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Mar
31
GU v. OSU: The halftime post
Filed Under Politics | 5 Comments
Well, you know, heart attack and all. Hibbert and Oden haven’t played much. Very cautious game so far. I’m thinking, watch out. To me, GU looks more experienced except for all the damn turnovers, man, I hate those.
The coaching is taking over. Game looks restrained to me. Prediction: GU’s going to go all UNC over OSU in the last few minutes.
But, really, when it comes to this game, do not pay attention to me.
Let’s go Hoyas!
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:56 pm March 31st, 2007 in Politics | 5 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
31
GU v. OSU: The halftime post
Filed Under Politics | 5 Comments
Well, you know, heart attack and all. Hibbert and Oden haven’t played much. Very cautious game so far. I’m thinking, watch out. To me, GU looks more experienced except for all the damn turnovers, man, I hate those.
The coaching is taking over. Game looks restrained to me. Prediction: GU’s going to go all UNC over OSU in the last few minutes.
But, really, when it comes to this game, do not pay attention to me.
Let’s go Hoyas!
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:56 pm March 31st, 2007 in Politics | 5 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
31
Is a chocolate Jesus blasphemous?
Filed Under Politics | 17 Comments
I honestly don’t know – and I’m really in no position to judge. What do you think?
Read all about it here, at The Moderate Voice (a highly recommended blog).
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:07 pm March 31st, 2007 in Politics | 17 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
31
GU v. OSU: The halftime post
Filed Under Politics | 5 Comments
Well, you know, heart attack and all. Hibbert and Oden haven’t played much. Very cautious game so far. I’m thinking, watch out. To me, GU looks more experienced except for all the damn turnovers, man, I hate those.
The coaching is taking over. Game looks restrained to me. Prediction: GU’s going to go all UNC over OSU in the last few minutes.
But, really, when it comes to this game, do not pay attention to me.
Let’s go Hoyas!
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:56 pm March 31st, 2007 in Politics | 5 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
31
Cincy man arrested for 12th DUI: How and why does this keep happening?
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
That’s what I don’t understand, when I read items like this one in the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Whatever happened to three strikes philosophies? TWELVE times, folks. Which judges, which lawyers, which law enforcement officers didn’t get that the guy wasn’t changing? Who enabled him to be behind the wheel?
Over six years, he’s had 11 DUI convictions.
You want to talk about laws that need changing? Let’s start with how we handle multiple DUI convictions.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:55 pm March 31st, 2007 in Politics | 2 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
31
State Rep. Collier (R-Mt. Vernon) will intro bill to excuse moms from jury duty
Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment
Although I’ve asked for and received jury duty exemptions because of childcare duties, it’s not clear to me how forthcoming legislation would enhance the current system. Translation: I need to hear more about how exemptions are being denied and therefore might need some legal oomph.
According to this Cincinnati Enquirer article, the exemptions that State Rep. Thom Collier would seek include nursing mothers and:
• Parents of children under 13.
• Parents of home-schooled children.
• People over the age of 75.
• Those caring for disabled and elderly family members.
• Others with religious beliefs that conflict with jury-duty service.
As noted, I’ve been excused from jury duty, county and federal court, at least three or four times over the last few years because of my primary caretaker obligations. Here are my questions (not critique, just what isn’t clear to me):
*What would the savings be by having such an exemption in the law explicitly?
*What are the stats on how often moms ask for the exemption and don’t get it?
*Under the proposed law, women would still get the ask, and still have to file for the exemption, right? So what would be different – are we saying that it would be automatic?
The anecdotal evidence of hardship in the article is helpful, but the article doesn’t indicate whether the mom was first denied an exemption because of primary caretaker obligations. I’d like to know if she asked for the exemption and it was denied, because I think if the requests, as I made, were being denied routinely, then that is an issue that needs to be addressed. But first, I’d want to know: how often is the exemption being asked for, and how often is it being denied, for all the circumstances seeking exemption.
According to the article, 10 other states already have exemptions for some of these circumstances and similar initiatives are pending in Maine, Michigan and New Mexico.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:19 pm March 31st, 2007 in Politics | Please comment
Print This Post
Mar
31
Is a chocolate Jesus blasphemous?
Filed Under Politics | 17 Comments
I honestly don’t know – and I’m really in no position to judge. What do you think?
Read all about it here, at The Moderate Voice (a highly recommended blog).
