Just a question........

Why can't I copy and paste onto this blog? I'm sure I can, but I can';t figure it out right now.

I hope everyone's New Year's Eve is going well. I am nursing a sick husband and kid, but anyone with kids knows that someone is bound to be ill as the holidays roll around. As long as I don't get it too, it's ok. And right now, I'm not so sure that I won't get sick--not feeling great.

Just want to wish everyone a very happy new year! God Bless!

Time Warner again.....

Well, TW is at it again. Now supposedly on Monday, we are going to lose our ABC and FOX affiliates, due to corporate greed---whose depends on which side of the negotiating table you are on, I guess. It just strengthens my resolve to get Dish or Directv; I just have to number crunch to check their prices against what I can afford--and check their fine print very carefully.

I have found a number of cross stitch websites--how's that for a transition?--that I really like. One is called The Scarlet Quince. Very cool. I would like 4 or 5 of their designs but they would take me a lifetime to complete. No topstitching or partial stitches or beads, etc, just pure cross stitch. And the designs are as detailed as the original art pieces.

I wish I had the talent to design my own pieces, but since I can't draw a straight line even with a ruler, much less transfer my idea to graph paper without barfing at the result, I'll settle for stitching other people's designs. God put my talent somewhere else, I suppose.

I hope everyone's New Year is wonderful. Here is to a great 2007!!!!

new pet peeve....

Ok, so it's not like it' searth sahttering or anything, but I would really like A&E to get some new CSI:Miami shows. Or at least run them in order, instead of skipping season to season. I swear they have a contract with CBS or something to keep us from taping the darn things so we have to buy the pricey DVD sets to get what we want. My kids are at their dad's in CT right now for Christmas break and they got gift cards to Barnes and Noble--where they saw the DVD sets for upwards of $90. Ouch. Double ouch. Sorry guys I have to wait until they are released to Wally World so I might have a chance of affording them.
I paid $60 a year or so ago for the DVD set of the North and South mini-series that ran in the mid to late '80's. Sorry y'all, I am a Civil War nut, sort of, and a big John Jakes fan, ever since reading his Kent Family Chronicles years ago. So therefore, since no one will re-run the series, I had to buy it.
My kids want all the Family guy and Simpsons episodes. I don't know. At least they are not asking for South Park or Jackass---both of which are banned at my house. We don't currently have Comedy Central on our crappy cable (see prior posts!!!!) and I have MTV blocked, as well as E!, much to the dismay of the 16 yr old stepdaughter who apparently is a Laguna Beach fan. I'm getting ready to block Noggin (or the "N") when she is here, because I'm a little concerned about the Degrassi show. But at least there doesn;t seem to be the language and flesh on it.

I am tired of Christmas--I am waiting until my boys come home Monday before I take the decorations down---seems to be a tradition that if they are here for the holiday, then the tree is down long before New Year's, but when they are not, due to visitation, it waits until they go back to school after the break. I don't honestly know how Shel is going to react when she no longer has the lights in her window to leave on while she goes to sleep each night.

She went to the dr today--upper respiratory infection (Ron has the flu!!), but then she went birthday shopping for my niece and grocery shopping. We hit Wally World for food and got some wrapping paper and bows and stuff half price for next year. I used part of the gift card money my MIL gave me to get one of those huge cosmetic kits at half price and got Shel a kiddie one with makeup---eye shadow, blush, lipgloss, nail polish----for the girly girl in her, with the understanding that should she have the stuff on when we have to go somewhere, her face gets washed before we go. She is only 5 after all----no JonBenet here. My older girls and other assorted relatives have all been informed that she does not wear the real stuff out until she is a teenager, and then only in graduated steps. She's happy just to be able to "play" with it---and the scary thing is she is pretty good at putting the stuff on. LOL!!!!

I have found some really good blogs about stitching---I cross stitch and knit and sometimes hit a sewing jag. One was through a link from the DMC site's message board, to a blogger who lists a challenge-----I think I am going to do it to clear out some of my stock. And I think one of the first projects I will work at clearing is all the hand and fingertip and kitchen towels--I have a big plastic tote full of these x-stitchables, and tons of patterns to do on them, so there we go! I also need to find Shellie's 1st Christmas stocking and finish it-----she's 5!!

Anyway, need to go surf for some low carb/low fat recipes that might actually taste good---I am determined to shed major weight this year, but my family still has to eat too!!And I refuse to eat cardboard tasting foods, or do the diet drink thing until I have to stay in the bathroom all the time.......work is cut out for me----my goal is 25 pounds by next Christmas. I gues I need to find the scale too. Now that job might work come weight off me!!!!!

Here we go.....

My daughter--the 5 yr old---got a great gift from Santa and his elf----her first boombox. As well as her first two cd's. Now as she is 5, I monitor what she listens to--right now she has WorshipJamz2 and Faith Hill "Fireflies". She wants every Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban, plus Sugarland. I guess that tells you she is most exposed to country and contemporary Christian. No Mom she is not going to get any Gretchen Wilson "All Jacked up" and etc. What does worry me to a degree is that with her dad, she is exposed to a whole different set of music--I.e. hard rock and metal/alternative. He is a lot more conscious of song lyrics she hears, ever since she quoted a song called "Crazy Bitch" to my mom. I thought we were all gonna get our butts whipped on that one. So I showed her how to work the machine, but I sat her down seriously and told her that she could listen to any station she wanted, but I and Daddy had final say on what songs were ok or not. She's huge into music, so I hate to keep any type from her, but I won't have filthy lyrics or vulgar innuendos that I have to explain to her on the radio. Which cuts out most rap/hiphop that the local station airs (not that I can take that stuff anyway), and quite a number of rock and country songs, too. Fortunately, Christian music has evolved over the years from the old time gospel songs (No, I am NOT knocking those down!) to songs in every genre of music, from pop to rock to rap to country, etc. so at least she will have all the styles, if not a number of individual tunes.
Headphones are not an option at her age either, as I think that's half the reason Ron and I have trouble hearing sometimes. So far she has done real well on the volume control--I've only had to tell her once to turn it down.
And to think when I was 5 I don;t honestly think I had a record player (I know--what's that?).
I was 16 before I got my first boombox----I was hot stuff with dual cassettes. Hey we are talking early '80's!!!!!

Pretty girl......

Well, if the image will actually upload, you should see my baby opening gifts at her mom-maw's on Christmas Eve. If not, then you will jsut have to imagine the bright eyes and pleased smile as she gets yet another Polly Pocket gift.

I'm trying to stay positive and upbeat and out of politics, etc., right now. Just enjoying my kid. My boys are at their dad's over break and we assume the girls are at their mom's so we just have our baby to enjoy. Poor thing hasn't felt good all day--this cold has hit her hard. Still no sign of infection, so treating symptoms at this point. No sense wasting my time and money to have the dr tell me to treat syptoms and force fluids down her. I know that much. She's only the third I birthed. Of course she may wake up in horrible shape tomorrow and I'll have to take her in, but one day at a time---she could also wake up super hungry and feeling great. I hope for the second option!

I found a great blog through a cross stitch message board---the lady writing it has a challenge to fellow stitchers to not buy any more cross stitch stuff until you have finished x number of works in progress---pick a number based on your on hand unfinished objects. I may take her up on it, as I have oodles and oodles--just ask my darling husband who is so patient with me on this, even though it may end up scattered from room to room at times. So different from my ex, who resented every penny I squeezed from the budget to do this hobby--as well as being jealous of the time I spent on it, never mind that his hobby (fantasy sports) was very expensive and time consuming and not something I had any interest in either. Of course he also resented my using coupons and shopping at discount stores too. Oh well. He's gone and I am better off for it. Of course, my husband now will tell you that I am high maintenance, but he married me knowing that! And he is in awe of the stitching I do, as I am in awe of his musical ability.

Mutual admiration society? Why not?!

Another Christmas survived.......

And actually, it wasn't too bad this year---no one fought or griped. The only bad spot was my niece was really sick the first half of the day--threw up in her parent's car coming down here and just miserable after that, and my little Shellie was on the verge of a serious cold all day. She's been trying not to succumb for the past couple of days, but I'll probably be at the dr.'s before the week is out. (My niece was much better by the evening so thank God for that--nothing serious.) Dinner at Mom's was great as always, and the company and presents were also. Then to my MIL's for a while (we do Christmas on Christmas Eve there, so the big do was over with, just being mom and kids for a while.)Then home, where the 5 yr old can't decide what to play with first, of course. So we limited her her a few smaller things, as we have no idea where to put the PlayDough table and the kid's fort and the Barbie house, etc. You get the picture. My boys are with their dad this Christmas and hubby's girls are at their mom's--we got them for the weekend until after the do at my MIL's.
I just finished cleaning Shellie's room so we can try to work at least the smaller stuff in there, and now am going to give her a bath so her hair will dry before bed. Hubby went to the shop to work tonight, but he was off from the church today and tomorrow, so maybe tomorrow we will get some time together--today we just couch-potato'ed it--him on the couch and me in bed watching different tv stations and dozing between "mommy..."'s and "daddy.."'s from our precious child as she listened to her Faith Hill "Fireflies" cd on her new boom box that Santa brought her.
And.........news flash.......stop the presses.....our trash actually got picked up today and I didn't have to call anyone to fight with them!!!!!!!!!My blood pressure thanks them......LOL.

