I’ve been rather busy and haven’t blogged in a while. But this whole TSA enhanced ‘pat-down’ or backscatter ‘view me naked’ choice has me rather upset.
Personally, I have no shame and don’t care if someone sees me naked. But heaven help you if you try to see my child naked. Of course we can refuse. But the alternative choice is that you want to molest my child? And if we refuse both and decide not to fly, we cannot leave without facing a $10,000+ fine? (http://www.fox5sandiego.com/news/kswb-man-faces-fine-for-refusing-tsa-scan,0,7222070.story)
I thought Americans were protected from unlawful searches and seizures.
The 4th Amendment says, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
I am secure in my person.
What is the probable cause for TSA to search me?
That I am choosing to fly?
I thought Americans were innocent until proven guilty.
Quoting from the above cited article:
Michael Aguilar, TSA's federal security director in San Diego says, "We want to be sure that everyone on a plane can be assured that the people with them received the same screening process."
He said that any passenger can opt out of the full body scan and instead choose a pat-down, and that the TSA has a procedure in place that blocks out the groin area on a full body scan. "It ensures the official never sees the image on the display screen," he said.
(My first thought - So the potential terrorist could hide a bomb there? But then that is another blog.)
Aguilar went on to say, "We have a commitment to public safety, and a commitment to our mission to protect the freedom of movement of passengers," he said, "We're not going to allow anyone or any group to detract from our mission."
What about the Constitution of the Country???? No commitment to that?
I happen to agree with the statement from the National Opt-Out Day organizers. (Again, quoting from the article.)
"This country needs security measures in place that not only keep us safe but
also do not grossly violate privacy or constitute an unreasonable search, like
the current protocol," National Opt-Out Day organizers said in a statement.
"Protest the federal government's desire to virtually strip us naked or submit
to an 'enhanced pat down' that touches people's breasts and genitals in an
aggressive manner."
A person responding to this on Fark.com summed it up well:
"The mere fact that we are even suggesting that viewing little old ladies and young children naked while exposing them to radiation vs feeling them up as a way to protect us from evil is so mind boggling it just makes me want to scream in anger.
How is losing our right to privacy and right to travel protecting us in the long run?"
REOIV on Fark
The place to stop the terrorists is BEFORE the airport. When the intelligence agency submits memos to the president saying a known terrorist is determined to strike.
The truth is that there is no way to stop all terrorist attacks. A determined person will find a way.
The truth is that there is no way to 100% safe from any kind of danger as long as you are alive.
Minimizes the risks is a good thing. Go ahead and have security checks. But not ones that are essentially government sanction pornography and government sanctioned sexual molestation.
What made, and hopefully will continue to make, America great is our rights. Our freedoms. Let’s not take them away. Keep the 4th Amendment strong and alive. Don’t let TSA kill it.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Actions speak louder than words
I was watching the Rachel Maddow Show the other night (my conservative friends are probably aghast – to them I say, try it! You may enjoy listening to someone who treats you like an intelligent person) and she had former Ambassador Richard Holbrooke on. They talked about the horrific flooding in Pakistan (image the East coast of the USA under water – from Georgia to New Hampshire).
Then they began talking about the drone attacks.
He is a Vietnam Veteran. He knows first-hand that war is hell. He has seen things that I am very grateful to not have ever seen. The precision with which the drones attack amazes him. He recognizes the lives that have been saved using drones. And he is right.
In a conflict, there is much going on and a pilot can be easily distracted. Collateral damage occurs. Having the pilot thousands of miles away enables them to focus on the task at hand and minimizes the mistakes, the collateral damage.
Ms. Maddow has a problem with this program. And rightly so.
As Americans, we learn from an early age about being innocent until proven guilty. About our rights to be tried by a jury of our peers. The right to a speedy trial. The right to know what we are being accused of. We value those rights and we send our men and women to fight and protect them.
The drone strikes enable us to be judge, jury and executioner in one precision hit. Our efficiency at killing has come at a cost. We have lost our way.
When we try to explain our values and beliefs, our enemies point to Guantanamo Bay. And the drone strikes. They see our actions. Our actions that speak louder than words.
Then they began talking about the drone attacks.
He is a Vietnam Veteran. He knows first-hand that war is hell. He has seen things that I am very grateful to not have ever seen. The precision with which the drones attack amazes him. He recognizes the lives that have been saved using drones. And he is right.
In a conflict, there is much going on and a pilot can be easily distracted. Collateral damage occurs. Having the pilot thousands of miles away enables them to focus on the task at hand and minimizes the mistakes, the collateral damage.
Ms. Maddow has a problem with this program. And rightly so.
As Americans, we learn from an early age about being innocent until proven guilty. About our rights to be tried by a jury of our peers. The right to a speedy trial. The right to know what we are being accused of. We value those rights and we send our men and women to fight and protect them.
The drone strikes enable us to be judge, jury and executioner in one precision hit. Our efficiency at killing has come at a cost. We have lost our way.
When we try to explain our values and beliefs, our enemies point to Guantanamo Bay. And the drone strikes. They see our actions. Our actions that speak louder than words.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Freedom is not Free
Thursday, September 9, I stayed up to 2 am writing the following blog. I have decided it needs a bit of an introduction to give you an idea of what was in mind when I wrote it.
I had been watching the news and hearing the Republicans in congress going on and on about how we need to extended the tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. I had also recently seen a clip showing the soldier asking Rumsfield about the need for armor and Rumsfield’s “screw you” answer. And then I thought about the exhibit in the National WW2 museum about the country pulling together and sacrificing so that our ‘boys’ would have everything they needed. President Bush asked us to just go and spend money. In 2003, he cut taxes.
Last Saturday was September 11. Nationwide it is known as 9-11. The formal name is Patriot Day. On this day, we were attacked. And then we went to war. The War on Terror. We cornered Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, but he got away when, right or wrong, when we invaded Iraq. Now our country has two wars. And President Bush cut taxes. And borrowed money from China. I doubt any American would have complained if he had raised taxes to pay for the wars. Instead, our fighting men and women scrounged for metal to protect themselves from IEDs.
Today, I ask that you support our troops with more than a ribbon stuck to your bumper. Pay your taxes. Demand better health care for our vets.
When the Republicans get all upset over losing the tax cuts for the wealthiest, I want to ask them, “Why do you hate our troops?” It costs money to go to war. That money should not come from China. We need to fund it. It was fiscally irresponsible to cut taxes during war. The Greatest Generation came together and everyone sacrificed. We are at war. Are we no longer great? The taxes you pay are among the lowest in the world (http://www.businesspundit.com/12-countries-with-the-highest-lowest-tax-rates/) and they are what you pay to be protected. Most of the federal budget goes for defense spending.
