Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

What would Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. say about today's work force?  I think he would see that we have made progress, but he would be disapointed that we still have not achieved racial equality and an end to discrimination. 

To honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I hope that we will all continue to work for racial equality and an end to discrimination and job discrimation.

Do you have diversity at your place of work?  Have you experienced job discrimination? 

Diversity:
When I look back upon my career as a lawyer, I have worked at places with diverse work forces and non diverse work forces.   Law firms, not so diverse.  United States Department of Justice, not so diverse.  The very small Fairfax Civil Service Commission office, very diverse.  Adjunct professor at a local university, not so diverse among the group of profs that taught similar classes to my class (can't speak for the diversity among professors at the entire university), but a very diverse student body on campus.  So Dr. King, we still have a long way to go.

Discrimination:
As a female attorney, I personally experienced sexual harassment.  I also saw that women in the legal field were not always treated the same as men.  Perhaps not legal discrimination, but a feeling of being treated differently. 

In my role as a hearing officer, I heard many cases claiming discrimination based upon race and gender.  Sometimes the grievants prevailed.  Sometimes they did not.  Sometimes there was provable discrimination.  Sometimes there was "discrimination," but not at a provable legal level.  Dr. King, we still have a long way to go.

So almost 50 years after Dr. King's I Have a Dream Speech, we still have work to do, but I hope that if you look around you at work, you will see a diverse or more diverse work place.  Please remember the causes to which Dr. King devoted his much too short life.

special guest post

Today, I'm featuring two special guests on my blog --  my daughter, Rachel, an aspiring journalist, blogging about her interview with Jackson Galaxy of Animal Planet's show, My Cat From Hell.   So here is a day in the life of a young cat blogger telling about a day in the life of an awesome and very famous cat behaviorist.   Please be sure to tune into Animal Planet's My Cat From Hell airing on Saturday January 7 at 8 p.m. est.  

Posted with permission from Rachel Shubin of Sandpipercat.blogspot.com:

Sometimes I forget that I’m only eighteen. I do some pretty overzealous things for an eighteen-year-old. I started my own personal blog, wrote two articles for a newspaper in Cape May, NJ, attended BlogPaws by myself, started a blog for the Fairfax Patch online newspaper, and traveled to New York alone to attend the CWA conference. But that’s not what I’m here to tell you about.

 

Image from Jackson Galaxy.

 

 Today’s post I am here to share an intriguing man’s story. This man is the humbleJackson Galaxy of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell. I never dreamed that I would be waiting at the kitchen table, laptop ready to go and cup of water near-by, to interview a Hollywood television star.  As soon as the phone rang, I was eager to answer and begin the interview. Of course, the moment I answered, the phone died.

About ten minutes later…I was on the phone with Jackson Galaxy.

Rachel: What’s the best piece you ever got about your job?

Jackson:” It is funny because I didn’t have any role models really, it’s not like we have a community, you know what I mean? I was kind of working in a vacuum.”

He paused here to chuckle and tells me that this was an interesting question.

 “You know what’s interesting is the best piece of advice I’ve ever gotten about being a cat behaviorist I got about acting from an acting teacher. He said, ‘Don’t even think that you know people. Remember to be a student of the given conditions.’”

Jackson continues to tell me that thinking we know cats, is a trap we can fall into.

“To think that we know them all and that all cats will do this when this happens, that falls under the categories that you don’t know cats. They will surprise you, humble you and shock you,” Jackson said.

This part of our conversation struck me. It really is true, we assume all cats will act a certain way in a situation and they might do a complete 180 degree opposite.

Rachel: You worked at the Humane Society of Bolder Valley, Colorado for years before starting your business. What kind of behavior did you see in the shelter animals that motivated you to start your own business?

Jackson: “[With] a cat in the shelter environment, you’re stripping them of everything that makes them a cat. Territory - they mark a little chunk of the world and that’s gone the next morning. There is no environmental enrichment in cages. You are trying to keep them from going crazy. And get them adopted.

Sully went from cowering in his litter box, to out on his new cat perch. Image from Valerie Allen.

The behavior I was fighting was fear, shut down and sort of being. The thing is that it was a terrible irony, people wanting to see them act like cats and in this environment no one was getting to see them act like cats.”

I completely agree with Jackson on this point. Being a volunteer for a rescue, if a cat is cowering in their litter box at the back of the cage, they’re completely less likely to get adopted than a cute kitten playing with a toy. I mentioned this to Jackson and he said that it was exactly his point.

“My work in the trenches was very much about the necessity being the mother of the invention. That informs the work I do today. I bristle at the thought of getting a cat to pee in the toilet; I want to keep to their nature,” he said.

Rachel: On your show, you seem to deal with people’s interactions with cats, and retrain the people more than the cats. Have you ever dealt with situations where the people weren’t the problem but it was cat versus cat?

Jackson: “I use positive association and reintroduce them together to get the cats back on the same page, if they ever were in the first place. And then it’s about getting them to recognize each other’s play language, communication language.”

