Be safe, have fun and hug (and kiss) the ones you love! Best wishes in 2009!
Love,
Jessica
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Happiness Is ...
... sitting on my couch with delicious coffee and my laptop.
... new music and finding myself in the lyrics.
... a clean house.
... a good night's sleep.
... Christmas over and (almost) the best one I could have asked for.
... watching my kids morph into mini-adults, with thoughts and opinions and goals.
... having a job I enjoy, am good at and am appreciated for.
... living in a place with 4 distinct seasons, mountains, electric blue skies and options, options, options.
... my Christmas tree.
... being content in this place. Right here, right now.
... new music and finding myself in the lyrics.
... a clean house.
... a good night's sleep.
... Christmas over and (almost) the best one I could have asked for.
... watching my kids morph into mini-adults, with thoughts and opinions and goals.
... having a job I enjoy, am good at and am appreciated for.
... living in a place with 4 distinct seasons, mountains, electric blue skies and options, options, options.
... my Christmas tree.
... being content in this place. Right here, right now.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
What Christmas Looks Like Here
This is the first year for my children and me to celebrate Christmas our way. In contemplating what traditions I'd like to start, I thought of a lot of things that we could do or that I know other people do. But I finally settled on a couple of things that we really like.
This afternoon we saw The Tale of Despereaux. When we left the theater, we drove around looking at Christmas lights in neighborhoods we've never seen. We got lost. Hey, it was dark and we were in a town I haven't spent much time in.
When we came home, we lit all the Christmas candles we have and sat around the table in our pajamas. We drank hot chocolate and talked about all the great things that have happened this year. We talked about the things we look forward to next year. We talked about last Christmas, which was spent less than a mile from here in a blizzard.
I gave each child the one gift that I knew would make an impact tonight. I know they'll like the rest of their things but these particular gifts were the "really cool" ones. Right now, they are watching The Polar Express and clutching their "really cool" gifts. I have the beginnings of homemade cinnamon rolls on the stove. I will finish wrapping a few family gifts tonight and bake the cinnamon rolls.
In the morning we will unwrap the rest of our gifts and have Eggs Benedict and cinnamon rolls for breakfast. We will be lazy, enjoy our gifts and watch A Christmas Story on television. Then we'll head over to Jennifer and Caleb's for Christmas dinner. It's going to be a great day.
Obviously, not every Christmas will be like this one. But I think we'll definitely go light browsing, watch a Christmas movie or two, talk about the past year and have cinnamon rolls and Eggs Benedict. It sounds good to me!
Merry Christmas, all!
P.S. The kids were not impressed with my Eggs Benedict. I guess we'll have to scratch that one. Bummer.
This afternoon we saw The Tale of Despereaux. When we left the theater, we drove around looking at Christmas lights in neighborhoods we've never seen. We got lost. Hey, it was dark and we were in a town I haven't spent much time in.
When we came home, we lit all the Christmas candles we have and sat around the table in our pajamas. We drank hot chocolate and talked about all the great things that have happened this year. We talked about the things we look forward to next year. We talked about last Christmas, which was spent less than a mile from here in a blizzard.
I gave each child the one gift that I knew would make an impact tonight. I know they'll like the rest of their things but these particular gifts were the "really cool" ones. Right now, they are watching The Polar Express and clutching their "really cool" gifts. I have the beginnings of homemade cinnamon rolls on the stove. I will finish wrapping a few family gifts tonight and bake the cinnamon rolls.
In the morning we will unwrap the rest of our gifts and have Eggs Benedict and cinnamon rolls for breakfast. We will be lazy, enjoy our gifts and watch A Christmas Story on television. Then we'll head over to Jennifer and Caleb's for Christmas dinner. It's going to be a great day.
Obviously, not every Christmas will be like this one. But I think we'll definitely go light browsing, watch a Christmas movie or two, talk about the past year and have cinnamon rolls and Eggs Benedict. It sounds good to me!
Merry Christmas, all!