And then there is the Tea Party. Bitching and moaning that their taxes are too high. If they have a problem with the price they pay for their freedom, then they should go and complain to the following Americans:
Name/Rank/Age/Branch/State/Town
Charte, Philip G. E./ Corporal/ 22/ U.S. Marine/ NH/ Goffstown
Deluzio, Steven J./ Sergeant/ 25/ U.S. Army National Guard/ CT/ South Glastonbury
Southworth, Tristan H./ Specialist/ 21/ U.S. Army National Guard/ VT/ West Danville
Van Aalst, Jared N./ Master Sergeant/ 34/ U.S. Army/ NH/ Laconia
Warren, Kyle R./ Staff Sergeant/ 28/ U.S. Army/ NH/ Manchester
Shaw, Eric B./ Staff Sergeant/ 31/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Exeter
Andrews, Scott A./ Specialist/ 21/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Fall River
Silk, Brandon M./ Staff Sergeant/ 25/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Orono
Rivera, Edwin/ Sergeant/ 28/ U.S. Army/ CT/ Waterford
Desforges, Joshua D./ Sergeant/ 23/ U.S. Marine/ MA/ Ludlow
Slack, Wade A./ Specialist/ 21/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Waterville
Barrett, Robert J./ Sergeant/ 21/ U.S. Air National Guard/ MA/ Fall River
Griffin, Tyler O. Lance Corporal/ 19/ U.S. Marine/ CT/ Voluntown
Coutu, Kyle J./ Private 1st Class/ 20/ U.S. Marine/ RI/ Providence
Currier, Eric D./ Private 1st Class/ 2/ U.S. Marine/ NH/ Londonderry
Decoteau, Marc Paul/ Specialist/ 19/ U.S. Air National Guard/ NH/ Waterville Valley
Brown Jr., Harold/ Not yet reported/ 37/ CIA/ MA/ Bolton
Spino, Ronald J./ Staff Sergeant/ 45/ / U.S. Army/ CT/ Waterbury
Latorre, Xhacob/ Corporal/ 21/ U.S. Marine/ CT/ Waterbury
Sherman, Benjamin/ Sergeant/ 21/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Plymouth
Van De Giesen, Kyle R./ Captain/ 29/ U.S. Marine/ MA/ North Attleboro
Kirk, Joshua J./ Sergeant/ 30/ U.S. Army/ ME/ South Portland
Sklaver, Benjamin A./ Captain/ 32/ U.S. Army Reserve/ MA/ Medford
Brochu, Jordan M./ Private 1st Class/ 20/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Cumberland
Pellerin, Justin Reid/ Specialist/ 21/ U.S. Army/ NH/ Boscawen
Bernard, Joshua Matthew/ Lance Corporal/ 21/ U.S. Marine/ ME/ New Portland
Xiarhos, Nicholas George/ Corporal/ 21/ U.S. Marine/ MA/ Yarmouth Port
Dupont, Kevin A./ Sergeant 1st Class/ 52/ U.S. Army National Guard/ MA/ Chicopee
Toner IV, Francis L./ Lieutenant (junior grade)/ 26/ U.S. Navy/ RI/ Narragansett
Ouellette, Michael W./ Corporal/ 28/ U.S. Marine/ NH/ Manchester
Preach, Kevin T./ Lance Corporal/ 21/ U.S. Marine/ MA/ Bridgewater
Mescall, Brian M./ Major/ 33/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Hopkinton
Fortunato, Stephen R./ Specialist/ 25/ U.S. Army Reserve/ MA/ Danvers
Dimond, Scott G./ Private 1st Class/ 39/ U.S. Army National Guard/ NH/ Franklin
Conlon Jr., Paul E./ Private 1st Class/ 21/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Somerville
Simmons, Shawn E./ Master Sergeant/ 39/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Ashland
Ramirez, Nelson D. Rodriguez/ Sergeant/ 22/ U.S. Army National Guard/ MA/ Revere
Buxbaum, Justin L./ Specialist/ 23/ U.S. Army/ ME/ South Portland
Robertson, Nicholas A./ Sergeant/ 27/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Old Town
Durkin, Ciara M./ Not reported yet/ 30/ U.S. Army National Guard/ MA/ Quincy
Wilson, Christopher M./ Specialist/ 24/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Bangor
McDonald, Edmund W./ Sergeant/ 25/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Casco
Phaneuf II, Joseph E./ Staff Sergeant/ 38/ U.S. Army National Guard/ CT/ Eastford
Keating, Benjamin D./ 1st Lieutenant/ 27/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Shapleigh
Small, Andrew/ Private 1st Class/ 19/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Wiscasset
Monti, Jared C./ Sergeant 1st Class/ 30/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Raynham
Damon, Patrick/ Captain/ 41/ U.S. Army National Guard/ ME/ Falmouth
Durgin, Russell M./ Sergeant/ 23/ U.S. Army/ NH/ Henniker
Moquin Jr., Brian M./ Private/ 19/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Worcester
Stone, John Thomas/ Sergeant 1st Class/ 52/ U.S. Army National Guard/ VT/ Tunbridge/Norwich
Montrond, Alberto D./ Sergeant/ 27/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Suffolk
Bertolino, Matthew L./ Private 1st Class/ 20/ U.S. Marine/ NH/ Hampstead
Hines, Derek S./ 1st Lieutenant/ 25/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Newburyport
Reich, Stephen C./ Major/ 34/ U.S. Army/ CT/ Washington Depot
Healy, Daniel R./ Senior Chief Petty Officer/ 36/ U.S. Navy/ NH/ Exeter
Piper, Christopher N./ Staff Sergeant/ 43/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Marblehead
Kelley, Michael J./ Sergeant/ 26/ U.S. Army National Guard/ MA/ Scituate
Connolly, David S./ Captain/ 37/ U.S. Army Reserve/ MA/ Boston
McMahon, Michael J./ Lieutenant Colonel/ 41/ U.S. Army/ CT/ Not reported yet
Ouellette, Brian J./ Petty Officer 1st Class/ 37/ U.S. Navy/ MA/ Needham
Golding, Nicholes Darwin/ Sergeant/ 24/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Addison
Gilman, Benjamin L./ Sergeant/ 28/ U.S. Army/ CT/ Meriden
Perreault, Theodore L./ Sergeant/ 33/ U.S. Army National Guard/ MA/ Webster
Albert, Phillip R./ Sergeant Major/ 41/ U.S. Army/ CT/ Terryville
O'Neill, Evan W./ Private 1st Class/ 19/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Haverhill
Michaud, Seth R./ Captain/ 27/ U.S. Marine Reserve/ MA/ Hudson
Tracy Jr., William John/ Sergeant/ 27/ U.S. Army/ NH/ Webster
Robinson, Thomas L./ Lieutenant Commander/ 38/ U.S. Navy/ MA/ Kingston
Rushforth Jr., Bruce A./ Staff Sergeant/ 35/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Bridgewater
Petithory, Daniel H./ Sergeant 1st Class/ 32/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Cheshire
Andrews, Evander E./ Master Sergeant/ 36/ U.S. Air Force/ ME/ Solon
This list of those who gave ALL from New England during Operation Enduring Freedom from the start to the present comes from http://icasualties.org/Iraq/index.aspx. The full list for Americans who died during both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom is over 400 pages long. The list is still growing.
Freedom is not Free.
I had been watching the news and hearing the Republicans in congress going on and on about how we need to extended the tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. I had also recently seen a clip showing the soldier asking Rumsfield about the need for armor and Rumsfield’s “screw you” answer. And then I thought about the exhibit in the National WW2 museum about the country pulling together and sacrificing so that our ‘boys’ would have everything they needed. President Bush asked us to just go and spend money. In 2003, he cut taxes.
