The challenges of a premature birth
Today is my oldest daughter’s sixth birthday. I”m proud to be the parent of such a kind, smart, insert-flattering-adjective-here child. Her life began as a struggle because she was born too soon.
This is a column I wrote for the St. Cloud Times in October 2008 describing the challenges that prematurity caused for my family. I think the column is appropriate today, especially with the many March of Dimes walks that are happening around the country this month.
November is Prematurity Awareness Month, a cause that I have become a champion for since prematurity affected my family.
It was a perfect pregnancy for 7 1/2 months. My wife, Jodi, didn’t experience anything even resembling morning sickness! She did all the obvious things right; didn’t drink, didn’t smoke (ever), ate properly, and took her vitamins. We decided that she would be a stay-at-home mom. With that, there was no need to stress out about looking for a job after relocating to Minnesota. It was a planned pregnancy. Everything was going wonderfully.
Then, in the middle of a crystal-clear April night, it was time. But wait a minute. It wasn’t time! This wasn’t supposed to happen for at least another five weeks! We made our way to St. Cloud Hospital, thinking (hoping) we’d be going home in just a few hours. That possibility vanished quickly. We would be parents soon – too soon.
I knew it was early, but had little knowledge about premature birth. I’ve learned a lot since then. I assumed that there was a definitive threshold: More than 5 pounds, we go home. Less than 5 pounds, we stay.
Imagine my relief when I had a 5-pound, 2-ounce baby girl. Imagine the letdown I felt when my theory was scrubbed like a doctor’s hands before a surgery.
There were several obstacles to overcome. Our little Lydia couldn’t yet regulate her temperature. We didn’t know if her digestive system would need more time to be ready. And scariest of all – were her lungs prepared for the world?
I was shocked. I didn’t know what to do.
Luckily, the doctors and nurses did. She spent the first two weeks of her life in the neonatal intensive care unit at the hospital. They helped her body learn to regulate its temperature by placing her in an incubator. She graduated from it. We monitored her breathing and she eventually proved that her lungs were going to be just fine. Two weeks after her birthday, she came home. We had her on a sleep apnea monitor for the next several weeks, but our baby was home.
She’s come a long way since that time in the incubator. It’s hard to believe that the tiny person with the feeding tube inserted in to her wee left nostril for the first days of her life is now the unofficial macaroni-and-cheese eating champion of the Johnson household. So yes, her digestive system is just fine, too.
Believe me – 30 months later, you’d never know I am the father of a preemie.
While she was in the hospital, my job as a radio DJ required me to appear at the March of Dimes Walk America held in St. Cloud every April. When I volunteered for this appearance, I didn’t know my baby’s life could depend on their research.
I was the unintentional perfect host.
Since then, I’ve had the honor of hosting other events for them. I am a fan of this organization because I believe the knowledge they share helped to keep my baby alive. There was no explanation for my daughter’s premature birth, as is the case with many others. Their research hopes to find the causes and ways to prevent prematurity.
According to the March of Dimes, about one in 10 Central Minnesota babies is born prematurely. Luckily, our region is full of people who give their all to help give babies a healthy start. They are pediatricians, nurses, nonprofit workers and others.
Today, I want to thank those people for the work they do. I am forever grateful. It’s that type of work and level of caring that led to the discoveries that helped to give my favorite person in the world a healthy start.
After our family’s challenge, any time we hear a woman vent about how she’s ready for her pregnancy to be over, we can’t help but envy how lucky she is to have made it so far. Jodi will tell you, the discomfort of the ninth month beats the alternative. She didn’t have to experience it to know.
In the coming weeks, I encourage you to educate yourself and others on how to increase the chances of having a healthy, full-term pregnancy.
The Importance of Weather Spotters
This blog post originally appeared as an opinion column which I wrote for the St. Cloud Times on April 18, 2011.
I was surrounded by police. There was only one way out — the way I came in — and at least a dozen officers and deputies were between me and the exit.
This wasn’t a problem for me though. We were all gathered in the basement of the Stearns County Law Enforcement Center for Skywarn Weather Spotter training. About four dozen of us filled the room: law enforcement, firefighters, concerned citizens and weather nerds.