P.S. The kids were not impressed with my Eggs Benedict. I guess we'll have to scratch that one. Bummer.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
I Spit-Laughed
I've been told by various people that Arrested Development is/was the best television show ever. I finally started watching it on Hulu and I am only sad that I didn't watch it sooner. Jennifer and I watched the first 5 episodes last night and I am embarrassed to admit that I made a fool of myself. Not only did I spill an entire glass of red wine, but I also laughed so hard I spit a mouthful of water on myself, the sofa, the coffee table and the floor.
Don't tell Jim Halpert, but I might have a new favorite television show.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tomorrow's To Do List
I am, unexpectedly, not working tomorrow morning and possibly not the afternoon, either. This is nice because I have a bunch of stuff that really needs doing and extra free time is so needed. In order to maximize my time (I've been known to waste entire mornings at this laptop with coffee in my hand), I'm making a list. I will cross off everything I do to keep myself accountable.
Alright. It's bedtime and I'm already one step ahead of tomorrow. I hope to keep it that way.
organize my desk, file old bills and school projects- fold two loads of laundry
sweep and mop all hard surface floorsmake a Target runpick up the Holiday Shop gifts Samuel left at schoolsend candy grams to the kids at schoolfinish making _________ for some Christmas gifts- dust the furniture
unload the dishwasher
Alright. It's bedtime and I'm already one step ahead of tomorrow. I hope to keep it that way.
Family
I consider myself a very fortunate person when it comes to family. I really enjoy my family. Really, though most of my family is biological and choice in the matter is limited; not a bad thing at all, I'm just sayin'. Obviously, we all make the choice to spend time together but it's an easy choice. I got lucky.
One of my family members is a family member by choice, though. He became part of our family when he married my sister. He's extremely intelligent, funny and just plain fun to be around. I see those qualities a lot. He's also generous and he demonstrated that exceptionally this week.
As I mentioned on Sunday, my parking brake froze on Saturday night. My brother-in-law made it his mission on Sunday to get my vehicle drivable again. It was cold, the weather was nasty and I'm pretty sure he'd have preferred to watch football. Then, when my car again didn't run on Monday morning, he came over to pick up the kids and me. He dropped us off at school and work, making himself late for work. Finally, he came over yesterday evening when it was dark and 0 F to work on my car again. He fought with it all the way down a very busy street to drop it off at a brake shop.
Caleb. Thank you, thank you, thank you. A million times, thank you.
And while I'm at it, let me brag on my sister, too. She doesn't think so, but she possesses enormous patience and self-control. She never hesitates to open her home and volunteer herself for watching my children when I have to work. She goes out of her way to do fun things with all the kids. She's constantly feeding us and doing various other things that make my life easier. While my vehicle was out of commission she drove across town 6 separate times to pick us up or drop us off. She's like another mother to my children. And she's my best friend.
I am so very fortunate to have these two people in my life. They're wonderful individuals and a great team. I can't think of two people better suited to each other. (Unless you count my parents, or maybe my grandparents. I told you I was fortunate.) They are raising two cool little boys and I know one day those boys will realize how fortunate they are to have these parents.
I love you guys.
I know it sounds awfully convenient to be saying all of this after the couple of days I've had. But you know, when things like this happen it makes me so grateful for the family I have.
One of my family members is a family member by choice, though. He became part of our family when he married my sister. He's extremely intelligent, funny and just plain fun to be around. I see those qualities a lot. He's also generous and he demonstrated that exceptionally this week.
As I mentioned on Sunday, my parking brake froze on Saturday night. My brother-in-law made it his mission on Sunday to get my vehicle drivable again. It was cold, the weather was nasty and I'm pretty sure he'd have preferred to watch football. Then, when my car again didn't run on Monday morning, he came over to pick up the kids and me. He dropped us off at school and work, making himself late for work. Finally, he came over yesterday evening when it was dark and 0 F to work on my car again. He fought with it all the way down a very busy street to drop it off at a brake shop.
