Mom-a-thon

Behinder

2011-12-10T00:13:00.001-08:00

So much about homeschooling is good, that I pretty much ignore the things that are challenges. And for the most part, that is pretty easily done...until the last couple of years of high school, that is.Now is a time where the benefit of being "in the system" would be really handy. There are so many extraneous things on my To Do list these days, I sometimes wonder just how in the world we will get to school in these last couple of years. There are a plethora of deadlines, and would you believe, I'm just on time, or already behind? BAT is a junior. He is just competing his first semester. If he plans to attend some of the "try it on for a week" events at some of the campuses he is interested in, we are a little tardy to one school, and will just be on time for some others. In December of the year before hand. Wow. That was a shock to me. I'm glad that I thought I was being early and starting looking around now. Imagine if I had begun this process as late as January (gasp).These next few months will be anything but boring. I've already felt overwhelmed, panicked, doomed, and thought that I may have ruined my kids' lives. And that's just this week!Wish me luck, and I'll eke you posted...

If You Want to Become Depressed...

2011-11-02T13:28:00.000-07:00

Go to a Christian College Fair. Oh. My. Good. Lord. We are in serious trouble. I was hoping (OK--I'm a realist, so I wasn't really hoping, but I really wanted to be wrong) for, well, light and salt and such. What I found was the world. There was not one representative who mentioned the Word. Not one. They talked about their facilities, PC majors ("We even have gender studies!"), and all the fun activities that students will have at their school. GAT was looking for art history as a major. One school had art as a major, but most had "film studies" and "graphic design." One school highlighted that they have 233 palm trees on campus, and nearly half their student body holds annual passes to Disneyland. Parents can give their beloved progeny all this for only about $35K a year. I'm still hopeful. And we're still looking.UPDATE: Point Loma Nazarene had a representative that was really busy during the fair, so I wasn't able to speak with her. Fortunately, she came to the school where DAT and GAT take a class. She was great. And actually emphasized the Christian environment. No school will be perfect, but I am at least encouraged more this evening than I was!

Lamenting The Way Things Ought To Be

2011-11-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

In the past, when I would lament the reality of life, I found it easy to despair. Hopefully due to growth and maturity in the Lord, the sting is now somewhat lessened.People disappoint. Friendships end. People become ill and die, leaving children behind. This world is a tough place. And how much tougher if God had removed His whole self from us? I praise Him that He has left His Spirit with us. And I pray that I will come to know the Spirit better. God has given us a Comforter. We are not alone.

So Many Thoughts...So Little Time

2011-10-28T03:11:00.000-07:00

I have been so desiring to blog more frequently this school year, and yet have been remiss in doing so. (What I really want is uninterrupted time to fully form my thoughts, and throw in something funny or witty as well--You'd think by now I'd realize that uninterrupted time really isn't something I can plan on having!)So I've been thinking about quitters and commitment a lot lately. I'm trying to field questions from the kids about what it means to stay committed to something. I'm having a tough time, as we are surrounded by a culture that just doesn't commit. Fortunately, most of our friends are still married, so the kids have had a pretty consistent view of committed marriages. And I don't take that lightly one bit, as a kid of the no-fault divorce generation. But the one place where I should be able to show my kids fully committed people is the church. And sadly, I cannot.Most of our church is military, so people leave every 3 years or sooner. That ironically is usually the group who are the most committed--at least for the time they are here. What is actually very painful, though, are the many folks who leave our church for another one that better suits their needs, or who leave Hawaii altogether for various reasons. I get it--I really do. Life is complicated and there are many factors that come into play in breaking fellowship. But it's just bothering me that I don't have a good answer to the question I was recently asked: "Why are there vows of membership, when no one ever sticks around?" That question has me stumped. Because I realize that I actually don't buy it. The notion of vows of membership, that is. And frankly, it's because it simply isn't true. At the very least it isn't demonstrated. And yes, I realize it could mean the Church at large, but I doubt that's why we are in fellowship in particular communities. The fellowship God has in mind doesn't work if deep and sincere relationships cannot be formed. And we're in a self-obsessed culture that rails against that level of intimacy.So what to do, what to do? I'll have to search Scripture for an answer. I hope it has a better one than I do!

Econ Field Trip Day

2011-10-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

Today we headed out to the NELHA site here on the big island. Hopefully, I've got this right: NELHA (Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority) under the DLNR (Department of Land and Natural Resources) in Hawaii leases land to private companies seeking space to test and/or utilize proven renewable energy systems. For businesses, the pluses are inexpensive leases and a completed permitting process. (Permitting alone can take 12 years!) Pluses for the state of Hawaii are that the land is utilized in line with the goal of Hawaii achieving energy independence, and NELHA pays for itself. It's also groovy PR for the state and the businesses.Visiting the site was fascinating in that the ideas being tried are all very innovative and creative, but none are really financially feasible. The bottom line is, even at $90 a barrel, oil is still the cheapest source of energy. The solution our presenter at NELHA had for that was for "each and every one of you to contact your senators and representatives and tell them to raise taxes on oil!" Yeah--I'll get right on that...Next stop was Hula Daddy Coffee farm and visitor center. If I ever run away from home, I may go there. It was beautiful, peaceful, rural, and about 10 degrees cooler than Kona. We learned some of the issues in farming coffee and making a living. When told of the title of our seminar ("Environmentalism and Economics") one of the owners said, "That's every decision we make around here." He discussed weighing pros and cons of typical "green" methods for farming, and told us of some of the simpler, cheaper solutions he discovered. For example, the coffee borer beetle has had a devastating effect on many Kona coffee growers. However, Hula Daddy sprays a fungus that kills the beetles, leaves the good bugs alone, and doesn't harm any other plants. Though this method is initially pricier than the usual pesticide, it is effective and eco friendly. But there are times however, when teh economics wins out over the ecology. And where the process to go through certification to become organic "tied [Hula Daddy's] hands," simple long term thinking has netted the same result for the company's coffee consumers. We got to taste coffee that was recently harvested, and had actually been roasted before our very eyes. It was pricey, but I think DAT will appreciate his souvenir.Next: I'll talk Ironman and watching what teachers do when they're off on a trip to Hawaii...

Economics Day 2 (Closeted Homeschooler)

2011-10-04T21:27:00.000-07:00

After a jam packed session yesterday, I was ready for rest. It's great info taught by great teachers, so I am really enjoying my time here. I can't wait to digest it all and am so grateful to get to add this to my "bag of goodies" to teach. It is interesting to be here as a closeted homeschooler among mostly public school teachers. (It is also interesting to be here while the Ironman triathlon is happening, with all of those folks staying in the same hotel. But that's for another post!) It's interesting to be in on conversations with teachers who think I'm one of them. It really is some kind of sisterhood/brotherhood effect. There are many assumptions made that "we" all think alike on particular topics, and an entire vernacular of acronyms I have absolutely no clue about. This group could either be a sociology study--we're kind of a Gilligan's Island mesh of folks--or the start of a joke: There's a gay guy, an older lady, a housewife, a 200 pound woman who eats every 5 minutes...I'm always fascinated by the way people interact so as a side benefit to the economics education, I'm having fun with that as well :-)More to come later. I'm pooped!

Planes Trains and Automobiles

2011-10-04T19:59:00.000-07:00

An opportunity came my way to attend an economic forum on the relationship between economics and environmentalism. It's sponsored by the Foundation for Teaching Economics (FTE) and the Hawaii Council on Economic Education (HCEE). I just so happened to get an email from a homeschooling group that clued me in to this incredible opportunity. It's free, and though I wish it was on my island, it is providing me a short respite form my usual work week.It is no small effort for mama to leave home: I put the kids on a quasi-fall break (something we normally do not do), and have actually hired someone to drive my children to and fro. (Between Tae Kwon Do, swimming, piano, drums, art class, Trig class, and PSAT prep class, there's a bit of chauffeuring in an average day.) So that brings us to my departure...DAT had kindly planned to drive home from the office to take me to the airport. However, he was awakened at 6AM by his assistant calling to tell him that in fact, the newly repaired (FedExed from Texas) computer was dead again. So, he had to book it in to assess the damage and begin a plan of recovery. Again.No worries, I can drive myself, and he'd just have to figure out how to get the vehicles back where they belong. No big deal.There was a little issue checking in, but it got resolved. As I approached my gate, I heard my name on the PA system. So I went to the desk at the gate. No one was there and it had a sign that it was closed. However, there was someone right at the jetway. I approached her and attempted three times to get her attention. I was less than five feet from her, and got progressively louder, yet she did not react in the slightest. She typed feverishly at her keyboard, then turned around, swiped her ID card and walked down the jetway. "Typical," was my thought.I walked to the next gate desk and tried to ask that person for help. Though he did acknowledge me, he seemed surprised that I expected him to assist me. He told me to go to my gate. When I told him that I had just been there and had been ignored, he said, "Well you should go back there. She'll eventually come back." So I did. And he was right. She did come back. But she did not make eye contact with me and again did not acknowledge me at all. So I figured "I've got my boarding pass, and they'll be boarding shortly. If they really need to talk to me, they'll know where to find me."Boarding began, and as I walked down the aisle of the plane, something very unusual happened. My seat was 5D on this smallish plane, but as I looked at the numbering above the seats, I saw row 1, 2, 3, 4, 6....Wait a minute. There is no row 5. So, I try to make my way back to the flight attendant who so pleasantly smiled an welcomed me aboard. By now, though, there is a steady stream of people boarding the plane. I finally get the flight attendant's attention, and explain to her my problem. Her first words to me were, "This plane doesn't have a row 5." "Yes," I said, "that's what I am asking you about." She is flustered and says, "When did you print this?" "About 15 minutes ago at a kiosk downstairs." I reply. She frowns and says, "Uh...just sit here." And motions for me to sit in the first row. So I do. (I've heard you'd better do as your told on planes these days, or you can land in the pokey.) I wait as everyone boards the plane--including the people whose seats I'm waiting in. They were very kind as I moved to another empty seat. Finally the original woman who ignored me at the gate is on the plane and is apparently here to save the day. At this point, I am not only seriously in doubt of her saving abilities, but I realize I'm probably screwed. Then the gate lady asks a man sitting in row two if the empty seat next to him has anyone in it. He says he doesn't think so (being just a passenger and all). So customer ignoring gate lady points to the seat and says to me, "Sit there." So I do. And that was that. I made it on time to check in and register for the seminar, and off I went!

