50 years ago this week, 9 students integrated Little Rock, Arkansas's Central High School. As we celebrate this day and look back on the pain and suffering of the students and the town, I ask you, do you find that in your life, in your world that racism is not dead, too?
Racism is not dead in my world. I am reminded daily, in very close proximity to me that racism is a very prevalent force in society. There are many examples in my life and I will outline a few of them.
First, I have two large Hispanic families as neighbors, one on either side of my house. They have been excellent neighbors. I have no complaints about anything about them, but many in our neighborhood do. They don't like the large extended family that lives in the house. They feel it's wrong for so many people to live in one home. They don't like the fact that multiple adults in a home mean multiple cars for the home that are parked near the home. Never mind that the yards are clean, the people friendly and generous. They are different with different values and we Americans are too ignorant and lazy to understand that so we are automatically intolerant.
At work, I deal with racism from co-workers. I was astounded at a conversation that took place between a co-worker and a customer about how it's okay for black comics to mock other blacks and whites but white comics can't mock blacks. Could it be that it isn't funny for whites to mock blacks when they are using highly offensive derogatory language to do so? Could it be that most white people don't understand how hard it is for blacks in America to reach any measure of success? My husband is black and my co-worker knows this? I couldn't believe her callousness.
The principal at my sons' school, I believe, has racist tendencies. Our school has a very large minority population and very few minority teachers. I believe the principal doesn't know how to engage parents who aren't just like her and has stopped putting forth even the most minimal effort.
I want racism to die. It is wrong to judge people in a negative light because they are different from you. Yet I realize that I am perpetuating racism in my community when I let people act like my neighbors and co-workers and don't challenge them. I didn't tell my white neighbor who made derogatory remarks about our neighbors' cars that I think our neighbors are wonderful, generous people, with a son who has helped teach my somewhat shy son how to stand up for himself. I didn't turn to my co-worker and remind her of my husband's race and ask her to find something else to talk to our customers about. I have, rather weakly, challenged the principal to have a more diverse staff.
I must do more. We all must do more. In the words of Frederick Douglas, "Agitate, agitate, agitate." We can't be afraid to stir things up and cause people discomfort as we struggle to ensure that right is done everyday for everyone.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
How Did they Get so Smart?
I took my child to Kindergarten with a very smug feeling that this kid was on fire. He could read, write his name and phonetically write other words when so moved. He was doing simple math problems, addition and subtraction. I was certain that he had to be one of the smartest kids ever to enter Kindergarten. I was duped.
Friday, I was brought back into my son's classroom to see a project that he had worked on but couldn't bring home yet. It was a coloring sheet of Itsy Bitsy Spider with cotton webbing, & a plastic spider. The first part of the poem was printed on the page and the kids were to add "water spout" at the end. My son is left handed. He wrote the way he always writes. Some letters were upside down, but I could tell what it said. I was very pleased. Then I looked at the other kids' sheets and my mouth fell to the floor. These kids write like they are in 5th grade! I swear, each and every other sheet looked like the teacher had helped the kids. I asked my son if all his friends wrote the words themselves. He said yes. I asked his teacher the same question today and she confirmed that they had.
What gives? How in the world did these kids get so smart? I encouraged my son as a preschooler to try new things, but I never felt like I was pushing him. He did what he wanted to do. I would never have been allowed to drive him harder than he was willing to work. I'm sure most parents are this way. If a kid loves learning and asks for math worksheets, you print them. So how is it that we didn't get this 5 years ago? The kids in my youngest child's class are much more academically advanced than his brother's classmates were. Is it wrong to teach them and drive them, as many complain, when they are clearly capable of this level of achievement? How in the world did these kids get so smart?
Friday, I was brought back into my son's classroom to see a project that he had worked on but couldn't bring home yet. It was a coloring sheet of Itsy Bitsy Spider with cotton webbing, & a plastic spider. The first part of the poem was printed on the page and the kids were to add "water spout" at the end. My son is left handed. He wrote the way he always writes. Some letters were upside down, but I could tell what it said. I was very pleased. Then I looked at the other kids' sheets and my mouth fell to the floor. These kids write like they are in 5th grade! I swear, each and every other sheet looked like the teacher had helped the kids. I asked my son if all his friends wrote the words themselves. He said yes. I asked his teacher the same question today and she confirmed that they had.
What gives? How in the world did these kids get so smart? I encouraged my son as a preschooler to try new things, but I never felt like I was pushing him. He did what he wanted to do. I would never have been allowed to drive him harder than he was willing to work. I'm sure most parents are this way. If a kid loves learning and asks for math worksheets, you print them. So how is it that we didn't get this 5 years ago? The kids in my youngest child's class are much more academically advanced than his brother's classmates were. Is it wrong to teach them and drive them, as many complain, when they are clearly capable of this level of achievement? How in the world did these kids get so smart?
What's New?
Hello, my faithful readers. After an unscheduled break, I have returned to entertain and enlighten, depending upon your particular mood. Or annoy, I guess.
The children have adjusted to their little elementary school routines and we, the parents are learning the trials and tribulations of the new grades. I am adjusting to working, whether I like it or not. I was hoping to work fewer hours but that seems to be a fleeting dream. We are too short staffed for me to take too much extra time off. I am only getting to the gym once a week so I feel like a slug. I think once the emotional exhaustion of Kindergarten wears off, I will be able to drag one kid to the gym at least one evening.
I am noticing the beginning of some of the downsides of knowing your community, and being known, even a small amount in it. You get asked to do a lot of stuff. In one day at church, I was asked to help with World Communion Sunday, and help with the Christmas pageant, and perhaps, take over running it next year. Huh? All because I taught Vacation Bible School for a few days? Is there a place to reclaim my anonymity?
I also, with the help of a very rational man, came out as the voice of reason in the pellet gun incident. Many people were very angry, looking for the principal's head on a platter. I was angry, but I have tried myself and encouraged others to channel their anger into something constructive. I contacted the School Board and offered to help with the Civility Project as it is developed for the elementary schools, and have asked others to do the same. The past is behind us, but should never be ignored. We must learn from it so we can be better, and more responsible parents.
The children have adjusted to their little elementary school routines and we, the parents are learning the trials and tribulations of the new grades. I am adjusting to working, whether I like it or not. I was hoping to work fewer hours but that seems to be a fleeting dream. We are too short staffed for me to take too much extra time off. I am only getting to the gym once a week so I feel like a slug. I think once the emotional exhaustion of Kindergarten wears off, I will be able to drag one kid to the gym at least one evening.
I am noticing the beginning of some of the downsides of knowing your community, and being known, even a small amount in it. You get asked to do a lot of stuff. In one day at church, I was asked to help with World Communion Sunday, and help with the Christmas pageant, and perhaps, take over running it next year. Huh? All because I taught Vacation Bible School for a few days? Is there a place to reclaim my anonymity?
I also, with the help of a very rational man, came out as the voice of reason in the pellet gun incident. Many people were very angry, looking for the principal's head on a platter. I was angry, but I have tried myself and encouraged others to channel their anger into something constructive. I contacted the School Board and offered to help with the Civility Project as it is developed for the elementary schools, and have asked others to do the same. The past is behind us, but should never be ignored. We must learn from it so we can be better, and more responsible parents.
Friday, September 14, 2007
This Can't Be Happening
I made many sandwiches today for the masses and I was very tired when I went to get the kids at school, plus I had to pee very badly. I wanted to simply go home and sit for the first time in almost 7 hours but this relaxation was not meant to be. Here are some of the lovely events of my late afternoon.
1. My friend called to tell me that her daughter had a major fit over getting rid of toys she hasn't played with for years. The fit occurred after this poor child told her mother that no one at school was nice anymore.
2. My neighbor told me that a kid in his class who he plays soccer with is being mean to him and threatened to beat him up in the bathroom. Obviously this isn't going to happen, but it's still scary to a ten year old.
3. My five year old went to the health room for the second time in exactly a week because he scraped his knee at recess. I think he's going to be in the health room once a week for the next six years. He now has to say goodbye to the school nurse everyday.
4. Cello lessons were painful. Children were scolded by teachers in my own living room.
5. My ten year old told me that the bully in point #2 above told him to go to some website so he could see nude pictures of Vanessa Hudgens. Isn't it great when ten year olds tell each other how to access porn on the computer?
6. I made tilapia for dinner but there were only 3 pieces and there's none left for me and my husband to eat so I have to think of something else to make. I'm thinking cereal or PB&J sounds quite lovely right about now.
7. It's raining which can double travel time between my husband's office and home. It's almost 8:00 and he probably won't be home until close to 8:30.
I'm opening some wine now. I have to find a way to relax because for some stupid reason I invited my brother and his girlfriend over for dinner tomorrow for his birthday. My house is a huge mess and I will need a lot of energy to get my family behind a cleaning blitz in the morning.
Good Night!
1. My friend called to tell me that her daughter had a major fit over getting rid of toys she hasn't played with for years. The fit occurred after this poor child told her mother that no one at school was nice anymore.
2. My neighbor told me that a kid in his class who he plays soccer with is being mean to him and threatened to beat him up in the bathroom. Obviously this isn't going to happen, but it's still scary to a ten year old.
3. My five year old went to the health room for the second time in exactly a week because he scraped his knee at recess. I think he's going to be in the health room once a week for the next six years. He now has to say goodbye to the school nurse everyday.
4. Cello lessons were painful. Children were scolded by teachers in my own living room.
5. My ten year old told me that the bully in point #2 above told him to go to some website so he could see nude pictures of Vanessa Hudgens. Isn't it great when ten year olds tell each other how to access porn on the computer?
6. I made tilapia for dinner but there were only 3 pieces and there's none left for me and my husband to eat so I have to think of something else to make. I'm thinking cereal or PB&J sounds quite lovely right about now.
7. It's raining which can double travel time between my husband's office and home. It's almost 8:00 and he probably won't be home until close to 8:30.
I'm opening some wine now. I have to find a way to relax because for some stupid reason I invited my brother and his girlfriend over for dinner tomorrow for his birthday. My house is a huge mess and I will need a lot of energy to get my family behind a cleaning blitz in the morning.
Good Night!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
New Books
I have been reading another book by Carolly Erickson called "The Last Wife of Henry VIII." I've read a couple of her historical biographies but I think this is the first historical fiction of hers that I've read. It's about Catherine Parr's rise to power in the court of Henry the VIII. Because I'm basically lazy and prefer to be entertained as I am educated, I have grown to love historical fiction. I have become quite well versed on the players of Henry the VIII court through reading various authors accounts of it. I'm sure this latest book will not fail me.
And I am also reading a book by Richard J. Foster called "Freedom of Simplicity." I would never have picked this book on my own. I'm reading it with some women from my church. A friend of mine invited me to attend a Mom's club at our church that meets twice a month. I thought it was just a chance to get together with some women and have lunch. I had no idea I would have to read and study and facilitate discussions of spiritual disciplines. I fear I am over my head. But I am enjoying the book. I've read one chapter. I'm looking forward to the discussion on Tuesday. I plan on doing a lot of listening.
And I am also reading a book by Richard J. Foster called "Freedom of Simplicity." I would never have picked this book on my own. I'm reading it with some women from my church. A friend of mine invited me to attend a Mom's club at our church that meets twice a month. I thought it was just a chance to get together with some women and have lunch. I had no idea I would have to read and study and facilitate discussions of spiritual disciplines. I fear I am over my head. But I am enjoying the book. I've read one chapter. I'm looking forward to the discussion on Tuesday. I plan on doing a lot of listening.
Much Ado...
As is typical of the beginning of the school year, there is a lot of drama. There are papers, meetings, schedule changes, adjusting to new grades with new teachers and new expectations. But most of this "drama" is really quite mundane. It is truly the volume of things to do in such a short period of time that can overwhelm. But the events of the past few days in our neighborhood did truly overwhelm too many people.
On Friday, a child at my sons' school was suspended for bringing a pellet gun to school. Some 5th graders on the Safety Patrol saw the gun, immediately reported it to an adult and the situation was resolved very quickly and efficiently. This was very unsettling, especially because the school administration didn't feel it was necessary to send any communication home on Friday. We had to wonder if a bunch of ten year olds had just saved the school from becoming another story of school violence. Rumors were rampant. Calls to school went unanswered. Our neighborhood was left hanging, wondering whether it was truly safe to send our kids back to school on Monday. There was talk of a group of parents who were threatening to storm the school at 8:30 Monday morning and demand a meeting with the principal.
This didn't happen. Communication came home Monday, offering an explanation of what happened and how it was resolved. News accounts filled in a few blanks that the school didn't provide.
But still I wonder. Our principal, a woman with small children of her own, went home on Friday and left her school hanging. She had to know that kids would run home to tell their families about the incident. She had to know that those parents would call the school and demand an explanation. How could she simply leave this neighborhood for the weekend? If this incident had happened at her child's school, would she have accepted her own action? I don't want to oversimplify a complex situation. I am not a school administrator and I don't pretend to know all the rules and regulations by which schools must be run. Perhaps some school board approval process prohibited the principal from providing prompt communication. I doubt it. I do think the principal may have acted differently if she were the type of person who knew how to treat all people.
Why don't people like our principal try harder to treat ALL others the way they would like to be treated? We weigh the influence and response of authority figures and people we may want to impress as we consider what to do in our lives. But too often we ignore the concerns of people we consider less well to do, less educated, or lower in our job hierarchy. What if we simply put some thought into how we would want to be treated were the situation reversed? Our world might be a little more pleasant.
Maybe our principal learned a lesson from all of this. I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. I just hope she doesn't disappoint me again.
On Friday, a child at my sons' school was suspended for bringing a pellet gun to school. Some 5th graders on the Safety Patrol saw the gun, immediately reported it to an adult and the situation was resolved very quickly and efficiently. This was very unsettling, especially because the school administration didn't feel it was necessary to send any communication home on Friday. We had to wonder if a bunch of ten year olds had just saved the school from becoming another story of school violence. Rumors were rampant. Calls to school went unanswered. Our neighborhood was left hanging, wondering whether it was truly safe to send our kids back to school on Monday. There was talk of a group of parents who were threatening to storm the school at 8:30 Monday morning and demand a meeting with the principal.
This didn't happen. Communication came home Monday, offering an explanation of what happened and how it was resolved. News accounts filled in a few blanks that the school didn't provide.
But still I wonder. Our principal, a woman with small children of her own, went home on Friday and left her school hanging. She had to know that kids would run home to tell their families about the incident. She had to know that those parents would call the school and demand an explanation. How could she simply leave this neighborhood for the weekend? If this incident had happened at her child's school, would she have accepted her own action? I don't want to oversimplify a complex situation. I am not a school administrator and I don't pretend to know all the rules and regulations by which schools must be run. Perhaps some school board approval process prohibited the principal from providing prompt communication. I doubt it. I do think the principal may have acted differently if she were the type of person who knew how to treat all people.