Last Saturday was September 11. Nationwide it is known as 9-11. The formal name is Patriot Day. On this day, we were attacked. And then we went to war. The War on Terror. We cornered Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, but he got away when, right or wrong, when we invaded Iraq. Now our country has two wars. And President Bush cut taxes. And borrowed money from China. I doubt any American would have complained if he had raised taxes to pay for the wars. Instead, our fighting men and women scrounged for metal to protect themselves from IEDs.
Today, I ask that you support our troops with more than a ribbon stuck to your bumper. Pay your taxes. Demand better health care for our vets.
When the Republicans get all upset over losing the tax cuts for the wealthiest, I want to ask them, “Why do you hate our troops?” It costs money to go to war. That money should not come from China. We need to fund it. It was fiscally irresponsible to cut taxes during war. The Greatest Generation came together and everyone sacrificed. We are at war. Are we no longer great? The taxes you pay are among the lowest in the world (http://www.businesspundit.com/12-countries-with-the-highest-lowest-tax-rates/) and they are what you pay to be protected. Most of the federal budget goes for defense spending.
And then there is the Tea Party. Bitching and moaning that their taxes are too high. If they have a problem with the price they pay for their freedom, then they should go and complain to the following Americans:
Name/Rank/Age/Branch/State/Town
Charte, Philip G. E./ Corporal/ 22/ U.S. Marine/ NH/ Goffstown
Deluzio, Steven J./ Sergeant/ 25/ U.S. Army National Guard/ CT/ South Glastonbury
Southworth, Tristan H./ Specialist/ 21/ U.S. Army National Guard/ VT/ West Danville
Van Aalst, Jared N./ Master Sergeant/ 34/ U.S. Army/ NH/ Laconia
Warren, Kyle R./ Staff Sergeant/ 28/ U.S. Army/ NH/ Manchester
Shaw, Eric B./ Staff Sergeant/ 31/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Exeter
Andrews, Scott A./ Specialist/ 21/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Fall River
Silk, Brandon M./ Staff Sergeant/ 25/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Orono
Rivera, Edwin/ Sergeant/ 28/ U.S. Army/ CT/ Waterford
Desforges, Joshua D./ Sergeant/ 23/ U.S. Marine/ MA/ Ludlow
Slack, Wade A./ Specialist/ 21/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Waterville
Barrett, Robert J./ Sergeant/ 21/ U.S. Air National Guard/ MA/ Fall River
Griffin, Tyler O. Lance Corporal/ 19/ U.S. Marine/ CT/ Voluntown
Coutu, Kyle J./ Private 1st Class/ 20/ U.S. Marine/ RI/ Providence
Currier, Eric D./ Private 1st Class/ 2/ U.S. Marine/ NH/ Londonderry
Decoteau, Marc Paul/ Specialist/ 19/ U.S. Air National Guard/ NH/ Waterville Valley
Brown Jr., Harold/ Not yet reported/ 37/ CIA/ MA/ Bolton
Spino, Ronald J./ Staff Sergeant/ 45/ / U.S. Army/ CT/ Waterbury
Latorre, Xhacob/ Corporal/ 21/ U.S. Marine/ CT/ Waterbury
Sherman, Benjamin/ Sergeant/ 21/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Plymouth
Van De Giesen, Kyle R./ Captain/ 29/ U.S. Marine/ MA/ North Attleboro
Kirk, Joshua J./ Sergeant/ 30/ U.S. Army/ ME/ South Portland
Sklaver, Benjamin A./ Captain/ 32/ U.S. Army Reserve/ MA/ Medford
Brochu, Jordan M./ Private 1st Class/ 20/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Cumberland
Pellerin, Justin Reid/ Specialist/ 21/ U.S. Army/ NH/ Boscawen
Bernard, Joshua Matthew/ Lance Corporal/ 21/ U.S. Marine/ ME/ New Portland
Xiarhos, Nicholas George/ Corporal/ 21/ U.S. Marine/ MA/ Yarmouth Port
Dupont, Kevin A./ Sergeant 1st Class/ 52/ U.S. Army National Guard/ MA/ Chicopee
Toner IV, Francis L./ Lieutenant (junior grade)/ 26/ U.S. Navy/ RI/ Narragansett
Ouellette, Michael W./ Corporal/ 28/ U.S. Marine/ NH/ Manchester
Preach, Kevin T./ Lance Corporal/ 21/ U.S. Marine/ MA/ Bridgewater
Mescall, Brian M./ Major/ 33/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Hopkinton
Fortunato, Stephen R./ Specialist/ 25/ U.S. Army Reserve/ MA/ Danvers
Dimond, Scott G./ Private 1st Class/ 39/ U.S. Army National Guard/ NH/ Franklin
Conlon Jr., Paul E./ Private 1st Class/ 21/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Somerville
Simmons, Shawn E./ Master Sergeant/ 39/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Ashland
Ramirez, Nelson D. Rodriguez/ Sergeant/ 22/ U.S. Army National Guard/ MA/ Revere
Buxbaum, Justin L./ Specialist/ 23/ U.S. Army/ ME/ South Portland
Robertson, Nicholas A./ Sergeant/ 27/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Old Town
Durkin, Ciara M./ Not reported yet/ 30/ U.S. Army National Guard/ MA/ Quincy
Wilson, Christopher M./ Specialist/ 24/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Bangor
McDonald, Edmund W./ Sergeant/ 25/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Casco
Phaneuf II, Joseph E./ Staff Sergeant/ 38/ U.S. Army National Guard/ CT/ Eastford
Keating, Benjamin D./ 1st Lieutenant/ 27/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Shapleigh
Small, Andrew/ Private 1st Class/ 19/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Wiscasset
Monti, Jared C./ Sergeant 1st Class/ 30/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Raynham
Damon, Patrick/ Captain/ 41/ U.S. Army National Guard/ ME/ Falmouth
Durgin, Russell M./ Sergeant/ 23/ U.S. Army/ NH/ Henniker
Moquin Jr., Brian M./ Private/ 19/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Worcester
Stone, John Thomas/ Sergeant 1st Class/ 52/ U.S. Army National Guard/ VT/ Tunbridge/Norwich
Montrond, Alberto D./ Sergeant/ 27/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Suffolk
Bertolino, Matthew L./ Private 1st Class/ 20/ U.S. Marine/ NH/ Hampstead
Hines, Derek S./ 1st Lieutenant/ 25/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Newburyport
Reich, Stephen C./ Major/ 34/ U.S. Army/ CT/ Washington Depot
Healy, Daniel R./ Senior Chief Petty Officer/ 36/ U.S. Navy/ NH/ Exeter
Piper, Christopher N./ Staff Sergeant/ 43/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Marblehead
Kelley, Michael J./ Sergeant/ 26/ U.S. Army National Guard/ MA/ Scituate
Connolly, David S./ Captain/ 37/ U.S. Army Reserve/ MA/ Boston
McMahon, Michael J./ Lieutenant Colonel/ 41/ U.S. Army/ CT/ Not reported yet
Ouellette, Brian J./ Petty Officer 1st Class/ 37/ U.S. Navy/ MA/ Needham
Golding, Nicholes Darwin/ Sergeant/ 24/ U.S. Army/ ME/ Addison
Gilman, Benjamin L./ Sergeant/ 28/ U.S. Army/ CT/ Meriden
Perreault, Theodore L./ Sergeant/ 33/ U.S. Army National Guard/ MA/ Webster
Albert, Phillip R./ Sergeant Major/ 41/ U.S. Army/ CT/ Terryville
O'Neill, Evan W./ Private 1st Class/ 19/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Haverhill
Michaud, Seth R./ Captain/ 27/ U.S. Marine Reserve/ MA/ Hudson
Tracy Jr., William John/ Sergeant/ 27/ U.S. Army/ NH/ Webster
Robinson, Thomas L./ Lieutenant Commander/ 38/ U.S. Navy/ MA/ Kingston
Rushforth Jr., Bruce A./ Staff Sergeant/ 35/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Bridgewater
Petithory, Daniel H./ Sergeant 1st Class/ 32/ U.S. Army/ MA/ Cheshire
Andrews, Evander E./ Master Sergeant/ 36/ U.S. Air Force/ ME/ Solon
This list of those who gave ALL from New England during Operation Enduring Freedom from the start to the present comes from http://icasualties.org/Iraq/index.aspx. The full list for Americans who died during both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom is over 400 pages long. The list is still growing.
