Musings and Mayhem

So, I took the job match test from the Employment Office in Washington, and this is what they came up with: 

Your characteristics have been statistically matched with benchmarks built from empirical job analyses from hundreds of occupations. After this review of your individual characteristics and those found to be common to individuals who are successful in the following occupations, this passport demonstrates that you are a good match to the following positions:

 

O*NET Job Match
SOC Code Group One Occupational Title Percentage

17-2041.00 Chemical Engineer 86%     (I could handle that. It would actually be fun!)

25-4021.00 Librarian 86%     (This is my dream job!)

27-3043.00 Writer/Author 85%     (If I could make money writing and selling books, I would be one happy girl!)

17-1011.00 Architect 84%     (No, I don't think so. Too many straight lines and angles)

27-3043.02 Creative Writer 84%     (YES!! How fun!!)

19-1013.01 Horticulturist 84%     (This would be fun if I could manage my allergies)

19-2031.00 Chemist 83%     (I could handle this. I have the logical mind for it)

29-1051.00 Pharmacist 83%     (This is what my dad was grooming me for. Wish I had listened)

15-1031.00 Software Engineer 83%     (I know too many software engineers who would laugh at this choice for me!)

19-1020.01 Biologist 82%     (There are certain aspects to this job that I wouldn't be able to handle)

17-2112.00 Industrial Engineer 82%     (No, I don't think so)

15-2021.00 Mathematician 82%     (You have got to be kidding me! I hate numbers, although I appreciate the logic behind the profession. 1 + 1 will always equal 2. I like that. No guessing. Formulas to follow that always work. Yeah, I like that. Too bad it has to involve numbers!)

29-1041.00 Optometrist 82%     (Ewwww..... looking into other people's eyes with magnifying glasses? No thanks)

11-3021.00 Systems Administrator 82%     (Again, I know too many sys admins who would laugh at this choice)

27-3042.00 Technical Writer 82%     (Maybe)

15-1061.00 Database Developer 81%     (I don't think so)

19-2042.01 Geologist 81%     (ONLY 81%?????????)

21-1023.00 Mental Health & Substance Abuse Social Worker 81%      (ha ha ha ha)

29-1081.00 Podiatrist 81%     (EWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

15-1051.00 Systems Analyst 81%

19-2012.00 Physicist 80%

29-1011.00 Chiropractor 79%

29-1031.00 Dietician, Chief 79%

27-1024.00 Graphics Designer 79%     (I WOULD LOVE THIS JOB!!!)

19-3032.00 Industrial/Organizational Psychologist 79%

19-3021.00 Market Research Analyst 79%

29-2034.01 Radiologist 79%

29-1127.00 Speech Pathologist 79%

29-1131.00 Veterinarian 79%

17-2051.00 Civil Engineer 78%

19-3031.03 Counseling Psychologist 78%

19-3011.00 Economist 78%

23-1011.00 Lawyer, Corporate/Business 78%

23-1011.00 Lawyer, Trial 78%

27-3022.00 Reporter/Correspondent 78%

15-1031.00 Senior Software Engineer 78%

15-2011.00 Actuary 77%

19-1021.01 Biochemist 77%

53-2011.00 Chief/Sr. Pilot 77%

53-2012.00 Executive Pilot 77%

13-2052.00 Financial Planner 77%

53-2012.00 Helicopter Pilot 77%

27-1025.00 Interior Designer 77%

17-1012.00 Landscape Architect 77%

29-1031.00 Nutritionist 77%

27-4014.00 Sound Engineering Technician 77%

21-1012.00 Vocational Counselor 77%

15-1081.00 Network Specialist 76%

29-2056.00 Veterinary Technologist & Technicians 76%

17-2071.00 Electrical Engineer 75%

15-1021.00 Computer Programmer 80%

43-9011.00 Computer Operator 77%

27-4021.00 Photographer 76%     (I have a good eye. I would love to do this!)

