31 May 2012

Rich Kid Gets Scholarship!

P. Diddy's son got a football scholarship!  They should take it away from him!  It isn't right that he gets anything because his father is rich!  No, wait!  He has smokin' hot moves on the playing field, but nevermind that or his high GPA from a good school; they only gave him the scholarship because P. Daddy has half a billion dollars and the college wants a new stadium!

No, wait!  They should evaluate the families of potential scholarship students and give ME the money instead, implies one student.   Because I actually have to work and take out loans like pretty much the rest of America.  Umm-kay

Now what if P. Diddy's kid got into the school because he's black and they gave a bit on his test scores?  How about we suppose that for a moment (not true so far as I know, but let's suppose)?  Nobody but a couple of white kids who didn't make the cut would be upset. Let the kid EARN something though, and notice only the black FEMALE student is complaining.  The white MEN, you know, the ones who would actually MIGHT have had a shot at actually competing with Bitty P. Diddy for this scholarship, admire the guy for his talent, say more power to him, and have moved on with their day.

Hm!   Ok, I don't know what to make of that.  I really don't.  What I really think is that it is a bit insensitive to encourage your child to take a scholarship like that if you happen to have a half-billion dollars, but what I also think?  Is that here is a young black male who is earning his way in the world already, and he's getting criticised for it because of who his dad is.  Which... I thought we were a bit beyond those days.  But maybe not.

What on earth to make of this news story, I have no clue.

29 May 2012

Hellfire Warning!

I'm worried that some of my fellow Christians aren't up to date on proper theology.  Did you know that the Bible specifically warns Christians that if they vote for a Democrat, that they are going to hell?

If they don't repent in time, that is.    God being merciful and all, he'll forgive you for that Obama vote if you tell him you are really, really sorry in the car on the way home. 

Honestly?  Sometimes I really wonder at my fellow Christians and their stupid-butt stances on certain issues/candidates.  But wow.  More wow is that this article has nearly 400 comments!  I laughed at the original article because the logic about makes your head explode.  But the comments.  The comments! 

I need to stop reading comments.  :/

28 May 2012

Homeschooling Grandchildren

Ok, homeschoolers.  Would you do it?

A homeschool group on facebook asked the question and plenty of people responded along the lines of, "I am and I love it!"  And I was tempted to ask why the parents weren't doing it themselves but whatever.  It just seems odd to farm out just parts of your parenting like that, though if you have enough money it would be totally normal to have a nanny and a housecleaner.  That's normal.  Grandma teaching calculus strikes me as a bit wack, though.  Why?  I don't know.  The post made me examine my own prejudices in that regard.

You know, I think I am getting old and lazy when I say that I hope to NOT participate in raising my grandchildren.  I now am (um, finally... after having six) at the point where I can categorically say that I have enough children and do NOT need any more.  I'm done!  Don't even ask me to babysit! Thanks!

So I promise not to play the over-involved grandparent who thinks the kid needs a sweater or shouldn't eat too much sugar.  Meh.

But what the homeschool group question did not ask and I'd be curious to know is what these grandparents did differently the second time around.  I wonder what was not so important after all and what they wish they HAD taught their own children.  And not to mention, grandparents have a different relationship with the children.  On the one hand they're freed from some of those "good mom" expectations but on the other, would they have the energy and organization to homeschool through high school? 

I think it would be fun to teach, say, an elective class but I know how much energy it takes to do the entire homeschool workload and I don't think I'm up to it with grandchildren.

PS.  There ARE no grandchildren presently so no weird comments.  :)

27 May 2012

Indianapolis 500!

This 1935 photograph features Deacon Litz, my father's third cousin.  He finished fourth in the Indianapolis 500 in 1934.   He had a sharp set of wheels, didn't he?

24 May 2012

Now in the Convenient PoisonPack (tm)

This is horrible!  Children are placed on ventilators because they pop laundry pellets into their mouths, thinking they are candies.  I just bought a whole tubful of these and my husband hates them.  There is no childproof lid.  For that matter, the dish detergent pellets have no childproof lids.  What gives, people?

Article here.

"Paul Fox, a spokesman for Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble, the parent company of Tide, says all cleaning products need to be handled carefully. He said Tide was working with poison control centers and advocacy groups to make sure parents know more about the risks." 

