Thursday, February 26
another day, hopefully another dollar
I'm off to work today and then to Pennsylvania tomorrow. I feel like a seasoned country traveler these days. In the past month I've driven to Georgia, NYC, Vermont and now PA. Emma and I are going tomorrow to visit Messiah College for an "accepted student and their parents tour". We'll be up at 5 a.m. and on the road. That is actually my favorite time of the day to start a trip. I really enjoy beginning my journey in the dark and then watching the day open up before me. It rarely happens any other time as I don't usually roll out of bed till 7 a.m., unless I'm in a menopausal state of insomnia. which usually occurs in the middle of the night, therefore knocking me out cold for several hours right at the time I wouldn't mind getting up. Did that makes sense? Hmmmm...
Monday, February 23
Three Cheers For Skirts!!!
Skirts. They swish against one's legs and immerse one in femininity. On cold days they wrap around the legs and let the body's own heat rev up a notch and heat the body. On hot days they let a cool breeze blow up to the nether region and cool off naturally. Circulation is key in either form of weather.
They can be an expression of seriousness, playfullness or flirtatiousness. Not limited to certain weighted fabrics as trousers basically are...they can be heavy wool or gossimer chiffon. Layers of ruffles are a personal favorite. While sewn tiers are to be found and often appreciated on others, they aren't a staple in my own closet. I think I wore too many in high school and burned out on the peace, love and hippiness of them the first time around.
If you know me you know my favorite length is below calf. Many might believe this is a modesty issue. They'd be wrong. It's a fat-calf issue. Skirts are perfect for camoflaging different body parts. They, in my humble opinion, give a better balance to the top and bottom of the human form. Feel free to differ in your own opinion.
I think it's a bit sad that so many women "save" their skirts for good occasions. Isn't every day good? My mother laughs that I never "save" any clothing for special ocassions. She's right. When there is something special, I recycle or if it's really special, I buy new. But I get my money's worth out of my clothing. I rarely wear a "special" skirt once or twice and keep it under wraps in the back of my closet awaiting the next big event. I wear my things to the grocery store, library, my store, church, lunch with friends, field trips with kids. You get the idea. It may have started in high school. We were required to wear skirts or dresses every Wednsday from morning to night (it was a boarding school). I remember girlfriends complaining that this was unfair. Not to me! It was my favorite day of the week. Okay, the fact that every Wednesday was a half day of school may have had something to do with that....
When I became a stay-at-home mom, I had a short period of feeling as though I was supposed to wear blue jeans every day. That didn't last long. It felt like a punishment. I do own one pair of blue jeans. Sometimes I even wear them two days in a row. But for me...it's three cheers for skirts!
They can be an expression of seriousness, playfullness or flirtatiousness. Not limited to certain weighted fabrics as trousers basically are...they can be heavy wool or gossimer chiffon. Layers of ruffles are a personal favorite. While sewn tiers are to be found and often appreciated on others, they aren't a staple in my own closet. I think I wore too many in high school and burned out on the peace, love and hippiness of them the first time around.
If you know me you know my favorite length is below calf. Many might believe this is a modesty issue. They'd be wrong. It's a fat-calf issue. Skirts are perfect for camoflaging different body parts. They, in my humble opinion, give a better balance to the top and bottom of the human form. Feel free to differ in your own opinion.
I think it's a bit sad that so many women "save" their skirts for good occasions. Isn't every day good? My mother laughs that I never "save" any clothing for special ocassions. She's right. When there is something special, I recycle or if it's really special, I buy new. But I get my money's worth out of my clothing. I rarely wear a "special" skirt once or twice and keep it under wraps in the back of my closet awaiting the next big event. I wear my things to the grocery store, library, my store, church, lunch with friends, field trips with kids. You get the idea. It may have started in high school. We were required to wear skirts or dresses every Wednsday from morning to night (it was a boarding school). I remember girlfriends complaining that this was unfair. Not to me! It was my favorite day of the week. Okay, the fact that every Wednesday was a half day of school may have had something to do with that....
When I became a stay-at-home mom, I had a short period of feeling as though I was supposed to wear blue jeans every day. That didn't last long. It felt like a punishment. I do own one pair of blue jeans. Sometimes I even wear them two days in a row. But for me...it's three cheers for skirts!
Monday, February 16
Hurry Up and Wait!
...."a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason. "
Sound familiiar? It's from the opening paragraph from "Common Sense, The Rights of Man and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine".
I've been calming myself with this thought in recent weeks and months. (and years?) The strength to do so comes directly from the Lord.