Why don't people like our principal try harder to treat ALL others the way they would like to be treated? We weigh the influence and response of authority figures and people we may want to impress as we consider what to do in our lives. But too often we ignore the concerns of people we consider less well to do, less educated, or lower in our job hierarchy. What if we simply put some thought into how we would want to be treated were the situation reversed? Our world might be a little more pleasant.
Maybe our principal learned a lesson from all of this. I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. I just hope she doesn't disappoint me again.
Friday, September 7, 2007
More Dog Neuroses
I'm getting used to dog ownership bit by bit. I accept that the instant I steam clean the rugs, the dog, who hasn't had an accident for weeks, is going to take this opportunity to pee on my clean rug. I accept that the kids are going to chase the dog around the house in circles in an attempt to tire him out. I accept the baby gates I've installed to keep him out of the living room and dining room. Yet I still have problems with the poo.
If you recall, a few months ago, I discussed in this space the many aspects of dog walking that I have trouble with. I didn't like using plastic bags everyday to pick up poo. I did find biodegradable bags at Target, so this worry is gone. I have yet to be chased away by a neighbor who didn't want my dog laying his waste in their yard. Yet, I still somewhat fear the neighbors. We live in a community of sidewalks. This means there is a lovely stretch of grass next to the street for the dog to doo in. So why does he insist on defiling the grass on the other side of the sidewalk? I have very pleasant neighbors so this fear of retaliation is really silly. Yet here I am, writing about it again.
Speaking of fear, I fear for some of the customers at our little bakery and the repercussions of their inconsiderate behavior. Yesterday, there was a really good one. Her missteps were constant. First she asked to taste a muffin before deciding if she could buy ONE. Her muffin purchase was a complete wash. It cost us the amount of money she spent on her muffin to make her pathetic sale. Then she was interested in the sandwich special. She wanted to taste the bread. She wanted to know how long we would have the special. She asked this question 3 different ways, as if she was trying to trick me into giving her the answer she wanted to hear. Finally, she relented and ordered the sandwich but not without one more stab at my patience. She had the nerve to ask me if it was going to take me long to make her sandwich. I gave her a deadpan stare for about 5 seconds and said no. (This was not intentional. I truly was horrified by this woman's gall.) Then I walked slowly back to the sandwich station and took longer than I have ever taken to slap chicken salad on a slice of bread. Don't mess with the bakery girls. It might get ugly.
Gentle readers, enjoy your day.
If you recall, a few months ago, I discussed in this space the many aspects of dog walking that I have trouble with. I didn't like using plastic bags everyday to pick up poo. I did find biodegradable bags at Target, so this worry is gone. I have yet to be chased away by a neighbor who didn't want my dog laying his waste in their yard. Yet, I still somewhat fear the neighbors. We live in a community of sidewalks. This means there is a lovely stretch of grass next to the street for the dog to doo in. So why does he insist on defiling the grass on the other side of the sidewalk? I have very pleasant neighbors so this fear of retaliation is really silly. Yet here I am, writing about it again.
Speaking of fear, I fear for some of the customers at our little bakery and the repercussions of their inconsiderate behavior. Yesterday, there was a really good one. Her missteps were constant. First she asked to taste a muffin before deciding if she could buy ONE. Her muffin purchase was a complete wash. It cost us the amount of money she spent on her muffin to make her pathetic sale. Then she was interested in the sandwich special. She wanted to taste the bread. She wanted to know how long we would have the special. She asked this question 3 different ways, as if she was trying to trick me into giving her the answer she wanted to hear. Finally, she relented and ordered the sandwich but not without one more stab at my patience. She had the nerve to ask me if it was going to take me long to make her sandwich. I gave her a deadpan stare for about 5 seconds and said no. (This was not intentional. I truly was horrified by this woman's gall.) Then I walked slowly back to the sandwich station and took longer than I have ever taken to slap chicken salad on a slice of bread. Don't mess with the bakery girls. It might get ugly.
Gentle readers, enjoy your day.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Finished
I finished "The Piano Tuner." I enjoyed the book. The descriptions of the Burman landscape were wonderful. I was impressed with the author's work in researching Burman history, and the art of piano tuning. I'll have to see if he's written anything else. The book ends very sadly. It turns out to be a story of misunderstanding. The piano tuner and the man for whom he is hired to work are accused of being spies. With a lack of modern communication and the remoteness of the jungle, there are many questions as to what the doctor is doing in his assignment. Ultimately, the very worst conclusion is drawn. I apologize for ruining the book for you. It's really worth reading though.
And in the News...
Good stuff in the news this morning. Senator Craig is thinking about rescinding his resignation. Mattel has recalled 800,000 more toys. A terrorist plot in Germany has been foiled and Halle Berry is pregnant.
I have to admit, I feel sorry for Senator Craig. He may not have been behaving in a very senatorial way, but he denied himself the right to stand up for himself and that made no sense to me. I'm glad he's hiring an attorney to look into reversing his plea and I'm also glad he's considering staying on in the Senate. I know nothing of this man's politics but I do know that he should have been more brave and stood up for himself. We only know snippets of what occurred in that restroom in June. I for one would rather this man had his day in court before judging him wrong.
Mattel, however is wrong. They have issued recalls for 800,000 more toys. This time it's more Barbies, some Fisher Price train toys and some bongo drums. Mattel apologizes for the inconvenience. I still think Bob Eckert should have to take all the calls from all the little boys and girls whose Mommies and Daddies took away their toys. Mattel has been fined more than $2 million dollars in recent years for failing to issue recalls quickly enough. There needs to be a Congressional investigation. (Note to self, contact Congressman Cummings.)
Another terror plot has been foiled. This appeared to be quite the non-issue in the press today. I think Senator Craig's story led off the news on Good Morning America. Do we not care about terrorism anymore or is it that most Americans recognize that all these terrorists who are being arrested are amateurs who lack the technical skills and the funding to be as big a threat as the September 11th hijackers? I don't know. But I'm not losing sleep over terrorism anymore.
And Halle Berry is pregnant. Now that's just nice. Welcome to the fold of motherhood, Halle. Your baby may not be here yet, but as you find yourself eating better for your baby, not putting a knife in the toaster to dig out your stuck English muffin, and not jay-walking, you will understand that motherhood started the moment you saw the positive result on your EPT test. There may be a question as to when life begins, but there is no question about the beginning of motherhood. I wish you well.
That's all from me today, gentle readers. Enjoy your day.
I have to admit, I feel sorry for Senator Craig. He may not have been behaving in a very senatorial way, but he denied himself the right to stand up for himself and that made no sense to me. I'm glad he's hiring an attorney to look into reversing his plea and I'm also glad he's considering staying on in the Senate. I know nothing of this man's politics but I do know that he should have been more brave and stood up for himself. We only know snippets of what occurred in that restroom in June. I for one would rather this man had his day in court before judging him wrong.
Mattel, however is wrong. They have issued recalls for 800,000 more toys. This time it's more Barbies, some Fisher Price train toys and some bongo drums. Mattel apologizes for the inconvenience. I still think Bob Eckert should have to take all the calls from all the little boys and girls whose Mommies and Daddies took away their toys. Mattel has been fined more than $2 million dollars in recent years for failing to issue recalls quickly enough. There needs to be a Congressional investigation. (Note to self, contact Congressman Cummings.)
Another terror plot has been foiled. This appeared to be quite the non-issue in the press today. I think Senator Craig's story led off the news on Good Morning America. Do we not care about terrorism anymore or is it that most Americans recognize that all these terrorists who are being arrested are amateurs who lack the technical skills and the funding to be as big a threat as the September 11th hijackers? I don't know. But I'm not losing sleep over terrorism anymore.
And Halle Berry is pregnant. Now that's just nice. Welcome to the fold of motherhood, Halle. Your baby may not be here yet, but as you find yourself eating better for your baby, not putting a knife in the toaster to dig out your stuck English muffin, and not jay-walking, you will understand that motherhood started the moment you saw the positive result on your EPT test. There may be a question as to when life begins, but there is no question about the beginning of motherhood. I wish you well.
That's all from me today, gentle readers. Enjoy your day.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Conflicting Information
I get a few magazines each month. One is Self. If you aren't familiar with Self, it's a health and fitness magazine for women. I enjoy the little tear out page of exercises. I carry a plastic sleeve in my workout bag and keep several of these pages in it so I can have a wide variety of exercises to try.
This month's copy was very striking to me because of the positioning of an ad next to a regular feature, and how the two carried widely conflicting information. The ad was for Vagisil and it offered some tips on tuning out the world and relaxing. One was to cut back on caffeine. Not bad advice. Too much caffeine can make anyone jittery and agitated. Turn the page in the magazine and you get an article on how to stop headaches and what do they advise; have something with caffeine. Huh??? Were the editors paying attention to the position of these two items? It made me wonder what the average person is supposed to do about all the conflicting information we receive each week in the media about our health.
Look at calcium. We know calcium is important for strong bones. We know Caucasian and Asian women, particularly with small bones, should make sure they have enough calcium in their diets to prevent osteoporosis. But how to take it is very fuzzy. Some say a supplement in the form of a pill is fine. Some say it's best to take it as it occurs naturally like in dairy products. Some say take it with vitamin D to aid absorption. I found an article on the NIH website (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium.asp) that contains a ton of information about calcium and boy has the information we've received from the media been over simplified! For example, calcium is present in many non-dairy foods, but did you know that the body doesn't absorb that calcium as well because there are other substances in some of those foods that prevent absorption? Did you also know that the amount of protein and fiber in a food can affect the absorption and excretion of calcium? Of course, the point that calcium is important for bone health is the main thing we should all understand, but as with a lot of health and wellness related news, there is a lot more to what we are told. We should all be sure to get complete information about these topics and not take everything at face value.
It's looking to be a pretty quiet day here in sunny Columbia. We have one birthday party and a trip to the store to stock up on fruits and vegetables. Possibly a trip to the gym will be included. I'm happy it's getting cooler out because fall and winter meals ideas are easier to come up with. So until we meet again, my friends, have a lovely day.
This month's copy was very striking to me because of the positioning of an ad next to a regular feature, and how the two carried widely conflicting information. The ad was for Vagisil and it offered some tips on tuning out the world and relaxing. One was to cut back on caffeine. Not bad advice. Too much caffeine can make anyone jittery and agitated. Turn the page in the magazine and you get an article on how to stop headaches and what do they advise; have something with caffeine. Huh??? Were the editors paying attention to the position of these two items? It made me wonder what the average person is supposed to do about all the conflicting information we receive each week in the media about our health.
Look at calcium. We know calcium is important for strong bones. We know Caucasian and Asian women, particularly with small bones, should make sure they have enough calcium in their diets to prevent osteoporosis. But how to take it is very fuzzy. Some say a supplement in the form of a pill is fine. Some say it's best to take it as it occurs naturally like in dairy products. Some say take it with vitamin D to aid absorption. I found an article on the NIH website (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium.asp) that contains a ton of information about calcium and boy has the information we've received from the media been over simplified! For example, calcium is present in many non-dairy foods, but did you know that the body doesn't absorb that calcium as well because there are other substances in some of those foods that prevent absorption? Did you also know that the amount of protein and fiber in a food can affect the absorption and excretion of calcium? Of course, the point that calcium is important for bone health is the main thing we should all understand, but as with a lot of health and wellness related news, there is a lot more to what we are told. We should all be sure to get complete information about these topics and not take everything at face value.
It's looking to be a pretty quiet day here in sunny Columbia. We have one birthday party and a trip to the store to stock up on fruits and vegetables. Possibly a trip to the gym will be included. I'm happy it's getting cooler out because fall and winter meals ideas are easier to come up with. So until we meet again, my friends, have a lovely day.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Panicked No More
I am back to my regular schedule at my part time bakery job. I am very fortunate to have this bakery in my universe.
The day I found out my job was being eliminated, I went into the bakery and got some soup for lunch. I had become acquainted with the owners through my PTA duties. When I was asked if I needed anything else before I left, I sarcastically said, "Yeah. A job." I was immediately offered a job at the bakery. After discussing this idea with my husband, we decided I should do it. Working part time would be a great thing for our family. It would get me out of the house, give me more time with the boys, more time for stuff around the house, more time for the gym. It was a win-win situation.
If I had no idea how lucky I would be. I have made some of the best friends of my life at the bakery. I go to work in a place where I am treated with love and respect. I am helping a business that gives a ton back to the community, thrive in my community. Leaving the bakery for summer was difficult. I was nervous about spending so much time with the kids and little time with adults. I was concerned about the loss of income, meager though it was. It paid a good number of bills in our house and helped keep my piggy boys fed.
And we made it. I am panicked no more. I see my friends. I am home for my kids at the end of the school day, which is important for me. I have my tiny income back. Life is good.
One word of advice to anyone who may come into our little bakery. Kindly say please and thank you to us. We may be lowly bakery wenches, not because we are incapable of doing anything grander, but because this is what we choose to do. Please be respectful of our choice.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Gentle readers, have you missed me? As you are no doubt aware, yesterday was the first day of school in Howard County, Maryland. Both my angels are in school so we are adjusting to a completely new routine in our home. So far all is well. Here are a few highlights.
Our 5 year old wasn't impressed with Kindergarten. We thought he would be over the top with excitement to finally get to attend school with his brother. He had serious jitters Sunday night and thought he was going to throw up. Monday morning, he barely ate any breakfast and we had to bribe him with a video game to get him to wear the shirt I wanted him to wear. He had the following to say about his first day.
Our 5 year old wasn't impressed with Kindergarten. We thought he would be over the top with excitement to finally get to attend school with his brother. He had serious jitters Sunday night and thought he was going to throw up. Monday morning, he barely ate any breakfast and we had to bribe him with a video game to get him to wear the shirt I wanted him to wear. He had the following to say about his first day.
- "That stupid false alarm [fire drill] scared the crud out of me."
- "Circle Time is boring."
- "Quiet time was the best. At least I got to color a picture."
Our ten year old was much better in 5th grade. He likes his teacher, his class. he's on the safety patrol so he thinks he's the big cheese. A vast improvement over the beginning of 4th grade when he was terrified of his teacher. All in all, we did pretty well. Both kids got up and went to school again today.
My friends were so amazing to me. I went to coffee with two friends in the morning and walked around Old Ellicott City looking at antiques. I was home for maybe 30 minutes, wandering the house, feeling down when the phone rang. It was another friend asking me to have lunch. I was gone from 12:45 until 3:00. I was so busy I didn't have any time to worry about anything. I have the greatest friends in the world.
Have a great evening.
Friday, August 24, 2007
One Day; Two Opinions
Monday is the first day of school for our kids. One will be in 5th grade and the other will be in Kindergarten. As is to be expected, our youngest is elated at the prospect of attending school. We went to the Open House today and he met his teacher, navigated his way through all the areas of the classroom, played with other kids, got hugged by some little girl and generally had a rocking good time.