And Purex?  Its poisonous UltraPacks now have warning labels so that I know that their detergent is not yummy candy.  Yippee!

How about these companies stop worrying so much about "awareness" and flipping well go work with their product development people on a good childproof lock?  I think parents can figure out "swallowing detergent is a bad thing" without an "advocacy group."  I mean... really?  That's like manufacturing cars without seatbelts, reasoning that an "accidents are bad for you and may result in death" label near the steering wheel is an adequate precaution.  Gimme a break!!

And don't give me this "proverbial" turned my back for a minute thing.  IT TAKES LESS THAN TEN SECONDS to swallow something.  Ok?

22 May 2012

But What if Something Happened?


**** 
Fresh air is good for children, and so is playing with other children. You cannot let them do it ALONE, though. Sure, you and I were out wandering the streets at age seven with our buddies. Riding our bikes without helmets. Throwing sticks. Even wading through creeks. We were just all wild in the 1970's. I mean, until dinnertime. We had to be home before dinnertime. That made it respectable.
Today? If your child is 17 years 364 days old, you'd still better watch him and not leave him alone at the park. I mean... what if something happened? What if he broke an arm or a gang of space aliens came to kidnap him? What if there were a riot and he couldn't find his way home?
*
My younger children wouldn't do well being left alone, and do you know what? That's why I don't leave them alone. But most children have developed the ability to be alone in public with friends at a younger age. I find it flabbergasting that the news guys almost seem like they want to tar and feather this mom for letting her son GO TO THE PARK AND PLAY WITH FRIENDS.
Next story: Why is there an obesity epidemic and why are children watching TV all the time? Kidding. Though I'm sure it's in the news feed somewhere. I'm thinking of all the "stupid" things one can do with a child, this is by far not the worst.  It's true that this is not how I parent. But if your child is in a group and has reasonable common sense, I don't think we should be blaming you if something (God forbid!) happens to your child while he's out. The "free range" mom is right: we should consider some what-ifs, but let's not all dwell on the worst-case scenarios all the time and deprive our children of the joy of being independent.  Honestly, I think we should save Mommy criticism for the really, really bad stuff.  Not this.

21 May 2012

Congrats to Patrick!

The flower Patrick was given when he received his diploma.  Note also my new window (wasp-nest free!), trim paint job and blinds.  :)
Patrick is now a graduate of CityName North High School.  Do you know how sick I was this weekend?  I attended graduation without a camera, is how sick I've been.  I have NO pictures of Patrick in his cap and gown.  I have a cell phone shot of him in his robe somewhere in the audience, but meh.  I am glad I got to go to see him graduate rather than have D go without me and remember the camera.  You know? So I've been shaky and half-awake for days, but finally I'm able to breathe well and can speak like a raspy frog. I probably gave all my germs to the people sitting near me, but I can be assured the people near me weren't sick.  They were more than able to yell WOOOOOOOO! and be rather... exuberant.

I've been very worried about Patrick of late, but haven't been able to blog all the details.  Suffice to say that this transition to practical (rather than just legal) adulthood has been difficult for him.  He still considers becoming a bum "an option," and I'm afraid if someone doesn't give him at least a minimum wage job soon, he will wander off with his backpack and we will never see him again.

Ahh... but he got a job!  At what I'll call "Empires of Doom."  I was clear I would NOT be driving out to Empires of Doom before he even interviewed; it's too far to expect rides when I have these five other kids who have schedules and here you don't have a license to drive yourself.  He got a job there anyway and planned to walk about 2 1/2 hours per day EACH WAY.  The job entails walking around all day with ladders and light bulbs.  Climb up to the tippy tippy top of everything and change bulbs.  Minimum wage.  Oh!  Did I mention you have to bring your own tools to this dangerous job?  I wouldn't be surprised if they asked him to bring his own light bulbs while they were at it.

There was much fighting and sadness about this job.  I was so upset.  I told him if he joined the armed services, at least I would know if he died because they'd send someone out to the house.  (*sniff!*)  Was I a little dramatic?  Maybe just a tad.

It worked tho'!  Yayyyy!

That, or he took a good long look at the route he had to walk each day and some common sense prevailed.  Either way, I'm grateful.  Now he is applying online to a local business each day.  We also need to go through * and replace the driver's permit he lost.  Somehow, some "Experian" guy made up crap about how he thinks Patrick has an actual license and ratted on us to State Farm.  State Farm in turn sent us a letter detailing that they knowwww we have another driver in the house they weren't informed about.

