Let me start by admitting that I have no idea what is airing on MTV these days. I recall the very early years watching hours of VHS tape that some kind souls sent to us poor under-civilized children residing in the dark-ages in Germany. We wore holes in those tapes watching them non-stop, over and over. Back then MTV aired music videos and it was great. Now apparently they have a crap-load of "reality" programming. I've seen the tabloid covers, including People magazine, that appear to honor the new bevy of teen girls who are pregnant, and even pregnant...again. Apparently there are two series, 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom. My opinion, based on seeing the magazine covers in the checkout lanes, is that these young ladies are being glamorized. I'm no prude. I believe that our children should receive comprehensive sex education to include the realities and consequences of pregnancy. I just don't think that we, as a society, should create a situation in which teen pregnancy is set on a pedestal and that's what it seems like here. Of course, I haven't seen the shows, so perhaps there is a greater message being sent. But, even if that is so, that message is being distorted by print media.
I would like to mention that MTV is airing a special entitled No Easy Decision today, of course I won't be seeing it firsthand (don't get MTV and not missing it). No Easy Decision tells the story of three teens who, for their own reasons, have decided to have abortions. No matter what your position on the issue, I do believe that this special could be very informative viewing (and, just this once, I do wish that I had MTV, but I'm sure it will become available on hulu or something soon).
Links for further reading:
MTV's "No Easy Decision" Focuses on Abortion
MTV to air special report tackling abortion
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
On Teaching (Sort Of)
I saw this today and I thought it was pretty neat so I had to share.
I considered teaching at one point. I was an instructor for the Navy for four years and enjoyed every minute of it. Of course, my students were mainly young adults and I had certain tools at my disposal to ensure strict compliance, but it was a rewarding opportunity that I am very glad that I did not pass up. So, I decided to attend the local college and get certified in secondary education. I concentrated in Social Studies, since my BA is in History it seemed a logical choice and I totally understood the requirement that I take Michigan history (being non-local, all I can tell you is that they make cars here). What I did not get were the requirements to take a ton of additional 100-level courses without the option of challenging the course. This certification was supposed to be post-baccalaureate. Geography 101 slayed me, the instructor was a pompous bigoted ex-Mennonite who blathered on about those dirty Muslims and attempted to skool me in Germany's post-WWII culture and attitudes. Guess he didn't know that I did some serious WWII study (Europe not Asia, I'll admit that all I know about Japan is that we dropped some hideous bombs on them from a plane named the Enola Gay [okay, I know a little more, but I like the effect]) as an undergrad or that I lived more than a decade in Germany. I complained to the administration, crucified the unqualified yahoo on critiques and that dude is still there teach Geography 101 (sadly, most of the students are very young people who are completing their basic requirements to continue on at 4-year colleges or pursue professional certificates). His effect could be extremely significant on a whole generation of northern-Michiganders, and many of them are already starting from the rear. Here is what I took out of the situation:
1) Rather than allow students to challenge a course (and save some dough) the school in question is a money-grubbing institution that will milk you for every last dime (even if they don't provide you a cent's worth of instruction).
2) Some people are too lazy, or unconcerned, or something, to do the right thing. I strongly feel that this instructor should have been censured, and possibly, terminated for espousing his political views upon the students, not teaching the subject matter and, most importantly, not having a full command of the subject matter. Many of the instructors are people who retired from some other profession (this can be a very good thing, but not in this case).
At the end of the day, I had a job that required visits and communication with all of the high schools in the two local counties. I realized that it would be years before a Social Studies position opened up and I started looking to continue with a Masters in History and going from there. Unbelievably, the Jedi forces collided with the most awesome set of circumstances that I ended up being led down a path that I had first tread upon over 20 years ago. Law School. Okay, there was that little blip in my new plans (perhaps the price that I pay for the scholarship and GI Bill that will fund my new journey), but I will finally be starting law school in a mere 16 days.
I considered teaching at one point. I was an instructor for the Navy for four years and enjoyed every minute of it. Of course, my students were mainly young adults and I had certain tools at my disposal to ensure strict compliance, but it was a rewarding opportunity that I am very glad that I did not pass up. So, I decided to attend the local college and get certified in secondary education. I concentrated in Social Studies, since my BA is in History it seemed a logical choice and I totally understood the requirement that I take Michigan history (being non-local, all I can tell you is that they make cars here). What I did not get were the requirements to take a ton of additional 100-level courses without the option of challenging the course. This certification was supposed to be post-baccalaureate. Geography 101 slayed me, the instructor was a pompous bigoted ex-Mennonite who blathered on about those dirty Muslims and attempted to skool me in Germany's post-WWII culture and attitudes. Guess he didn't know that I did some serious WWII study (Europe not Asia, I'll admit that all I know about Japan is that we dropped some hideous bombs on them from a plane named the Enola Gay [okay, I know a little more, but I like the effect]) as an undergrad or that I lived more than a decade in Germany. I complained to the administration, crucified the unqualified yahoo on critiques and that dude is still there teach Geography 101 (sadly, most of the students are very young people who are completing their basic requirements to continue on at 4-year colleges or pursue professional certificates). His effect could be extremely significant on a whole generation of northern-Michiganders, and many of them are already starting from the rear. Here is what I took out of the situation:
1) Rather than allow students to challenge a course (and save some dough) the school in question is a money-grubbing institution that will milk you for every last dime (even if they don't provide you a cent's worth of instruction).
2) Some people are too lazy, or unconcerned, or something, to do the right thing. I strongly feel that this instructor should have been censured, and possibly, terminated for espousing his political views upon the students, not teaching the subject matter and, most importantly, not having a full command of the subject matter. Many of the instructors are people who retired from some other profession (this can be a very good thing, but not in this case).
At the end of the day, I had a job that required visits and communication with all of the high schools in the two local counties. I realized that it would be years before a Social Studies position opened up and I started looking to continue with a Masters in History and going from there. Unbelievably, the Jedi forces collided with the most awesome set of circumstances that I ended up being led down a path that I had first tread upon over 20 years ago. Law School. Okay, there was that little blip in my new plans (perhaps the price that I pay for the scholarship and GI Bill that will fund my new journey), but I will finally be starting law school in a mere 16 days.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Letter to Congress
I am writing today to request that you vote for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" – the same language that passed the House in May. I am a 16-year military veteran and I can assure you that service members are mature professionals who are paid to do a job that they are able to do very well. It is ludicrous that anyone would even say that we couldn't do our job just as well because of the personal lives of our coworkers.