I wonder....

Seriously, I think there is a conspiracy at the local trash company to screw up my account every time I turn around. Our bill was paid up to date--I personally take it into the local office to ensure they get it---and pick up day in my area is Mondays. So Monday, I have a sick 12 yr old at home and I had to go to PT for my back. When I came home, I passed the trash truck about a mile from my house, going back to pick up some of the "hollers" off the main road. So I pull into my road, past my trash bin, and notice that while everyone else's had been picked up, ours was still full. Hmmm........
So just to double check, I called my husband and asked if he had his checkbook and could he check to see when the last bill was paid, and in what amount. He told me, we're up to date, so I called the local office and asked what was up. After giving them the account info, I am informed we have no account at this address, that it is located at another address, which happened to be our former residence that my sister in law is moving into. So I said, "Nope, we've been here since April--that was our old place." After about 15 minutes, the lady finally, supposedly, gets the computer right and says that they will get in touch with the driver and have him come back.
That was at 10:30 in the morning. At 3 pm, son and I are both awake from naps and I look out and notice the trash is still there, 5 1/2 hours later. Ok so I call again and ask why. The same lady tells me they were unable to reach the driver and we would be picked up on Tuesday. I thing she is blowing smoke up my rear, but fine, Tuesday will work.
So yesterday I go to PT at 9:00 and I am home just after 10:30. Trash is still there. At 2:30 it is still there, so I call yet again. And am told the driver has already come back in. Now I get pissed--not just irritated like Monday, but out and out pissed. To my credit, I didn;t yell at her or cuss at her, but she was very firmly told I wanted that trash gone NOW. She said she would try to get a supervisor out here last evening or today. She got told it would be done last evening, as this whole fiasco was not my fault, it was theirs, and they needed to correct it now. She said, "well I'm doing what I can--I'm requesting a supervisor to pick it up." I told her, still firmly and bluntly, that her best would be to make sure that someone was out here to get my trash sometime in the next 1 1/2 hrs or so (so their office would still be open to take another call), or they would come in on Wednesday to find my trash on their doorstep. They made the mistake, I gave them time to correct it--within the time frame they promised originally---sorry about their luck.
45 minutes later, I got a call back from them telling me that they had a supervisor coming in from Logan Co--about 1 hr or so south of me----and he would be here probably just after dark to pick it up. I thanked them and sure enough, as I was leaving for my 14 yr olds concert at 6 pm, lo and behold, the trash guy was picking up the trash.
Again, sometimes it pays to let 'em know just what is what.

By the way, the Christmas concert was most excellent!!

here you go again....

Would someone please tell Dennis Kucinich of Ohio that no one gives a rat's rear end whether or not he runs for President---again? He's a complete nut job, like that bozo out in California who was governor when I lived there in the late '70's. Jerry Brown, was that it? Prop 13 and the whole shebang. Please.
Is there anyone with intelligence and common sense who will take the leap? God knows, no one who is currently in the arena has it.

update on Time Warner.....

Thanks Mike, for your comment---Dad said the same thing pretty much.

For anyone else out there who read the prior post, I had to call TW AGAIN on Saturday after I got home from the store. I decided to check and see if the channel had come on yet, and of course it hadn't. So I called yet again and asked what the deal was. The girl told me that yes a deal had been reached so I should have the channel. My reply was "well I don't and I want it fixed now." She said that they would put in a work order with the local office (this is a call center in Florida--ask me what that has to do with WV, and I know everything is going that direction). I told her that the guy the night before was supposed to have done that, and I wanted my station back on now, and how long was it going to take to get someone to take care of it. She said that once the order was put in it was up to the local office to do it. Again I asked her how long, and she said she didn't know. So I put it to her like this: I have been completely without this station since Thursday night. I have talked to 4 different people since Thursday night at that call center and have been given 4 different answers. I pay $50 plus dollars a month for their crappy cable and service, and I demand that my station be back on my tv by end of that day or they were going to reduce my bill for my inconvenience. Even if I have to stage a fight all the way to the corporate office in NY NY. Ya dig? (to quote my husband when he is trying to get a point across to a dimwit.) Then I hung up.
2 hours later my station was back on.
Sometimes it pays to get pissed, doesn't it?
HEE HEE.

cable sucks.....

Or to be more accurate--Time Warner sucks. Big time. I love getting the run around. I swear I'm switching to DISH. For the last couple months or so, TW has blurbed on the Weather channel screen that they may be dropping our local NB affiliate, pending "ongoing negotiations." MMM..HMMMM. Anyway, as it got closer to the deadline this past couple of weeks, reception (and I have digital) has been getting worse and worse. So last night, I turned to the news on that channel and got...nothing. So I called TW and was told there was a local outage, nothing to due with the fact that tonight is the deadline. Ok, fine. Today after I got home from PT the channel still wasn't on, nor was it on this morning as my kids got ready for school (we had a dusitng of snow yesterday--you know kids). So I called again and was told it was off the air and to call my local station. I did, after giving TW a piece of my mind (like I can spare any), and was told to call the cable co.
I called Dad, who recommended the co. commission, as they license the cable franchise. They told me it wasn't their problem and to call the PSC for the state. Which I did, and they referred me back to the co. commission. This time I called them back and told them to find out who in the hell knew anything down there and to have them call me back. Well, you can guess, no phone call. That's fine. I will call back Monday and let that gentleman have it for not returning my call.
About 5:30 today I got online and went the the local station's homepage. Lo and behold, they said, in a post from about 4pm, that a deal had been reached. Oh goody. So I go to the TV and turn to that station and guess what--no feed. So I call TW again and say what the hell. They don;'t know and all that. So there is an order supposedly in to check the signal. Yeah, right.
That's ok, with DISH I'llget 3 times as many channels for about the same price.

You just watch me.

the warm fuzzies...

I've got the warm fuzzies right now---fire in the fireplace--which my husband got going before he left for his evening job, and I have actually managed to keep going for the last 6 hrs. Plus, the kids were bathed by 8pm and we watched "the Year without a Santa Claus." Cool. Plus our tree is up and decorated and the house deco is nearly done. Now all we need is gifts---anyone got $$$ to spare? Yeah I thought so. Oh well.
I'm thinking of making some gifts. I'm off work, so why not get the kids to haul out my sewing machine--at least I could make everyone sleep pants and stuff--thereby cutting down on expenses--they all need them, as for some strange reason, everyone decided to grow this past year!!!--and I already have the material for most of them--and at walmart, I can get more for a buck a yard. Never pay full price for this stuff--wait til the sales!!
About 10years ago I cross-stitched bookmarks for everyone--they went over really well with most people. I was with my ex at the time and we were on the verge of splitting up for good, and he was on the verge of losing his job too, so as I was a stay at home mom, I had the time and want to to do it. With the sleep pants, etc., if I can get them cut out, they are very quick to get stitched up, so I could theoretically turn out several pairs a day--depending on how my back is doing.
Hmmmm........could be a decent idea.......could be.....

Ah the joy of Christmas....

Just in case you think you have missed out on all the joy this season has to offer, just visit your local Wally World. Or probably any other major retailer--Meijer, Kmart, etc. I went to my local W tonight to get some more cup hooks to hang lights with, and oh the joy I feel from other people. Like the ones who just refuse to move out of the way even though you have politely said "excuse me" about half a dozen times. Or the boneheads who think that if they wait and block traffic in the parking lot aisle, they will get a much better spot than if they just parked in a space and walked--news flash most of us need the exercise!! There is no patience and no consideration at this holiest of holidays. And yes, I don;t have a lot of patience myself. But when I see someone with a loaded buggy and a gaggle of kids, I do move out of the way--been there done that still do it. I don;t hold up traffic waiting for the perfect spot--even with my back in the shape it is in, knowing I will be miserable before I even get inside the store, I go ahead and park so that I am not holding up progress.
And the foulness coming out of some people's mouths--directed at anyone else, including their own kids. Lordamercy.

Just for the record....

And to make it official----my kids do not own the tv in the living room. They thought they did, but after a battle between the 5 yr old and the FOURTEEN yr old this evening, I laid it down. I have the remotes and they have to ask to watch it. I am so tired of every evening at least 2 of the 3-5 kids in this household think they have God-given rights to the tv set. These same kids are lobbying for tv's in their rooms---HELL NO!!!!! Been there, done that, no more.

As their dad/stepdad said, "they just don't realize that the tv has been OURS all along--we've just been nice."

