Posts by Jackie Clark
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Personally, I am most excited about getting Facebook statused.
I gave up on the Facebook relationship status some time ago. It got tiresome updating it every couple of weeks.
Plus which, when you have a status change that you haven't told many people about, suddenly you seem to be flooded with excited/alarmed posts
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Oh darling. Let's call him "The Pig" shall we? Well, I will.
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I quite like "beloved". Ian has started referring to me as this. And this is why, after all these years, I love him 1000 times more than when we got married.
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I dislike being called by my surname. No matter how formal the circumstances I will at least try to get away with introducing myself as "Emma".
Oh, absolutely. I use alternate surnames depending on context, so first name is always better. And less confusing.
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But. There are people who are unhappy because they are not legally allowed to marry, and I don't think "oh come on, marriage sucks anyway" is an adequate response to that.
Quite. It is very easy to say something sucks, but at least you have the right to do it.
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The one that I get really, really irritated by is being called "Mrs". Makes me see red.
I can't speak for Mrs, but I detest being called Ms.
TBH, I prefer it just because when one is being addressed by one's surname, I do not like being called Mrs. So Ms it is.
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OK. Tell me how many 5 year olds are going to be rocking up to start school at the beginning of next year, what their genders and ethnicities are, their likely locations, and family incomes, so that the Ministry can prepare to provide funding for each school and a total budget, without looking at census data.
The goalposts are either moving or widening. Or have been sold to Bob Dwyer. What does any of that have to do with ethnicity? (apart from the ethnicity bit) ;)
There are separate sections for gender, family income, usual residence, numbers living in the household etc.
I presume kindergartens next to primary schools also provide a further indication in case the primary school hasn't noticed who lives in the neighbourhood already.
<quote> OK. Tell me how many 5 year olds are going to be rocking up to start school at the beginning of next year, what their genders and ethnicities are, their likely locations, and family incomes, so that the Ministry can prepare to provide funding for each school and a total budget, without looking at census data.The goalposts are either moving or widening. Or have been sold to Bob Dwyer. What does any of that have to do with ethnicity? (apart from the ethnicity bit) ;)
There are separate sections for gender, family income, usual residence, numbers living in the household etc.
I presume kindergartens next to primary schools also provide a further indication in case the primary school hasn't noticed who lives in the neighbourhood already.
If I may answer this.....every year, we are required to fill out the RS61. It is a breakdown, for the Ministry of Education, of ethnicity, primarily. In addition, in order to keep our equity funding (which kindergartens get for being less than 1km away from a Decile 1/2 school) we have to give a breakdown of every one's addresses. So yes, the MOE is well aware of the area that each school/kindergarten services in terms of ethnicity. And they also know who lives in the area, and can use census data to figure out the other data they may need.
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Oh Emma. Beautifully put. Words are so powerful. I used to struggle, when I was betrothed, with fiancee. And initially struggled when first married, with what we should call each other, to other people. Wife and husband just became so easy, but by now, after more than 20 years together, life partner is my preference. That of course raises the question as to how long one is in a relationship before it becomes a life partner sort of thing, because after all, when you enter into that phase of everyday coupledom that comes after all the wines and roses, you can't imagine being with anyone else. Until you can. Ian wanted to be married, I never did. And I still don't really see the point of it all, in theory. In principle, of course, because there are still people who are denied the right to be married to each other, it matters very much. Either way, I'm sticking to "Ms Goodison/Clark is the life partner of Mr Goodison. " Works for me.
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What should "Canadians" be called, then? I'm surrounded by them at the moment ... all different hues, and a tremendous diversity of family names too of course.
Because that's their nationality, either by birth or by choice. And everyday conversation isn't about census taking. It's seems very simple to me. On the census, for statistical purposes, they want to know how you identify your ethnicity . Hence European NZer (and what they really mean, of course, is New Zealander of European descent). Now, I'm quite happy to tick that box, or Pakeha if it's there. I don't call myself a European New Zealander in conversations because for purposes of social interaction, if anyone wants to know my descent they will ask, or they will make assumptions based on how I look. My nationality is given whenever I open my mouth. I think people overcomplicate it somewhat. I agree with the tenet that they need to perhaps be a little more assiduous with boxes that need ticking and offer _Pakeha or New Zealander of European descent . But apart from that, isn't it just semantics?
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That's right. We are shit. Everywhere else is better. I thought cultural cringe was a thing of the past? Evidemment pas.