I do not look forward to Monday. My baby is starting his departure from my nest. This is not really okay with me. I like having a little kid around who comes up and kisses my hand for no apparent reason. Now that he's the BMOC on the Kindergarten campus, I am left with a fluffy little dog who occasionally eats his own poo. Monday, I'll cry at my friend's house with at least one other woman who is sending her baby to Kindergarten and a bunch of other women who have done this all before. I'm sure I am not alone in my opinion of the first day of school, but somehow I feel like no one gets me right now.
Motherhood is brutal sometimes.
I do not look forward to Monday. My baby is starting his departure from my nest. This is not really okay with me. I like having a little kid around who comes up and kisses my hand for no apparent reason. Now that he's the BMOC on the Kindergarten campus, I am left with a fluffy little dog who occasionally eats his own poo. Monday, I'll cry at my friend's house with at least one other woman who is sending her baby to Kindergarten and a bunch of other women who have done this all before. I'm sure I am not alone in my opinion of the first day of school, but somehow I feel like no one gets me right now.
Motherhood is brutal sometimes.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Escape
Not much excitement in the blogosphere today. The boys have a dentist appointment this morning which they both appear to be dreading with every fiber of their beings. It's drizzling again this morning, but there is some hope for sun this afternoon. If the temperature breaks 80, we will go to the pool. Only 3 days left until the pool closes, and I want to get as much time in there as possible.
This rain has given us lots of time for movies and books. I did pick up "Emma," but found myself uninterested in Austen right now. I was able to find an interesting looking book at the library called "The Piano Tuner," by Daniel Mason. It's about a British piano tuner in the late 19th century who is commissioned by the Army to go to Burma to tune a piano belonging to an Army officer. It's an excellent read, so far. I've enjoyed the descriptions of the tuner's journey to Burma and look forward to reading more of his adventure in the jungle, and how his experience changes him and encourages his growth as a man.
I have few regrets about my life. I went to an excellent college. I have a beautiful home and the most loving family a woman could desire. I do wish that, as an adolescent, I had been less scared of failure. I gave up on things that got too hard, particularly when I was no longer going to be at the top of the game. This fear deprived me of trying new things. For example, I never studied abroad. How great it would have been to immerse myself in another culture, to learn a different language, establish life long friendships with people in other parts of the world. Instead, I stayed planted in the Midwest, doing nothing more exotic than eating at a Vietnamese restaurant adjacent to our campus.
Books like "The Piano Tuner" help me overcome these regrets. And there are always the children through whom I can live vicariously. My hope for my boys is that they will be more adventurous then their father and I were in our youth. Our oldest is quite a good cellist. I hope he has an opportunity to study with some cello master in Europe come day. Our youngest is very brave and outgoing. He has a remarkable interest in anatomy and the way our bodies work. He enjoys trying medical instruments when he visits the doctor, and we're lucky to have doctors who let him do this. I hope he ends up in a medical field and takes the opportunity to use his skills to help people around the world.
I can still travel abroad. Of course, it's not the same traveling as a 40 year old with 2 kids as it would have been as a 20 year old with no responsibility. The most important thing I can do is cling to my spirit of adventure and not settle into a mundane life.
This rain has given us lots of time for movies and books. I did pick up "Emma," but found myself uninterested in Austen right now. I was able to find an interesting looking book at the library called "The Piano Tuner," by Daniel Mason. It's about a British piano tuner in the late 19th century who is commissioned by the Army to go to Burma to tune a piano belonging to an Army officer. It's an excellent read, so far. I've enjoyed the descriptions of the tuner's journey to Burma and look forward to reading more of his adventure in the jungle, and how his experience changes him and encourages his growth as a man.
I have few regrets about my life. I went to an excellent college. I have a beautiful home and the most loving family a woman could desire. I do wish that, as an adolescent, I had been less scared of failure. I gave up on things that got too hard, particularly when I was no longer going to be at the top of the game. This fear deprived me of trying new things. For example, I never studied abroad. How great it would have been to immerse myself in another culture, to learn a different language, establish life long friendships with people in other parts of the world. Instead, I stayed planted in the Midwest, doing nothing more exotic than eating at a Vietnamese restaurant adjacent to our campus.
Books like "The Piano Tuner" help me overcome these regrets. And there are always the children through whom I can live vicariously. My hope for my boys is that they will be more adventurous then their father and I were in our youth. Our oldest is quite a good cellist. I hope he has an opportunity to study with some cello master in Europe come day. Our youngest is very brave and outgoing. He has a remarkable interest in anatomy and the way our bodies work. He enjoys trying medical instruments when he visits the doctor, and we're lucky to have doctors who let him do this. I hope he ends up in a medical field and takes the opportunity to use his skills to help people around the world.
I can still travel abroad. Of course, it's not the same traveling as a 40 year old with 2 kids as it would have been as a 20 year old with no responsibility. The most important thing I can do is cling to my spirit of adventure and not settle into a mundane life.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
It's another pre-autumn day in lovely suburban Maryland. I am enjoying a nice hot caramel spice latte (from my home espresso machine) while the boys watch classic cartoons on the Howard County cable channel. Later today, we will go pick play giant chess at the library. Then we'll go get eggs and milk and come home and bake something. This has the beginnings of a perfect day to be a mom.
I have done some excellent cooking and baking over the past week that I have neglected to share with you, my faithful reader. (Come on, I know there's really only one of you out there.) Last week, I made some pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. These were the biggest baking hit I've had in months. Generally, there is a first day surge of excitement around my baked goods. Then, the excitement dwindles until the treats develop a cushion of mold and get thrown away on day 4 or 5. The boys wanted them for breakfast and every snack until they were completely gone. I'd share my recipe but it wasn't mine. I googled pumpkin chocolate chip muffin and used one of the recipes that popped up. I can say that I did modify the spices. I doubled the amount the recipe indicated, and substituted all spice for the nutmeg and ginger, mostly because I had it and didn't have the others. Nothing warms my heart more than my cooking creations being devoured by my family.
My other cooking success was a pizza I made the other night for dinner. I took Trader Joe pizza dough, spread it with a mixture of pesto and cream cheese, added pancetta, tomatoes from my garden, and topped it with a blend of 4 cheeses. This was perhaps one of the finest pizzas I have ever eaten. And unlike other things that I make, it was actually attractive! I was very tempted to hide the leftovers from my husband so I could keep it all to myself. Alas, he took it to work for lunch and finished it. Major disappointment. I guess I'll have to make more today. This is okay because I have a pack of turkey pepperoni that needs to be used anyway.
I've been in a bit of a funk since our friend learned he had cancer. His diagnosis left me feeling like life is very uncertain. We have routines and patterns that we follow. We awaken at the same time. We have pretty much the same thing for breakfast. We do laundry and other housework on the same days. Our kids grow accustomed to this certainty. Then suddenly, without warning, everything can be in a massive tizzy. When I feel upended, I need to create my way back to normalcy. I've done this through various crafts, mainly quilting with a little knitting on the side, thanks to the invention of the Knifty Knitter. I also cook. These two projects have lifted my back to a better place.
My friend and his family are working their way back to a better place too. But please do keep them in your prayers.
I have done some excellent cooking and baking over the past week that I have neglected to share with you, my faithful reader. (Come on, I know there's really only one of you out there.) Last week, I made some pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. These were the biggest baking hit I've had in months. Generally, there is a first day surge of excitement around my baked goods. Then, the excitement dwindles until the treats develop a cushion of mold and get thrown away on day 4 or 5. The boys wanted them for breakfast and every snack until they were completely gone. I'd share my recipe but it wasn't mine. I googled pumpkin chocolate chip muffin and used one of the recipes that popped up. I can say that I did modify the spices. I doubled the amount the recipe indicated, and substituted all spice for the nutmeg and ginger, mostly because I had it and didn't have the others. Nothing warms my heart more than my cooking creations being devoured by my family.
My other cooking success was a pizza I made the other night for dinner. I took Trader Joe pizza dough, spread it with a mixture of pesto and cream cheese, added pancetta, tomatoes from my garden, and topped it with a blend of 4 cheeses. This was perhaps one of the finest pizzas I have ever eaten. And unlike other things that I make, it was actually attractive! I was very tempted to hide the leftovers from my husband so I could keep it all to myself. Alas, he took it to work for lunch and finished it. Major disappointment. I guess I'll have to make more today. This is okay because I have a pack of turkey pepperoni that needs to be used anyway.
I've been in a bit of a funk since our friend learned he had cancer. His diagnosis left me feeling like life is very uncertain. We have routines and patterns that we follow. We awaken at the same time. We have pretty much the same thing for breakfast. We do laundry and other housework on the same days. Our kids grow accustomed to this certainty. Then suddenly, without warning, everything can be in a massive tizzy. When I feel upended, I need to create my way back to normalcy. I've done this through various crafts, mainly quilting with a little knitting on the side, thanks to the invention of the Knifty Knitter. I also cook. These two projects have lifted my back to a better place.
My friend and his family are working their way back to a better place too. But please do keep them in your prayers.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Behold! The Sacrifice!
I have not spent much time discussing my workouts. I began working out about 3 years ago. I had gone to the doctor with some back pain. He kindly sent me to a physical therapist. My back pain was due in part to two things. One was being grossly out of shape and the other was one hip being higher than the other. The physical therapist aligned my hips and showed me several exercises to strengthen my core so my hips would stay in place.
Truthfully, what my doctor was saying to me was that I was fat. In spite of his subtlety, I received the message loud and clear. I was a short woman, only 5'2, pushing forty and wearing tight size 12 clothes. Not a pretty sight. I hit the gym. I used the treadmill and the elliptical. I used the Nautilus equipment and quickly reduced my size. I have been going to the gym consistently ever since. I am now closing in on a size 6. For the first time in 5 years, I felt comfortable in a swimming suit this summer. I feel strong. I enjoy playing with my kids because I don't get tired anymore. I don't struggle to get up off the floor. Fitness is a great thing.
That is, until you overdo it. That's what I did last week. I was doing some oblique exercises. (Sides, for those of you who don't do gym talk). I used heavier weights than normal because the ones I wanted were being used. I felt very sore for a couple days but wasn't concerned. I consider this a sign of a successful workout. You avoid injury by not working the same muscle groups everyday, so I let my aching sides rest. Then, on Saturday we were at the pool. I was in the water with our 5 year old and decided to lift him up the same way we lift up the dog. (overhead, horizontal to the ground while yelling, "Behold! The sacrifice!" I heaved his 45 lb body out of the water and straight over my head 3 or 4 times. He delighted in my feat of strength. I delighted in it too, until Sunday night. I was writhing in pain. It was like a huge wrench was squeezing my side. Advil dulls some of the pain. Heat helps a little bit, too. I can feel the swelling. My clothes are uncomfortable. My skin is tender to the touch.
I've been pretty lucky that I have not hurt myself working out. I did fall off some wedge heels last spring and twisted my ankle, but I managed to find other things to do so I wasn't out of commission. I'll have to take the week off from the gym this week, though. Obliques connect to abs which get used for pretty much everything.
"Behold! The sacrifice!!" It's me.
Truthfully, what my doctor was saying to me was that I was fat. In spite of his subtlety, I received the message loud and clear. I was a short woman, only 5'2, pushing forty and wearing tight size 12 clothes. Not a pretty sight. I hit the gym. I used the treadmill and the elliptical. I used the Nautilus equipment and quickly reduced my size. I have been going to the gym consistently ever since. I am now closing in on a size 6. For the first time in 5 years, I felt comfortable in a swimming suit this summer. I feel strong. I enjoy playing with my kids because I don't get tired anymore. I don't struggle to get up off the floor. Fitness is a great thing.
That is, until you overdo it. That's what I did last week. I was doing some oblique exercises. (Sides, for those of you who don't do gym talk). I used heavier weights than normal because the ones I wanted were being used. I felt very sore for a couple days but wasn't concerned. I consider this a sign of a successful workout. You avoid injury by not working the same muscle groups everyday, so I let my aching sides rest. Then, on Saturday we were at the pool. I was in the water with our 5 year old and decided to lift him up the same way we lift up the dog. (overhead, horizontal to the ground while yelling, "Behold! The sacrifice!" I heaved his 45 lb body out of the water and straight over my head 3 or 4 times. He delighted in my feat of strength. I delighted in it too, until Sunday night. I was writhing in pain. It was like a huge wrench was squeezing my side. Advil dulls some of the pain. Heat helps a little bit, too. I can feel the swelling. My clothes are uncomfortable. My skin is tender to the touch.
I've been pretty lucky that I have not hurt myself working out. I did fall off some wedge heels last spring and twisted my ankle, but I managed to find other things to do so I wasn't out of commission. I'll have to take the week off from the gym this week, though. Obliques connect to abs which get used for pretty much everything.
"Behold! The sacrifice!!" It's me.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Was I Wrong!
Boy was I wrong to say that Blogger had done something about the porn. It appears to be worse than ever. I can't go to Next Blog from my blog without seeing some objectionable content. This really sours the blogging experience for me.
Please do something!
Please do something!
Last Days of Summer
One week until school starts. In order to get the kids in sync for the big day, we began the day with a semi-school day morning. We got up and had breakfast right away. No TV, no video games. The oldest is reading. The youngest is playing with cars and Lego's. The dog is looking from one to the other, wondering why no one is playing with him. The weather is a little dreary. It's supposed to rain all week. It's nice to give the grass a chance to recover some of it's color, but all the same, it would have been good to be able to enjoy the last few days of summer at the pool with friends.
I was somewhat uncertain that I could provide my kids with a summer to remember. This was my first summer home with my two children. I have to admit I was unsure that they wouldn't die of boredom as they simultaneously forgot everything they learned during the school year. We had plans to do math workbooks, read, do a little writing. That all worked out brilliantly. Summer cello lessons are ending on a very positive note. We didn't make any of the little day trips I was hoping to embark upon. No wandering around Harper's Ferry or St. Mary's City. We did go to Mount Vernon. We managed to get one father away from his office for 3 days to go to the mountains. We were very active, going to the pool almost every day. I made it to the gym 2 or 3 times every week. I think it was a good summer.
The tomatoes are beginning to ripen, finally. I'm sure there's some metaphor in there that a more skilled writer would be able to find. I am not that writer. I will take it as a positive sign. I don't look forward to sending my baby off to school next week. I wish I could keep him home forever. Kids grow, leaves fall, tomatoes ripen, time passes and there is nothing we can do to change it. I will keep my camera handy this week so I can capture as many moments of the swindling summer as I can.
I was somewhat uncertain that I could provide my kids with a summer to remember. This was my first summer home with my two children. I have to admit I was unsure that they wouldn't die of boredom as they simultaneously forgot everything they learned during the school year. We had plans to do math workbooks, read, do a little writing. That all worked out brilliantly. Summer cello lessons are ending on a very positive note. We didn't make any of the little day trips I was hoping to embark upon. No wandering around Harper's Ferry or St. Mary's City. We did go to Mount Vernon. We managed to get one father away from his office for 3 days to go to the mountains. We were very active, going to the pool almost every day. I made it to the gym 2 or 3 times every week. I think it was a good summer.
