Hi! My name is Tara but you can call me Christmas Ruiner. That's the new nickname my 10 year old gave me today. You can probably guess how I earned it but let me start from the beginning so you can get the full impact of my crappy day.
Josie and I stayed up till midnight last night playing Farkle and watching TV. Since we were both about half asleep we decided to have a sleepover in the living room. Which is a good thing because that meant everyone woke up in a good mood this morning. But even though the weather promised us a beautiful day, it couldn't control the events that were to come. Exactly 90 minutes after we woke up, we were invaded. Home invaders? I wish!! No, we were invaded by a family member (who I will call Grumpy) who just walked in the back door and came on through the house without even a "Hey, everyone decent?" Which we weren't because Josie slept in one of her dad's tshirts last night and her booty was hanging out. So immediately she was embarrassed and offended in a matter of seconds. I look up and see Happy Sunday pacing in front of the door looking for a way out. Marvelous! It's amazing how fast Grumpy can clear a room. Within seconds, Josie was downstairs and I was in the Mom Cave. And that is pretty much where we stayed. The only problem was Grumpy has a big voice. A big voice that carries. A long way. And normally I can tune it out but today the big voice carried nothing but negativity. About what? You name it. The bartenders at Trackside last night. Whatever was on TV. The food he's been having at home. Anything he felt like he had an opinion on. It got to a point I no longer heard words just angry sounds that turned into a headache. Eventually, Grumpy left. But I had no false hope that he wasn't coming back. So I went downstairs with Josie to hang out and do laundry.
I had Josie come sit with me on the couch so we could talk. I asked her what the kids were talking about at school these days. I got the usual "nothing". So I started dropping suggestions. What about sex? I knew they had to be talking about sex because she knew more than what I have told her so far. She was shocked! "Mom! We aren't supposed to talk about that until 5th grade!" From there it all went downhill. I told her I knew they were talking about something because of what she told me about sex and babies the other day. So she proceeds to tell me the 4th grade version of sex and getting pregnant. It involved a whole lot of kissing, a lot of laying down, not a lot of effort and possibly a positive pregnancy test after two weeks. Okey dokey then! I've been doing it entirely wrong! From there she went on to tell me that she knows this is right because she saw proof of it in movies and on TV. Well, can't argue with that one now can I? Then she went on to tell me that the movies she saw this in were called porn. She knows so because that's what the neighbor girl told her. My chin still hurts from hitting the floor! Half of my brain was trying to figure out where she got the porn while the other half was trying to decide if the neighbor girl is a reliable source. Siding with the rational half, I carefully ask her about the porn. "Oh just all the shows that have sex in them." Whew! Ok, neighbor girl not that reliable. After filing that away for future reference, I gave her a PG definition of porn and told her it was just for adults. All of a sudden I'm thinking that this conversation isn't going at all like I hoped for and maybe I should just bail out and let her go back to Club Penguin. But no! Why on earth would I do something so freaking sensible?! So....what else are they talking about? Tooth Fairy? Easter Bunny? Santa isn't real she says. Suddenly, I see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel! I press on. I asked her why she thought that. She said it wasn't her, it was the other kids. And, poof, the glimmer is gone. They are all haters she says. Trying out the logic again, I asked her if she thought he could be real. But of course he is! They pass the job from father to son. Logic joined Happy Sunday at the door and things weren't looking too good for me. We talked about all the Santas at the mall and how they are people in costume trying to make kids happy at Christmas and spread the giving spirit of Santa. Of course, it's also because he's really busy. Right?! I have never needed a drink like I did at that precise moment. I realized in that moment I would have rather given the sex talk a hundred times over than to go where we were about to. We talked about Daddy's friend that came to the house two years ago as Santa for her and my friend's kids. But I pulled his beard and it was real she says. I reminded her that she also saw him driving through town once. I tried explaining that it's more about Santa's spirit than Santa the person. So, he's not real? Little voice quivering. Eyes all big and sad. I sat there, tears welling up in my own eyes, knowing I was about to break my baby's heart. Who's idea was this anyway? "Well? Is he real?" And still I sit there looking at the ceiling waiting for the right words to magically appear that will turn this train wreck into a fender bender. "Why are you crying? Are you happy?" No. "You're sad. Why are you sad?" Because it's true. "He's not real?!" No baby, he's not. After the crying stopped, we talked about the presents from Santa and what Santa really means. And how lying about Santa and the Easter Bunny isn't the same as regular lying. (Still don't know how I pulled that one off!) And that's when she gave me the new nickname. Christmas Ruiner.
This week a friend of mine had a discussion with her son about Santa. He initiated the whole thing and really just wanted a yes or no answer without a lot of explanations. I felt bad for her at the time, but now I'm thinking she got off easy. She didn't get a wonderful new nickname. There were no tears. It was a very logical process that her son had already worked through on his own. I can't wait for her to have the sex talk with him. Maybe it will go as well as my Santa talk!
So I go upstairs to tell the hubs about our conversation and my lovely new name and he says, "got another steak we can lay out?" No, no, no please don't say it! Grumpy invited himself to dinner. Suddenly, I feel another headache coming on and an intense desire to get in bed and pull the covers waaaay up over my head. Out the corner of my eye, I see Happy Sunday slipping out the back door.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Polygamy - What's Love Got to do With it?
There's a new sensation on the reality TV show circut! Sister Wives. I admit I watch it. I started watching out of curiosity. I mean how can three women live under the same roof and share a man and not kill each other? And they've been doing it for 20 years!! I mean, I couldn't even live with my sister-in-law for a year and didn't have to share a man! But after the first show, I think I'm hooked. I don't know how it happened but I already have "relationships" with each wife. For instance, the first wife, Meri only has one child while the other two have between five and six. I feel bad for her because Kody likes a lot of kids and she has only given him one. And even though you can tell she's kind of the "head" wife, I wonder if it bothers her that she hasn't had any more kids when her sisters are so fertile. Then there's the second wife, Janelle, who is the oldest and the heaviest. Even though she has the most kids (for now) and works outside the home 12 hours a day, I wonder if she is self-conscious since the other wives are skinnier (when they aren't pregnant!) and younger then her. Especially with the new girl, Robyn, coming into the picture. She is the prettiest and youngest of them all. Last but not least there is Christine who is pregnant with Kody's 13th child. You can tell she really loves the polygamy lifestyle. I think she likes being part of the family maybe even a little more than she likes Kody! But even though she likes the lifestyle, she's a little jealous of the new comer. Speaking of Robyn - Kody's first courtship in 16 years. They are now engaged and most of the family went on a road trip to move her closer to the family home. I have to admit, I don't think I like this new girl. Everything was going along fine and here she is. The other sisters aren't sure about a new wife either I don't think. Meri and Christine have already broken down and cried about it. Meri has said she would leave the marriage if it weren't for her high level of committment and if she didn't have a child. But Janelle is like "yeah, whatever, it'll work out."