Do the American people think that we do nothing but have sex at work?
As a woman, and a veteran, I am insulted by the "excuses" for not repealing DADT because the reasons put forward rely on the assumption that I am not doing my job because I am having sex. To further put things into perspective, the last time I had to actually shower with other people in an "open bay" shower was at boot camp 16 years ago. I'm not traumatized, though I later found that some of the women in my company were lesbians and might have seen me nude. We were there surviving a tough experience together and, bottom line, doing our jobs. Oh, and I am not equating boot camp to deployment situations. I spent most of the last year of my life in Afghanistan, where I got to shower in my own stall (and if I was scared of anyone seeing me naked, I could disrobe and dress in that stall as well).
My experience in the military has shown me that I'm far more likely to be sexually harassed or assaulted by a male compatriot than to be asked out by a lesbian.
So, having said all that, I implore you to vote for the repeal of this policy that does nothing more than insult the integrity of US service members.
Do the American people think that we do nothing but have sex at work?
As a woman, and a veteran, I am insulted by the "excuses" for not repealing DADT because the reasons put forward rely on the assumption that I am not doing my job because I am having sex. To further put things into perspective, the last time I had to actually shower with other people in an "open bay" shower was at boot camp 16 years ago. I'm not traumatized, though I later found that some of the women in my company were lesbians and might have seen me nude. We were there surviving a tough experience together and, bottom line, doing our jobs. Oh, and I am not equating boot camp to deployment situations. I spent most of the last year of my life in Afghanistan, where I got to shower in my own stall (and if I was scared of anyone seeing me naked, I could disrobe and dress in that stall as well).
My experience in the military has shown me that I'm far more likely to be sexually harassed or assaulted by a male compatriot than to be asked out by a lesbian.
So, having said all that, I implore you to vote for the repeal of this policy that does nothing more than insult the integrity of US service members.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Did It, Done...
I missed a day, guess NoBloPoMo remains elusive to the likes of me. Got some great excuses though.
1) I'm broke. Yes, I came back from the war and filed for unemployment, I think that my plan to attend school in January coupled with already limited employment opportunities is impeding my ability to find work. My claim is under investigation, because I quit the job I had prior to deployment to attend law school back then. Timing sucks, if I were in school I could benefit from the GI Bill and be okay. Now, I just have zero income and we are living off of one part-time paycheck (due to my insistence that my husband take a part time job to ensure that he would be home for our child while I was gone). Great planning and it's biting us in the hind end right now.
2) I'm frustrated. I've been canceling accounts, to save money as well as trying to cash out an old 401K that is not worth much but will get us over this final hump until January. This has led to endless moments spent on hold, untimely disconnections that result in redialing and more moments spent on hold, transfers to "someone who can help" me that again result in moments spent on hold only to eventually have the person on the other end try to convince me not to close my account, offer me a cheaper option and finally say okay only after I have screamed and cried. Good thing I'm not wearing makeup these days.
3) I'm irresponsible. With our money issues I still insisted that we get one "family" gift (truthfully, at the time, I fully expected that the unemployment payments would keep us on top until school started). The first family gift was a BluRay player that was supposed to be Netflix ready. Woke up at 4 AM on Black Friday to get onto the Wal-Mart website and get this BluRay player as well as a television for my son. Wal-Mart never posted the time that they would start their sale online and imagine my disbelief when I found that the TV was already sold out (even before the sale started in any stores in the United States, I'm talking EST here). Anyway, I was able to get the BluRay player and then spend $50 more at Target for the damn TV. We waited in anticipation for the BluRay player because while the TV remains hidden, we set the player up right away (you know, for Netflix, that recently raised our rates by $1 monthly because everyone wants to stream from the site...we could actually reduce our current rate by $2 if we select just streaming). Well, that stupid BluRay player cannot play Netflix. Went to Wal-Mart's website and discovered that I, along with hundreds of others had been duped by false advertising. The good news is that it was no problem taking it back to the store. The even better news is that I found a little thing called Roku that I was able to purchase for $10 less than the BluRay player. We got it yesterday and were linked to our Netflix account and streaming within 5 minutes. So instead of blogging I was watching a movie and totally escaping my reality. Now one of the great things about this Roku is that there are several channels that one can subscribe to, for free! Now, I'm working on getting the boys to agree to cancel our satellite so we can save $30 a month. I have a good argument (obviously, see 1 & 2 above) but the light is so close that we can almost see it. We know that we just have to get through December and then all will be well, thanks in no small way to the Post-911 GI Bill which includes a monthly housing allowance. We budgeted for that event already (since I was planning on going to school last fall, you know!) and we did take great advantage of the extra money while deployed by paying off our vehicles. We just didn't plan for three months of part-time income.
So, instead of blogging yesterday, I was crying, screaming, and (finally) watching "Men Who Stare at Goats."
1) I'm broke. Yes, I came back from the war and filed for unemployment, I think that my plan to attend school in January coupled with already limited employment opportunities is impeding my ability to find work. My claim is under investigation, because I quit the job I had prior to deployment to attend law school back then. Timing sucks, if I were in school I could benefit from the GI Bill and be okay. Now, I just have zero income and we are living off of one part-time paycheck (due to my insistence that my husband take a part time job to ensure that he would be home for our child while I was gone). Great planning and it's biting us in the hind end right now.
2) I'm frustrated. I've been canceling accounts, to save money as well as trying to cash out an old 401K that is not worth much but will get us over this final hump until January. This has led to endless moments spent on hold, untimely disconnections that result in redialing and more moments spent on hold, transfers to "someone who can help" me that again result in moments spent on hold only to eventually have the person on the other end try to convince me not to close my account, offer me a cheaper option and finally say okay only after I have screamed and cried. Good thing I'm not wearing makeup these days.