The tomatoes are beginning to ripen, finally. I'm sure there's some metaphor in there that a more skilled writer would be able to find. I am not that writer. I will take it as a positive sign. I don't look forward to sending my baby off to school next week. I wish I could keep him home forever. Kids grow, leaves fall, tomatoes ripen, time passes and there is nothing we can do to change it. I will keep my camera handy this week so I can capture as many moments of the swindling summer as I can.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Where Did It Go?
Is it possible that Blogger did something about all the porn? I don't know about you, but I enjoy hitting the "next blog" button so I can read the other blogs. Often, this action results in porn popping up. These "blogs" have no navigation bars so you have to hit the back button and then hit the next blog button and pray you get something "G" rated. You can imagine my horror last week when I did this as my 5 year old stood next to me and some very obscene pictures popped up. He gazed at the computer and said,"What is that?" The computer chose that moment to freeze with these images on the screen. It never occurred to me to turn off the monitor.
Anyway, this morning, I was able to safely hit "next blog" and there was no porn! I found a cute pattern for a knit flower to attach to a ponytail holder. I saw a blog by a woman who has an autistic child. I saw a blog by a family preparing to adopt a child from Ethiopia. All good stuff that I would not be afraid to have my kids see.
Thank you Blogger.
Anyway, this morning, I was able to safely hit "next blog" and there was no porn! I found a cute pattern for a knit flower to attach to a ponytail holder. I saw a blog by a woman who has an autistic child. I saw a blog by a family preparing to adopt a child from Ethiopia. All good stuff that I would not be afraid to have my kids see.
Thank you Blogger.
Who is Responsible?
When the first preview of Disney Pixar's Cars was shown when my youngest son was two and a half, I knew he would be obsessed with everything about it. His mouth fell open, his eyes grew wide, as he turned to my husband and me, looking fir validation that what he'd seen was real. I was prepared to buy movies, video games, action figures, and lots and lots of cars. You can imagine my horror, when, as I sat on the stationary bike at the gym Tuesday, I saw Sarge, one of the Cars characters, flashed on the giant TV screen, on the growing list of tainted toys.
We don't have Sarge in the current group of toys my son plays with. It isn't in the reserve stash of toys waiting for birthdays and holidays, either. We do have 6 or 9 other Cars characters and it's only a matter of time before we hear about their recall, too. My son came to me last night and showed me a plastic Sarge he had gotten at a birthday party. "Does this have bad paint?" He looked so sad. "No," I said. "But there is a chance that some of your other cars might. If they do you won't be able to play with them anymore." He didn't cry. He walked away quietly with his precious car in his hand.
My son loves his Cars, much as his brother loved his trains. If I had to take them away from him, it would be very devastating. Yes, I know they're only toys, but they are important to him. The CEO of Mattel had a press conference the other day and looked remorseful, but as far as I'm concerned, he's full of it. Mattel sells toys to make money. They could have put a process in place decades ago to ensure that all manufacturers of their products were in compliance of US safety standards. This quality control process would have cost money, it would have cut into the margin. Instead, in the case of Sarge, Mattel accuses the Chinese company of violating the rules by using a subcontractor to paint Sarge.
Ideally, I'd like to see a Congressional investigation. I'd like to see Bob Eckert field phone calls from every 3-5 year old in the US whose Mommy had to take their toys away. Passing the blame off to the Chinese is inexcusable.
We don't have Sarge in the current group of toys my son plays with. It isn't in the reserve stash of toys waiting for birthdays and holidays, either. We do have 6 or 9 other Cars characters and it's only a matter of time before we hear about their recall, too. My son came to me last night and showed me a plastic Sarge he had gotten at a birthday party. "Does this have bad paint?" He looked so sad. "No," I said. "But there is a chance that some of your other cars might. If they do you won't be able to play with them anymore." He didn't cry. He walked away quietly with his precious car in his hand.
My son loves his Cars, much as his brother loved his trains. If I had to take them away from him, it would be very devastating. Yes, I know they're only toys, but they are important to him. The CEO of Mattel had a press conference the other day and looked remorseful, but as far as I'm concerned, he's full of it. Mattel sells toys to make money. They could have put a process in place decades ago to ensure that all manufacturers of their products were in compliance of US safety standards. This quality control process would have cost money, it would have cut into the margin. Instead, in the case of Sarge, Mattel accuses the Chinese company of violating the rules by using a subcontractor to paint Sarge.
Ideally, I'd like to see a Congressional investigation. I'd like to see Bob Eckert field phone calls from every 3-5 year old in the US whose Mommy had to take their toys away. Passing the blame off to the Chinese is inexcusable.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
More Second Tier Candidates
As promised, here is another post on some lesser-known presidential candidates.
Sam Brownback - Brownback is a Republican Senator from Kansas. Here is his stand on some key issues. On taxes, he feels the tax code is too complex and puts an unnecessary burden on the average tax payer who has to hire someone to sift through the rules for them. He would like to see a flat tax with simplified tax preparation. On energy, Brownback co-sponsored a bill that would call for, among other things, an expansion of renewable fuels. His stand on Iraq is somewhat wishy-washy. He says there needs to be a plan to turn the country back over to its people, but he doesn't say how that would impact our military involvement and he offers no details on how to achieve this.
Christopher Dodd - Dodd is a Democratic Senator from Connecticut. On Energy, Dodd has 3 goals to reduce emissions, reduce dependence on middle-eastern oil and even improve the economy by increasing jobs. His plan has 14 points, and all, in my uneducated opinion, seem to be realistic and achievable. I especially like that he points out that our national security would be improved if we were less dependent on middle-eastern oil. Congressional leadership doesn't want the average American to know that our involvement in international disputes is largely to protect our interest in oil. On health care, Dodd plans to mirror the FEHBP. Individuals and businesses will contribute and coverage will follow people and not their jobs. It's a little complex to summarize in a few sentences, but it also seems quite well thought out. And on Iraq, he supports the Feingold-Reid proposal that calls for an end to US involvement in Iraq next March.
Tom Tancredo - Tancredo is a Republican member of Congress from Colorado. He is strongly anti-immigrant (funny, he doesn't look terribly native to me, which makes him, in my opinion, a colossal hypocrite). He blames immigrants for increased health care costs. He links homeland security to immigration. He doesn't support immigrant amnesty. I wonder if he plans on planting his own fruits and vegetables, because I don't envision him heading to the fields during the summer recess to help farmers pick their crops before they rot. This guy scares me. I beg you not to vote for him.
There are more candidates to profile. I will address a few more in coming weeks. Please remember to bid farewell to Tommy Thompson who dropped out of the race this week, following a poor showing in the Iowa straw poll. This election will end up costing tax payers ridiculous sums of money. Perhaps some of the 2nd and 3rd tier candidates need to assess the reality of their campaigns. They should consider not their massive egos, but the greater good of our country and gracefully bow out.
Sam Brownback - Brownback is a Republican Senator from Kansas. Here is his stand on some key issues. On taxes, he feels the tax code is too complex and puts an unnecessary burden on the average tax payer who has to hire someone to sift through the rules for them. He would like to see a flat tax with simplified tax preparation. On energy, Brownback co-sponsored a bill that would call for, among other things, an expansion of renewable fuels. His stand on Iraq is somewhat wishy-washy. He says there needs to be a plan to turn the country back over to its people, but he doesn't say how that would impact our military involvement and he offers no details on how to achieve this.
Christopher Dodd - Dodd is a Democratic Senator from Connecticut. On Energy, Dodd has 3 goals to reduce emissions, reduce dependence on middle-eastern oil and even improve the economy by increasing jobs. His plan has 14 points, and all, in my uneducated opinion, seem to be realistic and achievable. I especially like that he points out that our national security would be improved if we were less dependent on middle-eastern oil. Congressional leadership doesn't want the average American to know that our involvement in international disputes is largely to protect our interest in oil. On health care, Dodd plans to mirror the FEHBP. Individuals and businesses will contribute and coverage will follow people and not their jobs. It's a little complex to summarize in a few sentences, but it also seems quite well thought out. And on Iraq, he supports the Feingold-Reid proposal that calls for an end to US involvement in Iraq next March.
Tom Tancredo - Tancredo is a Republican member of Congress from Colorado. He is strongly anti-immigrant (funny, he doesn't look terribly native to me, which makes him, in my opinion, a colossal hypocrite). He blames immigrants for increased health care costs. He links homeland security to immigration. He doesn't support immigrant amnesty. I wonder if he plans on planting his own fruits and vegetables, because I don't envision him heading to the fields during the summer recess to help farmers pick their crops before they rot. This guy scares me. I beg you not to vote for him.
There are more candidates to profile. I will address a few more in coming weeks. Please remember to bid farewell to Tommy Thompson who dropped out of the race this week, following a poor showing in the Iowa straw poll. This election will end up costing tax payers ridiculous sums of money. Perhaps some of the 2nd and 3rd tier candidates need to assess the reality of their campaigns. They should consider not their massive egos, but the greater good of our country and gracefully bow out.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Team Work
The kids are watching "Wonder Pets." I can't be unhappy with a show that has the following theme song:
Wonder Pets, Wonder Pets
we're on our way
to help a baby [insert animal name here]to save the day
we're not too big
and we're not too tough
but when we work together
we've got the right stuff
Over the next few months, team work is going to be the thing that helps my friend and her family get through a major crisis. Her husband has been diagnosed with cancer. The exact type is yet to be determined. The doctors seem to believe it's one of many forms of lymphoma. According to what I've read, lymphoma has a very high survival rate. The oncologist told them yesterday that if it is lymphoma, he can be cured. It's going to be a battle, but there are so many people around to support them, they will win.
One thing that I've really loved about not working full time is that I've gotten to know my community. Instead of leaving my neighborhood at 7:45 am and not returning until 6:15 pm, I get to stay here most of the day and interact with members of my community. I work part time at a bakery a mile away. My friends come visit me there. At the pool, I've met some wonderful people who my kids will go to middle school with. I walk the dog and get to know other dog owners. My neighbors bring me food. Last week we got little brownies and some homemade guacamole. I feel part of something that will endure. I thought the friendships I had established at work were real, but they were more out of necessity. There were people I thought were friends but it turned out that, once I left the workplace, the friendships evaporated. These enduring friendships that I've made in my own neighborhood are what get people through difficult times.
People, don't ignore your neighbors! Make some cookies and take a few next door. You never know when you will need the companionship and support of the people in your own community.
Wonder Pets, Wonder Pets
we're on our way
to help a baby [insert animal name here]to save the day
we're not too big
and we're not too tough
but when we work together
we've got the right stuff
Over the next few months, team work is going to be the thing that helps my friend and her family get through a major crisis. Her husband has been diagnosed with cancer. The exact type is yet to be determined. The doctors seem to believe it's one of many forms of lymphoma. According to what I've read, lymphoma has a very high survival rate. The oncologist told them yesterday that if it is lymphoma, he can be cured. It's going to be a battle, but there are so many people around to support them, they will win.
One thing that I've really loved about not working full time is that I've gotten to know my community. Instead of leaving my neighborhood at 7:45 am and not returning until 6:15 pm, I get to stay here most of the day and interact with members of my community. I work part time at a bakery a mile away. My friends come visit me there. At the pool, I've met some wonderful people who my kids will go to middle school with. I walk the dog and get to know other dog owners. My neighbors bring me food. Last week we got little brownies and some homemade guacamole. I feel part of something that will endure. I thought the friendships I had established at work were real, but they were more out of necessity. There were people I thought were friends but it turned out that, once I left the workplace, the friendships evaporated. These enduring friendships that I've made in my own neighborhood are what get people through difficult times.
People, don't ignore your neighbors! Make some cookies and take a few next door. You never know when you will need the companionship and support of the people in your own community.
Monday, August 13, 2007
I Finished!
SPOILER WARNING!!! If you haven't read the new Harry Potter, skip this posting!
I was able to finish two books during my little jaunt to the mountains. I read the rest of "Praying for Sheetrock" and plowed through "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." Between the sadness in both books, the miserably hot weather and all the accumulating stressful things in our lives, I was left very grumpy for most of the weekend.
"Sheetrock," as I mentioned in earlier posts, is the true story of the struggle of black citizens of McIntosh County, GA to realize the equality that the Civil Rights movement brought to the rest of the nation. It is told primarily through the struggles of one man who fights with two friends to make permanent changes to a system designed to keep blacks down. It is very uplifting and inspiring to read about people who fight for what is right. It's very sad, too, when you realize the sacrifices that are made. And it was downright depressing to see how easily the most important dreams can tumble to pieces when tragedy strikes. This book left me fearful that real people may not be strong enough to stand up to adversity any more. I hope not. There is too much still to fight for.
As for Harry Potter, it was a very enjoyable book. I did find myself crying from time to time, but considering some of the events of last week, I don't know how much of this was for the story or for other reasons. I guess I never finished Half Blood Prince so some things were a surprise to find out that Dumbledore was dead. I was very confused about Snape. Maybe something else I missed in the 6th book? It took me too long to figure out what the hell a horcrux was so that was confusing. And I still don't know what my friend meant when she said not to underestimate the strength of a mother's love. Maybe this was a reference to Mrs. Weasley's attack on Bellatrix? I am tempted to read some of the thousands of blogs that mention the book, but I think I'll just see what my friends have to say.
After these somewhat emotionally draining reads, I am in the mood for something light. I pulled "Emma" by Jane Austen off the shelf. It's been at least five years or more since I've read any Jane Austen so it'll be interesting to see if my view of her writing has changed.
Off to the shower before the kids wake up. The back to school schedule begins today. No more 9:00 pm bedtimes. I won't wake anyone up early this week. The likelihood that my kids won't be awake before 8:00 is very tiny. If they need to sleep in, I will happily let them.
Until next time...
I was able to finish two books during my little jaunt to the mountains. I read the rest of "Praying for Sheetrock" and plowed through "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." Between the sadness in both books, the miserably hot weather and all the accumulating stressful things in our lives, I was left very grumpy for most of the weekend.
"Sheetrock," as I mentioned in earlier posts, is the true story of the struggle of black citizens of McIntosh County, GA to realize the equality that the Civil Rights movement brought to the rest of the nation. It is told primarily through the struggles of one man who fights with two friends to make permanent changes to a system designed to keep blacks down. It is very uplifting and inspiring to read about people who fight for what is right. It's very sad, too, when you realize the sacrifices that are made. And it was downright depressing to see how easily the most important dreams can tumble to pieces when tragedy strikes. This book left me fearful that real people may not be strong enough to stand up to adversity any more. I hope not. There is too much still to fight for.
As for Harry Potter, it was a very enjoyable book. I did find myself crying from time to time, but considering some of the events of last week, I don't know how much of this was for the story or for other reasons. I guess I never finished Half Blood Prince so some things were a surprise to find out that Dumbledore was dead. I was very confused about Snape. Maybe something else I missed in the 6th book? It took me too long to figure out what the hell a horcrux was so that was confusing. And I still don't know what my friend meant when she said not to underestimate the strength of a mother's love. Maybe this was a reference to Mrs. Weasley's attack on Bellatrix? I am tempted to read some of the thousands of blogs that mention the book, but I think I'll just see what my friends have to say.