Then there's the issue of where in the world do they get all their money? Of course, the show will have it's financial benefits but what about before then? Their house is large enough for all the wives to have a house within the house for them and their kids. They go through eggs faster than the Waffle House. All the wives drive huge gas guzzlers and minivans. (I suppose they would have to with all those kids!) And Kody drives a sporty Lexus. Which by the way is not large enough to hold more than a wife and two kids. So we can tell right off where he thinks the parenting should come from. All we know about his job is that he is in advertising sales. Janelle works outside the home in a secret location 12 hours a day while Christine runs the house and watches the kids. Meri is going back to college. I guess when you're the first wife you get to have the cushy perks! Or maybe it's when you're the only legally married wife. Yep! That's right! Kody is only legally married to Meri. His marriages to Janelle and Christine are "spiritual". So in my mind that sets a couple of things off. First, his spiritual wives are considered single mothers. Does that make them eligible for welfare? Two single moms with 12 kids between them, that's a chunk of change! The other thing that I thought of was if they aren't really married, aren't they just a married couple with live-in mistresses for Kody? No wonder the sisters have issues about Robyn. He has two mistresses at home for crying out loud and now he's going off and courting another one? It makes me laugh to hear Robyn talk about not moving into the family home or not being physical until they are married. (Robyn and Kody kissed when they got engaged and the sisters had issues with it.) It makes me laugh because they are not going to be married - legally anyway! So how does that work? They have some sort of ceremony and presto-chango they are married and they can kiss and move in the family home? Do all the spiritually married sisters just change their name? How do the sisters get health insurance? I'm sure he can get coverage for Meri but what about Christine? She doesn't work and isn't legally married. Oh yeah, right I forgot - welfare!
And then there's the kids. Kody married all three wives before any of the kids started coming along. So this is all normal to them. Plus they go to a school that is full of "plig" kids. This isn't anything weird in their book. What's out of the ordinary is that dad has a girlfriend. So let me make sure I get this...It's ok to have three moms but adding a fourth is weird? Not to mention that they will now have a step-brother and two step-sisters. That's about the only normal thing about this family!
The other thing I noticed is they dress "normal". I guess I expected the sisters to all have long hair and wear dresses and be very proper. But they aren't and they don't. They look like the average family next door. Complete with the daughter that dyes her hair black in an attempt to stand out from the sea of blondes. Incidently, this is the same daughter that says she will not marry a polygamist. She doesn't want to share her man! You go girl! Forget the sisters! Get you a nanny and a maid!
And why aren't there plig families with multiple husbands? Sure, it would be harder on the wife on the child bearing end of it but other than that it could be ok. Think about it. You could have one husband that was good at lawncare. Another at home maintenance. Another a housekeeper/cook. Add another that was good at child care and you'd have it made! Sure you'd have to work but so could half of your husbands. (Or you could have a couple more husbands with well-paying jobs!) And when you came home, you could put your feet up and relax knowing that all you had to do was spend time with the kids and catch up on all the shows you DVR'd! Wow! Why didn't anyone think of it sooner! Once again, the women of the world are getting the short end of the stick!
I know when my husband found me watching this Sunday night, he had to be thinking, "What in the hell is she watching now?" He already has issues with my Hoarders: Buried Alive watching! (Sorry, but I can't help feel a little better about myself after watching a show about people whose houses look like the junk lady's from Labyrinth!) But I can't help myself. It's not like I'm watching it to pick up tips on polygamy in case John wants to change religions down the road. Right or wrong, it's a natural curiosity to see how other people live. It must be the psychologist in me trying to get out.
Then there's the issue of where in the world do they get all their money? Of course, the show will have it's financial benefits but what about before then? Their house is large enough for all the wives to have a house within the house for them and their kids. They go through eggs faster than the Waffle House. All the wives drive huge gas guzzlers and minivans. (I suppose they would have to with all those kids!) And Kody drives a sporty Lexus. Which by the way is not large enough to hold more than a wife and two kids. So we can tell right off where he thinks the parenting should come from. All we know about his job is that he is in advertising sales. Janelle works outside the home in a secret location 12 hours a day while Christine runs the house and watches the kids. Meri is going back to college. I guess when you're the first wife you get to have the cushy perks! Or maybe it's when you're the only legally married wife. Yep! That's right! Kody is only legally married to Meri. His marriages to Janelle and Christine are "spiritual". So in my mind that sets a couple of things off. First, his spiritual wives are considered single mothers. Does that make them eligible for welfare? Two single moms with 12 kids between them, that's a chunk of change! The other thing that I thought of was if they aren't really married, aren't they just a married couple with live-in mistresses for Kody? No wonder the sisters have issues about Robyn. He has two mistresses at home for crying out loud and now he's going off and courting another one? It makes me laugh to hear Robyn talk about not moving into the family home or not being physical until they are married. (Robyn and Kody kissed when they got engaged and the sisters had issues with it.) It makes me laugh because they are not going to be married - legally anyway! So how does that work? They have some sort of ceremony and presto-chango they are married and they can kiss and move in the family home? Do all the spiritually married sisters just change their name? How do the sisters get health insurance? I'm sure he can get coverage for Meri but what about Christine? She doesn't work and isn't legally married. Oh yeah, right I forgot - welfare!
And then there's the kids. Kody married all three wives before any of the kids started coming along. So this is all normal to them. Plus they go to a school that is full of "plig" kids. This isn't anything weird in their book. What's out of the ordinary is that dad has a girlfriend. So let me make sure I get this...It's ok to have three moms but adding a fourth is weird? Not to mention that they will now have a step-brother and two step-sisters. That's about the only normal thing about this family!
The other thing I noticed is they dress "normal". I guess I expected the sisters to all have long hair and wear dresses and be very proper. But they aren't and they don't. They look like the average family next door. Complete with the daughter that dyes her hair black in an attempt to stand out from the sea of blondes. Incidently, this is the same daughter that says she will not marry a polygamist. She doesn't want to share her man! You go girl! Forget the sisters! Get you a nanny and a maid!
And why aren't there plig families with multiple husbands? Sure, it would be harder on the wife on the child bearing end of it but other than that it could be ok. Think about it. You could have one husband that was good at lawncare. Another at home maintenance. Another a housekeeper/cook. Add another that was good at child care and you'd have it made! Sure you'd have to work but so could half of your husbands. (Or you could have a couple more husbands with well-paying jobs!) And when you came home, you could put your feet up and relax knowing that all you had to do was spend time with the kids and catch up on all the shows you DVR'd! Wow! Why didn't anyone think of it sooner! Once again, the women of the world are getting the short end of the stick!
I know when my husband found me watching this Sunday night, he had to be thinking, "What in the hell is she watching now?" He already has issues with my Hoarders: Buried Alive watching! (Sorry, but I can't help feel a little better about myself after watching a show about people whose houses look like the junk lady's from Labyrinth!) But I can't help myself. It's not like I'm watching it to pick up tips on polygamy in case John wants to change religions down the road. Right or wrong, it's a natural curiosity to see how other people live. It must be the psychologist in me trying to get out.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Stupid Stuff Skully Does
This blog is dedicated to Kimberle Schiff of Oakwood Kennels. Without her there would be no Skully stories for me to tell.