Freedom is not Free.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Update
It is Wednesday and I haven’t posted a new blog in a while. It being summer, my regular routine is shot. Not that I am complaining; just noting.
Routines are very useful things sometimes. Like brushing my teeth every morning and every night. I am in the process of establishing some more good routines to help with the New Year’s resolutions. As a reminder, they are: to be more organized, lose weight, yell less, watch less TV, spend less, save more, and stop procrastinating so much.
Now that the year is well over the half-way mark, how am I doing? I have found that procrastinating and organizing go hand in hand. I’ve been trying to follow the FlyLady’s “DO IT NOW” principle. And I have found a local person who is a professional organizer to come and help me every so often. Baby steps are the way to go.
Being more organized leads to more peaceful state of being which leads to less yelling. I don’t yell at Julie to hurry up because we are ready to leave early.
TV, well, Discovery and the Science Channel have so many wonderful shows that TV viewing has increased. I’m currently watching Morgan Freeman’s Through the Wormhole series. Physics is a mind-expanding subject.
Spend less and save more are two sides of the same coin. I’ve gotten a little bit choosier on what I am spending, but not enough to make a difference. Still have a long way to go on this resolution.
As for losing weight, I have lost 47 pounds since the end of October 2009. And I’ve hit a plateau. Or maybe it is just summer and all the vacationing, dining out and family get-togethers. I am hoping that getting back into the routine of school, work, home will help.
In the meantime, I am going to enjoy every moment of the rest of this week and the next two weeks. Sit back with a glass of wine, watch TV and take a baby step every now and again.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer!
Routines are very useful things sometimes. Like brushing my teeth every morning and every night. I am in the process of establishing some more good routines to help with the New Year’s resolutions. As a reminder, they are: to be more organized, lose weight, yell less, watch less TV, spend less, save more, and stop procrastinating so much.
Now that the year is well over the half-way mark, how am I doing? I have found that procrastinating and organizing go hand in hand. I’ve been trying to follow the FlyLady’s “DO IT NOW” principle. And I have found a local person who is a professional organizer to come and help me every so often. Baby steps are the way to go.
Being more organized leads to more peaceful state of being which leads to less yelling. I don’t yell at Julie to hurry up because we are ready to leave early.
TV, well, Discovery and the Science Channel have so many wonderful shows that TV viewing has increased. I’m currently watching Morgan Freeman’s Through the Wormhole series. Physics is a mind-expanding subject.
Spend less and save more are two sides of the same coin. I’ve gotten a little bit choosier on what I am spending, but not enough to make a difference. Still have a long way to go on this resolution.
As for losing weight, I have lost 47 pounds since the end of October 2009. And I’ve hit a plateau. Or maybe it is just summer and all the vacationing, dining out and family get-togethers. I am hoping that getting back into the routine of school, work, home will help.
In the meantime, I am going to enjoy every moment of the rest of this week and the next two weeks. Sit back with a glass of wine, watch TV and take a baby step every now and again.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Brenda's Befuddlement
Julie is off at her Aunt Sue’s farm this week and having the time of her life. I am so jealous.
Last week, she was at her Grandma and Grandpa’s. She is so very lucky
At the beginning of the summer, Julie and I signed up for the reading program at the library. While at Grandma’s, Julie read 11 books. (Yes, Grandma is a retired teacher. :))
I just went and got out my 4th book. It is Andy Williams’ memoir, titled Moon River and Me. It is very good so far, however, I now have “Moon River” stuck in my head. Well, just the small part that I know.
While Julie has been away, I’ve had one of our favorite songs stuck in my head. It is “I Sing you a Song” on the album Can You Hear a Lullaby? by Dee Carstensen. The two songs are mixing in my head. And it has me in quite the state.
“Moon River, I sing you song, wider than a mile, my little one, my little one.” Egad.
I have found myself shying away from fiction lately and I am not sure why. The book I just finished was another memoir titled Dreaming in Hindi by Katherine Russell Rich. It was about her year in India learning Hindi. It was also about how we learn language. And the Indian culture where she was studying. And how our brains are affected by the language we speak. The book went in circles around these themes and left me feeling - not lost, not mixed up, not confused, but in a dreamlike state, much as the author felt as she tried to comprehend the world around her in a language she didn’t grasp. When things started to click, then it was time to leave.
The book before was The Loved Dog by Tamar Geller. If you are training a dog, RUN to the library and get this book out. If you want to understand your four-legged friends better, read this book. If you want to know more about being a decent human being, then read this book. The author gives insight into her life as well as the lives of the dogs she trains. It is an excellent book.
The first book of this summer was I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali and Delphine Minoui. There are images from her story that still haunt me. It is a slim book, after all, there is not much to chronicle when you are ten, but her story is packed with life. There are so many cultures that Americans are generally unaware of. Getting a glimpse into Yemen was moving. Nujood Ali is an amazing young lady who has gone through hell. No one should be forced to marry.
Now I am in another state. If you hear me humming, feel free to try and sing along.
To hear the songs yourself, click on the links:
http://www.deecarstensen.com/lullaby/QuickTime/4_isingyouasong.html
http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/stuckonyou/moonriver.htm
Last week, she was at her Grandma and Grandpa’s. She is so very lucky
At the beginning of the summer, Julie and I signed up for the reading program at the library. While at Grandma’s, Julie read 11 books. (Yes, Grandma is a retired teacher. :))
I just went and got out my 4th book. It is Andy Williams’ memoir, titled Moon River and Me. It is very good so far, however, I now have “Moon River” stuck in my head. Well, just the small part that I know.
While Julie has been away, I’ve had one of our favorite songs stuck in my head. It is “I Sing you a Song” on the album Can You Hear a Lullaby? by Dee Carstensen. The two songs are mixing in my head. And it has me in quite the state.
“Moon River, I sing you song, wider than a mile, my little one, my little one.” Egad.
I have found myself shying away from fiction lately and I am not sure why. The book I just finished was another memoir titled Dreaming in Hindi by Katherine Russell Rich. It was about her year in India learning Hindi. It was also about how we learn language. And the Indian culture where she was studying. And how our brains are affected by the language we speak. The book went in circles around these themes and left me feeling - not lost, not mixed up, not confused, but in a dreamlike state, much as the author felt as she tried to comprehend the world around her in a language she didn’t grasp. When things started to click, then it was time to leave.
