Article: Obscured American: Manon the Aspiring School Counselor

Coming to a bar is inherently a social thing. It's a legitimate way to socialize, especially if you're working, and you don't have an outlet anywhere else. It's totally fair to come into a bar and become a regular and meet people.

It really challenges me to remember names and remember specifics about people. It's a great exercise, especially for a counselor.

Eight years ago, I went into Ray's, had a couple beers. I became somewhat regular, but I didn't go in there again for a couple of years. When I came back, Pauli was like, "Hey, I haven't seen you in a while! Do you want this beer, the same beer? Do you want a lager?" I was so impressed, like I can't believe you remember what I drink. What with all these people. You've seen how crazy that place is. I've always admired that about bartenders. After I started bartending, I realized how much you absorb from everybody, and how you have to be aware of everything that's going on. You have to compartmentalize things about people.

I'm getting by on the money I saved from my student loans. I owe probably 50 grand, yeah. Holy Family was a pretty reasonably priced program. I haven't started paying it back yet. I don't know how much it will be a month. I try not to think about that.

People are having a lot of difficulties, and people my age are having a lot of difficulties. Even for myself, looking for a job five years ago as opposed to looking for a job now, it was a lot easier. By going back to school, I took myself out of the job market at the wrong time.

Since graduating three months ago, I've sent out maybe 70 applications altogether for a job as a school counselor.

I don't think we're in good shape. The job market sucks. The economy sucks. As far as reproductive rights, there are all these subversive laws that are trying to get passed that will put up more barriers to abortion services. There is so much discord between people, and it's being illuminated with the election, between Trump supporters and Bernie and Hillary supporters. I compliment Trump for bringing all of these people out of the woodworks, for exposing all of these horrendously bigoted people, but I don't know what anybody intends to do about that, or how to address basic issues like health care, education and immigration.

I would welcome people for citizenship, for those who are already here and those who want to enter the country. I don't think it would be an issue except there aren't enough good jobs available. Personally, I don't see what the issue would be to just allow people into the country, whether they are refugees or not. I guess outsourcing is a problem. If we can get more jobs back into the States, that might be a solution. Economics is not an area of expertise of mine, so I don't want to talk too much about that.

I believe in an open border, so that anyone who applies can go in, and even those who enter illegally, I don't have a problem with that either. There'd have to be some rationale for them to want to come here undocumented. Whatever that's going on in whatever country, there has to be some incentive for them to come here, instead of staying there.

I have my own issue with Bernie Sanders supporters, as in the paternalism, as in, Oh no, he knows what's best for you. Growing up in the punk scene around these guys, you know, these white guys, they have the answers. It's frustrating to be a woman. The buzz word is mansplaining. I mean, I've found it here too, in the Friendly Lounge. You find it everywhere.

Bernie Sanders, I like his policies. I really think it's ideal. I think people do have a right to healthcare, that people have a right to education.

All of my friends are Bernie supporters. My dad supports Bernie, while my mom backs Hillary. My dad is more left than my mom. He started me on thinking about reproductive rights.

Hillary Clinton, I don't support her. I'm sure you've seen videos of how she interacted with people demonstrating at her rallies. It's like so outrageously dismissive. I don't understand" Actually, it makes perfect sense, that if you're a career politician, you don't know how to interact with an average person who comes to confront you.

I'm having a harder time with Democrats, but I'd never support a Republican! I cannot vote for someone who doesn't respect my reproductive rights.

Hillary's so disingenuous. She's just sorta riding the coattails of Bernie Sanders' messaging. I don't think she's committed to the kind of progress she's espousing at the podium.

I'm learning more about hers and Bill Clinton's policies in the 90's, as far as mass incarceration, and how their programs disproportionately affected low-income black Americans. It's upsetting to learn about that.

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