Let me just start out by saying I love my Skully. He is a sweet boy and a handsome Manchester Terrier. He has brought a lot of happiness to our house in the year he has been with us. But man, oh, man does he do some stupid stuff!
I suppose it's not all his fault. I mean he comes from an intelligent breed (AKC registered and everything) and seems to be intelligent himself. But he's had a confusing life. Poor guy had three owners (in two different states) and four names before he was a year old. He has been Oakwood's Hot Like Fire, Dapper, Dougie and, of course, Skully. That doesn't even account for the nicknames we have given him (Skull-Skull, Bubbers, Lover Butt and GET TO THE HOUSE! just to name a few.). And then there was the flight from New York. I don't know what happened during the flight but when he saw me and figured out I was his forever mom, it was like the Pope seeing God. He was inseperable from me for months! Like I said, he is a smart dog but I think it's like when people say someone is book-smart. It usually means they don't have a lot of common sense. I think part of his common sense issue comes from his early life confusion but I'm sure that all of his self-inflicted head traumas don't help much.
For example, my daughter and I were standing in her bedroom doorway at the end of the hall. Skully came out of my adjacent bedroom and starts walking down the hall. Only problem is he is looking back at us and not where he is going. Next thing you know...BAM! Skully hits his head on the doorjamb of the room across the hall. By this time, he has hit his head so much that it doesn't even phase him. Without stopping, he turned his head and kept on going. Meanwhile, Josie and I are in shock (only because the BAM was so loud) and are trying our very best not to laugh at him. (We have adopted the practice of not laughing at the pets when they do stupid things because Fiona -the tabby - seems to be very offended when we laugh at her. Ok, she gives us downright dirty looks when we laugh at her!) I tell Josie that I am going to find him one of those helmets they make people with head injuries wear so they don't hurt themselves anymore. She said, "Seriously?" I said, "Ebay!" She just nodded knowingly, because she has learned Momma can find almost anything there!
But maybe it's not lack of common sense. Maybe he has ADD or short-term memory issues. The other day my brother-in-law had the recliner kicked back and was playing fetch with Skully. Well, Skully's version anyway. It's more like "You throw it. I'll get it, bring it back and you see if you can get it from me". Anyway, Skully knew the recliner was kicked back. He knew because he was sitting on the foot of it. However, he must have forgotten because when Dink threw the toy, Skully hit the floor like a ton of bricks. BAM! Scared the crap out of me. And him too! He gingerly walked over to me and with his oh-so-expressive eyes said, "Mom? What the heck just happened?!" Poor guy. I didn't know whether to cry from relief that he wasn't hurt or laugh so I gently scooped him up and held him until the memory was gone and he moved on.
He runs in to things and hits his head so often that I'm beginning to think that he likes the sound he makes...BAM! At least he can figure out where that sound comes from - unlike the another stupid thing he does. Skully has, how shall I say, gastrointestinal issues. Could be from new food. Could be from the too many Scooby snacks he gets when Uncle Dink is here. Or could be from the non-edibles that he has a fetish for, including kleenex and underwear. It has been so bad that we have made a couple of trips to the vet because he has been so miserable. But mostly he just farts. And not just any farts, mind you. At least Wolfie has the decency to have Silent-But-Deadly's. We can't hear him so everyone gets the blame until we sort it all out. He pays no attention to his gas-passing. Doesn't even blink or raise an eyebrow. It's not like he farts all the time and no longer cares, it's just that he doesn't make a big deal about it. You know, like the old lady in front of you at the check-out line at the grocery. But not my sweet Skully. When Skully farts, he about breaks his neck to see exactly where that sound came from. You would think that he had no clue what his body was doing. I would understand if he only did this the first time he ever farted. But he does it EVERY TIME! Most recently was last night in bed. Of course, he wanted me to hold him so I was very aware of the situation. As soon as the butt trumpet sounded (that's what we call it now), he whipped around, elbowed me in the chest and the inspection began. Confused and unable to find the trumpet player, he settled down and went back to sleep. I just stopped laughing (on the inside) and started to drift off when it happened again. This time I sustained no injuries - except olfactory ones - but still that damned trumpet player couldn't be found! I just cannot imagine why he would be so curious about a sound his own body makes. I mean he literally whips his entire body around to find the source of the noise. I'm guessing he hasn't ever figured it out since he still does it. But considering his love of squeaky toys, maybe he thinks that's what it is and he's trying to find it. Or figure out what it's doing in his butt.
There are many other Skully stories out there but as I am reading this to my daughter we notice that Fiona has got the worst look on her face. I don't know if she understands what we are saying or why we are laughing but I'm not taking any chances. But considering she is now in the middle of slapping Skully (in the head no less), I would say she's either jealous that the story isn't about her or she is calling him 'Big Dummy Stupid'.
Let me just start out by saying I love my Skully. He is a sweet boy and a handsome Manchester Terrier. He has brought a lot of happiness to our house in the year he has been with us. But man, oh, man does he do some stupid stuff!
I suppose it's not all his fault. I mean he comes from an intelligent breed (AKC registered and everything) and seems to be intelligent himself. But he's had a confusing life. Poor guy had three owners (in two different states) and four names before he was a year old. He has been Oakwood's Hot Like Fire, Dapper, Dougie and, of course, Skully. That doesn't even account for the nicknames we have given him (Skull-Skull, Bubbers, Lover Butt and GET TO THE HOUSE! just to name a few.). And then there was the flight from New York. I don't know what happened during the flight but when he saw me and figured out I was his forever mom, it was like the Pope seeing God. He was inseperable from me for months! Like I said, he is a smart dog but I think it's like when people say someone is book-smart. It usually means they don't have a lot of common sense. I think part of his common sense issue comes from his early life confusion but I'm sure that all of his self-inflicted head traumas don't help much.
For example, my daughter and I were standing in her bedroom doorway at the end of the hall. Skully came out of my adjacent bedroom and starts walking down the hall. Only problem is he is looking back at us and not where he is going. Next thing you know...BAM! Skully hits his head on the doorjamb of the room across the hall. By this time, he has hit his head so much that it doesn't even phase him. Without stopping, he turned his head and kept on going. Meanwhile, Josie and I are in shock (only because the BAM was so loud) and are trying our very best not to laugh at him. (We have adopted the practice of not laughing at the pets when they do stupid things because Fiona -the tabby - seems to be very offended when we laugh at her. Ok, she gives us downright dirty looks when we laugh at her!) I tell Josie that I am going to find him one of those helmets they make people with head injuries wear so they don't hurt themselves anymore. She said, "Seriously?" I said, "Ebay!" She just nodded knowingly, because she has learned Momma can find almost anything there!