The book before was The Loved Dog by Tamar Geller. If you are training a dog, RUN to the library and get this book out. If you want to understand your four-legged friends better, read this book. If you want to know more about being a decent human being, then read this book. The author gives insight into her life as well as the lives of the dogs she trains. It is an excellent book.
The first book of this summer was I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali and Delphine Minoui. There are images from her story that still haunt me. It is a slim book, after all, there is not much to chronicle when you are ten, but her story is packed with life. There are so many cultures that Americans are generally unaware of. Getting a glimpse into Yemen was moving. Nujood Ali is an amazing young lady who has gone through hell. No one should be forced to marry.
Now I am in another state. If you hear me humming, feel free to try and sing along.
To hear the songs yourself, click on the links:
http://www.deecarstensen.com/lullaby/QuickTime/4_isingyouasong.html
http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/stuckonyou/moonriver.htm
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
McDonald's
I was reading CNN earlier today and saw this headline “McDonald's warned: Drop the toys or get sued.” Curious, I read the article. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is the group behind the lawsuit. My first reaction was, “Who the bleep are these guys and why are they trying to ruin something fun?” What’s the harm of a toy in a Happy Meal? The toys are what make a Happy Meal happy.
Then I thought about it. We rarely go to McDonald’s. Why? The food is not healthy. And we certainly don’t need another plastic, cheap toy around the house. The landfills certainly do not need another broken plastic toy.
Julie and I went to McDonald’s on the last day of school. I told I would take her out for lunch and asked her where she wanted to go. She wanted McDonald’s “because we haven’t been there in a long time.” I explained that it would be crowded and gave her several other, healthier alternatives, but no, she really wanted to go. So we went and we beat the crowd of all the other parents and kids who had the same idea. She got a Puss In Boots digital clock as a toy and she has been driving me crazy ever since with announcing what time it is every 5 minutes. At least it is a somewhat practical toy.
What did she have to eat? McNuggets, French fries, chocolate milk (total of 580 calories). Not the best nutritional lunch, to say the least.
I went to CSPI’s website and I read the letter of intent to sue that was sent to McDonald’s. It was very eye-opening. Here is an excerpt: “Considering that a reasonable lunch for a young child would contain no more than 430 calories (one third of the 1,300 calories that is the recommended daily intake for children 4 to 8 years old), not a single Happy Meal meets that target. The average of all 24 meals is 26 percent higher in calories than a reasonable lunch.”
They went on to say: “McDonald’s practices are predatory and wrong. They are also illegal, because marketing to kids under eight is (1) inherently deceptive, because young kids are not developmentally advanced enough to understand the persuasive intent of marketing;8 and (2) unfair to parents, because marketing to children undermines parental authority and interferes with their ability to raise healthy children.”
Will CSPI be successful in their lawsuit? I don’t know. I do know that we need to do better by our children. We need to help them to make the most of this land of opportunity. We don’t need cheap plastic toys filling our land and oceans. We don’t need high calorie, low-nutritional food expanding our waists.
Will I take Julie to McDonald’s ever again? Probably. But what was once a rare occurrence will become even rarer. And when she asks “why can’t we go to McDonald’s”, I’ll let her know where I stand. The food is bad for us. The toys are junky and bad for the environment.
8 Institute of Medicine, Food Marketing to Children: Threat or Opportunity? (2006); Kunkel et al.,
Psychological Issues in the Increasing Commercialization of Childhood: Report of the APA Task Force on Advertising and Children (2004).
Then I thought about it. We rarely go to McDonald’s. Why? The food is not healthy. And we certainly don’t need another plastic, cheap toy around the house. The landfills certainly do not need another broken plastic toy.
Julie and I went to McDonald’s on the last day of school. I told I would take her out for lunch and asked her where she wanted to go. She wanted McDonald’s “because we haven’t been there in a long time.” I explained that it would be crowded and gave her several other, healthier alternatives, but no, she really wanted to go. So we went and we beat the crowd of all the other parents and kids who had the same idea. She got a Puss In Boots digital clock as a toy and she has been driving me crazy ever since with announcing what time it is every 5 minutes. At least it is a somewhat practical toy.
What did she have to eat? McNuggets, French fries, chocolate milk (total of 580 calories). Not the best nutritional lunch, to say the least.
I went to CSPI’s website and I read the letter of intent to sue that was sent to McDonald’s. It was very eye-opening. Here is an excerpt: “Considering that a reasonable lunch for a young child would contain no more than 430 calories (one third of the 1,300 calories that is the recommended daily intake for children 4 to 8 years old), not a single Happy Meal meets that target. The average of all 24 meals is 26 percent higher in calories than a reasonable lunch.”
They went on to say: “McDonald’s practices are predatory and wrong. They are also illegal, because marketing to kids under eight is (1) inherently deceptive, because young kids are not developmentally advanced enough to understand the persuasive intent of marketing;8 and (2) unfair to parents, because marketing to children undermines parental authority and interferes with their ability to raise healthy children.”
Will CSPI be successful in their lawsuit? I don’t know. I do know that we need to do better by our children. We need to help them to make the most of this land of opportunity. We don’t need cheap plastic toys filling our land and oceans. We don’t need high calorie, low-nutritional food expanding our waists.
Will I take Julie to McDonald’s ever again? Probably. But what was once a rare occurrence will become even rarer. And when she asks “why can’t we go to McDonald’s”, I’ll let her know where I stand. The food is bad for us. The toys are junky and bad for the environment.
8 Institute of Medicine, Food Marketing to Children: Threat or Opportunity? (2006); Kunkel et al.,
Psychological Issues in the Increasing Commercialization of Childhood: Report of the APA Task Force on Advertising and Children (2004).
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
American?
I was speaking with a very lovely lady that I know. She had been on the phone with a customer services representative from a large well-known corporation. She commented that she could tell the person wasn’t American.
I didn’t want to start an argument, so I let her comment go. But, I was curious. How did she know the person wasn’t American? A thick accent? Poor English?
I have some very good friends who were born in another country. They came here legally and they have accents, but they are now American citizens. I have 2 co-workers who were also born in other countries. Both came legally to this country. Both have accents. Both are also now American citizens.
You can’t tell by voice alone who is American and who isn’t.
This country was built by immigrants. Many didn’t speak English when they first came.
I have ancestry from many countries. People who came from Germany, Scotland, Ireland, Sweden, England, etc. All seeking a better life.
One of our beloved Founding Fathers had some rather nasty things to say about the influx of those different from him. To quote Benjamin Franklin, “Those who come hither are generally of the most ignorant Stupid Sort of their own Nation…and as few of the English understand the German Language, and so cannot address them either from the Press or Pulpit, ’tis almost impossible to remove any prejudices they once entertain…Not being used to Liberty, they know not how to make a modest use of it…I remember when they modestly declined intermeddling in our Elections, but now they come in droves, and carry all before them, except in one or two Counties...In short unless the stream of their importation could be turned from this to other colonies, as you very judiciously propose, they will soon so out number us, that all the advantages we have will not in My Opinion be able to preserve our language, and even our Government will become precarious.”
To further quote Franklin, “Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of our Anglifying them, and will never adopt our Language or Customs, any more than they can acquire our Complexion.”