Count me in the last two categories. Many were required to be there because of their role in public safety. Others shared a common interest in better understanding the forces in the skies around us.
Now that we’ve heard our first thunder and made it safely through Severe Weather Awareness Week, I want to share some of the knowledge I’ve gained about severe weather and how the information about it moves, and just as important, how bad information is filtered out.
Trained spotters are the key to an accurate warning system. I watch with interest when TV stations break in with a tornado warning and show one indicated by radar. Those radar signals are one piece of the puzzle. Much like an X-ray machine at the airport leads agents to inspect luggage, weather radar is the tool used to direct spotters to investigate a storm.
Spotters
Ian Leonard, KMSP-TV chief meteorologist, said spotters play “one of the most important roles” in identifying tornadoes. Spotters identify what radar doesn’t see — especially in rural areas. They also are able to confirm or refute what radar reports.
That confirmation is important, according to Rich Josephson. He’s a spotter and one instructor for Stearns County Skywarn. He said if there’s no confirmed danger, spotters can keep the sirens from being unnecessarily blown. Businesses, nursing homes, schools and every other beat that creates the pulse of our community don’t jump into emergency mode because of a false alarm.
But if radar indicates a tornado and there are no people in place to confirm it, would you sound the sirens? I’d be inclined to. Of course, if there are enough false alarms, complacency sets in.
Spotters keep the National Weather Service from crying wolf. Leonard calls this the “Henny Penny effect.”
“You can only say the sky is falling so many times,” he said.
Communication
As storms approach, spotters equip themselves with amateur radio equipment and are in contact with the Weather Service. When it deems it necessary to issue a warning, the Weather Service sends the warning out via weather radio and injects it into the signals broadcast by commercial radio stations, temporarily trumping regular programming.
When conditions warrant, St. Cloud’s two largest radio companies have the ability to simulcast their respective stations so information is flowing to and from one studio per company. Broadcasters (I’m one of them) in those studios continue to relay the warning(s) until the “all clear” is given.
Many people work in concert to warn us about severe weather. My observations and conversations lead me to believe these people have public safety top of mind. They’re doing their best to give accurate information to keep us safe. Whether to take shelter is up to us.
My Skywarn spotter training took place in a basement. What I learned in that basement makes me more inclined to head to mine when the sirens start screaming. As the weather warms, the storms form and forecasters warn, I’ll follow Ian Leonard’s advice: Stay sky-aware.
This is the opinion of Tim Johnson, a husband, father and an Air Force veteran. He has lived most of his life in Central Minnesota. His column is published the third Monday of the month.
Why I will not give you my Facebook password
If you’ve paid any attention to the web and other media in recent weeks, you’ve heard that some employers are asking interviewees to give up their Facebook passwords. This can put job seekers in quite a predicament. I’m a currently looking for work and knew immediately upon being posed the question what I would do, if asked. Like Justin Basset, I will not be giving up my password.
Here’s why:
1. I follow the rules
Asking for and sharing passwords is against Facebook’s terms of service. If you read the terms of service page you’ll find that you (assuming you have a Facebook account) agreed not to ask for my log in information.
Section 3. (Safety), Article 5. You will not solicit login information or access an account belonging to someone else.
I certainly wouldn’t want to be an accessory to you breaking the rules, and you probably don’t want a rule-breaker working for your organization, I imagine. With that, I give you Section 3 (Safety), Article 12. You will not facilitate or encourage any violations of this Statement.
And Section 4 (Registration and Account Security), Article 8. You will not share your password, (or in the case of developers, your secret key), let anyone else access your account, or do anything else that might jeopardize the security of your account.
2. I can keep confidential information confidential
In addition to following the rules, my time in the U.S. Air Force instilled in me the Air Force’s core values, one of which is Integrity.
Part of that involves the ability to keep confidential information safe. I have 328 friends who trust me enough to tell me when their homes are unoccupied (though I don’t advocate being that forthcoming), where their children go to school, their relationship information, and myriad other data that, frankly, are NOYB. I understand that you’re probably going to be looking for dirt on me and only me, but how can I be sure?
3. You can’t have the keys to my current workplace
I am currently entrusted with full access to two brand pages, one of which has more that 2,500 followers. I’ve worked hard to gain the trust those who granted me access to the page and that of the people who like our page. Although I’m looking for new work, I’m not about to grant you access to these accounts, especially on a whim, when none of the other administrators are aware of your infiltration.