3) I'm irresponsible. With our money issues I still insisted that we get one "family" gift (truthfully, at the time, I fully expected that the unemployment payments would keep us on top until school started). The first family gift was a BluRay player that was supposed to be Netflix ready. Woke up at 4 AM on Black Friday to get onto the Wal-Mart website and get this BluRay player as well as a television for my son. Wal-Mart never posted the time that they would start their sale online and imagine my disbelief when I found that the TV was already sold out (even before the sale started in any stores in the United States, I'm talking EST here). Anyway, I was able to get the BluRay player and then spend $50 more at Target for the damn TV. We waited in anticipation for the BluRay player because while the TV remains hidden, we set the player up right away (you know, for Netflix, that recently raised our rates by $1 monthly because everyone wants to stream from the site...we could actually reduce our current rate by $2 if we select just streaming). Well, that stupid BluRay player cannot play Netflix. Went to Wal-Mart's website and discovered that I, along with hundreds of others had been duped by false advertising. The good news is that it was no problem taking it back to the store. The even better news is that I found a little thing called Roku that I was able to purchase for $10 less than the BluRay player. We got it yesterday and were linked to our Netflix account and streaming within 5 minutes. So instead of blogging I was watching a movie and totally escaping my reality. Now one of the great things about this Roku is that there are several channels that one can subscribe to, for free! Now, I'm working on getting the boys to agree to cancel our satellite so we can save $30 a month. I have a good argument (obviously, see 1 & 2 above) but the light is so close that we can almost see it. We know that we just have to get through December and then all will be well, thanks in no small way to the Post-911 GI Bill which includes a monthly housing allowance. We budgeted for that event already (since I was planning on going to school last fall, you know!) and we did take great advantage of the extra money while deployed by paying off our vehicles. We just didn't plan for three months of part-time income.
So, instead of blogging yesterday, I was crying, screaming, and (finally) watching "Men Who Stare at Goats."
Sunday, December 12, 2010
The Taliban and Fluor...Equally Disgusting
This is a sad story but it does give some background and a sense of what it is like to be in Afghanistan as a girl or woman. This is also one of the reasons that I think we should stay in Afghanistan, not that I think that we are doing a good job. I think we had an opportunity to do a good job and then we went to Iraq (and some people want us to believe we went there to prevent the proliferation of WMD, don't think so).
Bottom line, if we pull up and leave the Taliban will regain their complete control over the lives of women in Afghanistan and that is not a good thing, particularly not for a country that had women politicians, doctors, professors...until the Taliban put an end to that. The linked article describes how crappy the warlords were (our prior abandonment of this country enabled a situation that encouraged the rising of "warlords" out of the mujaheddin) which led to the warm welcome of the Taliban, only to find out that they were just as crooked, violent, hateful and despicable.
It's not a good situation but think of this as well. Veterans experience unemployment at higher rates than non-veterans, we are in the midst of an economic crisis and extreme unemployment. If everyone comes home, where will they work? How will they put food on their tables? There are a great many reservists and National Guardsmen who actually volunteered to go (more than once in some cases) because they lost their jobs here. It's just a matter of reality.
Now, there are a great many people working for US military contractors in Afghanistan, these jobs could help us with our stateside unemployment rates but apparently it is cheaper to hire eastern Europeans. So, these contractors could help by encouraging the employment of Americans or...the government could quit giving these yahoos contracts and let the military do these jobs. Duh? Why is Fluor hiring Bosnians to work their dining facilities in Afghanistan when each branch of the military has freaking cooks? Now try to come up with a logical answer to that other than someone in Washington DC is hooking up a pal.
Enjoy this little excerpt about Fluor (from the Project on Government Oversight):
Yes, you are reading that right. Fluor has been cited in 24 instances of misconduct (ranging from Breach of Contract to Overcharging the Government) yet they continue to enjoy government contracts. How much money could we offset our deficit by if our government actually called in the monies owed by companies like Fluor?
The nasty reality of these government contracts is nearly as shitty as the Taliban.
Bottom line, if we pull up and leave the Taliban will regain their complete control over the lives of women in Afghanistan and that is not a good thing, particularly not for a country that had women politicians, doctors, professors...until the Taliban put an end to that. The linked article describes how crappy the warlords were (our prior abandonment of this country enabled a situation that encouraged the rising of "warlords" out of the mujaheddin) which led to the warm welcome of the Taliban, only to find out that they were just as crooked, violent, hateful and despicable.
It's not a good situation but think of this as well. Veterans experience unemployment at higher rates than non-veterans, we are in the midst of an economic crisis and extreme unemployment. If everyone comes home, where will they work? How will they put food on their tables? There are a great many reservists and National Guardsmen who actually volunteered to go (more than once in some cases) because they lost their jobs here. It's just a matter of reality.
Now, there are a great many people working for US military contractors in Afghanistan, these jobs could help us with our stateside unemployment rates but apparently it is cheaper to hire eastern Europeans. So, these contractors could help by encouraging the employment of Americans or...the government could quit giving these yahoos contracts and let the military do these jobs. Duh? Why is Fluor hiring Bosnians to work their dining facilities in Afghanistan when each branch of the military has freaking cooks? Now try to come up with a logical answer to that other than someone in Washington DC is hooking up a pal.
Enjoy this little excerpt about Fluor (from the Project on Government Oversight):
Ranking: 64
Fluor Corporation
Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) provides services on a global basis in the fields of engineering, procurement, construction, operations, maintenance and project management. Fluor is a FORTUNE 500 company with revenues of $9.4 billion in 2004.
Federal Contract $: $1073.7m
Total Number of Instances: 24
Total Misconduct dollar amount: $ 198.4m
Yes, you are reading that right. Fluor has been cited in 24 instances of misconduct (ranging from Breach of Contract to Overcharging the Government) yet they continue to enjoy government contracts. How much money could we offset our deficit by if our government actually called in the monies owed by companies like Fluor?
The nasty reality of these government contracts is nearly as shitty as the Taliban.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Omelet Queen
I have ordained myself the Omelet Queen! After years of up-and-down weight gain, and the memory that my last success was with Atkins, I have returned to the Atkins plan and am enjoying omelets in the mornings. Here are some of my faves:
Avocado, Red Onion, Cheddar, Green Salsa
Smoked Salmon, Green Onion, Capers, Cream Cheese
Morels, Drunken Goat Cheese (this is probably my all-time favorite omelet and my wonderful family collected morels and froze them for me while I was in Afghaniland, so as soon as I can get the Drunken Goat on sale again I'll be back at it)
My goal is to lose 30 pounds before I turn 40. It's so true that the older you get the harder it is to manage. I sort of wish that I was a little more appreciative of my skinny self in those younger days. Truly, I can honestly say, the weight is not so much important as the health. Since I've been home I've been working very hard, lost 5 pounds (without dieting at all, just exercise) and my doctor has reduced my blood pressure medicine twice. If I do really good, I can eliminate that prescription altogether at my next appointment (in about 2 1/2 months).
Why Atkins? Well, I've known for about 20 years or so that I have a problem with carbs. I have a really hard time just eating one oatmeal cream pie, or just one no-bake cookie or just one of anything sweet and carby. The only way that I've found to not give into those cravings are to not have those things at all (or to only have one when I can't get another, such as the gas station sells single no-bakes and after getting home I am certainly not going back to get another). Not to mention that just about everyone in my family has diabetes and I have had some blood sugar level issues in the past. After I meet my goal, I'll probably go a little bit more South Beach Diet for lifetime maintenance.