Caleb. Thank you, thank you, thank you. A million times, thank you.
And while I'm at it, let me brag on my sister, too. She doesn't think so, but she possesses enormous patience and self-control. She never hesitates to open her home and volunteer herself for watching my children when I have to work. She goes out of her way to do fun things with all the kids. She's constantly feeding us and doing various other things that make my life easier. While my vehicle was out of commission she drove across town 6 separate times to pick us up or drop us off. She's like another mother to my children. And she's my best friend.
I am so very fortunate to have these two people in my life. They're wonderful individuals and a great team. I can't think of two people better suited to each other. (Unless you count my parents, or maybe my grandparents. I told you I was fortunate.) They are raising two cool little boys and I know one day those boys will realize how fortunate they are to have these parents.
I love you guys.
I know it sounds awfully convenient to be saying all of this after the couple of days I've had. But you know, when things like this happen it makes me so grateful for the family I have.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Loss of Innocence
Poor Solomon. A friend lied to him today. He said it's the first time anyone has ever lied to him and his feelings are really hurt.
I've been told that it only gets harder to be a parent as your children grow older. This is one of the reasons that is true.
I've been told that it only gets harder to be a parent as your children grow older. This is one of the reasons that is true.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Mom Song
I think this woman has been a fly on the wall in my home. I'm tired just listening to her.
Today Didn't Go As Planned
)
When this happens, do not leave your emergency brake set. If you do, you might spend 3 hours of your day trying to buy snow chains, contemplating new tires and finally discovering that the emergency brake was simply frozen. In conclusion, do not leave your emergency brake set all night. Lesson learned.
My New Profile Photo
See that? It's pure awesomeness. No explanation necessary. Let us take a moment to bask in the glow of the awesomeness that is The Office. Amen.
I bought myself the complete Fourth Season of The Office for Christmas. I got it from a friend of an online friend, in unopened packaging, for about half of what it costs at Best Buy or Target. Paypal, message boards and the internets all coming together to bring me a gift I love. It's such a beautiful thing. It even comes with the script to one of the best episodes of that season. :geeks out:
The only problem is that my touch of OCD and procrastinating perfectionism is keeping me from watching any of it yet. My house is quickly nearing that previously alluded to state of chaos which means that I will spend the better part of today decluttering, organizing, sweeping, mopping and dusting until I am able to flop on my sofa and do nothing -- nothing but fully and truly appreciate all that Season Four has to offer.
So let it be written, so let it be done.
I bought myself the complete Fourth Season of The Office for Christmas. I got it from a friend of an online friend, in unopened packaging, for about half of what it costs at Best Buy or Target. Paypal, message boards and the internets all coming together to bring me a gift I love. It's such a beautiful thing. It even comes with the script to one of the best episodes of that season. :geeks out:
The only problem is that my touch of OCD and procrastinating perfectionism is keeping me from watching any of it yet. My house is quickly nearing that previously alluded to state of chaos which means that I will spend the better part of today decluttering, organizing, sweeping, mopping and dusting until I am able to flop on my sofa and do nothing -- nothing but fully and truly appreciate all that Season Four has to offer.
So let it be written, so let it be done.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
We Have Been Inoculated
I debated getting flu shots for the kids this year. I usually get one, being a nurse and being exposed to all manner of microorganisms. But the kids have never gotten them. They're not in a high risk category. And I sometimes wonder if we're over-inoculating ourselves these days. I'm a tad nervous of super germs being the demise of the human race.
But we got the flu last season and that was what finally tipped the scales for me. It was hell -- two weeks of hell. Apparently last year's flu prediction was off and people who got flu shots, myself included, only had about 25% protection. Ironically, I was the sickest in the family. Miriam was very close behind me. Samuel recovered pretty quickly. Solomon escaped altogether; one good thing about him spending 5 months in Albuquerque.