There is good news in all of this. I make a pretty good employee. I follow the rules. I can be trusted with sensitive information and I’m willing to stand up for what’s right.
Additionally, I’ve created a public Facebook page which will give you insight to my online persona and tendencies. You can follow me on Twitter, too (and you should have been even before this interview).
I have nothing to hide, but others might. So please, check my criminal record. Require a drug test. Ask me pointed questions. Require examples of my professional work.
But, please don’t ask me to supply you with the keys to my social network. The answer will be NO, and that, among other things, makes me a pretty good hire.
It’s a great day to follow George Takei
A few weeks ago, I became a fan of George Takei (pronounced tuh-KAY) on Facebook. I don’t remember what I saw that compelled me to click the “like” button, but I sure am glad I did. You might be more familiar with George than you think… From his Facebook page:
I am George Takei, and this is my official Facebook page! Oh Myyyy! George Takei, best known for his portrayal of Mr. Sulu in the acclaimed television and film series Star Trek, has more than 40 feature films and hundreds of television guest-starring roles to his credit.
George is the mold that the models should come from in regards to social media. Brands and businesses can learn from this cultural icon. Here are some ways in which you should be like George:
Know what’s funny (or interesting) – Please note: I did not say that you have to be funny. Although George is hilarious on his own, he realizes that social media isn’t just about him; it’s about those who follow him. So often he’ll post something and describe it as being “From a fan.” Recognizing follower-submitted content as sharable- and then sharing it- makes for good content management. It’s multi-win. Your follower does most of the work, you and your other followers are entertained and the originator of the content gets the flattery and satisfaction of being shared. This doesn’t apply only to humorous items but runs the range of things your audience will find interesting.
Make milestones matter – Nobody cares how many more followers you need to achieve a certain milestone. That does not mean you can’t be publicly proud, but it’s necessary to give your current audience a reason to care about your future audience and help you increase the number of followers you have. George Takei recently surpassed one million Facebook fans. In the hours and days leading up to the achievement, he held a photo caption contest. The winner got an autographed photo and some bragging rights. He didn’t supply the photos. They were user-submitted. Then followers voted for their favorites by “liking” the photos. He gained about 28,000 more fans in a matter of two days just because he engaged his audience. The winning photo had 25,000 comments in five hours. That’s how you reach a milestone!
Push your agenda – Yes. Do it! But sparingly, and only after you have done all the other things mentioned here – and some things that are not. If you tend to engage your followers in a meaningful way, they’ll be interested in what you have to say. George Takei is an advocate for gay rights and he actively promotes that agenda using social media. Because he’s engaging in other ways, people who may not normally listen to his opinions in that regard are more captive and may possibly be swayed. It’s one thing to preach to the choir and quite another to be able to sway the opinions of those who are indifferent to or even against your cause.
Follow George – Watch him. See what he does. Emulate him and adjust for the audience you want to engage, keep and grow. You’ll be entertained and will certainly learn from this remarkable man.
Please believe me when I say it’s a good day when you follow George Takei!
My Backpack
This blog appeared as a column in the St. Cloud Times Dec. 19, 2011. This is the version is similar to the column I submitted to the editor (his changes were minor).
It was three Christmases ago when I got a gift from my wife that would become a symbol for the next phase of my life.
I shredded the paper, sliced through the tape on the box and pulled out… a backpack. It’s green and black with several compartments and zippers. Being the good gift-guesser that I am, I was surprised. Not at the thoughtfulness or practicality – she’s always good about that – but it put into reality that I’d be starting college classes in just a few short weeks.
As you may know, I made the choice to pursue a bachelor’s degree at St. Cloud State University after the Post 9-11 GI Bill was passed in 2008. The benefits kicked in Aug. 1, 2009 but I started early by taking two night classes starting in January of that year. That backpack has been with me every day I’ve attended classes since.
It has seen temperatures from more than 20 below zero (with wind chills much colder) to nearly 100 degrees above. It has braved blizzards, thunderstorms, sunshine and sleet as it joined me to and from classes most days each week. It’s been regularly stashed under chairs and left on the floor. The teeth of its zippers have hungrily opened and bit closed thousands of times without fail.
