Last weekend was football tournament weekend - three football games in three days. That's a lot of football. Aidan's team won two and lost one. Not too shabby, although it would have been nice to make a clean sweep of it. I like football. I enjoy watching it, and I get rather excited about cheering on my boys' teams, but I do keep in mind "it's only a game." A fun way to spend a few hours, and then it's over. Then there's life - everything that goes on apart from the moving of the ball down the gridiron.
Now the game of life goes on concurrently with the game of football, and winning at one does not necessarily mean winning at the other. We had the unfortunate experience of witnessing a team win on the field and lose the larger game of life. On Saturday morning Aidan's team took a pounding by a team from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Iowa team dominated on the field. They were disciplined and executed their plays with precision. They knew how to play football.
That said, these boys, and more specifically their coaches, lost the bigger game of life Saturday morning. You see, while the teams were warming up and while they were on the field some of the Cedar Rapids players were uttering racial slurs and insults towards our players. THAT is not cool! Worse still, far worse in my opinion, when it was brought to the attention of the Cedar Rapids coaches, they dismissed it as their players just getting revved up for the game.
So, while the CR coaches may have taught their players how to win a game of football, they failed to teach them how to win the game of life.
Fast forward to Saturday night. Different game, different team. Now we were playing a team from Minneapolis. Lo and behold, more racial insults, this time directed toward the referees. Now I have no problem criticizing a bad call by a ref, but whether a call is good or not has nothing to do the color of the ref's skin (or the color of his mother's skin).
Lest you think this racism thing cuts only one way, the offenders at the morning game were white. The offenders at the evening game were black (as were two of the refs whom they were insulting). It was disgusting coming from both parties.
I was just so frustrated by the whole day! I just wanted to enjoy a day of football (as much as I could while freezing my footsies off).
Now we could have a long discourse about racism in sports or white privilege or many other topics related to this whole thing. I'd be happy to have that conversation with anyone, but can't we just spend a day watching 14 year olds play football and teach them how to enjoy the game and each other? Can't the adults present in the lives of these kids teach them more than how to pass, block, and tackle?
Seriously, folks, there's a bigger game going on.
Showing posts with label my opinion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my opinion. Show all posts
More Science Geekiness
I know I have mentioned them once before in my blog, but it's been over a year since I've said anything about Zooniverse. Seriously, folks, if you lean at all towards science geekiness, you really should go check out their website.
What is Zooniverse? Glad you asked. It's a website that enlists normal people (I use that term loosely, btw) to assist in science research. Here's how they describe their purpose -
They have projects relating to space, climate, biology, nature, and humanities. My personal favorite is Snapshot Serengeti, where you view photos taken by motion-activated cameras on the Serengeti. You then identify what animals you see and what they are doing. I've seen such cool things out there, like lions eating dead zebras and things like that. How cool is that? I actually find it strangely addicting!
Anyway, if your looking for a way to kill a little time and see some really cool stuff....and assist in science research, you should head over to zooniverse.org right now!
What is Zooniverse? Glad you asked. It's a website that enlists normal people (I use that term loosely, btw) to assist in science research. Here's how they describe their purpose -
The Zooniverse is home to the internet's largest, most popular and most successful citizen science projects. Our current projects are here but plenty more are on the way. If you're new to the Zooniverse, we suggest picking a project and diving in - the same account will get you into all of our projects, and you can keep track of what you've contributed by watching 'My Zooniverse'.
They have projects relating to space, climate, biology, nature, and humanities. My personal favorite is Snapshot Serengeti, where you view photos taken by motion-activated cameras on the Serengeti. You then identify what animals you see and what they are doing. I've seen such cool things out there, like lions eating dead zebras and things like that. How cool is that? I actually find it strangely addicting!
Anyway, if your looking for a way to kill a little time and see some really cool stuff....and assist in science research, you should head over to zooniverse.org right now!
Stop Already!
I find it quite disturbing that Christmas items are already in the stores. Actually, I think they made their appearance in some stores as soon as the back-to-school stuff left. This is just not right! It was bad enough when Thanksgiving got the shaft, but now, apparently, Halloween is getting swallowed up by Christmas as well.
Just as I refuse to listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, I will refuse to buy any Christmas items until after Thanksgiving, as well.
Well....almost.....
I am rather excited to see a few holiday related food items back on the shelves. Like this....
And this....
I will begin stockpiling these items immediately to hold me over for the rest of the year!
Btw, since when did salted caramel become associated with the holiday season?! What does salt and caramel have to do with Christmas, anyway? Why can I not buy these items year round??! We could get rid of Hazelnut creamer to make room on the shelf for Salted Caramel creamer....
Just as I refuse to listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, I will refuse to buy any Christmas items until after Thanksgiving, as well.
Well....almost.....
I am rather excited to see a few holiday related food items back on the shelves. Like this....
And this....
I will begin stockpiling these items immediately to hold me over for the rest of the year!
Btw, since when did salted caramel become associated with the holiday season?! What does salt and caramel have to do with Christmas, anyway? Why can I not buy these items year round??! We could get rid of Hazelnut creamer to make room on the shelf for Salted Caramel creamer....
Let's Talk PSEO
Here's a post for my fellow Minnesotans with high school aged kids.