Excuse me, but I called within three HOURS of my son receiving a permit.  And I was told that no changes would be forthcoming until he received a license.  It is a shame that these people listen to "Experian," some dude I've never met or done business with, more than the customers they've been serving for the past TWENTY FLIPPING YEARS.

Really makes me mad.  So.  It looks like we need to replace his permit and toddle over to the State Farm office and tell them to COPY the stupid permit and shut up already.  We have never been dishonest with State Farm in any way.  What is the point of having a local agent if they are going to take the word of some guy you've never met over you?  If we're going to be treated like that, why bother paying the middle man?  I should just be able to go online, punch in some numbers, and get some impersonal service when/if I need to use the insurance.

I'm glad Patrick has graduated.  It's wierd, though, seeing the other children go to school and him staying home.  It will take some adjustment for everyone.


18 May 2012

Magnet Dress-Up


I bought the super-expensive picture magnet from the school picture package and not much else.  As you can see, they are perfect for playing dress-up with magnets that belong to Emperor's Hello Kitty set.  You could use the doll fashion ones or whatever else is handy in your house!
"AAAH!  NOOO!  Do not put Hello Kitty fashion accessories on me!"  Some little boy (whose five-year-old picture is blurred here for semi-anonymity) doesn't want to play the game.

Furniture for GIANT People


Take a tape measure next time you go to the showroom.  I seriously thought this stuff was much, much smaller than it actually is.  You practically bump into it when you enter the house.  BUT.  There is enough room for everyone to sit on the couch.  It is huge and comfortable.  It seems all furniture, unlike electronics and other packages, has GROWN over the last ten years to about double in size.  Take a look at some of your older furniture and see what's in the showroom now.  (Yeah, bring a tape measure!)  What I hear is that model homes have special 3/4 size furniture and by that I mean 3/4 the size of OLD furniture.  Just big enough that you think you will be able to fit all your huge furniture with room left over... until the moving truck pulls away.  I have no idea how D and the movers managed to even get this into the house.

16 May 2012

Black Homeschooling Families Needed

We need lots of black volunteers to participate in a study about homeschooling.  We're concerned that parents are doing a crappy job and/or this might not be the best thing for the community.  You know, throughout the ages legislators and people in power have always done a really great job being able to tell what's best for black children.  But to do the best thing in our modern age we need data to back it up.  You go ahead and provide that... so we can lobby for stricter laws governing homeschooling... so we can ensure that all our children do well on their standardized tests... so bla bla let me run your life and empower you bla.

This makes perfect sense.

Warning:  before you click the link at the end of this paragraph, make sure you have no heavy throwable objects nearby.  (Tho' maybe you can handle it.  I mean, you already know that children need to be in a mostly white school to learn anything and also that social isolation makes your kids "retarded," don't you?)  Ok.  You've been warned.  Have fun.  :)



15 May 2012

Want to Live Nearby?

If you have $79,500, you can live catty-corner from me in the pretty white house. Four bedrooms. Detached garage. Porch swing. Even lot. I've been inside a long time ago and it's a nice but small place. I doubt "four bedrooms" unless they are counting a couple closets, but still, $79,500? It needs work but telling you it's a sweet deal.

But I am mad that they kicked the poor old lady who was living there out. SO WHAT if she wandered the neighbourhood and didn't know where she was pretty frequently? Live free or die, right? The third choice got made for her: nursing home. Poor lady.  And whether she leaves her stove burners on is her business.  Likely she'd be out of the house if the place caught fire anyway...

They put my neighbour Miss R in a home after she kept forgetting stuff and falling down and needing to be "looked in on" constantly. SO WHAT if she let her entire basement mildew and rot so badly they had to redo the entire interior?  Her house. Mould issues can't be nearly so bad as the cigarette smoke she ingested alllll the time. You could run your finger down the table or wall and it would come up yellow/brown.  This was one of those places you'd go into when you desperately need a bath so that your own BO can counteract some of the rancidness inside. No, really, it was indeedy pretty awful.

