aged 16 to 24, young women earned 94% of what young men earned ($395 and $418, respectively). In 2006, a record 67 million women were employed in the U.S.--75% of employed women worked on full-time jobs, while 25% worked on a part-time basis. Women accounted for 51% of all workers in the high-paying management, professional, and related occupations. They outnumbered men in such occupations as financial managers; human resource managers; education administrators; medical and health services managers; accountants and auditors; budget analysts; property, real estate, and social and community association managers; preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers; physical therapists; and registered nurses.

These statistics are a far cry from the lady with an apron and perfectly applied red lipstick who had dinner ready for her man when he came home. I think that women are moving ahead. Our education level is already above that of the polulation of men. Don't get me wrong- I am by no means a feminazi. I would love to be a stay at home mother (when and if I decide to have children). But I want an education to fall back on if anything ever happens.

So have the roles altered? Absolutely. But the only thing that is constant is that thing called change.