My point in asking this question was to help me better understand the issue my cats Brooke and Sabrina have getting along.

“Cats don’t necessarily own the same communications skills. Dogs for the most part have the very set part of their nature are to have the playtime and bear teeth. But cats because they have such a small window of socialization by the time they’re 9 weeks old they have learned all their cues. It’s basically teaching two beings from another county to teach each other their language and do it peacefully.

Rachel: What is your typical work day? How do you prepare for filming?

Jackson: “There is not a lot of preparing I do. I don’t like to go in with a set game plan. I go in with a general knowledge of the people and personalities of the cat I’m dealing with.  I like thinking on my feet [because] I get to think of new techniques and keep it really fresh and not do something out of habit.

Once I’m on set or in the house I couldn’t even tell you what happens for the next 10-11 hours. I am just moving. I try not to get too buried in the process, but also get cats to come out and demonstrate something in the presence in front of people, which is not easy! It is less preparation and more thinking on your feet.

When Jackson is not filming he does one to two private consults a day – one in person and one by Skype.

“Over the past year and a half if I’m not doing [consults], I’m working on the book which finally is pretty much done and other than that I try to find time to spend time with my own cats and dog.”

Rachel: That’s right! You have a book coming out May 10, Cat Daddy: My Life with the Original cat from Hell (pre-order on Amazon here). What was the motivating factor to write this book?

Jackson: “Basically the cat in the book, Benny was dying and our time together was ending. I was just struck by how his presence in my life guided my knowledge about cats and the work I do with them and the techniques I have worked on and the theories that I have used.

And in our time together he also was there to witness and help turn me around. I just told him at that point that I just wanted to honor him and would write about him. It’s our story about our life together and how the techniques became shaped by my life with him. It’s a memoir but there are a bunch of tips and how to’s with things inspired by him.”

For those who have not seen My Cat From Hell, Jackson carries all of his cat consult equipment in his guitar case, in lieu of a guitar (though he is a musician!)

 

Image from Animal Planet.

 

Rachel: Besides cats, your other hobby is music. Tell me about that.

Jackson: “Well I have been a songwriter, singer guitar player since I was ten or eleven and it is funny because until animals became a dominant form in my life, it was the only thing I was really good at. You either get me talking about music or animals for pretty much six or seven hours straight, I won’t stop. As time has gone on, because of my love of art and animals it has expanded my ability as more of a spiritual being and experience life in a much deeper way.

When you learn how to do something at a young age you learn how to express yourself in one way, it becomes a part of your fabric.  It’s definitely my other passion and I’m excited to get back to it, the show has put my music on hold for a bit. “

I told Jackson that I completely agree, writing is my passion and it truly is the best way for me to express myself.

Our interview nearing the close, I asked one of my last questions about the Spirit Essences that Jackson promotes using. We personally use Bully Remedy, Obsessionand Peace Maker.

Rachel:  You are the owner and president of Spirit Essences; can you explain how they work?

Jackson: “No!” he told me. We both chuckled for a few minutes before he finished his answer.

 

Image from Jackson Galaxy.

 

“Flower essences are a 100 year old modality. Basically the woo-wooey version is from the box rescue remedy and remedies like that.  There are 38 different types of flowers that have an energetic figure. It’s a gentle modality. [It’s the] opposite of western meds which are the remedial of a sledge-hammer.

[Spirit Essences] are part of every consult I do. It gets people thinking in a different way. Everything is not solved with a pill or a shot. You have to work for results.”

Voila! The end! Jackson and I talked for a few minutes before saying good bye. His answers had blown me away. Jackson is so down to Earth and easy to talk to. I could tell how passionate he is about his work with cats.

If this interview isn’t indicative of Jackson’s amazing talents, tune in to My Cat From Hell on Animal Planet at 8 pm EST January 7, 2012!

 Visit Jackson Galaxy Cat Behaviorist Facebook Page here.

A True American Working Cat

I love cats and I love antiquing.  So to end the year, I’m blogging about someone who really loves his job. 

Meet Diode of Art’s Antique Alley in Bridgeville, Delaware.  During a December visit, Diode kindly answered questions for my Day in the life of an American Worker Survey.

Job description: 

Sleep under warm light, sleep curled up in basket near cash register, eat delicious treats, snuggle up to customers and give them kisses and hugs (really)! And, keep snakes away and catch that occasional mouse!

Are you a typical American worker? 

Yes, every antique store should have a friendly, in resident cat.

Does your place of work have a lunch room?

You bet, I have delicious food and I get treats all day (from my many fans and my employers).

Describe your typical work day:

Wake up, stretch, check out the breakfast buffet, patrol the rooms, jump up on the front counter for midmorning nap under lamp, jump higher up on the counter for late morning nap in basket – in-between, greet customers with kisses and hugs.  Lunch and repeat.

Best day on the job?

The day I walked into the store, was given a pat, some food and a place to warm up.  I was hired on the spot, what could be better than that?



