Random in Book Four: Ichi-no-Tani 2017

One thing that excites me in a dark way about the possibility of leaving this position? Perhaps I can flee my rising racism. Part of me would argue that it isn’t racism, it is understanding and locating stereotypes that seem increasingly common among a certain ethnic group. But… the shorter way of saying that? I see trends in a racial community and say “These fucking people”. Which is racist inherently.

I have discovered that “abuse” is simply “communication” in China. This morning White Boss and I were hoping to get Chinese Boss’ perspective on something. She would jump on White Boss (verbally) any time he tried to clarify an issue. Then? We have the absolute REAMS of Domestic Abuse Cases. It isn’t Man beats Submissive Woman; as many would believe about Chinese cultures. This goes both ways. STORY: Chinese man wants to go to bed. He is tired of arguing and just tired. He gets in bed. Chinese woman grabs a stiletto heel and slams it into his face. He grabs the heel and slaps her across the cheek with it, knocking her down. HE got convicted of Domestic Abuse. STORY: Chinese woman wants to leave the house. She is tired of arguing and wants to clear her head. Chinese man grabs her by the shoulders and throws her backwards. Deep bruises around her shoulders (state charges him with strangulation?) and a bump on her head. STORY: Old Chinese Couple. Squawking at each other all the time. Neighbors are sick of it. Neighbors call the police due to the fighting. BOTH Chinese people are cut up, bruised up, roughed up. They are both angry at the cops because the police are barging into their lives.

I get it. I do. Cultural identities are important and should be respected, protected, and preserved. WITHIN THE CONFINES OF RATIONAL LAWS. I put the caveat of RATIONAL LAWS because… I’ll be the first person to admit it. If I were forced to move to a country (or find myself living in a country) that told me I could not read The Bible or pray in private? I’d say fuck that law. My cultural identity and belief structure require those activities. If I were forced to move to a country (or found myself living in a country) that told me I could not drink alcohol? That would be TOUGH! Alcohol is a cultural norm in my family that stretches back generations. But a prohibition on alcohol makes rational sense. Sure, I support and understand the perspective that it is a choice I make and the government has no right to restrict it.... but the Public Safety and Public Health arguments provide at least a rational basis for the law (if not convincing basis for the law). Thus, WITHIN THE CONFINES OF RATIONAL LAW as stated above. But here’s the other side of that. The Chinese? Many of them come here voluntarily. They immigrate to the US because they WANT to live here. Dick thing to say, I know, but if you WANT to live here… you need to understand/accept that it means you need to live by our laws, too. If you really wanted to keep that Cultural Heritage of open abuse in domestic partnerships? You should have moved to a country that didn’t treat such activity as criminal.

BTW: Reference Machine I May Be… a great (and super appropriate) BTVS Gif for yours truly:

AND NOW… PICTURES AND STORIES ABOUT RANDOM TEACHERS
(Some of these may be fake, staged, or bullshit. It is the internet. These things happen)
Teacher who sang to her classroom

Teacher accused of dressing too sexily for school

Considered a questionable teaching method for biology

Teacher considering her words carefully

Strangely, unfortunately, today was not a very profitable day. BUT I can’t exactly be yelled at about that. Because I told Chinese Boss I was looking for projects today. She told me that (1) she is really far behind but isn’t sure that it is anything I can help with, (2) because she is so far behind, she hasn’t had time to check the work she asked me to do last week. So… I’ve done my work. I’ve done my job. And I’ve asked if there was more work I could do. While I am positive that there is something they will be angry about… frankly… I did what was expected and required of me. If I was a prosecutor in an office with multiple people… I’d (1) check my cases to make sure I knew when everything was coming up; (2) check my case progress to make sure there was nothing I was missing and nothing I could be doing to move the case forward; (3) double check everything all over again to make damn sure I wasn’t missing anything; (4) ask my co-workers if there was anything they needed help on; (5) ask my boss if they needed help with anything. And I have done all of those steps here today with very little positive response.

Of course, the irony is that TODAY… THIS Thursday there is nothing to do. But NEXT Thursday, the Thursday where I need to be out of the office for personal reasons until 1, then again at 4? I’m sure that day they will act like it was the busiest day of the year and that my absence was simply INTOLERABLE!

Last updated November 30, 2017