I caught this news story today.
http://cw2.trb.com/news/kwgn-csu-football-kid-hit,0,7112496.story?coll=kwgn-home-2
I can only imagine how horrible the player feels, but I am still perplexed and have yet to find an answer. Why was this four year old down on the field? He should have been in the stands and not on the sidelines. I realize the students say they have no plans to sue, and if they had said otherwise, they wouldn't have wanted me on a jury. I cannot understand why the parents allowed the kid to be that close and from the video I saw, I don't see a parent nearby either. If anything, they are more to blame.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Simon Is Right Again
I get tired of them always booing Simon. He's usually the only person up there with common sense. I would LOVE to hear Randy expand his vocabularly. My husband has taken to predicting what Randy will say and he's usually right. What's up Dawg, Yo, Dope... they all drive me nuts. Someone hand the man a dictionary please!
Last night was country night with Martina McBride--
Phil did Keith Urban and he finally got peppy. I liked that.
Jordin did one of Martina's songs "Broken Wings" if you have ever tried to sing it, you know there is a lot of holding notes and hitting higher notes. Jordin nailed it.
The drunken karaoke clown seems to think that "Something to Talk About" qualifies as country - in my book Bonnie rate is more blues. Whatever, he sucked anyway.
Lakisha - She did Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel." I liked how she started. Then she hit the chorus and to me it was all over the place. She yelled, she expanded words to make them last longer, shortened others, and I just didn't like it at all.
Chris did the one Rascall Flatts song that I don't like "Mayberry". He thinks his nasal quality was for the song, I'm afraid he does the nasal, Billy Goat note holding thing too often for my taste. He had a rough night given the V Tech tragedy, and I feel for him for that reason, it had to be hard focusing on music when your head was with your friends. I don't think he should go tonight, but I bet he will because the one who deserves to go won't.
Melinda did a newer Julie Reeves song. I don't know it, but she definitely pulled sassy off.
Blake - I wasn't horribly impressed. First, Blake picked this song, I'm certain, because it really isn't a country song. Ryan Adam's wrote and performed "When The Stars Go Blue" years ago. Bono and the lead singer from the Coors make it a hit a few years back. I'm betting Blake knew the Bono version better than the Tim McGraw version. I still say Bono's version is the best of the bunch and Blake left me feeling bored.
All in all, I'm betting it comes down to Phil, Lakisha and Chris tonight and Phil will be the one to go home only because someone else keeps staying in there undeservedly.
Last night was country night with Martina McBride--
Phil did Keith Urban and he finally got peppy. I liked that.
Jordin did one of Martina's songs "Broken Wings" if you have ever tried to sing it, you know there is a lot of holding notes and hitting higher notes. Jordin nailed it.
The drunken karaoke clown seems to think that "Something to Talk About" qualifies as country - in my book Bonnie rate is more blues. Whatever, he sucked anyway.
Lakisha - She did Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel." I liked how she started. Then she hit the chorus and to me it was all over the place. She yelled, she expanded words to make them last longer, shortened others, and I just didn't like it at all.
Chris did the one Rascall Flatts song that I don't like "Mayberry". He thinks his nasal quality was for the song, I'm afraid he does the nasal, Billy Goat note holding thing too often for my taste. He had a rough night given the V Tech tragedy, and I feel for him for that reason, it had to be hard focusing on music when your head was with your friends. I don't think he should go tonight, but I bet he will because the one who deserves to go won't.
Melinda did a newer Julie Reeves song. I don't know it, but she definitely pulled sassy off.
Blake - I wasn't horribly impressed. First, Blake picked this song, I'm certain, because it really isn't a country song. Ryan Adam's wrote and performed "When The Stars Go Blue" years ago. Bono and the lead singer from the Coors make it a hit a few years back. I'm betting Blake knew the Bono version better than the Tim McGraw version. I still say Bono's version is the best of the bunch and Blake left me feeling bored.
All in all, I'm betting it comes down to Phil, Lakisha and Chris tonight and Phil will be the one to go home only because someone else keeps staying in there undeservedly.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Is It The Weather?
Sick of rain and snow, my husband and I opted to spend all of Saturday doing errands and getting the kids and myself out of the house. I freelance write and had been completing assignments for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and a travel guide for a city in Vermont. There has been nothing but rain and gloom for 9 days here, and this was topped off by a snow storm yesterday. Our basement is now flooding and in general I am sick to death of this weather.
Anyway, Saturday we are driving down Shelburne Road, not one of the best roads in town due to the congestion, and this woman on a side street decides she wants to ignore the red light and pull out in front of traffic. My husband didn't have time to stop, so he got past her okay by swerving into the other lane half way, but she was obviously pissed that he didn't stop and let her out ahead of him. A few miles down the road, she passes us on the right by using a turn-only lane and misses our car by inches as she cut back in. Now, my husband at this point is laughing at her stupidity--she was in a brand new (temp plates anyway) Pontiac Grand Am, our car is a few years old. Had she hit us, she was clearly at fault for passing us in a turn-only lane, and she would have owed us a nice little sum. She then proceeds to give us the finger repeatedly by slowing to a crawl. Meanwhile, there is this elderly woman in the car looking scared to death. I grabbed my cell phone and made it look like I was calling in her license plate number (don't really think that would do any good around here, but it did the trick) she flipped us off once more and sped off until she was on another car's bumper.
Usually this would tick me off more than it did, but the speeds were slow enough that I know any damage caused wouldn't have hurt any of us. This was apparently only the beginning however. We then ran into a real jerk who kept pushing his cart into my daughter anytime she wasn't tucked right against my cart. Instead of apologizing, he would comment that she needed to get out of the way of adults. This store, Mr. G's, doesn't have huge aisles, I understand that, but at the same time, he seemed to be following us around. I would see him go into an aisle and bypass it and all of the sudden he would be right there again, so I'd backtrack to an area I missed and he'd be there again.
At another store (a Bouyea Fassetts Bread store), the clerk insisted that a sale item wasn't on sale until the manager came up front and told her he'd discussed it in the staff meeting and that if she looked at the sales notice pinned to the register she would have seen it.
It just seemed no matter where we went, the people were extremely pushy and argumentative. With this in mind, I wonder how much of this is weather related. I know I deal with SAD from time to time, but this long dreary period when we should be much warmer must be affecting lots.
Anyway, Saturday we are driving down Shelburne Road, not one of the best roads in town due to the congestion, and this woman on a side street decides she wants to ignore the red light and pull out in front of traffic. My husband didn't have time to stop, so he got past her okay by swerving into the other lane half way, but she was obviously pissed that he didn't stop and let her out ahead of him. A few miles down the road, she passes us on the right by using a turn-only lane and misses our car by inches as she cut back in. Now, my husband at this point is laughing at her stupidity--she was in a brand new (temp plates anyway) Pontiac Grand Am, our car is a few years old. Had she hit us, she was clearly at fault for passing us in a turn-only lane, and she would have owed us a nice little sum. She then proceeds to give us the finger repeatedly by slowing to a crawl. Meanwhile, there is this elderly woman in the car looking scared to death. I grabbed my cell phone and made it look like I was calling in her license plate number (don't really think that would do any good around here, but it did the trick) she flipped us off once more and sped off until she was on another car's bumper.