If you live in Minnesota, you probably already know that PSEO stands for Post-Secondary Enrollment Option, where your high school junior or senior can take classes at college for FREE, completing their high school requirements while gaining college credits at the same time. Did I mention that it's FREE?
Evan did this and, when he graduated from high school, he entered the University of Minnesota as a junior. Two years later, he received his BA degree from the U of M - debt free. Not a bad deal, if I do say so myself.
I am very pro-PSEO, but I do want to bring up a few things to think about before you enroll your child in the program - things that no one mentioned to me.
Okay, I'm done with my thoughts on education for the night :-)
If you live in Minnesota, you probably already know that PSEO stands for Post-Secondary Enrollment Option, where your high school junior or senior can take classes at college for FREE, completing their high school requirements while gaining college credits at the same time. Did I mention that it's FREE?
Evan did this and, when he graduated from high school, he entered the University of Minnesota as a junior. Two years later, he received his BA degree from the U of M - debt free. Not a bad deal, if I do say so myself.
I am very pro-PSEO, but I do want to bring up a few things to think about before you enroll your child in the program - things that no one mentioned to me.
- When a child does PSEO and goes immediately to college following high school, they will be entering their upper division classes at 18 years old (17 in Evan's case) and will need to know what their major is going to be. They don't get the "luxury" of "trying to figure out what they want to do with their life" while taking their generals. They actually have that luxury, it's just while they are 16 and 17 years old. My point being, they have to make greater decisions at a younger age.
- If they go right to college after high school, and assuming they complete their college in a timely manner, they will be graduating and entering "real" life at a younger age than their peers. For Evan that meant he had a college degree at 19. He then went out and found a job in his chosen field and has now entered the "real" work force. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just a thing to think about.
- Because these PSEO kids have begun "real" life at a younger age than their peers, they may do things like get married at 20 years old (ahem, like my dear son is going to be doing). Here again, not a bad thing, just a thing to think about. Now, I'm not saying that Evan is marrying young because he was a PSEO student (that would be silly of me), but if he still had a year or two of school left he probably wouldn't be getting married this young. ****In NO way am I expressing ANY disappointment or dismay over Evan's impending marriage. I am THRILLED and HAPPY for both of them. I'm just pointing out that some decisions we make affect the future in ways we can't always see ahead of time.
Okay, I'm done with my thoughts on education for the night :-)
Something To Think About
As you may have noticed, we have a LOT of fall birthdays in this house. Aside from making our fall very busy, this also presented us with a quandary every time a child's fifth birthday was approaching. The "official" cut-off date for starting kindergarten in Minnesota is Sept. 1, but since we homeschool we could start them whenever we wanted.
"Do we start schooling them early because their birthday is a few days/weeks late, or do we wait until they are almost six before starting 'official' school?"
Well, Child #1 was reading at four years old, so although his birthday wasn't until the end of October, we decided to go ahead and start him with school.
Child #2's birthday is Sept. 2, just one day after the "official" cut-of. Might as well go ahead and start her a wee bit early as well.
By Child #3 the pattern had been set, so we followed suit with her, #4, and #5.
All seemed to be going along fine for awhile, but as time wore on several of my children were lagging behind their stated grade level. Their school work fell somewhere between the grade they said they were in and the grade they "should" have been in. After several years like this, we made an executive decision to change their stated grade level to the "should be" level. Essentially, it looked like holding them back a year, but really is was adjusting it to what would have been, had they been sent to the public school. The reality of it was that they just kept doing their same old school work. Nothing changed - except a grade number.
It has worked out much better this way. They are performing at grade level or above. It's all good.
My point in all of this is: if you are thinking of starting your child early in kindergarten, I would, under most circumstances, advise against it. As I've said many, MANY times, I know a lot of people who wish they hadn't started their child early, but I have NEVER run across a parent who regrets holding their child back.
I have a September birthday myself. My parents considered starting me early in kindergarten, but decided against it. I am so glad they made that decision! Although I was almost a year older than my classmates, I feel like I benefited greatly from their decision. I think it helped me academically and socially. Speaking of the social aspect, because we started the kids early they are a whole year younger than most of their friends. Overall, this hasn't been a bad thing, but it does cause our kids to "expect" certain privileges at a younger age because their friends have those privileges.
Just some things to think about....
"Do we start schooling them early because their birthday is a few days/weeks late, or do we wait until they are almost six before starting 'official' school?"
Well, Child #1 was reading at four years old, so although his birthday wasn't until the end of October, we decided to go ahead and start him with school.
Child #2's birthday is Sept. 2, just one day after the "official" cut-of. Might as well go ahead and start her a wee bit early as well.
By Child #3 the pattern had been set, so we followed suit with her, #4, and #5.
All seemed to be going along fine for awhile, but as time wore on several of my children were lagging behind their stated grade level. Their school work fell somewhere between the grade they said they were in and the grade they "should" have been in. After several years like this, we made an executive decision to change their stated grade level to the "should be" level. Essentially, it looked like holding them back a year, but really is was adjusting it to what would have been, had they been sent to the public school. The reality of it was that they just kept doing their same old school work. Nothing changed - except a grade number.
It has worked out much better this way. They are performing at grade level or above. It's all good.