She was super super super thin because she would forget to eat. Or wouldn't eat ordinary foods.  D and I bought her a big box of candy bars or invited her to dinner at our place and we knew she would eat something if it was already made for her. She just wouldn't eat anything else but candy bars and donuts. But SO WHAT. Her daughters just kicked her out and gave the place to the gran'kids who tore it all up and added a new roof. And a fence. And got rid of the do-it-yourself wiring. I miss her. And the house just doesn't have as much character now.

And Miss B has been gone quite some time. SO WHAT if she only lived in the kitchen and dining areas of the house, and blocked the rest off with blankets? It's her house. Only think of all the money and/or time she saved not worrying about the rest of the place. She was (aside from being a crotchety and crabby person who liked to threaten calling City Hall about our weeds, which really weren't that bad) the quietest person you'd want to deal with.

Also, shutting off electric and stuff to the rest of the house is a great idea.  You really only need a couch, a fridge, your ashtray (meh, I guess) and a crossword puzzle book.  And some foam fruit from the 1970's covered in sequins.  Gotta have that.

Arg. Everybody keeps selling and new people moving in. The place is not so quiet any more. Used to be we were the only people under 65 on the whole street.  Now when my neighbours' kids and grandkids come to visit, I want to tell them to look out because they might be next!  :(

14 May 2012

What You Need in Your Utility Room

Hi!  I'm the AT&T U-verse guy.  Lemme show you our latest brilliant and creative residential installation job!  I decided, "Why be normal and place expensive rental batteries away from water sources?" Yeah!  We're taking it a step further here at AT&T.  That idea of water and electricity not mixing?  Old-fashioned.You see, I noticed the customer tied this rickety shoe-rack to her water pipe with a piece of fabric to store her dryer sheets and lint shaver.  I took that idea a step further.  I'm figuring a large, expensive, rental battery can't be much heavier than that so I popped it right in there.  Go me!  Woot!

The sexxxy idea of wrapping electrical cords around pipes and popping in the "do not unplug under any circumstances" plug above the utility sink?  Mine.

Mmm.  More cords near pipes.  This one is from the washer.

I think running the cord to the outside of the house through the dryer vent is a brilliant idea on my part.  People only worry about fire hazards if they are total ninnies.

Ahh.  I'll bet you're wondering why I included a picture of the back yard.

It's because my awesomeness doesn't end in the house!  We'll have to bury this cord later, but meanwhile?  Why mark it so that meter readers don't trip?  I'm thinking that's about half the fun of it all.  Also fun is the idea of scheduling the burial date three weeks from now.  Conclusion?  AT&T U-verse installation rocks!

Nearly 12 MILLION People

Have watched these two young ladies 'sing' about how they "have problems too/ just like you/ except we're hot."  I thought it was so horrid and vain that it was positively brilliant self-depreciation.  D, however, saw less than a minute of it and said, "I think I've seen enough."  There is an entire series of video responses to this on YouTube including, "Gamers have problems too/ just like you/ except we're smart."  :/

12 May 2012

New Bed!!

We finally upgraded from the toddler bed!  Woodjie had to sleep all curled up in his toddler bed.  It has been "time" to get a bigger bed for a while, and we finally found something sturdy that didn't cost a billion dollars.  Naturally when one gets a new bed?  New bedding is needed, too!  Super Mario time!  Woodjie loves his new big boy bed.  We are still working on that whole falling asleep in a bed thing, though.  I snapped a photo to show you what the new setup looks like.  D does not trust bunk beds, so Elf, Emperor and Woodjie barely fit in their room. :)

!!

Long story short, AT&T has put us through the wringer.  D asked for "updated" internet service and wouldn't you know, we got about 10 "confirmation" calls per day throughout the week to remind us that the technician would be by today. 

Then the technician came by, messed up our internet for about six hours and left us with ZERO phone service!  And a long wire in the back yard (no one can go back there, really, until this is fixed) and a tale about how our entire yard must be dug up and bla bla bla.

We can't use our telephone.  Mud is all over the house.  D is FURIOUS.  He has signed a year-long contract with these people and figured out that the unlimited service he thought he'd get is really limited.  He's 42 and has a college education, people, and he's not easily duped.  He can contact no one to answer his questions.  The best response he got from the technician who was by is good luck/ try calling Monday/ have a nice night, sir.

So.  If I don't return your phone calls and/or emails or whatever for a bit here, no hard feelings ok?  I have a feeling that the millisecond our contract is up, someone else will be getting our business.