There are many things wrong with his statements, not the least of which is that Pennsylvania was already settled by the Erie Tribe, the Seneca and Oneida tribes of the Iroquois Nation, the Lenape Tribe, the Munsee Tribe, the Shawnee tribe and the Susquehannock tribe.
But I’ll address Mr. Franklin’s concerns about language with a little quiz. How many of the following words are English and how many are German?
Alzheimer's disease
Angst
Aspirin
Automat
Blitz
Bratwurst
Cobalt
Concertmaster
Dachshund
Deli
Delicatessen
Diesel
Doberman pinscher
Doppelganger
Doppler effect/Doppler radar
Edelweiss
Fahrenheit
Fahrvergnügen
Fest
Flak/flack
Frankfurter
Führer
Gauss
Geiger counter
Gestalt
Gesundheit
Glitz/Glitzy
Glockenspiel
Hamburger
Hamster
Hertz(Hz)/Gigahertz/Megahertz
Hinterland(s)
Kaput
Kindergarten
Kitsch/Kitschy
Knockwurst
Kris Kringle
Lager
Lederhosen
Levi's®
Liverwurst
Neanderthal
Nickel
Poltergeist
Quartz
Reich
Rottweiler
Rucksack
Sauerkraut
Schnapps
Schnauzer
Schnitzel
Spitz
Strudel
Uber
Umlaut
Verboten
Waltz
Wanderlust
Wiener
Zeppelin
Zinc
Ready for the answer?
Did you really think about it?
All of them are German.
Next time you get mad that you have to press 1 for English, remember every time you say “I wish I had a nickel” – you are speaking German.
Yeah, we Germanized the English language. I think we made the country better for it.
Auf wiedersehen!
I didn’t want to start an argument, so I let her comment go. But, I was curious. How did she know the person wasn’t American? A thick accent? Poor English?
I have some very good friends who were born in another country. They came here legally and they have accents, but they are now American citizens. I have 2 co-workers who were also born in other countries. Both came legally to this country. Both have accents. Both are also now American citizens.
You can’t tell by voice alone who is American and who isn’t.
This country was built by immigrants. Many didn’t speak English when they first came.
I have ancestry from many countries. People who came from Germany, Scotland, Ireland, Sweden, England, etc. All seeking a better life.
One of our beloved Founding Fathers had some rather nasty things to say about the influx of those different from him. To quote Benjamin Franklin, “Those who come hither are generally of the most ignorant Stupid Sort of their own Nation…and as few of the English understand the German Language, and so cannot address them either from the Press or Pulpit, ’tis almost impossible to remove any prejudices they once entertain…Not being used to Liberty, they know not how to make a modest use of it…I remember when they modestly declined intermeddling in our Elections, but now they come in droves, and carry all before them, except in one or two Counties...In short unless the stream of their importation could be turned from this to other colonies, as you very judiciously propose, they will soon so out number us, that all the advantages we have will not in My Opinion be able to preserve our language, and even our Government will become precarious.”
To further quote Franklin, “Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of our Anglifying them, and will never adopt our Language or Customs, any more than they can acquire our Complexion.”
There are many things wrong with his statements, not the least of which is that Pennsylvania was already settled by the Erie Tribe, the Seneca and Oneida tribes of the Iroquois Nation, the Lenape Tribe, the Munsee Tribe, the Shawnee tribe and the Susquehannock tribe.
But I’ll address Mr. Franklin’s concerns about language with a little quiz. How many of the following words are English and how many are German?
Alzheimer's disease
Angst
Aspirin
Automat
Blitz
Bratwurst
Cobalt
Concertmaster
Dachshund
Deli
Delicatessen
Diesel
Doberman pinscher
Doppelganger
Doppler effect/Doppler radar
Edelweiss
Fahrenheit
Fahrvergnügen
Fest
Flak/flack
Frankfurter
Führer
Gauss
Geiger counter
Gestalt
Gesundheit
Glitz/Glitzy
Glockenspiel
Hamburger
Hamster
Hertz(Hz)/Gigahertz/Megahertz
Hinterland(s)
Kaput
Kindergarten
Kitsch/Kitschy
Knockwurst
Kris Kringle
Lager
Lederhosen
Levi's®
Liverwurst
Neanderthal
Nickel
Poltergeist
Quartz
Reich
Rottweiler
Rucksack
Sauerkraut
Schnapps
Schnauzer
Schnitzel
Spitz
Strudel
Uber
Umlaut
Verboten
Waltz
Wanderlust
Wiener
Zeppelin
Zinc
Ready for the answer?
Did you really think about it?
All of them are German.
Next time you get mad that you have to press 1 for English, remember every time you say “I wish I had a nickel” – you are speaking German.
Yeah, we Germanized the English language. I think we made the country better for it.
Auf wiedersehen!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Pet Peeve
It is very hot today and I’m feeling grouchy. Today’s blog is going to be a bit whiny.
As many of you know, I proofread reports at work. I also write poetry from time to time. I like words. I like knowing their etymology. I like playing around with them.
Seeing a copy-editor or an editor using the wrong word in a title is a pet peeve of mine(and one of the many reasons we no longer get the Lowell Sun). The title that has been annoying me is on the cover of a People magazine.
A little background: My boss brings in old People magazines for the customer waiting area next to my desk. His mom gets them and gives them to him when she is done, however, she has been in Florida and then in Canada for a while now, so we haven’t received any new magazines.
I’ve been looking at the February 22 issue for way too long. Celine Dion is on the cover. The editor chose the title “My Private Heartbreak” to emblazon in large font on the front.
Private? On the cover of People? I don’t think so.
Celine is talking about her infertility struggle, which is a very private topic for most people. She has courageously decided to share her experiences. I do hope that others who are struggling with infertility can find comfort and encouragement in her story.
I’m sure it is a heartbreak. But it is not private. Not anymore.
I would have just called it “My Heartbreak”, but I am not an editor at People. Just an annoyed word lover.
Private (adjective) 1. Belonging to, concerning, or accessible only to an individual person or a specific group. 2. Not in governmental office or employment. 3. Not publicly known; not open; secret. 4. Protected from view or disturbance by others; secluded. 5. Intended only for the use of an individual, group, or organization. 6. Not accessible by the public. 7. Secretive; reserved. 8. (US, of a room in a medical facility) Not shared with another patient.
(definition from http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/private)
As many of you know, I proofread reports at work. I also write poetry from time to time. I like words. I like knowing their etymology. I like playing around with them.
Seeing a copy-editor or an editor using the wrong word in a title is a pet peeve of mine(and one of the many reasons we no longer get the Lowell Sun). The title that has been annoying me is on the cover of a People magazine.
A little background: My boss brings in old People magazines for the customer waiting area next to my desk. His mom gets them and gives them to him when she is done, however, she has been in Florida and then in Canada for a while now, so we haven’t received any new magazines.
I’ve been looking at the February 22 issue for way too long. Celine Dion is on the cover. The editor chose the title “My Private Heartbreak” to emblazon in large font on the front.
Private? On the cover of People? I don’t think so.
Celine is talking about her infertility struggle, which is a very private topic for most people. She has courageously decided to share her experiences. I do hope that others who are struggling with infertility can find comfort and encouragement in her story.
I’m sure it is a heartbreak. But it is not private. Not anymore.
I would have just called it “My Heartbreak”, but I am not an editor at People. Just an annoyed word lover.