Diode hard at work.  Photo courtesy of Rachel Shubin



Great Marketing Diode.  Photocourtesy of Rachel Shubin



Thanks Diode.  You are a great American working cat. 

Do you love your job?  Do you hate your job?  Do you do the same thing every day?  Is every day another adventure for you? 



Please consider contacting me to fill out my A Day in the Life of an American Worker Survey.  You too, can be featured in Helitzer Blouse Girl next year. 

Thank you for reading my blog.  I’d love to hear from some of you who I don’t know (I see views of my blog from all over the world), so please feel free to send me an email – lostcatjulie@gmail.com or Julie.shubin@cox.net.  I’d love to hear how you came upon my blog.  Comments and suggestions are always appreciated.

Happy New Year – may it be a happy, healthy, safe, and filled with employment.

Thanks again for your support.

Warm regards,

Julie Helitzer Shubin

Thankful

Ok, so I'm a month late with this post.   November is the month during which we think about the things in our life that make us thankful.  I'm sure as many of you celebrated Thanksgiving, you thought about the things in your life that make you thankful. 

On a day to day basis, you might not love your job.  You might not even like your job.  And, unfortunately, many people might even say that they hate their job.  On Thanksgiving, for those of us who have jobs, we remember to be thankful.  Jobs help provide for all the delicious food on the Thanksgiving table.  Considering the the state of our economy and the current high unemployment rate, if you have a job, you most likely feel  fortunate, even if you're not crazy about what you are doing. 

I'm particularly thankful this November regarding the job front.  Shortly before I left for my trip to Paris (more on that in an upcoming blog and one of the main reasons why I am behind on my blog writing), I received a telephone call from the Civil Service Commission ("CSC" -- if you've read my prior posts, you'll know that I worked as a hearing officer for about ten years).

The CSC needed a hearing officer for an upcoming case and they called me.  What a pleasant surprise!  So this week, I found my self back at the CSC office, handling a conference call, and feeling so comfortable doing that type of work again.  I'm really looking forward to the hearing.  I'm so thankful to have this new opportunity.

Not only made in American, made in Virginia!

It always feels good to buy products that are made in America.  Yesterday, I got a really nice surprise.  My grandparents had a beautiful tiger maple wood bedroom set.  Unfortunately, the head board was made for a full bed.  My husband and I both love antique furniture and we really wanted to use this heirloom furniture for our bedroom.  After doing some research, my husband figured out that you can buy converter kits to adapt a full head board for use with a queen mattress.  He ordered the kit and I hired a contractor to assemble the kit(too complicated for us to handle). 

Good thing I hired a contractor.  The conversion kit was not what was expected and the contractor had to do some major brainstorming to get it to work.  Sleepys delivered the new mattress and box spring in the early part of the quoted time frame (nice surprise). 

Much to our surprise, when we pulled off the mattress tags (yes, the consumer is allowed to remove the tags), my husband noticed that the tag said -- designed and built in the USA.  And, to our greater surprise Simmons manufactures the mattresses in Fredericksburg, VA.  So not only was our mattress USA made, it was made locally! 

The tag also indicated that the mattress was manufactured on 10/07/11.  I don't know anything about mattress manufacturing, but that seems like a really quick turn-a-round, which I guess is possible when there is a local manufacturer.

A little labor economics

Women provide an important part of the American work force.  While studying American labor and labor economics at Cornell University’s School of Industrial Labor Relations, I wrote one of my first major research papers on the disparity of pay between men and women. 

Today, while watching the Today Show, I enjoyed hearing New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand speak about the importance of women in the American labor force.  She referred to the famous Rosie the Riveter campaign, encouraging women to join the work force during WWII. 

Senator Gillibrand sees the need for women to take vital roles in today’s workforce, especially in politics.  She noted that she is one of few women, 17 female senators, in today’s United States Senate.  She mentioned that she and her female colleagues work well together, even when they are on different ends of the political spectrum. 

When I wrote my labor economics paper in 1983, I focused on professional women – lawyers and doctors, concluding that female professionals did not earn comparable salaries to men.  Unfortunately, 28 years later, American women in the work force, still do not command equal pay as their male co-workers.

When I went on college visits with my daughter this summer, I noticed that the college statistics show that most colleges have a majority of female students.  I wonder, what it will take to equalize the pay of American male and female workers.  

I will continue to explore this topic in future blog posts.  I hope that you will provide me with your insight and comments on this important topic.  I don't think Rachel will be studying labor economics in college, but it is unfortunate to think that she would reach similar conclusions about workplace pay disparity as I did in 1983.

Interviews for a day in the life of an American worker or small business owner

I'm preparing for my next blog segment -- a day in the life of an American worker or small business owner.  I will be interviewing people about their jobs or business.  Please let me know if you would like to participate.  I'm interested in all jobs -- full or part time, fun or boring, union or non-union, typical or not, any professions or type of work.

Please contact me via comment, facebook or email:  lostcatjulie@gmail.com!