My point in all of this is: if you are thinking of starting your child early in kindergarten, I would, under most circumstances, advise against it. As I've said many, MANY times, I know a lot of people who wish they hadn't started their child early, but I have NEVER run across a parent who regrets holding their child back.
I have a September birthday myself. My parents considered starting me early in kindergarten, but decided against it. I am so glad they made that decision! Although I was almost a year older than my classmates, I feel like I benefited greatly from their decision. I think it helped me academically and socially. Speaking of the social aspect, because we started the kids early they are a whole year younger than most of their friends. Overall, this hasn't been a bad thing, but it does cause our kids to "expect" certain privileges at a younger age because their friends have those privileges.
Just some things to think about....
Living The Dream
Might I encourage you, on this 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech, to spend 16 minutes watching and listening to this amazing speech? I'll make it easy for you. Here it is....
Perhaps you don't have 16 minutes to spare. Might I encourage you then to take five minutes and read the speech in its entirety? I'll make it easy for you. Here it is...
And now, might I encourage you to Live The Dream?
Perhaps you don't have 16 minutes to spare. Might I encourage you then to take five minutes and read the speech in its entirety? I'll make it easy for you. Here it is...
"I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.
America has given the Negro people a bad cheque which has come back marked 'insufficient funds' But 100 years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.
And so we've come here today to dramatize an appalling condition. In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a cheque. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of colour are concerned. Instead of honouring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad cheque which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we've come to cash this cheque - a cheque that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. 1963 is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquillity in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: in the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
The marvellous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realise that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back.
There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights: "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied and we will not be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed - we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I will go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.
With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning: "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring." And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California. But not only that. Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
And now, might I encourage you to Live The Dream?
Alabama, 2012
"one day right there in Alabama little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers."
A Book Review
It's been awhile since I've reviewed a book on here. Despite the appearance that I only listen to music obsessively, I do LOVE to read good books. My dear friend Tami recommended that I read The Hawk and the Dove trilogy by Penelope Wilcock. It consists of three books (duh, it's a trilogy!): The Hawk and the Dove, The Wounds of God and The Long Fall.
I attempted to start reading them many months ago, but just couldn't "get into it," so I put it down. Many months later, I picked it up again and this time found myself pulled into the story pretty quickly. The books are primarily about a group of monks in the middle ages, but the first two books are told from a modern day perspective of a mother telling the stories to her daughter. Strangely, that format is utterly dropped in the last book. I found that to be quite odd, actually, although the mother/daughter thing really didn't add anything to the story line.
Anyway, I would recommend the books, as they are well written and they have excellent character development. I found myself dabbing tears from my eyes on many occasions (which really isn't at all unusual for me, but nonetheless...). I felt invested enough in the characters to see them through all 557 pages.
It also provided me with some wonderful quotes for Facebook statuses :-) I'll leave you with this quote from the book, as a little taste of what it is like.
I attempted to start reading them many months ago, but just couldn't "get into it," so I put it down. Many months later, I picked it up again and this time found myself pulled into the story pretty quickly. The books are primarily about a group of monks in the middle ages, but the first two books are told from a modern day perspective of a mother telling the stories to her daughter. Strangely, that format is utterly dropped in the last book. I found that to be quite odd, actually, although the mother/daughter thing really didn't add anything to the story line.
Anyway, I would recommend the books, as they are well written and they have excellent character development. I found myself dabbing tears from my eyes on many occasions (which really isn't at all unusual for me, but nonetheless...). I felt invested enough in the characters to see them through all 557 pages.
It also provided me with some wonderful quotes for Facebook statuses :-) I'll leave you with this quote from the book, as a little taste of what it is like.
"He showed us that the shekinah of God, his radiance in creation, does not rest where we looked for it, in pomp and processional, in riches and state and investiture of power. No, the fragrance of his presence is found in the broken, suffering ones. The beggar at the roadside, we have to kneel to see his face. The newborn child and the torn, exhausted body of the labouring woman, the midwife must kneel to deliver." - The Long Fall
Wondering What To Do?
If you're just sitting around with 37 minutes of free time on your hands, might I suggest that you spend it watching this...
Don't have 37 spare minutes in your day? Watch it while you work out, like I did. It'll make your workout fly by...trust me!
Only have a few minutes? Just listen to a song...or two...
As I told Molly, it's freakishly good!!
Don't have 37 spare minutes in your day? Watch it while you work out, like I did. It'll make your workout fly by...trust me!
Only have a few minutes? Just listen to a song...or two...
As I told Molly, it's freakishly good!!
On Running and Life
I had the most glorious run this morning. I'm at the cabin, and my route was flat and shady. It was a perfect-running-55 degrees. It was easy!
Contrast this to my runs at home where there are LOTS of hills and little shade, and I have to run at about 2 in the afternoon when the sun is the hottest. That's hard! And not too enjoyable either! I often walk a bit when running at home. Sometimes I don't want to go at all, but force myself. Other times I just say, "Hang it," and don't do it at all. I hate hills! I hate them when I'm running. I hate them when I'm riding my bike. Yuck!
When I do "have" to go up a hill I'll focus on the sidewalk a few yards in front of me or, if I'm close to the top, I'll look there, just to keep me going. As much as I hate them, truth-be-told, it's the hills more than the flat running that builds my endurance. It's the hills at home that make running a race so much easier.
As in running, so with life.