It seems the world is turned upside down in its reason these days. Nancy Pelosi is now the queen of "hurry up and wait". Push through this absurd "stimulus package". Quick, quick, quicker! No time to read 1,071 pages! No time to follow through on the 48 hour promise for the American people to look over it. No time for public discussion or amendments. A plane must be caught to Rome for an important award and the sky is falling! Okay....package signed. Whew! Nancy boards her plane and the president will now pick up pen in hand to sign the....dinner bill in Chicago? Huh!? All that rush and the president is having a Valentine meal in Chicago and playing basketball with his buds? He's having a mini vacation 3 weeks into his presidency when the sky is falling around us, and there is no time for the house and senate to read these pages of pork? Sooooo, maybe the president will sign this monstrosity on Tuesday...four days after the big rush. Is it possible that time will help him see reason and he'll refrain from picking up pen in hand and marking that swath of ink on the line and committing us to such error?
I imagine my disgust is shining through these words. When will our society as a whole start questioning this government? Obviously reasoning hasn't worked, so will the passage of time start opening eyes now?
Sound familiiar? It's from the opening paragraph from "Common Sense, The Rights of Man and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine".
I've been calming myself with this thought in recent weeks and months. (and years?) The strength to do so comes directly from the Lord.
It seems the world is turned upside down in its reason these days. Nancy Pelosi is now the queen of "hurry up and wait". Push through this absurd "stimulus package". Quick, quick, quicker! No time to read 1,071 pages! No time to follow through on the 48 hour promise for the American people to look over it. No time for public discussion or amendments. A plane must be caught to Rome for an important award and the sky is falling! Okay....package signed. Whew! Nancy boards her plane and the president will now pick up pen in hand to sign the....dinner bill in Chicago? Huh!? All that rush and the president is having a Valentine meal in Chicago and playing basketball with his buds? He's having a mini vacation 3 weeks into his presidency when the sky is falling around us, and there is no time for the house and senate to read these pages of pork? Sooooo, maybe the president will sign this monstrosity on Tuesday...four days after the big rush. Is it possible that time will help him see reason and he'll refrain from picking up pen in hand and marking that swath of ink on the line and committing us to such error?
I imagine my disgust is shining through these words. When will our society as a whole start questioning this government? Obviously reasoning hasn't worked, so will the passage of time start opening eyes now?
Sunday, February 8
Save my ears
I have a small annoyance to share with you. Perhaps it's all my problem and something that doesn't bother others. Though, I don't think so. But, in the spirit of openness and transparency (in case it is only me) I don't allow my family to read magazines within 3 feet of me or open any kind of packaging in "my space". So, here goes....
Why is it that parents think the only kind of child created noise that distracts others, say, in church or a movie theater, is talking or crying etc.? By this I mean... preventing your child from creating any type of verbal noise by giving him a paper bulletin to crinkle or a bible to flip through, page by finger-nail-on-the-chalkboard page is not a good "distraction". It's only distracting me from the reason I'm there!
I spent the entire sermon today clasping my hands together tightly so I didn't rip the Good Lord's Word out of some tiny little paws sitting directly behind me. I'm all for keeping children in the sanctuary to teach them how to sit quietly during the sermon( although, I'm not 100% sure I'm being honest about that). But, ahem... key word there is quietly. While I admire the parent who can totally ignore the whiny child begging for more cookies when we're sitting at a park or playground and keep talking to the adults till the child grows bored and wanders back to the swingset, I don't applaud the fact that a parent can zone out their kid and focus on the preaching while darling toddler is WRINKLING PAPER NONSTOP! If your child cannot sit quietly, can't they be given a stuffed Winnie the Pooh or something?
While I'm at it...if you are opening a pack of mints, cough drops, gum, whatever, in a quiet place, please don't drag out the process. Just rip it open quick and get it over with.
Oh, also, how have so many people not figured out that if you crush a bag or paper up into a ball, when you throw it into the trash it's only going to expand again, doubling the original noise. Unneccesary noise is another form of pollution. Stop the Pollution!
Why is it that parents think the only kind of child created noise that distracts others, say, in church or a movie theater, is talking or crying etc.? By this I mean... preventing your child from creating any type of verbal noise by giving him a paper bulletin to crinkle or a bible to flip through, page by finger-nail-on-the-chalkboard page is not a good "distraction". It's only distracting me from the reason I'm there!