But maybe it's not lack of common sense. Maybe he has ADD or short-term memory issues. The other day my brother-in-law had the recliner kicked back and was playing fetch with Skully. Well, Skully's version anyway. It's more like "You throw it. I'll get it, bring it back and you see if you can get it from me". Anyway, Skully knew the recliner was kicked back. He knew because he was sitting on the foot of it. However, he must have forgotten because when Dink threw the toy, Skully hit the floor like a ton of bricks. BAM! Scared the crap out of me. And him too! He gingerly walked over to me and with his oh-so-expressive eyes said, "Mom? What the heck just happened?!" Poor guy. I didn't know whether to cry from relief that he wasn't hurt or laugh so I gently scooped him up and held him until the memory was gone and he moved on.
He runs in to things and hits his head so often that I'm beginning to think that he likes the sound he makes...BAM! At least he can figure out where that sound comes from - unlike the another stupid thing he does. Skully has, how shall I say, gastrointestinal issues. Could be from new food. Could be from the too many Scooby snacks he gets when Uncle Dink is here. Or could be from the non-edibles that he has a fetish for, including kleenex and underwear. It has been so bad that we have made a couple of trips to the vet because he has been so miserable. But mostly he just farts. And not just any farts, mind you. At least Wolfie has the decency to have Silent-But-Deadly's. We can't hear him so everyone gets the blame until we sort it all out. He pays no attention to his gas-passing. Doesn't even blink or raise an eyebrow. It's not like he farts all the time and no longer cares, it's just that he doesn't make a big deal about it. You know, like the old lady in front of you at the check-out line at the grocery. But not my sweet Skully. When Skully farts, he about breaks his neck to see exactly where that sound came from. You would think that he had no clue what his body was doing. I would understand if he only did this the first time he ever farted. But he does it EVERY TIME! Most recently was last night in bed. Of course, he wanted me to hold him so I was very aware of the situation. As soon as the butt trumpet sounded (that's what we call it now), he whipped around, elbowed me in the chest and the inspection began. Confused and unable to find the trumpet player, he settled down and went back to sleep. I just stopped laughing (on the inside) and started to drift off when it happened again. This time I sustained no injuries - except olfactory ones - but still that damned trumpet player couldn't be found! I just cannot imagine why he would be so curious about a sound his own body makes. I mean he literally whips his entire body around to find the source of the noise. I'm guessing he hasn't ever figured it out since he still does it. But considering his love of squeaky toys, maybe he thinks that's what it is and he's trying to find it. Or figure out what it's doing in his butt.
There are many other Skully stories out there but as I am reading this to my daughter we notice that Fiona has got the worst look on her face. I don't know if she understands what we are saying or why we are laughing but I'm not taking any chances. But considering she is now in the middle of slapping Skully (in the head no less), I would say she's either jealous that the story isn't about her or she is calling him 'Big Dummy Stupid'.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Ashville 4th of July Parade Policy - Say what now?!
This is the actual policy that was published in the 81st Annual Ashville 4th of July souvenir edition in last week's Advertiser. Copied word for word - incorrect wording and all. I can't believe that it took them 81 years to come up with an actual parade policy. What did we ever do without one before? The parades must have run amuck. There was probably a decline in attendance because we weren't doing it right. Seriously? We have been doing it wrong for 80 years??? Some of them are common sense and should be a rule in an organized parade, the others are out there. And knowing me as you do, you know I have to comment on them. Read on.....
1. No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs will be permitted in the parade or line up area.
Violators will be arrested.
Ok, got it. Common sense rule #1. However, I did break this rule back in '90. Please don't tell the parade officials as I don't know what the parade policy statute of limitations is and would hate to be barred from attending or participating in parades in the future.
2. A safety chain must be used in conjunction with a ball or pin hookup on all floats.
Yep, common sense rule #2.
Hold on - it gets better!
3. No items of any kind may be thrown from the parade route to parade viewers. (candy,
fliers, campaign info, etc.)
This one is a major downer! I can remember, as a kid, everyone scampering to fill up bags with the candy thrown from the ball teams & whomever else was passing it out. It was a big deal among my cousins to see who could get the most. Should the kids be running into the middle of the street? No. Should their parents be making sure they don't? Yes. So maybe item #3 should read, "Keep an eye on your kids. Keep them out of the street during the parade. The Village is not liable if you don't act as a responsible parent and they get hit during their sugar frenzy." This will also affect all fliers handed out by churches and organizations as well as the pretty flowers that Scioto Blooms normally passes out. Hmmm...invoking rule #13 on the Village Church float could prove to be interesting!
4. All floats will carry an approved 5 lb. or more B C fire extinguisher at easy access to the
float driver.
Common sense rule #3. If your float catches on fire - put it out. The firetrucks are up ahead of you and it will take a minute for them to get to you.
5. All riders outside of truck cabs will be seated away from sides of beds and tailgates. Tail
gates must be securely closed.
For as long as I can remember, the cheerleaders have sat on the tailgates and cheered through the parade. No more, girls! You will have to sit in the bed & hope we can see you or cheer as you walk through the parade. BUT make sure you adhere to rule #10. And for the shorter members of the ball teams - could you hold up a sign so we can see where you're at in the truck?
6. No air horns or sirens are to be blown in the parade.
OMG! Really?!? Now this affects our firefighters and police officers. So what they are saying is that when the cruisers start the parade they can't use their sirens to let everyone know the-parade-is-coming-so-move- out-of-the-way. This also affects the semi-trucks that occasionally enter the parade to show off their new trucks. So when you see that cute little boy pumping his fist in the air like mad trying to get you to blow your air horn - keep on truckin'! Same for the fire trucks and cruisers. When you see someone along the route that you know - do not sound the sirens or blow horns of any kind. You're just going to have to wave and shout from now on. If not, rule #13 may occur and how freakin' embarrasing would that be?! Unfortunately, this also affects the ever-present Hillbilly floats. C'mon now - they are an Ashville 4th of July icon!
7. All floats must be preregistered and must be in all (3) parades to be eligible to win
prizes or money.
Well....DUH!!! That's like saying the Miss Ashville contestants have to be registered and in the parade to win. Hello...that's why they put the entry forms in the paper several times before the cut off time.
8. Pets, horses, bicycles, decorated autos and anything else that has to be judged must be at
the main parade route (1) one hour prior to the parade and must sign in when they arrive.
"Main parade route"? There is only one parade route that I know of. It's the same route for all three parades. So where do you want them to sign in? Anywhere along the route? Did you mean to say at the "beginning of the parade route"?
9. All elected officials are welcome to ride in the Grand Parade at no charge. There is,
however, to be no campaigning by any official in any way, including, but not limited to;
signs, buttons, literature,etc. any official or candidate for public office may ride in the
Grand Parade using CAMPAIGN SIGNS ONLY for a fee of $5O PER CANDIDATE.
Throwing of literature, buttons, or other material is prohibited during the parade.