After these somewhat emotionally draining reads, I am in the mood for something light. I pulled "Emma" by Jane Austen off the shelf. It's been at least five years or more since I've read any Jane Austen so it'll be interesting to see if my view of her writing has changed.
Off to the shower before the kids wake up. The back to school schedule begins today. No more 9:00 pm bedtimes. I won't wake anyone up early this week. The likelihood that my kids won't be awake before 8:00 is very tiny. If they need to sleep in, I will happily let them.
Until next time...
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Not Entertaining
We took a few days away from town to go to the mountains of Shenandoah County, VA. One of the perks of going away is that there is no TV. We read a lot and watch movies and DVDs of old sitcoms like "I Dream of Jeannie." I find Jeannie to be absurd, but entertaining and it's okay that it's absurd. Jeannie is a genie who has magical powers. She can give her master, an air force Major, x-ray vision and I don't have a problem with it. It's not supposed to be based in reality. It isn't trying to be. It is fantasy. But there are movies and TV shows that are attempting to be entertainment, that are more realistic in their story lines that are so outrageous that they deserve to be banned from the airwaves.
One such example is a loathsome movie I suffered through last night called "Are We There Yet?" This "film du toilette" is about a young man who owns a sports memorabilia store who falls for a woman he sees who happens to be "hot" as my five year old would put it. He decides against pursuing her when he sees she has kids. Then she has car trouble and he rescues her and then begins this ridiculous relationship between them. She continually uses him. He allows it. The climax comes when she needs his help to get her kids to Vancouver where she is working because their father can't keep them. The kids are barbarians. The woman is a hateful shrew. This poor man is abused beyond the scope of anything realistic. Is this really what a family comedy has become? Do we really want:
1. Boys to only think of girls as sex objects?
2. Girls to think it's okay to treat boys like their servants?
3. Boys to be abused and mistreated by woman who use their looks to get what they want?
I truly cannot comprehend why any self-respecting actor would associate them self with such drivel, especially one with children. People who participate in the production of this dreck should be flogged.
On the TV side, there are offerings such as Nickelodeon's "Drake and Josh," the story of a musically talented boy and his manipulative stepbrother. The movie is targeted toward the "tweener's of today. If you have children between 10 and 13, ban this show from your home. I mean it. Here's a recent storyline. Drake or Josh win a chance to parachute from a helicopter (seriously). They ask Mom. She says no. They go anyway. During their ride the pilot gets knocked unconscious, they lose a parachute and end up jumping together into the ocean. Where to begin? First, I may have only majored in History, but I believe that there are a couple problems with the whole parachuting from a helicopter thing. First, if the main propeller didn't chop you into tiny pieces, the one on the tail would and that would only be if you could manage to stay conscious as the helicopter got to a safe altitude for parachuting.
Then there's the jump into the ocean. They just happened to land exactly right so they didn't lose consciousness AGAIN! And they were rescued, even though they had no floatation device.
I get the point that they were trying to prove. You should listen to your parents. They know what's good for you. It seems a pretty distracting way to get that point across to a young child. The point was missed on my ten year old. All he cared about was how cool it would be to jump out of a helicopter!!! "Drake and Josh" is banned from the house now.
I am pretty flexible when it comes to what my kids watch. I try to watch things with them and help them understand any stories that are complex. I don't generally ban movies because of profanity, but I don't believe that it's right to allow a small child to watch an R rated movie. They aren't ready for them. I also believe that it is my responsibility to ensure what my kids watch is appropriate. I also believe that people who produce entertainment for children have a responsibility to them as well. They shouldn't create mindless, slapstick entertainment for my kid and fill it with messages that encourage, sexist, racist and stupid behavior. Kids are smart and deserve better. People who make this garbage hoping to rake in a buck are not smart. They are greedy. Greed is not an admirable quality.
One such example is a loathsome movie I suffered through last night called "Are We There Yet?" This "film du toilette" is about a young man who owns a sports memorabilia store who falls for a woman he sees who happens to be "hot" as my five year old would put it. He decides against pursuing her when he sees she has kids. Then she has car trouble and he rescues her and then begins this ridiculous relationship between them. She continually uses him. He allows it. The climax comes when she needs his help to get her kids to Vancouver where she is working because their father can't keep them. The kids are barbarians. The woman is a hateful shrew. This poor man is abused beyond the scope of anything realistic. Is this really what a family comedy has become? Do we really want:
1. Boys to only think of girls as sex objects?
2. Girls to think it's okay to treat boys like their servants?
3. Boys to be abused and mistreated by woman who use their looks to get what they want?
I truly cannot comprehend why any self-respecting actor would associate them self with such drivel, especially one with children. People who participate in the production of this dreck should be flogged.
On the TV side, there are offerings such as Nickelodeon's "Drake and Josh," the story of a musically talented boy and his manipulative stepbrother. The movie is targeted toward the "tweener's of today. If you have children between 10 and 13, ban this show from your home. I mean it. Here's a recent storyline. Drake or Josh win a chance to parachute from a helicopter (seriously). They ask Mom. She says no. They go anyway. During their ride the pilot gets knocked unconscious, they lose a parachute and end up jumping together into the ocean. Where to begin? First, I may have only majored in History, but I believe that there are a couple problems with the whole parachuting from a helicopter thing. First, if the main propeller didn't chop you into tiny pieces, the one on the tail would and that would only be if you could manage to stay conscious as the helicopter got to a safe altitude for parachuting.
Then there's the jump into the ocean. They just happened to land exactly right so they didn't lose consciousness AGAIN! And they were rescued, even though they had no floatation device.
I get the point that they were trying to prove. You should listen to your parents. They know what's good for you. It seems a pretty distracting way to get that point across to a young child. The point was missed on my ten year old. All he cared about was how cool it would be to jump out of a helicopter!!! "Drake and Josh" is banned from the house now.
I am pretty flexible when it comes to what my kids watch. I try to watch things with them and help them understand any stories that are complex. I don't generally ban movies because of profanity, but I don't believe that it's right to allow a small child to watch an R rated movie. They aren't ready for them. I also believe that it is my responsibility to ensure what my kids watch is appropriate. I also believe that people who produce entertainment for children have a responsibility to them as well. They shouldn't create mindless, slapstick entertainment for my kid and fill it with messages that encourage, sexist, racist and stupid behavior. Kids are smart and deserve better. People who make this garbage hoping to rake in a buck are not smart. They are greedy. Greed is not an admirable quality.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Glue and Heat
My little circle of friends is in a bit of turmoil right now. One of our glue people is awaiting results of a biopsy. This is very difficult to be a part of. I find myself wondering what to do, how to act. You know who your glue people are. They're the ones that hold everyone else together. This comes from the 90's sitcom, "Mad About You." You can search IMDB for more information. I am not meant to be glue. I don't think I want to ever be the glue outside of my own little family. I am more like shiny paper. I hold just fine when the glue is fresh but as soon as the glue dries, if bumped, I am apt to fall right off. But I realize there are times when the glue needs to be the paper or the glitter, or the foam shapes. So I will try to be the glue a little bit.
The weather is miserably hot. We were supposed to go away yesterday to the mountains in Virginia but we postponed our trip because of the heat. The house we are using has no air conditioning and with severe allergies and a little asthma, we decided to let the last wretchedly hot day pass in the comfort of our air conditioned home.
This is not how summer is supposed to end. Summer is supposed to end with fresh fruit and tomatoes, finally ripe, ready to buy and eat everywhere. It's supposed to end with the scent of new crayons and new clothes and new backpacks for Kindergarten. Instead it smells like dying grass and sweat laced with fear.
Say a prayer for my friend.
The weather is miserably hot. We were supposed to go away yesterday to the mountains in Virginia but we postponed our trip because of the heat. The house we are using has no air conditioning and with severe allergies and a little asthma, we decided to let the last wretchedly hot day pass in the comfort of our air conditioned home.
This is not how summer is supposed to end. Summer is supposed to end with fresh fruit and tomatoes, finally ripe, ready to buy and eat everywhere. It's supposed to end with the scent of new crayons and new clothes and new backpacks for Kindergarten. Instead it smells like dying grass and sweat laced with fear.
Say a prayer for my friend.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Right and Wrong
Every weekend, I sit at the pool and listen to an acquaintance complain to me about his spouse. Two months of enduring this agonizing moaning has made me wonder about our perceptions of right and wrong. I'm not talking about the big right and wrong; the ten listed in the bible, the ones that put you away for life, but smaller stuff that can get on your nerves. I pose to you a question: What if you stopped seeing these things as right or wrong and just started viewing them as "alternative?"
Take the dishwasher. Many people have a specific way in which they put dishes in the dishwasher. My husband loads from back to front, I load from front to back. I contend that neither way is wrong because the dishes are getting in the dishwasher where they are automatically cleaned and dried. Front to back, back to front; who cares. Bottom line is, they're in there.
Then there's the matter of putting the dishes away. We have a drawer for utensils but my husband often puts the utensils in the silverware drawer. I used to spend precious minutes searching for missing spatulas until I figured out where they were. I would be annoyed, move them back in a huff and spend a few seconds calling him a bone head or some other such minor insult in my head. Then I unconsciously started looking in the silverware drawer for the missing implements. The placement went from wrong to alternative. I now have identified all the alternative placements that my husband uses when he unloads the dishwasher and I'm much happier for it.
Household division of labor can be a very contentious topic, and I think it's because we are all stuck with this idea of "my way or the highway." How much happier would our homes be if we just accepted that everyone has their own way of doing things? As long as the task is completed, that's the most important thing.
Take the dishwasher. Many people have a specific way in which they put dishes in the dishwasher. My husband loads from back to front, I load from front to back. I contend that neither way is wrong because the dishes are getting in the dishwasher where they are automatically cleaned and dried. Front to back, back to front; who cares. Bottom line is, they're in there.
Then there's the matter of putting the dishes away. We have a drawer for utensils but my husband often puts the utensils in the silverware drawer. I used to spend precious minutes searching for missing spatulas until I figured out where they were. I would be annoyed, move them back in a huff and spend a few seconds calling him a bone head or some other such minor insult in my head. Then I unconsciously started looking in the silverware drawer for the missing implements. The placement went from wrong to alternative. I now have identified all the alternative placements that my husband uses when he unloads the dishwasher and I'm much happier for it.
Household division of labor can be a very contentious topic, and I think it's because we are all stuck with this idea of "my way or the highway." How much happier would our homes be if we just accepted that everyone has their own way of doing things? As long as the task is completed, that's the most important thing.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Reading Order
I'm sure someone would say the order in which you read the parts of your Sunday newspaper say something profound about you. Here is my reading order.
1. I read a feature called "Tell Me About It." It's an advice column that is in the Sunday Source section of the Washington Post. I enjoy the writer's cutting, to the point advice.
2. Next I read parts of the magazine section including Date Lab, Gene Weingarten's column, "Below the Beltway," and Jeanne Marie Laskas' column, "Significant Others." Date Lab can be very humorous, especially when the dates are disastrous. Gene Weingarten always makes me chuckle, and Jeanne (I can call her by her first name because I think if she knew me, we would be friends) always hits home to me in her column.
3. I switch to the Style section where I enjoy features like "Reliable Source" where I can read about who was where with whom. I also read "Ask Amy," another advice column. It's comforting to know that some people are so moved by their own lives they feel the need to write to a total stranger and seek guidance.
4. I move to news and read Metro so I can read how many people were slaughtered in DC and PG county overnight during the latest DC Metro Police "All Hands on Deck" initiative.
5. Finally, I get to the front page. By now, it's probably 10:00 pm and I am barely conscious. Probably better that way.
1. I read a feature called "Tell Me About It." It's an advice column that is in the Sunday Source section of the Washington Post. I enjoy the writer's cutting, to the point advice.
2. Next I read parts of the magazine section including Date Lab, Gene Weingarten's column, "Below the Beltway," and Jeanne Marie Laskas' column, "Significant Others." Date Lab can be very humorous, especially when the dates are disastrous. Gene Weingarten always makes me chuckle, and Jeanne (I can call her by her first name because I think if she knew me, we would be friends) always hits home to me in her column.
3. I switch to the Style section where I enjoy features like "Reliable Source" where I can read about who was where with whom. I also read "Ask Amy," another advice column. It's comforting to know that some people are so moved by their own lives they feel the need to write to a total stranger and seek guidance.
4. I move to news and read Metro so I can read how many people were slaughtered in DC and PG county overnight during the latest DC Metro Police "All Hands on Deck" initiative.
5. Finally, I get to the front page. By now, it's probably 10:00 pm and I am barely conscious. Probably better that way.
Structural Deficiencies
Imagine, if you will, that someone came to your home once every other year and thoroughly inspected it from top to bottom. Imagine, at the end of one of those inspections, if you were notified that your home had structural deficiencies that put it at risk of falling apart. What would you do? Would you wait two years to fix those issues that put your home in jeopardy? Very doubtful. You would probably take out a loan, or use your savings or hit up your parents and fix the problems as quickly as possible. Then why doesn't the government act efficiently when faced with a similar situation regarding our nation's infrastructure?
Think about your neighborhood. I live in an association where certain covenants require a level of cosmetic maintenance of all properties. Chances are you do too, or you at least maintain a certain measure of tidiness in your yard so you don't offend your neighbors. You also probably clean your house regularly, paint a few rooms every couple years, clean the carpet, reseal the wood floors, recaulk the tub, etc. You do these things to keep your home safe and comfortable. Businesses do the same thing. Yet the government doesn't.
Our bridges, highways, schools, dams and other municipally maintained properties are old and crumbling. We add trailers on the grounds of our crowded schools to avoid construction costs. We dot our roads with pothole patches to avoid complete resurfacing. I have no idea what scary stop-gap measures are taken to fix other infrastructure issues that affect the power grid or water treatment facilities.
I lived in Minnesota on and off for 20 years of my life. I watched with utter horror on Wednesday when the 35W bridge collapsed. I made my calls to my siblings, especially fearful for my brother who is two years older than me and studying for his master's degree at the University of Minnesota right now. Thankfully, as a family, we suffered no losses on Wednesday. But we all lost a little of our sanity. Who hasn't thought about the number of bridges they drive over everyday and started saying little prayers in exchange for safe passage? The Department of Homeland Security was quick to state that the bridge collapse was not an act of terrorism. I disagree. I am terrorized daily by reports in the news of crumbling schools in the nation's capital, of decrepit neighborhoods in Baltimore, of unfilled promises in New Orleans. Can we continue to fund activity in Iraq to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars a year at the expense of our own well being?
Friday, August 3, 2007
Shopping is a Nightmare
I'm not with all those people who find shopping to be pleasurable experience. I find it distasteful for many reasons, some of which I'll share with you today.