So, off we went to the office yesterday afternoon for flu vaccines. I bribed the kids with McDonald's Happy Meals. They reluctantly agreed. I wanted to tell them that there was a chance they could have nasal spray instead of a shot. I resisted, though because I knew the office might be out and it would be wrong to get their hopes up about it.
When we got there, I asked my co-worker if there was any FluMist left. When I left work on Thursday afternoon there were a few doses left but everyone wants FluMist so I wasn't sure they would still be there. Luckily, there were some doses remaining so each of my children could get one. I cannot tell you how relieved they were.
Solomon went first. Ever the one for drama, he made some outrageous faces and then shouted that it was all stuck in his throat. After a few sips of water he was fine. Miriam went next and we almost didn't get the second half into her. She wasn't very happy with the first half and I had to hold her still. Then I had to coach her not to blow it into a tissue. Samuel was a real trooper and handled it better than the other two. And everyone was thrilled that there were no needles!
I, however, prefer to have a needle plunged into my deltoid. I cannot tolerate things in or around my nose. And there is no way I will voluntarily suck a liquid into my nostrils. No way, no how. Give me a shot. And my friend did. And I'm a little sore today.
I am relieved that we are doing all we can to avoid the flu. I was more worried about contracting the flu again than I realized. Let's hope the protection works this year. Supposedly, the FluMist contains more strains of the flu virus and therefore offers better protection than the injectable FluZone. This is good, considering that the kids come into contact with tons of stuff at school all day, every day. I push hand washing every chance I get but who knows what actually happens at school, right?
When we were finished I wondered aloud (jokingly) to the kids if they should still get Happy Meals since they didn't actually have to get a shot. They looked a little perplexed before they realized I was only kidding.
P.S. Another good thing about the FluMist -- because all of my children are younger than 9 years and because this is their first year for flu vaccine, if they had been injected, they'd have to return in 4 weeks for yet another injection. So we're avoiding 2 injections for each and getting better protection. :crosses fingers:
But we got the flu last season and that was what finally tipped the scales for me. It was hell -- two weeks of hell. Apparently last year's flu prediction was off and people who got flu shots, myself included, only had about 25% protection. Ironically, I was the sickest in the family. Miriam was very close behind me. Samuel recovered pretty quickly. Solomon escaped altogether; one good thing about him spending 5 months in Albuquerque.
So, off we went to the office yesterday afternoon for flu vaccines. I bribed the kids with McDonald's Happy Meals. They reluctantly agreed. I wanted to tell them that there was a chance they could have nasal spray instead of a shot. I resisted, though because I knew the office might be out and it would be wrong to get their hopes up about it.
When we got there, I asked my co-worker if there was any FluMist left. When I left work on Thursday afternoon there were a few doses left but everyone wants FluMist so I wasn't sure they would still be there. Luckily, there were some doses remaining so each of my children could get one. I cannot tell you how relieved they were.
Solomon went first. Ever the one for drama, he made some outrageous faces and then shouted that it was all stuck in his throat. After a few sips of water he was fine. Miriam went next and we almost didn't get the second half into her. She wasn't very happy with the first half and I had to hold her still. Then I had to coach her not to blow it into a tissue. Samuel was a real trooper and handled it better than the other two. And everyone was thrilled that there were no needles!
I, however, prefer to have a needle plunged into my deltoid. I cannot tolerate things in or around my nose. And there is no way I will voluntarily suck a liquid into my nostrils. No way, no how. Give me a shot. And my friend did. And I'm a little sore today.
I am relieved that we are doing all we can to avoid the flu. I was more worried about contracting the flu again than I realized. Let's hope the protection works this year. Supposedly, the FluMist contains more strains of the flu virus and therefore offers better protection than the injectable FluZone. This is good, considering that the kids come into contact with tons of stuff at school all day, every day. I push hand washing every chance I get but who knows what actually happens at school, right?
When we were finished I wondered aloud (jokingly) to the kids if they should still get Happy Meals since they didn't actually have to get a shot. They looked a little perplexed before they realized I was only kidding.