I have to admit, this one made me shake my head in amazement. Basically, you want to charge them for advertisement. Ok. So....what about the floats that sport business or church names? Technically, that's advertising. And what is the definition of "campaign sign"? Is it a sign that tells you who the candidate is or is it one that says "Vote for me!"? I think we need some clarification before I shell out fifty bucks to ride through a parade on a hot ass July afternoon. And, as a side note, I really hope that they wouldn't consider throwing buttons anyway. But what about the other two parades? The not-so-grand ones? Do the politicians have to pay to be in those too? Or are they barred from participating?
10. All marching unts must continue in a forward motion and are NOT PERMITTED TO
STOP AND PERFORM DURING THE PARADE.
This one is a real gem too. I'm guessing that this applies to the TVHS band, Dynamic Mention, cheerleaders & baton twirlers. Ok, now if you've ever been to an Ashville 4th of July parade, you know that occasionally a train will rumble through town cutting the "main parade route" in half. So what are these performers supposed to do? Just stand there & stop playing mid-song? No more showing off your skills during a delay in the parade. Sorry, TVHS cheerleaders. I know you did awesome at competition but there will be no showing your talent during the parades. Rule #13 applies here too.
11. All motorized entries must be operated by a licensed driver.
At first glance this should be common sense rule #4. If you're driving a car or truck through the parade or pulling a float with a tractor - I agree. But what about the kids that decorate their dirtbikes and four-wheelers to ride through the parade? Does this mean they can no longer participate? Isn't that being a little discriminatory?
12. There are to be NO SQUIRT GUNS in the parade route.
Well, ok. But kids will be kids. And since the ball teams can't throw candy at their friends, shooting them with water is just as fun - for both parties. Now if they are blasting an unwilling adult (or child) then that's a different story. C'mon guys, let the kids have some fun. Isn't that what you are supposed to do at a celebration? Or has the Village become too proper to allow their kids to be just like all the others before them? And does this apply to the people watching the parade??
13. All participants are expected and required to follow directions instructions given to
them by parade officials from the Ashville Community Club. Failure to do so could
result in immediate ejection from the parade route.
Ah yes, dreaded rule #13. I would almost like to see this one happen. Logistically, I don't see how it could happen. First, are there going to be parade officials everywhere? Will they be in plain sight or are we talking undercover here? Second, how are they going to be immediately ejected? People line the streets of the "main parade route", blocking the streets off the main route. So the parade officials are going to have to move all of the people in the way and then escort the offenders away from the parade. This in itself is going to create a spectacle. I really don't see people willingly moving their seats that they have had staked out all morning or afternoon just so a parade participant can be ejected for some stupid reason. However, I think they may move rather quickly to see the drama of ejecting a cruiser or fire truck for sounding their siren! Now that I want to see!!!
What I really want to know is what happened last year to justify some of these rules. I don't recall hearing of any injuries from a mis-directed flying campaign button. Seriously, I always thought the biggest issue of the Grand Parade was who is in charge of cleaning up after the horses? Apparently, that is a non-issue because it wasn't even mentioned. Kinda makes me want to enter a float, throw a politician, some candy, a siren and some performers on it. But I'd have to pre-register and put it in all three parades if I have any chance at all of getting a prize!
1. No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs will be permitted in the parade or line up area.
Violators will be arrested.
Ok, got it. Common sense rule #1. However, I did break this rule back in '90. Please don't tell the parade officials as I don't know what the parade policy statute of limitations is and would hate to be barred from attending or participating in parades in the future.
2. A safety chain must be used in conjunction with a ball or pin hookup on all floats.
Yep, common sense rule #2.
Hold on - it gets better!
3. No items of any kind may be thrown from the parade route to parade viewers. (candy,
fliers, campaign info, etc.)
This one is a major downer! I can remember, as a kid, everyone scampering to fill up bags with the candy thrown from the ball teams & whomever else was passing it out. It was a big deal among my cousins to see who could get the most. Should the kids be running into the middle of the street? No. Should their parents be making sure they don't? Yes. So maybe item #3 should read, "Keep an eye on your kids. Keep them out of the street during the parade. The Village is not liable if you don't act as a responsible parent and they get hit during their sugar frenzy." This will also affect all fliers handed out by churches and organizations as well as the pretty flowers that Scioto Blooms normally passes out. Hmmm...invoking rule #13 on the Village Church float could prove to be interesting!
4. All floats will carry an approved 5 lb. or more B C fire extinguisher at easy access to the
float driver.
Common sense rule #3. If your float catches on fire - put it out. The firetrucks are up ahead of you and it will take a minute for them to get to you.
5. All riders outside of truck cabs will be seated away from sides of beds and tailgates. Tail
gates must be securely closed.
For as long as I can remember, the cheerleaders have sat on the tailgates and cheered through the parade. No more, girls! You will have to sit in the bed & hope we can see you or cheer as you walk through the parade. BUT make sure you adhere to rule #10. And for the shorter members of the ball teams - could you hold up a sign so we can see where you're at in the truck?
6. No air horns or sirens are to be blown in the parade.
OMG! Really?!? Now this affects our firefighters and police officers. So what they are saying is that when the cruisers start the parade they can't use their sirens to let everyone know the-parade-is-coming-so-move- out-of-the-way. This also affects the semi-trucks that occasionally enter the parade to show off their new trucks. So when you see that cute little boy pumping his fist in the air like mad trying to get you to blow your air horn - keep on truckin'! Same for the fire trucks and cruisers. When you see someone along the route that you know - do not sound the sirens or blow horns of any kind. You're just going to have to wave and shout from now on. If not, rule #13 may occur and how freakin' embarrasing would that be?! Unfortunately, this also affects the ever-present Hillbilly floats. C'mon now - they are an Ashville 4th of July icon!
7. All floats must be preregistered and must be in all (3) parades to be eligible to win
prizes or money.
Well....DUH!!! That's like saying the Miss Ashville contestants have to be registered and in the parade to win. Hello...that's why they put the entry forms in the paper several times before the cut off time.
8. Pets, horses, bicycles, decorated autos and anything else that has to be judged must be at
the main parade route (1) one hour prior to the parade and must sign in when they arrive.
"Main parade route"? There is only one parade route that I know of. It's the same route for all three parades. So where do you want them to sign in? Anywhere along the route? Did you mean to say at the "beginning of the parade route"?
9. All elected officials are welcome to ride in the Grand Parade at no charge. There is,
however, to be no campaigning by any official in any way, including, but not limited to;
signs, buttons, literature,etc. any official or candidate for public office may ride in the
Grand Parade using CAMPAIGN SIGNS ONLY for a fee of $5O PER CANDIDATE.
Throwing of literature, buttons, or other material is prohibited during the parade.
I have to admit, this one made me shake my head in amazement. Basically, you want to charge them for advertisement. Ok. So....what about the floats that sport business or church names? Technically, that's advertising. And what is the definition of "campaign sign"? Is it a sign that tells you who the candidate is or is it one that says "Vote for me!"? I think we need some clarification before I shell out fifty bucks to ride through a parade on a hot ass July afternoon. And, as a side note, I really hope that they wouldn't consider throwing buttons anyway. But what about the other two parades? The not-so-grand ones? Do the politicians have to pay to be in those too? Or are they barred from participating?