07 May 2012

School Lunch

How long do you figure it takes for a child to eat his lunch?  11 minutes sound long enough?  Because that's how long children are getting according to this report.  Actually... I think this is an overestimate, or at least it would be in some local schools.

What the lunch duty people do not want is children being done with their food and thinking of other stuff to do.  If there's nowhere for the children to go after eating, the school is going to schedule the shortest block of time possible and call it good. They don't want food fights, bullying or just bad behaviour in general.  Crunch those kids for time, move 'em through quickly and who cares if they digest well?  Just so long as there isn't a fistfight on my watch, is what they're likely thinking.

Elf is a very big eater but often he won't pack this or that for school because he reasons he simply won't have time to eat it.  Or his apple will be half-eaten and thrown away or just come home again bruised up, so what's the point?

I think a bigger issue than the 11-minute meal is the overcrowding in the cafeteria.  I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be able to eat crammed in the middle of a room full of noisy teens.  No way.  I want a quiet place and maybe only just my family or a few friends about.  I can't even eat in a crowded restaurant.  I don't mind people so much but the elbow-to-elbow thing doesn't work for me. 

06 May 2012

Stuff.

Moving Stuff.

We're getting a new couch delivered next week and so G wants our old couch in his room.  It would take up about 8/10 of the room.  But everything in G and Patrick's room must be moved about so that the couch doesn't block the entrance and lead to death in the event of a fire and other nitpicky stuff like that.  So they are moving everything about and vacuuming.  Getting honest about a few things they really don't need any more and pitching some odds and ends.  G wanted everything done now, now, now and Patrick was more of a mind to think of an exact plan and pace the work.

It's mostly done.  And now, we're going to have to try to keep the room neat until it's time for the new couch.  The upstairs couch will go downstairs and the downstairs couch will go into Patrick and G's room.  Then we hopehopehope the new couch I ordered will fit in the front room upstairs.  Why measure and make life less exciting?

Inexplicable Stuff.

My Little Pony.  My older sons are watching My Little Pony.  I'm serious.  There is a whole series of episodes on YouTube and they are watching them.  Voluntarily.  There are apparently other people who watch these shows as well.  You would think they would all be three-year-old girls but um, I guess not.  I titled this section "Inexplicable Stuff" for a reason.

Bothersome Stuff.

Who invented the big blingy jeans buttons that have ripped up all my wooden chairs?  I swear it's the worst invention ever.  I have to cut the back pockets off almost every pair of my/Rose's jeans.  Sure, the fakey gems are pretty but not worth it.  Why are these things even big sellers?  If at all possible, I buy jeans without them now because I learned the hard way.

Silly Stuff.

Woodjie and Rose are learning to play Trouble.  That's right; the ol' Pop-O-Matic has been in use here of late.  They are still learning that a 6 gets you out but you don't get to move six.  Rose would be overjoyed to get a four; that's HER number!  She is four.  "OH GOOODY A FIIIVE!  I'm onbe five next year," and other comments along these lines are squealed constantly.  Or if it's a three, she USED to be three but she lost her three.  She sure talks a lot.  All the different coloured pieces are "best fwends" when they are near each other.  And lookit they are talking to each other.

And Woodjie?  Loves being tagged out by other people's pieces.  That's so funny!

Ok.  It took a while, but I have finally gotten things to the point where Rose can say, "We be fwends after game it are over" with some conviction.  :)

04 May 2012

Braces Are On!

This is what is going on inside Emperor's mouth AFTER the tooth extraction.  Imagine a huge pair of teeth there with roots that go way up.  Ok, it's still a mess, isn't it?  I have a feeling poor Emperor is not going to be finished after his crossbite is alleviated.
But yay!  The braces are on and Emperor chose purple covers for his brackets.  He goes back at the end of the month for a tightening-up.
Woodjie got a vaccine.  He is very angry about it.  He said it hurt and "it not nice!" that they did that to him.
Rose can write part of her name!  This is an excerpt.  Note the typewriter-style lower case "a."  Emperor still writes like that.  I don't know why that isn't taught in schools but is mostly a teen girl thing.  To my mind, lower case "a" and "o" are too similar when printed by hand most of the time.



Bringing Garbage Home

Some people up the street were throwing this table away. It was in pretty bad shape and one of the legs was off. I've glued the leg back...