I spent the entire sermon today clasping my hands together tightly so I didn't rip the Good Lord's Word out of some tiny little paws sitting directly behind me. I'm all for keeping children in the sanctuary to teach them how to sit quietly during the sermon( although, I'm not 100% sure I'm being honest about that). But, ahem... key word there is quietly. While I admire the parent who can totally ignore the whiny child begging for more cookies when we're sitting at a park or playground and keep talking to the adults till the child grows bored and wanders back to the swingset, I don't applaud the fact that a parent can zone out their kid and focus on the preaching while darling toddler is WRINKLING PAPER NONSTOP! If your child cannot sit quietly, can't they be given a stuffed Winnie the Pooh or something?
While I'm at it...if you are opening a pack of mints, cough drops, gum, whatever, in a quiet place, please don't drag out the process. Just rip it open quick and get it over with.
Oh, also, how have so many people not figured out that if you crush a bag or paper up into a ball, when you throw it into the trash it's only going to expand again, doubling the original noise. Unneccesary noise is another form of pollution. Stop the Pollution!
Monday, February 2
word seminars for politicians
I'd like to host a seminar for our politicians on the meaning of words. In particular, these two words...."mistake" and "choice". And here's why.
In the past few weeks, several politicians have been put forth for key positions in our government. Timothy Geithner as head of the IRS (that would be tax collector, no?) and Tom Daschle for reforming our healthcare system, including medicaid. Apparently they both think they've made terrible, innocent "mistakes" in not paying their taxes. Even though in Timothy Geithner's case the IMF ( International Monetary Fund) stapled his tax check to a form, which he then signed 4 times a year for 4 years stating he understood the checks were to be used for paying his taxes. But, he never did pay them.
In Mr. Daschle's case, he thought his friend "gifted" him a car and driver and didn't know he was required to pay taxes ( over $97,000) on them. And then, for the icing on the cake, this week he paid another $6,000 to Medicaid to cover the back taxes on that for the driver, as he hadn't understood he was supposed to pay that either.
These are the only two men in America for these positions?!
Here's my problem with these innocent "mistakes". My children understand the difference between a mistake and a choice. These men made choices, not mistakes. Nothing was innocent about these choices. They thought (think) they're above the law. The sad part is Timothy Geithner has already been shown he is above the law, as he's been appointed into the desired position.
Will Tom Daschle also slide into position?
I cringe each time I hear a politician caught in a compromising position say it was a mistake. A mistake is when a nickle falls into the quarter slot in my cash register. The next time I hand out change and give someone that nickle instead of a quarter for change and they point it out, I apologise and give them the quarter and we move on. I didn't choose to pay them a nickle instead of a quarter, I did it by mistake. It would be innocent and I'd rectify the situation.
Elliot Spitzer getting caught with a hooker in a hotel room far from home where his wife and daughters are? That is NOT a mistake. That is a choice! A bad one!
Please, can we stop allowing these people to get away with bad choices under the guise of the word "mistake"?
In the past few weeks, several politicians have been put forth for key positions in our government. Timothy Geithner as head of the IRS (that would be tax collector, no?) and Tom Daschle for reforming our healthcare system, including medicaid. Apparently they both think they've made terrible, innocent "mistakes" in not paying their taxes. Even though in Timothy Geithner's case the IMF ( International Monetary Fund) stapled his tax check to a form, which he then signed 4 times a year for 4 years stating he understood the checks were to be used for paying his taxes. But, he never did pay them.
In Mr. Daschle's case, he thought his friend "gifted" him a car and driver and didn't know he was required to pay taxes ( over $97,000) on them. And then, for the icing on the cake, this week he paid another $6,000 to Medicaid to cover the back taxes on that for the driver, as he hadn't understood he was supposed to pay that either.
These are the only two men in America for these positions?!
Here's my problem with these innocent "mistakes". My children understand the difference between a mistake and a choice. These men made choices, not mistakes. Nothing was innocent about these choices. They thought (think) they're above the law. The sad part is Timothy Geithner has already been shown he is above the law, as he's been appointed into the desired position.
Will Tom Daschle also slide into position?
I cringe each time I hear a politician caught in a compromising position say it was a mistake. A mistake is when a nickle falls into the quarter slot in my cash register. The next time I hand out change and give someone that nickle instead of a quarter for change and they point it out, I apologise and give them the quarter and we move on. I didn't choose to pay them a nickle instead of a quarter, I did it by mistake. It would be innocent and I'd rectify the situation.
Elliot Spitzer getting caught with a hooker in a hotel room far from home where his wife and daughters are? That is NOT a mistake. That is a choice! A bad one!
Please, can we stop allowing these people to get away with bad choices under the guise of the word "mistake"?
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