By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:07 pm March 31st, 2007 in Politics | 17 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
31
Cincy man arrested for 12th DUI: How and why does this keep happening?
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
That’s what I don’t understand, when I read items like this one in the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Whatever happened to three strikes philosophies? TWELVE times, folks. Which judges, which lawyers, which law enforcement officers didn’t get that the guy wasn’t changing? Who enabled him to be behind the wheel?
Over six years, he’s had 11 DUI convictions.
You want to talk about laws that need changing? Let’s start with how we handle multiple DUI convictions.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:55 am March 31st, 2007 in Politics | 2 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
31
State Rep. Collier (R-Mt. Vernon) will intro bill to excuse moms from jury duty
Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment
Although I’ve asked for and received jury duty exemptions because of childcare duties, it’s not clear to me how forthcoming legislation would enhance the current system. Translation: I need to hear more about how exemptions are being denied and therefore might need some legal oomph.
According to this Cincinnati Enquirer article, the exemptions that State Rep. Thom Collier would seek include nursing mothers and:
• Parents of children under 13.
• Parents of home-schooled children.
• People over the age of 75.
• Those caring for disabled and elderly family members.
• Others with religious beliefs that conflict with jury-duty service.
As noted, I’ve been excused from jury duty, county and federal court, at least three or four times over the last few years because of my primary caretaker obligations. Here are my questions (not critique, just what isn’t clear to me):
*What would the savings be by having such an exemption in the law explicitly?
*What are the stats on how often moms ask for the exemption and don’t get it?
*Under the proposed law, women would still get the ask, and still have to file for the exemption, right? So what would be different – are we saying that it would be automatic?
The anecdotal evidence of hardship in the article is helpful, but the article doesn’t indicate whether the mom was first denied an exemption because of primary caretaker obligations. I’d like to know if she asked for the exemption and it was denied, because I think if the requests, as I made, were being denied routinely, then that is an issue that needs to be addressed. But first, I’d want to know: how often is the exemption being asked for, and how often is it being denied, for all the circumstances seeking exemption.
According to the article, 10 other states already have exemptions for some of these circumstances and similar initiatives are pending in Maine, Michigan and New Mexico.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:19 am March 31st, 2007 in Politics | Please comment
Print This Post
Mar
31
Is a chocolate Jesus blasphemous?
Filed Under Politics | 17 Comments
I honestly don’t know – and I’m really in no position to judge. What do you think?
Read all about it here, at The Moderate Voice (a highly recommended blog).
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:07 am March 31st, 2007 in Politics | 17 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
31
Cincy man arrested for 12th DUI: How and why does this keep happening?
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
That’s what I don’t understand, when I read items like this one in the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Whatever happened to three strikes philosophies? TWELVE times, folks. Which judges, which lawyers, which law enforcement officers didn’t get that the guy wasn’t changing? Who enabled him to be behind the wheel?
Over six years, he’s had 11 DUI convictions.
You want to talk about laws that need changing? Let’s start with how we handle multiple DUI convictions.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:55 am March 31st, 2007 in Politics | 2 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
31
State Rep. Collier (R-Mt. Vernon) will intro bill to excuse moms from jury duty
Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment
Although I’ve asked for and received jury duty exemptions because of childcare duties, it’s not clear to me how forthcoming legislation would enhance the current system. Translation: I need to hear more about how exemptions are being denied and therefore might need some legal oomph.
According to this Cincinnati Enquirer article, the exemptions that State Rep. Thom Collier would seek include nursing mothers and:
• Parents of children under 13.
• Parents of home-schooled children.
• People over the age of 75.
• Those caring for disabled and elderly family members.
• Others with religious beliefs that conflict with jury-duty service.
As noted, I’ve been excused from jury duty, county and federal court, at least three or four times over the last few years because of my primary caretaker obligations. Here are my questions (not critique, just what isn’t clear to me):
*What would the savings be by having such an exemption in the law explicitly?
*What are the stats on how often moms ask for the exemption and don’t get it?
*Under the proposed law, women would still get the ask, and still have to file for the exemption, right? So what would be different – are we saying that it would be automatic?
The anecdotal evidence of hardship in the article is helpful, but the article doesn’t indicate whether the mom was first denied an exemption because of primary caretaker obligations. I’d like to know if she asked for the exemption and it was denied, because I think if the requests, as I made, were being denied routinely, then that is an issue that needs to be addressed. But first, I’d want to know: how often is the exemption being asked for, and how often is it being denied, for all the circumstances seeking exemption.