By the way the blurb at the top of my screen says that IHOP is changing its policy of asking for a photo ID to seat you in the restaurant? EXCUSE ME? When has that ever been a policy? I could see if they were seating you in the bar area of any restaurant, but IHOP has no bar. And quite frankly, unless I am paying for my meal with a credit/debit card or a check, you have no need to see my ID unless I am buying alcohol or entering a bar--where you have to be 21 to be legally able to drink anyway. I don;t know what the whole story is about, but if I was a customer and a host/hostess for a family restaurant wanted to see my ID before they would seat me, they wouldn;'t seat me then or ever again. In any location.

Another blurb----PETA has declared Nicole Ritchie to be their worst-dressed, because she apparently wears furs. Whooppeee dooo. Who cares? Nicole Ritchie is undertalented and overexposed, just like her castmate Paris. And PETA is like the Center for Science in the Public Interest------overrated and paid way too much attention to by people who need to get a life. I have one thing to say to PETA-----I love wild game in it's natural setting---next to the gravy and potatoes!!!!!!!!! Vegetarian is just another name for bad hunter. Yeah I pulled those out of a cheesy catalog. Why did God invent the cow if not for food, clothing and shelter?

What the .......

So as I am driving home from the grocery store, I decided to take a slightly different route, as to make a left hand turn out of the store was a near impossibility at that time of day. So I go this different way, and as I pass by one subdivision where the speed limit is 45 on the main road Iwas on, I checked my speed to make sure it was right on. As I make the curve on the outside of this area, where the speed normally goes back up to 55, I was about to tell the geezer in front of me to pull his finger out of his rear and put his foot on the gas when I noticed something wierd. The speed limit sign that has said 55 for the last 2 decades at least now says 45. 45???????? On a rural 2 lane highway? Well, the guy in front of me wasn;t giving me any choice about it, so I went 45. When I got home, I called my dad, who travels that road more often than I do, and he said he hadn't noticed it himself. We both wondered when that happened.

Of course in this area, if you lower the speed limit, then generally that means most drivers are going to go even faster just to spite it.

Hmmm....good thing I noticed the sign--at least I'll be prepared next time---to look to cops as I'm driving!!!!!

Beta.....

So I am still trying to figure out this BETA blogger thing. I transferred my stuff, now I am trying to figure out how to add pics and the like. I clicked add image but the stupid thing just sits there and does nothing. Kind of like my family on occasion. LOL.
Anyway, I was reading the Sunday paper today and there is an article about kids growing up faster today and is it a good thing? Let me just say---NO IT'S NOT!!!! Just look around the schools. My 16 yr old stepdaughter said there are at least 7-8 girls in her grade alone that are pregnant. She says she just can't imagine being a mom this young. I told her to keep that viewpoint and remember it any time her boyfriend of the moment tries to get fresh with her. She knows by heart--and so do the other kids--that getting or getting someone pregnant is the quickest way to end your childhood. They have also all been told about the STD's, etc. They have been hearing about this stuff from me and their dad/stepdad since they were old enough to ask the questions.
Some people told me early on that I shouldn't give them such info at 10,11,12. Well, heck, kids are having kids that young. You have to give them the answers they are asking for---and I don't sugarcoat it. I didn't tell my son at age 6 how his soon-to-be baby sister was made--just that Mommy and Ronnie love each other very much and sometimes people have babies when they love each other. He was happy with that answer. Now of course he knows the basics of sex, at age 12.
But the growing up too fast part isn't just about having babies. It's about the stuff our kids get thrown at them each day--like the song lyrics from so many different songs. The only genre I have found to be completely safe is Christian and instrumental. Kind of limits your choices, but at least with the Christian music we listen to, we can get the beat from soft pop to hard rock to country to everything in between, although I still eschew rap in about any form (my ears are old and can't take it anymore). My 14 yr old son came home and told me that one of his friends apparently didn't get why he won't listen to Slayer and the like. My son told him that he will not listen to music that glorifies evil--as in this group's latest album where they claim to choose the Anti-Christ. No we're not Bible-thumpers, but we do have standards we uphold ourselves and our kids to.
How about the tv shows? And movies? So many are full of sex and violence and blood and gore, and it is gratuitous. It is not needed for the storyline. Same with the language. One of my favorite shows is CSI:Miami. My older kids--14 and 16--watch it with me and my husband--and we discuss it. They are not just left to watch whatever whenever. I block channels like MTV and E!. Our cable system is horrible in what they offer---not to mention the service----but the good side is that I have to block 2 channels--and only I know the code--and that leaves the others to monitor---and we don't have to do a lot of that, just certain shows. I don't let my 5 yr old watch CSI. A lot of the day when the tv is on, it's on Nick Jr. or Disney. And even some of that is innappropriate. We try to teach our kids that what they see on tv is not real life. And we do talk about a lot of what we watch, so that we get their viewpoint and they get ours. When we ban a show or channel, the kids get our reasons. They may not agree with them, but they are expected to abide by them.
We don't let our kids date at 10,12,14. This has been an issue with the stepdaughters, as they are in the custody of their mom, who sees nothing wrong with it. But we enforce the rules at our home--and the girls know that. The oldest gets 10 or 15 minutes on the phone with her boyfriend, in the living room, no privacy. I don't sit next to her, but with the possibility that anyone can hear what she says, it curtails the talk. I tell her she is still lucky--I had to stand in the kitchen and talk on our corded phone--the only one in the house.
We don't allow our kids cell phones or phones in their rooms. Cell phones--heck, our bill for the two of us is bad enough. All I need is to add more lines. I have a house payment and kids to put through college. Why on earth would an 8 or 10 yr old need a cell phone? They should be in school, daycare, or with their parents. At all times.
I'm sure I'll have more on this later.

What goes on in men's minds?

So I spend the late morning and early afternoon cleaning my house--dishes in dishwasher, clothes gathered, sorted and put in washer, all common areas swept, vacuumed and picked up, kids got their rooms back in order as I did ours. Then husband comes in from doing the final, we hope, yard mowing of the year and takes a shower, and leaves his dirty smelly clothes laying on the floor, as well as his old grassy shoes. So I say "Are you going to take those to the laundry room and put your shoes up?" and he looks at me, grabs his stuff and stalks off, slamming the front door behind him when he takes his shoes back out to the garage. So when he comes back in, I try to apologize and let him know I didn't mean to p*** him off, and he just looks at me again and says, " I'm just doing what I was told to do," tells the baby (5 yrs. old) goodbye and walks out to go to work.

I give up.

I'm not even supposed to be doing the half of what I am doing around here on orders of my physical therapist--apparently something is all out of whack with my hip joints--it's the best way I can explain it without going into 3 pages of details- and I am not supposed to climb or lift anything. Yet I am doing whatever I can, with the help of the boys mostly, mainly because it drives me nuts to sit day after day. And I am getting ready to go to the grocery store--if I can get up the nerve to even attempt the store the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It may end up waiting until Monday after I get done with therapy.

So what is the deal? Does he want to be waited on and picked up after, because I am not his mother, and one would think after he sees the house is clean, he would want to keep it that way. Or did he just not notice? I'm used to that, but still.......it's not like I sat on my butt--or the kids either---while he was mowing.

To heck with it. Maybe there was something in my tone, but how exasperating is it when you have worked your tail off and no one respects it? I'm sure we'll get over it in no time, but right now it is still fresh and aggravating......

update.....

After a conference with 3 of my oldest's teachers yesterday, I got to come home and ream him over his grades in the one class. The other grades are very acceptable. I figured that there was a problem with him when he started hedging on what his grade was in that class--and sure enough he has several very low test grades, but also zero's on the assignments leading directly to those tests. So he got some ground rules laid down to him last night and the warning that that grade had better come up dramatically the next 6 weeks--since this one is nearly over---or in the future he would find himself minus video games, etc., in lieu of studying. And this weekend he gets to lay out all his papers for me so I can look over them and find out where else he went wrong.
He thinks it is a sign of weakness or something to ask for help in class. Even his teachers said he never asks for help. So we tried to impress upon him that it is better to ask for help than not. At least then, we know what he is having problems with, and hopefully can help him before he gets bogged down and frustrated.

The permission slip thing for the other kids ended up being a case of pass the buck. So I am trying to engage others in the local paper's forum. So far the only taker is my dad.

and it gets better and better.....