Private (adjective) 1. Belonging to, concerning, or accessible only to an individual person or a specific group. 2. Not in governmental office or employment. 3. Not publicly known; not open; secret. 4. Protected from view or disturbance by others; secluded. 5. Intended only for the use of an individual, group, or organization. 6. Not accessible by the public. 7. Secretive; reserved. 8. (US, of a room in a medical facility) Not shared with another patient.
(definition from http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/private)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Life at 50 inches
Julie is now that wonderful height where she is tall enough for all the big kid rides and not yet too tall for the kiddie rides. We went to a carnival together on Mother’s day and had a blast. I have always loved going on the rides and now I have someone who is willing to go with me. We had a bit of a happy mix up at the ticket counter and ended up with wrist bands instead of tickets. The wrist bands gave us unlimited access to all the rides except for the bumper cars.
We both agreed that there was NO WAY we were going on the Zero Gravity ride. Julie wasn’t sure about the Sea Dragon, but she bravely tried, even though some kid had thrown up earlier in the day on it. Julie wanted to try the Zipper, but I chickened out. There were some rides that Julie went on by herself, because I am no longer in the magic height zone. I got to watch her face shine as she had a blast.
She is still sweetly innocent enough that the little trucks that go around and around appeal to her. She is grown up enough for the thrill of the Tilt-A-Whirl. She still believes the games are fair and she has a chance to win the prizes. We spent too much on those games; winning her a stuffed pug puppy (water spray game), a pink and yellow snake (fishing game), and a fluffy wolf (darts).
When I was child, my family went to the Altamont Fair every year. My mother never bought us Cotton Candy. As a mother myself, I can understand why. Colored spun sugar? No nutritive value at all, just a cavity creating waste of money. As an adult with the memory of being told “No”, I did get Julie some when she asked. She is good about brushing her teeth.
Besides, she is a growing kid. Next year, she’ll probably be too tall for the kiddie rides. And she’ll probably be feeling way too grown up to want to go on them. This age of the magic height is fleeting.
We’re going to be enjoying the rides all summer long.
We both agreed that there was NO WAY we were going on the Zero Gravity ride. Julie wasn’t sure about the Sea Dragon, but she bravely tried, even though some kid had thrown up earlier in the day on it. Julie wanted to try the Zipper, but I chickened out. There were some rides that Julie went on by herself, because I am no longer in the magic height zone. I got to watch her face shine as she had a blast.
She is still sweetly innocent enough that the little trucks that go around and around appeal to her. She is grown up enough for the thrill of the Tilt-A-Whirl. She still believes the games are fair and she has a chance to win the prizes. We spent too much on those games; winning her a stuffed pug puppy (water spray game), a pink and yellow snake (fishing game), and a fluffy wolf (darts).
When I was child, my family went to the Altamont Fair every year. My mother never bought us Cotton Candy. As a mother myself, I can understand why. Colored spun sugar? No nutritive value at all, just a cavity creating waste of money. As an adult with the memory of being told “No”, I did get Julie some when she asked. She is good about brushing her teeth.
Besides, she is a growing kid. Next year, she’ll probably be too tall for the kiddie rides. And she’ll probably be feeling way too grown up to want to go on them. This age of the magic height is fleeting.
We’re going to be enjoying the rides all summer long.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
The Saga Begins
Most of you know that my husband is a technical type of guy. He isn’t one of those who must have the brand new gadget right away, but, when something comes out that he wants, he usually ends up getting it. Usually after trying to convince me why we need it.
I remember arguing about getting the TIVO. I didn’t think we should get it. He ended up wearing me down. Now, I LOVE my TIVO.
He had to get a Sirius radio when Howard Stern moved over to satellite. I thought he was being silly, but again, now I love my Sirius.
I love the wide selection of stations. As a parent, I love the Kids Place Live station: fun music, funny disc jockeys, and never worrying about commercials for erectile dysfunction.
There is a wide variety of music on the Kids Place Live. There are artists that just do kid’s music, ones that hit the charts when us parents were young, songs from movies, and, of course, Weird Al.
I happen to really like Weird Al Yankovic. Mark and I have seen him in concert and stood in line to meet him and get his autograph. Weird Al is a very talented musician and lyricist.
And thanks to Kids Place Live, there are kids out there that will probably never know the words to American Pie. Weird Al uses this tune for his song “The Saga Begins.” If you’ve never heard this song, then go quickly and buy “The Essential “Weird Al” Yankovic” album.
I found myself singing a lovely mash-up the other day, “Bye, Bye Miss American Pie, maybe Vader someday later, now he’s just a small fry. Those good old boys are drinking whiskey and rye saying soon I’m going to be a Jedi.”
And so the saga of the next generation begins.
Julie thinks TV should always be able to be paused. She thinks radio stations should cater to her, commercial free, and she thinks her mom is nuts to be messing up the words to a favorite song.
I remember arguing about getting the TIVO. I didn’t think we should get it. He ended up wearing me down. Now, I LOVE my TIVO.
He had to get a Sirius radio when Howard Stern moved over to satellite. I thought he was being silly, but again, now I love my Sirius.
I love the wide selection of stations. As a parent, I love the Kids Place Live station: fun music, funny disc jockeys, and never worrying about commercials for erectile dysfunction.
There is a wide variety of music on the Kids Place Live. There are artists that just do kid’s music, ones that hit the charts when us parents were young, songs from movies, and, of course, Weird Al.
I happen to really like Weird Al Yankovic. Mark and I have seen him in concert and stood in line to meet him and get his autograph. Weird Al is a very talented musician and lyricist.
And thanks to Kids Place Live, there are kids out there that will probably never know the words to American Pie. Weird Al uses this tune for his song “The Saga Begins.” If you’ve never heard this song, then go quickly and buy “The Essential “Weird Al” Yankovic” album.
I found myself singing a lovely mash-up the other day, “Bye, Bye Miss American Pie, maybe Vader someday later, now he’s just a small fry. Those good old boys are drinking whiskey and rye saying soon I’m going to be a Jedi.”
And so the saga of the next generation begins.
Julie thinks TV should always be able to be paused. She thinks radio stations should cater to her, commercial free, and she thinks her mom is nuts to be messing up the words to a favorite song.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
My Forgotten Brilliance
I don’t know about you, but I tend to have brilliant ideas as I am falling asleep. I put a pen and a pad of paper by my bed to record these thoughts, however, they usually happen after Mark has fallen asleep and I don’t want to turn on the light and wake him up. So I lay there and convince myself that I will remember in the morning. Of course I don’t. I am left with the vague feeling of something lost. Try as I might, it is gone forever.
Trust me. The blog I had thought of in my head last night was brilliant.
Trust me. The blog I had thought of in my head last night was brilliant.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Menu Night
In an effort to make my life easier, I have begun meal-planning. And not just for a week. Once a month, I plan it out. I use a free excel template. http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/meal-planner.html
I am able to look at what we have going on for the month and plan accordingly. I have also been able to start tweaking our diet. We’re moving away from so much red meat and toward more fish. I love that I can always answer the question “What’s for dinner?”
The fun of this, besides saving my sanity and money, has become what used to be leftover night. It is now Menu Night. I look in the refrigerator and then write out a menu with the choices. Julie gets a big kick out of eating out at home. I have so much fun playing waitress. Mark, well, I think he long ago realized that I am bit nuts.
