Yep, it's time for another Wednesday Random, since I am not satisfied with any of the essays I am constructing. I promised myself to be consistently posting, and I keep my promises.
•I hate to sound like I take sides,(snork, um yeah) but the difference between Obama and the GOP's "wonderkind" Bobby Jindal last night was pretty stark. Obama did what he needed to do, which was inspire the country while reminding us that it is going to take a new responsibility and some sacrifice. Jindal was dead-eyed and sing-songy reading the teleprompter (he should really take more lessons on how not to do that) basically saying that "government is bad, and I got folksy stories."
•And alright, I'll admit it. I peeked in last night on my favorite right wing nut web site, Teamsarah.org. The site has been pretty quiet except for the most extreme misspelling ALL CAPS typers. "Sarah Palin is our Esther" worship has been pretty muted lately, but there are still lots of tirades about Obama the Hitler and Obama the Antichrist. Some people are STILL writing daily about Obama's birth certificate, and William Ayers. Also, the latest boycott is Kohls because Ashley Judd is a spokesperson for their makeup line, and she said something mean about Sarah Palin's approval of hunting wolves from helicopters. Last night, even the most rabid right winger was only charitable towards Jindal. It could be because of his skin color though. They don't like dark people on TeamSarah.
•I start a new job tomorrow! I am excited about it, but also apprehensive. I haven't been a full time employee of someone else for many years. However, I worry about is still having quality time with my boys, which has been my main priority since I became the at-home parent so many years ago. They are pretty big now, though, so I can't really say they need me here all the time. This time I probably won't feel the crushing Mommy Guilt I felt when I was working full time when my oldest was a baby.
•On the personal front, all is calm, except my face. I am splurging on a fraxel laser resurfacing of areas of my face that have been marred with acne scars and melasma. Frivolous, maybe, but I am hoping for an excellent result. I did the first session of 3 on Monday, and today I look like I am in the throes of healing from a sunburn. In a few days I will see if there is some improvement already as I heal.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
News Didn't Scare Me this Time
The front scream page of Yahoo News this morning proclaims that the US Standard of Living is going to permanently decline because of this recession. Credit is going to become harder to come by and wages will be lower, and prices may be lowering permanently as well. It was set up to look alarming, because if it isn't scary looking, it isn't news. On average though, this may be not such a bad thing, but an adjustment that has been way overdue.
I live by the credo that if you can't afford it right now with the money you have, you don't buy it. If you don't need it, don't buy it. My husband is the same way and I am sure we have avoided a lot of stress with the shared philosophy.
There is a difference between living in a culture of consumption and culture of satisfying needs. Americans have nearly bankrupted themselves as a nation not understanding the difference. Now, we will have to pay for that willful stupidity, and companies and people who tried to live beyond their means are learning some painful lessons on what it's like to live in true need, or maybe even desperate need. Companies may cease to exist, people will get distressed and adjust to survive differently.
Anyone who knows me or has read this blog with any regularity knows that I am not a fan of overconsumerism. It rapes the planet and no one is happier with all that "stuff." The Bush Administration encouraged it after 9/11 since it was distracting and it hyperinflated the economic numbers, but it also fostered greed, selfishness and flagrant irresponsibility. Even within his own administration, Bush took it to the nth level by unprecedented government growth and wasteful spending off borrowed money. Any republican or right wing commentator complaining about the present stimulus plan being "unprecedented governmnent spending" need only look back at the past 8 years and stick that in their maws and block their damn windpipes.
My concern is for those who were already close to the edge. People who through limited education, poor circumstances, age or bad health gave up on anything but the bare necessities even in boom times. These are the people I worry about most. These are the people that we as a society need to take care of and not, as some right wing nut jobs keep trying to do, blame them and tell them they had it coming to them. (Don't even get me started on the hypocrisy of pro-life/revilement of single parents who can't support their kids.)
I come from the perspective of someone fairly blessed--we haven't had any job losses in our immediate family, our health is good, and because we are naturally frugal, we aren't worried about bills because we've never overspent.