Did ya ever get the feeling the right hand knows nothing about what the left hand is up to? That has been my evening.
Chris was gone from school most of the day for the school required job shadowing thing from my prior posts. At 5:30 this evening, the phone rings and it is an automated messge from the school board telling me that Chris missed one or more classes at school today and would I please follow up with my kid? Yeah, I followed up with him--he laughed his *** off. Then I called the little automated line at the school board, got routed to attendence and left my own message-----you people need to check your records--my son was out of class due to a SCHOOL required function.
Wonder if I'll get a call back? Yeah, I'll hold my breath.
Then the other son didn't come home with any kind of note about the field trip this Friday, so I called the school at 4 pm (that's when he gets off the bus) and left the principal a message to please return my call as I had an issue concerning my 7th grader. About 6:40 pm, the phone rang and guesss who it was? Nah, just his recording that "attention parents of 7th graders, they will be going to MU for ......." and he went on and on about it. He's still getting reamed---and if I don;t get satisfaction from him, then I start with the board office--and each elected board member if need be. It's absolutely asinine for them to think, as my neighbor told me she was told,that as long as the trip is inside the county, they can take our kids wherever without our permission. NOT!!!!!!! Not this mom's kids, they don't.
Parents of the world unite---until we do, the schools will continue to run roughshod over us and our kids will be the ones who suffer.

switch to BETA?

Hmm, the last few times I have logged in to bloger, I have gotten a sign saying to switch to BETA. So do I or don;t I? I worry that my previously published blogs won't move over, and I really don;t want to start a thread here and then lose it in the change. Of course they say that eventually all users will be switched to BETA, so I may as well go ahead. Any advice before I do?

update on school situation

Well, I got my replies to my email to Chris' English teacher-----she is going to meet with me and his other core teachers later in the week, and she had the answers to my questions. Chris will not lose points for turning in his paper tomorrow instead of today, and I know know a little more about how she operates her classroom, so I can keep on top of him better. Not that he is going to like that.
I told Ben that I will give his school today to get a paper to me stating what is the deal with the Friday trip to MU. If he does not bring me home something, then tomorrow morning his principal's butt is going to need medical attention, because I will rip him a new one.
I started a thread on the local paper's forum page about the schools---apparently no one cares--no responses yet.

Sick and tired....

Of teachers and schools thinking they have total say over their students. I never gave them the right to do so. I have never ceded my rights as a parent to the school system.
Case in point: My 9th grader has to do something, by school mandate, called job shadowing. Ok, fine. Not a bad idea, especially as it may give him the chance to view his chosen profession through the eyes of someone actually in that profession. So first off, a month or so ago, when I first got the forms to fill out for him to do this, he was talking about the meeting the counselors had with the kids to go over the requirements. They also gave a list of jobs that would not be appropriate for shadowing--i.e. tattoo artist, etc...Then he told me that they were told that parents have no say in what jobs their own kids shadow. HELLO?????? I'm sorry, but yes I do have a say. I could have told my kids, fine, he could shadow me at my job. I could have said no to his choices. Fortunately they were pretty good choice. I told him that if he is ever told again by a school official of any kind that I don't have the right to have a say in anything to do with his education, then he needs to tell me, because you had best believe, I WILL tell THEM.
Second case: tonight my 7th grader comes home and tells me that he is going to the local univeristy on Friday for a version of a career fair. I ask where is the note, the permission slip? There is none. You had best believe I will be contacting the school in the morning to find out why. They had better have one hell of a reason.
Forget it---there is no good reason. The principal had better be prepared for a butt-reaming. I'm in just that kind of mood, after my 9th grader's English teacher informed his class that unless they turn in the homework assignment from today before they leave on job shadowing tomorrow, they will receive a zero on the assignment. She has an email waiting in her box, and I sense a meeting coming on between her, me, him, and the principal--both for the 9th grade and the school principal.
More to come, I'm sure.......

Is it just me.....

Is it just me or do people get stupider and stupider as time goes on? We have a city council member who states in a pre-election editorial that if the street levy doesn't pass, then the streets won't get paved because the previously enacted "user fee" was not meant to cover paving, just street maintainance. Hello? Anybody home? Doesn't maintainance include paving? I guess that since the levy failed by a very wide margin, that means it's time to tighten the suspension on my van for all the washboard streets we'll have.
Oh sorry, I mean the worse than any streets in the 3rd world. We already have washboard streets and my suspension is already about shot.

eve of election 2006

Well, it's finally that time. And the news stations are going nuts, practically doing exit polls already. That's ok, because I'm already prepared for the news that the liberal left has won it all, although I do hold out some hope that rational America will show up at the polls to do their part. With it being a mid-term election, though and the forecast in this region is for rain, I don't know. I can only pray at this point.

My oldest stepdaughter has done it again, turning someone eles'e tragedy into her own personal drama. Now the two boys killed in that wreck the other night--see prior entries--were her best friends and no one understands what she has been going through. Now before you blast me for being insensitive: The topic was only brought up after her dad had nailed her to the wall for other actions of hers that she had already been told to cease and desist on. Suddenly no one understood her, that she had had a horrible week because of this wreck, etc. Her dad pretty well told her to stifle it, mainly because she said the same thing last spring when two girls from her class were killed in a wreck, and the year before when a girl from her school was shot to death along with her prom date from the neighboring high school, after they were in the wrong place at the wrong time by their choice. They were all her best friends. I grant you she may have known them, but since none of these kids names were ever mentioned by her to any of us until something happened, we have our doubts as to how close they were. I don't doubt the tragedy of it all, I just doubt that any of the reasons behind any of it will sink in to her thick skull.

Apparently I'm not the only one with this trouble--a neighbor of mine has a daughter the same age at the same school, and she is persisting in learning her lessons the hard way too. And she has given her mom the same stories about the best friends thing after each of these incidents. So now I'm also left to wonder---was my generation just as hard headed in our day as these kids are today? My mom says I have always been stubborn--wonder where I get it from?Hmmmm----and I know I was, but I also had parents who were responsible enough to keep me reined in as needed. I wasn;'t allowed to take the car and run around at will. Heck they usually took me to my dances and picked me up from them. I won;t say they knew all my friends and their parents, but the effort was made, and they darn sure knew who I was with and why and where we were going to be until when, etc. I have already told my kids that they can hate me or not, but that is how I am going to be too. To the absolute best of my ability. I can do no less, and still be a responsible parent.

And that is what I am--a parent. Not a buddy or friend with my kids, although we have our buddy-buddy times, and as they get older, we can interact kind of as friends, but I am still MOM first and foremost. I look forward to being friends with them when they are older and going through all the adult experiences that would give us some common ground. But my job is to parent them until they get to that point. They don;t always understand that but I catch glimpses sometimes that show me that they respect that. And besides, I can always be the bad guy--the one to blame when they don;t want to do something or do something with their friends because of the risk of trouble being too great. My oldest son has done that since he was first asked out on a date by a girl in his class--in 6TH GRADE!! He just told her that it was his mom's thing that he not date just yet, sorry. Saved face for him and put the onus on me---and he knew that I wouldn't let him go out on a date at age 11. And he didn;t lie. He didn't have to "let her down easy" or anything, just had to say hey my mom won;'t let me.

the big black trash bag....

My kids' stuff is going to go the way of the big black trash bag. I get so tired of trying to keep MY stuff up and put away, then I have to take care of theirs too? Nope. They got the lecture again today about pick it up and keep it neat or lose it. I also told my husband I'm tired of always being to bad guy, the yeller, so he needed to start jumping in before it got to the point of me getting ready to lose it. Hey it's his house too. He can do this just like I can.
I think I have the 4 yr old straightened out for the moment--I expect to have to help her though. It's the teens and preteens I have the biggest trouble with. They would just as soon walk through fire as to take a step out of their way to pick up a piece of paper on the floor. If I say "hey who left this here?" I don;t get "Oops sorry, that was me." I get "It was so and so and I'm not cleaning up after that pig. Don;t even ask me too. They're slobs."
To put it bluntly--I DON'T CARE!!!!! It's your house,your space, too. Pick it up. If each of them would just pick up one or two things as they traipse through the house hollering they are bored, things would be so much neater.
Or the big black trash bag may have to take over, 'cause mama's tired.

more teen driver deaths...