First, I can never find what I want when I want it. Right now, I would like a pair of white pants. I realize that many stores were selling white pants in May and June but I didn't want them in May or June. I have been working out very hard all summer and I now have the confidence in myself to put on a pair of white pants, but they are nowhere to be found, except, of course on the Internet. I will buy medium tops online, but that's about it. I am being denied my right to a pair of white pants in August by a bunch of retail merchants who think I should have wanted them two months ago.
Second, replenishment of critical items is very poor. We ventured out for school supplies yesterday. Now, I've had more than one bad experience with Target being out of one or more critical supply, mainly marble composition books. Because of this, we went first to Wal-Mart. Oh, Lord in heaven, what was I thinking? I have no issue shopping at Wal-Mart. We have a lot less money than we did a year ago so I'll take savings wherever I can get it. I was looking forward to a massive display of ultra-cheap pencils, paper, backpacks, etc. What did I get? Three 18 foot sections of name brand overpriced remains . It looked like they were getting ready to shut down the school supply business for the season. I came very close to leaving my cart in the middle of the store and departing. But I bought the few things we had in the cart and moved onto Target. I spent $150 on all the supplies, A Disney Pixar Cars backpack and thermos and a bunch of Ritter Sport bars for myself as a reward for not having a nervous breakdown in the middle of all of this.
Another reason I hate shopping is the sizes. Sizes don't match anywhere, but they seem to have one main thing in common. Wherever I shop, I am in between sizes, either 6 and 8, or 8 and 10. Of course, I watch "What not to Wear," so I know I shouldn't be obsessed with sizes, but since this advice comes from Twiggy and her twin brother, they can cram their size counseling where the sun doesn't shine. I am obsessed. I don't want to buy 10's. I want to wear a 6 and only a 6, damn it!
And this size thing isn't only an issue for me, but it's an issue for my oldest son. He is very tall and thin like his father and needs slims. This year, I need to come up with 16 slim pants for him. As far as I can tell, the only place to get these pants in JC Penney. Need a husky? No worries there. Huskies are all over the place! I worry about his label conscious peers. Are they label conscious they way my peers were when I was young? Will he be mocked if someone notices his Arizona brand jeans and realizes where they are from? I comfort myself with the thought that there are so many stores and labels that only the most obsessively fashion conscious child will make the connection. I don't think my son knows anyone like that. We may be safe. But the worry festers in the back of my mind and occasionally gives me some heartburn.
I will most likely never get my white pants. This is really sad. I'll probably boost my online shopping rate for Christmas up to 90% this year. I'm still grumpy from not having a single down arrow on my Target receipt. I can't believe I had to spend 99 cents on High School Musical folders.
First, I can never find what I want when I want it. Right now, I would like a pair of white pants. I realize that many stores were selling white pants in May and June but I didn't want them in May or June. I have been working out very hard all summer and I now have the confidence in myself to put on a pair of white pants, but they are nowhere to be found, except, of course on the Internet. I will buy medium tops online, but that's about it. I am being denied my right to a pair of white pants in August by a bunch of retail merchants who think I should have wanted them two months ago.
Second, replenishment of critical items is very poor. We ventured out for school supplies yesterday. Now, I've had more than one bad experience with Target being out of one or more critical supply, mainly marble composition books. Because of this, we went first to Wal-Mart. Oh, Lord in heaven, what was I thinking? I have no issue shopping at Wal-Mart. We have a lot less money than we did a year ago so I'll take savings wherever I can get it. I was looking forward to a massive display of ultra-cheap pencils, paper, backpacks, etc. What did I get? Three 18 foot sections of name brand overpriced remains . It looked like they were getting ready to shut down the school supply business for the season. I came very close to leaving my cart in the middle of the store and departing. But I bought the few things we had in the cart and moved onto Target. I spent $150 on all the supplies, A Disney Pixar Cars backpack and thermos and a bunch of Ritter Sport bars for myself as a reward for not having a nervous breakdown in the middle of all of this.
Another reason I hate shopping is the sizes. Sizes don't match anywhere, but they seem to have one main thing in common. Wherever I shop, I am in between sizes, either 6 and 8, or 8 and 10. Of course, I watch "What not to Wear," so I know I shouldn't be obsessed with sizes, but since this advice comes from Twiggy and her twin brother, they can cram their size counseling where the sun doesn't shine. I am obsessed. I don't want to buy 10's. I want to wear a 6 and only a 6, damn it!
And this size thing isn't only an issue for me, but it's an issue for my oldest son. He is very tall and thin like his father and needs slims. This year, I need to come up with 16 slim pants for him. As far as I can tell, the only place to get these pants in JC Penney. Need a husky? No worries there. Huskies are all over the place! I worry about his label conscious peers. Are they label conscious they way my peers were when I was young? Will he be mocked if someone notices his Arizona brand jeans and realizes where they are from? I comfort myself with the thought that there are so many stores and labels that only the most obsessively fashion conscious child will make the connection. I don't think my son knows anyone like that. We may be safe. But the worry festers in the back of my mind and occasionally gives me some heartburn.
I will most likely never get my white pants. This is really sad. I'll probably boost my online shopping rate for Christmas up to 90% this year. I'm still grumpy from not having a single down arrow on my Target receipt. I can't believe I had to spend 99 cents on High School Musical folders.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Dream Update
I forgot to mention that a friend of mine had the same dream I did about her husband leaving her! It also left her very grumpy. I asked her if she told her husband and she said, quite emphatically, "NO!" Turns out, he would have laughed at her. It was nice to know that I am not alone in the irrational thoughts of my subconscious mind.
Recent Sightings
I've seen some things lately that I've found a bit odd, or shocking and I thought I'd share a few of them with you.
Earlier this week, a man in a blue truck was driving down my street and threw a bag of garbage out his window. I think it takes a special kind of butt head to litter on a residential street. There are garbage cans everywhere. He wasn't just driving around randomly. He had a destination and his destination had a garbage can. I was honestly astounded by this behavior.
Yesterday, as we took a little family walk we passed a bag out for recycling that was filled with empty bottles of bleach. Not just one or two, like twelve or fifteen. I watch entirely too many crime shows on cable; CSI, The New Investigators, Cold Case Files, Most Evil, too name a few. I looked at my husband with wide eyes and he looked back at me and said, "You're nuts." Turns out my neighbor was cleaning the deck. Just between you and me, I'll be paying special attention over the next few days to make sure her husband and son are okay.
A young woman was arrested at a movie theatre in Virginia for video taping a portion of a movie so she could show it to her brother. Granted she was only 19, but surely she has heard of Youtube or the internet where you can actually go to websites that show movie previews. Of course, I'm not sure how a movie theatre gets to file criminal charges against someone for movie pirating. It seems to me the victim would be the production company. This will be interesting to follow in court later this month.
My husband licked his plate last night. Yep. Picked it up and licked it clean. He claims I should be thrilled that he loved my pasta so much that he needed to get every last bit of the sauce. I claim he's a disgusting pig who was setting an incredibly poor example for our children. Then he told me to make more noodles for the sauce so he could take the leftovers to work for lunch.
That's it for today. I hope you enjoyed my observations of society in Columbia, MD. The recycling truck just picked up all the bleach bottles. I'll let you know if the police come interview me. Have a great day!
Earlier this week, a man in a blue truck was driving down my street and threw a bag of garbage out his window. I think it takes a special kind of butt head to litter on a residential street. There are garbage cans everywhere. He wasn't just driving around randomly. He had a destination and his destination had a garbage can. I was honestly astounded by this behavior.
Yesterday, as we took a little family walk we passed a bag out for recycling that was filled with empty bottles of bleach. Not just one or two, like twelve or fifteen. I watch entirely too many crime shows on cable; CSI, The New Investigators, Cold Case Files, Most Evil, too name a few. I looked at my husband with wide eyes and he looked back at me and said, "You're nuts." Turns out my neighbor was cleaning the deck. Just between you and me, I'll be paying special attention over the next few days to make sure her husband and son are okay.
A young woman was arrested at a movie theatre in Virginia for video taping a portion of a movie so she could show it to her brother. Granted she was only 19, but surely she has heard of Youtube or the internet where you can actually go to websites that show movie previews. Of course, I'm not sure how a movie theatre gets to file criminal charges against someone for movie pirating. It seems to me the victim would be the production company. This will be interesting to follow in court later this month.
My husband licked his plate last night. Yep. Picked it up and licked it clean. He claims I should be thrilled that he loved my pasta so much that he needed to get every last bit of the sauce. I claim he's a disgusting pig who was setting an incredibly poor example for our children. Then he told me to make more noodles for the sauce so he could take the leftovers to work for lunch.
That's it for today. I hope you enjoyed my observations of society in Columbia, MD. The recycling truck just picked up all the bleach bottles. I'll let you know if the police come interview me. Have a great day!
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
The Others
I think that was the title of some obscure James Dean movie. In this case, it's a reference to all the other presidential candidates. I'm feeling guilty for dedicating so much attention to Clinton and Obama, I've decided to provide you, my faithful reader with my uneducated insight into some of the other people vying for the White House. I write about these candidates in no particular order and with little research, but in the spirit of fairness in the media. Ha ha ha. Can a blog with 3 readers be considered part of the media?
Mike Gravel - Mike is a Democratic former member of Congress from Alaska, serving in both the House and the Senate on and off from 1963 to 1981. He is 77. He is responsible, according to his website, for the release of the Pentagon Papers. His stand on some issues is as follows. He would like an immediate end to US involvement in Iraq and would bring troops home in 60 days. He would eliminate income taxes and the IRS and institute a Fair Tax which is basically a national sales tax. He would offer universal health care in the form of vouchers based on the projected needs of the people. I don't know about you, but I feel taxes climbing sharply and health care getting really bad before any universal coverage could have all the kinks ironed out.
Mike Huckabee - This Mike is the Republican former Governor of Arkansas. Huckabee is known for his health initiatives and his personal weight loss of 110 lbs. As for the campaign issues, here is how he stands. The first issue he lists on his website is related to Second Amendment Rights, or the right to bear arms. This is because his stands are listed in alphabetical order, but since it would take the average person a few seconds to figure this out, I was a little alarmed. He supports music and arts in education and refers to them as "Weapons of Mass Destruction." He believes in preventative care instead of spending money to treat chronic diseases. He believes that Iraq is a war against terror and doesn't support a withdrawal.
Dennis Kucinich - Kucinich is a Democratic member of Congress from Ohio. he supports publicly financed, national health insurance and has drafted a bill with Michigan Congressman Conyers to introduce this to the House. (It has the support of only 78 House members.) He wants to create a Department of Peace to coincide with the Department of Defense. And he would repeal the Patriot Act. The whole Department of Peace thing leaves me without words. It sounds so Orwellian and a little creepy.
That's all for now, but there are others that I will profile in coming weeks. I will offer no opinion of who I like best in this bunch, but I encourage everyone to look beyond the flashy leading contenders to some of the other people on the ballot. They are highly qualified, passionate and committed to serving this country and they deserve to be given full consideration.
Off to the gym. Enjoy your day!
Mike Gravel - Mike is a Democratic former member of Congress from Alaska, serving in both the House and the Senate on and off from 1963 to 1981. He is 77. He is responsible, according to his website, for the release of the Pentagon Papers. His stand on some issues is as follows. He would like an immediate end to US involvement in Iraq and would bring troops home in 60 days. He would eliminate income taxes and the IRS and institute a Fair Tax which is basically a national sales tax. He would offer universal health care in the form of vouchers based on the projected needs of the people. I don't know about you, but I feel taxes climbing sharply and health care getting really bad before any universal coverage could have all the kinks ironed out.
Mike Huckabee - This Mike is the Republican former Governor of Arkansas. Huckabee is known for his health initiatives and his personal weight loss of 110 lbs. As for the campaign issues, here is how he stands. The first issue he lists on his website is related to Second Amendment Rights, or the right to bear arms. This is because his stands are listed in alphabetical order, but since it would take the average person a few seconds to figure this out, I was a little alarmed. He supports music and arts in education and refers to them as "Weapons of Mass Destruction." He believes in preventative care instead of spending money to treat chronic diseases. He believes that Iraq is a war against terror and doesn't support a withdrawal.
Dennis Kucinich - Kucinich is a Democratic member of Congress from Ohio. he supports publicly financed, national health insurance and has drafted a bill with Michigan Congressman Conyers to introduce this to the House. (It has the support of only 78 House members.) He wants to create a Department of Peace to coincide with the Department of Defense. And he would repeal the Patriot Act. The whole Department of Peace thing leaves me without words. It sounds so Orwellian and a little creepy.
That's all for now, but there are others that I will profile in coming weeks. I will offer no opinion of who I like best in this bunch, but I encourage everyone to look beyond the flashy leading contenders to some of the other people on the ballot. They are highly qualified, passionate and committed to serving this country and they deserve to be given full consideration.
Off to the gym. Enjoy your day!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Dog days of Summer
WARNING! THIS POST CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT SOME READERS MAY FIND OFFENSIVE (UNLESS YOU ARE A BOY UNDER THE AGE OF 12 or Mike Rowe from "Dirty Jobs").
The offensive material I am speaking of is dog poop. Lately, I've been feeling inundated by it. We don't have a closed in yard so when the dog needs to go out, we have to walk him. This means that when he poops, we pick it up. I'm naturally repulsed by this. I hold my breath as I scoop it up into whatever plastic bag I have conjured up for my mission. (I am not going to attempt to catch the poop in the bag as I hold it strategically near the dog's but as my ten year old does.) I clutch the bag between my fingertips as I walk back to my house. I fight with the dog to make it the last few steps from the front door to the garbage can so I can throw the offending load away. I get in the house and to the closest sink as quickly as possible to wash my hands. I use highly aromatic soap to help remove the memory of any lingering odors from my nose. I glare at the dog, who is at my feet, chewing on the drawstrings of my pants, like a fish on a line, gentle tug after gentle tug. With a sigh, I retire to the kitchen table to my coffee and paper and try to wipe the whole unpleasant experience from my memory.
As a new pet owner, I have concerns about some matters of pet etiquette. I worry about my neighbors. My dog often poops or pees in the yards of my neighbors. I always clean up the poop but I feel guilty that he has committed this unclean act on someone else's property. Is there some sort of etiquette rule about this? Should I bake them a cake or cookies at Christmas as a way of thanking them for allowing us to use their yard in this manner? And what if a neighbor is offended, even when I clean up after the dog? I have fears of someone storming out of their house as my dog is in mid-poop, yelling obscenities, waving steak knives. Has this ever happened to anyone?
I also feel badly for the garbage men. Our garbage is now laced throughout with tiny bags of doggy doo. How do I apologize for this? Is poop any more offensive to the average garbage collector than any other stinky deposit in the can? I know that many farmers recycle their cow poo. Can I put dog poop in the compost pile? Egads! This would involve removing the poop from the bag. I don't know that I can do that without puking!