My 9/11

2011-09-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

I have spent spurts and moments recollecting that morning ten years ago, but never fully indulging my memory. This is my attempt to make the time to do that.I had gotten up at my usual 4:30 AM for a run (one of the many things that are different now). I put on my armband radio with headphones and started out into the dark. The weather had been warm and clear and gorgeous during the day, which meant that it was a little cooler in the dark--much like the weather is right now, in fact. My usual talk radio show wasn't on, and as I began my warm up trot, I tried to figure out just exactly what was being broadcast. Something had happened, and I didn't know if this was a live report or a recording. When I could surmise that it was not a local broadcast, I assumed it was a recording since the nation's news day was half over by the time most people started their day in Hawaii. So I continued to jog, expecting the chaotic noise I was hearing to eventually be explained by a calm reporter. Trying to make sense of what I was hearing became increasingly difficult. Everything about my morning was routine. And yet, somehow, as I ran along, it was simultaneously not routine at all. The craziness I was listening to was juxtaposed against my pitch black, very typical surroundings. I couldn't see clearly, and the neighborhood was its typically silent self. Most people were still snug in their beds, unaware of what was taking place at the other end of the country.Finally, I heard someone attempt a recap: Two planes had purposefully hit the World Trade Center towers one and two. One tower was down. That was all that I could understand, as even the reporter--remote from the actual situation--was speaking in a hysterical voice. Without realizing it, I had been running faster and faster as I listened to the events unfold. By the time I realized it, I had run nearly twice my usual distance. I came home into a dark house. I was breathing heavily, and as I entered the kitchen, my whole family was oddly awake and standing before me in a line. I still don't know why they were awake or how they all ended up there like that, but I was so glad to see each of them was just fine.I opened my mouth to try to tell my husband what had happened, and I began to sob uncontrollably. I had been running for nearly an hour in the dark, trying to absorb what I was hearing, and not responding at all. That opportunity to finally react opened the proverbial floodgates, and I now sounded like the reporter I could barely understand on my radio. Finally, I was able to say, "We're under attack, the World Trade Center Collapsed." My husband could not believe it. Surely I had gotten something wrong. "Those towers were built to take a hit by a plane..." he said. We turned on the television and both towers were standing there, smoke billowing out of them. "See," he said, "there's no way..." Just then, the video showed the south tower's collapse and we both realized it was not a live shot.Many things followed in that day, some I recall clearly, and others not at all. I remember calling the headmaster of the kids' school, and informing him of what had happened. I remember wanting my kids within my sight. And I remember, that very day, knowing that my country would not be the same country that my kids knew. It broke my heart, as it still does.Well, that's about all I can muster right now, as life's duties call...

Love You Like A Hurricane

2011-08-18T21:11:00.000-07:00

All in all, it was a good weekend, as far as we're concerned. I'm told the events of our few days on the north shore of Oahu would have ruined the time for "most people." I doubt that's true, though I do know that the A-Thon house does seem to have a bit more...well, let's just say excitement than the average household. And that fact has made us a bit less dramatic in our reactions.

The drive out was utilitarian, so we took the freeways as much as we could. However, even avoiding the scenic route, there is a point where all you have is two lane roads. Right about that time the view gets ridiculously beautiful. There is a pineapple farm on the left and a coffee farm on the right. The vast expanse of the Pacific is down the hill before you.

It truly is paradise.

We got some dinner at Cholo's Mexican Restaurant, and then stopped at the grocery store on the way to the house. While waiting to turn left, and yielding to oncoming traffic, we were rear-ended. Gratefully we were all completely fine, as we drive a tank.

The other gal was fine, too, but her car was totaled. All we got was a slightly damaged bumper with a permanent imprint of the Volkswagen symbol. Yaye SUVs!

The next day was the last leg of the North Shore Swim Series: The North Shore Challenge. It is a 2.3 mile rough water swim from Ehukai beach to Waimea Bay. In the winter, the waves are very large and the current is swift. However, in the summer, there are usually small if any waves and the swim would be with the gentler current. Well, the ocean is a wild place, and on Saturday there was 5+ foot surf. Additionally, the current was moving in a winter direction, meaning the swim would be against the current and in surf.
Girl-A-Thon (GAT) wasn't intimidated one bit. I was at a category 1 on the worried mom scale. Dad-A-Thon (DAT) was his encouraging self, and Boy-A-Thon (BAT) was at the beach!

Back at the finish line, we heard the start of the race over the timer's radio. They started about 10 minutes late, so I adjusted my mental time of when I should see GAT and her bright pink goggles. (She had practiced this race on Monday, and had finished in an hour, with her group stopping once.)

After an hour and twenty minutes, I upgraded to a category 2. When I began to see people with whom she usually finishes, I was on the high end of, but still at a category 2. By an hour and half, I had upgraded to a category 3 worried mom.
DAT was at the water's edge for still photos and I was at the "chute" to get video of her running through to finish. I began texting DAT that something was wrong--she should be here by now. DAT reassured me that all was well.
I began to notice the finishers. They were not well. In the previous races, they were tired but smiling. No smiles in the chute today. In fact, there was vomiting, and varying stages of consciousness. As it all began to sink in--she's way overdue, others are ill--I blew past 4 and went straight to a category 5.
I had almost reached my limit of waiting, and began to text DAT again, when he hollered my name and pointed to the lifeguard on a waverunner. GAT had been pulled from the water and driven to the end of the race. I could see she was OK, and she swam about another 200 yards, so I knew she wasn't hurt. I took a deep breath and tried not to over react.
Praise the Lord she was completely fine, though extremely pale and had no energy. She wasn't feeling bad about being pulled out at all. She said, "Mom, I would have been in real trouble if I had stayed in." I told her I was proud that she did the safe thing. We got her a Jamba Juice and Tropilicious Sorbet(they were sponsors) to give her blood sugar a boost, and rested in the shade.
As I sat with my baby girl, she had her sugary treats, her color came back, and she began to breathe normally again. I said many prayers of thanks under my breath, and hugged her enough that she finally asked me to stop. It's a wild ride watching your beloved progeny come into their own...

It's a funny thing this life. I hope our family's excitement always ends so well.

Aloha

Trying to Be Better About Writing

2011-08-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

So, that's my goal. Yes, I'm aware of its vagueness. Yes, it's intentional.

Honestly, I think Facebook has stolen some of my need to "reach out and touch someone" through a blog...

Today I am hopefully finishing up the lesson planning and scheduling for the first few weeks of the school year. I wish I could say that it took really long, but the truth is that I procrastinated like a champ. Part of it was my overwhelm mode, and not really knowing where to begin. Part of it was a slight bit of depression. And part was just plain laziness.

Procrastination is a vicious cycle and a trait that I share with my sister and mom. We are visiters, you see (no that's not spelled wrong). We like to hang. We could (and have) spent an entire day in our jammies drinking coffee and chatting a the kitchen table. We have an effect on each other that makes us even worse procrastinators when we are together, too!

I saw Femina had a post about laziness, and it just seems too simplistic to me. If only the solution were that simple: "Don't waste time--you could have a tragedy, and not be able to do what you are able to do now." That kind of "encouragement" has never rung true to me It's too surface-y. Personally, I need divine intervention to truly internalize the gravity of the sin of wasting time...

Wendy Whiner

2011-08-09T19:31:00.000-07:00

I realize now that much of my hesitation to blog lately is because I'm in a funk. It's been very stressful for a couple of years, and I rarely suffer in silence. Believe it or not, my scarcity of blogposts has been to spare the world of my kvetching. But lately, I've realized how much I need to be writing my thoughts and feelings. So, I'm trying to begin to write more regularly. (Not sure if it's particularly wise to be writing them publicly, so we'll see what makes it here.)

A few weeks ago, our family ran into a couple that used to attend our church. (I don't know why they left, but have ceased to give a rip when a family does. One left over the "ugly tile" in the women's restroom. I'm not kidding.) The woman of this couple used to attend a bible study that I hosted on Wednesday mornings in my home. I had two grammar school kids then and was a homeschooling newbie. She never missed an opportunity to tell me her concerns about the long term effects of homeschooling my children. Which means that at least once a week, I got her $.02.

Anyway, She hadn't seen our family in about 4 years. The Kids-A-Thon are big teens now, so it was a surprise for her to see them "all grown up." The first words from her to me were, "I was hoping you had given that homeschooling UP." Girl-A-Thon then began to explain how she and her brother also attend a few classes at a Christian school and they enjoy being at home and having a chance to be in a classroom. At this the woman said to Girl-A-Thon, "Well, I am VERY glad to hear that! You know, you need to have friends, and not be stuck with mom all day!"

I did not say a word in reply.
This is proof that He who has begun a good work in me has not left me!

Now if I can just forgive and let go of the indignant frustration I have for this person, God can move on to another area of repairing my heart :-)

Bad Blogger!

2011-08-05T12:41:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am terrible at keeping up with this. I need to follow my own advice about writing every day...

I am moved to write about the mob incident at the Wisconsin State Fair. Unfortunately, I think this is a sign of a building tension that is going to overflow during the 2012 election. (The last time I thought something seemed to be more of a harbinger of things to come than was being noticed, was the attack on the USS Cole. I didn't say anything about that thought then, but I'm going to say this one out loud.)

I don't know anything, and I am no military or political strategist. But I do understand when things give off a vibe. And this, just like the attack on the Cole, is tweaking my Spidey senses. Our country is stressed out. We are in wars all over the place, we are functioning in an utterly complete leadership vacuum on all fronts: national, local, and even personal. Every American, save POTUS, has been affected by the economic mess we are in, and 51% of the nation is being paid for by the other 49%. There is an entitlement mentality that has no basis in reality and is perpetuated by an impotent education system that prioritizes condoms on bananas over multiplication tables. We are in trouble.

We need to pray for our nation now more than we have ever prayed for it before. I truly believe we are at a crossroads that will determine just what the future is for our children and grandchildren. Sadly, I think our children and their children will know intimately the experiences of the people who fought to found this nation. I pray that I am wrong. I pray that this nation remembers its roots. I pray that real leaders would emerge and help guide the country. I pray that the violence in our communities will not grow.

Gotta go now--and pray.

Grateful

2011-04-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting outside by the pool and I began to really notice my little corner of the world. You know, those times when you seem to remove yourself from the very place and time you are, and really observe?
I observed only a few things, but did so deeply. I saw a bountiful garden (my first really successful one in Hawaii), a green, well landscaped yard, two rascally playful dogs, two growing kids having contests in the pool, and a husband resting in the sunshine. I also observed that I was grateful.
Gratitude is something I've been short on for much of my life. (I could blame my childhood, but that's so been done. I'd need something new and improved to blame, if I don't want to just own up to my own self absorption.) And gratitude is something I'm determined to learn more about and to grow in for the rest of my life.

Wouldn't you know, today I got news that a childhood friend's cancer has spread in a ferocious way. For some reason, as I read her news, I pictured the the wildfires of Indian summer in the plains where I grew up. I could see the wind whipping those flames into a tornado. If you've ever seen one (a fire tornado), you know that it brings a deep soul based fear in tandem with its awful dry heat. That seems a lot like cancer getting bad cancer news, to me.

So, that's my goal. Be grateful. Or as my Wyoming family would say, "Quitcher bitchin an' smile."

Monthly Post?

2011-03-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

Well, apparently so. Not that I don't dream of time to write to my heart's content about the things on my mind and heart. It's just that darn time/space continuum. It's never really been on my side. More of a nemesis, really.

So many things have been and are going on...

The world continues to be a mess in desperate need of a savior--nothing new, there. However, it is unusual that the French beat us to a fight, and the POTUS still hasn't quite figured out that this presidentin' is hard.
So, on a world and national events scale, it's pretty depressing.
Our personal business issues remain unresolved. So that's depressing, too.

But the truly absolutely worst of it all, is that a family in our church has been struck by a monumental tragedy. Their 4 year old son fell from a two story window and has died due to traumatic brain injury. This, is beyond depressing. It's brought me almost to despair.