P.S. Another good thing about the FluMist -- because all of my children are younger than 9 years and because this is their first year for flu vaccine, if they had been injected, they'd have to return in 4 weeks for yet another injection. So we're avoiding 2 injections for each and getting better protection. :crosses fingers:
Friday, December 12, 2008
Repetitive Redundancies
- ATM machine
- PIN number
- VIN number
- hot water heater
- vaccine shot record
- GPS system
Friday, December 5, 2008
Sigh
Trying to catch my breath here -- and catch up on my writing. I thought I might do that tonight. I am babysitting for Jennifer and Caleb and just vegging on the couch with my laptop. But I'm too tired.
I will be back. I have a lot to say; just not a lot of time or energy these days. Thanks for checking in, though.
I will be back. I have a lot to say; just not a lot of time or energy these days. Thanks for checking in, though.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Another Political Post
Maybe I've been too caught up in politics lately or maybe it's because this was such an emotional election or maybe I'm just hormonal, but some of these photos are so poignant I tear up when looking at them.
From 52 to 48, with love
From 52 to 48, with love
Friday, November 14, 2008
Parent-Teacher Conferences
We'll start with Samuel since I met with his teacher on Tuesday morning. She showed me more examples of his work. As at the first meeting with her, his work runs the gamut from a page with faint scribbles to a page with near-perfect writing. Again, I'm not worried about his cognitive abilities because he obviously gets it. So we are still focusing on occupational therapy, sensory issues and now adding speech therapy for stuttering.
Samuel started stuttering around the beginning of this year (calendar year, not school year) and I ignored it. Solomon and Miriam both stuttered for a couple of months at the same age but it passed and they've had no problems since. But Samuel's stuttering has continued and it's getting worse, not better. For the last part of my conference with Samuel's teacher, the speech pathologist joined us and outlined what she'll be doing with Samuel twice a week. She said he doesn't show signs of having a physiological problem and since there isn't a family history of stuttering, she's encouraged that he'll move past this eventually.
Samuel went to speech for the first time yesterday. He loved it and he was so proud of himself. When I picked him up yesterday evening, he showed off his sticker and said, "I went to speech today and I did awesome!" I'm sad that Samuel is struggling with things like this, but I am so grateful that there are qualified people to help him. These plans are really encouraging.
I met with Solomon's teacher on Wednesday evening. I expected to hear good things about him since he was selected for the High Flyer Award last month; I was not disappointed. Solomon is advanced in math. He's a logical thinker and his teacher said he's one of the few in her class that can explain why he does math problems the way he does.
Solomon is still behind in reading and spelling but he's improving, thanks to ELA services every day for 20 minutes. Because he is behind in reading, there is an individualized plan for him to focus on the areas where he needs the most help. The goal is to get him to grade level by February when he takes the Colorado standardized test. Also, since he is below grade level, his teacher has had it approved for him to take the tests for shorter time periods and to give him more time overall to complete sections of the test. She has noticed that he gets anxious during tests when he can't get things finished on time so this should remove that stress.
Solomon's teacher said he is well-liked by his peers and she really enjoys having him in her class. I can't tell you how happy I was to hear this because I've been certain before that Solomon's teachers haven't always enjoyed having him in their classes. No one has been ungracious about it, but he has definitely been The Challenge more often than not.
I met with Miriam's teacher on Thursday night. She said that Miriam is doing very well. She was slightly below grade level in math at the beginning of the year and is now at grade level. She was at grade level in reading and reading comprehension when school started and now she's off the reading grading scale. This is so awesome and it's even better because Miriam actually loves to read.
The teacher showed me a couple of narratives that Miriam wrote. They are so great. She wrote and illustrated one about us finding a dead snake in the parking lot while we walked to the park. She's so funny and gross.
I love these kids.