Usually this would tick me off more than it did, but the speeds were slow enough that I know any damage caused wouldn't have hurt any of us. This was apparently only the beginning however. We then ran into a real jerk who kept pushing his cart into my daughter anytime she wasn't tucked right against my cart. Instead of apologizing, he would comment that she needed to get out of the way of adults. This store, Mr. G's, doesn't have huge aisles, I understand that, but at the same time, he seemed to be following us around. I would see him go into an aisle and bypass it and all of the sudden he would be right there again, so I'd backtrack to an area I missed and he'd be there again.
At another store (a Bouyea Fassetts Bread store), the clerk insisted that a sale item wasn't on sale until the manager came up front and told her he'd discussed it in the staff meeting and that if she looked at the sales notice pinned to the register she would have seen it.
It just seemed no matter where we went, the people were extremely pushy and argumentative. With this in mind, I wonder how much of this is weather related. I know I deal with SAD from time to time, but this long dreary period when we should be much warmer must be affecting lots.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Fate's Twisted Humor
Growing up in VT, Ben and Jerry's has been a staple of my life for decades. Unfortunately, in the past decade, their quality has gone downhill in my opinion. It's mass produced now and you can tell it.
So a couple weekends ago, I came across another locally made ice cream, Island Ice Cream, that is made about 15 miles from my house. We drove over to the islands in Lake Champlain to buy some. http://www.islandhomemadeicecream.com/
On the drive to Keeler's Bay Variety Store, we saw a smooshed rabbit in the road. Now, obviously my kids are older so this wasn't too disturbing to them. Nonetheless, my daughter did have to ask about how many kids were seeing this dead rabbit and thinking Easter Bunny... It was rather twisted to think about it being the day before Easter and there was a bunny dead in the middle of the road...
So a couple weekends ago, I came across another locally made ice cream, Island Ice Cream, that is made about 15 miles from my house. We drove over to the islands in Lake Champlain to buy some. http://www.islandhomemadeicecream.com/
On the drive to Keeler's Bay Variety Store, we saw a smooshed rabbit in the road. Now, obviously my kids are older so this wasn't too disturbing to them. Nonetheless, my daughter did have to ask about how many kids were seeing this dead rabbit and thinking Easter Bunny... It was rather twisted to think about it being the day before Easter and there was a bunny dead in the middle of the road...
The Feminine Mistake?
So I recently heard about the major debate over author Leslie Bennetts' book "The Feminine Mistake." Apparently, the author brings up points about why becoming a stay-at-home mom is a bad thing. My immediate goal was to find out more about this woman. She is a mom, so she gets minor points there.
I have been a stay-at-home mom for thirteen years. Sure, I rely on my husband for money, the government told me long ago that I'm useless to them and that as a "non-working" entity, I am entitled to NOTHING, I do some writing from home to supplement our income and to earn enough credits to qualify for any social security benefits that may or may not be around by the time I am of retirement age. I will not argue the author's points regarding the financial aspects of being a stay-at-home mom.
However, I would not change my life. I'll take the lower pay scale having been out of the actual work force for more than a decade. My kids are well-adjusted, do not touch drugs or alcohol, they have not had sex by the age of 13 like many of their peers, and they are both straight A students. To me, that is far more important that money.
In my childhood, almost every mom in the neighborhood stayed home until the kids were in middle school. We are all well adjusted. The one mom who did work. Her son has been in and out of jail, beats his wife, and is raising his children by ignoring them unless they've done something wrong and in that case he'll smack them around too.
In my own neighborhood now, I look at the homes where the moms either work from home or stay home. Those are the children who never get into trouble. Across the street, we have girls who actively do drugs and are dating boys much older than themselves. In other homes, one boy was dating a girl 10 years older and his mom was at work and seemed not to care "she's slow and seems to be mentally the same age..." A kid down the road almost went to jail for destroying headstones in the cemetary because his mom was working and he was "bored." Some former neighbors used to kill time when their mom was at work by having sex with the neighborhood boys. For these girls it became a game to see how many times they could have sex before the mom came home. Sadly, and far too often, I'd see the mom pull into the driveway and then the boy would be climbing out the bedroom window. Where are they now? Both girls are now in their early twenties and both girls are moms. Each had a child by her 19th birthday.
This isn't what I wanted of my kids. I'll take the loss of pay and stay home until they have matured enough to know right from wrong. My kids know that we could be in a much nicer place financially had I not given up my job as the assistant to the president of a mailing company, but I was willing to sacrifice everything to raise children who know how much I was willing to forego. Eventually, I will be returning to the workforce. In the meantime, I am tired of those who do think that SAHM's are going against the ideals set by feminists years ago. Perhaps the freedom to choose what you feel is right for yourself and your children is the ideal goal.
Would I buy this book? Never. I don't feel the need to pad someone's pockets when they are not showing both sides of the issues.
I have been a stay-at-home mom for thirteen years. Sure, I rely on my husband for money, the government told me long ago that I'm useless to them and that as a "non-working" entity, I am entitled to NOTHING, I do some writing from home to supplement our income and to earn enough credits to qualify for any social security benefits that may or may not be around by the time I am of retirement age. I will not argue the author's points regarding the financial aspects of being a stay-at-home mom.
However, I would not change my life. I'll take the lower pay scale having been out of the actual work force for more than a decade. My kids are well-adjusted, do not touch drugs or alcohol, they have not had sex by the age of 13 like many of their peers, and they are both straight A students. To me, that is far more important that money.
In my childhood, almost every mom in the neighborhood stayed home until the kids were in middle school. We are all well adjusted. The one mom who did work. Her son has been in and out of jail, beats his wife, and is raising his children by ignoring them unless they've done something wrong and in that case he'll smack them around too.
In my own neighborhood now, I look at the homes where the moms either work from home or stay home. Those are the children who never get into trouble. Across the street, we have girls who actively do drugs and are dating boys much older than themselves. In other homes, one boy was dating a girl 10 years older and his mom was at work and seemed not to care "she's slow and seems to be mentally the same age..." A kid down the road almost went to jail for destroying headstones in the cemetary because his mom was working and he was "bored." Some former neighbors used to kill time when their mom was at work by having sex with the neighborhood boys. For these girls it became a game to see how many times they could have sex before the mom came home. Sadly, and far too often, I'd see the mom pull into the driveway and then the boy would be climbing out the bedroom window. Where are they now? Both girls are now in their early twenties and both girls are moms. Each had a child by her 19th birthday.
This isn't what I wanted of my kids. I'll take the loss of pay and stay home until they have matured enough to know right from wrong. My kids know that we could be in a much nicer place financially had I not given up my job as the assistant to the president of a mailing company, but I was willing to sacrifice everything to raise children who know how much I was willing to forego. Eventually, I will be returning to the workforce. In the meantime, I am tired of those who do think that SAHM's are going against the ideals set by feminists years ago. Perhaps the freedom to choose what you feel is right for yourself and your children is the ideal goal.
Would I buy this book? Never. I don't feel the need to pad someone's pockets when they are not showing both sides of the issues.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Unseasonably Cold
Global Warming... I am sure there is some merit to it, but suddenly I find myself in the throes of winter again and given that the weather pattern has shifted oddly like this for hundreds of years, I begin to doubt that the change in weather patterns are truly based on global warming. According to my morning news, the warmest day on record happened more than 20 years ago. The coldest according to the grid at Weather.com occured in the 1920s.