49-2091.00 Avionics Technician 75%

37-1011.02 Maintenance Superintendent 73%

47-2031.01 Carpenter, Finish 72%

51-9061.05 Production Inspector/Tester 72%

49-3011.00 Aircraft Mechanics & Service Technicians 71%

35-1011.00 Chef 71%

49-2094.00 Electronics Technician 71%

51-9071.01 Jewelers 71%

53-4013.00 Railroad Engineer 71%

47-2021.00 Brick Mason 70%

45-4011.00 Forest & Conservation Workers 70%     (It's a bit late now, but I would have loved this job when I was younger)

41-4012.00 Sales, Commissioned 70%

43-6012.00 Legal Secretary 69%

13-1022.00 Wholesale & Retail Buyers 69%

43-6013.00 Medical Secretary 68%

49-2021.00 Radio Mechanics 68%

43-5071.00 Shipping/Receiving Clerk 68%

51-4111.00 Tool and Die Makers 68%

43-3031.00 Accounts Receivable Clerk 67%

49-3023.02 Automotive Technician 67%

49-9061.00 Camera & Photographic Equipment Repairers 67%

11-3011.00 Office Manager 67%

43-3031.00 Accounts Payable Clerk 66%

53-1011.00 Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor 66%

15-1041.00 PC Specialist 66%

43-3061.00 Procurement Officer 66%

51-1011.00 Quality Assurance Supervisor 66%

11-2022.00 Sales Manager 66%

39-6032.00 Transport Attendant 66%

43-3031.00 Bookkeeper 65%

43-9022.00 Clerk Typist 65%

43-9021.00 Data Entry Clerk 65%

47-2111.00 Electrician 65%

33-2011.00 Fire Fighter 65%

41-2031.00 Inside Sales 65%

41-9022.00 Leasing Consultant 65%

41-2031.00 Sales Associate 65%

Notice caregiving is nowhere on this list??? Imagine that!!! I am so mismatched for the job I have now. I need to find something else.

 

http://www.amazon.com/We-Feel-Fine-Almanac-Emotion/dp/1439116830/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242927548&sr=8-1

A picture of me during my cancer days is in this book.

15 Books
"Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you, for whatever reasons. This isn't your top 15 canon or even books you'd necessarily recommend, just books that have made their mark on you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.

1. Ode to Billy Joe
2. Lavender Green Magic
3. Joker's Wild
4. Eden Grey's book on Tarot (can't remember the exact title at the moment)
5. The Bible (yes, I've read it all the way through more than once!)
6. Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle
7. The Kim Harrison series
8. The Illuminatus Trilogy
9. Wicked
10. The Isaiah Effect
11. To Ride A Silver Broomstick (though I have to admit the cover art made more of an impression that the book itself)
12. Uncle Bucky's blue book
13. The user manual that comes with the motorcycle I currently own
14. All my college text books, from Physical Geology to Anthropology
15. First Aid handbook (yes, it made an impression and a difference)

That was a lot harder than I thought it would be!!!

If you stopped by the bar the other night, PLEASE let me know who you are!!

OBS?
WL?
BIMC?

This is driving me nuts. She didn't get your name. In fact, I got very few details. Here is what I know: 

1. You follow my blog
2. You've seen my pictures
3. You know members of my family
4. You live somewhere north of here
5. You are male and about my age or so
6. You call me Prairie

Are you a prez?????

I don't know how to feel.

A friend died this weekend.

Grief
Guilt for not being there for him
Reconsidering my life and my relationships to other friends
More guilt for not being a better friend to everyone else
Grateful for having survived cancer myself
Survivor's guilt for having survived cancer when he didn't
Pain
Sorrow
Unexpected bouts of crying at weird and inappropriate times


I don't know if I want to go to the funeral. I don't want to get sucked into the family Drama. But, I don't know if I want to NOT go because that might suck me in even further into the Drama.

One of my daughters is going. The other daughter isn't. Lots of intertwined Drama there, too.

Will I be physically safe if I go?
Will I be emotionally safe if I don't go?

RIP, Gary!!

Look who came to visit this morning. Steve was throwing food to her and she was quite happy to hang out for a while. (This was taken with a regular lens... not a telephoto... she really was THIS close!!)

this is the spider that bit me!
Originally uploaded by Witch Kittin?.