10. All marching unts must continue in a forward motion and are NOT PERMITTED TO
STOP AND PERFORM DURING THE PARADE.
This one is a real gem too. I'm guessing that this applies to the TVHS band, Dynamic Mention, cheerleaders & baton twirlers. Ok, now if you've ever been to an Ashville 4th of July parade, you know that occasionally a train will rumble through town cutting the "main parade route" in half. So what are these performers supposed to do? Just stand there & stop playing mid-song? No more showing off your skills during a delay in the parade. Sorry, TVHS cheerleaders. I know you did awesome at competition but there will be no showing your talent during the parades. Rule #13 applies here too.
11. All motorized entries must be operated by a licensed driver.
At first glance this should be common sense rule #4. If you're driving a car or truck through the parade or pulling a float with a tractor - I agree. But what about the kids that decorate their dirtbikes and four-wheelers to ride through the parade? Does this mean they can no longer participate? Isn't that being a little discriminatory?
12. There are to be NO SQUIRT GUNS in the parade route.
Well, ok. But kids will be kids. And since the ball teams can't throw candy at their friends, shooting them with water is just as fun - for both parties. Now if they are blasting an unwilling adult (or child) then that's a different story. C'mon guys, let the kids have some fun. Isn't that what you are supposed to do at a celebration? Or has the Village become too proper to allow their kids to be just like all the others before them? And does this apply to the people watching the parade??
13. All participants are expected and required to follow directions instructions given to
them by parade officials from the Ashville Community Club. Failure to do so could
result in immediate ejection from the parade route.
Ah yes, dreaded rule #13. I would almost like to see this one happen. Logistically, I don't see how it could happen. First, are there going to be parade officials everywhere? Will they be in plain sight or are we talking undercover here? Second, how are they going to be immediately ejected? People line the streets of the "main parade route", blocking the streets off the main route. So the parade officials are going to have to move all of the people in the way and then escort the offenders away from the parade. This in itself is going to create a spectacle. I really don't see people willingly moving their seats that they have had staked out all morning or afternoon just so a parade participant can be ejected for some stupid reason. However, I think they may move rather quickly to see the drama of ejecting a cruiser or fire truck for sounding their siren! Now that I want to see!!!
What I really want to know is what happened last year to justify some of these rules. I don't recall hearing of any injuries from a mis-directed flying campaign button. Seriously, I always thought the biggest issue of the Grand Parade was who is in charge of cleaning up after the horses? Apparently, that is a non-issue because it wasn't even mentioned. Kinda makes me want to enter a float, throw a politician, some candy, a siren and some performers on it. But I'd have to pre-register and put it in all three parades if I have any chance at all of getting a prize!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The Dance
The other day when the hubs and I went out to lunch, a friend of ours stopped by our table to say hi and chat. We hadn't seen him in awhile so it was nice that he did. But then he started in on the church issue. "When are you going to go?" "Why haven't you yet?" Normally, John takes the blame to save me from having a discussion I don't like having. But this time I stepped up and took the heat. Now, I understand, being a retired minister it's his responsibility to bring people into the church but he has never been this pushy with us. And to top it off, he had to throw in the miracle I received and "how can you turn your back on that?" I have to admit, I had been pretty cool about the whole thing but that was the 300 pound straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. Turn my back? Seriously?? Ok, you can lecture me in front of everyone in the VFW but question my faith? That's going a little too far. John saw the sparks in my eyes and turned back to his lunch, trying very hard to be oblivious to the wrath the poor Rev. was about to endure. But being the good girl that doesn't like to cause a scene in a public place, I put my 'tude in check, bit the inside of my cheek and calmly replied. "I have a relationship with God. I talk to him every single day. I don't think I need to be in a specific location to talk to him or thank him for all the wonderful things he has done in my life." Well, I could tell that I must have had a pretty good arguement because all he could come up with was that the "church family" is an important part of it. I have surrounded myself with many wonderful people that are family to me. Not because we all go to the same church or believe the same thing. But because we genuinely care about and love each other. And when push comes to shove, I know they will always be there for me. That is far more important to me than someone that feels we need to be friends because we are in a church family. My mom and I had a church family when I was younger and, honestly, the only ones that acted like family were the ones we were already related to!
So this played over in my head all afternoon. And I had the same discussion with myself, as usual, debating whether I should just give in to the "norm" or do what I believe. And is what I believe ok?
Later that afternoon, I went out to the garage to tell the hubs that I was going to pick up Josie from school. And that's when it happened. Out of nowhere John said "dragonfly!" I looked outside and it was floating and diving and circling our trucks. I went out into the driveway and stood still. The dragonfly circled and swooped down around me. The entire time I'm laughing and shrieking like an idiot, trying desperately to keep my eyes on it and John is yelling, "It's your Mom!" This dance with me and the dragonfly went on about 5 wonderful minutes. And then I couldn't see it anymore. I could feel my smile fade and I turned to ask John where it went. He no more said "right behind you" when it came within 2 inches of the top of my head. I've said before that dragonflies come to me and after I had time to think about it, I know this one surely did. John always says the dragonflies that come around me are my Mom checking on me. It kind of makes sense considering this never happened to me until after she passed away. But I don't think it was her that day. I think it was one of God's many messengers floating by to tell me I'm ok and not to worry what others think because it only matters what God thinks of me. I don't know for sure but I do know that it made me feel at peace inside and the worry I had was gone.
So this played over in my head all afternoon. And I had the same discussion with myself, as usual, debating whether I should just give in to the "norm" or do what I believe. And is what I believe ok?
Later that afternoon, I went out to the garage to tell the hubs that I was going to pick up Josie from school. And that's when it happened. Out of nowhere John said "dragonfly!" I looked outside and it was floating and diving and circling our trucks. I went out into the driveway and stood still. The dragonfly circled and swooped down around me. The entire time I'm laughing and shrieking like an idiot, trying desperately to keep my eyes on it and John is yelling, "It's your Mom!" This dance with me and the dragonfly went on about 5 wonderful minutes. And then I couldn't see it anymore. I could feel my smile fade and I turned to ask John where it went. He no more said "right behind you" when it came within 2 inches of the top of my head. I've said before that dragonflies come to me and after I had time to think about it, I know this one surely did. John always says the dragonflies that come around me are my Mom checking on me. It kind of makes sense considering this never happened to me until after she passed away. But I don't think it was her that day. I think it was one of God's many messengers floating by to tell me I'm ok and not to worry what others think because it only matters what God thinks of me. I don't know for sure but I do know that it made me feel at peace inside and the worry I had was gone.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Crazy Stuff my Husband Does in his Sleep
Over the years, my husband has done all kinds of stuff in his sleep. When he was a young child, he would sleepwalk all the time. One time, when he was about 9, his parents found him heading out of town on 752. Now mind you, we live in a small town and it's really not that far to head out of town. I suppose to a parent of a wandering child it seems like miles, but the fact that he had to cross rail road tracks to get where they found him would have done it for me. His sleepwalking was so bad as a child that his dad had to put all kinds of locks on the door to keep him from wandering. And when they went on vacation, they had to give him a shot of whiskey to keep him in bed! I regret to say that this trait has carried over to our daughter. But so far she hasn't left the house. She just wanders to the living room, has a conversation with us and goes back to bed.
