Blog 9: Response to Belkin's essay

In Lisa Belkin's essay she mentions two paths women can take while juggling a career and parenthood. The first one she mentions is that when a women has a child, she can rearrange her career and take on the responsibility of being a full time mother. The second one Lisa talks about is when a woman has a child, but decides to juggle the two and keep her job and continues to work for her company, this decision will forced her to place her child in a day care facility. When I was younger my mom was a single mom, working an OK job. My dad paid child support, so that help so much in meeting me and my siblings needs. She worked full time, she put us in day care for about a month and then took us out because we hated it! My aunt or one of my moms friends would pick us up from school and keep us until my mom would get off of work. She did what she had to do and it all worked out. I think my mom did the right thing listening to us and taking us out of daycare, she could have left us in their because it was easier than finding someone to watch us everyday after school. In my last blog assignment I budgeted how much money I would get in food stamps and daycare allotment. I had a 62$ co payment for daycare, a $485.00 food stamp allotment and WIC (nutrition Program) allotment that would take care of meals for me and my family. With the allotments I am given and my 2 oldest kids on a special meal plan at school, I feel like my kids will be getting very nutritious and appetizing meals at home.

BOLG 8!

Women’s Studies
Veronica Cantu
10-20-09


Since I am from Pryor, Oklahoma, the scenario will be based upon living and working in the city of Pryor, Mayes County, Oklahoma.


Income—
Monthly-- $1,048
Annual-- $12,576

The federal government offers a program, Section 8 Rental Assistance, to help individuals and families who are at or below 30 percent of the area median income. This annual amount for residents of Mayes County, Oklahoma, for a family of four is $14,600. Since the income for this scenario is more than $2,000 below the cutoff amount and the assistance is available, my plan includes a monthly budget using the available resources offered through our government programs.

Application was made at the Department of Human Services in Pryor, Oklahoma. Assistance was approved for the following amounts—

Monthly rental allotment for a 3 bedroom apartment-- $554.00
Monthly utility allotment-- $289.00
Monthly child care allotment—Oklahoma Department of Human Services will pay full-time childcare for the 1 year-old and before/ after school care for the 5 & 6 year-old children less a $62.00 monthly co-payment.
Monthly food stamp allotment-- $485.00
Monthly WIC (Women, Infants, and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program)—Vouchers for formula, cereal, juice, and baby food for 1year-old.
Total Monthly Allotments-- $1,328.00
Income + Allotments-- $2,376.00


Expenses—

Rent—Pryor Creek Apartments, 3 bedrooms/ 2 bath, 1100 square feet-- $675.00
Utilities—Average monthly cost—MUB (Municipal Utility Board) includes electricity, water, gas, sewer and trash-- $295.00. Pryor’s cost of living is 21% lower than the Oklahoma average.
Child care-- $62.00
Food-- $280.00
Clothing-- $275.00
Transportation—1998 Toyota Camry/ Vehicle was gift from parents—no payments. Daily cost to drive to/ from work (Orchid Product—Pryor Industrial District—5.2 miles) and to/ from Glenbrook Daycare Center (1 year-old, 5 and 6 year-olds ride bus from daycare to and from school)-- $2.75, monthly estimate for gas and liability insurance-- $122.50
Personal care items including toiletries, diapers, school supplies-- $325.00
Total Monthly Expenses-- $2034.50

Income/ Allotments-- $2,376.00
Less Expenses-- $2,034.50
Monthly Funds Available-- $ 343.50


















Pryor Creek Apartments 1706 S Elliott Street








Living room





1988 Toyota Camry

Blog 7

Middle Class Privilege:

1. If someone was to look at my outfit they would not notice any famous clothing labels or out outlandish jewelery.
2. I am a bargain shopper, it makes my day when my entire outfit cost me about 25bucks.
3. I feel like I hit the jackpot when I run into an awesome deal at Ross or TJMaxx.
4. My family spends our vacation, visiting other family members, instead of going on a week long cruise to Hawaii.
5. Don't be surprised if I am not driving a new 2010 Mustang GT
6. Friday night movie night is the best way to kick off a wonderful weekend.
7. Budgeting is something I have been taught to do all my life.
8.The first rack I go to in a store is the one that has a HUGE red sign on it that says CLEARANCE.
9. I go shopping for winter coats at the end of the winter season to get the coat I want for 75% off
10. Where we eat dinner if were going out is determined by the nightly special at our various local restaurants.

Blog 6

I can’t decide on whether this ad is trying to sale jeans or Eva Mendez. Calvin Klein’s “sexy Jean ads” are very popular in the media all over the world. This ad shows women, in order to be sexy they have to be thin and half naked. This ad is supposed to be advertising jeans to women, but the half naked Eva Mendez looks like their trying to sale them to men. Where does your eye go when u see this ad, on the jeans or her half naked body, hum.. The media is spending so much money on half naked ads and trying to get their point across, but their point gets lost in translation amongst all of the oil and nakedness.

Readings: I agree with what Bell Hooks said in chapters 5 and 6. I think having control over our own bodies is very important. She mentioned that improving the sex education in schools would dramatically reduce the number of unwanted pregnancy. She then talks about body image she says, "I often wonder if women will every stop judging themselves on how they look. I hope one day we will. We are all self conscious of how we look, who ever said that women are supposed to be perfect. Learning to love our body and feeling comfortable in our own skin is very important in gaining confidence and boosting self esteem.