But as a nation, priorities have been out of whack, and now it is going to take a long time to adjust. I hope that the stimulus package, though it is also borrowed money will be a good move, and be used as a safety net and job stimulus and not just a way to keep the illusion of things being the same as they were. We do need to change our "standard of living" to be less consuming of the world's resources and more understanding of what is important to a society. We have to pay back what is owed, and it will take sacrifice over a long period of time by the whole nation. There is no way around it. It isn't a bad thing to take responsibility and accept sacrifice for our actions as a nation.
It sure beats the hell out of pointing fingers, blaming, and pretending everything is fine as long as we keep shopping.
I live by the credo that if you can't afford it right now with the money you have, you don't buy it. If you don't need it, don't buy it. My husband is the same way and I am sure we have avoided a lot of stress with the shared philosophy.
There is a difference between living in a culture of consumption and culture of satisfying needs. Americans have nearly bankrupted themselves as a nation not understanding the difference. Now, we will have to pay for that willful stupidity, and companies and people who tried to live beyond their means are learning some painful lessons on what it's like to live in true need, or maybe even desperate need. Companies may cease to exist, people will get distressed and adjust to survive differently.
Anyone who knows me or has read this blog with any regularity knows that I am not a fan of overconsumerism. It rapes the planet and no one is happier with all that "stuff." The Bush Administration encouraged it after 9/11 since it was distracting and it hyperinflated the economic numbers, but it also fostered greed, selfishness and flagrant irresponsibility. Even within his own administration, Bush took it to the nth level by unprecedented government growth and wasteful spending off borrowed money. Any republican or right wing commentator complaining about the present stimulus plan being "unprecedented governmnent spending" need only look back at the past 8 years and stick that in their maws and block their damn windpipes.
My concern is for those who were already close to the edge. People who through limited education, poor circumstances, age or bad health gave up on anything but the bare necessities even in boom times. These are the people I worry about most. These are the people that we as a society need to take care of and not, as some right wing nut jobs keep trying to do, blame them and tell them they had it coming to them. (Don't even get me started on the hypocrisy of pro-life/revilement of single parents who can't support their kids.)
I come from the perspective of someone fairly blessed--we haven't had any job losses in our immediate family, our health is good, and because we are naturally frugal, we aren't worried about bills because we've never overspent.
But as a nation, priorities have been out of whack, and now it is going to take a long time to adjust. I hope that the stimulus package, though it is also borrowed money will be a good move, and be used as a safety net and job stimulus and not just a way to keep the illusion of things being the same as they were. We do need to change our "standard of living" to be less consuming of the world's resources and more understanding of what is important to a society. We have to pay back what is owed, and it will take sacrifice over a long period of time by the whole nation. There is no way around it. It isn't a bad thing to take responsibility and accept sacrifice for our actions as a nation.
It sure beats the hell out of pointing fingers, blaming, and pretending everything is fine as long as we keep shopping.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Wednesday Random
Today is Wednesday Random. Included today is useless blather and pictures and a bit of a piano recital.
We can see the ground, thanks to a February warm up. Now it is muddy and gloppy, but by gosh, I can start imagining things growing in the swampy garden, and it makes me happy. I am starting some seedlings today of winter lettuce and whatever else strikes my fancy from the seed box. However, I will have them under grow lights and in the window for now. Temps in the 60s for one day can't fool me.
My high school speech team had Regionals for speech last weekend, and we managed to get 5 events to Sectionals this weekend, and Performance in the Round as well. Our Sectional is devilishly hard, probably harder than State. It would be cool to get one of them at least to State, but this year it is all the way down near the bottom of Illinois, so I am not sure how much we are hoping for it. Darn long trip.
I think on hold music should just be some rockin' radio station, not muzak. Yesterday at work I was put on hold with a very awesome music station, and it made me actually enjoy being on hold.
Children should be allowed to read whatever they want, even if their reading level testing indicates they should be reading harder books. My older son avoids reading for pleasure because when he was younger, he somehow tested into the 9th grade reading level and his teacher took this as gospel. There were very few books in his reading level in the school library, and the ones that were had content entirely over the head for the mind of an immature 8 year old, no matter how big his vocabulary. Even Harry Potter was considered off limits because it was in a lower lexile. It was rigid and educationally criminal, and it took a long time for him to have any joy in reading.