According to the article, 10 other states already have exemptions for some of these circumstances and similar initiatives are pending in Maine, Michigan and New Mexico.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:19 am March 31st, 2007 in Politics | Please comment
Print This Post
Mar
31
Ode to B-list blogs
Filed Under Politics | 4 Comments
Many Ohio blogs probably agree with this take, From The Moderate Voice:
There is an opportunity for the blogosphere to become a lot richer, not necessarily by expanding our blogrolls or RSS feeds, but by progressing organically from individual posts we find interesting to see all the range of commentary being forwarded on the subject. I think that the way to get the most out of the blogosphere isn’t necessarily to rely on the gatekeepers at the top (as useful as they are), but to harness the power of the b-list–blogs that are not at the top but can be relied upon to provide top-notch commentary on their areas of interest and expertise. It takes a bit more effort, but if blogs which can move traffic start working on this (Joe’s massive link round-ups are an excellent and all too rare example of the genre), I think we can really change this medium for the better, both in terms of our own intellectual stimulation, as well as revitalizing the more egalitarian and meritocratic blogosphere instincts that have begun to wane of late.
Well-said.
Read more here at David Schraub’s The Debate Link.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:25 am March 31st, 2007 in Politics | 4 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
30
Ode to B-list blogs
Filed Under Politics | 4 Comments
Many Ohio blogs probably agree with this take, From The Moderate Voice:
There is an opportunity for the blogosphere to become a lot richer, not necessarily by expanding our blogrolls or RSS feeds, but by progressing organically from individual posts we find interesting to see all the range of commentary being forwarded on the subject. I think that the way to get the most out of the blogosphere isn’t necessarily to rely on the gatekeepers at the top (as useful as they are), but to harness the power of the b-list–blogs that are not at the top but can be relied upon to provide top-notch commentary on their areas of interest and expertise. It takes a bit more effort, but if blogs which can move traffic start working on this (Joe’s massive link round-ups are an excellent and all too rare example of the genre), I think we can really change this medium for the better, both in terms of our own intellectual stimulation, as well as revitalizing the more egalitarian and meritocratic blogosphere instincts that have begun to wane of late.
Well-said.
Read more here at David Schraub’s The Debate Link.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:25 pm March 30th, 2007 in Politics | 4 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
30
Ode to B-list blogs
Filed Under Politics | 4 Comments
Many Ohio blogs probably agree with this take, From The Moderate Voice:
There is an opportunity for the blogosphere to become a lot richer, not necessarily by expanding our blogrolls or RSS feeds, but by progressing organically from individual posts we find interesting to see all the range of commentary being forwarded on the subject. I think that the way to get the most out of the blogosphere isn’t necessarily to rely on the gatekeepers at the top (as useful as they are), but to harness the power of the b-list–blogs that are not at the top but can be relied upon to provide top-notch commentary on their areas of interest and expertise. It takes a bit more effort, but if blogs which can move traffic start working on this (Joe’s massive link round-ups are an excellent and all too rare example of the genre), I think we can really change this medium for the better, both in terms of our own intellectual stimulation, as well as revitalizing the more egalitarian and meritocratic blogosphere instincts that have begun to wane of late.
Well-said.
Read more here at David Schraub’s The Debate Link.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:25 pm March 30th, 2007 in Politics | 4 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
30
Emmy award winning feagler & friends is a lively, weekly half-hour discussion program of local and national issues impacting lives in Northeast Ohio. Hosted by award-winning journalist and Plain Dealer columnist, Dick Feagler, feagler & friends explores the various issues behind today’s news. With a changing ensemble of “friends” ranging from journalists to community and political leaders, feagler & friends takes on issues from many different perspectives. Always entertaining and never boring, feagler & friends is the program for people “in the know” in Northeast Ohio.
Friday, March 30, 2007 at 8:30 PM
Sunday, April 1, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Newsmaker: Donna Lopiano, president and CEO, Women’s Sports Foundation. Starting this weekend, a glittering national spotlight falls on Cleveland as the NCAA Women’s Final Four comes to the Q. The sold-out, nationally-televised event illustrates how far women’s sports have come. Lopiano will talk with Mr. Feagler about how far they have to go to achieve parity with men’s sports. The Women’s Sports Foundation was founded by tennis great Billie Jean King.