If I could wave a wand, I would make my life a nice flat running course, shady and 55 degrees...or would I? I sure would want to. But it's enduring the hills of life that produces the greatest results. Some days I just say "hang it" and walk away from those hills in life, but some days I force myself to go over them. Inevitably, I'm always glad I did. Those hills also make me appreciate the smooth, easy days so much more!
Contrast this to my runs at home where there are LOTS of hills and little shade, and I have to run at about 2 in the afternoon when the sun is the hottest. That's hard! And not too enjoyable either! I often walk a bit when running at home. Sometimes I don't want to go at all, but force myself. Other times I just say, "Hang it," and don't do it at all. I hate hills! I hate them when I'm running. I hate them when I'm riding my bike. Yuck!
When I do "have" to go up a hill I'll focus on the sidewalk a few yards in front of me or, if I'm close to the top, I'll look there, just to keep me going. As much as I hate them, truth-be-told, it's the hills more than the flat running that builds my endurance. It's the hills at home that make running a race so much easier.
As in running, so with life.
If I could wave a wand, I would make my life a nice flat running course, shady and 55 degrees...or would I? I sure would want to. But it's enduring the hills of life that produces the greatest results. Some days I just say "hang it" and walk away from those hills in life, but some days I force myself to go over them. Inevitably, I'm always glad I did. Those hills also make me appreciate the smooth, easy days so much more!
And let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2
Brace Yourselves
It's late. I probably should just go to bed because my opinion filter has been turned off, and goodness only knows what will come flying off my fingertips now!
As I've said before, it's my blog, so you need to expect to get my opinion from time to time!
Tonights topic? A Cheerios ad.
Apparently the above ad has caused quite the uproar in cyber-world. The hate spewed out in comments to this ad reached such a level that Cheerios blocked comments on the video on YouTube. Why all the fuss? Well, because the commercial depicts an interracial family.
What the heck!
What year is this?
I know I shouldn't be surprised, I really shouldn't. I am well aware that racism is alive in well in this country, but I get lulled into believing "it's not as bad as...." And then people get their undies all in a bundle about a commercial showing a black man and a white woman as husband and wife.
If this 30 second commercial garners this much attention and hate, I can only imagine what goes through some people's minds when they see our family! GET OVER IT PEOPLE!
As a side note, I showed this commercial to my 15 year old daughter, and told her that this ad has caused hateful reactions from some people. Then, I asked her to guess why people would react that way, without giving her any clues. She couldn't figure it out. She saw NOTHING in the ad to cause anyone to think about anything except Cheerios and what a cute little girl that is. I had to TELL her what caused some people to spew hate over this add. How sad is that, to have to tell your child, "Some people will hate families like that. Some people will hate families like ours."
And my last comment - I love that the commercial ends with the word LOVE!
That is all.
As I've said before, it's my blog, so you need to expect to get my opinion from time to time!
Tonights topic? A Cheerios ad.
Apparently the above ad has caused quite the uproar in cyber-world. The hate spewed out in comments to this ad reached such a level that Cheerios blocked comments on the video on YouTube. Why all the fuss? Well, because the commercial depicts an interracial family.
What the heck!
What year is this?
I know I shouldn't be surprised, I really shouldn't. I am well aware that racism is alive in well in this country, but I get lulled into believing "it's not as bad as...." And then people get their undies all in a bundle about a commercial showing a black man and a white woman as husband and wife.
If this 30 second commercial garners this much attention and hate, I can only imagine what goes through some people's minds when they see our family! GET OVER IT PEOPLE!
As a side note, I showed this commercial to my 15 year old daughter, and told her that this ad has caused hateful reactions from some people. Then, I asked her to guess why people would react that way, without giving her any clues. She couldn't figure it out. She saw NOTHING in the ad to cause anyone to think about anything except Cheerios and what a cute little girl that is. I had to TELL her what caused some people to spew hate over this add. How sad is that, to have to tell your child, "Some people will hate families like that. Some people will hate families like ours."
And my last comment - I love that the commercial ends with the word LOVE!
That is all.
What Do I Want?
I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions. I don't make them because I'd be lucky to remember in a week what that resolution was. If I see something I need to change in my life, I'd prefer to work on it immediately, not wait until January 1 to begin...that's just me.
January does, however, make me think about what I want for the coming year, from the trivial (to see Mumford & Sons is concert again) to the serious (to be a better, more patient mommy). All that aside, my overarching desire for the coming year (and all the years to come) is summed up in this song...
In my very imperfect and floundering way, this is what I want my whole life to be about!
January does, however, make me think about what I want for the coming year, from the trivial (to see Mumford & Sons is concert again) to the serious (to be a better, more patient mommy). All that aside, my overarching desire for the coming year (and all the years to come) is summed up in this song...
In my very imperfect and floundering way, this is what I want my whole life to be about!
Long Overdue
I've been meaning to write this post for about a month but haven't gotten around to it....until now.
This is a public service announcement. You all need to go shop at Aldi! Really, you do!
Here's the deal. I have been told by friends for quite some time that I could save a ton of money if I would shop at Aldi, but the two times I had been in the store in the past left me unimpressed. (not counting the many times I shopped there in Scotland)
My menu is varied and sometimes diverse, and I just didn't think that Aldi could meet my shopping needs. But then, my dear friend Tami, aka the Recipe Goddess, started shopping there! I figured if the Recipe Goddess could get what she needed at Aldi, then I probably could, too. Especially when she told me they carried such things as goat cheese, Brie, etc.