Samuel started stuttering around the beginning of this year (calendar year, not school year) and I ignored it. Solomon and Miriam both stuttered for a couple of months at the same age but it passed and they've had no problems since. But Samuel's stuttering has continued and it's getting worse, not better. For the last part of my conference with Samuel's teacher, the speech pathologist joined us and outlined what she'll be doing with Samuel twice a week. She said he doesn't show signs of having a physiological problem and since there isn't a family history of stuttering, she's encouraged that he'll move past this eventually.
Samuel went to speech for the first time yesterday. He loved it and he was so proud of himself. When I picked him up yesterday evening, he showed off his sticker and said, "I went to speech today and I did awesome!" I'm sad that Samuel is struggling with things like this, but I am so grateful that there are qualified people to help him. These plans are really encouraging.
I met with Solomon's teacher on Wednesday evening. I expected to hear good things about him since he was selected for the High Flyer Award last month; I was not disappointed. Solomon is advanced in math. He's a logical thinker and his teacher said he's one of the few in her class that can explain why he does math problems the way he does.
Solomon is still behind in reading and spelling but he's improving, thanks to ELA services every day for 20 minutes. Because he is behind in reading, there is an individualized plan for him to focus on the areas where he needs the most help. The goal is to get him to grade level by February when he takes the Colorado standardized test. Also, since he is below grade level, his teacher has had it approved for him to take the tests for shorter time periods and to give him more time overall to complete sections of the test. She has noticed that he gets anxious during tests when he can't get things finished on time so this should remove that stress.
Solomon's teacher said he is well-liked by his peers and she really enjoys having him in her class. I can't tell you how happy I was to hear this because I've been certain before that Solomon's teachers haven't always enjoyed having him in their classes. No one has been ungracious about it, but he has definitely been The Challenge more often than not.
I met with Miriam's teacher on Thursday night. She said that Miriam is doing very well. She was slightly below grade level in math at the beginning of the year and is now at grade level. She was at grade level in reading and reading comprehension when school started and now she's off the reading grading scale. This is so awesome and it's even better because Miriam actually loves to read.
The teacher showed me a couple of narratives that Miriam wrote. They are so great. She wrote and illustrated one about us finding a dead snake in the parking lot while we walked to the park. She's so funny and gross.
I love these kids.
Things Are Good
And by things, I mean the things that make up my life at the moment: children, home, work and friends. I don't mean Things, as in extra stuff. I'm not a stuff person; stuff gets in the way, clutters my space and gets on my nerves. So, not that kind of Things.
The election is over and I'm obviously happy with the turn out. We're back on Standard Time, which I prefer. Winter is coming and there is snow on the ground (Yay!). Thanksgiving with its delicious food and great family time is a mere 12 days away. And I have someone to cover my spot the Monday after Thanksgiving so we can take our time driving back. After that comes Christmas and our very first family tree.
We had parent-teacher conferences this week. I got great reports on all 3 kids (more about that later). We attended the book fair and got some new books for everyone. We have a 3-day weekend and slept in this morning. There is a birthday party to attend tomorrow and then the kids will spend the night with their cousins and uncle. Jennifer and I are going downtown for a girls' night out with friends. Next weekend is family movie night at the school and we'll go in our pajamas to watch Wall-E. I'm getting involved with the school, volunteering for the kids' teachers and helping the school nurse on my day off.
I've managed to stay on top of the dishes and laundry for 2 straight weeks. Actually, if you count the 2 weeks the kids were gone, I've managed this for 4 weeks -- a month! I'm making myself unload the dishwasher when it finishes running so I can re-load it after each meal instead of piling dishes in the sink. I'm making myself hang up clothes straight from the dryer instead of piling them in the armchair in the living room. And I'm folding the things in the basket when it gets full instead of letting it overflow until it threatens to bury me in an avalanche of clothing.
The office is moving its location as I write this and that means my daily round-trip commute will be chopped from 50 minutes to 14 minutes, beginning Monday. I get to unpack and organize a beautiful office space on Sunday. Parking will be excellent, our office is on the first floor instead of the third. Our windows have a 180 degree view of the Rockies instead of a dismal parking lot and a congested interstate. We have plenty of storage for supplies, bigger exam rooms and uncluttered desk space.