So far our winter started off incredibly warm. Through early January we had little snow to talk about. Then something shifted. We started hitting sub-zero temperatures regularly and this was followed by a pattern of holiday snow storms. Valentine's day dumped more than 20 inches on most of Vermont. The same occurred on St. Patrick's Day. My neighbor jokingly asked what Easter would bring. I really wish he'd kept his mouth shut. They are saying that those of us near the lake will be spared the worst of it, most likely sticking near the 2 to 6 inch range. Those in the mountains, enjoy your 3 to 10 inches! This weather sucks! I've had enough and am extremely ready for spring
So far our winter started off incredibly warm. Through early January we had little snow to talk about. Then something shifted. We started hitting sub-zero temperatures regularly and this was followed by a pattern of holiday snow storms. Valentine's day dumped more than 20 inches on most of Vermont. The same occurred on St. Patrick's Day. My neighbor jokingly asked what Easter would bring. I really wish he'd kept his mouth shut. They are saying that those of us near the lake will be spared the worst of it, most likely sticking near the 2 to 6 inch range. Those in the mountains, enjoy your 3 to 10 inches! This weather sucks! I've had enough and am extremely ready for spring
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Education Today
My daughter is in the 4th grade and has been struggling (very frustrated) with math this half of the year. Our school uses a program developed by the University of Chicago and in my opinion it is worsening the way children are learning math.
In the past month, I have kept notes regarding what she is learning from day to day, week to week. In mid-February, they switched from learning multiplication to division. They started by memorizing basic division (the tables). It hasn't come horribly easy to her, but she's working on it.
The first trouble came when the unit jumped into long division in mid-January. They still didn't have their tables memorized and this suddenly became a huge challenge to many of them. My daughter learned this odd way that I can't see how it helps and now the frustration is kicking in because she cannot understand my way and I think her way is making the paperwork and time involved triple.
So to divide 7 into 320, the kids have to guesstimate how many times 7 would fit into 320. My daughter did a problem similar to this, guessed 30 and that leaves you with 110. She then has to figure out how many times 7 fits into 110, etc. At the end, she adds all of her "guesstimates" and gets the correct answer eventually.
Most of us learned to divide 7 into 32. Subtract, bring down the 0, and continue. It is so much faster, and neater!
Anyway, a week after this assignment, they jumped to geometry and started working on triangles. A week later they were working on surveys/polls. The next week they worked on fractions. Supposedly this breaks up the boredom. Meanwhile, we are back division now, but they are learning how to turn fractions into decimals and she's utterly confused because the division wasn't enforced for long enough that she can get the problems done. Come to find out, not that it was on the homework papers at all, they are supposed to be using a calculator now until they have learned division.
Why not just learn division before you start showing children how much easier and quicker it is to use a calculator? I think it is sad that they are teaching kids to use a calculator before they are teaching them how to do the actual math.
I'm working with her now to teach her my way of division and we are working daily so that it sticks. Sadly, I know many schools started using this "Everyday Mathematics" and I don't think that this system is truly going to help children in the long run!
In the past month, I have kept notes regarding what she is learning from day to day, week to week. In mid-February, they switched from learning multiplication to division. They started by memorizing basic division (the tables). It hasn't come horribly easy to her, but she's working on it.
The first trouble came when the unit jumped into long division in mid-January. They still didn't have their tables memorized and this suddenly became a huge challenge to many of them. My daughter learned this odd way that I can't see how it helps and now the frustration is kicking in because she cannot understand my way and I think her way is making the paperwork and time involved triple.
So to divide 7 into 320, the kids have to guesstimate how many times 7 would fit into 320. My daughter did a problem similar to this, guessed 30 and that leaves you with 110. She then has to figure out how many times 7 fits into 110, etc. At the end, she adds all of her "guesstimates" and gets the correct answer eventually.
Most of us learned to divide 7 into 32. Subtract, bring down the 0, and continue. It is so much faster, and neater!
Anyway, a week after this assignment, they jumped to geometry and started working on triangles. A week later they were working on surveys/polls. The next week they worked on fractions. Supposedly this breaks up the boredom. Meanwhile, we are back division now, but they are learning how to turn fractions into decimals and she's utterly confused because the division wasn't enforced for long enough that she can get the problems done. Come to find out, not that it was on the homework papers at all, they are supposed to be using a calculator now until they have learned division.
Why not just learn division before you start showing children how much easier and quicker it is to use a calculator? I think it is sad that they are teaching kids to use a calculator before they are teaching them how to do the actual math.
I'm working with her now to teach her my way of division and we are working daily so that it sticks. Sadly, I know many schools started using this "Everyday Mathematics" and I don't think that this system is truly going to help children in the long run!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
American Idol/Sanjaya #2
Never mind, I was just reading that Howard Stern has been on a quest to prove that he can control who wins American Idol. He's been urging his listeners to vote for the worst contestant. Given that, we all know that Sanjaya is guaranteed to win. May as well stop watching now.
American Idol
Okay, I'm not a big fan of reality shows over all, but I do watch American Idol. Like many viewers, I'm left wondering exactly what these teeny-boppers see in Sanjaya.
American Idol is supposed to be about TALENT not looks, yet week after week the rather lame Sanjaya whose performances strike me as very bland, makes it another round. His faux-hawk was just as weak as his performance, and I have a feeling that hair-do helped him stay out of the bottom three.
I guess what I don't understand. Sanjaya seems to be a decent, slightly shy kid. He has to know he's not as good as the rest of the competition. By now he knows he is the laughing stock and that he's even pushed one woman (slightly deranged albeit) to go on a hunger strike until he's booted out. In fact, he's even pushed Simon to serious consideration of not returning for another season. With all of this in mind, how can he not resign? Apart from some ten-year-olds, and what 17 year old wants to be the object of a 10 year old's devotion, and his family and friends, he's not getting support from the rest of us. In fact, I know quite a few people who loathe him.
After last night, I had to wonder. Is it really the 10 year old crowd that is pushing him through? Perhaps, those who have hated Idol and all it stands for are voting for the weakest link to show just how ludicrous the show has become...
Ratings are down over last year - I don't find that surprising. Even I am sick of it. Tony Bennett is next week, I think I won't mind skipping it at all.
American Idol is supposed to be about TALENT not looks, yet week after week the rather lame Sanjaya whose performances strike me as very bland, makes it another round. His faux-hawk was just as weak as his performance, and I have a feeling that hair-do helped him stay out of the bottom three.
I guess what I don't understand. Sanjaya seems to be a decent, slightly shy kid. He has to know he's not as good as the rest of the competition. By now he knows he is the laughing stock and that he's even pushed one woman (slightly deranged albeit) to go on a hunger strike until he's booted out. In fact, he's even pushed Simon to serious consideration of not returning for another season. With all of this in mind, how can he not resign? Apart from some ten-year-olds, and what 17 year old wants to be the object of a 10 year old's devotion, and his family and friends, he's not getting support from the rest of us. In fact, I know quite a few people who loathe him.
After last night, I had to wonder. Is it really the 10 year old crowd that is pushing him through? Perhaps, those who have hated Idol and all it stands for are voting for the weakest link to show just how ludicrous the show has become...