In addition to the endorsement from Tami, my weekly grocery bill was hovering in the upper $200's and would top $300 many weeks! Yikes! Granted, I'm feeding ten people, three meals a day, but even still, this just seemed like an extraordinary amount of money! Especially since I don't really do a lot of prepackaged foods or other "convenience" items. We do eat a lot of fruit though, which is expensive.
Well, it only took one serious visit to Aldi to realize I could save a LOT of money shopping there! Like nearly $100 a week.
Still not convinced? Here's my menu for dinners this week:
Chicken Picatta
Cannelloni
Korean Beef Skewers
Shrimp Scampi
Pork Chops
Rigatoni with Sausage, Artichokes & Asparagus
Turkey
I just went shopping and spent $125.07 at Aldi. There were a few things that they didn't have at Aldi: Manicotti noodles, rice sticks, Tide laundry detergent (I won't buy anything else), artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes. I picked up these items and a few more things at Cub which cost me another $70.80. That brings my grocery bill for the week to $195.15! Now that may sound like a lot to those of you not feeding so many people for so many meals, but for us it's a mighty nice bill.
This is a public service announcement. You all need to go shop at Aldi! Really, you do!
Here's the deal. I have been told by friends for quite some time that I could save a ton of money if I would shop at Aldi, but the two times I had been in the store in the past left me unimpressed. (not counting the many times I shopped there in Scotland)
My menu is varied and sometimes diverse, and I just didn't think that Aldi could meet my shopping needs. But then, my dear friend Tami, aka the Recipe Goddess, started shopping there! I figured if the Recipe Goddess could get what she needed at Aldi, then I probably could, too. Especially when she told me they carried such things as goat cheese, Brie, etc.
In addition to the endorsement from Tami, my weekly grocery bill was hovering in the upper $200's and would top $300 many weeks! Yikes! Granted, I'm feeding ten people, three meals a day, but even still, this just seemed like an extraordinary amount of money! Especially since I don't really do a lot of prepackaged foods or other "convenience" items. We do eat a lot of fruit though, which is expensive.
Well, it only took one serious visit to Aldi to realize I could save a LOT of money shopping there! Like nearly $100 a week.
Still not convinced? Here's my menu for dinners this week:
Chicken Picatta
Cannelloni
Korean Beef Skewers
Shrimp Scampi
Pork Chops
Rigatoni with Sausage, Artichokes & Asparagus
Turkey
I just went shopping and spent $125.07 at Aldi. There were a few things that they didn't have at Aldi: Manicotti noodles, rice sticks, Tide laundry detergent (I won't buy anything else), artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes. I picked up these items and a few more things at Cub which cost me another $70.80. That brings my grocery bill for the week to $195.15! Now that may sound like a lot to those of you not feeding so many people for so many meals, but for us it's a mighty nice bill.
Yes, it is an extra stop, since I had to go to Cub as well, but I will make an extra stop to save $100. A couple more thoughts for you. Aldi ketchup tastes just like Heinz (we're ketchup snobs over here), their knock-off Triscuits and Wheat Thins taste enough like the real thing to substitute, their pineapples are SUPER cheap (at least at our Aldi). Actually ALL of their fruit and vegetables are really cheap.
I'll stop now.
But you really should go to Aldi!
Unabashed Plug
I went to see Les Miserables last night with the hubby, so today I will give you my review. Imo, EVERYONE should see it! How's that for a full endorsement.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I should tell you that I'm a bit of a Les Mis junkie. I've see the traveling production five times, the movie (with Liam Neeson) twice and read the book (only once, and it took me about 12 months). I also own the full Broadway soundtrack and listen to it at least a couple times a year, from start to finish, and bits and pieces of it many other times. To me, it is one of the best stories EVER written.
All that aside, or perhaps all that taken into consideration, this new movie version is excellent. Much better than the Liam Neeson version in that you get the music from the play. The singing is, for the most part, exceptional.
Let's just take a minute and talk about Hugh Jackman, shall we? Holy cats, that man can sing! Who knew?! Now, I've never seen the X-Men, but I know he's in there...and not singing. So apparently, this man can play an action figure and sing on Broadway. My hubby declared Hugh Jackman to now be his favorite actor - and one of those people who makes most other men feel inferior. Personally, I think he deserves an Oscar for his performance. It was superb!
Anne Hathaway was amazing as well. Beautiful singing and superb acting.
Colm Wilkinson (one of the original actors who played Jean Valjean on Broadway) was the Bishop in the movie. Great singer and actor, just a small part in the movie,
Those who played Eponine and Marius were also great! Really, the only weak link, I thought, was Russell Crowe (whom I happen to like as an actor). His singing, while adequate, was far below the others, and his acting appeared rather flat. He was fine, just not spectacular, which was a disappointment considering the large role he played in the movie.
The long and short of it is you should get yourself out to a movie theater and see the movie, if you haven't already. While I'm sure it will be wonderful on your home TV, this is a movie that benefits from the large screen and surround-sound of a theater.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I should tell you that I'm a bit of a Les Mis junkie. I've see the traveling production five times, the movie (with Liam Neeson) twice and read the book (only once, and it took me about 12 months). I also own the full Broadway soundtrack and listen to it at least a couple times a year, from start to finish, and bits and pieces of it many other times. To me, it is one of the best stories EVER written.