It can carry more than ten times its own weight and has hauled books about science, geography, economics, history, literature and, of course, mass communications. That’s not to mention the folders, notebooks, water bottle, stapler and other tools it has carried. Anytime I needed that all-important No. 2 pencil, my backpack always had one ready for me.
Yesterday my backpack lay idle and void of books. It stayed home as my family joined hundreds of others and watched me and nearly 600 of my fellow students- Wait.
That’s the wrong word. Make that …fellow graduates walk down the aisle and across the stage to accept the degrees we earned.
On Jan. 19, 2009 I promised to strive for excellence as I pursued my degree. I set a goal to graduate with honors. I’m proud to tell you that I kept my promises and achieved my goal. I am really proud of this accomplishment. Yesterday’s graduation day ranks only behind the day I got married and the days my daughters were born. The education you paid for was valuable to me and will remain so for the rest of my life. I thank you again.
College was enjoyable. I got involved and had a lot of fun! I made dozens of friends, most of them about a dozen years younger than I am, but I never once felt like “the old guy.” I was accepted by most without reservation.
I certainly didn’t earn this degree my own. I had helpful advisers and learned from more than 30 professors, most of whom I grew to respect; many of them more than willing to accommodate my life, especially when my youngest daughter spent the first ten days of her life in the hospital. Administrative professionals around the university helped me navigate inevitable bureaucracy at both the university and federal levels. I had employers who accommodated my school schedule, understood that classes took priority and kept me around anyway.
My daughters merely motivated me to give them the best life that I can. They continually inspire me to strive to succeed and my education has already made me a better dad. Finally, I have a wife who shuffled her schedule, routinely rooted for me and cared for our kids so that I could read, write and accomplish the tasks assigned to me. And, of course, it was her who got me the one thing I couldn’t have done it without; my backpack.
Four reasons why you should hire a radio DJ for social media
As a former full-time and current part-time radio disc jockey who’s transitioning to the PR field (I’ll graduate with my B.S. in mass communications in Dec.), I feel that my radio experience makes me quite valuable, especially in the realm of social media. Someone who effectively manages social media is very much like a successful radio DJ. To that end here are my reasons why you should hire a (current or former) radio DJ (this one in particular) to manage your social media.
#1 – We have extensive experience as the extension of a brand.
As you well know, social media should be an extension of your brand. We radio DJs have built our own brands while simultaneously integrating and representing our stations’ brands. We have our own personalities on stations with personalities of their own. This relationship between DJ, station and listeners has thrived for decades at a far deeper level than in any other media. DJs are historically the most accessible members of the media. They’re closer to listeners than writers are to readers and TV personalities are to viewers. You could call a DJ on the phone for decades before social media existed…before cell phones, even! If you want someone who can reach your publics on the most intimate level, hire a radio DJ.
#2 – We’re already doing it.
Any successful station has at least some social media presence. Facebook alone is now as equally popular as a station’s request line when it comes to how listeners prefer to interact. The best personalities have integrated this new technology into their shows. Add the small number of listeners who are also on Twitter and social media has become the number one way to reach listeners, second only to what we actually put on the air! Besides all that, many of us have been using social media successfully since Myspace was the dominant force. Suddenly, you have someone with almost a decade of experience with these “new” media. You should hire them.
#3 – We know how to make promotional messages not seem so…promotional.
This is kind of a luxury that we DJs have. We have creative freedom. When an organization buys advertisements they have to settle on very few ways to express their message. Let’s face it. A newspaper ad, TV commercial or even a pre-recorded radio spot can only be presented so many ways. Radio DJs have a special ability to integrate promotional messages into everyday life. They adjust their message to fit any scenario, whether it be weather conditions, time of day, response to current events, the song that we just played or any other variable of life. Years of experience making the promotional sound beneficial and crafting the message for “this minute,” instead of “this week” or even “this month,” makes a radio DJ the perfect addition to your social media team.