See, the thing is that I've always thought that I was a healthy eater, but since I've been home (with the extra time and all) I've been monitoring what I ate and the balance just wasn't there. I'm feeling pretty good so far, it's been three days. It's quite possible that you will hear more about this as time goes on, I apologize in advance.
On another note, I did run a half-marathon in Afghaniland and followed up here with a 5K on Thanksgiving (and I hate to run...and my legs look great).
Avocado, Red Onion, Cheddar, Green Salsa
Smoked Salmon, Green Onion, Capers, Cream Cheese
Morels, Drunken Goat Cheese (this is probably my all-time favorite omelet and my wonderful family collected morels and froze them for me while I was in Afghaniland, so as soon as I can get the Drunken Goat on sale again I'll be back at it)
My goal is to lose 30 pounds before I turn 40. It's so true that the older you get the harder it is to manage. I sort of wish that I was a little more appreciative of my skinny self in those younger days. Truly, I can honestly say, the weight is not so much important as the health. Since I've been home I've been working very hard, lost 5 pounds (without dieting at all, just exercise) and my doctor has reduced my blood pressure medicine twice. If I do really good, I can eliminate that prescription altogether at my next appointment (in about 2 1/2 months).
Why Atkins? Well, I've known for about 20 years or so that I have a problem with carbs. I have a really hard time just eating one oatmeal cream pie, or just one no-bake cookie or just one of anything sweet and carby. The only way that I've found to not give into those cravings are to not have those things at all (or to only have one when I can't get another, such as the gas station sells single no-bakes and after getting home I am certainly not going back to get another). Not to mention that just about everyone in my family has diabetes and I have had some blood sugar level issues in the past. After I meet my goal, I'll probably go a little bit more South Beach Diet for lifetime maintenance.
See, the thing is that I've always thought that I was a healthy eater, but since I've been home (with the extra time and all) I've been monitoring what I ate and the balance just wasn't there. I'm feeling pretty good so far, it's been three days. It's quite possible that you will hear more about this as time goes on, I apologize in advance.
On another note, I did run a half-marathon in Afghaniland and followed up here with a 5K on Thanksgiving (and I hate to run...and my legs look great).
Friday, December 10, 2010
My Horrible, No Good, Rotten, Pathetic Day
I did a little rip from Alexander and I apologize for that. Today just hasn't been totally awesome and I have a migraine. Bummer.
First, I waited on hold forever to speak to someone at the state's Unemployment Insurance Agency. I called because, though I have been officially unemployed since the end of October, I have not received a red cent from the guvvie. Well, apparently the state is doing an investigation, that could take 6-10 weeks, because I QUIT my job last fall to attend law school. Now, I didn't go to law school then because I got recalled to active duty and had to enjoy a high paid vacation in Afghanistan. Yay me! So I get back in October and cannot start school until January at the earliest (my intention) but I am also without an income and apparently no one is keen on hiring me right now (even when I fail to mention that I will be a very temporary employee). I kind of thought that I could get a short term gig at a retail store this time of year. The bright spot is that there is a "waiver" that may allow me to continue collecting UI while in school, the clerk put my intentions on file, so at least something got done, however small. Of course, my luck will be that my UI claim will get denied altogether because I'm planning to attend school.
Okay, so after that I was feeling broke and sorry, but decided to run downstairs and get something out of the freezer for dinner. OMG! The veggies in my veggie freezer were thawed, the freezer apparently has not been working for at least a couple of days now. I didn't get into it yesterday. I think I may have saved everything, the middle parts were still frozen and I had some room in my meat freezer and in the refrigerator freezer. I did have to take four paper bags full of strawberries over to the neighbors (they have three chest freezers!). Needless to say, we are going to be eating a lot of veggies over the next week or so, because everything was still cold but I want to eat up everything that was thawed. Might cook some things up into a veggie soup that I can refreeze in lunch portions for my upcoming school days.
So, I'm still working on a post about my friend Dave Camp, perhaps I'll get that out to you tomorrow. For now, I'm going to enjoy a glass of wine (not that it will help the headache but it will help me feel ultra-rebellious and I like that right now).
My wish for you is that your day is much better!
First, I waited on hold forever to speak to someone at the state's Unemployment Insurance Agency. I called because, though I have been officially unemployed since the end of October, I have not received a red cent from the guvvie. Well, apparently the state is doing an investigation, that could take 6-10 weeks, because I QUIT my job last fall to attend law school. Now, I didn't go to law school then because I got recalled to active duty and had to enjoy a high paid vacation in Afghanistan. Yay me! So I get back in October and cannot start school until January at the earliest (my intention) but I am also without an income and apparently no one is keen on hiring me right now (even when I fail to mention that I will be a very temporary employee). I kind of thought that I could get a short term gig at a retail store this time of year. The bright spot is that there is a "waiver" that may allow me to continue collecting UI while in school, the clerk put my intentions on file, so at least something got done, however small. Of course, my luck will be that my UI claim will get denied altogether because I'm planning to attend school.
Okay, so after that I was feeling broke and sorry, but decided to run downstairs and get something out of the freezer for dinner. OMG! The veggies in my veggie freezer were thawed, the freezer apparently has not been working for at least a couple of days now. I didn't get into it yesterday. I think I may have saved everything, the middle parts were still frozen and I had some room in my meat freezer and in the refrigerator freezer. I did have to take four paper bags full of strawberries over to the neighbors (they have three chest freezers!). Needless to say, we are going to be eating a lot of veggies over the next week or so, because everything was still cold but I want to eat up everything that was thawed. Might cook some things up into a veggie soup that I can refreeze in lunch portions for my upcoming school days.
So, I'm still working on a post about my friend Dave Camp, perhaps I'll get that out to you tomorrow. For now, I'm going to enjoy a glass of wine (not that it will help the headache but it will help me feel ultra-rebellious and I like that right now).
My wish for you is that your day is much better!
Thursday, December 09, 2010
Roger Miller Rocks!