I didn't even notice the spider in the rose when I was taking pictures of it. Afterwards, my hand started itching and swelling up. The backs of my knuckles are all swollen now.

Imagine my surprise when I downloaded the pictures and saw the little culprit!!

I have a really nice wood stove with a glass front for sale. Know anybody who wants one?

( Pasa ) Pasa, the Raisin dog, is officially ours! The adoption got approved today!! (NO, we do NOT feed him raisins!! "Pasa" means "raisin" in Spanish. His former owner named him that because he has black spots on his nose that look like raisins!)

Janette called and said his owner was going to take him to the Humane Society and she wanted to know if he would pass the intake. I told her absolutely NOT. There is no way we could walk in there and hand his leash to a total stranger. Not without him taking their hand off.

He's made a lot of progress from the snarling Cujo we first picked up. But, he still has a lot of work to do. He still tries to bite strangers. He is not socialized much at all.

Actually, he really is a good dog. He was all stressed out from the abuse and he's slowing learning to trust people again. He's already learned to submit to Steve. (Steve is Alpha and Pasa learned that real quick).

He likes to go Bye Bye, and the other day, when we went to Salem to my grandmother's grave, he went with us. He let my mother pet him. Of course, there isn't an animal alive that doesn't like my mother. She used to have hundreds of hummingbirds land all over her arms and head. It was a sight to see!! And, we used to have a pet deer. And there was that stupid pet possum of hers that we kids hated with an unholy passion. Oh, and we can't forget the rattlesnake she made a pet out of. Seriously.

Anyway, so Janette called today and seemed relieved when I asked if we could keep him. He's already a member of the family. It's just official now!

Santana stopped by and picked up some clothes. She was with a xtian couple who were looking at me like I was bug shit on their window or something. Seriously. I have heard the expression "pursed lips" but I've never actually seen it before. Wow. Makes me wonder what she told them! 

They stayed literally long enough for her to go into the trailer, grab some bags and leave. She didn't even come into the house. In fact, she didn't even knock on the door to tell me she was here.

This is where I used to live. You'd think after 21 years, they would pave the road! LOL! The big building is the shop where my dad had his cut stock plant, making survey stakes. You can just see the little speck of color through the trees behind the shop... that's the house we lived in.

There used to be a rope swing on that tree in the picture. We would grab the rope and swing out into thin air... pretty exciting stuff for a 10 year old!

http://www.cracked.com/article_15759_10-things-christians-atheists-can-must-agree-on.html
Read this.... if you can get through it without getting utterly pissed off or thoroughly disgusted.

Here is my opinion on this:

1. You Can Do Terrible Things in the Name of Either One

Most major organized religions have had certain "Believe as I do or
I'll kill you" wars. I can not recall any instances of organized
atheists going to war to kill the religionists. Yes, there may be
isolated instances, but those are singular cases and are not
sanctioned by any organization in general.

The argument you are trying to make seems to gloss over the entire
history of religious wars and center on individuals. But then, you
say, "All I need from you is agreement that it's entirely possible for
either an atheist or theist world to devolve into a screaming murder
festival."

If religion were taken out of the picture entirely, war would still
happen over land and trade issues. But, are these not the same
mentality as the "believe as I do or I'll kill you" wars? It's all
about tribal mentality. And, tribal mentality evolves into religion.


2. Both Sides Really Do Believe What They're Saying

Okay, I'll agree with that one. There have been studies about how the
brain works and what portions of the brain fire when religion is
involved.

But, the question is not whether or not the person really believes.
The question is, to put it in your words: "Only the saved go to
Heaven!" ...and what the atheist hears is: "I want everyone else to go
to Hell!" There is a certain sanctimonious gloating over the fact that
"I am right and everyone else is wrong". I don't care if you believe
the sky is really pink and the key to salvation lies in the convoluted
lint in your own navel. As long as you do NOT try to force ME to
worship said navel lint and brag to anyone within hearing distance
that I am going to be punished forever for not believing the sky is
pink against all scientific evidence to the contrary.