Roundtable: Jill Miller Zimon, freelance journalist; Elizabeth Sullivan, foreign affairs writer, The Plain Dealer; Deborah Burstion-Donbraye, political consultant.
Iraq Funding: The U.S. Senate joined the House in approving a bill paying for the war in Iraq, but setting a timetable for beginning U.S. troop withdrawals. President Bush called Republican leaders to the White House to solicit their support for a fight to uphold his expected veto.
Elizabeth Edwards: The wife of democratic presidential candidate John Edwards came to Cleveland for her first public appearance since announcing that her breast cancer is incurable and spreading, and that her husband was staying in the race. Edwards told a City Club audience, “You can’t stop when people are cheering for you all along the way, it makes the private journey we are going through now easier.”
Day-care Dichotomy: A study by the National Institutes of Health says children who spend time in day care are slightly more likely to have behavior problems in school. But the study delivered a mixed message. Day care children, it said, are also likely to have better vocabularies as elementary school students.
Ohio Abstains from Abstinence Ed Money: Governor Strickland says Ohio will join a growing number of states that are rejecting federal money meant to pay for school sex education programs that advocate abstaining from sex until marriage.
The new Governor agrees with critics who say abstinence programs are not effective in reducing teen pregnancy. Operators of abstinence programs say they’ll continue with or without state support.
_______________________________
To people who’ve never met me or don’t feel they know me, I can’t predict how the following will read to you. But for me, it’s like pinching myself, to repeat what’s happened in my writing career over the last six years – before which there was no writing career. There was lawyer, social worker, mother, wife – not necessarily in that order.
But before there was lawyer, social worker, mother or wife, there was teenager who wanted to be a philanthropist, then there was college student who wanted to be in the Peace Corps, then there was post-college woman facing a stack of graduate school bulletins taller than her, then there was the decision to get a joint degree in law and social work.
And that’s when I set the goal that, more or less, is actually being fulfilled – amazingly to me, maybe not so amazingly to others:
I had a rough time settling in Cleveland when I moved here in 1988. Long story for another post but I arrived, I destroyed part of the Marriott Hotel (literally) that’s no longer here, my house near Coventry wasn’t there – literally, and my roommates were 22 year olds whose goals were the same: be millionaires by the age of 25.
I just rolled my eyes at that – I had no understanding of what that meant or why someone would want that. But it was 1988 – that had a lot to do with it.
And so it was one night, after my roomies and I had thrown a party, that I was standing in the hallway of the apartment, it was probably 3am and I was talking with one roomie about what we wanted – the “I’ll know I’ve made it when” game.
And I said, I’ll know I’ve made it when I’m on the Diane Rehm show. I want to be the person people turn to for insight, for perspective, for looking at things in ways others have never thought of before. I was pursuing this specific joint degree because I felt that it would give me exposure, experience and education that could problem-solve anything. And I wanted to help people and myself problem-solve.
I did that for eight years at Bellefaire JCB. And I had kids for eight years (three). But a year after my third was born, Margaret Bernstein met me. And we became friends, and she reached out to me, for no good reason that I know of other than to be generous, and the rest is this history:
Almost exactly six years ago to the this day, Margaret had coffee with me and initiated me into the world of freelance writing – well, thinking about being a freelance writer.
Just under five years ago, I had my first piece of submitted work published and paid for in the Plain Dealer’s Forum section.
Just under four years ago, Frances Richards accepted a pitch I’d made for eight articles (accepting four for publication over six months) in Cleveland Family magazine.
Just under three years ago, Frances published my first Mommy Matters column (about my mother and grandmother’s breast cancer) and it went on to win the 2004 top parenting publication prize for personal essays from the PPA.
In that same year, I was selected to be a storyteller for the KnowledgeWorks Foundation and covered the Euclid high school’s small schools reform effort for two years.
Less than two years ago, I started this blog.
Late last winter I got a call from WCPN about maybe doing a new political roundtable they were thinking of putting together.
And this week:
-ONN asked me about doing Capitol Square
-CPN asked me to do SOI
-Feagler & Friends invited me to be on its broadcast
-Henry Gomez of the PD asked me to do a presentation with others at YSU.
I was crying in the car thinking about all this yesterday, as I shlepped and shuttled. My life is MAYHEM right now – and I could not be more thankful and grateful.