So I go to the website of my local paper and the first headline I see is that last night 2 more of my kids' schoolmates have been killed in a wreck. This one at 10:30 at night apparetnly on the way to get a friend or go to the movies or something. 2 senior boys going around a curve and losing control.
Last spring it was 2 girls after a school dance and sleepover at a friend's house, on their way back home to go to work or something like that.
And my kids wonder why I am so not going to get them cars and let them loose at 15, 16, 17.
Never.....
nohow, no way, no when....
Need I go on?
Most of the time it is the other drivers I worry about. But then there is the lack of experience and judgment of teens in general. Is it more important to change the cd or radio station or yak with the friends in the car, or should you pay attention to your surroundings? I'm not claiming that I'm the best or most attentive driver at all times, but I do have the experience to know to keep a check on where and how I'm driving. I know in heavy traffic to keep my eyes open and always ready to hit the brake or scoot to the side if needed. That's when the radio goes down and the kids get told to stifle it for a few minutes. I don;t think most teens are taught how to judge distances and speed like we were in driver's ed.
Add to that the fact that---and I was a teen once too----most teens think they are invincible. "it won;t happen to me."
I bet these 4 kids thought that too.

election time stupidity

It never ceases to amaze me, that with all the ducation people purport to have, that they can lose all common sense and what few other brains they possess as election time draws closer.
Case in point: I go to the online version of my area's newspaper today and in the op-ed section there is a letter stating that a vote for Dems is a vote for abortion. As a follow up, in the online forum, some lady writes about the ignorance of the original letter writer. I couldn't resist---I had to respond, and my response was that ignorance abounds in both parties, but that the original writer had some points and all anyone had to do to find that out was to look at the voting records on both sides onthat issue. Golly-gee, Paw, I think that when brains was being handed out, these people thought it was trains and wanted to be on the slowest one possible. Where's my moonshine for my vote?
Which brings up another point---why in this day and age do we still have people who vote straight party ticket for either side? With all the access to news and reports and viewpoints from around the world, why would anyone NOT look at all sides of an issue or candidate and vote accordingly? Straight party voting is great if you are buying the votes of the constituents---I'll give ya a pint of 'shine if';n ya vote for me and all ya gotta do is push the lever for the top block on the paper.........PUH-LEEZE.
I've already decided that after this election, I'm going in to the county clerk's office and changing my registration----I registered Republican in this Democratic state as a protest against the forces that be---as well as the original clerk who actually had the gall to ask me if I wasn't going to register Democrat. I will now be putting my money----and my vote----where my mouth is and register as the independent I am. Apparently that is the only way things are going to change--is if people do and act accordingly.
Yeah Paw ya taught me right.

local election highlights....

Aren't people funny? 9/10th's of the year they would kill to give you their opinion on politics and the like, and yet come election time you can't find anyone willing to put his money where his mouth is and actually vote. More importantly, and I know I'm asking an awful lot of this apathetic society, but I'd like to see someone with an INFORMED opinion, someone who has actually taken the time to study the issues from all sides, vote. Way too many just spout off at the mouth without taking the time to understand the issues involved.
Yeah, I can be guilty of it at times--most people I know do that once in a while. But I DO vote, and I do try to look at all sides of the issues. I also try to be openminded about different candidates, but quite honestly, sometimes it's way too much like the hiring process we go thru at work. Look at application, interview subject, who has all the right answers, hire them and then find out that they can't or most likely won't do the work required. Only with a normal new hire, we usually figure this out in a matter of days and can remedy the situation, but it seems like when it comes to politicians, people never learn. We just, as a general rule, keep "hiring" the same imcompetence over and over and over again---50+years later we may get a glimpse of the incompetence, but by then it's too late--he's already stolen--I mean spent--OUR hard earned money for his pet projects......
As Earl Pitts would say,"WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!"

just a note...

To the lady who posted 2 short comments on last night's entry about my kid----sorry about not posting your comments, but I wasn't sure at all who you were. It may sound funny on the WWW, but I try to be a little cautious b/c of my kids--my brother is a self taught computer geek (by his own description) and I hear horror stories sometimes. Thank you for your interest in my post, and no, I forgot my camera. Not that it matters, because no matter where I sit in the auditorium, he is always seated just where I can't get a good photo of him. Last night was not much different.
But I try to look at it this way----I paid a lot more attention to the music instead of trying to get a good shot of him playing.
And they drowned out the volleyball game across the hall in the gym!!!!

proud mama

Once again I have had the opportunity to see one of my kids perform in public. My 9th grader is in the high school orchestra and they had a concert tonight. A short one, but the pieces they performed were decently complicated. And I have to take my hat off to my kid---all the ranting I do about not practicing--he apparently does at some point because he was right on target. I hope to see him continue in strings--he plays violin, at first by default because we had access to a free instrument(my brother's), but then by pure desire. I would like to see him come out as the leader who sets the tune and key for the rest to match--1st chair, 1st violin. He has the goal this year of joining the TriState Youth Orchestra, and also doing All County for the 4th year running and going on to AllState. Lord, give me strength--and an understanding boss!!!

And just for the record...

If you are going to pull out in front of me when it is obvious that I am going the posted speed limit and am bearing down on your intersection, at least put the pedal to the metal and give it the gas. And don't pull off at the next intersection unless you want my horn in your ear. And don't pass me by not even clearing my front bumper before you pull in front of me----don't they teach assured clear distance in driver's ed anymore? I don't pull out in front of anyone whose speed I can't judge accurately. I would rather be behind them than crumpled up in front of them. And I make sure that when I am passing someone that I can see the whole front end of their vehicle in my rear view mirror--as a minimum standard for pulling back in front of them--and I give semi drivers even more room before I pull in front of them.
Do unto others.........

The longer I live....

The stupider people get. Maybe not stupider, per se, but at least more lacking in common sense. Like the guy who called our store yesterday to complain that the guy who delivered his furniture didn't set it up and haul away the old, and he wasn't going to pay him the delivery fee. His wife had neglected to tell him that it was delivery only. Now wouldn't you at least check with the one who BOUGHT the furniture to see what the deal was before calling the store and spouting off at the top of your lungs? I would. Mainly to keep myself from looking that ignorant. Seems to me the issue should have been with his spouse, not with the delivery guy, who is very clear that he just takes the items from point A to point B. He'll tell you that, we'll tell you that.
Then for the rest all you have to do is read the local newsrag. Tragic fire kills a kid, after another kids plays with matches and CIGARETTE and sets the room on fire. And the debate is whether or not the local FD took a minute too long in getting there? What about where was the adult supervision? My 4 yr old is real good about flying under my radar when she wants to, therefore I have to keep a little more of an eye on her to keep her from doing something that may hurt herself. All it takes is a few seconds and tragedy can happen. But any parent worth their salt knows that when kids get a little too quiet for a little too long, they are either asleep or up to something--or they have learned the power of quiet play. At any rate, it's worth checking out, even if all that happens is that their ingenuity brings a smile to your face. At best, you could save one of their little lives and maybe your own, depending upon what is going on.
And did anyone bother to mention that, just maybe, the reason the FD might have been delayed in getting there was maybe traffic didn't move over to let them through, or maybe there wasn't the minimum number of firefighters at the house and they had to get them there? I have worked in that part of town, and I have seen the FD have to wait while traffic decides to let them through. Which for those of you who don't see the point--in every state in this country, you must, as is mandated by law, MOVE OVER for emergency vehicles, when their lights and sirens are on. I also know that on slow days , the firefighters get out in the community to eat and shop and maintain community relations. At all times, they walk, so that they can only be a minute or two from being back at the station when needed. I haven't seen a lazy one among the bunch yet at that location.

who needs e-harmony?

I think I have seen/heard way too many ads for e-harmony--that mate-finding website with the big compatability quiz. I'm glad I didn't need it. I found my husband on Yahoo Personals. And no I was not looking for easy sex. All I wanted, and I was very specific about this in my ad, was an adult of the opposite gender to occasionally go out to dinner with, and maybe a movie now and then. An opportunity for adult, non-Barney the purple dinosaur conversation with someone besides my parents (love you guys to death, but......). His ad was basically the same. He happened to answer mine first, after we each had a few false starts in dating others after our respective divorces---which just for honesty's sake, yes we instigated our divorce actions against our ex's after they refused to change the behaviors that were harming the marriage, and no we did not meet each other or even think about being with someone else until after our divorces were final. Yahoo was free, so was Messenger and email, and we set the boundaries we were comfortable with--which were basically my boundaries and were pretty strict. It turned out that we lived about 5 miles apart, and had I not changed schools in 7th grade, we would have attended the same high school and graduated just a year apart. Of course, like I have told him, my folks wouldn't have let him near me in high school---I was the good girl with the good grades and high ambitions for my future, and my folks wouldn't have considered him to "fit the bill" of the kind of guy I should date. Not that it would have been the first time I dated someone they may not have approved of, but by then I was an adult.
Anyway, we emailed and IM'd and later phoned each other and then met in a very public place. We don;t agree on 100% of everything, but then again I think that would make for a very boring relationship. The biggest thing we agree on is to respect each other's opinions, and not make the other feel foolish or afraid to voice our opinions. We agree on most things political and religious, somewhat less on child rearing and discipline, but not to the point where we fight about it--we back each other up and then take the discussion on what we disagree on to a private area away from the kids so we can present a united front. Sometimes we disagree on what is a priority in our household or relationship, but we can discuss it rationally most of the time, and when we can;t, we take a cooling off period or go ahead and get it out of our systems and then make up.
When two people are rational adults, who needs a compatibility test? Isn't that just so high-school?

and don't get me started......