Then there's my guilt for using plastic bags to pick up the poop. I am stricken with guilt for what my increased use of plastic is doing to the environment. I thought Target would sell biodegradeable dog waste bags, but they didn't. I forgot to check at the pet store when we stopped in last week to get nail clippers. I know the bags are plentiful on the internet, so at least this area of guilt is short lived.
The trials of pet ownership. Who knew there would be so much drama?
The offensive material I am speaking of is dog poop. Lately, I've been feeling inundated by it. We don't have a closed in yard so when the dog needs to go out, we have to walk him. This means that when he poops, we pick it up. I'm naturally repulsed by this. I hold my breath as I scoop it up into whatever plastic bag I have conjured up for my mission. (I am not going to attempt to catch the poop in the bag as I hold it strategically near the dog's but as my ten year old does.) I clutch the bag between my fingertips as I walk back to my house. I fight with the dog to make it the last few steps from the front door to the garbage can so I can throw the offending load away. I get in the house and to the closest sink as quickly as possible to wash my hands. I use highly aromatic soap to help remove the memory of any lingering odors from my nose. I glare at the dog, who is at my feet, chewing on the drawstrings of my pants, like a fish on a line, gentle tug after gentle tug. With a sigh, I retire to the kitchen table to my coffee and paper and try to wipe the whole unpleasant experience from my memory.
As a new pet owner, I have concerns about some matters of pet etiquette. I worry about my neighbors. My dog often poops or pees in the yards of my neighbors. I always clean up the poop but I feel guilty that he has committed this unclean act on someone else's property. Is there some sort of etiquette rule about this? Should I bake them a cake or cookies at Christmas as a way of thanking them for allowing us to use their yard in this manner? And what if a neighbor is offended, even when I clean up after the dog? I have fears of someone storming out of their house as my dog is in mid-poop, yelling obscenities, waving steak knives. Has this ever happened to anyone?
I also feel badly for the garbage men. Our garbage is now laced throughout with tiny bags of doggy doo. How do I apologize for this? Is poop any more offensive to the average garbage collector than any other stinky deposit in the can? I know that many farmers recycle their cow poo. Can I put dog poop in the compost pile? Egads! This would involve removing the poop from the bag. I don't know that I can do that without puking!
Then there's my guilt for using plastic bags to pick up the poop. I am stricken with guilt for what my increased use of plastic is doing to the environment. I thought Target would sell biodegradeable dog waste bags, but they didn't. I forgot to check at the pet store when we stopped in last week to get nail clippers. I know the bags are plentiful on the internet, so at least this area of guilt is short lived.
The trials of pet ownership. Who knew there would be so much drama?
Monday, July 30, 2007
More Cooking Secrets
It rained on and off all day yesterday and I was in the mood for some comfort food so I made a nice big lasagna for dinner. I prefer to use the lasagna noodles that don't require cooking. They're thinner and leave you with a dish that isn't so starchy. You can really taste the herbs in the sauce and the savory flavor of the sausage. Since we don't tend to eat a lot of heavy food, I use part skim ricotta. I did use bottled sauce. This was necessary since I decided to prepare the dish at about 2:00 pm which wouldn't have given me time to make a decent sauce. And I don't do tomato sauce. If you've never made lasagna it's about the simplest dish you can make and you can make it for meat lovers or vegetarians alike. Layer noodles, a cheese mix made with one egg, ricotta and mozzarella, sauce containing your choice of meat or vegetables. Meat and vegetables can be added separately after the sauce, too. Finish with a layer of noodles topped with sauce and Parmesan cheese. Bake according to the directions on the box of noodles.
As you can see, it wasn't something that would have won a culinary award for presentation but I know it was good. Both boys had seconds, including the 5 year old who lives on air. And not a single request for more food at 8:00. And the wee one asked for some for breakfast. It's moments like that that make me feel I've succeeded as a parent.
In other news around the house, the dog is growing and becoming more civilized. He goes to the door when he wants to go outside. Unfortunately, he doesn't always make a noise so if I'm not around to see him, he gives up and goes in the house. He still sees the 5 year old as another puppy so we have to watch them. The dog gets very excited and starts growling and biting.
We got some rain yesterday, thank goodness. Everything is brown and crunchy looking. The only upside is that the lawn hasn't needed to be mowed for at least a month. I think the sun has been good for the tomato plants because we have lots of tiny green tomatoes. But they're still green. I have no idea how much longer I have to wait for them to ripen. I guess it would help if I remembered what kind of tomatoes I had planted.
An ordinary day lies ahead of us. We'll go to the gym. I'll force children to do math worksheets and read. I'll try to get one to nap and eat (not at the same time). And we might even get to the pool. Until tomorrow...
As you can see, it wasn't something that would have won a culinary award for presentation but I know it was good. Both boys had seconds, including the 5 year old who lives on air. And not a single request for more food at 8:00. And the wee one asked for some for breakfast. It's moments like that that make me feel I've succeeded as a parent.
In other news around the house, the dog is growing and becoming more civilized. He goes to the door when he wants to go outside. Unfortunately, he doesn't always make a noise so if I'm not around to see him, he gives up and goes in the house. He still sees the 5 year old as another puppy so we have to watch them. The dog gets very excited and starts growling and biting.
We got some rain yesterday, thank goodness. Everything is brown and crunchy looking. The only upside is that the lawn hasn't needed to be mowed for at least a month. I think the sun has been good for the tomato plants because we have lots of tiny green tomatoes. But they're still green. I have no idea how much longer I have to wait for them to ripen. I guess it would help if I remembered what kind of tomatoes I had planted.
An ordinary day lies ahead of us. We'll go to the gym. I'll force children to do math worksheets and read. I'll try to get one to nap and eat (not at the same time). And we might even get to the pool. Until tomorrow...
Sunday, July 29, 2007
More Summer Reading
I've found the Washington Post to be a very good source of summer reading material this summer. Not for the recommended books in the book section but for the news articles.
First, there was the article on Hillary Clinton's scoop necked top written by Robin Givhan earlier this month. I didn't think it was that big a deal. Clinton's cleavage was not the only one pointed out in the article, but the Clinton camp and many readers took offense. As a woman endowed, my cleavage is pretty much always there. I didn't see that the top in question was all that revealing on Hillary. On me, it would have been a different story! I found the article amusing, much as I've found all the items ever written about politician's wardrobe choices amusing. I think that the Clinton camp should have ignored the article, instead of calling the article "grossly inappropriate" as they did in a fundraising letter. Hillary seems to try to emulate her husband in her speeches, but she lacks his warmth and sincerity. This is just another example of how prickly she can be.
Then there was the article yesterday about how the military plans to arm Sunni residents in a sort of "neighborhood watch." According to the article, the hope is to get these units up and running quickly so it isn't necessary to wait for citizens to go through long training programs. I don't know about you, but I'm scared. What assurance is there that these armed residents would stick to their assigned mission of protecting a very specific geographic area. Also, doesn't the highly divisive issue of Shiites vs. Sunnis pose a problem What's to stop Shiite insurgents from attacking the US supported Sunnis? I'm sure there are many, many details of this program that are not included in the Post article. Yet it still seems like a really bad idea.
Date Lab from the Magazine section today was good stuff. Like most people, I enjoy the really bad dates, though I have to admit, I also like the ones that lead to a long term commitment. I think there's been one. The picture of the daters says it all, and all I can say is, if I were the young female dater, I would be furious. But please, read it for yourself. I don't want to spoil the fun. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/24/AR2007072401802.html
I've found time to read more than the newspaper. I'm currently about half way through Melissa Fay Greene's "Praying for Sheetrock." Greene, it turns out, was a paralegal in a legal services office that helped a handful of black men in coastal McIntosh County, Georgia pursue equality and fight a corrupt sheriff in the 70's. The many personal accounts of events in the county are astounding. It's shocking to read in such detail about the measures that the white sheriff took to keep the black people down. He had his share of abuses against whites in the county, too and the scams run against tourists are something out of a movie. Ultimately, the blacks suffered most, as the advances of the civil rights movement that were felt in other areas of the south, were far from McIntosh county well into the 70's. For example, the only black member of the school board was removed and replaced with a white man. This was done to ease the "theft" of federal funds meant for the public school. The public school was attended by the black children in the county. The white kids went to a private school, the school to which the funds were diverted. I know there's a tragedy just around the corner in the book. I just hope it isn't so big that civil rights never found there way to McIntosh county.
As for other summer activities, we took the boys to the National Gallery of Art yesterday. Our oldest was able to see some of the works of the artists he learned about this week in his art class. He was most unimpressed at first, but soon enough he enjoyed exploring the galleries. He seemed to really like "Daniel in the Lion's Den" by Rubens. We decided that the lions looked a lot like mean people. Our five year old enjoyed seeing all the naked butts. At one point, he said, "I see London, I see France, I see a lady's underpants." I ignored him. The lady next to us was not amused. Maybe she was a friend of Hillary Clinton.
Off to serve up lasagna. Until next time.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Summer Scandals
First, it's about 70 degrees with 96% humidity. It feels like a swamp. I anticipate a lot of whining at VBS today.
Now, onto today's post. Right now, three major professional sports and one major international sporting event are rife with scandal. What is happening with today's athletes and officials?
First, in football, Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges related to an alleged dog-fighting enterprise that was being run on a property he owned in Georgia. Dog fighting, in case you aren't familiar with it, is where dogs are pitted against each other and fight to the death. It is a "sport" that has been around for centuries and is illegal in the US and much of the world. Vick carried a bible into federal court in Richmond, VA, apologized to his mother and seemed largely unfazed by the jeers from the large crowd.
In basketball, referee Tim Donaghy is alleged to have placed bets on basketball games, some of which he officiated. He is accused of allegedly making calls that would help the outcome of his bets. This is a man who makes over $200,000 each basketball season!
In baseball, Barry Bonds is close to breaking Hank Aaron's home run record but the allegations that he has boosted his performance by using steroids will forever put a blot on any of his achievements.
And finally, the Tour de France is filled with controversy this year. Yesterday, the man favored to win the race was sent home by his team after he was accused of giving the team incorrect information when he missed random drug tests. He told his team he was in Mexico but other riders report he was in Italy. In case you aren't following the race, Rasmussen is the 4th rider this year to face doping related issues. Italian Cristian Moreni and his entire team withdrew from the race. Alexandre Vinokourov was forced out along with members of his team after he tested positive for blood transfusions which are not allowed in cycling. And Patrick Sinkewitz tested positive for elevated testosterone levels. As allowed, he has asked for his "B" sample to be tested. Last year's winner, American Floyd Landis, still claims his innocence after he was accused of doping.
What is this all about? Money? Michael Vick signed a 10 year contract extension in 2004 worth $130 million. How much more money does he need?
Is it about the need to win? You may be able to cheat your way to victory and not get caught, but you still have to live with yourself, your family, your children and your fans. How does someone with controversy hanging over their head face that day in and day out? Is the moral fiber of humanity at risk? If you add the Paris Hilton's and Lindsay Lohan's of the world to this analysis you see the added dimension of a group of people who conduct themselves as if the rules and laws of society don't apply to them.
I find all these sports scandals to be terrible, but I'm not that surprised. How many children's sporting events have you attended where overzealous parents shout at kids from the sidelines? And have you ever had a conversation with your kid's teacher about how vicious some parents are to them when their kids get bad grades? It seems that there are some parents who have an unnatural need for their kids to be the best of the best. They seem willing to do anything to get that for them. We all want our children to see success in their lives. We don't want them to suffer the humiliation of failing grades because of missing assignments. We want them to make every team for which they try out. But messing up now and then isn't really a bad thing. Allowing a child to learn from their mistakes teaches them responsibility, humility and the value of hard work.
I hope the lesson of all the sports and entertainment scandals of this summer is that if you break the rules, you will get caught. Best to toe the line so you can wake up each day and be proud of the face you see in the mirror.
Now, onto today's post. Right now, three major professional sports and one major international sporting event are rife with scandal. What is happening with today's athletes and officials?
First, in football, Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges related to an alleged dog-fighting enterprise that was being run on a property he owned in Georgia. Dog fighting, in case you aren't familiar with it, is where dogs are pitted against each other and fight to the death. It is a "sport" that has been around for centuries and is illegal in the US and much of the world. Vick carried a bible into federal court in Richmond, VA, apologized to his mother and seemed largely unfazed by the jeers from the large crowd.
In basketball, referee Tim Donaghy is alleged to have placed bets on basketball games, some of which he officiated. He is accused of allegedly making calls that would help the outcome of his bets. This is a man who makes over $200,000 each basketball season!
In baseball, Barry Bonds is close to breaking Hank Aaron's home run record but the allegations that he has boosted his performance by using steroids will forever put a blot on any of his achievements.
And finally, the Tour de France is filled with controversy this year. Yesterday, the man favored to win the race was sent home by his team after he was accused of giving the team incorrect information when he missed random drug tests. He told his team he was in Mexico but other riders report he was in Italy. In case you aren't following the race, Rasmussen is the 4th rider this year to face doping related issues. Italian Cristian Moreni and his entire team withdrew from the race. Alexandre Vinokourov was forced out along with members of his team after he tested positive for blood transfusions which are not allowed in cycling. And Patrick Sinkewitz tested positive for elevated testosterone levels. As allowed, he has asked for his "B" sample to be tested. Last year's winner, American Floyd Landis, still claims his innocence after he was accused of doping.
What is this all about? Money? Michael Vick signed a 10 year contract extension in 2004 worth $130 million. How much more money does he need?
Is it about the need to win? You may be able to cheat your way to victory and not get caught, but you still have to live with yourself, your family, your children and your fans. How does someone with controversy hanging over their head face that day in and day out? Is the moral fiber of humanity at risk? If you add the Paris Hilton's and Lindsay Lohan's of the world to this analysis you see the added dimension of a group of people who conduct themselves as if the rules and laws of society don't apply to them.
I find all these sports scandals to be terrible, but I'm not that surprised. How many children's sporting events have you attended where overzealous parents shout at kids from the sidelines? And have you ever had a conversation with your kid's teacher about how vicious some parents are to them when their kids get bad grades? It seems that there are some parents who have an unnatural need for their kids to be the best of the best. They seem willing to do anything to get that for them. We all want our children to see success in their lives. We don't want them to suffer the humiliation of failing grades because of missing assignments. We want them to make every team for which they try out. But messing up now and then isn't really a bad thing. Allowing a child to learn from their mistakes teaches them responsibility, humility and the value of hard work.
I hope the lesson of all the sports and entertainment scandals of this summer is that if you break the rules, you will get caught. Best to toe the line so you can wake up each day and be proud of the face you see in the mirror.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Are you an Obama Girl?
I join many, many other bloggers today with my views on the Obama Girl video. First, the tune, "I've got a crush on Obama," has now replaced all the vacation bible school songs in my head, so I'm a little thankful for that. Second, I thought it was hilarious!