I’ve written about knowing what it’s like to feel hopeless. And I have known what that’s like. That’s why I celebrated my 40th birthday (a few years ago), I didn’t shun it. And I say that every time a friend laments his or her 40th – I say, man, I am just so glad I made it.
I am just so glad. And I want to remember that, I ought to remember that, every, single, day.
Now go watch Feagler & Friends!!
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:58 am March 30th, 2007 in Politics | 10 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
30
Emmy award winning feagler & friends is a lively, weekly half-hour discussion program of local and national issues impacting lives in Northeast Ohio. Hosted by award-winning journalist and Plain Dealer columnist, Dick Feagler, feagler & friends explores the various issues behind today’s news. With a changing ensemble of “friends” ranging from journalists to community and political leaders, feagler & friends takes on issues from many different perspectives. Always entertaining and never boring, feagler & friends is the program for people “in the know” in Northeast Ohio.
Friday, March 30, 2007 at 8:30 PM
Sunday, April 1, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Newsmaker: Donna Lopiano, president and CEO, Women’s Sports Foundation. Starting this weekend, a glittering national spotlight falls on Cleveland as the NCAA Women’s Final Four comes to the Q. The sold-out, nationally-televised event illustrates how far women’s sports have come. Lopiano will talk with Mr. Feagler about how far they have to go to achieve parity with men’s sports. The Women’s Sports Foundation was founded by tennis great Billie Jean King.
Roundtable: Jill Miller Zimon, freelance journalist; Elizabeth Sullivan, foreign affairs writer, The Plain Dealer; Deborah Burstion-Donbraye, political consultant.
Iraq Funding: The U.S. Senate joined the House in approving a bill paying for the war in Iraq, but setting a timetable for beginning U.S. troop withdrawals. President Bush called Republican leaders to the White House to solicit their support for a fight to uphold his expected veto.
Elizabeth Edwards: The wife of democratic presidential candidate John Edwards came to Cleveland for her first public appearance since announcing that her breast cancer is incurable and spreading, and that her husband was staying in the race. Edwards told a City Club audience, “You can’t stop when people are cheering for you all along the way, it makes the private journey we are going through now easier.”
Day-care Dichotomy: A study by the National Institutes of Health says children who spend time in day care are slightly more likely to have behavior problems in school. But the study delivered a mixed message. Day care children, it said, are also likely to have better vocabularies as elementary school students.
Ohio Abstains from Abstinence Ed Money: Governor Strickland says Ohio will join a growing number of states that are rejecting federal money meant to pay for school sex education programs that advocate abstaining from sex until marriage.
The new Governor agrees with critics who say abstinence programs are not effective in reducing teen pregnancy. Operators of abstinence programs say they’ll continue with or without state support.
_______________________________
To people who’ve never met me or don’t feel they know me, I can’t predict how the following will read to you. But for me, it’s like pinching myself, to repeat what’s happened in my writing career over the last six years – before which there was no writing career. There was lawyer, social worker, mother, wife – not necessarily in that order.
But before there was lawyer, social worker, mother or wife, there was teenager who wanted to be a philanthropist, then there was college student who wanted to be in the Peace Corps, then there was post-college woman facing a stack of graduate school bulletins taller than her, then there was the decision to get a joint degree in law and social work.
And that’s when I set the goal that, more or less, is actually being fulfilled – amazingly to me, maybe not so amazingly to others:
I had a rough time settling in Cleveland when I moved here in 1988. Long story for another post but I arrived, I destroyed part of the Marriott Hotel (literally) that’s no longer here, my house near Coventry wasn’t there – literally, and my roommates were 22 year olds whose goals were the same: be millionaires by the age of 25.
I just rolled my eyes at that – I had no understanding of what that meant or why someone would want that. But it was 1988 – that had a lot to do with it.
And so it was one night, after my roomies and I had thrown a party, that I was standing in the hallway of the apartment, it was probably 3am and I was talking with one roomie about what we wanted – the “I’ll know I’ve made it when” game.
And I said, I’ll know I’ve made it when I’m on the Diane Rehm show. I want to be the person people turn to for insight, for perspective, for looking at things in ways others have never thought of before. I was pursuing this specific joint degree because I felt that it would give me exposure, experience and education that could problem-solve anything. And I wanted to help people and myself problem-solve.