This punk rock girl has always been a Roger Miller fan (I not-very-secretly also love Tom T. Hall, how could I not, he wrote my theme song, "I Like Beer") ever since I first heard "King of the Road." Now my little boy, in preparation for his school's Christmas Concert (I believe they are calling it that at the school he attends, of course this is the place where an administrator said to me, "At least you'll be on a ship" when it was explained that I was going to Afghanistan) has been singing "Little Toy Trains" nonstop. As far as the school goes, I just wish there was a little more diversity acceptance around here, but that's for another day and perhaps for my other blog Missaukee Madness (where I've also been very negligent, or a very bad girl, perhaps Santa won't notice).
At any rate, Roger Miller is a real American icon. Check out the bio at the fan site by clicking on his name above. In the meantime, have a good listen.
At any rate, Roger Miller is a real American icon. Check out the bio at the fan site by clicking on his name above. In the meantime, have a good listen.
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
WTF?
There is just so much going on, I don't know where to start, so I'll just jot down a few thoughts that I will work to expound upon in the upcoming days.
1) Darth Cheney Strikes Again, not a new film out in theaters and, in all reality, nothing new at all. Remember Halliburton? How can we forget, it's like that zit on your chin that keeps coming back or even worse a hemorrhoid. Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed 16 charges against Cheney and Halliburton Chief Executive David Lesar (along with two other executives). KBR already pleaded guilty to last year as a result of a US investigation into the same bribery case. Even so, KBR continues to benefit from government contracts in Afghanistan. Our government is failing us on a huge scale, the current shenanigans regarding Unemployment Insurance extensions and tax cuts are only the tip of the iceberg.
2) Tax cuts for the wealthy won't help us, but they will add significantly to our deficit. Since the government deals in Monopoly money perhaps I should start sending that crap in to pay my own bills. See these explanations, as they are better than anything I could possibly come up with: Do tax cuts help the economy? and A tax-the-rich lesson finally goes public over at AWOP. It's about time for a little more job creation and a little less good-ole-buddy ass patting.
3) Dave Camp, my own Representative, who has enjoyed years and years on the government payroll at our expense has been selected as the Chair of the Ways and Means Committee. His constituents have enjoyed some of the highest unemployment in the country, not to mention some of the highest in Michigan. I'd think that there would be a better choice for this position. Unfortunately, the people who blamed the Democrats for the current jobless situation in Michigan elected him again. If that's a vote against the status quo, then these folks need a lesson in "change."
I'm starting to believe that those Mayans really know something about the end.
1) Darth Cheney Strikes Again, not a new film out in theaters and, in all reality, nothing new at all. Remember Halliburton? How can we forget, it's like that zit on your chin that keeps coming back or even worse a hemorrhoid. Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed 16 charges against Cheney and Halliburton Chief Executive David Lesar (along with two other executives). KBR already pleaded guilty to last year as a result of a US investigation into the same bribery case. Even so, KBR continues to benefit from government contracts in Afghanistan. Our government is failing us on a huge scale, the current shenanigans regarding Unemployment Insurance extensions and tax cuts are only the tip of the iceberg.
2) Tax cuts for the wealthy won't help us, but they will add significantly to our deficit. Since the government deals in Monopoly money perhaps I should start sending that crap in to pay my own bills. See these explanations, as they are better than anything I could possibly come up with: Do tax cuts help the economy? and A tax-the-rich lesson finally goes public over at AWOP. It's about time for a little more job creation and a little less good-ole-buddy ass patting.
3) Dave Camp, my own Representative, who has enjoyed years and years on the government payroll at our expense has been selected as the Chair of the Ways and Means Committee. His constituents have enjoyed some of the highest unemployment in the country, not to mention some of the highest in Michigan. I'd think that there would be a better choice for this position. Unfortunately, the people who blamed the Democrats for the current jobless situation in Michigan elected him again. If that's a vote against the status quo, then these folks need a lesson in "change."
I'm starting to believe that those Mayans really know something about the end.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
A Real Scrooge
I'm not sure which rock these women are crawling out from under. I sure wish Palin would crawl back under it and close the door behind her. In the past we've been blessed with Sarah's stupid and Michelle's (Bachmann) stupid, among others (my sincerest apologies to those I've left out) and now we get Kate O'Beirne. O'Beirne, of the National Review, recently showed her own personal Ebenezer in the form of an audacious rant against school lunch programs.
Thanks to Crooks and Liars for the footage.
I'd say that the most ridiculous point of her rant is her accusation that parents who rely on school lunch programs to ensure their children have a healthy meal each day are guilty of neglect. We have a real problem with child abuse in this country, and we need to do something about that. But, seriously, not being able to feed your children because you simply cannot afford the food is not abuse, it's reality for way too many American families these days.
Let me explain, Kate, millions of school children qualify for school breakfasts (and lunches) because the policies of your party have put their parents out of jobs (not to mention that the GOP's lording over the citizenry have reduced access to birth control and sex education, directly affecting the number of children born into poverty unnecessarily).
Kind of reminds me of another clueless yahoo, Cynthia Davis, remember her? Perhaps these women are so privileged that they don't have to do their own food shopping and preparation. Must be nice to be so ignorant and happy bah humbug to you too.
Thanks to Crooks and Liars for the footage.
I'd say that the most ridiculous point of her rant is her accusation that parents who rely on school lunch programs to ensure their children have a healthy meal each day are guilty of neglect. We have a real problem with child abuse in this country, and we need to do something about that. But, seriously, not being able to feed your children because you simply cannot afford the food is not abuse, it's reality for way too many American families these days.
I just don’t get why millions of school children qualify for school breakfasts unless we have a major wide spread problem with child neglect.
Let me explain, Kate, millions of school children qualify for school breakfasts (and lunches) because the policies of your party have put their parents out of jobs (not to mention that the GOP's lording over the citizenry have reduced access to birth control and sex education, directly affecting the number of children born into poverty unnecessarily).
Kind of reminds me of another clueless yahoo, Cynthia Davis, remember her? Perhaps these women are so privileged that they don't have to do their own food shopping and preparation. Must be nice to be so ignorant and happy bah humbug to you too.
Monday, December 06, 2010
Mom, Do You Think I'm a Redneck?
Last month we finally got rid of our redneck status symbol. A red early '70s era Thunderbird that had sat in our yard, in front of the chicken coop even, for the past three years. We managed to sell that thing for $300 and I was getting pretty excited. I actually thought we'd be moving up in the world. I am starting law school in a few short weeks and my reputation should probably be a little more refined, right?
The forces of redneck have conspired against me since then. We took our boy-child to the first high school playoff football game, because our local school actually made it. It was a fine and chilly night but on the way there, I seriously heard my son use the word "winder" to remark upon the spirit-fully decorated windows of a fan's car. Winder? On top of this, he was sporting a camouflage coat and a blaze orange knit cap. I sort of miss those days when I had to physically dress him. This is the same kid, who not too long ago walked into the kitchen and said, "mom, do you think I'm a redneck?" Hmmm, let me think about that one.