An event such as this would be difficult no matter what, but this young family had only recently moved to Hawaii, and had barely gotten into the house where this tragedy occurred. For those of you unfamiliar with life in Hawaii, it's not quite the same to live here as it is to vacation here. EVERYTHING is different. And most things that are simple on the mainland are difficult here. It's just the way it goes. I suppose it's the cost of great weather. Or lush green to look at every day. Or whatever. Anyway, the point is, it's no vacation living here. And this young family is facing the most devastating experience any parent could have in what, I am quite certain, is no paradise for them.

So, that's adding to the funk over here...

On the plus side, we are all healthy and together. And per my request, in lieu of date night, we are going to do a build your own pizza /rent a movie night. I'll be right in the middle of my peeps, hugging them too tight and kissing them too much. Because I can.

Fiddling While Rome Burns

2011-02-23T17:31:00.000-08:00

Or, more accurately, giggling while Hawaii heads down the road to perdition.

This afternoon while driving, I listened to the governor of Hawaii quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer while signing a "civil union" bill into law. It was quite a joyous occasion apparently, and humorous, too with lots of jolly laughter and joking.
This was really a bizarre experience for me, as I realized--yet again--that the values I hold are increasingly in the minority.
The governor went to great lengths to describe that "aloha" and "e komo mai" mean all are welcome, and that "our diversity is what defines us, not what divides us." I really wish I could believe that. Really I do. But it was an extremely bad choice in quoting Bonhoeffer--a Christian theologian and martyr--during the signing of a bill that legalizes something specifically named as sinful in the bible. I can't decide if it was a purposeful slap to the face of the many Christians who testified against this bill, or if it was a gaffe of ignorance. (I'm inclined toward the ignorance explanation, primarily, I confess, because of Abercrombie's reputation for a fondness of a particular herb.)

I don't have a gut reaction to the idea of civil unions. Just because the world calls something OK, doesn't make it so. However, I am not naive enough to think that civil unions will be the end of this issue. This, as do all monumental shifts in morality, will have a rather significant ripple effect. I'm not sure specifically how that will play out, but I do know that as we slide down that slippery slope, our leaders will be jolly and laughing all the way.

Cuckoo Magnet

2011-01-19T21:56:00.000-08:00

Apparently I have a tendency to attract really crazy people. I knew this was the case in my dating years (I once was asked out by a guy whose car I "borrowed without permission," and don't even get me started on the visiting Iraqi professor during the first Gulf War.) When I told my mother of my revelation she casually said, "Yes, dear, our whole family attracts crazies," as if I'd told her I finally realized we were all blue eyed, or something.

This self-awareness, like most, has pluses and minuses.
First the pluses:
1. I now know I must be more tentative with budding friendships where the other party is just a tad too zealous.
2. It is clear to me that my family is not nearly as crazy as I had generally believed.
3. Hmm...that's all I've got so far.

Now, the minuses:
1. My general easy going acceptance of people right when I meet them is akin to a target on my forehead to loonies.
2. I have ignored my Spidey senses at my own peril.
3. Being a grown up means I can't tell people the whole truth about situations where the crazies have been dishonest. (I really hate this one.)

This realization is forcing me to bring my cares and concerns before my Lord instead of anyone else, and I grow in my dependence on Him. Hey! I think I just found #3 for the pluses!

Hello Again, Part II

2011-01-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

And another thing...

I've realized another not-so-good net result of the past coupla years: my behavior as a consumer have changed dramatically, as have DAT's plans as a business owner.

Now, even if I could find my fabled "house on the beach for a dollar," I wouldn't buy it. The tax burdens are ridiculous. Do you think DAT is gonna buy that warehouse? I think not. Or add more trucks to the fleet? Uh...notsomuch. And we're not the sharpest tools in the shed, so imagine how much more reserved/conservative/prudent others will be with their resources...

So...Like...Um...Yeah

2011-01-04T23:48:00.000-08:00

So the whole seventh grade experience never really leaves girls....Ouch.

I have (sadly, mind you) come to the realization that those women folk with a flair for the dramatic never really outgrow it. As a "guy's girl" I spent much of my adolescence, teen, and young adult years anxious for full blown adulthood. I thought that when all the girls grew up, the drama-rama would end. Alas, I am a bona fide (read 40+) adult, and this is not the case.

(In full disclosure, I must confess the dramatic use of hands while talking, and prolific use of the following: parentheses, em-dashes, and far too many ellipses.)

Back in the Saddle

2011-01-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

So, we were off like a relatively well oiled machine this morning. I am grateful to be back at something consistent, but hate having deadlines and living by clocks again. I am by nature a slow mover and procrastinator.
One perk, however, is getting to hear snippets of Dennis Miller as I drive the kids to school. The downside is that I then want to spend the rest of the morning listening to his show and sitting in a cozy chair with lotsa coffee handy.
This morning, I'm online (trying to have an iChat date with Europeanne, but we are experiencing technical difficulties) so I will squeeze in some blogging. What a good job I'm doing, not wasting a moment!
Dennis had S E Cupp on this morning, and I only got to hear a few minutes of her, so I'll be following up with the podcast. She is the author of Losing Our Religion, a book about the American cultural bias against Christians--written by an atheist. Dennis had her on because of this article in the New York Daily News. Her main point is that the atheists are not curious people. To them, all is decided, and only an idiot would continue to seek information on the matter. It's an easy short read and well worth a few minutes of your time.

What I think attracts me to Dennis' show is that he is funny. Quick, sharp and laugh out loud funny. And you know, that's not all that easy to do when talking politics and the state of the union.

A Day Late (or 3 or 4)

2011-01-04T00:55:00.000-08:00

So, my friend in Rome discovered this cool thing. I don't really even know what it means or is, but it sounds like a good idea. It seems nicely organized, too. Only problem for me, is it's 10:45PM on January 3, and I should have been ready to roll with it on January 1. Provided I can find whatever in the world a Molskine is and prepare one before the week is over, I just may try to do this Partnering to Remember (P2R) thing. Or I may try to find materials for the guy's Ephesians memory thingy, since we'll be diving into that for Sunday school...

Either way, like my friend, my faith is also sagging and needs some steel reinforcements a la this quote from Donald Whitney:

Memorizing Scripture is like reinforcing steel to a sagging faith, for it strengthens your faith by repeatedly reinforcing the truth, often just when you need to hear it again.

Thanks Anne, for the good info on a great idea.

Post Christmas Post

2011-01-03T15:35:00.000-08:00

It was a good couple a weeks around here, and for that we are eternally grateful. DAT had Christmas and New Year's days off and even had an extra day off since Christmas fell on a weekend. (Finally a federal labor law that is useful.)

My mom, "Nanny", came to visit, and that always makes for a happy time. She is an optimist and then some, and it was good to see her smiling face each morning. I noticed when I picked her up from the airport that her amazing blue eyes fade in my memory; so they were stunning all over again. Each day we got up early and shared a pot of coffee, trying to solve the problems of the world. I tried my darnedest not to talk politics or bad mouth Dear Leader, but I just couldn't help myself. I don't think she was too offended. We didn't go anywhere, really, or do much at all, but it was good to have an old fashioned visit. Remember those?

Unintended Bummer

2011-01-03T15:21:00.000-08:00

When I re-read that post from yesterday, it seems like such a downer. That wasn't my mood when writing it, but I guess it is what it is. I was actually really happy to be blogging again. And I still am today. Hopefully I will discipline myself to use my time wisely enough to do more of this. It's the cheapest therapy I've ever had. ;-)

Hello Again, Part I

2011-01-02T20:45:00.000-08:00

There have been so many times when I have wanted to blog like mad lately. The time has escaped me, or it's been beyond PG-13, or some form of maturity got the better of me. What a couple of years it has been. Oh sure, the first year wasn't too bad, and frankly we planned for it to be rough. But this past one...uh, no, we did not see it coming.

The net result is such a change in both my husband and I that we are really not the same people we once were at all. This is both a good and a bad thing, as is often the case with dramatic learning curves. Between the professional assaults made personal, and the ever expanding government regulation of small business, it's a brave new world nowadays. And one we just don't care to gamble in any more, thankyouverymuch.

Both Dad-A-Thon (DAT) and I come from entrepreneurial families. It's a breed of human being, really. Perpetual optimists, with occasional brushes with skepticism. Entrepreneurs are what makes capitalism work: some crazy dude with authority issues decides he must do things his way, and voila! He's starting XYZ Window Washer Company. It's a gamble, but one that he hopes will pay off, if not in his lifetime, in the lifetime of his children. This spirit is what has changed the trajectory of many an immigrant's life in what was once called The Melting Pot.
Now, however, the gamble simply isn't worth it. And I am sad to say, that though I despise it, I see a future where the only responsible way to take care of yourself and provide for your family is to beat down that independent spirit and get a secure job. I hate that italicized phrase with every ounce of my being. But it is no longer a gamble to risk time and resources in the hopes that you can compete and win in a free market. It's downright stupid. The bet is rigged for all players to lose and the house to win.

About two years ago, a friend asked me if I hoped that one or both of the Kids-A-Thon would run the family biz one day. My answer--a knee jerk reaction--was, "I hope not! I hope they won't have to work that hard." If she were to ask me that question now, I'd still say "No," but I'd follow it with, "The risk simply isn't worth the cost to one's self and family." (Okay, I wouldn't actually say, "one's self," but you get the idea.)

What I've learned from the past couple of years has been hard, but mostly it's been sad. I'm sad that I've moved from letting the kids consider the idea of carrying on their ancestors' legacies, to actively counseling them against the idea. And I'm sad that this nation once fought so desperately for freedom, and is now handing it over utterly unaware.

"Home"

2010-07-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

In our small group this week, we discussed the idea of home and all that entails. (Well maybe not ALL that entails, but as much as we could cover in a couple of hours.)

This is interesting in light of the fact that my "home" is in tatters right about now. Which can get me cranky--as it has been in tatters at one time or another for most of the time we have lived in it. We did have a respite for a couple of years--mostly because our construction efforts have been directed elsewhere--but it's been a stressor to live in a work in progress. More importantly, though, it's served to grow me and give me a different notion of home.

All the while I had been trying ever so mightily to create a "picture perfect" home (think Martha Stewart), my home was in different states of construction. This forced me to find that security and safety elsewhere. And as providence would have it, I learned it was Christ all along.

I wish I could say that I've been a model of faith and patience in this area (or any area, for that matter) but sadly, I have not. This latest go around, though, I've been better than my usual self, and I am so grateful to God for that. He has molded me and shaped me closer to Him, and for that, we are all grateful!

But Wait! There's More!

2010-07-01T20:12:00.000-07:00

I truly thought the feeling sorry for myself thing was nearing an end....

So, last week, the sewer drain backed up into the laundry and kitchen sinks. Now, before you get too grossed out, the only things draining on this line are the kitchen and laundry sinks. So it wasn't too gross. It was, however, very annoying.

That was right before it became really really awful.

The Roto-Rooter guy is snaking the drain and his snake-thingy gets stuck and twisted and he has to cut it. Twice. That is, apparently, the sign of a very bad thing. As in a collapsed pipe. So that's what it turned out to be. A collapsed sewer pipe, pert-near dead center of my house.