Ratings are down over last year - I don't find that surprising. Even I am sick of it. Tony Bennett is next week, I think I won't mind skipping it at all.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
How It Should Be Vs. How It Is
American Idol - Sanjaya. I realize he'll win because of his amazingly large population of fans. He just doesn't have the talent in my opinion. With training perhaps, but he has no stage presence and his vocals are far too weak and timid. His hair, I don't even want to go there. When he told Simon he was just jealous - trust me Simon had nothing to be jealous over. The hair was ridiculous!
Television:
Television in general. It was a dreary, rainy day yesterday so I watched some television in the afternoon while waiting for my daughter's bus. Here there is a rule that a child is not dropped off unless the parent is visible. Flipping channels, I came across The Real Housewives of Orange County - WHY are people paying these women to act ridiculous? Then one of my top billed "Shows that have no place on television" I Love New York. WHY are these men fighting to get to be with her? I've yet to understood that. She's loud, brass, obnoxious, and sorry but just not that attractive at all. I can't imagine why they stay and put up with her. I'd like to see the tides of TV turn and get away from reality TV and focus on something better that doesn't make my mind melt after thirty seconds. Too many people are now making money for ludicrous reasons.
Music:
My daughter came home and told us she had to do a report for her music class (4th grade) and had chosen Ray Charles. First, I'm impressed by her choice. Second, I'm happy to say that we've listened to lots of Ray Charles in the past week and she's really enjoying most of it. I wish more schools could offer music classes and take this approach to showing kids that there is a lot more out there. Sadly, I also know that many schools have given up their music classes to keep budgets down. If teachers would stop asking for dramatic pay raises in some areas. (Speaking from experience, my son's 2nd grade teacher was making $50,000 five years ago, she's now up to $62,000. She's not a great teacher and often made him feel very inadequate, despite the fact that he has never received less than an A- in any class.)
Speaking of teachers, I got another letter from my children's school. My son has just missed his fifth day of school this school year due to illness. The school still wants to keep student absences under three per school year. I tore up the letter and have this to say:
1. If students can't miss more than three days, why has my son's science teacher, the brainchild behind the attendance committee, already been out 10 times this year. I'm keeping tabs this year and so far he is definitely slacking!
2. How about you disinfect the school!! In my daughter's class, we were just talking to her teacher. There are 17 children in her class. One now has viral pneumonia, 10 have had strep, all 17 wound up with the stomach bug back in February, 10 had this weird high fever and lack of energy. If the kids are bringing it home to their siblings and friends, you cannot possibly expect other kids to remain healthy.
What I'm sick of is the school's attendance committee's decision that children who miss more than three days per year will fall behind in their classwork. I'm certain that is true for some. Pushing kids to attend school when they are sick is absurd. My own son is a straight A student, has been since kindergarten, and always completes any work that he misses. Until this changes, stop wasting my tax paying money and stick to focusing on the kids who truly are delinquent.
Television:
Television in general. It was a dreary, rainy day yesterday so I watched some television in the afternoon while waiting for my daughter's bus. Here there is a rule that a child is not dropped off unless the parent is visible. Flipping channels, I came across The Real Housewives of Orange County - WHY are people paying these women to act ridiculous? Then one of my top billed "Shows that have no place on television" I Love New York. WHY are these men fighting to get to be with her? I've yet to understood that. She's loud, brass, obnoxious, and sorry but just not that attractive at all. I can't imagine why they stay and put up with her. I'd like to see the tides of TV turn and get away from reality TV and focus on something better that doesn't make my mind melt after thirty seconds. Too many people are now making money for ludicrous reasons.
Music:
My daughter came home and told us she had to do a report for her music class (4th grade) and had chosen Ray Charles. First, I'm impressed by her choice. Second, I'm happy to say that we've listened to lots of Ray Charles in the past week and she's really enjoying most of it. I wish more schools could offer music classes and take this approach to showing kids that there is a lot more out there. Sadly, I also know that many schools have given up their music classes to keep budgets down. If teachers would stop asking for dramatic pay raises in some areas. (Speaking from experience, my son's 2nd grade teacher was making $50,000 five years ago, she's now up to $62,000. She's not a great teacher and often made him feel very inadequate, despite the fact that he has never received less than an A- in any class.)
Speaking of teachers, I got another letter from my children's school. My son has just missed his fifth day of school this school year due to illness. The school still wants to keep student absences under three per school year. I tore up the letter and have this to say:
1. If students can't miss more than three days, why has my son's science teacher, the brainchild behind the attendance committee, already been out 10 times this year. I'm keeping tabs this year and so far he is definitely slacking!
2. How about you disinfect the school!! In my daughter's class, we were just talking to her teacher. There are 17 children in her class. One now has viral pneumonia, 10 have had strep, all 17 wound up with the stomach bug back in February, 10 had this weird high fever and lack of energy. If the kids are bringing it home to their siblings and friends, you cannot possibly expect other kids to remain healthy.
What I'm sick of is the school's attendance committee's decision that children who miss more than three days per year will fall behind in their classwork. I'm certain that is true for some. Pushing kids to attend school when they are sick is absurd. My own son is a straight A student, has been since kindergarten, and always completes any work that he misses. Until this changes, stop wasting my tax paying money and stick to focusing on the kids who truly are delinquent.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
So, Anna Nicole Smith
For years, I have been telling my husband that Anna Nicole Smith needed serious help. I was saddened when she passed on, but I can't honestly say I was surprised. Every appearance she'd made, her speech was always slurred and she looked lousy.
Yesterday, the results on her autopsy came in. Three different antidepressants, Human Growth Hormones, sleeping pills, and pain killers. They've deemed her death accidental. I'm sure it appears that way. However, I don't get one thing. The people around her - her assistants, her supposed husband, how could they stand by and watch her pop all these pills. To me this is the real tragedy. The woman was grieving the death of her son, she was understandably despondent, and probably postpartum depression was kicking in as well. Perhaps she was in counseling, but she needed to be kept in-house and not just handed pills. She needed serious rehab.
Who was her doctor that happily prescribed her all of these different pills? I know the sleeping pill came from her friend and psychiatrist- the woman's license needs to be carefully examined in my opinion. How could those around her sit and let her take all these pills? Pills are NOT a solution!! To me that is the real tragedy. While they didn't actually kill her, from what I see they sure didn't lift a finger to help her out either. She should have been placed in a mental hospital a long time ago and taught to be independent and weened from all pills.
Yesterday, the results on her autopsy came in. Three different antidepressants, Human Growth Hormones, sleeping pills, and pain killers. They've deemed her death accidental. I'm sure it appears that way. However, I don't get one thing. The people around her - her assistants, her supposed husband, how could they stand by and watch her pop all these pills. To me this is the real tragedy. The woman was grieving the death of her son, she was understandably despondent, and probably postpartum depression was kicking in as well. Perhaps she was in counseling, but she needed to be kept in-house and not just handed pills. She needed serious rehab.
Who was her doctor that happily prescribed her all of these different pills? I know the sleeping pill came from her friend and psychiatrist- the woman's license needs to be carefully examined in my opinion. How could those around her sit and let her take all these pills? Pills are NOT a solution!! To me that is the real tragedy. While they didn't actually kill her, from what I see they sure didn't lift a finger to help her out either. She should have been placed in a mental hospital a long time ago and taught to be independent and weened from all pills.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Per Yesterday's Post
Yesterday, my "American Idol" post ticked a few people off. I went back in and edited it, deleted every post, and then planned to come in today and restate exactly how I (emphasis on I) feel. Those who wish to respond in a civil manner certainly may, otherwise expect your post to get dumped.