Fortunately for me, that coat needed to be replaced. The zipper was giving him fits. So, I passed up the camouflage models and picked up one of those Carhartt tan knockoffs. Mildly redneck but I thought I could get him to accept this small change in his style because his dad, of course, wears those Carhartt coats and being like dad is still totally cool. He immediately expressed his concern that his new coat would not match his old camouflage snow pants. When I assured him that tan went with camo perfectly fine, he asserted quite adamantly that "camouflage goes with camouflage!"
Not to be outdone, my husband broke his front teeth when he slipped in the snow onto a huge piece of angle iron that he was carrying. Because of the time of year, and our dentist is only open up here twice a week (I imagine demand is much higher at his other office, located in a much larger city...well, it is actually a city and that's something). So, he's managed to have two of the appointments of the who-knows-how-many it will take to get his grill repaired which leaves the status as follows: three chipped up teeth and one totally missing (the right side incisor). Totally attractive, if you're a redneck. Let me tell you, I will be ecstatic when his smile is back to 100% but he seems to be really enjoying his new look.
I can tell because he even downloaded "Dueling Banjos" as his ringtone and when his phone rings he just shines me that jacked up smile.
The forces of redneck have conspired against me since then. We took our boy-child to the first high school playoff football game, because our local school actually made it. It was a fine and chilly night but on the way there, I seriously heard my son use the word "winder" to remark upon the spirit-fully decorated windows of a fan's car. Winder? On top of this, he was sporting a camouflage coat and a blaze orange knit cap. I sort of miss those days when I had to physically dress him. This is the same kid, who not too long ago walked into the kitchen and said, "mom, do you think I'm a redneck?" Hmmm, let me think about that one.
Fortunately for me, that coat needed to be replaced. The zipper was giving him fits. So, I passed up the camouflage models and picked up one of those Carhartt tan knockoffs. Mildly redneck but I thought I could get him to accept this small change in his style because his dad, of course, wears those Carhartt coats and being like dad is still totally cool. He immediately expressed his concern that his new coat would not match his old camouflage snow pants. When I assured him that tan went with camo perfectly fine, he asserted quite adamantly that "camouflage goes with camouflage!"
Not to be outdone, my husband broke his front teeth when he slipped in the snow onto a huge piece of angle iron that he was carrying. Because of the time of year, and our dentist is only open up here twice a week (I imagine demand is much higher at his other office, located in a much larger city...well, it is actually a city and that's something). So, he's managed to have two of the appointments of the who-knows-how-many it will take to get his grill repaired which leaves the status as follows: three chipped up teeth and one totally missing (the right side incisor). Totally attractive, if you're a redneck. Let me tell you, I will be ecstatic when his smile is back to 100% but he seems to be really enjoying his new look.
I can tell because he even downloaded "Dueling Banjos" as his ringtone and when his phone rings he just shines me that jacked up smile.
Sunday, December 05, 2010
So Much Going On & Nothing At All
Well, the news wires are full and I've done nothing all day but avoid it all. I've cleaned bathrooms, to include teaching my son how to really clean his sink. I also made him shovel snow off of the deck for the second day in a row. Guess I'll have to get off of my fat ass tomorrow and do it myself. Darn school, gets in the way of all my evil mom shenanigans.
So, here's my little rant(ish) item today. I first saw this on Fox (yes, Fox, for some reason my husband likes to watch their pathetic morning show which always puts me in a stunning mood first thing in the morning. So, there's this story about this yahoo who is dumping Wachovia Bank because they won't put up a Christmas tree at his branch. My first thought was, if this dude is going to make a big stink about CHRISTmas, why would he want a pagan symbol erected to commemorate it. But, okay, I'll accept that this pagan symbol has been appropriated and is standard among many American Christian households this time of year (first brought to the US by a Unitarian, by the way). My second thought is this, if he is really a Christian, he wouldn't want his bankers to sin. Since Christians cannot practice usury (I heard this from Shakespeare, by the way, I can't believe how freaking learned I am), he should desire that his bank employs no Christians and therefore they should not have any Christian symbolism upon its premises at any time. Finally, I should hope that a bank, as a place of business, who hires people to perform banking transactions, not decorate, would remain a professional institution (particularly after taking OUR money to stay in business, bailouts and all that garbage). How are they going to pay for these holiday decorations, with bailout money? Forgeddaboutit! Save your money and DO YOUR DAMN JOBS!
How about I start boycotting any place that respects my views but will not openly share my views. Isn't enough that they have respect for my views? I'd think so but obviously idiots like this don't. Really, get over yourselves!
Again, the War has erupted only, it's not the War on Christmas (as these folks claim), it's really the War on Anyone Who Does Not Openly Kowtow to People Who Want to Make a Big Deal About How They Are Not Accommodated at Every Turn. Gee, WWJD? He seemed like a pretty decent, nonjudgmental and loving kind of guy to me. This new brand of fundamentalist is a blight.
So, here's my little rant(ish) item today. I first saw this on Fox (yes, Fox, for some reason my husband likes to watch their pathetic morning show which always puts me in a stunning mood first thing in the morning. So, there's this story about this yahoo who is dumping Wachovia Bank because they won't put up a Christmas tree at his branch. My first thought was, if this dude is going to make a big stink about CHRISTmas, why would he want a pagan symbol erected to commemorate it. But, okay, I'll accept that this pagan symbol has been appropriated and is standard among many American Christian households this time of year (first brought to the US by a Unitarian, by the way). My second thought is this, if he is really a Christian, he wouldn't want his bankers to sin. Since Christians cannot practice usury (I heard this from Shakespeare, by the way, I can't believe how freaking learned I am), he should desire that his bank employs no Christians and therefore they should not have any Christian symbolism upon its premises at any time. Finally, I should hope that a bank, as a place of business, who hires people to perform banking transactions, not decorate, would remain a professional institution (particularly after taking OUR money to stay in business, bailouts and all that garbage). How are they going to pay for these holiday decorations, with bailout money? Forgeddaboutit! Save your money and DO YOUR DAMN JOBS!
How about I start boycotting any place that respects my views but will not openly share my views. Isn't enough that they have respect for my views? I'd think so but obviously idiots like this don't. Really, get over yourselves!