Ok, so I'm driving home from work the other night, out the 2 lane state highway I have to take to get home, and some ***hole climbs up my rear end from the time I hit the road until the first passing zone---and as I am doing 55-60 at that point (Yes, Dad, I know what you are going to say about that), I didn't think he was going to blow by me like he did. Ok fine. I throw my high beams on him to say "hey you are an idiot." Then since there is oncoming traffic, I lower them and keep on trucking. We get to a small hill with a big set of curves and he is stuck behind an ambulance going back to the station in the next county. 30 miles per hour. Whatever, I'm 2 minutes from home at that point. We hit the straight stretch right after the last big curve and WHAM---he zooms past the ambulance--double yellow line.
And he's not the first one I've seen do that there. Yes years ago it used to be a passing zone, but not for at least the last 10 years or more. Anyone who travels that road knows this, because why would you travel it if there was a better option? But it's the only viable link between the "big city" and the southern end of the county, where I live.
And while I am on the subject of drivers----who the crap decided teenagers could drive? I had to pick my 9th grader up from school yesterday for a orthodontist appt. and the appt. time was set so he could not ride the bus home and get there on time, so I picked him up just after the busses left the school so I wouldn't get caught in the traffic. WRONG! There was a line like nothing I had ever seen coming from that school---9/10's were kids driving. So I get him picked up and we're just about through the local burgh headed for a shorter cut than going thru town, when some punk in a red Mustang (he couldn't be older than 16 0r 17) cuts right in front of me, barely clearing my front bumper, no signal, nothing. Now even if my kids get their licenses as teens, they are not driving to school, and are sure not getting handed a car, even a junker, much less a $40,000 piece of machinery(MY car's original selling price NEW wasn't near that). Does anyone teach new drivers how to judge speed and distance of the cars traveling with you and toward you anymore? My driver's ed teacher sure did. He is also the reason I drive with my headlights on 99.9% of the time. At least the theory is that others will see my vehicle--although the way that kid drove, he sure didn't.
By the time I got to the orthodontist, I was absolutely positive that at least half the drivers on the road should have their licenses pulled, at least until they take a safety course or something.I also had a lady pulling off the interstate in an SUV which was apparently too big for her to see waht was coming up behind her, because as I was already traveling in the lane she wanted to be in, and she was merging---I had right of way, but ended up swerving into the right lane and praying no one was there since I didn't have time to do more than glance in my mirrors.

See I told you not to get me started..........

what the ^*&*?

So my 9th grader brings home his orchestra newsletter with all the concert dates on it so I have a small clue what is going on, and at the bottom of the page is an ad for a local music shop. Now quite honestly, my husband runs a music shop of his own about 20 miles up the road from this one, and he gets quite a number of people in his shop complaining about the local one. My son drew his own hand gestures on the paper, which I will have to say something to him about, but I echo the sentiment. Plus I don't think that as a teacher you should recommend one shop over another--I think you can supply a list of shops--most are going to start out with the closest one anyway, but at least that gives a person some freedom to make the decision, instead of going to this certain one because it's what the teacher said to do. Which anyone with kids knows is what conclusion will be drawn--teacher said it so it's right. Yeah we have had some go-rounds in our house over that thinking......And yeah I'm probably griping over little or nothing, but hey, it's my blog.......

School violence summit...????

The blurb across the top of my computer screen says Bush is organizing a school violence summit. Huh? Ok, I think that it's ridiculous that people ar carrying guns into schools and killing people, mostly for no good reason. But....why a summit? is it that it is election time and a reaction is needed to show the people we care and are concerned? Or do the powers that be really think that talking about it is going to change it?
When I was in high school (class of 1985), school violence was a fistfight in the hallway, usually over a girl. Granted I graduated from a small rural high school (100 graduates in my class), but we watched the news---very rarely was there mention of the kind of school violence we see now. Did it exist or is it a new phenomenon? What kind of accountibility do we hold the parents of these teen killers to? And the school administrators? Should they be held to a standard of accountibility for the actions of their children/students?
I have children in high school and middle school now. After Columbine, my cousin was terrified to go to school because at our local high school, there was a supposed hit list circulating. The school was quick to clamp down at the time. But I do worry about my kids when they board the school bus in the morning, and I worry about them until they walk in the front door after school. Because I don't know if one of their classmates will snap. I don't know if that student's parents are lax in leaving their guns around. I don't know if that student will sneak a knife or whatever into the school setting and maybe my kid is caught in the crossfire.
I try not to let the worry rule my life, but it is there under the surface. I hold my kids accountable for their actions, but do other parents? I control, yes censor, what my kids read and watch on tv and the music they listen to. That's my job as a parent. So we don't allow things like cd's by Slayer and like groups to be brought into my home. We don't allow MTV to be watched in our home--and CMT is regulated. Even though my stepkids may be allowed to watch certain movies or shows at their mom's home, and they can get ticked off when I don;t allow it here, that's ok. Because some things are not suitable for kids (and some things aren't even suitable for adults), and it's my job to filter those out until such a time as they are old enough to handle it. Which means they are old enough to logically and rationally discuss the issues involved, and are old enough to distinguish fact from fiction, right from wrong, etc.
I also don;t allow them to run around with play guns, or act like they are killing people. I don't allow personal attacks on another, such as "you suck". They are taught to respect others, and although sometimes I wonder how well the lesson is sinking in, all 5 do fairly well at it, and are horrified at those who don't.
School violence summit? Hmmmmm.....how about just following the lessons learned at home--or that should be taught at home---like if it ain't yours don't touch it. Or do unto others as you would have done unto you. Make a mess, clean it up. If you make a mistake, apologize and learn from it. Take responsibility for your actions and quit blaming everyone else in sight for your screw-up.
Hmmmmm......

Superwoman where are you now?

You know, I am a child of the eighties. I came of age in the eighties, attended high school and college then, and am a sucker for "Footloose" and John Hughes movies. It just hit me that during that time period we were expected to become superwomen by society. Or at least, that is what we were told. We had to have a career, bust thru the glass ceiling, and raise a family that would be whatever is considered normal. Ok, news flash for those stuck in a time warp (Ah, Rocky Horror), it ain't happening. I have all I can do to tread water as I maintain a JOB, not a career, but it pays the bills. As well as keep up a house and raise 3 kids and 2 stepkids (as I get the chance with those two teens whom we see semi regularly).
And I'm not the only one from my generation to say "Screw it!" I know so many people who work to support their families, not to break into Guiness Book as the first female to---filll in the blank. They are married, single, divorced, with kids, with aging parents, and health problems of their own as they age. Forget retirement. We have all we can do to maintain today, much less tomorrow. Some days we can't remember our own names--forget keeping the kids straight. How many times have I yelled for one kid, only to realize when no one answered that I was using the wrong name---then there are the times I should say "Hey Beavis and Butthead, get in here."
Anyway, it's people like me who cheered when Martha Stewart went to jail (I refuse to shop Kmart because all I ever see is her name.).
No point really to this post. Just a thought or two.

It's life, Jim, but not as we know it.......

For those who are Star Trek (the original episodes!!) fans, you'll remember that line. It's about the way this week has gone for me. I was off Sunday for my oldest son's birthday and when I went back to work on Monday, I discovered I was, once again, being transferred to our sister store across town to be the "fixer" of problems left behind by the one I am replacing. I am apparently this area's "morale booster". I suppose that can be agood thing, but this was not wanted by either me or my coworkers at my former location--we finally had a team that worked well together and caused no problems for our bosses--DM and higher. Now I have to be part of rebuilding such a team at my new location. Sigh.........
Anyway, I have now emailed the complaint dept. at the bank that issues the debit cards for our state's child support program----their website is totally unusable on Mozilla, my chosen browser. So I have to use IE, which I despise. Every virus or bug I have ever gotten has been from using IE.
I only keep it on my desktop shortcuts as a last resort. Even on IE, their site is almost as hard to use. Now granted I am on dial-up, which makes for longer waits, etc. but that doesn't explain why I have to click a link several times before I can reach the sign-on page......

And that leads me to my pet peeve of the day-----English vs. Spanish. I'm sorry for those who believe that business should be conducted in each person's native language, but the main language of this country has always been English, and I have reached the point where if I have to "press 1" to continue in English just one more time, I am going to start lodging formal complaints against the companies with whom I conduct business. And I dare them to shut off my utilities for complaining. I run into this with everything from water to electric to cell phone, to you name it. Provide those who need it a separate number to call toreach someone who speaks that language and let me conduct my business.

Ok, I do have another pet peeve----automated services at every place you call. Or that calls you. I am so tired of calling to report an outage or to question my bill or whatever, and ALWAYS getting the automated line. And it takes for-freaking-ever to reach a human, IF you can. I don;t suppose it would be so bad if the recording would say "to reach billing press 1" and then when you did you got connected with a human in billing. But no, they want you to do all your business by pushing numbers on your keypad. If you are lucky enough to get a human, half the time you can;t understand them, because they are in Bangladesh (has it changed names) or somewhere like that. Which leads me back to the English thing again......

Calgon take me away.....