Living in the DC metro area, you can't help but get wrapped up in the political scene. The Washington Post has a wide range of reporting on National politics, including lists of what Congressional committees are meeting each day, as well as who is dining where, and with whom. Of course, I heard reports on the video several weeks ago but I didn't watch it until last night and now I have to wonder what impact this video will have on the Presidential campaign. I can't find any comments from the Obama campaign on the video, but the reports are that it's so wildly popular that Youtube crashed when the video was first posted. As of this morning, over 2.7 million people have viewed the video.
Back in the 90's, a former pro wrestler named Jesse Ventura ran for governor of Minnesota and won. I lived in Minnesota at the time, and many people I knew who hadn't voted in an election ever before were fully behind Ventura. To them, he represented something new and different. They didn't care that his political experience was limited. His campaign slogan was "Don't Vote for Politics as Usual." He galvanized the disenfranchised and won the election, beating out Norm Coleman (now a US Senator.) He was only in office for one term and his main accomplishment was the light rail system that runs from the airport corridor to downtown Minneapolis.
I believe that Obama has the ability to appeal to people the same was Ventura did. He's a freshman senator so he isn't entrenched in the political machine the way his opponents are. He seems able to stand by his words, not back-peddling when he makes controversial statements (see MSNBC's First Read from yesterday for more on his remarks in the debate Monday. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/07/25/290301.aspx). I think if Obama keeps his message simple and takes up the Bill Clinton strategy of getting out to America and touching some hands he can win. He will appeal to the young voters, he will appeal to minorities and he will appeal to the impoverished. Obama Girl has spoken. I think people are listening and Barack Obama has a real chance to win the presidential election. Keep in mind, the queen of middle America has thrown her support behind Obama (that would be Oprah, in case you're that out of touch with pop culture). If Oprah can sell her audience on Obama, there's no way for him to lose.
Off to check on the sleeping child and get ready for VBS. Until we meet again, gentle readers...
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Currents Events Wrap-Up
Not a terribly enticing title to get you, my faithful readers interested in today's offering, but I have a miserable cold and it's going to have to do. So much is happening in the world this week that I've decided to expand beyond my political ramblings to give you my opinion of other news items.
From the world of Entertainment - Lindsay Lohan restrained herself for a whole 5 days following her booking for an alcohol related incident in May and 11 days after leaving rehab. This poor child needs so much help. Wouldn't it be great if 21 year olds could go into foster care? Clearly this girl needs parents, and not the party companions she currently suffers with.
From Sports - Barry Bonds is close to breaking Hank Aaron's home run record, but will it mean the same thing? To many it won't. But isn't that thinking a little naive? Does anyone really believe that no one used performance enhancing drugs before? Gary Player even says that he believes performance enhancing drugs are being used in golf. Maybe the playing field should be evened out by giving steroids to all professional athletes.
Speaking of Naive, from Politics - Hillary Clinton calls Barak Obama naive for stating that he would meet with leaders of Iran, Cuba and North Korea. This type of diplomacy hearkens to her husband's days in the White House when Bill globe-trotted all over the place and people actually liked the US. I think the comment makes Clinton look, well, for lack of a better word, bitchy. Nancy Pelosi went to Syria in April. Following that meeting that was highly criticized by the White House, Condolleeza Rice went to Syria for the first high level talks in two years. I think it's time to get back to more open diplomacy? I support Obama's call for this openness. I think Clinton's comment is an early indicator that she is afraid of Obama. Watch out for more ugliness from her camp.
That's all for today, my faithful friends. Until tomorrow...
From the world of Entertainment - Lindsay Lohan restrained herself for a whole 5 days following her booking for an alcohol related incident in May and 11 days after leaving rehab. This poor child needs so much help. Wouldn't it be great if 21 year olds could go into foster care? Clearly this girl needs parents, and not the party companions she currently suffers with.
From Sports - Barry Bonds is close to breaking Hank Aaron's home run record, but will it mean the same thing? To many it won't. But isn't that thinking a little naive? Does anyone really believe that no one used performance enhancing drugs before? Gary Player even says that he believes performance enhancing drugs are being used in golf. Maybe the playing field should be evened out by giving steroids to all professional athletes.
Speaking of Naive, from Politics - Hillary Clinton calls Barak Obama naive for stating that he would meet with leaders of Iran, Cuba and North Korea. This type of diplomacy hearkens to her husband's days in the White House when Bill globe-trotted all over the place and people actually liked the US. I think the comment makes Clinton look, well, for lack of a better word, bitchy. Nancy Pelosi went to Syria in April. Following that meeting that was highly criticized by the White House, Condolleeza Rice went to Syria for the first high level talks in two years. I think it's time to get back to more open diplomacy? I support Obama's call for this openness. I think Clinton's comment is an early indicator that she is afraid of Obama. Watch out for more ugliness from her camp.
That's all for today, my faithful friends. Until tomorrow...
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Fried Green Tomatoes and Other Summer Delicacies
My tomatoes are plentiful, but still very green. We're all growing impatient for them to ripen. My husband couldn't take it anymore so last night we made fried green tomatoes. Having grown up in the Midwest with no connection to the South, this is a dish I have no experience with, but it seemed simple enough. I didn't need to worry about letting the tomatoes warm to room temperature, as recommended in many recipes. They were coming right off the vine. I sliced them to about 1/4 inch in thickness, dipped them in milk and then in breadcrumbs. I fried them in peanut oil until they were brown on the outside and soft inside. Some people use cornmeal instead of breadcrumbs. Some make a cornmeal batter. It's a matter of family tradition and taste. The tomatoes were delicious. I would have taken a picture but they weren't very pretty. Some of the breading came off. I'll keep trying.
It's getting to be time to harvest the basil and make pesto. When both my boys were infants, I would put fruits and vegetables in a food processor and blend until they were smooth. Then I would freeze them in ice cube trays. At mealtime, I would plop a couple cubes in a bowl, microwave until they were thawed and serve them up to the waiting child. My "homemade" baby food was inexpensive and healthy. I think I'll freeze some of my pesto the same way so we can enjoy it this winter. I'll do the same thing with the chives. Of course, now I wish I had been more ambitious with my vegetables and herbs this summer.
We'll head back to the local picking farm for blueberries next week. For now, it's time to get ready for day 2 of VBS!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Will the Kids Keep Reading?
There is much discussion about whether or not, with the publication of the last in the Harry Potter series, if reading will now die for children? Some say there will never be another series of books that mesmerizes our children so much. They may truly believe that after this summer, kids will not read anymore. I disagree. There are kids that don't enjoy reading. My oldest son didn't really want to read for pleasure. He was required to read daily for 25 minutes for school and that was what he was willing to do. We checked out a wide variety of books from the library, fiction and non-fiction alike, trying to find the perfect book for him. Then one day, I told him my love for reading came from the way books gave me an escape. I said I loved how I could open a book and be in a completely different place and time. That did it. We checked "Dragon Rider" by Cornelia Funke out of the library and he felt what I felt. He is now hooked. What a relief! Now he reads willingly, sometimes sitting for hours so he can finish a book. The new Harry Potter awaits. He still needs to finish books 5 & 6 before he gets to it. He's very excited.
With such an anticipated ending, I'm a little afraid someone will blow it for us. I've told many people to keep the ending to themselves. I've avoided all reviews of the book because I'm sure some smug reviewer who didn't care for the book will happily spoil the ending. These are dangerous times we live in...
I succumbed to all the ads for Dunkin' Donuts Iced Coffee yesterday. My husband wanted a donut and I was thrilled. "Let's go to Dunkin' Donuts," I exclaimed happily. Off we went on our errands. First stop Target to try to get an inner tube for the Schwinn Sting Ray, among other things. Second stop. Dick's Sporting Goods for another try for the inner tube. Finally, to the donut shop. It was packed! There was a line about half way to the door. I had no idea. We made it to the front. I was confronted by choices. Did I want a flavored Iced Coffee? What kind of donuts? Are Boston creme the same as the Bavarian creme I was told to include in our order? Did it really make sense to only get 6 when 12 were a mere $2.50 more. Finally, my turn. I got one plain iced coffee and one vanilla spice, along with an assortment of donuts. I put in my straw and took that long awaited sip of what I hoped would be a spicy, creamy, cool treat. YUCK!!! It was so nasty! My husband took his plain one and came to the same conclusion. I couldn't let $4 go to waste so I tried the plain one. Not bad. Thankfully, the calorie and fat content wasn't too bad. A 16 ounce iced coffee with cream and sugar has 120 calories and 6 grams of fat. I may go back for another plain one, but I'll have to figure out how to do it without the kids. I don't need them to get hooked on donuts.
Vacation Bible School begins today. Should be fun. I am teaching 1st graders. In my very limited experience teaching Sunday school, I've learned it's better not to have your own kids.
Until tomorrow....
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Unauthorized Political Commentary
I know how you, my faithful readers, look forward to my weekly political commentary. Here it is, in little bite sized pieces.
1. President Bush doesn't want to authorize additional spending on SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) because Democrats propose expanding eligibility which the President fears will be harmful to private insurers. He also opposes the plan to pay for it by increasing excise taxes on cigarettes. Even Republicans support this program. So much for the branches of government working together.
2. The sleepover at the Capital was a bust. Democrats failed to secure enough votes. Debate will be suspended until after Labor Day, most likely. And it sounds like there were no games of Truth or Dare and no one produced a Ouija board. Very disappointing.
3. A steam pipe burst in New York yesterday, causing widespread panic as people feared the city was under siege by terrorists. One poor soul died of a heart attack and reports indicated there were some serious injuries. This as it is announced that DC and NY will receive the largest boosts in counter terrorism funds. Sounds like some infrastructure funds would be more appropriate.
4. North Korea finally shut down it's main nuclear reactor and four related facilities in exchange for fuel oil needed to run electrical generators. North Korea still needs to disable the reactor and turn over nuclear materials, but it's a start.
That's all for today! It's a lovely cloudy day, perfect for reading. I may take the kids to the pool now before the severe weather arrives so I can read later.
1. President Bush doesn't want to authorize additional spending on SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) because Democrats propose expanding eligibility which the President fears will be harmful to private insurers. He also opposes the plan to pay for it by increasing excise taxes on cigarettes. Even Republicans support this program. So much for the branches of government working together.
2. The sleepover at the Capital was a bust. Democrats failed to secure enough votes. Debate will be suspended until after Labor Day, most likely. And it sounds like there were no games of Truth or Dare and no one produced a Ouija board. Very disappointing.
3. A steam pipe burst in New York yesterday, causing widespread panic as people feared the city was under siege by terrorists. One poor soul died of a heart attack and reports indicated there were some serious injuries. This as it is announced that DC and NY will receive the largest boosts in counter terrorism funds. Sounds like some infrastructure funds would be more appropriate.
4. North Korea finally shut down it's main nuclear reactor and four related facilities in exchange for fuel oil needed to run electrical generators. North Korea still needs to disable the reactor and turn over nuclear materials, but it's a start.
That's all for today! It's a lovely cloudy day, perfect for reading. I may take the kids to the pool now before the severe weather arrives so I can read later.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Sleep Over
Our senators got to have a sleepover at the Capital last night so they could stay up all night and debate a proposal to end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home. I have some questions about this sleepover.
1. Did anyone steal Hillary Clinton's bra while she was snoozing and freeze it?
2. Did Nancy Pelosi take the dare in "Truth or Dare" to kiss Barbara Mikulski on the lips?
3. Did Dennis Kucinich loan Olympia Snowe his Ouija board so she could talk to John Kennedy?
4. Does anyone really believe these blowhards stayed up all night last night? Please!
Stumps
Did you ever try and try to do something and you just couldn't get it done? Or did you ever try and try to work with a person and they were impossible to deal with? I once had a boss who told me that there were going to be some people you encountered in life who were like immovable stumps. They were too big to dig out so you would just have to go around them. This, ladies and gentlemen, is my mother. I'm exhausted from a day of dealing with her "stumpness" so this little tale will be short. My mother got into a minor car accident on Monday. She left me a message about it on Tuesday. I called her back and asked her what happened, had she called the doctor, etc. Her greatest concern was replacing her car. Though she takes coumadin and it's advised that any coumadin patient who suffers trauma contact their doctor immediately, she didn't see this as important. This puts her children in the awkward position of pleading with her to make the call, as well as encouraging her to learn more about the cars that she wants other than that the seats are comfortable. She is a stump. I must now go around her.
The Potter movie party was a success last night. We found a dementor-esque costume for $5 at the Party store. I made "cauldron cakes" though very few were eaten. My friend and her family had some excellent costumes. It's pretty amazing when you can get a grown man to wear a costume. That would never happen in this house. My friend's husband was Professor Quirrell complete with a turban. I didn't get to see if they had fashioned a face on the back of his head. We did have a frightened boy last night who needed some happy thoughts to go to bed and needed to snuggle sometime in the middle of the night. Hopefully he'll sleep in. It's a good sign that he isn't up already.
It's been a big movie week. We saw "Ratatouille" on Sunday. This would rank fairly low on the Pixar scale, in my opinion. The story was dry, the animation was a little boring, the characters weren't terribly interesting and there were no funny lines. Funny, memorable lines are key to a successful Disney movie experience. We even thought of an alternate ending that would have made the story 1000 times better. It involves Remy learning that Gusteau was actually controlled by his father (or Grandfather). We thought this was where the movie was going when the evil chef's attorney made mention of needing to have DNA tests redone because the first test indicated some hair was from a rat. The only hair you see anyone with is one that's plucked from Gusteau's toque which is in a glass case in the restaurant office. The movie never went that way and we were very disappointed. We preferred our alternate ending. The kids seemed to enjoy it and that's what matters most.
Another hot and humid July day on tap. Stay cool!
The Potter movie party was a success last night. We found a dementor-esque costume for $5 at the Party store. I made "cauldron cakes" though very few were eaten. My friend and her family had some excellent costumes. It's pretty amazing when you can get a grown man to wear a costume. That would never happen in this house. My friend's husband was Professor Quirrell complete with a turban. I didn't get to see if they had fashioned a face on the back of his head. We did have a frightened boy last night who needed some happy thoughts to go to bed and needed to snuggle sometime in the middle of the night. Hopefully he'll sleep in. It's a good sign that he isn't up already.
It's been a big movie week. We saw "Ratatouille" on Sunday. This would rank fairly low on the Pixar scale, in my opinion. The story was dry, the animation was a little boring, the characters weren't terribly interesting and there were no funny lines. Funny, memorable lines are key to a successful Disney movie experience. We even thought of an alternate ending that would have made the story 1000 times better. It involves Remy learning that Gusteau was actually controlled by his father (or Grandfather). We thought this was where the movie was going when the evil chef's attorney made mention of needing to have DNA tests redone because the first test indicated some hair was from a rat. The only hair you see anyone with is one that's plucked from Gusteau's toque which is in a glass case in the restaurant office. The movie never went that way and we were very disappointed. We preferred our alternate ending. The kids seemed to enjoy it and that's what matters most.
Another hot and humid July day on tap. Stay cool!
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