3. In Everyday Life, You're Not That Different

First of all.. we ARE different. Our brain structures are different.
http://brainstimulant.blogspot.com/2009/04/religious-pill.html
Second, you seem to be saying that a person has to have religion to be
moral. I vehemently disagree with that claim. Morality is a direct
result of tribal living. There are certain things that are
unacceptable if you are going to co-exist peacefully with others.
Murder, cannibalism and stealing, lying, etc are not conducive to
communal living. You don't need religion to realize that.


4. There Are Good People on Both Sides

I will agree that there are people on both sides that are "good" in
the sense of being "moral" and having "generosity and good cheer".
BUT... the following statements are a glaring mind-boggling example of
circular logic:

"I understand the concept, that all morality comes from God and thus
those on the outside are vulnerable to temptation and the devil and
all that. But you know good people who aren't believers. I know you
do. You can't miss them. Therefore: If God alone can deliver us from
temptation, And, Some people who don't believe in God are also able to
resist temptation, Then, God must offer his protection against
temptation even to some who don't believe in God. One could even say
that God aids the atheist's honest desire to follow one of God's
rules... even while he continues to deny God."

First, I already explained how all morality does NOT come from god.
Second, the whole idea of 'sin' and 'temptation' smacks of an immoral
persuasion. You cannot be tempted by something you don't want.
Third, the whole idea that "God alone can deliver us from temptation"
is repugnant to me. Even the Christians agree that man has free will.
Fourth, the rules necessary to live in society are not necessarily
"God's rules" and therefore do not need a god to aid in following
those rules.

The whole paragraph is so circular in logic that my head is spinning
even trying to comprehend it!


5. Your Point of View is Legitimately Offensive to Them

I can understand that. I don't agree with the way you expressed it in
the article, but I'll agree with the point.


6. We Tend to Exaggerate About the Other Guy

This statement says a lot: "Just because some Christians reject the
science on evolution, doesn't mean they reject all science." It's kind
of like most Christians picking out bits and pieces of the Bible and
rejecting the rest. (Yes, you do! Don't tell me you don't wear
clothing made of different cloths. And, don't tell me you follow all
those rules in Leviticus and that you own slaves and stone your
children to death for disobeying you!) It's amazing to me how
otherwise intelligent people can admit 'some' science and reject the
rest!

I don't care if you "believe" in evolution or the Big Bang Theory. I
don't even care if you "believe" in the force of gravity... just don't
put people on the school board to take it out of the classroom!
Our kids deserve to be taught ALL the science, not just the parts that
you "believe" in!

This is a prime example of how religion is hurting our children.


7. We Tend to Exaggerate About Ourselves, Too

I read and reread that argument a couple of times and I still am not
sure what point you are trying to make.


8. Focusing on Negative Examples Makes You Stupid

Nobody in my circle of friends has ever said all Christians are like
Phelps. I can still focus on several negative examples of christianity
and the harm it has caused. If trying to eradicate negativity makes me
stupid, then so be it.


9. Both Sides Have Brought Good to the Table

You say religion makes humanity sacred, and the moral law moreso. I
totally disagree with that statement. Humanity is not sacred because
your invisible friend says so. As a "secular humanist", I hold to this
definition in wikipedia:


"Secular humanism is a humanist philosophy that upholds reason,
ethics, and justice, and specifically rejects the supernatural and the
spiritual as the basis of moral reflection and decision-making. Like
other types of humanism, secular humanism is a life stance that
focuses on the way human beings can lead good, happy and functional
lives." (without the need for a "god" in their lives!)
...Secular humanism is also called "scientific humanism", because
biologist Edward Wilson claimed it to be "the only worldview
compatible with science's growing knowledge of the real world and the
laws of nature".

I don't see where Christianity has brought any good to the table. In
fact, it has blocked "good" on many, many counts. What the Church did
to Galileo, for example. And, what they are trying to do right now by
trying to suppress the teaching of rational science in the classroom.
Instead of teaching science, why don't we all teach our children that
the tooth fairy and the easter bunny are real and that they
collaborated in creating the Universe? That makes just about as much
sense to me as teaching them that your "god" did it.

The rest of that argument is just beyond my ability to read without my
head imploding. I'm sure it must make sense to somebody, but to me it
just sounds like a bunch of circular logic spewed forth by a
brainwashed guy going off on a weird evangelical tangent.