When we were first married, he used to relive his entire day in his sleep. The first time it happened it really freaked me out. (And that is the main reason I would tell someone to live together before they get married!!) Now you have to understand he didn't just talk in his sleep. I could have handled random incoherent mumblings but he had full blown conversations with whomever pissed him off that day! And if only it were conversations. It was cussing, yelling and basically telling the person what a dumb ass they were! But it doesn't end there. There was also the fighting. He would fight these people in his sleep. Something he couldn't do at work. The worst was the time he was so into it that he threw himself out of bed. At the time we had a waterbed and I still can't figure how he pulled that one off!
He also used to "coma-eat". That's what he called it when he would eat in his sleep. I cannot begin to count the mornings I woke up to expect a clean kitchen and there would be food, utensils and empty containers on the counter. And he would not remember it! If only he would have learned to coma-clean it would have been wonderful!
His sleep habits have changed over the years and there isn't so much of the sleep-talking or -eating anymore. He sleeps a lot better now that he uses a CPAP at night. But when he snoozes in that recliner, there is no telling what you will see or hear! It got so crazy the other night that I decided to make a list of:
Crazy Stuff my Husband Does in his Sleep
* Rocking in the recliner while sitting straight up asleep. This isn't so much crazy as it is creepy.
* Putting a cigarette in his mouth and then falling back to sleep before he can light it. This usually ends up with the lighter on the floor and the cigarette stuck to his lip.
* Shaking his legs. Our recliners are part of a sectional so when he shakes his legs it normally causes seasickness in me.
* Random incoherent mumblings.
* Slapping his belly for no apparent reason.
And the craziest thing my husband does in his sleep....
Tapping his foot to the beat of the music that is on the T.V. and amazingly not miss a beat!
My husband always asks me what I would do without him around to keep me entertained. I really don't know. I suppose I could watch Comedy Central a lot more. But I don't think that would help much because he is even funnier awake then he is asleep!
When we were first married, he used to relive his entire day in his sleep. The first time it happened it really freaked me out. (And that is the main reason I would tell someone to live together before they get married!!) Now you have to understand he didn't just talk in his sleep. I could have handled random incoherent mumblings but he had full blown conversations with whomever pissed him off that day! And if only it were conversations. It was cussing, yelling and basically telling the person what a dumb ass they were! But it doesn't end there. There was also the fighting. He would fight these people in his sleep. Something he couldn't do at work. The worst was the time he was so into it that he threw himself out of bed. At the time we had a waterbed and I still can't figure how he pulled that one off!
He also used to "coma-eat". That's what he called it when he would eat in his sleep. I cannot begin to count the mornings I woke up to expect a clean kitchen and there would be food, utensils and empty containers on the counter. And he would not remember it! If only he would have learned to coma-clean it would have been wonderful!
His sleep habits have changed over the years and there isn't so much of the sleep-talking or -eating anymore. He sleeps a lot better now that he uses a CPAP at night. But when he snoozes in that recliner, there is no telling what you will see or hear! It got so crazy the other night that I decided to make a list of:
Crazy Stuff my Husband Does in his Sleep
* Rocking in the recliner while sitting straight up asleep. This isn't so much crazy as it is creepy.
* Putting a cigarette in his mouth and then falling back to sleep before he can light it. This usually ends up with the lighter on the floor and the cigarette stuck to his lip.
* Shaking his legs. Our recliners are part of a sectional so when he shakes his legs it normally causes seasickness in me.
* Random incoherent mumblings.
* Slapping his belly for no apparent reason.
And the craziest thing my husband does in his sleep....
Tapping his foot to the beat of the music that is on the T.V. and amazingly not miss a beat!
My husband always asks me what I would do without him around to keep me entertained. I really don't know. I suppose I could watch Comedy Central a lot more. But I don't think that would help much because he is even funnier awake then he is asleep!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Climbing On Up On the Soapbox
Those that know me know that for the most part I keep my political opinions to myself. Because they are just that - opinions. And as my husband so eloquently puts it - "Opinions are like @$$holes...everyone has one and they all stink!" So, for the most part, I have never had a need for a soapbox. Until today. Today I saw something that touched me so deeply that I felt the need to find a soapbox, climb up on it and express my opinion, knowing full well that some might find it stinky.
This afternoon, I dropped my daughter off at a birthday party and headed to Circleville in search of some hostas for cheap. I was going down "old 23", as my mom would call it, or as the younger generation would say - North Court St. I passed a house on a farm that was flying an American flag. So what's the big deal? Lots of people fly the flag outside their home. True. But most don't fly it upside down. This really bothered me. I remembered an old friend who hung his flag in the same manner inside his tattoo parlor. I remembered he hung it that way in honor of the Native Americans and the country that was taken from them. But that's all I could remember, that and the fact that I knew it wasn't good. So when I got home, I Googled it. And this is what I found. USFlag.org has a listing of the Flag Code. According to this, the flag "is flown upside down only as a distress signal." Other sites said it was for distress defined as being extreme danger to life and property. That got me thinking about what could be so dire for them to send up a distress signal. Then I thought maybe it wasn't about them personally. Maybe it was their opinion about how our country is doing. Maybe the extreme danger was to our country and her citizens. That's what bothered me.
I'm not one to watch the news - too depressing for me. I will admit this is probably the worst time not to watch the news. I do keep an eye on the paper but there's only so much knowledge you can gain from the local news source. I did read an article on the web about the new healthcare bill that was a bit disturbing but for the most part I'm a little disconnected. However, I've read and heard enough to form an opinion of my own.
My gut reaction is that we, as a nation, have been duped. We wanted a change from the way things were. A change from a president that acted like he had no sense. A change that would bring our loved ones home from a war that has gone on too long. So we voted for change. But is it really the change we wanted? Are our government representatives doing what's best for their constituents or for their own best interests? Sometimes I wonder if the Obama supporters are as supportive now as they were when he was on the campaign trail. I know if I had been one of them, I would certainly be doubting what I had supported. I also wonder about the Congressional representatives that we have elected. Especially, when I read that certain laws don't pertain to them and this new healthcare bill doesn't pertain to them. I think they have forgotten that they are not above the rest of the citizens of this country. That they too, once upon a time, were insignificant nobodies who had to follow the law as we do. Sometimes, I really don't think they have our best interests in mind. Oh sure, that's what they promise at election time but we know how that goes. We've all participated in school government elections and remember how the moon was promised but all we got was a rock. Why do we think it's any different on a higher level? I fully realize that the nation didn't start going to hell in a handcart as soon as the Obama-drama started. But to me it seems like it is getting steadily worse. Maybe the new generation of "tea-partiers" are on to something. Maybe we as a nation need to clean house - starting with the elected officials. I'm not saying the constitution needs to be rewritten. Actually, just the opposite. I think they need to stop and look at what the constitution really means when the government doesn't bend it to fit whatever they need it to.