I did that for eight years at Bellefaire JCB. And I had kids for eight years (three). But a year after my third was born, Margaret Bernstein met me. And we became friends, and she reached out to me, for no good reason that I know of other than to be generous, and the rest is this history:
Almost exactly six years ago to the this day, Margaret had coffee with me and initiated me into the world of freelance writing – well, thinking about being a freelance writer.
Just under five years ago, I had my first piece of submitted work published and paid for in the Plain Dealer’s Forum section.
Just under four years ago, Frances Richards accepted a pitch I’d made for eight articles (accepting four for publication over six months) in Cleveland Family magazine.
Just under three years ago, Frances published my first Mommy Matters column (about my mother and grandmother’s breast cancer) and it went on to win the 2004 top parenting publication prize for personal essays from the PPA.
In that same year, I was selected to be a storyteller for the KnowledgeWorks Foundation and covered the Euclid high school’s small schools reform effort for two years.
Less than two years ago, I started this blog.
Late last winter I got a call from WCPN about maybe doing a new political roundtable they were thinking of putting together.
And this week:
-ONN asked me about doing Capitol Square
-CPN asked me to do SOI
-Feagler & Friends invited me to be on its broadcast
-Henry Gomez of the PD asked me to do a presentation with others at YSU.
I was crying in the car thinking about all this yesterday, as I shlepped and shuttled. My life is MAYHEM right now – and I could not be more thankful and grateful.
I’ve written about knowing what it’s like to feel hopeless. And I have known what that’s like. That’s why I celebrated my 40th birthday (a few years ago), I didn’t shun it. And I say that every time a friend laments his or her 40th – I say, man, I am just so glad I made it.
I am just so glad. And I want to remember that, I ought to remember that, every, single, day.
Now go watch Feagler & Friends!!
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:58 am March 30th, 2007 in Politics | 10 Comments
Print This Post
Mar
30
Emmy award winning feagler & friends is a lively, weekly half-hour discussion program of local and national issues impacting lives in Northeast Ohio. Hosted by award-winning journalist and Plain Dealer columnist, Dick Feagler, feagler & friends explores the various issues behind today’s news. With a changing ensemble of “friends” ranging from journalists to community and political leaders, feagler & friends takes on issues from many different perspectives. Always entertaining and never boring, feagler & friends is the program for people “in the know” in Northeast Ohio.
Friday, March 30, 2007 at 8:30 PM
Sunday, April 1, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Newsmaker: Donna Lopiano, president and CEO, Women’s Sports Foundation. Starting this weekend, a glittering national spotlight falls on Cleveland as the NCAA Women’s Final Four comes to the Q. The sold-out, nationally-televised event illustrates how far women’s sports have come. Lopiano will talk with Mr. Feagler about how far they have to go to achieve parity with men’s sports. The Women’s Sports Foundation was founded by tennis great Billie Jean King.
Roundtable: Jill Miller Zimon, freelance journalist; Elizabeth Sullivan, foreign affairs writer, The Plain Dealer; Deborah Burstion-Donbraye, political consultant.
Iraq Funding: The U.S. Senate joined the House in approving a bill paying for the war in Iraq, but setting a timetable for beginning U.S. troop withdrawals. President Bush called Republican leaders to the White House to solicit their support for a fight to uphold his expected veto.
Elizabeth Edwards: The wife of democratic presidential candidate John Edwards came to Cleveland for her first public appearance since announcing that her breast cancer is incurable and spreading, and that her husband was staying in the race. Edwards told a City Club audience, “You can’t stop when people are cheering for you all along the way, it makes the private journey we are going through now easier.”
Day-care Dichotomy: A study by the National Institutes of Health says children who spend time in day care are slightly more likely to have behavior problems in school. But the study delivered a mixed message. Day care children, it said, are also likely to have better vocabularies as elementary school students.
Ohio Abstains from Abstinence Ed Money: Governor Strickland says Ohio will join a growing number of states that are rejecting federal money meant to pay for school sex education programs that advocate abstaining from sex until marriage.
The new Governor agrees with critics who say abstinence programs are not effective in reducing teen pregnancy. Operators of abstinence programs say they’ll continue with or without state support.
_______________________________
To people who’ve never met me or don’t feel they know me, I can’t predict how the following will read to you. But for me, it’s like pinching myself, to repeat what’s happened in my writing career over the last six years – before which there was no writing career. There was lawyer, social worker, mother, wife – not necessarily in that order.