Since then the A-Thon O'hana has:
*boarded up half the house in order to
*cut the floor of the house in half with a
*concrete wet saw after digging with a
*jackhammer for two days which was exacerbated by
*a day of tropical rainstorms

And oh yeah, on the day this all started, we got the puppies spayed/neutered and they both had issues and came home in the cones of shame stoned out of their minds. Whew. It's almost as exhausting to write it as...what am I saying? Ugh. It must be the lack of sleep.

Can I just say that so far, I have learned that saying, "What next?" is a bad idea, unless you really want to know.

Wow...Long time

2010-06-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

It seems like this blog belongs to someone else. It's been so long and so much has changed....

Life feels like it's been put on the spin cycle, and occasionally feels more like a blender (that would be because of the blades...no blades in the washer...)

We're coming up on a year anniversary of things just plain going south on us here at the A-Thon house. For my own thrills and giggles, I'm going to write it all down chronologically. Enjoy the little stroll down memory lane, why don't you?

2009
July: Truck stolen. First new car I ever had. It was a gift from Dad-A-Thon. Police cared not one little bit.

September: Had a small heart surgery. It went well, but I had been having progressive issues with a lifelong heart defect that were scaring me. On the plus side, I am symptom free, and we did hit Disneyland while in LA.

October: I turned 40. Not even going to open that one up all the way.

November: Had an abnormal mammogram that seems to be fine, but now I get them every few months, just to be sure.

December: My dear friend Chris died of lung cancer. I still miss her and can't believe those boys will not have her anymore!
State of Hawaii decides it needs money and will get it by auditing all businesses.* We have a business. Oh the fun.

2010
January: Disgruntled employee sicks DOL on aforementioned business.*

February: Dad-A-Thon's car is hit (and they ran) while parked. Repair cost $2K. Niiice.

March: This one is a plus and a minus--whilst dealing with what could truly be called one of the worst years EVER, we decide to adopt TWO doberman puppies. Thank the Lord they are so cute.

April: Started working full time (and then some) to help Dad-A-Thon (see December and January for more info).

May/June: chaotic life that the A-Thons have worked so carefully to avoid is now the new normal.

*still ongoing

There. That brings us to now which is me feeling pretty sorry for myself and wondering just what happened to my cushy life?

Proud Mama

2010-03-14T17:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the Hawaii State Championship Tae Kwon Do Tournament. I was scheduled to take Boy-A-Thon (BAT) and then leave to go to the Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii (CHOH) Conference. BAT had recently had a small surgery on his lip and was still a bit swollen and sporting stitches, so my main goal for him at the tournament was to not get hit in the mouth.
Fortunately, my goal was achieved, and even better, BAT won a gold medal in forms and a silver in sparring for his belt/weight division! It was exciting and nerve wracking all at once. I like forms (kind of a TKD ballet of sorts, to show the different moves one has learned). Sparring was tough to watch. It's really a fight with kicking. And watching two 14 year old boys who each weigh 130 pounds go at it, was not something I recommend for most moms.
My friend Chris was very involved in TKD. In fact, at this tournament last year, she won a gold medal, just weeks after having a lung removed and while undergoing chemotherapy! To show their love for her, the team of which my son is a member all donned blacked armbands.

Then, each medal winner donated his/her medal to be placed in a frame and given to Chris' family. These kids work and train very hard. For them to give their medals up, isn't easy, but not one kid hesitated.
As if I wasn't already emotional, there was an announcement that the tournament organizers had created a special award for the competitor that showed the most indomitable spirit at the tournament. That award will be given at each state championship and will be called the " award. I was bawling.

So, I decided to stay for the whole tournament and watch my son, instead of attending the CHOH conference and getting a shot in the arm to encourage me in my homeschooling journey. I'm glad I did. I'm also grateful for a fellow sister in Christ this morning who encouraged me that I did indeed do the right thing. It always help to get a second opinion. :-)

New Babies

2010-03-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

Well, to say this weekend was very uncharacteristic of us, would be an understatement. Let's just say that when the weekend was over, we were driving home with two Doberman puppies. I'd say we are nuts, but being the mature adult that I am, my only response is, "Yeah, but they're sooo cute!"

Breitbart.tv » 16 Lies in 7 minutes: State of the Union Video Breakdown

2010-02-01T12:05:00.000-08:00

Breitbart.tv » 16 Lies in 7 minutes: State of the Union Video Breakdown

It's as if were are down the rabbit hole...

Very Funny

2010-02-01T12:04:00.000-08:00

Ahh Vindication!

2010-01-19T23:46:00.000-08:00

The cover of Time magazine caught my eye today. This article proved to make the purchase worthwhile.

Back in 1998 I had to deal with the issue of "Autism Spectrum Disorder" (ASD). It was not my idea of a good time, and changed me forever. As a young mother I was forced to learn that people are ruthless, uncaring, and well, jerks. (Shouldn't have been a newsflash, I know, but it was a newsflash to me.)

Whilst (love that word) researching, digesting, and learning as much as I could about ASD, I came to believe that there were both genetic and environmental components to this "disorder." As I described this to others I would say, "It's like some kids are born with a switch in the 'off' position, and something happens to them to turn that switch on."

Well, it would appear that there is now great evidence to show that is likely the case. A relatively new field of genetics has emerged, "epigenetics." This field argues that, though we cannot alter genomes and pass those alterations to our offspring, we can alter the epigenome, and that change can indeed be passed on to our offspring. The epigenome, for lack of a better analogy, is a switch--or maybe more accurately a volume nob--that can be emphasized or de-emphasized by choices we make in our lives.

It feels good to have "real science" behind a gut instinct. But it is every bit as good a feeling--maybe better--to be in a position that no longer needs the condescending pat on the head.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next several years. I hope I get to see questions answered, peace for families, and quite honestly--I hope to see heads roll.

Pedophilia?

2010-01-19T23:36:00.000-08:00

Though I do not order form Victoria's Secret, I received this catalog in the mail today.

This "cover girl" looks 12 years old to me. Am I just at that age where everyone looks like a kid, or is this pushing the envelope?

"Community Intervener"??

2010-01-19T23:29:00.000-08:00

Last week, I received a newsletter from state of Hawaii senator Jill Tokuda. One of the articles contained a picture with "Representative Ito, Community Intervener (emphasis mine) Grant Yoshimori, & Senator Tokuda..."

Wow, and I thought "Community Organizer" was the most ridiculous "job" description I had ever heard.

I wonder what other jobs are out there... community pot-stirrer... neighborhood troublemaker....Who knows, these could all lead to the White House one day.

My Friend, Chris

2010-01-10T09:47:00.000-08:00

“When all is said (and truly said) about the divisions of Christendom, there remains, by God’s mercy, an enormous common ground.”

C.S. Lewis

That really sums up the Catholic prayer service for my friend, Chris, yesterday. The church was packed with people of all faiths and no faiths. We all loved Chris, and Chris loved the Lord, so there we were.

When Chris and I first started talking bout God, we were new friends. As our conversations grew, I got up the gumption to invite her to a bible study. She dove into the study like a dog after a bone. She devoured the lessons, got extra materials on her own, and came with questions every week. Her faith grew by leaps and bounds. And in that, she and I had several discussions about the Catholic church. We were both reared in Catholic homes--Chris was even fortunate enough to attend parochial school until junior high. I had left the Catholic church and joined a PCA church, and Chris was praying about whether she should also leave the only church she'd known. She made a very thoughtful and prayerful decision to remain a Catholic. She had found a wonderful priest in Father Herman. He became a dear friend and mentor to her as her faith grew.

Our bible study changed much and the "usual suspects" moved away as is always the case in Hawaii. Chris found a bible study at her church and was in a study there until her death. Her faith, once rekindled, never wavered for a minute. Her zeal for drawing closer to God only grew. And when she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer a year ago, she referred to it as a blessing, so that she would keep her focus where it ought to be--on Him.

Amazing. Joyful. Thoughtful. Energetic. Tough. Smart. Diligent. Beautiful. Smiling. Sincere. Devoted. BELOVED.

So when all of those people came to St. Ann's church to grieve the loss of our friend, we all sang worship songs together, and prayed the Lord's prayer. And nothing could have been less important than the denominations or lack thereof of anyone. That is who Chris was. She didn't care about anything but what really mattered: Love God. Love people.
Chris excelled at both.

Reflecting a Bit: Part I

2010-01-07T23:06:00.000-08:00

This past birthday, I turned 40. It should have been somewhat bigger of a deal, I suppose, but it wasn't. Our culture makes a big deal out of changing decades. I'm not sure why.
One thing that has been happening with me, however, is that I am much more reflective about what I am doing now and what I want to be doing in the future.

Another thing that is different--very different, if you know me at all--is that I notice that I am talking less. In general and in particular. I have fewer opportunities for adult conversation, so that's the general part. In particular, though, I'm finding myself not saying things that are right there on my tongue and ready to go. Some of it is maturity--I'm thinking more before I speak. But a lot of it is a realization that no one really wants to hear what I have to say. Don't get me wrong, I didn't previously believe people wanted to hear me talk. I never thought about it at all. I just had an idea, thought, or opinion and shared it.

Now I have had enough experience to know that no matter how much I want to share my experiences with someone, hoping to steer them away from pitfalls, they don't believe a word I am saying. And if I'm really honest, I was exactly the same. One key difference is that no one tried or is trying to mentor or teach me anything. (Something I still lament.) But to be fair, I probably wouldn't have listened to anyone until about the last 3 years or so.

That's enough reflecting for now...

To Chris

2010-01-06T16:00:00.000-08:00

Geek Alert

2009-12-12T11:29:00.000-08:00

You have been warned.
This book is a late addition to my Christmas wish list (along with the time and solitude to read it!)

I have been over the moon about the textbook Explore Evolution, by Stephen C. Meyer, et al. (All the poor homeschooling moms in my hui have had to listen to me go on and on about that book.) It is an excellent biology supplement that takes each issue in the arguments for neo-Darwinism point by point. It presents both sides of the arguments plainly and without bias. The glorious problem in that, though, is that the only reasonable conclusion to be drawn is that there is an intelligence of some sort behind the beginnings of life on earth. By making the argument about the facts and not beliefs, Meyer et al succeed in providing the one critical flaw in Darwinian theory. A flaw that Darwin himself pointed out in his well known On The Origin of Species:

"If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely breakdown. But I can find no such case,"

The text is beautiful and well organized. There are also a DVD and different powerpoint presentations geared to middle, high school, and college students. It is precisely the type of book a Christian needs to truly teach their students the controversy that surrounds our origins. This controversy must be taught to our children if we expect to have them prepared for life.

One of the most debilitating problems in Christianity today, in my humble opinion, is that Christians have all but left science. True, many who are Christian and scientists have been bullied out. However, the Christian response has been shameful...even sinful, if you ask me. Post Enlightenment Christians have taken the bullying and left the secularists and atheists to answer one of the most important questions of humanity: where did I come from? It is this compartmentalization of our lives that has contributed to sappy Christian music, bad curriculum, and an almost total lack of science curricula for those of faith.

Before I became a Christian, I was turned off--even nauseated--by so much of the feel good mindlessness that I thought was Evangelical Christianity. It seemed the prerequisite for faith was an absence of thought. What a blessing to stumble into a branch of Christianity that is rich in study--producing and intellectual faith. However, on the issues of Darwin's theories, there was still a deafening silence. What a refreshing blast of (good) music to read Explore Evolution! What could be more worshipful than hard evidence of a Creator?