#4 – We’re good writers
You don’t often hear about DJs writing – And I’ll be the first to admit that many of my peers’ grasp of grammar leaves much to be desired (I’m constantly trying to improve, too). That said, we’re a funny bunch. Without words, wit wanes. DJs have a magnificent mastery of language and use it successfully to stimulate emotion. Usually it’s laughter we’re after but we DJs can inspire feelings of empathy, nostalgia and happiness, among others. Add to that our ability to get in and out of a talk break by using the fewest words necessary, and you’ve got an efficient wordsmith who you should definitely consider adding to your social media team.
The above reasons to hire a radio DJ for your social media team are mainly about your audience. Don’t forget though that we’re typically fun to work with (remember how funny we are?), are friendly, know the pulse of the communities in which we live and are well-rounded because we take on so many roles.
So, when a résumé hits your inbox and the applicant has experience on the air, do yourself a favor and bring them (ahem, me) in for an interview.
9/11 from 1/8 of the world away
My 9/11 story took place about 3300 miles away from where the attacks were unleashed. I was stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base, which is located on the north side of Anchorage, Alaska. I was a Senior Airman and had just been awarded my first Air Force Good Conduct Medal, which is awarded for every three years of honorable service.
There was another milestone in my life which has helped to blaze the path to where I am today. For that, we go back to September 9, 2001.
Life was good. I was 25. I returned from a deployment to the United Arab Emirates just a few months prior and I had just accepted an offer to switch to a more stable role on base, so my risk of deployment was low. Because of this newfound stability I was able to pursue my dream. I started a part-time job at a radio station. September 9, 2001 had me at the station at 9 a.m. to train. It was my first day at 101.3 KGOT.
I must digress. I made a feeble attempt at a radio career in 1995 and even had some cool internships under my belt, but was frankly too immature for my career to take off then. That’s part of what led me to join the Air Force – a subject for another blog. This time, I was ready.
In September 2001, we had the capability to load syndicated programming into the automation system and let it run that way, but we were still doing it from CD (We played a pre-produced CD with four tracks to be played every hour with local commercials played between each segment). Rick Dees and the Weekly Top 40 aired each Sunday on KGOT. On September 9, 2001 I learned how to run it. I wasn’t on air. I didn’t care. I was working at a radio station. I was in. This was it! September 9 was a great day even though I don’t remember anything later than 1 p.m. It’s safe to say I watched some football that evening.
I can’t tell you one thing that I did on September 10 aside from my typical weekday routine. I don’t remember specifics, but I know things. I know that it took me under 15 minutes to get from my townhouse to my work center on base. I know that as I approached the guard post at the entrance to the base that I would be quickly waved on like the hundreds of drivers before me that morning because we all had decals on our cars which let the Security Forces specialists know that our car was registered on the base. I can tell you that I probably ate lunch at the dining facility (fancy name for chow hall/mess hall) and that I probably watched Monday Night Football and drank a few beers that night. Then I went to bed.
I woke up Tuesday morning at about 5:30 a.m. Alaska Daylight Time (ADT) (so it was already 9:30 a.m. on the east coast). I’m surprised that I can’t remember what I was doing at the exact moment my roommate, Wes, knocked on the bathroom door and said, “Dude, two planes just crashed into the World Trade Center.” One would have been an accident. I finished getting ready and donned my camouflage uniform which was adorned with chevrons indicating my rank, a patch with my last name and another patch that read “U.S. Air Force”. Patches on my pockets were emblems of my squadron and Pacific Air Forces.
I went downstairs and we watched as the south tower collapsed. It was like time was standing still, but the clock went from 5:59 to 6:00.
We were 3,300 miles away, but the effects were felt faster than a tsunami. At 5:26 a.m. ADT, just minutes before my alarm alerted me that it was time to start a new day, the threat condition or (ThreatCon- now known as Force Protection Condition or FPCon) was bumped to its highest level, Delta. This meant that every driver of every vehicle attempting to enter any U.S. military installation on earth must be positively identified. This took time. As I approached the Boniface Gate, the traffic was already backed up almost a mile. Surely another gate would have a shorter line, so I drove to the gate on the west side of the base. It was also backed up about a mile. Cars snaked across ship creek all the way into downtown Anchorage.
I waited well over an hour – maybe over two- to get on base. I don’t really remember. I called in anonymously to the KGOT morning show while the traffic slithered slowly toward the gate. It’s all they were talking about. The program director and morning show co-host, Stu (who I had just met but ended up being best man at my wedding) was livid and let it be known on the air that day. He wasn’t alone.