For all of the Taylor Hicks fanatics. I didn't mind him last year. He reminded me of a young Michael McDonald at times. For the record, I do have his album and I think it sucks. And I did see a news story - tabloid or not, I can't exactly remember who had posted it so I can't cite my reference as some have demanded - that said he was disappointed that his fans had suddenly become absent in terms of record sales. He may be the greatest guy in the world, but I can also truly believe he would wonder where all of his fans were when his record failed to sell extremely well.
Kelly Clarkson fanatics (funny how there were about a dozen of Kelly's #1 fans who posted, I'm afraid you cannot have multiple #1 fans, and I would be her immediate family get to truly claim that title) - I did happen to see her in the Reba M. tribute and yes she was great there, she and Martina worked well together. I'm also sure she really got to practice. I saw her aired live before a Nascar concert a few weeks ago and she was horrible. Again, maybe it was an off day, but based on that one live show I wouldn't pay money to see her.
Let's see. Clay Aiken - he has a few fans too, but I still don't like him. That's my opinion and telling me that I have to see his concerts before I judge him. I think not. I have better things to do with my money. I heard all I wanted on American Idol.
Kellie Pickler - again, still don't like her and all the fans in the world won't convince me to change my mind.
For those who then wondered exactly where my music tastes do stand. They vary. I would far prefer to spend my money on people like Jonny Lang or Shannon Curfman who can play guitar better than some "pros" and never seem to break out into the limelight. I expect Stevie Ray Vaughn quality from my musicians. I want to hear a voice and not have to name fifteen others before getting the right artist. Louis Armstrong, you'll identify his voice every time. The same is true of Maria McKee, Stevie Nicks, Jackson Browne, Eric Clapton, etc. There are other bands that sound so much alike that they've become boring to me. Many of the Idol "stars" follow down that sound-alike, boring path.
That's one of my things. For an artist to have true talent, let's see these American Idols pick up an instrument, write their own music, and have America judge those songs. It worked extremely well for Chris Young - he took the Nashville Star win. Though I'm not fond of his style of country, I hate twang, he wrote a song, performed it, and won the competition. To me, that is true talent.
For all of the Taylor Hicks fanatics. I didn't mind him last year. He reminded me of a young Michael McDonald at times. For the record, I do have his album and I think it sucks. And I did see a news story - tabloid or not, I can't exactly remember who had posted it so I can't cite my reference as some have demanded - that said he was disappointed that his fans had suddenly become absent in terms of record sales. He may be the greatest guy in the world, but I can also truly believe he would wonder where all of his fans were when his record failed to sell extremely well.
Kelly Clarkson fanatics (funny how there were about a dozen of Kelly's #1 fans who posted, I'm afraid you cannot have multiple #1 fans, and I would be her immediate family get to truly claim that title) - I did happen to see her in the Reba M. tribute and yes she was great there, she and Martina worked well together. I'm also sure she really got to practice. I saw her aired live before a Nascar concert a few weeks ago and she was horrible. Again, maybe it was an off day, but based on that one live show I wouldn't pay money to see her.
Let's see. Clay Aiken - he has a few fans too, but I still don't like him. That's my opinion and telling me that I have to see his concerts before I judge him. I think not. I have better things to do with my money. I heard all I wanted on American Idol.
Kellie Pickler - again, still don't like her and all the fans in the world won't convince me to change my mind.
For those who then wondered exactly where my music tastes do stand. They vary. I would far prefer to spend my money on people like Jonny Lang or Shannon Curfman who can play guitar better than some "pros" and never seem to break out into the limelight. I expect Stevie Ray Vaughn quality from my musicians. I want to hear a voice and not have to name fifteen others before getting the right artist. Louis Armstrong, you'll identify his voice every time. The same is true of Maria McKee, Stevie Nicks, Jackson Browne, Eric Clapton, etc. There are other bands that sound so much alike that they've become boring to me. Many of the Idol "stars" follow down that sound-alike, boring path.
That's one of my things. For an artist to have true talent, let's see these American Idols pick up an instrument, write their own music, and have America judge those songs. It worked extremely well for Chris Young - he took the Nashville Star win. Though I'm not fond of his style of country, I hate twang, he wrote a song, performed it, and won the competition. To me, that is true talent.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
American Idol
After laughing my way through the auditions, I have watched a little more Idol this year than I normally would. I don't enjoy the popularity contest that this show endorses. Become a singer if enough of the world loves you for your looks/appearance versus your actual talent. Sanjaya is solidly proving my theory.
The kid can almost sing. I'll give him that. He has no stage persona, however, and for that reason he needed to be out of that show WEEKS ago. Unfortunately, I think there is a strong aspect of racism here. Whine if you like, but he is Indian (the country) by ancestry and I think the majority of those voting for him are voting for who he is/where his family comes from versus his actual talent. I won't even go into a rumor I've been hearing about those from India that work for U.S. companies managing to get in and vote. Maybe it's true, maybe not - but either way there needs to be a stricter voting system in place.
I think it is high time that American Idol sits down and looks at their format. It is far too easy to vote for this show and no one has to vote responsibly. Hire a panel to vote or allow the judges to have a larger say in who really stays or goes.
The kid can almost sing. I'll give him that. He has no stage persona, however, and for that reason he needed to be out of that show WEEKS ago. Unfortunately, I think there is a strong aspect of racism here. Whine if you like, but he is Indian (the country) by ancestry and I think the majority of those voting for him are voting for who he is/where his family comes from versus his actual talent. I won't even go into a rumor I've been hearing about those from India that work for U.S. companies managing to get in and vote. Maybe it's true, maybe not - but either way there needs to be a stricter voting system in place.
I think it is high time that American Idol sits down and looks at their format. It is far too easy to vote for this show and no one has to vote responsibly. Hire a panel to vote or allow the judges to have a larger say in who really stays or goes.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Energy Efficient Lightbulbs
After reading the news a few weeks back about California's decision to outlaw normal lightbulbs, I spent a little bit fuming about the price that some families are now having to spend. I will not argue the impact on the environment, but in my small house, I would need to purchase 29 light bulbs to cover all of the lights inside, in the basement, and outside. Some stores here sell those bulbs at $10 a pop so that would be pretty costly.
I did, however, make the change this week. If you have a Costco, they are selling 8 packs of those bulbs at a ridiculously low price. Here they are $10 for the 8 pack, but the state is offering an instant rebate of $8 - making the 8 pack cost a meager $2. Not bad, so I stocked up and started changing the more frequently used bulbs over. You may want to see if your state is offering a similar rebate.
Anyway, I also stumbled across this website. The biggest draw is that it records your purchases and tells you your total yearly savings to date. I'm up to $120 a year now - so my electricity bill should show a difference of $10 per month. Just one month has paid for all the bulbs I need.
I did, however, make the change this week. If you have a Costco, they are selling 8 packs of those bulbs at a ridiculously low price. Here they are $10 for the 8 pack, but the state is offering an instant rebate of $8 - making the 8 pack cost a meager $2. Not bad, so I stocked up and started changing the more frequently used bulbs over. You may want to see if your state is offering a similar rebate.
