Beef

Beef is typically what's for dinner but tonight it's three things that are driving me a little crazy, that I have a beef with. (Chicken and rice were for dinner.)

1. Wisconsin budget. I'm fairly fiscally conservative but the Wisconsin budget thing just drives me crazy. I'm not going to pretend to know all the details of the Wisconsin budget and other cuts that may exist but I am going to comment on cutting things back for first responders. First, if you lay-off first responders (EMTs and firefighters), you are going to put your communities in increased danger. Your response times will be increased and as soon as one powerful/rich person loses their house, pet or even worse, family member, you'll hear about this loud and clear. Not to mention all the regular folks who will suffer in the meantime. Second, yes, firefighters have good pensions. But have you ever seen a firefighter's paycheck? They are liveable but, unless Wisconsin is the land of firefighting milk-n-honey, there isn't a firefighter alive who is going to become a millionaire based on that salary. When my husband calls me to say he had to go to the hospital for an anthrax scare, well yes, I think that pension is the least the city can do for us. Ya gotta keep that pension plan or increase annual salaries if you want to keep sending folks into burning buildings and anthrax scares.
2. My volunteer coordinator. I won't name the organization by name (if you did some blog research you might be able to sort it out), but she is not being a good volunteer coordinator/fundraiser. I'm on the committee and am on a great subcommittee. Or so I thought. This week I'm told that due to safety issues, my subcommittee can't actually do its function. What?! So why did you let me sign up for the subcommittee in the first place? Further, my other attempts at being involved have been thwarted. I just want to volunteer to raise money for this cause I feel very strongly about but at this point, the experience has been so disappointing that I think I may switch organizations...despite being involved in this one since college.

3. The Texas Rangers. You know baseball takes precedent over state budgets, career benefits and passionate volunteer causes. We want to go to the April 2 Texas Rangers game so I can watch the Sox smoosh them. The Rangers however won't sell me tickets! I mean, come on, I am trying to give you money so I can then pay for parking and spend an embarassingly large sum on game concessions. Let me do it! Oddly enough, you cannot buy single game tickets to any Rangers game in the whole season right now. The season is only a month away. I hope the Rangers fix this because I really want to see my Sox smoosh them...er I mean, really want to go with my hubby to his first game in Arlington (and then chuckle when his team is SMOOSHED).