MOST SUCCESFUL MARRIAGE COUNSELOR EVER!

Dear diary,

How do I begin? Well these have been the most frustrating clients I have ever had! I almost had to remove them from my client list they were so annoying. It is a huge surprise to everyone in the office that they managed to work it out. Donna told me on my way out yesterday that Petruchio and Katherine had managed to work it out and didn't need me anymore! I jokingly reminded her that this wasn't April Fool's Day, but it was legitimate! Usually when I see my clients I can usually identify one or two main problems that when worked out will relieve the stress that is being put on the marriage. That first meeting I had with this couple is one that I will never forget for as long as I live because they had more problems than I could count on all my hands and feet. It seemed like they genuinely did not like each other. I felt bad for them because on their own they were both lovely people, but not meant for each other. Let me give you an example of what I mean. Petruchio would say things like "Kate look at that hamster!" while pointing at a dog, Kate obviously knew it was a dog so she would try and fight it. Petruchio would not give up with his insistence that it WAS in fact a hamster, eventually Kate would get bored and give in. To which he would respond "Kate, have you gone blind? It is clearly a dog!". This would go on for hours on end, forgetting I was even in the room it seemed like. Kate would become livid and get into a insult match with him, filled with fantastic insults like "You are as ugly as a toad". It was quite amazing to me that two people could hate each other that much. Now that I think about it some more, I do not think I was able to give them any advice at all! The entire meeting had been them yelling and screaming at each other for two hours! Beginning to end! I remember being astonished, and trying to butt in at around an hour and a half, only to have them both focus their anger at me. Quite shocking indeed. I had to email them their tips on how to work their marriage out. I decided to start them out small and work towards a bigger goal.

1. Use kinder words when speaking to each other! It will help greatly when trying to fix a problem.
2. Try and stay away from each other as much as possible so that when you are together it will be similar to being reunited with a long lost toy.
3. Email me if you have a specific problem with your spouse! We did not get to talk much, and I would appreciate it if you could message me about anymore issues!

They had about 5 more visits after that, slowly I got to speak more and more, but they still argued for the better portion of the two hours.

Love,
Dr. Luc Levine

Does it matter?

I personally do not think that it matters which name you take. That name doesn't bind you for all eternity, and if you end up hating the man or woman you marry, then you can divorce them and rid yourself of that name. A last name is exactly what it sounds like. A name that comes last, a little tidbit at the end of your first name that most people ignore. It does not bind anyone nor does it keep people from living their lives freely. To me if I thought my wife had a cool last name, I would definitely take it. I believe that it is just something that you use to differentiate yourself from others. So at the end of the day, no, I do not think it matters which name you take. It just comes down to preference.

FEMINISM IS NEEDED

I think that the newest wave of Feminism has dirtied the word. At its core Feminism is an amazing thing that fights for the rights of women that have been put down by unfair laws and social expectations. It has been tarnished because of so-called "Feminists" preaching that the patriarchy must be destroyed and all men be killed. These Feminists have made a beautiful thing ugly and disfigured by taking it past the equality and into the zone of gendercide. I consider myself a Feminist, but a part of the "new wave". It makes me mad when someone says that Feminism is a fake problem because it clearly isn't. If you take a look at this years Republican Presidential candidates and their views on abortion, they will tell you that it needs to be abolished because it is murder. They look at the fetus and not the mother, they don't seem to care about if a woman was raped and became pregnant from that. They don't seem to acknowledge the person who is going to be forced to have a baby that they didn't want and have to raise or put up to adoption. That is the Feminism I am for, the one that tries to put an end to those rules imposed on women that degrade and lower them to second-class citizens.

Stories are above the law

Power is determined exactly how Adiche describes it, those who have the biggest guns are the ones who are in power. Those who are in power then get to decide who have privilege and who has to bow down. It has been this way in human history since the agricultural revolution. The Europeans did it in the Americas when they were colonizing the native people, and it will happen again if Aliens invade (which they will) or if another war breaks out. Power doesn't determine who tells stories. Those are the people that want to spread the word about what happened to their people, or pass on the history of their civilization. Storytellers are the ones who are above all laws, because it is very hard to stop stories from being told.

Re-education is not for me

I really had no idea that under the rule of Chairman Mao the youth were sent into the countryside to be taught how to work like a farmer. Now I know what happened and just how awful those conditions were sometimes. Frankly, I am surprised that Dai Sijie survived re-education because I doubt that I could have made it through a month of living there. I can definitely see why this is historical fiction and not a historical account. This novel is a lot more romantic and cliché than history would be, but that is what makes this such a good book. You can actually connect to Luo and the narrator while reading. When the narrator gets jealous about Luo spending so much time with the little seamstress you can relate that to a time in your life where you may have envied the girlfriend that one of your buddies has. Although, I really doubt that some of what happens would have occurred in an actual re-education town, which is why this is historical fiction and not an actual historical account.

Put me in Coach, I'm warmed up now.

My work this year has been mediocre. I can be doing much better than I currently am. I can make excuses and say that this year caught me off guard, but in actuality I just need to get more organized and stay focused. I am a book-lover and this is not how a bookworm performs in an English class. I can say that I am excited for this next quarter though because it will allow me to get back into the swing of things. I hope we do more creative writing this quarter!

THIS TITLE IS OFFENSIVE AND NEEDS TO BE CENSORED

The only book I've read from this list so far has been Persepolis, but I've read lots of books that would fit rather snugly onto that list. The image that I get from reading the banned books list is one of some overprotective person that doesn't want the kids and people of USA to be exposed to reality. If we are not ready to read about reality, then what will happen when we are finally exposed to it? I'm not saying books are the only way to prepare us for adulthood, but I think it is a very good one.

I don't think there is any merit for people to say those books are dangerous. After reading the descriptions of them all they seem to describe is human life and I don't see how that is dangerous. The only way I would say they are dangerous would be if they are telling people to hurt themselves, then that book would literally be dangerous. Or if the book had razors instead of pages, then I would also say the book is dangerous. Other than that there is no reason for these books to be described as dangerous.

How far would I go to read something deemed illegal by my community? I would go to no great lengths to get this book. As much as I am for uncensored books and having the freedom to read, I don't want to be ostracized or shunned by the community. I like to make friends and I think by doing something like that then I would have accomplished the opposite. Unless someone handed me that book and I felt like reading it, then I would NOT read a book that the people around me deem illegal. Granted that I try and surround myself with like-minded people, I don't think living in a place like that will happen.... At least I hope it won't!