Anyway, I also stumbled across this website. The biggest draw is that it records your purchases and tells you your total yearly savings to date. I'm up to $120 a year now - so my electricity bill should show a difference of $10 per month. Just one month has paid for all the bulbs I need.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Video Games Vs. Egos
I am the first to admit that at times I can be a wicked kid at heart. I see nothing wrong with this! Everyone should let their hair down, ditch grown up responsibilities, and enjoy themselves periodically. Given it is my birthday week (we celebrate weeks here in my home rather than a single day it's far more rewarding), I was given a PS2 for my birthday. While some of my presents will wait for the actual day, I did receive three presents from others earlier. This leads me to two very popular games that I have spent plenty of time with this weekend.
Guitar Hero II is going to drive me batty. I would like to think it has nothing to do with my age, but as someone who can type 80 words a minute, I know my fingers are capable. For the life of me, I cannot make my brain and fingers connect for Guitar Hero II. I did manage to pull a three star rating on Heart's Crazy on You, but for the most part I will be in a pattern of red red yellow yellow and then have to hit green and fail miserably.
In the end, I am highly addicted, but I wonder how many cases of carpal tunnel syndrome will occur from this game! If you want a game that both parents and kids will have so much fun playing together, purchase Guitar Hero II. It's available for either the Xbox 360 or the PS2.
PS2 also offers a new Karaoke Revolution game that is an at home version of American Idol that gives you ample opportunities to have Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and then some Paula Abdul Wannabe named Laura tell you exactly what they think of your singing. This game is PERFECT for those who want an ego boost!!
Now, I realize I can sing. I may be too old for American Idol in real life, but the game has no age restrictions. My issue, I can't get Simon to tell me I suck. I do know that he can do it, he told my son who was imitating Bob Dylan's style that he was horrible. For me, I always wind up with Randy telling me I rock, Paula/Laura saying she can sum me up in two words - Phe and Nominal. Then Simon tells me how much he loves me and how I am the next American Idol in his mind. And the cartoon version of Simon is just as sexy as the real life version. ;-)
Karaoke Revolution American Idol is great fun. I can see it providing hours of entertainment at our next poker/game night. It's another must-have in my book.
Guitar Hero II is going to drive me batty. I would like to think it has nothing to do with my age, but as someone who can type 80 words a minute, I know my fingers are capable. For the life of me, I cannot make my brain and fingers connect for Guitar Hero II. I did manage to pull a three star rating on Heart's Crazy on You, but for the most part I will be in a pattern of red red yellow yellow and then have to hit green and fail miserably.
In the end, I am highly addicted, but I wonder how many cases of carpal tunnel syndrome will occur from this game! If you want a game that both parents and kids will have so much fun playing together, purchase Guitar Hero II. It's available for either the Xbox 360 or the PS2.
PS2 also offers a new Karaoke Revolution game that is an at home version of American Idol that gives you ample opportunities to have Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and then some Paula Abdul Wannabe named Laura tell you exactly what they think of your singing. This game is PERFECT for those who want an ego boost!!
Now, I realize I can sing. I may be too old for American Idol in real life, but the game has no age restrictions. My issue, I can't get Simon to tell me I suck. I do know that he can do it, he told my son who was imitating Bob Dylan's style that he was horrible. For me, I always wind up with Randy telling me I rock, Paula/Laura saying she can sum me up in two words - Phe and Nominal. Then Simon tells me how much he loves me and how I am the next American Idol in his mind. And the cartoon version of Simon is just as sexy as the real life version. ;-)
Karaoke Revolution American Idol is great fun. I can see it providing hours of entertainment at our next poker/game night. It's another must-have in my book.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Online Dating
I recently had to write a series of articles on online dating. I had to write them for sixteen different companies and include the pricing plans, features, and such. This was an easy and interesting task, but I also learned something.
First, everyone tells you not to trust what you see. I would state this is true. In order to access any of the information, I was forced to create free profiles with each site. In every possible case, I added that I was only researching costs and that in order to do so, I had to sign up for an account. This made me active with most of the sites. The men I was matched with --- well some were dead on it seemed while others were so far away from what I like in a man that it wasn't even funny.
I used my traits from today and then based everything else on when I was single.
Note for those creating dating sites - if a person puts absolutely no smoking - don't then turn around and match them with a smoker anyway!!
So basically I worked on two articles per day.
Now if you've been thinking about signing up, be cautious. I created a new account through Yahoo and immediately turned on Spam filters. Even though eHarmony told me they couldn't find me a match because I had shown devotion to my children, they were the first site I enrolled with and I did not get any spam following my enrollment. A few days later, I reached a website called American Singles and then LavaLife and my spam count started multiplying. Perhaps it was coincidence, but it just seemed odd that the day after I finished those articles my spam counts increased.
There was one thing that did happen that made me leery of using online dating. I live 10 miles south of one of Vermont's maximum security jails. I have driven by the correctional center many times and know the building and scenery surrounding it. One potential match, who looked vaguely familiar to me, showed this scraggly looking guy standing in front of a red brick building with a chain fence in the background and trees behind that. Now this is the set up at this correctional center. I began to wonder if he was an inmate there... The city of residence said St. Albans for him so that would still fit. It defintiely made me wonder!
Overall, I think the online dating services are pretty good. Some are far more expensive than others, and some certainly lack. Look for sites that focus more on personalities than looks. You may find your true love sooner than you were expecting. Meanwhile, I'm happy I'm married and out of the dating pool!
First, everyone tells you not to trust what you see. I would state this is true. In order to access any of the information, I was forced to create free profiles with each site. In every possible case, I added that I was only researching costs and that in order to do so, I had to sign up for an account. This made me active with most of the sites. The men I was matched with --- well some were dead on it seemed while others were so far away from what I like in a man that it wasn't even funny.
I used my traits from today and then based everything else on when I was single.
Note for those creating dating sites - if a person puts absolutely no smoking - don't then turn around and match them with a smoker anyway!!
So basically I worked on two articles per day.
Now if you've been thinking about signing up, be cautious. I created a new account through Yahoo and immediately turned on Spam filters. Even though eHarmony told me they couldn't find me a match because I had shown devotion to my children, they were the first site I enrolled with and I did not get any spam following my enrollment. A few days later, I reached a website called American Singles and then LavaLife and my spam count started multiplying. Perhaps it was coincidence, but it just seemed odd that the day after I finished those articles my spam counts increased.
There was one thing that did happen that made me leery of using online dating. I live 10 miles south of one of Vermont's maximum security jails. I have driven by the correctional center many times and know the building and scenery surrounding it. One potential match, who looked vaguely familiar to me, showed this scraggly looking guy standing in front of a red brick building with a chain fence in the background and trees behind that. Now this is the set up at this correctional center. I began to wonder if he was an inmate there... The city of residence said St. Albans for him so that would still fit. It defintiely made me wonder!
Overall, I think the online dating services are pretty good. Some are far more expensive than others, and some certainly lack. Look for sites that focus more on personalities than looks. You may find your true love sooner than you were expecting. Meanwhile, I'm happy I'm married and out of the dating pool!
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Do People Have Nothing Better To Do?