Lord have mercy, what has gotten into people the last couple of days? I thought the full moon was last week. We have had nothing but complaints at work--most of them due to the customers' own stupidity. Like not wrapping a sofa to protect against the rain that has threatened all evening and then when it gets soaked, demanding your full refund. NOT. Or buying a recliner and then wanting to bring it back a year later. NOT. Thank God I didn;t have to deal directly with most of the complaints, but the couple I did were enough to blow my mind. You know, the first rule of trying to get what you want is NOT TO SCREAM AT ME the moment I answer the phone/come to the service desk, etc. Simply state the problem and what you feel the appropriate course of action would be. If I disagree or am unable for whatever reason to satisfy you, then I will calmly tell you so. As long as we both remain reasonable, I'm sure that a mutual agreement can be reached 99% of the time. The other 1% is probably never going to be happy no matter what, so.....
Retail is so much fun.
Just for the record, if you scream/curse/or otherwise verbally abuse me or my employees in the attempt to get what you want, especially if it is unreasonable, don't expect to get what you want. When you act that way, I revert to Mommy mode, which is deny the whiners. To heck with you---respect works both ways. I will always respect you as my customer, but believe it or not, and those of you who have worked with the public know this, the customer will not always respect me (as in the retail worker).
And yes, most days I do enjoy my job. I like most of my regular customers and employees, and do have a respect for the others. I enjoy setting out new items and watching people fall over themselves trying to get to them and call others to tell them about the new stuff at the same time.
But then we do have the days when hitting the lottery sounds really really nice......

9-11-06

An appropriate song for today: one of my favorites by Darryl Worley from a couple of years or so ago.

Have You Forgotten?

Have you forgotten how it felt that day
To see your homeland under fire and her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout BinLaden
Have you forgotten?.....
Have you forgotten all the people killed
Yes some went down like heroes in that Pennsylvania field
Have you forgotten 'bout our Pentagon
All the loved ones that we lost and those left to carry on.......

Just a few lines of the chorusses.....

Food for thought.....

I was 7 months pregnant with my last child when the attacks happened. I watched the footage and cried all day long. I had to explain the events as best I could to a 8 yr old and a 7 yr old, as well as to my stepdaughters the next day. My younger stepdaughter's 9th birthday was that day. I had to explain to them at that age that some people just hate because we are not them. I wondered what kind of world I was bringing my baby into. There was no way to know what was going to happen as we watched history in the making. But we cried and mourned and got angry and got completely p****** off and prayed as hard as we could, even when we couldn't find the words to say, for the victims and their loved ones. As far as I know, we had no personal ties to those directly involved in the tragedy, but as American citizens, we felt as though we had ALL been attacked.

You know, I don't really have a problem with those who disagree with Bush and the policies of this administration. We have a right to our opinion. But we also have a right to be responsible about how we express that opinion, and where. You and I both know that what is written here is, as the title says, just my opinion. I'm not out to change the world, but maybe get just one other person to think a little harder about different things. I'm not an evangelist--I have my beliefs, but I'm not going to tell you that you're going to hell if you think differently. Neither am I going to buy any more Dixie Chicks CD's, but that's a personal decision--by the way I'm not real fond of Toby Keith anymore either.

I do firmly believe that we need to support our troops and let them know it. Stop whining about how Gore or Kerry would have done things different. Or how Bush ignored all the signs of imminent attack (Hello--who did nothing after the USS Cole was attacked? Can anyone say Clinton without gagging?). I believe this President inherited a catastrophe waiting to happen in the intelligence field (not his own!!), not to mention in the military, and he is paying the price for it, as are we all. But who keeps voting the same Dummkopfs into office year after year? Anybody ever hear the name Robert C. Byrd, the senator from my state? And no, I have voted for his opponent every time.

I feel that we need to wake up and get involved with what is going on in our country. Start by informing yourselves and VOTE. Geez, it takes a few minutes to read your local paper when they publish who the candidates are and what their viewpoint is. Then it might take a few more minutes of you time to go to your local precinct and actually place your vote. At least you will have done something. And quite honestly, it's your duty as an American citizen. This country was never meant to be run by the same people decade after decade (Kennedy???). Maybe if more of the "average Joe" on the street would take that few minutes and exercise their RIGHT to vote, maybe somewhere along the line, we would start to see a difference made.

Back to the song, NO I don't think we should ever forget the attacks on 9-11-01. Just as I don't think we should forget Pearl Harbor, or the Kent State shootings, or the Iranian hostage crisis. I also don't believe that we should let anger rule our lives 24/7. But I do believe we should learn from history so that the same mistakes are not repeated. And I believe that we fight the fight until it's over---finish what we began, decisively and without apology. We will not get an apology from the terrorists and their backers, so let's do it. And get it over with. It may be difficult, WILL be difficult. But they have left us no other option, other than rolling over and dying.

And I will not give them the satisfaction.

just another day in paradise....

Wonder of wonders---we have 2 bathrooms in this house and 4 kids to get onto the same school bus at the same time--and my two darling stepdaughters took all the time in them until I had to go tell them to let the boys have a turn. Now they are allowed each 10 minutes to do their thing when we have all 4 teens here. The fun part will be Ron taking "my" 2 and "our" 1 to the shop with him tonight, and me picking up "his" 2 (don't worry--when they act up, they are ALL his!) after I get off work at 10pm tonight--and drive to the other end of the county to get them and go home. WHEW!! Glad I'm off this weekend.

Anyway, quick pet peeve----headlights. Use them. Always. If you just can't bring yourself to have them on all the time--believe it or not people will see you if you do---then at least use them on rainy days, cloudy days, fog conditions. And by the way, those of you with those stupid "fog lights", they blind people at night. Believe it or not. So if you get someone's brights flashed at you, that is why. All these are makers ought to find a way so that they can be disabled when not needed--the lights, that is. Just because it is dark does not necessitate using those lights-your headlights are sufficient. If it is foggy, then no problem, use them. That's why they are called FOG lights. And to those who use those blue or green lights, sorry, I can;t stand those at night either. Same reason, too bright.

sometimes life is good....

Sometimes life is good...and then you watch your college team go down in flames. No anything intended, Dad. Anyway, I got off work in time to race to my folks' house and watch the last 3 quarters of the game--an instate rivalry that rarely has had a chance to be played out, and of course my favorite of the two lost. There could be many reasons for this---the other team was better, our team sucked, our team is rebuilding, our coach had his head up his rear....You get the gist of where that is going.....

The good thing is when you start out the season with a loss, you can only go up from there. At least it wasn't a total shutout--we did get 10 points to their 40+. Oh well, I guess you can't expect to have superstars on your team every year like we had for so long in the late '90's and early 2000's.

Wonder how my alma mater (as opposed to my local team) did today?

Wonder if we can get some ringers from the two local high schools to play in next week's home opener at the university? Considering both of them completely blew their opponents out of the water last night: 57-6 and 50+ to ZERO. Maybe the college coach should start recruiting those players NOW?

Ok I know I've got sour grapes, but my ex brother in law is an alum of the victor in today's game and I would rather rub it in his face (like we still talk) rather than the other way around.

That's ok--next year they play HERE!!!!! Home field advantage, baby!!!

Just a thought......

Ok, I have a pet peeve--actually I have several and most of them concern other drivers, but this is a big one. Why won't people who smoke keep their stupid cigarettes inside their car and their ashtray? I am so sick and tired of seeing other drivers--and passengers, too!--flick their still lit butts out onto the road, where they bounce around, spewing hot ashes and cinders on whatever they happen to touch. I am waiting for one to fly back into my open window, and then there will be hell to pay.
See, I live in an area where we get wildfires every spring and fall. We have days where it is so dry the grass will crackle loud enough to scare the animals a mile away. Maybe the chances are miniscule, but aren't you basically throwing fire out your window? What if it just happens to land on a dry leaf and smolder till it catches fire? Maybe a long shot, but you know, my kids play outside, and I would like for them to be able to have an outside to play in.
Not to mention that tossing that butt out of your car window is, oh, ILLEGAL!!!!!It's called littering, folks. Just like that McD's wrapper or the Bud Light bottle you don't want your mom to find in your car. It's trash, and belongs in the appropriate container. Not on our roads.
My next peeve is along the same lines-----if you smoke, fine. I don't care. Smoke your brains out--or your lungs, whatever. I'll respect your right to kill yourself, as long as you don't try to take me with you. Don't expect me to breathe your foul stench as I am walking into Walmart or Kroger or whatever to shop. Don't expect me to breathe your fumes as I sit in a restaurant eating a meal--believe me it does not add to MY enjoyment. And quite honestly, YOUR right to smoke wherever ENDS where MY right to BREATHE begins. I am asthmatic. Things like cat fur and some common cleaners can bring on an attack----so does cigarette smoke. Smoke in your home, your car, your corner of wherever. If you run a business and wish to smoke in it, fine. I can choose not to patronize it. I don't go to places where I know I have to linger in the fumes. But it really irks me to hear about smokers' rights, when they don't act like we nonsmokers have any rights.
I have a neighbor who smokes, and various relatives. My neighbor is very considerate---always trying to stay where I don't smell it. Most of my relatives have learned over the years to do so also. Friends and family know they don't smoke in my home or car, just as I know that they do in theirs, and I take that into consideration when going somewhere with them. Fortunately I have been driving for 20+ years, so I don'thave to rely on them to go places with me.
Just think about it. I saw a sign once in a place where I worked. Basically it said sure go ahead and smoke. Puff away and enjoy it. "But I like to drink so mind if I pee on your head--that's the residue of my vice, just as smoke is of yours." You know, consideration works both ways.....

here we go again.....