Again, the War has erupted only, it's not the War on Christmas (as these folks claim), it's really the War on Anyone Who Does Not Openly Kowtow to People Who Want to Make a Big Deal About How They Are Not Accommodated at Every Turn. Gee, WWJD? He seemed like a pretty decent, nonjudgmental and loving kind of guy to me. This new brand of fundamentalist is a blight.
Saturday, December 04, 2010
The Virtues of Mac & Cheese
Homemade Mac & Cheese is the best thing, ever!
I love making macaroni and cheese at home, I experiment with all sorts of variations (and leftovers). Today I picked up a rotisserie chicken and some cauliflower and broccoli on sale at the local food mart. Added all to the basic mac & cheese recipe (after putting a little steam on the veggies to soften them a bit) and headed to absolute tummy heaven.
Basic mac & cheese (I'm pretty sure this is a Betty Crocker type basic, I've been using this "recipe" for years but I know that I didn't make it up myself):
1 box of pasta (I like to use whole grain for extra heartiness)
1/4 cup of butter (of course you could substitute any number of imitations to reduce fat)
1/4 cup of flour
big pinch of salt
small pinch of pepper
small pinch of mustard powder
dash of Worcestershire (I bet you could use paprika or nutmeg here instead for some rockin' taste variation)
2 cups of milk
2 cups of shredded cheese
Cook your pasta and drain. Melt butter in saucepan. Once melted whisk in the flour, salt, pepper, mustard powder and Worcestershire sauce. Continue whisking until smooth, then stir in the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring (or it will stick). Once it boils add the cheese and stir until melted. Then mix the cheese sauce with your pasta (and any other additions) and pop in the oven until the top is just how you like it (about 20 minutes for me).
By the way, I was thinking earlier today, that if dogs had disposable income I could make a killing selling an opposable thumb. I know my dog would thoroughly enjoy the ability to work doorknobs, particularly now that we live in a house where the doors actually close.
I love making macaroni and cheese at home, I experiment with all sorts of variations (and leftovers). Today I picked up a rotisserie chicken and some cauliflower and broccoli on sale at the local food mart. Added all to the basic mac & cheese recipe (after putting a little steam on the veggies to soften them a bit) and headed to absolute tummy heaven.
Basic mac & cheese (I'm pretty sure this is a Betty Crocker type basic, I've been using this "recipe" for years but I know that I didn't make it up myself):
1 box of pasta (I like to use whole grain for extra heartiness)
1/4 cup of butter (of course you could substitute any number of imitations to reduce fat)
1/4 cup of flour
big pinch of salt
small pinch of pepper
small pinch of mustard powder
dash of Worcestershire (I bet you could use paprika or nutmeg here instead for some rockin' taste variation)
2 cups of milk
2 cups of shredded cheese
Cook your pasta and drain. Melt butter in saucepan. Once melted whisk in the flour, salt, pepper, mustard powder and Worcestershire sauce. Continue whisking until smooth, then stir in the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring (or it will stick). Once it boils add the cheese and stir until melted. Then mix the cheese sauce with your pasta (and any other additions) and pop in the oven until the top is just how you like it (about 20 minutes for me).
By the way, I was thinking earlier today, that if dogs had disposable income I could make a killing selling an opposable thumb. I know my dog would thoroughly enjoy the ability to work doorknobs, particularly now that we live in a house where the doors actually close.
Friday, December 03, 2010
On Compromise or Sacrifice
Well, we had a treat this evening. Pizza from the local party store. If you're wondering what a party store is (because I sure as heck did when we moved to glorious Michigan) then I'll explain. In New England we would have called it "the packy" or the package store, because it's where you can buy beer and what they refer to in the Northwest as "hard pop" aka booze. A party store is basically a liquor store but they also have lots of other crap. For example, this one that has the best pizza in town also has sandwiches, salads and burritos in a behind-the-counter kitchen right next to the massive coolers full of soda, beer and wine. Pizza and beer might make this a perfect store but it gets even better than that. At this particular party store you can buy hunting and fishing licenses, bait (including some weird fish egg dye), gloves, redneck ball caps, all-in-one camouflage make-up kits and Jones soda. Well, there's a ton of stuff there that I want to take pictures of (for proof, you know).
So, after all that blathering on about the damn party store, let me get to the point. We ordered pizza to pick up (they don't actually offer delivery, so this statement is moot, but it has a certain balance that I prefer). I prefer a pizza loaded with vegetables, including mushrooms. My husband wants the meat lovers and thinks that he is accommodating me by substituting ham, pepperoni or bacon for the sausage because he knows that I think that the sausage looks like dog food (and not the good kind either). Guess the whole "I like vegetables on my pizza" has gone unheard or dismissed over the past 15 years or so, because bacon is not a substitute for onions and ham is not a substitute for mushrooms and pepperoni is not a substitute for peppers (even if it does share six letters). So, I suggest that the boys get themselves a meat lovers and that I get a small veggie (I typically don't eat that many slices anyway). I think this is fair but what happens is this, we get a "veggie" pizza in which the mushrooms are replaced with ham and then a small pepperoni pizza for the boy (who doesn't like green peppers or onions). Really?
I shouldn't be surprised because I only like two kinds of doughnuts: glazed raised and chocolate glazed cake. That's it. That's all. If I have to eat one, it will be one of those. Not a Long John, not a Bear Claw, not a chocolate frosted, nor any of the other 50 million of fatty varieties out there. "I do not like it, Sam I Am." Very occasionally over the past 15 years, or so, my wonderful husband has allowed me to sleep in on a Sunday and picked up doughnuts. Guess how many times he has managed to pick up one that I like. None. Not ever. I'm serious.
So, I get torn between appreciating the gracious act and being radically pissed that this man, whom I love to bits, will not concede these small things to me. Before you think that I think that he is a total cad, I'll tell you, he has done plenty of totally thoughtful, unexpected and wonderful things for me (and does them quite often-seriously, he did get me this '65 Mustang when I returned from my first deployment and after this most recent deployment, it was fully restored). Of course, this only adds to my frustration at being irritated with his inability to get me my favorite doughnut or just letting me get a pizza with only vegetables on it (including mushrooms).
At the end of the day though, ham on my pizza is a small sacrifice that I'll willingly make with the knowledge that we can always make our own pizzas at home and everyone can have exactly what they want on them. I'll keep smiling and reminding these boys that they are my world.
Have a wonderful, stupidly stupendous day. Which reminds me, one of my very old friends (who I've been keeping in touch with on that evil facebook) has been performing an act of kindness each day as the opportunity strikes him. It has been a joy to see how much personal satisfaction he has gotten from giving freely of himself to perfect strangers. I'm thinking about trying it myself.
