Earth Day and transportation

It's Earth Day on Sunday, but Earth Day isn't totally lame (BTW, Starbucks is giving away free coffee if you bring in a re-usable mug that day). On the news this morning, they were interviewing a woman who worked for magazine that encouraged sustainable living. They were showcasing some hybrid vehicle test drive event, and I felt she said some dumb things.

She was saying that we could never live without cars, especially for business people and families. "Could you imagine taking 2 kids out on a bike and going grocery shopping?" "Could you imagine business men riding bicycles while wearing their suits and holding onto their briefcases?" Honey, people already do this. In China, you have families of 4 riding on motorbikes. It maybe not be the safest thing, but it's still done. Businessmen in Japan do exactly that -- travel on bicycles in their suits.

My point is...I think people and communities can strive for better transportation practices if we're willing (I have to admit I am not quite that giving yet) and if communities change (hi, engineers!). Public transportation here sucks unless you only live in Vancouver and never leave it. To me, that woman was just looking for excuses. To say that everyone needs a car is ridiculous and that we will always be that way is just as ridiculous.

And hybrid vehicles may cost less on gas, but they cost the environment more in production and the overall use.

Interview recap 

While I was at the gym this morning, I was recounting my last job interview and how pissed off it actually made me. One interviewer was insulting, and the other made the interview about her, rather than finding out more about me.

Interviewer #1 asked me why I demoted myself when I changed companies because my title no longer has "senior" in it. Becoming the only tech writer instead of part of a team of writers gives me more control over everything. And I get paid more now, too. So how is that a demotion? She also asked me why I studied both Sociology and Computer Science. I graduated from university almost 10 years ago...is my education still relevant to the position??

Interviewer #2 asked me all sorts of tech writer questions. "What did you think of the documentation when you looked it up to prepare for the interview like I did [when I applied]?" "How would you do research on your users?" "Ah yes, that's the answer I was looking for." "I'm asking you about the Microsoft Solutions Framework because I used to work at Microsoft. I was on the such-and-such a team [which was about 5 years ago]."

The one thing I observed is that how ingrained they were with their own company's business practices and how they assumed everyone else would have the same experiences. As much as I would love to be working for a large company again, what I like least about large companies is that they are so cult-like. Sometimes I feel like employees are brain-washed into thinking their company is the absolute best and everything they do is golden and how they do everything is golden as well. I think comradery is great but when you lose sight of the really big picture, it's time to get a grip.

So I'm not sorry I didn't move forward with this particular company because I would have had to work with those two interviewers.

Periods 

So there's a pill almost available out there that eliminates women from menstruating. I guess it's great for women who have horrible periods. I was reading this article at the NY Times Web site. I think you need to be signed up in order to read this article.

I can't say I rejoice in getting my period, but it's something I can live with. I'm not even sure I am doing myself any favours by being on the birth control pill. It's great for convenience's sake, but I'm still altering my natural hormones.

If you were on a pill that eliminated periods, would that make you bloated and PMS-y ALL THE TIME?? It'd seem like you were always on the verge of getting it. My friends who've gone from one pack of pills to the next in order to skip a period have not made the experience sound very pleasant.

This part in the article really bugged me:

Dr. Constantine cited company-financed research indicating that women often feel less effective at work and school during their periods. They limit sexual activity and exercise, wear dark clothes and stay home more, resulting in absenteeism, she said.

Are there a lot of women out there who feel that cannot function because they're menstruating (aside from the women with killer cramps)? I was always taught that you can do the same stuff as though you were period-free. Wouldn't someone only limit sexual activity because it was messy and you wouldn't feel very sexy?? What is wrong with wearing dark clothes?? I don't know. Are women babies and need to suck it up?

Okay, I admit I may be "less effective" before my period, but during?? That's when I'm back to normal!! 

I always experiment with my diet to see if I can change my periods in some way. I've learned to stay away from red meat during that time of the month. It seems like eating as cleanly as possible is the best thing for me...eating lean protein and lots of vegetables and staying away from heavily processed foods.