Once I got to work, my fellow airmen and I watched events unfold on TV. The people in the place I worked were always ready to deploy anywhere at a moment’s notice (I had accepted the new job - just hadn’t transferred yet) and between watching news reports we would accomplish tasks that would help prepare for a possible mobilization, which happened several weeks later, but not for me.
The building next to ours (a workout facility) was used to house about 200 international travelers whose plane was forced to land on our base. Cots were organized in rows and columns on the indoor tennis courts we occasionally used.
September 12 (I’m almost certain it was the next day), the group of Clear Channel-owned stations, which included five others besides KGOT, held a rally at a midtown Anchorage location. I wanted to be part of it, so I went. They were giving away American flags to listeners at the event and ran out almost immediately. They would have gone to buy more, but it appeared as if everywhere in Anchorage was sold out! I remembered that the Base Exchange, or BX (think a Wal-Mart/Target hybrid), had lots of flags in stock. I offered to go to see if they still had them. Ironically enough, the one place in/near Anchorage that had flags left was the biggest store on the biggest military installation in the biggest city in the biggest state in America. They had a lot of them. I bought most of them (and was reimbursed later). It was maybe 100. I don’t remember exactly how many. I hurried back to the event. Keep in mind I had to go back on base and go through the lines and security, but it was afternoon so not as many people needed to get on base as they did in the morning. It took me probably 45 minutes to get the flags. They were gone in under 45 seconds.
I did all this with the fear that because of the attacks, I might not be able to work for KGOT anymore. I thought I may have to work too many hours. Maybe I’ll get deployed. Who knows what else might happen. I think I ended up missing a couple of Sundays as I helped some fellow Airmen deploy to a location in Asia, but I stayed put. I was able to continue my new career - both of them. I moved to the communications squadron’s maintenance control office and did well. I ended up doing nights (and weekend overnights) on KGOT while I was still in the Air Force. I was promoted to Staff Sergeant 13 months later. Upon my discharge, I became KGOT’s music director and full-time night host.
I cried a lot ( a lot for me, anyway) in the days and weeks following that horrible day.
10 years later, I’m 7 years removed from the Air Force. The post 9/11 GI Bill has allowed me the opportunity to return to school and I still work in radio, though I exited the industry for a year and my goal after college is to work in PR.
I like to think that I represent a microcosm of America in regards to 9/11. Things were going great before that day. When it happened, I didn’t believe it. I was sad and angry. But I had dreams to pursue. I pursued and achieved them. As a veteran I am benefiting from America’s long-term response to that day because of my educational opportunities. We lost 2,977 innocent people that day and more than double that number of military members in the years since. I think about those people often even though I didn’t know any of them. Not one. But I owe something to these people. Had it not been for the massive loss of life 10 years ago, the Post 9/11 GI Bill wouldn’t have been passed. I owe it to them to do well. The over 7,000 troops who have perished since that day don’t have the opportunity to use their GI Bill benefits. I refuse to disrespect them.
I forget so much surrounding that day, but so much is engraved in my mind forever. When I look back on my radio career I’ll always remember the circumstances in which it began and about the fact that it might not have been.
Phantastic Photos
I haven’t shot photos in awhile. I’ve snapped shots of the kids and captured moments with my phone here and there, but haven’t really dug in, manipulated the camera and shot cool photos. Tonight I grabbed the camera and took the time to take a few photos. Here are a couple from around my house this weekend. When I say around my house, I literally mean it! Every shot was taken outside, within 25 feet of the structure in which I slumber.
All were taken with my (wife’s) Olympus E-500 and 50 mm f 2.0 macro lens.
This first shot was actually taken in my garage. I don’t recall ever seeing a cool tool photo, so I decided to give it a try. There are lots of different combination of tools you can use. I went with what would likely be some popular choices. What I like best about this one is the reflection of the car care supplies in the safety glasses.
The next capture can be seen many different ways. I think it’s a bit creepy as it seems like the new buds are creeping up on their predecessors and intend to do them harm. At the same time, it’s showing new life so the emotions it may invoke run the range. I don’t know where these flowers came from, but I think they look really nice.