Ok, I should end my rant here. As my poor children can testify, I can really go on FOREVER about this. Please do at least check out the websites linked in this post. And remember to pray for my kids, because next week we delve deep into DNA, molecular machines of incredible complexity, and some really great experiments. I can't wait!!

So Many Thoughts...

2009-12-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

...so few of them publishable. ;-)

What a dreadful year it has been! It really began when Teen-A-Thon (She's 20 now, so I'll have to rethink that moniker) and I took a trip to Pennsylvania. We were trying to secure a shot at life for the oh-so-adorable boy she had placed for adoption. The wheels of "justice" had to move slowly so the DNA contributor was afforded every possible opportunity to exhaust many public and private resources. You know, he had rights.

We flew home without success. The loser had phoned in to the court, and the judge (wisely so, but still!) wanted to afford him every opportunity that the law provides to be heard. T-A-T (I'm tired, work with me, here) and I were deflated. We knew it could go either way, but somehow we were both optimistic. While in the air, the results of the 2008 presidential election came in. When our plane landed, I had received a text from Dad-A-Thon. It read "Welcome to ObamaLand." We were just exiting the gate area into the warm open air of Oahu and I shouted, "SH*T." T-A-T didn't say a word. She knew what it meant. We were defeated times two.

And thus, the year has gone. Bad timing, negative complications, and many other things from which we previously enjoyed a respite. It would appear they had only been on pause, waiting to pounce. And pounce, they have indeed.

That's actually nothing. What is really bad, and seriously depressing, is that cancer is the theme of 2009. More of my peeps than I would have ever imagined have been diagnosed with cancer this year. And frankly, I'm pissed. It's not as if my friend with breast cancer who is, by the way, widowed due to her husband's BRAIN CANCER, is the only one. No, there is Kimmi Dee with whom I grew up. And Peg, whose breast cancer was discovered at her 40 year old mammogram. There is Jane who taught at our church's school. And Kim who is our Pastor's secretary. Yes, and Chris, together with whom we homeschool and have reared our kids for the past 9 years... Seriously. It's gotten out of hand.

The economy is in the dumpster. Which affects business. Which affects Dad-A-Thon. Who affects me. Who affects the Kids-A-Thon (bless their hearts).

I'll be happy to see 2009 go. And praying that 2010 has a decent upswing...

Decor

2009-11-19T12:09:00.000-08:00

I figured I'd better skip the whole fall theme and head straight to Christmas. Odds are I won't be getting to this blog much more than I have been...

What's in a Name?

2009-11-08T16:31:00.000-08:00

One of the challenges of being a stay at HOME mom, or a HOUSE wife and HOMEschooler, is that when it's time to relax, I want to be anywhere but HOME! My husband, who is rarely here for more than a few hours at a time, loves us to stay home when he can. I really hate that that is such a conflict...

Long Lost Blogging

2009-08-28T22:59:00.001-07:00

I confess that I have been lured away from blogging to the much more convenient worlds of Facebook and Twitter. They provide a much quicker (and shorter, less intimate, etc.) outlet for my selfish need to blurt, share thoughts, or just hear from other folks.

I kind of like all the neat compartments my life can have with these different areas of "interaction." Sometimes it is awkward though, as I restrain myself from saying what I really think (or maybe change the way I would say it) because I know who will likely be reading it. That is both a good and a bad thing.

It's interesting though, to find other people's thoughts and feelings (or just ways of wasting time) posted in a virtually public arena. It's as if we are all crying out for interaction--but only on our own terms. Too busy to have a real get together, we do the much more convenient thing and make a post to one of the many sites. (I have thought of inventing a way to combine them all into one and call it "MyTwitFace." I wish I could claim that as my own name, but it was PalmtreePundit's.) These sites allow us to feel connected, though we really are not.

Interesting, don't you think?

My Baby is a Teenager

2009-06-15T16:39:00.001-07:00

She had a great day. And I marveled at the idea that she is becoming a woman before my very eyes...

Why We Love Earth Day

2009-04-22T12:10:00.000-07:00

Fourteen years ago today Boy-A-Thon was born. We were young and scared, but very much in love with that little guy. This is a picture of him at Bishop Museum on a "dinosaur dig."

It is all too appropriate that he was born on Earth Day. He loves animals and is mindful about caring for the planet God has given us. Now he is taller than me by nearly 3 inches, helps me around the house and is quite the budding drummer.

Happy Birthday, Boy-A-Thon! We love you dearly and are so proud of you.

I Think I'm Gonna Hurl (yes, this is the second time I've used that headline)

2009-04-21T10:58:00.000-07:00

“It’s a unique time in Washington and this photo helps capture all of the reasons why,” Graff said. “It’s not a normal way to look at a president of the United States but this is not a normal president.”

I couldn't agree more with that statement,though most assuredly, the person making it and I couldn't have more different meanings.

If this is the new normal, I am confident the hurling will continue. This is an article on a NEWS website and is written about the news coverage of The One's abs and pecs, the first dog, and the sleevelessness of FLOTUS' dresses.
SERIOUSLY. The only thing more asinine than reporting on those frivolous topics is reporting about that reporting!! And calling this reporting is being kind here, by the way. At least make it an opinion piece, and make some kind of statement.
If this is what we have in Washington to "keep 'em honest" we're all in deep kim chee.

The Change I Was Afraid Of

2009-04-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

I learned of Barack Obama's election as president after my plane landed and I turned on my phone. I had one text message. It read: Welcome to Obamaland. My response was a one word expletive. I didn't yell it, it just kind of rolled out like a cup of poison would fall from the hand of the one who just drank it and died. That is dramatic, but that is how I felt. On some level, right then and there, I knew we were in for some bad turns.

Our nation has joined a cult. And like any cult, you don't find out what it is you are in, until you are in. No one really knew who Barack Obama was or what he stood for. Though he was a senator, his record was blank (voting "present" will do that). We knew he was pro-abortion and wanted to "spread the wealth around", but we really didn't know much more than that. Now that we're in, we are learning just what it is we have (been) signed onto. And again, like a cult, any disagreement is quickly beaten down. Those who adore the leader take care of that task for him, without having to be asked to do so.

The TEA parties held thoughout the nation this past April 15 are the first, I fear, in what will be a long and progressively uglier scrap over the next four years. The MSM's utter digust of the people's right to gather and protest the Beloved Leader was truly disheartening to me as an American. The irony of community organizer types to loathe the very idea that people would gather in protest is stunning. From the verbal battering by CNN's Susan Roesgen to the truly back alley gutter language used openly by Anderson Cooper of CNN and David Schuster of MSNBC, we have crossed over to a new place of language use. Read this article from Greg Hengler at Townhall.com. The author makes important points about the type of language used in civil discourse and debate. It is also important for you to see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears what was allowed on air by CNN and MSNBC. I had no idea what either reporter was talking about, but have now been "re-educated" by those two informative news outlets.

Hey! Hey! Oy Oy Vey!

2009-04-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

Our Omniubus I group will be having a Seder next week. I have wanted to do a Seder for years, and finally will get to do it. A sweet neighbor of mine who is Jewish loaned me a bunch of her stuff, so it's a go.
While hunting around on the internet for recipes and such, I came across this. I loved it and hope you will too :-)

TOTUS

2009-03-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

If you haven't yet checked this out, you must. It's at least a little levity. I tell ya, it's getting downright gloomy to think of four whole years of this.

The Ends Justify The Means (Or How our President Needs a Vocab. and History Refresher)

2009-03-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

The President has reversed the prior administration's ruling on federally funded embryonic stem cell research. This has many people thinking we can finally have the research we need on embryonic stem cells. Interestingly, though, private funding--those who choose to have their money used for this purpose--was never affected by the Bush Administration's ban. Only those labs seeking taxpayer money were limited. Anyone who felt so strongly about this issue that they were willing to put up their own money, was always able to do so. The issue here was and is taxpayer money--yours and mine. So now, those who believe the ends justify the means have gotten their way, and we all get to pick up the tab.

On to the vocab section...
The President said:

"Medical miracles do not happen simply by accident. They result from painstaking and costly research from years of lonely trial and error, much of which never bears fruit and from a government willing to support that work," Mr. Obama said as he signed an executive order and a memorandum overturning Mr. Bush's 2001 policy.

Point of order, Mr. President. A "miracle" is not something that is painstakenly ground out through man's sweat and government funding. A "miracle" is

mir-a-cle /mir-ə-kəl/ [mir-uh-kuhl]
–noun 1. an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.
2. such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God.
3. a wonder; marvel.

As such, then, it is not possible to use the word "miracle" and have it be an accurate description of the events Mr. Obama sees on the horizon of stem cell research. Now, I don't want to be a Keith Olberman, here, but words mean things. And words from presidents mean a lot.

Time for history. (And a shout out to the importance of worldview.)
Values and beliefs determined by the culture create people like OJ Simpson. He has surrounded himself with his own culture and everyone in it believes he is innocent. -Ish. The problem in that example is obvious--the guy is guilty and has delude himself and his hangers-on that he is not. The same thing happens in any belief system that is not rooted in timeless truth. Everyone agrees about what is right, wrong, good and bad. The only problem is, it doesn't have anything to do with what is actually right/wrong/good/bad. It is based on the majority opinion.
"Majority rules", seems downright American. And it is. But think about what that has meant for our nation. Slavery. Women not able to vote, or be landowners. A husband's right to hit his wife. School segregation. These were all held as majority opinions. It was the minority who based their arguments on fundamental rights given by their creator, who caused the majority opinion to change.

And though majority opinions do change, the actual rightness or wrongness of something does not. When we have a sitting president who bases his decisions on the popular attitude of the times, we are making huge strides backward as a nation. Not very progressive, is it?

Of course, I have to end this post with the verse that begs to be shared:

Ephesians 4
13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Breakfast of Champions

2009-03-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

I've been down with the flu all weekend. Boy-A-Thon has two physics experiments--one of which needed to be completed by this morning. Since Dad-A-Thon is extra busy building the dream this meant Boy-A-Thon would not have adult supervision to do his experiment. His online teacher stressed the that the students were, under no circumstances whatsoever, to perform experiments without an adult present. Boy-A-Thon (bless his heart) is a rule follower. This made for an interesting start to our day. Because my counter is black, it's hard to see, but we started our day with fruit, cereal, a stopwatch, 5 washers, string, a pen casing, ruler and some note paper.

None of us really wants this to be Monday, and I am modeling procrastination right this very minute as I blog before I start Girl-A-Thon's math...

Funnier if it Wasn't True

2009-01-27T11:54:00.000-08:00

"It is right for us to rescind this policy and restore critical efforts to protect and empower women and promote global economic development."

2009-01-23T21:33:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else see the problem with the worldview that allows someone to make that statement?

That statement finally shows the real issue behind the frame of mind that justifies aborttion. Abortion has so little to do with women's rights, and so much to do with economics. In fact the president's perspective is so very American. An inconvenient life is rightfully destroyed, when it is economically challenging to support it.