All that aside, or perhaps all that taken into consideration, this new movie version is excellent. Much better than the Liam Neeson version in that you get the music from the play. The singing is, for the most part, exceptional.
Let's just take a minute and talk about Hugh Jackman, shall we? Holy cats, that man can sing! Who knew?! Now, I've never seen the X-Men, but I know he's in there...and not singing. So apparently, this man can play an action figure and sing on Broadway. My hubby declared Hugh Jackman to now be his favorite actor - and one of those people who makes most other men feel inferior. Personally, I think he deserves an Oscar for his performance. It was superb!
Anne Hathaway was amazing as well. Beautiful singing and superb acting.
Colm Wilkinson (one of the original actors who played Jean Valjean on Broadway) was the Bishop in the movie. Great singer and actor, just a small part in the movie,
Those who played Eponine and Marius were also great! Really, the only weak link, I thought, was Russell Crowe (whom I happen to like as an actor). His singing, while adequate, was far below the others, and his acting appeared rather flat. He was fine, just not spectacular, which was a disappointment considering the large role he played in the movie.
The long and short of it is you should get yourself out to a movie theater and see the movie, if you haven't already. While I'm sure it will be wonderful on your home TV, this is a movie that benefits from the large screen and surround-sound of a theater.
WHAT Were They Thinking?
Now I'm not sure how cities go about naming their parks, but whatever committee chose to name this park should be fired! Really? Purgatory Park?
"Hey kids, let's go hike through Purgatory!"
Hmmm, doesn't hold a lot of appeal if you ask me!
Why Does It Do That?
I've been pondering music today. Not a specific song, per se, but music in general. I've been wondering why it has such an emotional impact on me (and presumably others).
Here's how my brain ended up on this subject -I've been listening to Mumford & Sons' new album a lot this week. I know, I know, that is quite a surprise, isn't it? Well, specifically, I've been listening to a song called For Those Below (sorry, folks, if you didn't get the deluxe version you're out of luck). When I first heard the song, it didn't really do anything for me. I mean, it was good, but I didn't go, "WOW!" It's different from their other music, a duet - quiet and reflective.
Anyway, the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. Yesterday as I was listening, it struck me how the song parallels a book I am reading to the kids for school (The Bronze Bow). I thought that was pretty cool. Then this morning as I was driving to the grocery store, I turned it on and just started crying because I could see some of my own life in the song. So, in the course of a week, I went from being neither here nor there with this song, to seeing it reflect my own life in some way, and emotionally connecting with it.
That's what got me pondering music today.
It occurred to me that I (maybe everyone?) have so many thoughts, fears, emotions that stay concealed in my soul. Not that I am consciously trying to stuff them (although sometimes that's the case), but let's be honest, our lives don't always allow for time spent pondering or expressing things. They get shoved into the corners of my mind and heart and left there in the dark. I go merrily on my way, doing my day-in-day-out routine. Then, I hear a song that penetrates deep into my soul, the words sneak in between the bars which I keep those hidden things behind. The music strikes a resonance with my hidden thoughts/feelings and WHAM! I'm exposed, validated, connected.
Truthfully, some music makes me physically ache inside. If you've never had that happen then I can't explain it to you, but I know I'm not the only one who feels this. Sometimes it's the lyrics, sometimes it's just the instruments themselves. French horn music does this to me. Really, it does! Mumford & Sons' music does this to me. Dawes music does this to me. And Romantica....and Simon & Garfunkel...and others.
Okay, now you all might think I'm completely bonkers, but I'm okay with that. Anyone who has read this blog for any amount of time has already come to that conclusion.
Here's how my brain ended up on this subject -I've been listening to Mumford & Sons' new album a lot this week. I know, I know, that is quite a surprise, isn't it? Well, specifically, I've been listening to a song called For Those Below (sorry, folks, if you didn't get the deluxe version you're out of luck). When I first heard the song, it didn't really do anything for me. I mean, it was good, but I didn't go, "WOW!" It's different from their other music, a duet - quiet and reflective.
Anyway, the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. Yesterday as I was listening, it struck me how the song parallels a book I am reading to the kids for school (The Bronze Bow). I thought that was pretty cool. Then this morning as I was driving to the grocery store, I turned it on and just started crying because I could see some of my own life in the song. So, in the course of a week, I went from being neither here nor there with this song, to seeing it reflect my own life in some way, and emotionally connecting with it.
That's what got me pondering music today.
It occurred to me that I (maybe everyone?) have so many thoughts, fears, emotions that stay concealed in my soul. Not that I am consciously trying to stuff them (although sometimes that's the case), but let's be honest, our lives don't always allow for time spent pondering or expressing things. They get shoved into the corners of my mind and heart and left there in the dark. I go merrily on my way, doing my day-in-day-out routine. Then, I hear a song that penetrates deep into my soul, the words sneak in between the bars which I keep those hidden things behind. The music strikes a resonance with my hidden thoughts/feelings and WHAM! I'm exposed, validated, connected.