Yes you can tell it was the first day of school--and if you doubted it---just go to the school supp;y section at you local WallyWorld and listen to all the griping and complaining. I was on a roll about how ill prepared this school district consistently is each year----and how annoying it is that each teacher has to have different supplies from everyone else--I think they hold stock in Mead and Crayola. Well we made it as far as the stack-out of binders, looked down the aisle and I muttered a word I probably shouldn't use in front of the kids----well, poop, basically---I sent the two boys to look for the needed items, while the 4 yr old and I hit the next aisle and circled around, just in time to hear a lady gripe about the same high school I send my oldest to, and which was the reason for the majority of my complaints.

Things like, Chris went to homeroom this morning, only to find that sometime between Thrusday when we picked up his schedule and this morning, some higher authority changed all the homeroom assignments around. The rest of his day wasn;t too bad--except an asinine ruling by the 9th grade principal that the 9th graders are not allowed to carry their backpacks to class with them--but the rest of the school can. And the capper was the phone call I received at work 1/2 hr before my shift ended--"Mom, come get me, I missed the bus." "Why did you miss the bus?""Because by the time I got to my locker and made it to the bus line, it was the wrong bus line (ifI as mom may just inquire as to why they were not told where the appropriate line was for their busses?) and when I got to the right one, the bus had just left." "Why? Never mind, I'll be there as soon as I can get there."

Number one, why were the new kids NOT told where their buses lined up? Number two, why are the freshman singled out by not being able to have their backpacks with them. (Heck I thought THAT had gone out after Columbine!) Number three, why can you never get the entire story out of a kid before you make yourself look like an idiot by questioning the person responsible for the policy? Yep you guessed it I ran into said 9th grade principal at Walmart as we were checking out, and queried her about it. I have her solemn assurance that he will not miss the bus again, but HE neglected to inform me that the freshman had block periods and the others didn't, so that was why. I'm still scratching my head over that ?reason? but as lond as he doesn't miss the bus again, whatever. Personally I wouldn;t want to carry an overloaded backpack around all day with me, but when I was in school, not quite back as far as the Dark Ages (That's for you Dad), we had time before the bus left to grab our stuff and get to the bus.

Anyway, the next thing I want to know is why the bus schedules were not posted online or in the local paper, necessitating a phone call to the bus garage to find out what time the bus would stop at the end of our road. The fun thing is when I give them our street address and they say, "Uh, where?" and I have to explain that the road is known also by this other name and that we live across from a local youth rec site. Suddenly the lights go on in the head of the person I was talking to, and there's the info I need. Might I also add this phone call was at 5:45 this morning as I was getting ready to walk out the door for work. This school district was so ready for this academic year to start.......sarcasm intended. Each year I have children in public schools in this area is another year I keep hoping that big lottery win will happen, or my rich uncle will get out of the poorhouse, and I can homeschool at least my youngest. Then I look at my patience level, and tell myself I have bills to pay, get to work.......

Back to church......

Well, my kids and I headed back to church for the first time in several months--eve since our move to our new home in April. I would like to blame the distance from our church as the main reason for our lack of attendance, since we went from living 5 minutes away to half an hour away, but actually it's been sheer laziness. Not to mention sheer laziness. Oh I already did, didn't I?

Anyway, it was a wonderful experience. Our church is one of those where you are always welcomed--whether you are there every Sunday and volunteer for everything, or if you attend sporadically and stay on the fringes. I've done both---well, not volunteer for everything, but I have worked the nursery when no one else would or could. That's a whole other experience!

My younger son really didn't want to get up and go, but once we got there, he was fine. The kids got to connect with some friends and some of the AWANA leaders they hadn't seen and we got Ben and Shellie signed up for AWANA for this year. Ben will be in 7th grade, so he will work more as a leader for the little ones, and my baby will be in her 2nd and last year in Cubbies. My oldest son was a leader for AWANA the last 2 years and is moving on to youth group this year. My Wednesday night class will be on biblical doctrines--I've attended it off and on for the last couple of years, and the pastor makes it interesting. We get a good mix on the age groups, too--from college kids up through seniors.

Ours is a Bible-believing, Bible taught church--no not Holy Roller or other Pentacostal-type. If that's your church, great--nothing against it. Mine is technically non-denominational, but leans very heavily Baptist.

The only sad point is we had a huge discussion here at home last night, instigated by my 16 yr old stepdaughter, about endtimes and Revelation and hell and all that, and she and her sister and dad chose not to go with us today---with his hours he does not spend very much time with them any more, so I can understand shy--I just wish they had gone---and a lot of Kris' ?'s would have been answered or at least she would have had an idea of where to look for the answers. And probably come up with a lot more!!!! At least the questions are being asked.
And that's something I've tried to teach all the kids---question things. If they don't sound right, or you are just curious or whatever, question your teacher, pastor, parent---do it with respect, though!

navigating.....

Still trying to navigate around this system.....I'm not actually very technologically capable, so it takes me just a bit to figure out my way with new sites, etc. Helps if the 4 yr old would simply go play with her brothers and sisters for just a few minutes......LOL.

I have to say, I think this school year is going to be interesting. My oldest son is starting high school, my youngest son is starting 7th grade and my baby is starting pre-k at her day care. My daughters not by birth are starting their junior and 8th grade years. Between NCLB and the unions, it's a wonder my kids learn anything. They come home and I ask "What did you learn today in...." Heck if they know. We just drove through PA on the way back from CT to pick my boys up from their dad's, and we passed a sign that said "Birthplace of James Buchanan." So I asked if either child knew who James Buchanan was. Nope, all I got was "Who?" and blank stares. Now when my husband and I were in GRADE SCHOOL, we had to know all the presidents and their terms of office. My boys said all they have to know are the IMPORTANT ones. So who is not important? I think it's important that any of them became President, and actually I think the ineffective ones were every bit as important as their effective counterparts. Maybe more so, because if one screwed up, the next had to fix it quick.

Then youhave the general lack of geographic knowledge. We also had to know states, capitols, countries and capitols, etc. Climates, basic knowledge of the peoples of different lands......

And math was math. One plus one ALWAYS equalled TWO, no matter how you found the answer. We didn't get feel-good-raise-your-self-esteem-falsely points for getting the wrong answer. Sometimes right is right and wrong is just plain wrong.

By the way, I do believe that teachers should have to pass a comprehensive knowledge test in their area of certification, be it math, science, history, elementary ed., or whatever. And if they can't pass it, then they don't teach until they can. Sorry, folks. CPA's have to pass a test to be certified, so do attorneys. So do doctors. Would anyone want a brain surgeon who couldn't pass his exams in that specialty to operate on him/her? I wouldn't. I want to know that the person teaching my child integers and fractions and the pythagorean theorem knows what the heck he/she is talking about.

And kind of on the same subject: when did it become ok for teachers to dress like their students? Our local high school has a principal who tends to dress like the teenage girls that she is supposed to enforce the county dress code on. It makes it rather difficult to stress the proper way to dress for school when the teachers are wearing the latest from Aeropostale or Pac Sun, too. Not to mention the disturbing tendency of some teachers to comment on a student's looks/attire. Not quietly amongst themselves:"Someone needs a reminder that flipflops are not permissible." But to the student--"What a cute outfit! You look so pretty today." From male and female teachers. Never would have been done just 20 years ago. That would have been grounds for at least some serious questions by the parents of said child. The boundaries are nonexistent anymore, and that's not a good thing.

At least we tended to have respect for our teachers, even if we didn't like them. And if we didn't have respect, we were smart enough not to show it while at school; our teachers demanded respect just like our parents did.

just getting started

This could be interesting. My only other blog is basically available to friends and family only. Just to warn you, I can get on a soapbox sometimes. My better half (and I do mean that) will tell you that I tend to say before I really think it through. I do take things to heart and I believe very strongly what I say, but you are welcome to try to change my mind. One more warning--I do listen/read all comments, but personal attacks and obscene or blasphemous language (i.e. the "f" word, etc.) will not be tolerated on this site. If you don't agree and want to voice your different viewpoint, great. I'm all ears. But if your vocabulary only extends to words and phrases meant to shock, then please keep it to yourself.