New Toy and a Countdown

2009-01-22T15:53:00.000-08:00

We are fortunate enough to be going skiing again this year. (Thus the Deer Valley ski report to the right.) Last year it was just Dad-A-thon and the kids, while I satyed home with a very pregnant Teen-A-Thon. What a year it has been!

Because of the craziness of this past year, I am especially looking forward to a vacation with the four of us. I've missed how much fun it is to just hang together. I know--homeschooling gives us time together, but that's work. This will be all play. And I think I'm even a bit more excited than the kids are about it!

And It Begins with an O(bama)

2009-01-21T22:43:00.000-08:00

Wow. Am I the only person who's more than a little bit concerned at the expediency with which Obama is shutting down these prisons? The guy has basically had two months to review and digest the masses of intelligence that have been collected since 9/11. And with that level of expertise he's willing to shut everything down that has kept us safe for nearly 8 years? That's kind of scary, no?

You gotta love the naivete of this:

The official said "there are serious concerns as to where the detainees will be held" and that sending them "into the U.S. federal court system may lead to some of them being released" because the military commissions have different guidelines regarding evidence.

White House officials declined to comment on the status of the orders.

I'll bet they declined to comment.

So. Just to recap: our new president has already stopped military prosecution of enemy combatants, is now set to close the military prisons, and is seeking to prosecute these terrorists in our federal court system. Just for you slow kids in the back, that will extend to these people the same rights as a U.S. citizen. (Yes, meaning they will have court-appointed (read: paid for by you and me) attorneys, and they will have the right to sue to federal government under any of the plethora of "you made me feel bad" laws.

Dennis Prager nailed Obama's worldview today when he said that his thoughts on our enemies are child-like. Below, Prager quotes from the inaugural speech and then points out the dangers of having a child's mind in the oval office:

“Our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.” Only the very, very naive could say something so wrong. It is hard to identify a time in history when any people’s security emanated from the justness of their cause. That is a fairy tale. Did the justness of the Jews’ cause give the Jews security in Hitler’s Europe? Or the Ukrainians or Armenians or Cambodians or anyone else? Powerful armies give decent peoples their security, not the justness of their cause. If President Obama believes that in this world good people are secure thanks to the goodness of their cause, America is in trouble.

Lamenting a Childhood Dream

2009-01-21T21:24:00.000-08:00

When I was in high school, I decided I wanted to have six children. In fact, I talked about it like it was a given--just part of my grand plan. (A friend in college nicknamed me "Six" because I held tightly to that plan.) I had met this brother and sister and they came from this wonderfully warm family with 14 kids. They actually ate in shifts. But they ate at the dinner table every meal. Somehow, they all had these strong individual relationships with their mom and with their dad. (To this day, I am trying to figure out how that was accomplished!)

Well, obviously the nickname I should have had was "Two". My plan had to give way to God's plan on that and so many other things over which I foolishly believed I could control as an adult.

I bring this up, because I've recently re-connected with the girl from my hometown and she has seven beautiful children. As I perused the pictures on her Facebook page, it actually stung a little bit to see the huge gatherings of family. As she said--it's always a party. And when her family of origin gets together with all of their kids, it's quite a wide angle lens moment. (Each of the 14 have had large families, too.)

It is really something to be around a healthy, strong family. I craved that for myself when I was a teenager. And I thought that the key was in the numbers. In my lingering foolishness, I do wonder what a gaggle full of Kid-A-Thons would be like. And then realistically, I know that it's an issue of quality not quantity. And for me, having to figure this all out as I go, two have really got me maxed out.
I guess God does know what he's doing after all ;-)

Sweet Sarcasm

2009-01-08T23:56:00.000-08:00

This is why I love Ann Coulter

Stop What You are Doing

2009-01-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

And go read this.
(Hat Tip: Palmtreepundit)

Tacky Tacky Tacky

2009-01-08T14:17:00.000-08:00

I wish Gigi* was here. She'd have the perfect disapproving glare for our president-elect. She was always a stickler for appropriateness. Clearly some of that has rubbed off on me, as I literally physically cringed when I read this article.

Here's the gist: GW had the five living presidents over for lunch. It was a nice gesture and his last hurrah as host in the White House. (Yes, he is still president, and it is still his home.) It was a nice photo op, GW made a pleasant statement, and there were no questions taken from the press. Apparently "The Office Of The President Elect" does not have an etiquette staffer because after the President of the United States ended the time with the press, Barack Hussein Obama just couldn't help himself and had to illustrate his winning rhetorical skills. (Yes, that is sarcasm you smell cooking. Mmmm, yummy.)

George W. wrapped it up with:

"Thank you all." Done, finished, over and out.

Junior White House staffers immediately bellowed "Thank you! Thanks, guys!" in an aggressive call for the press to vamoose. The giant "scoop" television lights that illuminated the members of the world's most exclusive club were quickly shut off as reporters and photographers began heading for the door.

But just then, the man who takes over the house on Jan. 20 on a long-term lease -- four years, with an option to renew for four more -- decided that the show wasn't quite over.

With a wave of his right hand, he froze the press corps in place. Still in the dark, and with Mr. Bush fidgeting next to him, Mr. Obama stammered at first, taking the floor in a room that, for eight years, has fallen silent after the president has spoken and his staffers have called out, "Thank you!"

"The, uh, uh, I, I, I, I, uh, I just want to thank the president for, uh -- I just want to thank the president for hosting us," he said, gesturing to Mr. Bush, whose fixed-on smile looked a bit like a grimace as the lights were turned back on. "This is an extraordinary gathering. All the gentlemen here understand both the pressures and possibilities of this office. And for me to have the opportunity to get advice, good counsel and fellowship with these individuals is extraordinary. And I'm very grateful to all of them. But again thank you, Mr. President, for hosting us."

Now I realize that I am being at least a little bit harsh on a newbie, but he is about to be the most important leader on the planet. And he is representing our entire nation. I'd like to think that someone could clue him in on when to just be quiet.(And no, the irony is not lost on me making that statement ;-)
(FULL DISCLOSURE: I am already thinking "tacky-tacky" because my friend was at the gym when the Obamas were working out during Christmastime. Mrs. Obama was dressed in a jog bra and biking shorts. That is specifically forbidden attire for the military base. And frankly, that is not appropriate public attire for the First Lady of the United States. Even in Hawaii.)

*Gigi was my grandmother.

Waaaah. (Big Spoiled Baby Alert)

2009-01-06T18:00:00.000-08:00

Remember how thrilled I was with my excellent customer service from Williams-Sonoma? Well...I spoke too soon. As I was puttng away Christmas decor, I realized I still had not received my replacement plates. So I called, and guess what? They're out of stock. (No kidding. I actually knew that, but was assured that my replacements were on their way and would even arrive before Christmas.) When Christmas came and went without the plates having arrived, I wasn't too worried--figuring they wouldn't be priority shipped during the holiday season.

So my consolation prize is a refund. And I can hope that they will have the plates again next year, as I now only have 11. (Here I thought I was so smart ordering a couple of spares in case I broke them. Now I don't even have 12.) eBay here I come!
UPDATE: eBay has none :-(

Oprah Who?

2008-12-29T10:38:00.000-08:00

For some years now, I've been trying to figure out why I don't watch Oprah anymore. I guess more truthfully, I should say that I don't want to watch Oprah anymore. There are only so many subjects to cover in a talk show, right? However, I have thought there were some other--deeper--reasons, I just couldn't quite put my finger on any of them. Today, The New Republic (TNR) helped me figure that out.

Oprah has again been had by the author of a book that is touted as fact but is purely fiction. This time, however, the subject is surviving the Holocaust. Oh sure, it's a love story, but what makes this story truly heart gripping is the setting. And the near impossibility of the events taking place. That's what really grabs your heart. The Rosenblats have become quite the cause celebre by spinning this yarn:

Herman entered a competition in a newspaper to award the most romantic story. Not surprisingly, he won. His story then made its way to the pages of Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul. Oprah Winfrey featured Herman and Roma on a special 1996 Valentine's Day show, and again in November 2007. (A spokesperson for Oprah had no comment about whether they fact-check guests' stories). Herman signed with the Ambassador Speaker's Bureau, a conservative agency that represents clients like Alan Keyes and Stephen Baldwin (the evangelical brother of Alec and Billy). He also signed with literary agent Andrea Hurst, and in December of last year, sold the rights to his memoir to Berkley Books.

There is also a movie in the works...

I am not Jewish, nor do I have any close relations who experienced the Holocaust. However, there is something about that horror that all humanity shares. Thus, all humanity should be outraged by such deception. Anyone who tugs at a person's emotions just because they have the sheer power to do so, is sick. A child of the authors say as much about his own parents:

Gabriel Sherman writes: "When I asked Ken [Rosenblat] how his parents could have lived a double life for some 15 years, he explained that for his mother, who survived the Holocaust as a child by hiding as a Polish Catholic, living with an assumed identity was almost natural. 'My mother lived a life of hiding. It was natural for them to lie, to cheat, and this is something that they lived with,' he told me."

And that is a big part of why I really don't like Oprah anymore: she loves to tug at the audience's emotions because she can. (There's also the weird new age religiosity stuff, but that's for another time.)

I used to watch her show with my college roommates. We even scheduled classes around the time the show aired! Later when I was a young mother home with two babies, I hoped I'd get a chane to see the Oprah show and fold laundry. On the days when I did, it was great. What I have realized, is that there is a common thread in the times in my life when I watched that show. In college I was a teenager and young adult with lots of hormones, emotion, and not a lot of brains. As a young mother, I was sleep deprived, and really just a pool of emotions. The Oprah show fed my desire to wallow in feelings and to not think seriously or critically about ANYTHING.

Thankfully, I am growing in those areas. Yet sadly, a woman old enough to be my mother is not. And even more sadly, her iconic status among women remains. That's where the comments of a TNR reader finalized my understanding of it all:

Add to this the mindless elevation of victimhood in this country, the mindless celebration of victimhood on talk show after talk show after talk show--the proclaiming of one's wounds, of being praised and respected for the mere fact of one's wounds (not for the manner in which one has responded to them)--add this into the mix, and the credulous celebration of the Rosenblats' fabricated suffering (like the credulous celebration of James Frey's fabricated suffering) seems as much a reflection of the corruption of our culture as of the liars themselves.

I would refer you to a line from Norman Manea (who was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp as a child, and then, as an adult, was a dissident under Ceausescu):
______________________________________________________________________________

"Suffering. . .corrupts," writes Norman Manea, "and suffering peddled publicly corrupts absolutely."

______________________________________________________________________________

The issue here, frankly, is reality. We are so corrupted as a culture that reality has no bearing on things. Feelings trump all else. This is dangerous territory in that we stand to lose sight of the realities of the Holocaust, and every other real thing that happened if we as a culture prefer to deal only with feelings.

The TNR writer tried over and over to get real answers--truthful answers--from those affiliated with the Rosenblats. He and others were excoriated for doubting the words of someone who had endured such suffering. The feelings about the story had trumped the reality of it.

You'd think there'd be a long list of embarrassed folks, right? WRONG. Oprah is still supporting the story. The movie will be made. And the ability to determine truth from fiction will be whittled away all the more.

Strange times, folks...educating ourselves and our children is all the more important.

If you want to follow the TNR story start here, then go here, and here. It's long but a fascinating look at the ethics of those who shape our culture.