Truthfully, some music makes me physically ache inside. If you've never had that happen then I can't explain it to you, but I know I'm not the only one who feels this. Sometimes it's the lyrics, sometimes it's just the instruments themselves. French horn music does this to me. Really, it does! Mumford & Sons' music does this to me. Dawes music does this to me. And Romantica....and Simon & Garfunkel...and others.
Okay, now you all might think I'm completely bonkers, but I'm okay with that. Anyone who has read this blog for any amount of time has already come to that conclusion.
That Mailman, Again!
Now, I am the very happy owner of both the digital version AND the Deluxe CD. Happy, happy, happy!
So, now I will give you a little personal review of said album. I know this is slightly premature for my US friends who did not preorder said album, but....oh well!
I love, love, love the whole thing! There. How's that for a review?
Okay, a little more detail. Lots of banjo. Much more and better harmonies than Sigh No More. The whole thing has more of a "live" feel to it than Sigh No More. This is a good thing. A very good thing!
Personal favorite tracks: Hopeless Wanderer (no big surprise there- I've love it for a long time); Below My Feet is AMAZING; there is a tie for third place between Ghosts That We Knew, Whispers in the Dark, I Will Wait and Lover of the Light (oh, and Where Are You Now a bonus track on the Deluxe Edition)
I like Babel a lot, but I need to "figure it out" more. It's kind of an angry song, and I need time with that type of song. Same with Holland Road - somewhat angry...yet hopeful, too. I adore Not With Haste particularly if I think of it in relation to Marcus & Carey (Mrs. Mumford). :-)
There you have it, my completely biased and totally fanatical review!
Three Things
I'm lesson planning today. Better late than never is my motto!
When lesson planning, it is very easy to get bogged down in the minutiae - the choice of curriculum, the photocopying, etc. - and lose sight of the big picture. It is also easy for this teacher/mom to fret over whether I am equipping my children for success in life. As I was driving Nina to work I was reflecting on this. I've identified three things that my kids MUST know to make it through life, and not one of those things requires a textbook or worksheet.
They are:
When lesson planning, it is very easy to get bogged down in the minutiae - the choice of curriculum, the photocopying, etc. - and lose sight of the big picture. It is also easy for this teacher/mom to fret over whether I am equipping my children for success in life. As I was driving Nina to work I was reflecting on this. I've identified three things that my kids MUST know to make it through life, and not one of those things requires a textbook or worksheet.
They are:
- God is God. Meaning He is all-powerful, all-sufficient, all-knowing, without beginning or end, unchanging.
- God is good. It's not just what He does, it's who he is. He can be nothing but good, He can do nothing but good.
- God loves me. Always, forever, no matter what I do or say.
You see, all the knowledge of math, science, English, etc. is not going to help me navigate the crises that come my way in life.
Algebra did me no good in overcoming anorexia, physics was no comfort and brought no healing to my hurting heart when I had three babies die, grammar never gave me the right words to comfort friends in danger of losing hope. When I am physically and verbally attacked trying to help a traumatized child heal, chemistry, history, and social studies will do nothing to get me out of bed in the morning to face more of the same.
No, as beneficial as knowledge is for some things, it will not help me, or my kids, to get through the really hard things in life.
The three things listed above were implanted in my heart, mind and being many, many years ago. Those three things have sustained me, comforted me, healed me, and given me the ability to not just carry on, but to carry on with hope and joy.
If my children learn nothing else in this coming year, my prayer is that those three truths sink deep, deep down in their hearts; then I will KNOW that they are prepared for whatever comes in their lives.
Update On Medication
I just realized that I wrote a post on medicating one of our kids for ADD and then never told you how things were going.
Well, Child has started a different medication, not a stimulant, and after two weeks on it, we are seeing a marked improvement in behavior, attitude and self-control. YAY!!!!! Child asked me this morning how I thought s/he was doing, behaivor-wise. I told him/her all the positive improvements I've seen this week and then I started crying :-) Typical Barb move there! I was crying because I am so grateful to have my child back! S/He is a wonderful, sweet, caring child, but the issues s/he has been dealing with eclipsed, totally eclipsed, all of the wonderful qualities s/he has.
We don't know if it's the medicine, the natural remedies we are also trying, or if it is just God's super-natural grace producing these good results. Regardless, God is answering our prayers for healing for our child.
My friend, Sara, shared a link with me on Facebook today, also, regarding how a Christian should view psychiatric medication. It is an excellent article! This part, in particular, really touched me (and made me cry again!).
I hope those of you that have wonderful, but difficult, children will be encouraged by those words, as I was!
Well, Child has started a different medication, not a stimulant, and after two weeks on it, we are seeing a marked improvement in behavior, attitude and self-control. YAY!!!!! Child asked me this morning how I thought s/he was doing, behaivor-wise. I told him/her all the positive improvements I've seen this week and then I started crying :-) Typical Barb move there! I was crying because I am so grateful to have my child back! S/He is a wonderful, sweet, caring child, but the issues s/he has been dealing with eclipsed, totally eclipsed, all of the wonderful qualities s/he has.
We don't know if it's the medicine, the natural remedies we are also trying, or if it is just God's super-natural grace producing these good results. Regardless, God is answering our prayers for healing for our child.