Because of our schedule, Menu Night is usually Tuesdays. We clean out the fridge and no one has to cook. It is a fun night out, staying at home.
Menu Night is a simple thing that brings joy. I hope that you are able to find something simple to bring you joy today.
I am able to look at what we have going on for the month and plan accordingly. I have also been able to start tweaking our diet. We’re moving away from so much red meat and toward more fish. I love that I can always answer the question “What’s for dinner?”
The fun of this, besides saving my sanity and money, has become what used to be leftover night. It is now Menu Night. I look in the refrigerator and then write out a menu with the choices. Julie gets a big kick out of eating out at home. I have so much fun playing waitress. Mark, well, I think he long ago realized that I am bit nuts.
Because of our schedule, Menu Night is usually Tuesdays. We clean out the fridge and no one has to cook. It is a fun night out, staying at home.
Menu Night is a simple thing that brings joy. I hope that you are able to find something simple to bring you joy today.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Sue's Birthday
One of my sisters birthday is today.
I admire her very much. She lives her life in a way that truly reflects her values and desires.
She has not been afraid to make mistakes.
Me? Well, I am stuck in safe mode. Most of us are. It is easier to stay in the rut than it is to forge our own paths. We are taught habits early on. Some are very good. I brush my teeth every morning and every night. It is ingrained. Some are not so good. I have struggled for years to stop biting my nails. Some habits are down-right bad. I have eaten my way to obesity and my health suffers for it. Some habits are deadly. People who smoke start out saying they can quit anytime. Unfortunately, it is not just a bad habit, but it is an addiction.
How do I obtain courage of my convictions? What motivates my sister to forge her own path instead of compromising herself and taking the easy way? Her desire to be true to herself shines through.
I let fear stand in my way. The world will not crash if I decide to forge my path. I know this. Yet, I know my rut better
Happy Birthday Sue! I hope to be more like you.
I admire her very much. She lives her life in a way that truly reflects her values and desires.
She has not been afraid to make mistakes.
Me? Well, I am stuck in safe mode. Most of us are. It is easier to stay in the rut than it is to forge our own paths. We are taught habits early on. Some are very good. I brush my teeth every morning and every night. It is ingrained. Some are not so good. I have struggled for years to stop biting my nails. Some habits are down-right bad. I have eaten my way to obesity and my health suffers for it. Some habits are deadly. People who smoke start out saying they can quit anytime. Unfortunately, it is not just a bad habit, but it is an addiction.
How do I obtain courage of my convictions? What motivates my sister to forge her own path instead of compromising herself and taking the easy way? Her desire to be true to herself shines through.
I let fear stand in my way. The world will not crash if I decide to forge my path. I know this. Yet, I know my rut better
Happy Birthday Sue! I hope to be more like you.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Gloves
Gloves are a good gift. Several years ago, my sister gave me a pair of warm and practical and beautiful gloves. I enjoyed them every winter. Until this past Saturday when events transpired that caused one to be lost forever. Today, the puppy destroyed the remaining glove.
Of course, it snowed yesterday and it was rather cold wiping off the car this morning with no gloves. How does being cold build character? Calvin’s dad (of Calvin and Hobbes fame) was fond of saying that being cold or wet or dealing with an unpleasant situation would build character. Calvin never quite believed him.
In my current gloveless state, I am inclined to agree with Calvin, not his dad. Being prepared is much better. Which is why I am buying 2 pairs of gloves. So I will have a back up. And I’ll never be in this situation again.
Being cold just makes me miserable. Being around someone miserable is not fun. I suppose if you can find a way to be pleasant in a miserable situation, then you would have shown yourself how to build character. Most people don’t do that.
I am watching the Winter Olympics. These athletes have character. How’d they get it? By having a dream, making a plan, and working hard. Not by be stuck outside in the cold with no gloves.
It has been more than a month since I made my New Year’s resolutions. My dream of making myself into a better person. My plans to be more organized and lose weight are in place and I am working toward those goals. I still need to work on my plans to yell less, watch less TV, spend less, save more, and stop procrastinating so much.
So I will build my character by not being miserable. I will keep you updated on how my resolutions are going. I will help my daughter and my husband build their characters by encouraging them to reach for their dreams.
And if you are miserable, try a pair of gloves. They may help. :)
Of course, it snowed yesterday and it was rather cold wiping off the car this morning with no gloves. How does being cold build character? Calvin’s dad (of Calvin and Hobbes fame) was fond of saying that being cold or wet or dealing with an unpleasant situation would build character. Calvin never quite believed him.
In my current gloveless state, I am inclined to agree with Calvin, not his dad. Being prepared is much better. Which is why I am buying 2 pairs of gloves. So I will have a back up. And I’ll never be in this situation again.
Being cold just makes me miserable. Being around someone miserable is not fun. I suppose if you can find a way to be pleasant in a miserable situation, then you would have shown yourself how to build character. Most people don’t do that.
I am watching the Winter Olympics. These athletes have character. How’d they get it? By having a dream, making a plan, and working hard. Not by be stuck outside in the cold with no gloves.
It has been more than a month since I made my New Year’s resolutions. My dream of making myself into a better person. My plans to be more organized and lose weight are in place and I am working toward those goals. I still need to work on my plans to yell less, watch less TV, spend less, save more, and stop procrastinating so much.
So I will build my character by not being miserable. I will keep you updated on how my resolutions are going. I will help my daughter and my husband build their characters by encouraging them to reach for their dreams.
And if you are miserable, try a pair of gloves. They may help. :)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Voting
A co-worker of mine was commenting about the energy at the polls yesterday. How exciting it was to see such a high voter turnout despite the snow and rain. She mentioned a little old lady who remarked that she was voting because she knew her vote was going to count this time.
I have a problem with that comment.
I believe that EVERY vote counts EVERY time.
Not just in special elections. Not just in close races.
I am happy for a high voter turnout, but that shouldn’t be newsworthy. Every race deserves a high voter turnout.
It is a privilege to vote. It is our civic duty. It is our right.
We honor those who died for our rights when we vote.
There are 4.1 million eligible voters in the state of Massachusetts. 2.2 million voted on Tuesday. Just over half the eligible voters. What happened to the other 1.9 million?
The official results:
Brown (GOP)
52%
1,168,107 votes
Coakley (Dem.)
47%
1,058,682 votes
Kennedy (Lib.)
1%
22,237 votes
Senator-elect Brown, 48% of the voters who bothered to vote did NOT vote for you.
We will be watching what you say and do.
I have a problem with that comment.
I believe that EVERY vote counts EVERY time.
Not just in special elections. Not just in close races.
I am happy for a high voter turnout, but that shouldn’t be newsworthy. Every race deserves a high voter turnout.
It is a privilege to vote. It is our civic duty. It is our right.
We honor those who died for our rights when we vote.
There are 4.1 million eligible voters in the state of Massachusetts. 2.2 million voted on Tuesday. Just over half the eligible voters. What happened to the other 1.9 million?
The official results:
Brown (GOP)
52%
1,168,107 votes
Coakley (Dem.)
47%
1,058,682 votes
Kennedy (Lib.)
1%
22,237 votes
Senator-elect Brown, 48% of the voters who bothered to vote did NOT vote for you.
We will be watching what you say and do.
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