So....Yeah...Whatever

2008-12-27T21:59:00.000-08:00

That's TeenSpeak for any of you who are new to the language. If you try hard to remember your own teen years, you may have a better chance of translating.

Civics Test

2008-12-19T10:45:00.000-08:00

Take this to see how well you know the goings on of your own nation.

Excellent Customer Service

2008-12-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

UPDATE:

This is the adorable plate.

It is said that when a person has a great experience with a company, that person will tell three friends about that experience. On the other hand, when a person has a bad experience with a company, they tell, on average, ten people about it. Ever since I learned about that statisitc (I have no idea if it's true or where it came from) I have tried to be fair and tell the good along with the bad--and the ugly, for that matter.

This is a time of telling the good.

I saw and fell immediately in love with the Williams-Sonoma 12 Days of Christmas decor this year. The design looks old, yet timeless, and has easy care instructions. That's what I call a perfect match. (I think Dad-A-Thon calls it a perfect storm, but I digress...) I ordered some of their adorable plates and they arrived yesterday. Sadly, 3 were broken. So I called the local store hoping to stop in and replace them. Nope. Sold out. I told you they were adorable. In fact, they are so adorbale (and sold out) that I can't even find them on the Williams-Sonoma website to show you a picture.

Well, I called WS Customer Service, and guess what? I actually got customer service! Yes, seriously, I did. They are sending me 3 replacement plates right away. WooHoo! So, I just had to tell you and hope that more than 3 of you read this post. :-)

Not A Typical Teen

2008-12-12T11:07:00.000-08:00

There are certain names of towns that are regularly in the headlines. Usually those headlines are at best, negative, and at worst, criminal. I was so very pleasantly surprised to see this headline today:

Wai'anae teen rescues 62-year-old neighbor

Give it a read. It's an encouragement, and it has interesting chracters, to boot ;-)

Merry Christmas

2008-12-11T17:43:00.000-08:00

Lots of thoughts to blog about...not enough time to put them down with any coherence. I did seem to have time to decorate the blog for Christmas, though...hmmm...priorities, I suppose.

Need More Cowbell

2008-11-18T22:38:00.001-08:00

A childhood friend sent me this link to blast me to the past. Journey has a big part in any GenXer's life, believe me. My friend is single, so I got to have him share in the weirdness when I told him that Boy-A-Thon is very much into classic rock and the hair bands of the 80's and that he plays all the songs from our teen years on his guitar.
(For the record, it is very strange to have songs that elicit memories from your teen years being played by your son.)

This walk down memory lane had me thinking that I really needed more cowbell. Showing this to Boy-A-Thon, we were nearly all wetting our pants.

More Cowbell - Funny bloopers are a click away

I Simply Must Say Something Positive

2008-11-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

So, I will share with you the overwhelming warmth and joy I feel right now as I watch my daughter. She is listening to The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis as part of her Omnibus I studies. While she listens, she is knitting. Earlier today, she called me in to her bedroom where she was reading. She had the giggles because she had put a ribbon bookmark on the cat's head. He sat there regally, as if all other cats shoud have a bookmark on their heads, too. It was kind of funny, but mostly it was adorable. I am so incredibly grateful for homeschooling. I get to see these aspects of my daughter's personality, and she gets to stay a little girl at the age of 12.

Hello...Complaint Department?

2008-11-07T15:38:00.000-08:00

BEWARE.

I am extraordinariy cranky today. A mood like this strikes very rarely. Kind of like a perfect storm, if you will. When it strikes, it makes up for the past days of calm.

First, there is the fact that Lazy-Loser (heretofore "LL") has been given yet another extension to ensure that his right to parent is preserved. I suppose I shouldn't be angry. After all, he has mounted the huge sacrifice and parental effort of 2 phone calls. Surely he should guide and nurture a child with drive like that.

Then, we have voted ourselves a nightmare of a congress and president. He's already got big plans for us all. Apparently taking our money won't suffice. We'll have to have the use of our time directed by Dear Leader, as well.

Add to that a vehicle was stolen from our company again. (For the record, that event happens with enough frequency that it doesn't usually phase me. But today I actually saw the vehicle on the side of the freeway. However, by the time help arrived to the area it was gone again. Of course.)

Finally, I had a day filled with left lane issues.
(A little explanation is in order for you mainland folks--there is a universal problem with drivers in Hawaii. You know how the left lane is "the passing lane" or the "fast lane"? Well, in Hawaii it's just one of two lanes in which you may choose to drive 10 mph below the speed limit--usually side-by-side, thereby controlling the flow of traffic for an entire freeway.)

Well, you've been warned. If you see me today, probably best to cross to the other side of the street. ;-)

Well....Hell.

2008-11-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

That's what G-Ma Peterson would say. And I think that pretty much sums up my thoughts as well. However, PalmtreePundit has the right response to the election.

Count Your Blessings

2008-10-28T13:26:00.000-07:00

And hold those you love close.
Think about this and pray for our military families.

The Right to Choose (Provided, of course, that you make the Right Choice)

2008-10-27T19:36:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm kind of a delayed reaction person... (That's a nice way of saying I'm slow.)

As you may or may not know, Teen-A-Thon gave birth to, and placed her adorable baby boy for adoption early this year. I can't begin to adequately chronicle what that was like for her or for our family, so I have not tried. The emotions that come with seeing a young girl holding a positive pregnancy test are vast, let's just put it that way. Add to that the various health scares, a very long, hard labor that ended in an emergency C-section in the wee hours of the morning, and let me tell ya, Teen-A-Thon has had quite the year.

Here we are today, and we must go to great lengths to ensure that the choice that Teen-A-Thon made is respected by the law. I can't help but get a little frustrated as I realize that, had she made a different choice for her baby, we'd have the law completely on our side instead of having to wrestle with it. And that, my friends is what has caused me to realize that the issue is not choice. I do think (hope?) the issue was once choice, or at least I think (hope?) that's what abortion proponents believed. But that is simply no longer the case.

Because she chose life, her choice is totally disregarded. If she had chosen death for the baby, no father notification would have been necessary, and her choice would be upheld without issue. However, that is not the case. With one 11th hour phone call, her choice is completely overlooked and the birth father's rights supercede hers, those of the family who has cared for the baby from birth, as well as the rights of the baby himself! The message to women is clear: choosing death is not only legal, it's easier and a heckuva lot cheaper. Oh, and upheld by the law.

One last minute phone call warrants greater legal consideration than the choice this young woman made? Seriously? After all the pain, sacrifices, heartwrenching decisions and prayer Teen-A-Thon put into placing her baby for adoption...she poured over profiles of adopitve families, finally deciding on the one family she knew would love and care for her baby. It's truly stunning to think that one phone call would be regarded in the same light, much less in a favored light.

So, I've come to realize that the political question is not whether our country values choice--we know it does(Roe v. Wade isn't going anywhere). The question on a political level is whether it values life.

By the way, the father has done nothing since the phone call months ago. Yet, in the event that he pulls another last minute stunt, the court system behaves as though he has. Therefore, we have to behave/plan as though he has. All of this time/effort/money/stress/even taxpayer money because of the grand show of love and dedication to fatherhood in one phone call. Amazing.

Real Issues

2008-10-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

I'm inclined to agree with the Palmtree Pundit. There are bigger issues than a $150,000 wardrobe (which, by the way, is loaned to Mrs. Palin).

Furthermore, is it just me, or do the rest of you find this megabucks election a little odd in contrast to the collapsing economy? I mean the headlines are so weird:
Stocks Mixed as Investors Worry About Economy
and
With $605 Million Already Obama Seeks Only $10 More From Each Of Us

No one has any money except those supporting Obama. That's either contradictory, or a little suspicious...;-)

You've Probably Seen This Already

2008-10-21T21:41:00.001-07:00

But it's funny so I'm posting it anyway.
All the plumbers in the house...

New Look

2008-10-21T20:14:00.001-07:00

Well, I kinda like the new wallpaper here. I'm not fond of the diamonds on the side, but I L-O-V-E LOVE the red white and black action. What do you think?

Found Some Time

2008-10-21T19:05:00.001-07:00

And I need to use it here to apologize. Publicly. To the National Organization for Women (NOW). For a while now, I've been criticizing NOW for being dishonest. I've been known to say things like, "How can they call themselves the National Organization for Women, when they spew such vitriol and hate toward Sarah Palin?" (You know, I was surprised by that because she's a...woman.) I've pondered the hubris of co-opting the idea that you speak for all women, when you actually only support a sub-group of women whose politics are of a particular bent.

I came to realize my thoughtlessness, when I recently saw a "NOW:Keep Abortion Legal" sticker. That's when it hit me...NOLLHMAW would not fit nicely on a sticker, if you wanted to put anything else on the sticker...or T-Shirt for that matter. And let's face it, it's just not a catchy acronym. Therefore, I publicly apologize to NOW for not coming out of the closet as the National Organization of Left Leaning Hate Mongering Angry Women (NOLLHMAW).
(It really loses it's flow in the honest portrayal, doesn't it?)

No Time to Blog

2008-10-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

But I have been keeping up with a few things.

Ann Coulter's October 15th post makes a scary observation. It seems that the Bradley effect may actually not be that people are racist, but fear being thought of as racist, thus causing them to lie to a pollster.

Charles Krauthammer is almost always right. This article is no exception.

And then, reason and logic have become casualties in the quest for winning in forensics, and bettering "race relations".
(hat tip: Uncle Doctor)

Sarah's Big Night

2008-10-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

And the most important question I want answered......

What will she wear? ;-) Can you even imagine trying to get dressed and "ready" for this event?

Seriously, though, I am hoping that the good ol' boys who manage the GOP candidates don't tone her down. I hope she stays the Sarah we all loved from the get-go. If she gets too Washingtonized that'll be the death of the McCain -Palin campaign, IMHO.

Will you be watching live? I'll be recording it, to watch as a civics lesson with the Kids-A-Thon

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World

2008-09-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

First, there is PETA. Not that they've been beacons of intellect (with Pam Anderson as your spokesperson, the bar is pretty low), but this is down right diagnoseable. PETA has requested that Ben & Jerry's ice cream start using human milk. No, I'm not making that up.

Next is the fashion trend of being homosexual. Yes, it's cheaper than the new Prada bag, and far more forward thinking. Newsflash to no one, Clay Aiken has announced he is gay. And fresh from the "Someone Please Save the Young Girls In Holywood" file, Lindsey Lohan says she is dating Samantha Ronson. Although, she's not exactly sure how long she's been dating her, it's been "a very long time." I wonder how long that is in real people years?

Jesus come quickly.

A Chuckle for the Campaign Season

2008-09-18T00:04:00.000-07:00

As Nan-A-Thon said, "I don't care who you are, that's funny right there."

Strength and Grace

2008-09-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

This is what they really look like.

SNL's Palin

2008-09-15T16:01:00.001-07:00

They've done better work. But there are a few funny moments.

ABC Edits and Chevy and Matt are Disgusted

2008-09-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

It seems that ABC edited a decent chunk of Charlie Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin.

Bottom line is that ABC did its best to characterize Palin as not ready for the job of VP and as a Christian Whack Job. If you saw the interviews, you know they didn't succeed among thoughtful and fair minded folk. There were some semi-awkward moments, which now make more sense when you realize they were edited to cause viewers to give pause to thoughts of Palin as VP.