But before there was lawyer, social worker, mother or wife, there was teenager who wanted to be a philanthropist, then there was college student who wanted to be in the Peace Corps, then there was post-college woman facing a stack of graduate school bulletins taller than her, then there was the decision to get a joint degree in law and social work.
And that’s when I set the goal that, more or less, is actually being fulfilled – amazingly to me, maybe not so amazingly to others:
I had a rough time settling in Cleveland when I moved here in 1988. Long story for another post but I arrived, I destroyed part of the Marriott Hotel (literally) that’s no longer here, my house near Coventry wasn’t there – literally, and my roommates were 22 year olds whose goals were the same: be millionaires by the age of 25.
I just rolled my eyes at that – I had no understanding of what that meant or why someone would want that. But it was 1988 – that had a lot to do with it.
And so it was one night, after my roomies and I had thrown a party, that I was standing in the hallway of the apartment, it was probably 3am and I was talking with one roomie about what we wanted – the “I’ll know I’ve made it when” game.
And I said, I’ll know I’ve made it when I’m on the Diane Rehm show. I want to be the person people turn to for insight, for perspective, for looking at things in ways others have never thought of before. I was pursuing this specific joint degree because I felt that it would give me exposure, experience and education that could problem-solve anything. And I wanted to help people and myself problem-solve.
I did that for eight years at Bellefaire JCB. And I had kids for eight years (three). But a year after my third was born, Margaret Bernstein met me. And we became friends, and she reached out to me, for no good reason that I know of other than to be generous, and the rest is this history:
Almost exactly six years ago to the this day, Margaret had coffee with me and initiated me into the world of freelance writing – well, thinking about being a freelance writer.
Just under five years ago, I had my first piece of submitted work published and paid for in the Plain Dealer’s Forum section.
Just under four years ago, Frances Richards accepted a pitch I’d made for eight articles (accepting four for publication over six months) in Cleveland Family magazine.
Just under three years ago, Frances published my first Mommy Matters column (about my mother and grandmother’s breast cancer) and it went on to win the 2004 top parenting publication prize for personal essays from the PPA.
In that same year, I was selected to be a storyteller for the KnowledgeWorks Foundation and covered the Euclid high school’s small schools reform effort for two years.
Less than two years ago, I started this blog.
Late last winter I got a call from WCPN about maybe doing a new political roundtable they were thinking of putting together.
And this week:
-ONN asked me about doing Capitol Square
-CPN asked me to do SOI
-Feagler & Friends invited me to be on its broadcast
-Henry Gomez of the PD asked me to do a presentation with others at YSU.
I was crying in the car thinking about all this yesterday, as I shlepped and shuttled. My life is MAYHEM right now – and I could not be more thankful and grateful.
I’ve written about knowing what it’s like to feel hopeless. And I have known what that’s like. That’s why I celebrated my 40th birthday (a few years ago), I didn’t shun it. And I say that every time a friend laments his or her 40th – I say, man, I am just so glad I made it.
I am just so glad. And I want to remember that, I ought to remember that, every, single, day.
Now go watch Feagler & Friends!!
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:58 am March 30th, 2007 in Politics | 10 Comments
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Mar
30
Bob Bennett hearing moved from 4/2 to 4/9
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
[Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Chairman and Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob] Bennett’s lawyer also asked for a court order to stop an April 2 hearing on Brunner’s complaint that the board violated state election laws and failed to properly administer elections. A compromise reached outside of court resulted in the hearing being moved to April 9.
For more speculation on who will be chosen to replace the BOE members who’ve resigned so far, read the WenBLOG here.
I’d planned on going for 4/2, kids in school and all, but my district is off on 4/9 so…not as sure. Could bring them, give them one hell of a civics lesson.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:22 am March 30th, 2007 in Politics | 2 Comments
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Mar
29
Bob Bennett hearing moved from 4/2 to 4/9
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
[Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Chairman and Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob] Bennett’s lawyer also asked for a court order to stop an April 2 hearing on Brunner’s complaint that the board violated state election laws and failed to properly administer elections. A compromise reached outside of court resulted in the hearing being moved to April 9.
For more speculation on who will be chosen to replace the BOE members who’ve resigned so far, read the WenBLOG here.
I’d planned on going for 4/2, kids in school and all, but my district is off on 4/9 so…not as sure. Could bring them, give them one hell of a civics lesson.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:22 pm March 29th, 2007 in Politics | 2 Comments
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