Water Breaks, Fights and Porno

There is nothing like waking up at 3:30 am to a soggy floor…which I did yesterday.  Apparently the “leak” we thought we had from the rain a few weeks ago is anything but a leak.  My bathroom floor was covered in water (two buckets to be precise) and my shower drain had been blown off and the entire shower looked like a hurricane hit it (complete with two inches of water).  There was so much water it poured out into my bedroom and soaked into the carpet all across the boarding wall and into my closet.  I was able to get half a bucket of water out of the carpet before my hands hurt from ringing towels out.

An hour later I crawled back into bed and finally fell asleep about half an hour later (after I texted pictures to my parents).  At 6:30 am my mom comes into my room (I couldn’t hear her knock because I had my sound machine on and fans trying to dry the floor).  She hear the rain sound my machine was playing and thought the shower was exploding again, so she rushed in and awoke me (not a bad thing since my alarm was about to go off anyway).  She agreed – not a leak. 

In considering it, I thought perhaps it had to do with when I did my laundry.  But further reflection, Mom, the last time this happened I had not yet done laundry.  And it happened on a Thursday (I remember, Mom, because David came to visit on the Friday after and we had to set up the fans…I knew it would come to me).  So, perhaps it does have to do with the irrigation? 

Anyway, after a shower and a Bible study (no Insanity today because my sister was out celebrating her birthday with her husband) I began the long day’s journey of a job hunt.  Oh, I can’t wait till this over!  I applied to a few more places. As I was just about to reach my limit, I got a call from my mini-me!

Some of you know I competed in the Miss California State Competitions for a few years.  I was 1^st Runner Up in 2008 (I was really proud of that because my kid brother was the California State Ambassador the same year!)  Anyway, the competition is held at the end of July every year and this year they need more chaperons.  This group of people are some of the sweetest and most supportive people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.  It is because of their work with me that I am now great at interviews and public speaking. 

In the process of competing, one of the teen candidates every year was Andrea (a very talented and bright young girl).  We hit it off and now she is my mini-me.  She works for Youth Focus, Inc. (the non-profit that runs the scholarship competition).  She asked me if I could be a chaperon for one of the Miss contestants.  Now, when I was there the rule was no once could chaperon if they were under the age of 35.  So, I inquired about this.  I was told the top guy of the organization asked specifically if I could (so that is a compliment in and of itself), but she followed it up by saying, “And you have a kind of maturity that is both ageless and timeless.”  I would have done it because Mr. S asked, but flattery was the icing on the cake.  So, the end of July I will be working with the competition for a week. 

Done fall, one of the judges I have been particularly good at avoiding.  You see, I got into these competitions because my ex-fiancé was in them.  He is now a judge who I really don’t want to see.  But, at least I can say I am in the best shape of my life and have a great boyfriend and a plan to head to D.C. but the end of the year!  That will be great to have out there.  And Robert says if he tries anything he will fly out here and put him in his place (comforting and totally unnecessary but makes me smile anyway).   

I got an e-mail in the midst of all this to edit a couple children’s books.  Thank God for small jobs!  It wasn’t much, but the check will be nice when I receive it.  It did require me digging out some old editing books.  You see, when I moved in I purposely did not unpack my numerous books.  They are hard to pack up and put away (they are my friends and always there when I need them…yes, I know I sound like a loner geek…and maybe I am a little). But as I searched for these books, I came across a couple more fun books and I just had to pull them out to read.  But, once I found the ones I needed I got straight to those books and finished them.  I got the best e-mail in response to my work: “You’re the best!  Once again you KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK!”  There is nothing like an accolade like that to make your heart smile.  If you know anyone who wants something edited – you know who to refer!

I then had the pleasure of enjoying a salad and a long walk through the orchards (you have to get some movement in you when you live way out here you have to force yourself sometimes) with my mom.  She got me this “just because” gift (I like those the best).  It was as necklace with three charms: an Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Trioumph, and a camera – perfect for me.  We enjoyed some conversation about our neighbors and the town and then back to work. 

I was then lucky enough to get a phone call from Robert.  We caught up and I succeeded in irking him.  I guess you could say it was our first fight.  I used the wrong word in trying to communicate that I want him to meet and like my friends and family.  He thought I meant they were going to judge him (which my friends don’t do; I only hang out with amazing people).  It put him on defense and me on defense trying to defend them when they hadn’t even done anything.  That is why dating through technology is hard – it makes it significantly harder to communicate.  We cleared everything up and I headed to a Restoration Railroad meeting.

Restoration Railroad is the non-profit I am checking out that is anti- human trafficking.  I was hoping to get a feel of the organization but it was a night where they had a special speaker.  The topic – pornography is human trafficking.  There were three speakers: two (a man and woman) who are pornography addicts and a man who used to very successfully produce pornography in Chico. 

It was a great topic.  There was a lot of discussion of supply and demand – if there was not a demand there would not be a supply.  Apparently 90% of men and 70% of women admit to a pornography addiction in blind studies.  But more interesting to me, 80% of clientele are Christians with peak viewing hours being right after Sunday service.  These are all interesting and sad facts.

But, I have a hard time saying a college girl who signs a contract to get paid for services rendered is trafficked.    He did not convince of that, just gave more reasons to hate the industry.  You see I don’t watch porn; I don’t like what it does or the effects of it.  But I have dated people who are addicted to it.  Not my favorite thing in the world. 

But, to me (and understand I have studied this extensively for years) human trafficking is defined as a human (usually a child) that has been recruited, transported, transferred, harbored, or received for the purpose of exploitation.  This can be through forced labor (working in brick kilns to sweat shops and domestic slaves to child soldiers) or in the sex industry including commercial sex, brothels, strip clubs and escort and massage services (this is according to UNICEF).   

Though I can understand why Donny Pauling can consider the porn industry human trafficking, I have a hard time agreeing.  The women and men he recruited (much like companies all over the world recruit) have not been coerced into signing the contract and are paid for services rendered.  Do I think the industry objectifies the participants?  Yes.  Do I think it ruins the lives of the models and those who demand the industry? Yes.  Do I think that side of it is human trafficking? No.  So, although the presentation was interesting, I was sad not to learn more about the actual problem of human trafficking (which happens in the area – check out the brothel that was closed down in January by the FBI in Live Oak).

I would love to hear any thoughts you have on the matter.  Perhaps I am not being liberal enough in my understanding of human trafficking.  If you are interested in learning more, however, I would highly recommend a great starting point: read the book Half the Sky.  Amazing eye opener!  And check out the FBI website on your area, I think you will be very surprised at what you find.