10. You'll Never Harass the Other Side Out of Existence

Wow. Just wow. Another fine example of intolerant stereotyping. I have
never in my life ever walked into a room full of christians and
started "making fun of their taboos, immediately talking about boobs
or whatever, as if the only reason people adhere to a rule is out of
fear of experiencing the awesomeness of breaking it." In fact, I
wonder who you've been talking to. Just who told you about the time an
atheist walked into a room and started talking about boobs? Are these
the same people who claim Satanists are stealing our children and
sacrificing them? Or the same people who claim snuff films are real?

On the other hand, I HAVE personally experienced a christian walking
into a room full of people and start spouting off about how we're all
going to hell if we didn't believe the same way he did.




All in all, I prefer to "believe" in the scientific breakthroughs we
are accomplishing every day. I don't "believe" we are going to need a
god to cure cancer. I "believe" in the ability of vaccines to prevent
such horrific diseases as polio. I "believe" my child deserves the
best education possible, including ALL the science available.

If you believe that some invisible god is in charge and that all
things are his will, then more power to you. You can pray your god
will cure your cancer while I get chemo and radiation. You can pray
your children stay healthy. Mine are getting vaccinated. You can teach
your child that some invisible entity created the universe. I am going
to teach my children the latest scientific theory. You can teach your
child to live in fear of eternal punishment after death. I'm teaching
mine to enjoy life now and be happy in the present. You can send your
children to the local church and deliver him into the hands of the
local pedophile clergy. I'm keeping my children the hell out of there!
You can go right ahead and handle your snakes and teach your children
that god will keep you safe. I'm teaching my children that snakes are
poisonous and not to tread on them.

I believe in evolution and I believe that some day, people with these
types of harmful religious "beliefs" will no longer be attractive
enough to breed and the whole concept of religion will die out. I'm
realistic enough to know this isn't going to happen in my lifetime.
But, I have hope my great grandchildren will be able to live in a
world free of religious bigotry and zealousness.

I got a phone call this morning. I love it when the conversation starts with the words, "Mom, you were right!"

She called me a while ago, in tears, because James was buying a house with Amanda and being a daddy to her kid. I told her they deserve each other. I reminded her of how he was nice to her at the beginning of the relationship, too. But, later he started being a jerk and abusing her and cheating on her.

Well, it seems he is cheating on Amanda now and he hit her the other day. She pulled back and he only grazed her face with his nails. Then..... get this... he tried to blame it on PTSD from Iraq!!!!

ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I told my daughter, "In order to have PTSD from Iraq, you have to have actually BEEN in Iraq!"   What a freaking idiot! 

(He was in the first radar plane that flew over Iraq to sight the targets BEFORE the actual bombing began. I guess he thinks this qualifies him to use the excuse that he was in Iraq! What a dumbass!!!!) ROFL!!!!!

Joyce,
Yesterday, my mother and I went to visit the grave of Cora Carlson. We also visit Ed Lemmon and the Cahills. I thought you might like to see the pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/witch_kittin/sets/72157619005508446/

My mother is going to be 90 years old in July. She's doing fine. We walked all over the cemetery yesterday trying to find the plot. (After walking all over, we discovered we had parked right next to it!!)

My mother's boyfriend came with her. He's really a sweetheart. I like him a lot! She has expressed a desire to be buried next to him in Roseburg when she passes and we all think that's a great idea. She never got along well with her birth family anyway.

While we were at the cemetery, she was telling us some stories from when she was growing up. She told about sneaking out at night and the typical things most teenagers did growing up. She must have been a handful for her parents!

I remember very little about Cora, other than the fact that I got the impression growing up that she didn't like me very much! LOL!!

We also visited Little Roy's grave. He was the 9 year old that was beaten to death by his father. (His father was Lee Leighty, Cora's brother). I spent a little time digging out the moss from the lettering on his stone and generally cleaning his grave. I had heard his story from my mother my whole life (apparently, she was there when he was killed), but I never got to visit his grave before.

After we visited the graves, we went to Rock'n Roger's Diner for dinner. I have pictures of Mom and her boyfriend along with my boyfriend and our two dogs.