Sometimes, teachers are dumber than rocks.
Here is another striped scarf. It will be a gift to my friend Melody.
My kids did a piano recital last weekend. It was entertaining overall, even with over 40 performers showing their pieces. Here is the video (just the most important two performers):
We can see the ground, thanks to a February warm up. Now it is muddy and gloppy, but by gosh, I can start imagining things growing in the swampy garden, and it makes me happy. I am starting some seedlings today of winter lettuce and whatever else strikes my fancy from the seed box. However, I will have them under grow lights and in the window for now. Temps in the 60s for one day can't fool me.
My high school speech team had Regionals for speech last weekend, and we managed to get 5 events to Sectionals this weekend, and Performance in the Round as well. Our Sectional is devilishly hard, probably harder than State. It would be cool to get one of them at least to State, but this year it is all the way down near the bottom of Illinois, so I am not sure how much we are hoping for it. Darn long trip.
I think on hold music should just be some rockin' radio station, not muzak. Yesterday at work I was put on hold with a very awesome music station, and it made me actually enjoy being on hold.
Children should be allowed to read whatever they want, even if their reading level testing indicates they should be reading harder books. My older son avoids reading for pleasure because when he was younger, he somehow tested into the 9th grade reading level and his teacher took this as gospel. There were very few books in his reading level in the school library, and the ones that were had content entirely over the head for the mind of an immature 8 year old, no matter how big his vocabulary. Even Harry Potter was considered off limits because it was in a lower lexile. It was rigid and educationally criminal, and it took a long time for him to have any joy in reading.
Sometimes, teachers are dumber than rocks.
Here is another striped scarf. It will be a gift to my friend Melody. My kids did a piano recital last weekend. It was entertaining overall, even with over 40 performers showing their pieces. Here is the video (just the most important two performers):
Sunday, February 1, 2009
A little party was had
The funny thing about this little blog is that people who read it call me up and talk about it instead of leaving a little comment. Good thing I don't have an ego...snork.
Anyway, I got to go out last night with some of my fellow speech coaches after a long tournament day and a long meeting afterwards to decide the last few entries on our regional team. I had a very fun time. I went off my usual beer-only rule and tried a shot of a delicious drink I think I will order more often--the Dirty Girl Scout. It is made with creme de menthe, coffee liquor, chocolate liquor and vodka. Delicious, just like a thin mint. Dangerous! I also got buffalo wings, which happens about twice a year. As usual, everyone else could comparatively drink me under the table, so I saw lots of other intiguing foo foo drinks as well. Most of the other coaches are female, and this is not my usual drinking crowd. Usually if I go out it is with improvisers, who are usually male and ordering PBRs. ( I haven't improvised for almost a year, so now you know how long it has been since I have been out.)
We stayed out talking long enough that I didn't have to fear for my sobriety, which meant hours of talking. I don't drive unless I feel 100% fine. The talking and laughing was the best part.
Today I feel a little more human, a little happier, and a little more optimistic. I had a little party. I may get through the winter yet.
Anyway, I got to go out last night with some of my fellow speech coaches after a long tournament day and a long meeting afterwards to decide the last few entries on our regional team. I had a very fun time. I went off my usual beer-only rule and tried a shot of a delicious drink I think I will order more often--the Dirty Girl Scout. It is made with creme de menthe, coffee liquor, chocolate liquor and vodka. Delicious, just like a thin mint. Dangerous! I also got buffalo wings, which happens about twice a year. As usual, everyone else could comparatively drink me under the table, so I saw lots of other intiguing foo foo drinks as well. Most of the other coaches are female, and this is not my usual drinking crowd. Usually if I go out it is with improvisers, who are usually male and ordering PBRs. ( I haven't improvised for almost a year, so now you know how long it has been since I have been out.)
We stayed out talking long enough that I didn't have to fear for my sobriety, which meant hours of talking. I don't drive unless I feel 100% fine. The talking and laughing was the best part.
Today I feel a little more human, a little happier, and a little more optimistic. I had a little party. I may get through the winter yet.
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