The gist of it is here.

The full transcript is here.

Indicating their utter cluelessness to the lives that most Americans live, Chevy Chase and his wife add their $.02 to the Palin discussion while plugging their "charity" (The Center for Environmental Education, of the "famous" Green School Network) here (Note the arrogance):

I saved my favorite for last. Matt Damon is so stunned by Palin's appeal, that he can barely contain his digust. It's obvious he thinks anoyone who is pro Palin is an idiot. Inititally, he looks like someone killed his dog, then later, like he wants to spit.

But Seriously...

2008-09-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

You gotta love a woman who dresses like this

And this

And the Ugliness begins

2008-09-01T12:56:00.000-07:00

Well, on the plus side, the news about Sarah Palin's daughter does prove that Mrs. Palin is in fact a mere mortal.

As a "mom" of a teenager who recently gave brith, I can say that the issue just doesn't freak me out like I guess it should. These things happen. That is not to minimize it in any way, but really, they do. Mrs. Palin stated that her daughter will be keeping the baby and that she and the father will be getting married. That should be the end of that story. But we'll see...

Christians Praying for Muslims

2008-09-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

This year, the Muslim holiday of Ramadan coincides with the 30 days of September. Here is a link to pray for a Muslim country and its people each of those 30 days. It's a great site with a map as well as political and demographic information, too.

Day one is Tajikistan.

A Note of Praise

2008-08-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

The events of this past week--especially Thursday night--are something of which every American ought to be quite proud. Why would I say that, when I am personally diametrically opposed to nearly everything the Democrat party believes in? It's simple, really. You see, no matter where any of us fall on the political spectrum, the fact that 45 years after Martin Luther King, Jr. told America about his dream, that dream is realized. It is not realized because a black man is running for president of this country. It is not realized because of who Barack Obama is. It is realized because of what America is.

America has learned from its mistakes, made the necessary changes and moved forward. Has it been easy? Has it come without pain? Has it been perfect? Not at all. But to think that in 45 years we have gone from the norm being segregated seats on a bus, to the very idea of segregation being absurd, well, that's nothing short of miraculous. And it is something that every American should be proud of.

I hope that you have followed the political talk about Obama and his acceptance speech. Notice that the discussion is about issues, opinions, and the content of his character. Count yourself lucky. You've wtinessed a dream come true.

Classic(al) Rock

2008-08-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

One of the syllogisms Boy-A-Thon had to write in Logic class today was a modus tollens. This syllogism follows the pattern:

If P, then Q.
Not Q.
Therefore, not P.

His work:

If I'm back in black, I'll hit the sack.
I won't hit the sack.
Therefore, I'm not back in black.

I love my job!

Maybe I'm wishing for the moon...

2008-08-25T23:09:00.000-07:00

...but I'd really appreciate it if the pace and reasoning of the law as it pertains to adoption would be logical and focus on the best interest of the child. That would sure be nifty, neet-o, and WooHoo worthy.

The Ten Commandments

2008-08-23T23:16:00.000-07:00

Girl-A-Thon had to watch Cecil B.DeMille's 1956 epic movie for school. The assignment was to watch the film (all 4 hours of it!) and keep track of the differences between the film and the bible text. There were so many, she had to reload her mechanical pencil with lead. The final count was 48 discrepancies.
The film really was a hoot to watch. It is super cheesy with Neferteri calling Seti (The first Pharoh and Ramses' father) "a silly crocodile", and him replying, "Hush, kitten." I'm not particularly strong as a biblical scholar, but I'm pretty sure that was not in the original Aramaic text.

Family Driven Faith

2008-08-20T22:39:00.001-07:00

That's the Title of the Book I'm reading. (Seriously, I should have finished it a long time ago, but I only read it on the elliptical, and well, I haven't exactly been consistent with that lately...and a friend recommended another very good book, and...and...)

There are so many goodies in this book. I will share a couple. (I don't agree with everything the author has to say, but then, when do any of us?)

Writing about the rate at which Christian kids leave the faith once on their own (75% after their freshman year of college) the author states that the current thinking in which we parents outsource the discipling of our kids to "the professionals" of the church youth group:

Talk to a college pastor about the freshman fallout rates, and he will tell you, "We do the best we can, but by the time we get them from the youth ministry, it's too late." Talk to a high school pastor and he'll tell you, "We have to do a better job in our junior high ministry." Of course, the junior high pastor is going to blame the children's minister, who will, in turn, pass the buck to the preschool minister. I believe there is a more fundamental question that we must ask. Could it be that we have established systems designed to meet the wrong needs and attack the wrong problems?"

(emphasis mine)

Well, since most youth groups are really competing as an entertainment entity, I'd say, yes, we are after the wrong problems. Last time I checked, kids in this country are not exactly suffering a lack of entertainment options.

And this, about the whole idea of outsourcing that which God has called parents to ensure:

"...you visit a church, your teen goes off to the youth service, your little one goes off to children's church, the baby goes to the nursery, and you and your spouse get a great seat in a plush auditorium with first-class music, professional drama, a relevant, encouraging, application-oriented, non-threatening talk, and you get it all in just under an hour."

Now, in Hawaii, if you get air conditioning you've scored, but you get the basic idea. The problem here is that the family is not together at all--even in church.

Both of these examples highlight the point the author makes which is this:
We can't very well be surprised at who our children turn out to be once they are out on their own, when we have had little or no time/influence with them while they were in our care.

Did you hear?

2008-08-16T22:33:00.000-07:00

...How many times John McCain mentioned homeschooling as a successful educational choice? Well, I did, and I really appreciated it :-)

That's while he was chatting it up with Pastor Rick Warren, that is. He asnwered his questions so succinctly, that Pastor Warren had to fill the extra time. Obama, on the other hand was his usually wordy self (without saying too much).

Look What Those Russians Started

2008-08-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

I'm telling you, people are getting a little too goofy for me. This likely will not make mainland news, but it sure is a big deal here. Interestingly enough, there is another group who is already occupying part of the lawn of palace. They've been there on a permit. As people grow in both ignorance and boldness, it makes me nervous...
Especially when there are witnesses who state that

...three men shoved aside a palace employee as she attempted to allow someone onto the grounds. The incident occurred near the diamondhead-side gate.

A witness, attorney James Wright, said the men struck the employee and slammed her into a gate in front of a police officer. All the officer said is "this is not HPD jurisdiction," Wright said.

Wright said the woman was attempting to escort him onto the grounds when three men began to assault her.

"They hit her and hit her and hit, and the police sergeant stood there and did nothing," Wright said.

While they were not punching her, "they were slamming her against the post and then slamming the gate on her," he said. "And the police officer did nothing to protect her. The cop literally walked away while she was still being pushed around."

(I apologize for the dreadful sentence structure.)
Additionally, one of the group's members claims to be a federal marshall and says that the palace is "now under federal protective custody."
Now, I may be new to the study of logic, but isn't that a bit odd to be seeking protection from the "great overthrower" against whom you are now rebelling?

Check out the entire article with video.

Breakfast of Champions?

2008-08-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

That results in this body??

Ok, well that diet paired with swimming nearly four miles in each workout and practicing twice a day with hardly a day off, that is.

(Thanks to PalmtreePundit for the resources)

I Can't Believe I Forgot Joe's Liquor!

2008-07-30T14:17:00.001-07:00

This place is in the memories of many former Sweetwater County teens...mainly because Joe's NEVER asked for ID. And yes, that sign does say "Drive-In".

My Wyoming: The Promised photos

2008-07-29T17:55:00.000-07:00

Hail!

Rainbow trout fish fry.
There is a town...and a river runs through it...

Oh beautiful for spacious skies...

Serious windmills
No, I'm talking HUGE Windmills. Below are the parts with Dad-A-Thon standing nearby. That is ONE of the three blades.

Close up of the blade where it attaches to the center.

The center motor piece.

Then there are the other pics that warm my heart and let me know I'm back in the country:

To Tell or Not To Tell?

2008-07-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

Long ago, I freely shared information about one of my children with people. I was an open book. You asked me, I told. I did this, because I thought that most people would like having as much information as possible when dealing with a child with "differences".

Oh how young and naive....

Yes, people did like having the info. However, instead of this informing and increasing their patience and understanding, it informed them and they never looked at my child with unbiased eyes again. That was painful. Excruciating, actually. And maybe it's my Italian bloodline, or just a hard heart, but I don't like getting burned--at all.
Now, my child never has felt any pain from this, nor is it likely he ever will. He is truly beyond all of it. He sees people for who/what they are. It doesn't offend him personally if someone cannot give him a fair shot. He sees it all as a defect in the other party. And frankly, he is spot on.

I, being a lesser developed soul, have been absolutely heartbroken by such events. Which brings me to the title of this post. At this point--and believe me, it has been a journey and a half to get here--my son is what most people would condsider just "a bit odd". So I am regularly tortured with the dilemma of whether or not to explain his oddities or just move on, knowing that there is that looming question mark.
I've often thought of consulting friends, but most either know how far we've come and rejoice with us, or only know him as he is now, neither of which offer a truly independent opinion.

So, here I am left wondering...I think it is a state that I shall likely live in perpetually....

What would you do?

Boys Will Be Men

2008-07-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

Here are some good quotes from Future Men, a book by Doug Wilson that I finished recently. It's short and very interesting. He wraps every chapter up with a keeper.
In the chapter titled "Contempt for the Cool",Wilson contrasts the difference between pop and classical music:

The Music of Bach is of course demanding to perform, but it also makes demands on the listener. This is why the undisciplined mind avoids such music; it invites thought, contemplation, discipline, lots of icky things."

Another laugh out loud line is this from the chapter titled "Christian Liberty" where he discusses, among other things, the fine balance of the freedom of drinking alcohol:

Christian liberty is nothing other than slavery to God. The only alternative
to this is slavery to man and his desires, and this includes the young man in
question and his desires. But with all this said, wine was given to
gladden the heart of man (Ps. 104:15) and one of the duties a father has is that
of teaching his son to drink [responsibly].

And last but not least, a quote from the chapter "Girls and Sex":

There is no way that young men can watch, and be entertained by, movies whch
include displays of nudity, steamy sex scenes and so forth, without being aroused
by them. A boy who tells his mother that he can "handle it" is using what
astute theologians in former ages used to call "a lie."

It's a great book with so many goodies. You can buy it here.

TheGirls Are Back In Town

2008-06-28T07:52:00.001-07:00

This is a small gathering of my crowd in high school. Have these gals aged well, or what?

Not Important Enough for the Nobel Peace Prize Committee

2008-06-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

Shame on every member of that committee.

Watch this to see why. Have Kleenex handy.

Friday Fun

2008-06-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

This is clever. (Hat tip: Palmtree Pundit)

Here is my prayer for the day, based on my personality type:

ENFJ: God, help me to do only what I can and trust you for the rest. Do you
mind putting that in writing?

You can find the whole list here.
There is also an online personality test with fun anecdotes here

The Weather is Normal

2008-06-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

Just thought I shoudl tell you that since I did so much complaining before. It's been 81-86 for the highs and 46-50 at night. Yes, that is normal.