If you would like to download the pictures, simply hit the "all sizes" button above the picture, and it will take you to a page where you can download whatever size you want.

Hope you have a great day!
Katherine Stock

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://kat_gimp.livejournal.com/

Life is not meant to be lived so that one arrives at the grave in a neat, well-preserved, fashionably attired body... but rather so that one goes through life in such a manner that when they meet its end, it is full-tilt, sliding in sideways, hair blowing in the wind, face full of exhilaration, eyes sparkling, messy, dirty, and used up... exclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!"

The strangest thing happened yesterday. My car broke down at Milepost 23 on Interstate 84. (My internal sense of synchronicity noted the milepost number with amusement). I called a friend to come pick me up and give me a ride back to my house so I could get the truck and a tow rope. She arrived with her 2 children, picked me up and we started back. We had just gone down to the next exit, crossed the freeway, and was heading east on 84 when HER car broke down... directly across the freeway from mine at exactly the same milepost!!

She called her boyfriend and her parents. Then, she called a tow truck. All 3 sources of help arrived at the same time (about an hour and a half later!). Her dad whisked her kids away in his truck, the tow truck loaded up her car, she hopped into her boyfriend's car and they all took off in a caravan down the freeway.

I ran (yes, I mean that literally) across all 4 lanes of the busy freeway to get back to the other side where my own car was broken down, then tried to think of who to call for help again.

So, my help arrived in the form of the Illuminati, no less! After having broken down at Milepost *23*, I should have expected help would come from that quarter... again..... wink and a nod to Grim, the Illuminati Prez who rescued me the last time I broke down... on I-5! (2+3=5)

They arrived with Pepsi and a AAA tow card! After paying for the tow truck with the AAA card, Guzzi R (who, interestingly enough, was riding a Kawasaki!) followed the tow truck to the house and we fired up the grill and had an impromptu BBQ!

My car is a 2002 PT Cruiser with a 2.4 liter engine. I've only had her for a couple of months. The timing belt went, but I've heard it is a non-interference motor, so it should be okay. Cliff Smith in Hood River quoted me $950 to fix it. He's going to talk to his boss and see if they will take payments. I'm so far over my head in debt right now, I don't think I can even make payments.

Guzzi R put me in touch with a girl who wants to buy my motorcycle. She doesn't have any money right now (in this economy, who does?), but she may be able to make payments. If Cliff Smith will take payments, I'll just sell the bike and have her send the payments straight to the repair shop.

UPDATE: Cliff Smith just called as I was writing this.... they will NOT take payments! So, now I have to find a shop that will.

Somehow, we'll make this thing work! I have to have a car to work because my job requires that I transport the client every day. I need my car!

Sigh... this is not the way I was planning on spending my birthday!

My mother... 90 years old and still fishing! She caught 80 fish yesterday!

( My birthday present from Amy )This is my new morning coffee cup! I love it!

( My birthday present from Lynn )

Love it!

Where I grew up, we drove 24 miles to go to the movies. The nearest big store was 58 miles away. Driving 40 to 50 miles to visit was as simple as getting in the car and going. Nobody planned anything.. we just did it. I remember a few times, I would have a car full of friends and somebody would say, "Hey, let's go to Reno", and we'd simply turn the car around and go. (Reno was 78 miles away). I was raised to be a very mobile person. Now, it seems like 45 miles is a long ways away and gas is at a premium. I feel out of touch with everyone because I'm so "far away".

Yes, it helps tremendously to have Steve living here. I'm not so lonely anymore. Things are easier. I have help when I need it and I have someone to call if I break down. And vice versa. There is something to be said for having a partner.

On the other hand, neither one of us are seeing any of our other friends. Cascade Locks is just so far away from the rest of the world, it seems. All his friends are 40 miles west and all mine are 40 miles east.

RIP Shooter

Caleb went to Taz' party last night, then went home and killed himself.

http://charmkins.blogspot.com/

His blog gives a little insight into what was going through his head.(Yes, the entries are a few years old, but to have eaten the barrel of a shotgun, he must have been feeling all this and more last night) Such a short life and utterly wasted, and for what?