My friend, Sara, shared a link with me on Facebook today, also, regarding how a Christian should view psychiatric medication. It is an excellent article! This part, in particular, really touched me (and made me cry again!).
If you feel like a failure because your child is taking psychiatric medication, our guess is that you have worked harder at your parenting than ten other parents combined. We hope you are not judging your parenting success against the parent whose child sits quietly, gets all A’s, does homework without supervision, rarely gets frustrated, and is compliant and obedient. Parenting probably had little to do with any of that!
Some kids are just hard. The strategies that worked for some parents will not necessarily work for you. To make matters worse, you will receive an endless stream of advice, which will leave you angry, because you feel like you should do everything you can for your child and the advice is often contradictory. We hope you will not add guilt over medication to that list. Rather, success is marked by “help me and my child, Lord Jesus.” It isn’t measured by having a medication-free zone in your home.
All this is to say that wisdom about these kinds of decisions can take different forms in different situations. A divine directive would be nice: “do this or take this and everything will be fine.” But our Father has a better way. We confess our neediness, consider relevant biblical teaching, seek the counsel of others, make the hard decisions, learn from what helps, avoid those things that hurt, and know God-with-us. For some of us, a positive decision for medication will be a wise consequence of this process.
Can We Be Positive about Psychiatric Medications?
Topics: MedicationPublished: Apr 04, 2012
I hope those of you that have wonderful, but difficult, children will be encouraged by those words, as I was!
To Medicate or Not To Medicate...
That is the question.
We've got a couple kids over here who would most definitely be diagnosed with ADD, and for years we have just "dealt with it." Meaning, we worked with them on ways to "do life" with the way they were wired. I am a firm believer in teaching kids coping skills, as an alternative to medicate for something like ADD.
That was until we started noticing that the issue was making it difficult for one of our kids to maintain relationships with his/her siblings. Also, we were seeing the toll that the issue was taking on the child's self-esteem (because of falling behind at school).
So, recently we have travelled down the road of pursuing medication to treat ADD. The first day on the medication Child finished their school in record time, and completed all the assignments properly. S/he also stated that this was the first day in two years that they had been happy. Well, that nearly broke my heart :-(
Unfortunately, the side effects of the medicine were not ones that we could live with. Child had difficulty sleeping at night, stomach aches, loss of appetite (as in hardly eating at all), and very difficult behavior when the medicine wore off. After about a week of the medicine, we decided to stop using it. So we are back to ADD issues, but we are used to these issues, and I have my "normal" child back.
That said, s/he has asked if we could try a different medicine. Child recognizes that the medicine really helped them to pay attention and think clearly. Thankfully, there are several options when it comes to ADD medication these days, so we will probably be trying a different one in the near future.
While all this is going on we are also doing some dietary changes. I understand that the medicine only deals with the symptoms. My real desire is to deal with the root of the problem - whatever that might be.
My reason for putting this post out here is because I KNOW we are not the only ones struggling with this! I know I am not the only one who was convinced that medicating for ADD was a bad idea, yet now finds herself in a different boat. Bottom line, I will do whatever I have to to help my child!
We've got a couple kids over here who would most definitely be diagnosed with ADD, and for years we have just "dealt with it." Meaning, we worked with them on ways to "do life" with the way they were wired. I am a firm believer in teaching kids coping skills, as an alternative to medicate for something like ADD.
That was until we started noticing that the issue was making it difficult for one of our kids to maintain relationships with his/her siblings. Also, we were seeing the toll that the issue was taking on the child's self-esteem (because of falling behind at school).
So, recently we have travelled down the road of pursuing medication to treat ADD. The first day on the medication Child finished their school in record time, and completed all the assignments properly. S/he also stated that this was the first day in two years that they had been happy. Well, that nearly broke my heart :-(
Unfortunately, the side effects of the medicine were not ones that we could live with. Child had difficulty sleeping at night, stomach aches, loss of appetite (as in hardly eating at all), and very difficult behavior when the medicine wore off. After about a week of the medicine, we decided to stop using it. So we are back to ADD issues, but we are used to these issues, and I have my "normal" child back.
That said, s/he has asked if we could try a different medicine. Child recognizes that the medicine really helped them to pay attention and think clearly. Thankfully, there are several options when it comes to ADD medication these days, so we will probably be trying a different one in the near future.
While all this is going on we are also doing some dietary changes. I understand that the medicine only deals with the symptoms. My real desire is to deal with the root of the problem - whatever that might be.
My reason for putting this post out here is because I KNOW we are not the only ones struggling with this! I know I am not the only one who was convinced that medicating for ADD was a bad idea, yet now finds herself in a different boat. Bottom line, I will do whatever I have to to help my child!
At Long Last
Maybe you haven't been waiting for months for the Castlecomer EP to be released, but I have! And now, today, I can finally purchase it on iTunes (and so can you)!
I HIGHLY encourage ALL of you to go over to iTunes right now and take a listen. No longer do you have to listen to them playing in an abandoned parking garage! Although I kind of like the empty building back-drop, I think the sound quality is much better on the EP.
Okay, run along now over to iTunes!
I HIGHLY encourage ALL of you to go over to iTunes right now and take a listen. No longer do you have to listen to them playing in an abandoned parking garage! Although I kind of like the empty building back-drop, I think the sound quality is much better on the EP.
Okay, run along now over to iTunes!
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