Today's news--- Prince is underfire for his half time show in which some people believe he deliberately made it appear that he had a huge penis. PLEASE. First, he's male. Men are proud of their genetalia, so what if he did? Turn off the television or walk away. I don't like seeing hairy plumber's butt cracks, but I certainly will not start a movement to have plumber's banned from the world.
Did Prince do this intentionally? I highly doubt it. First, any guitarist holds their guitar at that level. Do you expect them to hold it at the chest level and still be able to play? Get over it. If you have this much time, maybe you need to get a life or spend some quality time with your friends/family/children, etc.
The next story to raise my ire. The Snicker's ad that mimics the Disney movie "Lady & The Tramp." Two men are eating a Snicker bar and wind up bumping lips. Realizing they practically just kissed, they decide to do something manly and pull out a handful of chest hair. Certain gay and lesbian organizations find it offensive. Whatever...
The ad was funny. That's all Snickers was going for - a unique dose of humor. No one threw a fit when Lady and the Tramp did it - is that because it was male and female? If so, then the gay and lesbian groups would have been fine with the ad if it was man and woman - isn't that just as disciminating? And aren't they supposed to be open minded?
Their claim is that the ad puts gays in a negative light. No - I think Rosie O'Donnell does a good enough job of that. Part of the problem in today's world is that people are making huge deals out of stupid things. Rosie's fit that Kelly Ripa is a homophobe because she didn't want Clay Aiken putting his hand over her mouth. I wouldn't have either. I have enough colds/viruses come into my hands because of school, I wouldn't want to be exposing myself to even more of it.
I wish I could snap my fingers and make everyone tolerate everyone else, but it isn't going to happen. Part of the thrill of being human is the right to make up your own mind - free speech!-- if I am being told that an ad is offensive to a few and therefore must be banned then my free speech is being tampered with and I'm not happy.
I'll share something I told my kids - if you don't like something, that's fine. Keep it to yourself and move on. Lingering is only going to piss others off.
Did Prince do this intentionally? I highly doubt it. First, any guitarist holds their guitar at that level. Do you expect them to hold it at the chest level and still be able to play? Get over it. If you have this much time, maybe you need to get a life or spend some quality time with your friends/family/children, etc.
The next story to raise my ire. The Snicker's ad that mimics the Disney movie "Lady & The Tramp." Two men are eating a Snicker bar and wind up bumping lips. Realizing they practically just kissed, they decide to do something manly and pull out a handful of chest hair. Certain gay and lesbian organizations find it offensive. Whatever...
The ad was funny. That's all Snickers was going for - a unique dose of humor. No one threw a fit when Lady and the Tramp did it - is that because it was male and female? If so, then the gay and lesbian groups would have been fine with the ad if it was man and woman - isn't that just as disciminating? And aren't they supposed to be open minded?
Their claim is that the ad puts gays in a negative light. No - I think Rosie O'Donnell does a good enough job of that. Part of the problem in today's world is that people are making huge deals out of stupid things. Rosie's fit that Kelly Ripa is a homophobe because she didn't want Clay Aiken putting his hand over her mouth. I wouldn't have either. I have enough colds/viruses come into my hands because of school, I wouldn't want to be exposing myself to even more of it.
I wish I could snap my fingers and make everyone tolerate everyone else, but it isn't going to happen. Part of the thrill of being human is the right to make up your own mind - free speech!-- if I am being told that an ad is offensive to a few and therefore must be banned then my free speech is being tampered with and I'm not happy.
I'll share something I told my kids - if you don't like something, that's fine. Keep it to yourself and move on. Lingering is only going to piss others off.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Parenting
I was just reading the news and apparently the government in California is currently acting to introduce legislation that bans spanking a child. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16929303/
So $1,000 or one year of jail if you spank your child in public. PLEASE.
First, I think there are more troublesome offenses that need to be taken care of. You can drive while intoxicated in many areas and get away with a lower fine and no jail time. That is a travesty.
Now, I will add my two cents to this. First, spanking in my book is a quick smack on the padded bottom or hand. Face is never allowed. It is also one slap, not a series and certainly not with dropped pants like a former neighbor did to his own children. I have my limits.
My own children, I can't remember the last time I did smack either one of them, but I can tell you why. My daughter was going to put a pencil into an outlet after figuring out how to remove the safety caps that we had in all of our outlets. She got her hand quickly smacked. She dropped the pencil immediately and never touched outlets again. She was three at the time and should have known better, but being curious, she tried it anyway. Is she scarred for life? No. Did she get zapped causing possible health issues? NO! I took action and remedied the situation immediately.
My son. He was four and decided to go across the street to see our neighbor's grandson's new Hot Wheel's Jeep type toy (the one that kid's actually drive.) We were doing dishes and never heard him leave the house. Our street is not the safest street to go across - we are the short cut to one of the quieter (and free) boat launches for Lake Champlain. Boat traffic in the summer goes far too fast and too frequent for any child that young to be out in. The fact that he made it across the road safely thrills me, but the fact that he went across alone got him a smack on the rear end. Even today, he admits that he knew he'd be in trouble but he wanted to see the Jeep. He's not scarred by it. In fact, those who will say that hitting leads to hitting (in my book hitting is not a quick slap), my son has never hit another person. He's one of the rare few in middle school who has never gotten into a fight and has walked away from fights despite the laughter from his peers.
Now, I know people who refuse to hit their children. One of these children throws more temper tantrums in one day than my children have in their entire lifetime combined. This mom constantly battles with her child to eat the meals she has prepared, go to bed at his set bedtime, pick up toys, take a bath when told, and stay in their yard. She swears that the simple word NO and restrictions works well, but I can't see that it has. Fighting with her child on a daily basis makes me thrilled my kids have learned that I am the boss! They know I love them, they love me, and they also know that when I say NO it means it.
So $1,000 or one year of jail if you spank your child in public. PLEASE.
First, I think there are more troublesome offenses that need to be taken care of. You can drive while intoxicated in many areas and get away with a lower fine and no jail time. That is a travesty.
Now, I will add my two cents to this. First, spanking in my book is a quick smack on the padded bottom or hand. Face is never allowed. It is also one slap, not a series and certainly not with dropped pants like a former neighbor did to his own children. I have my limits.
My own children, I can't remember the last time I did smack either one of them, but I can tell you why. My daughter was going to put a pencil into an outlet after figuring out how to remove the safety caps that we had in all of our outlets. She got her hand quickly smacked. She dropped the pencil immediately and never touched outlets again. She was three at the time and should have known better, but being curious, she tried it anyway. Is she scarred for life? No. Did she get zapped causing possible health issues? NO! I took action and remedied the situation immediately.
My son. He was four and decided to go across the street to see our neighbor's grandson's new Hot Wheel's Jeep type toy (the one that kid's actually drive.) We were doing dishes and never heard him leave the house. Our street is not the safest street to go across - we are the short cut to one of the quieter (and free) boat launches for Lake Champlain. Boat traffic in the summer goes far too fast and too frequent for any child that young to be out in. The fact that he made it across the road safely thrills me, but the fact that he went across alone got him a smack on the rear end. Even today, he admits that he knew he'd be in trouble but he wanted to see the Jeep. He's not scarred by it. In fact, those who will say that hitting leads to hitting (in my book hitting is not a quick slap), my son has never hit another person. He's one of the rare few in middle school who has never gotten into a fight and has walked away from fights despite the laughter from his peers.