The next shot is simple enough. I liked the contrast in colors. The dark blue contrasting with the rich shades of green and the bright white make me wonder why we even need the color red.
Finally, the coolest photo of the bunch. In fact, I titled it “cool”. See if you can guess what it is before I reveal it to you, keeping in mind that I was using a macro lens. The title is a good hint, too. I love this shot and I should be able to duplicate it, since the subject is a permenant fixture behind my house.
I’ll do a zoomed out version if you ask because I think it’s amazing how the grate guarding the blades of an air conditioner fan can be made to look so mysterious. This picture invokes a sense of coldness, but not the refreshing sense of coolness one gets from the relief of air conditioning. The angle of the blade is what gives the apparant gradient behind the grate. This is my favorite of the bunch and I think I’m going to make it my new Twitter background! https://twitter.com/#!/timrelates if you don’t already follow.
I’m glad I grabbed the camera today. I’ll do it more. I like looking at the world through a lens once in awhile.
PC or CS? Choose Words Wisely
This post originally appeared in the St. Cloud Times on July 18, 2011.
How politically correct do we need to be?
There was a time in the not-too-distant past when I thought political correctness wouldn’t last. Real life intervened, and now I have seen that using some words, to others, is mean.
In the movie “Hall Pass,” the daughter of Owen Wilson’s character, Rick, tells her dad, “Words hurt, Daddy.”
In a country where the First Amendment is intended to give each of us great power by not limiting our use of words, I also agree with what was pointed out in the movie “Spider-Man,” “With great power comes great responsibility.”
Personally, I’m mostly unaffected by name-calling. Words don’t cause me pain unless they come from a source I truly care about — or somebody points out a fault I’m well aware of.
One thing that came as a bit of a surprise to me as a parent is that it’s not just my children who learn as they grow. I’ve learned, reprioritized and become a better person because I want my kids to be good people. I don’t want my daughters to be hurt by others, and I want to teach them that hurting others is wrong. It is because of them that I write about political correctness — and it’s not even about that. It’s more about being careful with words.
Gracie’s story
As parents, especially of young children, priority one is protecting our kids.
The past year of my cousin’s life has allowed me a glimpse into what it’s like to have even more to protect against. Seeing his family’s challenges changed my views. Rich Delaney is my cousin, and his daughter Gracie was diagnosed in the womb with a heart defect and Down syndrome. Doctors said she might not even be born. She was! And after a rare, complicated surgery it appears her heart will be fine.
She went from not possibly meeting her parents to quite possibly outliving them. She’s been blessed with a chance to live life. She’ll live that life with Down syndrome.
People first
As Rich hurried to learn more about what it’s like to be the parent of a child with Down syndrome, he wasn’t shy to share. Two main points came up.
First, people with Down syndrome are people first. Their diagnosis comes second. That means we should refer to them as, for example, a gymnast with Down syndrome not “a Down syndrome gymnast.” When I heard this, I thought, “Really? The order matters?” I guess I don’t really care what people refer to me as … unless they say (among other things), “Oh, you were in the Army/Navy?” NO! Air Force!
I bring up something as simple as my branch of service because although they’re all the same to many people, the Air Force is a particular point of pride for me. Accuracy matters to me. Order matters to them.
If I’m going to follow the golden rule, I better get it right.
On the other side of that coin, I understand and pointed out to my cousin something I think was written by “Dear Abby.” “Sometimes people say the wrong thing when they’re trying to say the right thing.” The other point is the “R” word. “Retard” is a word I’ve used. I’ve referred to ideas as “retarded,” people as “retards.”
I won’t be doing that anymore. I discovered that using the term can hurt people — potentially vulnerable people. I’ll stop because my cousin pointed out the pain it can cause.
Is that me being too PC or just conscious of people’s feelings? I know that choosing to avoid the word in its many forms yields more positive outcomes than choosing to use it. So, it’s not PC. It’s CS … common sense.
That same common sense would dictate that we not remove phrases such as “The storm’s growth was retarded by a lack of moisture.” It’s all about context.
My dictionary is a bit shorter now, and better because of it. I won’t need a thesaurus to find words to replace the one I’ve removed. There are, unfortunately, far too many to choose from. Most of them hold the potential to hurt.