I wonder what our founding fathers would think if they could see their country today. Would they be proud of the way the country is ran? Would they be saddened to see how their hopes and dreams for a young nation have went awry? What would they think of all the corruption in the offices they once held? And what about the state of our nation? A nation in debt to the tune of over $12 trillion (zfacts.com). A nation that drops everything they are doing to help other countries in need but let our citizens go homeless and hungry. A nation that has become a self-imposed babysitter to the rest of the world. A nation that has continued to open her doors to immigrants - but for the most part a different breed of immigrants. (Immigrants that come here to escape perscution from their country and then want to change how things are here. And WHY do I have to press "1" for English? Why is it an option? When immigrants began coming to this country, they learned the language and were proud to do so while retaining their heritage. Now it seems as though the immigrants - illegal and otherwise - have more rights and benefits than an American citizen.) And how their idea of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" isn't so happy anymore. I think it would be a little like the commercial that has the Native American with a silent tear running down his cheek at the sight of all the litter around him.
One of my facebook friends posted this on his page:
If a conservative doesn't like guns, he doesn`t buy one. If a liberal doesn't like guns, he wants guns outlawed. If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat. If a liberal is a vegetarian, he wants meat products banned. If a conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life. If a liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect. If a conservative is down-and-out, he tries to better his situation. A liberal wants to know who is going to fix it for him. If a conservative doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels. Liberals want those they don't like to be silenced. If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church. If a liberal is a non-believer he wants any mention of religion silenced.If a conservative needs health care he shops for it, or looks for a job that will provide it. A liberal demands that the rest of us provide for it. A conservative will read this and will forward it, so his friends can have a good laugh. A liberal will read this and delete it, because he's offended.
I never thought about it quite like this but it makes sense. And by the above examples, apparently I'm a conservative which is surprising to me.
O.K., I'm climbing down (for now). But what I saw today opened my eyes. Maybe I can't change anything just by being more informed, but at least I can see it coming and not be blind-sided by it. It makes me laugh inside to think how everyone was so ready to impeach Clinton. Do these same people see what's happening now?
This afternoon, I dropped my daughter off at a birthday party and headed to Circleville in search of some hostas for cheap. I was going down "old 23", as my mom would call it, or as the younger generation would say - North Court St. I passed a house on a farm that was flying an American flag. So what's the big deal? Lots of people fly the flag outside their home. True. But most don't fly it upside down. This really bothered me. I remembered an old friend who hung his flag in the same manner inside his tattoo parlor. I remembered he hung it that way in honor of the Native Americans and the country that was taken from them. But that's all I could remember, that and the fact that I knew it wasn't good. So when I got home, I Googled it. And this is what I found. USFlag.org has a listing of the Flag Code. According to this, the flag "is flown upside down only as a distress signal." Other sites said it was for distress defined as being extreme danger to life and property. That got me thinking about what could be so dire for them to send up a distress signal. Then I thought maybe it wasn't about them personally. Maybe it was their opinion about how our country is doing. Maybe the extreme danger was to our country and her citizens. That's what bothered me.
I'm not one to watch the news - too depressing for me. I will admit this is probably the worst time not to watch the news. I do keep an eye on the paper but there's only so much knowledge you can gain from the local news source. I did read an article on the web about the new healthcare bill that was a bit disturbing but for the most part I'm a little disconnected. However, I've read and heard enough to form an opinion of my own.
My gut reaction is that we, as a nation, have been duped. We wanted a change from the way things were. A change from a president that acted like he had no sense. A change that would bring our loved ones home from a war that has gone on too long. So we voted for change. But is it really the change we wanted? Are our government representatives doing what's best for their constituents or for their own best interests? Sometimes I wonder if the Obama supporters are as supportive now as they were when he was on the campaign trail. I know if I had been one of them, I would certainly be doubting what I had supported. I also wonder about the Congressional representatives that we have elected. Especially, when I read that certain laws don't pertain to them and this new healthcare bill doesn't pertain to them. I think they have forgotten that they are not above the rest of the citizens of this country. That they too, once upon a time, were insignificant nobodies who had to follow the law as we do. Sometimes, I really don't think they have our best interests in mind. Oh sure, that's what they promise at election time but we know how that goes. We've all participated in school government elections and remember how the moon was promised but all we got was a rock. Why do we think it's any different on a higher level? I fully realize that the nation didn't start going to hell in a handcart as soon as the Obama-drama started. But to me it seems like it is getting steadily worse. Maybe the new generation of "tea-partiers" are on to something. Maybe we as a nation need to clean house - starting with the elected officials. I'm not saying the constitution needs to be rewritten. Actually, just the opposite. I think they need to stop and look at what the constitution really means when the government doesn't bend it to fit whatever they need it to.
I wonder what our founding fathers would think if they could see their country today. Would they be proud of the way the country is ran? Would they be saddened to see how their hopes and dreams for a young nation have went awry? What would they think of all the corruption in the offices they once held? And what about the state of our nation? A nation in debt to the tune of over $12 trillion (zfacts.com). A nation that drops everything they are doing to help other countries in need but let our citizens go homeless and hungry. A nation that has become a self-imposed babysitter to the rest of the world. A nation that has continued to open her doors to immigrants - but for the most part a different breed of immigrants. (Immigrants that come here to escape perscution from their country and then want to change how things are here. And WHY do I have to press "1" for English? Why is it an option? When immigrants began coming to this country, they learned the language and were proud to do so while retaining their heritage. Now it seems as though the immigrants - illegal and otherwise - have more rights and benefits than an American citizen.) And how their idea of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" isn't so happy anymore. I think it would be a little like the commercial that has the Native American with a silent tear running down his cheek at the sight of all the litter around him.
One of my facebook friends posted this on his page:
If a conservative doesn't like guns, he doesn`t buy one. If a liberal doesn't like guns, he wants guns outlawed. If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat. If a liberal is a vegetarian, he wants meat products banned. If a conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life. If a liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect. If a conservative is down-and-out, he tries to better his situation. A liberal wants to know who is going to fix it for him. If a conservative doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels. Liberals want those they don't like to be silenced. If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church. If a liberal is a non-believer he wants any mention of religion silenced.If a conservative needs health care he shops for it, or looks for a job that will provide it. A liberal demands that the rest of us provide for it. A conservative will read this and will forward it, so his friends can have a good laugh. A liberal will read this and delete it, because he's offended.
I never thought about it quite like this but it makes sense. And by the above examples, apparently I'm a conservative which is surprising to me.
O.K., I'm climbing down (for now). But what I saw today opened my eyes. Maybe I can't change anything just by being more informed, but at least I can see it coming and not be blind-sided by it. It makes me laugh inside to think how everyone was so ready to impeach Clinton. Do these same people see what's happening now?
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