Now, I know people who refuse to hit their children. One of these children throws more temper tantrums in one day than my children have in their entire lifetime combined. This mom constantly battles with her child to eat the meals she has prepared, go to bed at his set bedtime, pick up toys, take a bath when told, and stay in their yard. She swears that the simple word NO and restrictions works well, but I can't see that it has. Fighting with her child on a daily basis makes me thrilled my kids have learned that I am the boss! They know I love them, they love me, and they also know that when I say NO it means it.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Climate Changes
Only in Vermont could we start out the month near 60 degrees and then end up with morning temperatures of 18 below. This morning was very nippy! I have this thing with going outside to wait for the school bus while I can feel my nostrils freezing together every time I try to inhale--not that my lungs appreciated my trying to inhale at all!
While we really haven't had that much of a winter this year, I am ready for it to go away. Walking on snow at 18 below zero makes for some nasty sounds. If you've never experienced it, imagine fingernails on the chalkboard with every step. The styrofoam squeak that occurs is plain annoying and feels odd too. It does feel like you are on hard styrofoam.
With this said, if anyone in the warmer states would like to get a fan big enough to blow some of their warm air up north, I'd really appreciate it!
While we really haven't had that much of a winter this year, I am ready for it to go away. Walking on snow at 18 below zero makes for some nasty sounds. If you've never experienced it, imagine fingernails on the chalkboard with every step. The styrofoam squeak that occurs is plain annoying and feels odd too. It does feel like you are on hard styrofoam.
With this said, if anyone in the warmer states would like to get a fan big enough to blow some of their warm air up north, I'd really appreciate it!
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Morning Coffee
It's Sunday. I'm up far too early. It's a balmy three degrees. All I wanted was my cup of coffee and then to attempt to get some work done. Weekend mornings at this hour suck!
Why get up so early? It probably has everything to do with my pesky cats who pawed open lower cupboards in search of their kitty high. I'd bought a new bag of catnip for them and they were determined to find it. Unfortunately, our younger cat is all too clever at opening cupboards and she found it. I came downstairs to find a torn apart bag of catnip all over my floor and two very stoned cats attempting to look innocent.
Once I'd cleaned the gritty mess off the floor, I gave up on any thought of returning to bed. Instead, I decided to try the latest coffee in a round of tests...
Years ago, I stopped drinking items with caffeine. It was felt that my anxiety, besides being genetic, might be related to caffeine intake. I stopped drinking coffee and discovered it made a big difference. Any coffee addict who has given up caffeine knows that decaf coffee can be horrendous! I've spent years going through brands that are worthy of purchasing.
Dunkin Donuts - one of my favored caffeine brands - makes a lousy decaf usually. The coffee definitely has bitter, almost sour, after tones. Unless you ask them to make a fresh pot from freshly ground beans, don't count on a good cup of decaf.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is what I drink the most - Paul Newman's blend is the best to me. I want to say it is called Special Roast decaf - but it is his organic blend of decaf. The price, however, is a bit of a pain. $6 for a 12 oz bag.
My sister-in-law started drinking decaf a few months ago and swears by a newer VT company - Vermont Coffee Roasters - out of Bristol, VT. It is expensive stuff. For the price you pay, it should be liquid gold! For Christmas, I splurged and treated myself to a pound bag of their decaf Columbian. $13 per pound. How disappointing! While the coffee tastes okay, it isn't as good as Green Mountain. Worse yet, I find that if you do not double the amount of coffee, you get a weak tasting pot. For a pot, I tend to use between 1/2 cup to 3/4 cups of beans (estimating my measurements, I really fill the beans to the top of my grinder's metal rim and then grind away) and then grind them up. With this Vermont Coffee Roasters, I grind one batch of coffee beans, pour them into the filter, and then grind a second batch. So I'm using double the amount of beans to get a normal pot of coffee. That makes it a wasteful coffee to me.
Starbucks - not a big fan of their coffee - the decaf is bitter. Speeder and Earls (another local company) is another of my favorites! It's a little pricier, but definitely worth it.
Yesterday, I decided to try Costco (Kirkland's) decaf arabica. I purchased the three pound canister for $8. Usually, I'll buy the whole beans, but I felt it was a better idea to spend less and see if it is worth it before investing the additional $6. I guess I'm more comfortable throwing out $8 worth of coffee over $14. I did realize that being pre-ground, it might be the best coffee, but I want something that tastes like coffee without the bitter aftertaste. This Kirkland coffee isn't bad. Very smoky and better than some of the other coffees I've had. I can't wait to try the whole beans!
Why get up so early? It probably has everything to do with my pesky cats who pawed open lower cupboards in search of their kitty high. I'd bought a new bag of catnip for them and they were determined to find it. Unfortunately, our younger cat is all too clever at opening cupboards and she found it. I came downstairs to find a torn apart bag of catnip all over my floor and two very stoned cats attempting to look innocent.
Once I'd cleaned the gritty mess off the floor, I gave up on any thought of returning to bed. Instead, I decided to try the latest coffee in a round of tests...
Years ago, I stopped drinking items with caffeine. It was felt that my anxiety, besides being genetic, might be related to caffeine intake. I stopped drinking coffee and discovered it made a big difference. Any coffee addict who has given up caffeine knows that decaf coffee can be horrendous! I've spent years going through brands that are worthy of purchasing.
Dunkin Donuts - one of my favored caffeine brands - makes a lousy decaf usually. The coffee definitely has bitter, almost sour, after tones. Unless you ask them to make a fresh pot from freshly ground beans, don't count on a good cup of decaf.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is what I drink the most - Paul Newman's blend is the best to me. I want to say it is called Special Roast decaf - but it is his organic blend of decaf. The price, however, is a bit of a pain. $6 for a 12 oz bag.
My sister-in-law started drinking decaf a few months ago and swears by a newer VT company - Vermont Coffee Roasters - out of Bristol, VT. It is expensive stuff. For the price you pay, it should be liquid gold! For Christmas, I splurged and treated myself to a pound bag of their decaf Columbian. $13 per pound. How disappointing! While the coffee tastes okay, it isn't as good as Green Mountain. Worse yet, I find that if you do not double the amount of coffee, you get a weak tasting pot. For a pot, I tend to use between 1/2 cup to 3/4 cups of beans (estimating my measurements, I really fill the beans to the top of my grinder's metal rim and then grind away) and then grind them up. With this Vermont Coffee Roasters, I grind one batch of coffee beans, pour them into the filter, and then grind a second batch. So I'm using double the amount of beans to get a normal pot of coffee. That makes it a wasteful coffee to me.
Starbucks - not a big fan of their coffee - the decaf is bitter. Speeder and Earls (another local company) is another of my favorites! It's a little pricier, but definitely worth it.
Yesterday, I decided to try Costco (Kirkland's) decaf arabica. I purchased the three pound canister for $8. Usually, I'll buy the whole beans, but I felt it was a better idea to spend less and see if it is worth it before investing the additional $6. I guess I'm more comfortable throwing out $8 worth of coffee over $14. I did realize that being pre-ground, it might be the best coffee, but I want something that tastes like coffee without the bitter aftertaste. This Kirkland coffee isn't bad. Very smoky and better than some of the other coffees I've had. I can't wait to try the whole beans!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)