Meet Miss Anika, Working Girl

So, I'm well into the second week of my new job and it feels great. One doesn't stop to think about how important it is to have a job to do. Not because it pays the bills (but oh boy, am I glad that I don't have to worry anymore about scraping next months rent together, not to mention how to pay for food). Also not because it keeps you occupied. It's more like having a purpose. Looking back at the end of the day and realizing that what you have done serves a purpose is a huge reward in itself.
The thing is I don't identify with my job. My job is not who I am but what I do. I really do appreciate that it truly is a nine to five job. One I leave behind at the office and do not take home with me. It has almost nothing to do with my general interests in life or what I have done in my studies. It is a means to an end. Namely to pay the bills. But it is a really interesting means. It not only keeps me occupied (and believe me, meaningful occupation is a blessing in and by itself), it keeps me involved and challenged. But when I log out of the computer in the evening that's it. I don't dwell on it, I don't really need or want to. What this job gives me is the freedom to pursue my interests in my own time. I can write, I can work at my non-profit project, I can spend time with friends, read, watch a movie. Free from worrying how to make ends meet and free from the feeling that I need to put everything I am into my work because it is so important or because it's for some greater good. My work is important but what I don't get done till 5 pm will keep for the next day. This is truly liberating.
And still, it gives me so much energy and satisfaction that I am doing something that benefits someone else and me at the same time. Because I can support myself and the work I put in is of use for my employer and my "clients".
In case you're wondering what it is that I do for a living now: I'm a custodian of estates. That means that for people who die without heirs or whose heirs are not known or have waived their rights in the succession I manage and sort out the estate. It's a very interesting and challenging job as no inheritance is like the other, just as everyone's life is unique.

Disney Heroes

Sarah from the Smart Bitches has a poll about which is your favorite (animated) Disney Hero. At first that was no brainer for me. Beast of course from Beauty and the Beast. Not in his human form Adam but as the Beast as which he appears throughout most of the movie. (In human form he appears slightly bland...) 

Why is he my favorite hero? That's an easy one. He actually gives Beauty room to grow and appreciates her for her intelligence and personality, not (solely) because she's a looker and has boobs. And he gives her a library. A frigging library! If that does not seal the deal, I don't know what would. (And he has hair on his chest.)

This got me thinking (it is Thursday, right?!). What about the other Disney (cartoon) heroes? Well, I gotta say, not too impressive. There are guys that are so bland, they don't even have a name (or does anyone out there know the name of the prince in Snow White?), vacant pretty boys either dark (Prince Charming) or blond (Philip from Sleeping Beauty), juvenile stereotypes (Alladin) or even blatant jacka**** (I'm looking at you Eric!). Nope, none of them does it for me. Personalitywise I gotta admit I love the non-human heroes. Give me Tramp or Robin over those bozos any day.

I can't say anything about Milo from Atlantis because I never saw the whole thing (the snippets I saw were just too painful to bear), but I do love the idea of a nerd as hero. Likewise Mulan, The Princess and the Frog and Tangled. The last three are on my ever growing list of DVDs to rent when I have time.

Anyways, when it comes to role-models I find most Disney chracters serverily lacking. Which is kinda scary. I mean, sheesh, that's the stuff I grew up with. No wonder life is so confusing...

What do you think?

On that thought: Even though it is not Monday, this just was too good to pass.

it's Thoughful Thursday and there is no thought in my head... 

well, have a happy December 23rd anyways!

Adding my two cents on the Assange case

Okay, I know everybody is talking about it but that doesn't stop me from putting in my two-cents about the Julian Assange-rape-brouhaha.

As far as I can make out the details in the conflicting stories, Assange is accused of having unprotected sex with a woman even though she insisted on him wearing a condom. He is also accused of having had unprotected  sexual intercourse with a woman while she was asleep. In both cases the women had initially consented to sexual relations with Assange. In the definition of rape in Swedish law there is the possibility of a "withdrawal of consent". Now in my book when you consent to sex, clearly stating that you want the guy to wear a condom, and the guy does not and proceeds to have sex with you anyways, then you have not consented to that particular form of sex. Likewise, I do not think that you are consenting while you are asleep. 

Now, we don't know what exactly happened because as with most rape cases it's a case of he said/she said. BUT in view of the trauma and scorn a victim of sexual assault potentially faces, I have to take the allegations seriously. We all do. So it is right to question Assange on his behavior when someone raises an allegation such as this. And if there is a possibility that he has perpetrated any of the offences he should be tried before a court. 

If it turns out that the accusations were fabricated in order to neutralize the guy and his organization it would really damage my view on the Swedish Government, Interpol and whoever else is involved. That would be a slap into the face of every victim of sexual assault ever. With something that is as hard to prove as rape is and with a public that makes the testimony of rape victims an ordeal that can be as bad as the actual assault, in an environment in which many cases of sexual assaults are not reported because of fear of social repercussions, you just don't go and make up accusations like that out of political considerations. That would mean that the plight of women who have actually suffered such an assault mean nothing to their political representatives. Because knowingly weakening the standing of those of your citizens that are already vulnerable for political gain is despicable I hope that the accusations are not made up.

For me this has nothing to do with what Wikileaks stands for but with the creditability of our democracies. If there are indications that Julian Assange has committed sexual assault then he needs to be tried fairly. And if he is convicted in a fair and independent trial than he needs to be punished. It should be as simple as that. 

Of course the fact that Interpol was all over the case and put so much effort into apprehending an alleged rapist is new. One would hope that is their new modus operandi. But I fear it is not. (Alleged) Rapists are not usually high on their agenda, only if they happen to be a persona non grata with the high and mighty.

So, in a tip of the hat to the Swedish Rape Laws which I think are awesome (and apparently Sweden has a high rate of reported rapes not because so many more rapes happen there but women feel so much more secure to report on them) I'll give you Alexander Skarsgard. Twice. 

Happy December 16th.

Let it snow, let it snow...

It's cold here in Berlin ( -8° C/ 18°F) and it's snowing, we have almost 4 inches now. Which is pretty crazy for it being only early December. I remember when I was  growing up, more often than not the first snow only came in January. This really has been a wild year weatherwise. It started with weeks of freezing cold and no sun. Seriously, 17 days without sun, that's rough. An incredibly wet and cool spring followed by a baking hot summer with temperatures well into the 100s. Thankfully, I got to spend that part of summer in Mississppi where it was cooler. Yep, that's right Mississppi in early summer was cooler than Berlin. And now we have one of the coldest starts into December ever.  It does not bode well for the rest of the winter. 

Whether this is a sign of climate change I don't know, I'm not a climate scientist. But I tell you, it sure feels strange. I for one believe that climate change is a reality and that the extreme weather we have been experiencing in the last years is a symptom (and yes I know weather is not climate). So on the (very plausible) chance that Climate Change is happening, I believe that it is time for all of us to face our responsibility and look at what we can do, to make things better. 

I am not saying we should turn off the heating and freeze, or anything radical like that. I believe it's the little things we can change and when thousands of people change their habits a step at a time it can have a huge impact. Maybe you could get around to put all your electronic gadgets on power strips that you can turn off, so you won't waste all that energy in stand-by, or you can turn down that thermostat a couple of degrees or you can use public transport instead of a car. I'm also a huge fan of buying local and reducing by reusing... there are a million little things you can do, and you don't have to do them all at once. Remember: a step at a time...

So, with all that snow,  here's what I wish was in my Advent Calendar!