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Bringing Simple to the Holidays
I'm working on finding the perfect "Peace on Earth" holiday card to send out this year. I am so excited that I found tons of free (yay free!) options online (even some photo cards, it would be nice if we had some sort of family photo but I do not think that there is even a single print of the three of us together). We just happen to have a stack of white card stock laying around here from some past, forgotten project. It's a good plan.
I have not purchased wrapping paper in at least five years and I've firmly decided that I will never do it again either. I've managed with some hand-me-down rolls until now but I think this will be the year that we stencil Christmas trees onto newspaper. I am very excited and I think it will be a fun way to spend some special time with my son, we can discuss deep stuff like saving this world we live in. Once again, I will be using old cards to make gift tags. We sometimes get freebies in the mail this this time of year, and I'm no snob, I'll use those too! One year, I made laminated tags with my son's photo on them for the extended family. It was fun, cute and I still see those things hanging on refrigerators when we visit.
Another upcoming project, in the same vein, is sewing up some reusable shopping bags with the little tab so that the clerks at the grocery store can use them as easily as the store bought ones that are made with toxic crap (I'm sure it was lead but I'm truly to lazy to look it up, sorry). China banned single-use plastic bags in 2008, saving billions of barrels of oil each year (of course, it's all part of the master plan, China manufactures many of the reusable bags sold at stores and they are full of lead...there's a conspiracy there somewhere). At any rate, I'll be sure to let you know how this goes.
Final thoughts, extended from yesterday, there is nothing more precious than the relationships we humans participate in. Enjoy your season!
I have not purchased wrapping paper in at least five years and I've firmly decided that I will never do it again either. I've managed with some hand-me-down rolls until now but I think this will be the year that we stencil Christmas trees onto newspaper. I am very excited and I think it will be a fun way to spend some special time with my son, we can discuss deep stuff like saving this world we live in. Once again, I will be using old cards to make gift tags. We sometimes get freebies in the mail this this time of year, and I'm no snob, I'll use those too! One year, I made laminated tags with my son's photo on them for the extended family. It was fun, cute and I still see those things hanging on refrigerators when we visit.
Another upcoming project, in the same vein, is sewing up some reusable shopping bags with the little tab so that the clerks at the grocery store can use them as easily as the store bought ones that are made with toxic crap (I'm sure it was lead but I'm truly to lazy to look it up, sorry). China banned single-use plastic bags in 2008, saving billions of barrels of oil each year (of course, it's all part of the master plan, China manufactures many of the reusable bags sold at stores and they are full of lead...there's a conspiracy there somewhere). At any rate, I'll be sure to let you know how this goes.
Final thoughts, extended from yesterday, there is nothing more precious than the relationships we humans participate in. Enjoy your season!
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Zeitgeist
I have been pitifully remiss in blog posting since I've returned from beautiful Afghaniland. In an effort to amend my poor habits I signed on for December's NaBloPoMo, thus making daily posting mandatory. Forced goal setting; something absolutely necessary for a slacker like myself.
What have I been doing? One might ask and all I have to say for myself is that I've been eBaying and playing online games. Perhaps not the greatest use of my time but I have managed to pare down the family's retched DVD collection. This is part of my Zen Plan, in which I am attempting to live with what I need rather than with what I want.
Anyway, on to Zeitgeist. Zeitgeist is NaBloPoMo's theme for December. The best definition I've found is "the spirit of the time." I like that.
In the spirit of the time, I've been downsizing (as alluded to above with the eBay endeavors). I've done some other things as well. The spirit of this time, as I feel it, is one of high unemployment, ineffective government and holiday preparation. This is the short and very generalized list. Holiday preparation includes a big dose of expectation management and my personal desire to meet others' expectations in a manner that celebrates the meanings of the season and doesn't rely on material gratification. Again, my son has surprised my with his Christmas list that includes PlayStation games (yes, that's PlayStation, with no numbers following the title). I was worried that this would be the year that he realized that other kids have so much more than he does (not that he doesn't have plenty, just putting myself in his place, amongst a bunch of little kids with cell phones, Wiis and satellite TV in their bedrooms). But, once again I got lucky and PlayStation games can be had on eBay for as little as a buck a piece. Hooyah!
We are making do with much less this year. I am currently unemployed awaiting the start of law school in January, when I'll actually receive a housing allowance courtesy of the fabulous Post-911 GI Bill. I've found that I am quite the housewife. I enjoy making homemade meals and even having them ready, along with a pot of coffee, when my husband comes home from work each day. I'm sewing new curtains for my kitchen and dining room (pics will follow). Also doing a lot of vacuuming and laundry! Guess that goes with the territory, huh?
I recently stood in line at a local store behind a woman who bragged that she had completed all of her Christmas shopping already. I noticed that she used her Bridge Card (food stamps) to purchase her groceries and a credit card for the toys (of which there were an abundance). I'm certainly not making any morality statement on her situation. I'm well aware that there are thousands of families in this country who have found themselves on public assistance, tragically unexpectedly, over the past couple of years. My only thought at the time, was sadness that she thought that she needed to spend so much on toys for her children when her family is obviously struggling to meet their actual needs. I know that little can replace the joy a parent feels when they have managed to secure happiness from their children. The thing about material happiness, though, is that it is fleeting. Mere time spent is much better spent than cash, in almost every case.
I can think back on every great gift I got for Christmas growing up and I cannot even say what happened to that ten speed or those cowboy boots. The thing that would have made me the happiest would have been to have my dad home. He was in the Air Force and somehow, over the 16 years that he was with us, he was only home for his very last Christmas before he passed away. I would give anything now for one more day with him, any day, it doesn't have to be a holiday. My dad though, was of the large poverty-stricken-family-mold, and as an adult it was important for him to provide for his family financially. He probably spoiled us kids and he didn't even mean to. He just wanted us to have the things that he never could have had as a child. This reminds me of the old woman, Hoora, in the third part of the Iranian film "The Day I Became a Woman." She takes a ludicrous shopping spree, after the death of her husband and an inheritance, purchasing everything she ever wanted but there's no place to put it and she even forgot what the last tie was for on her finger. I recommend the film (for other reasons also, which I will save for another day).
I had a lot more to say today, but I've either forgotten or gotten distracted. I'm sure there will be more about living in the spirit this month, along with lots of other crazy stuff that has been on the Wandering Elf's mind this past year.
For now, I'm going to spend some time with my son.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)