So, yeah. Things are good. I'm going to savor this because history tells me it won't last forever and I'll need this good feeling to get me through the next low point.
The election is over and I'm obviously happy with the turn out. We're back on Standard Time, which I prefer. Winter is coming and there is snow on the ground (Yay!). Thanksgiving with its delicious food and great family time is a mere 12 days away. And I have someone to cover my spot the Monday after Thanksgiving so we can take our time driving back. After that comes Christmas and our very first family tree.
We had parent-teacher conferences this week. I got great reports on all 3 kids (more about that later). We attended the book fair and got some new books for everyone. We have a 3-day weekend and slept in this morning. There is a birthday party to attend tomorrow and then the kids will spend the night with their cousins and uncle. Jennifer and I are going downtown for a girls' night out with friends. Next weekend is family movie night at the school and we'll go in our pajamas to watch Wall-E. I'm getting involved with the school, volunteering for the kids' teachers and helping the school nurse on my day off.
I've managed to stay on top of the dishes and laundry for 2 straight weeks. Actually, if you count the 2 weeks the kids were gone, I've managed this for 4 weeks -- a month! I'm making myself unload the dishwasher when it finishes running so I can re-load it after each meal instead of piling dishes in the sink. I'm making myself hang up clothes straight from the dryer instead of piling them in the armchair in the living room. And I'm folding the things in the basket when it gets full instead of letting it overflow until it threatens to bury me in an avalanche of clothing.
The office is moving its location as I write this and that means my daily round-trip commute will be chopped from 50 minutes to 14 minutes, beginning Monday. I get to unpack and organize a beautiful office space on Sunday. Parking will be excellent, our office is on the first floor instead of the third. Our windows have a 180 degree view of the Rockies instead of a dismal parking lot and a congested interstate. We have plenty of storage for supplies, bigger exam rooms and uncluttered desk space.
So, yeah. Things are good. I'm going to savor this because history tells me it won't last forever and I'll need this good feeling to get me through the next low point.
A Pomegranate and Giggles
I had a nice moment with my daughter this week. The boys were off somewhere in the house doing boy stuff while Miriam and I sat at the table peeling a pomegranate. It was her first time to try pomegranate seeds and I wasn't sure she'd like them. It's an awful lot of work for a tiny bit of sweetness. But she loved them.
So we sat and talked and peeled and ate. We talked about school, family, our trip to Arkansas in a couple of weeks. We talked about her friends and my work. We talked about the pending arrival of her half-sibling and how she hopes it's a girl because she really wants a sister. I told her how much I love her and how happy I am that she's my daughter. We told each other jokes and giggled ourselves silly.
It's hard to come by these moments. So often the minutiae of life get in the way and I forget that life is made of these moments, not paying the bills or maneuvering traffic or buying groceries. I'm going to make a point of letting these moments happen more frequently.
So we sat and talked and peeled and ate. We talked about school, family, our trip to Arkansas in a couple of weeks. We talked about her friends and my work. We talked about the pending arrival of her half-sibling and how she hopes it's a girl because she really wants a sister. I told her how much I love her and how happy I am that she's my daughter. We told each other jokes and giggled ourselves silly.
It's hard to come by these moments. So often the minutiae of life get in the way and I forget that life is made of these moments, not paying the bills or maneuvering traffic or buying groceries. I'm going to make a point of letting these moments happen more frequently.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Bigger Picture
I'm still at something of a loss. My words cannot adequately express what this election has meant, and will mean, to me. In the moments after the election was called I posted the entry 2 below this one. I said that it was over. But really, it's just beginning.
President-Elect Obama has a very long, difficult road ahead of him. Our economy is swirling the drain, a long war has looked even longer until now and we're facing an energy crisis of epic proportions. Presidential expectations have never been higher. Add to that the high level of divisiveness that was involved in this campaign and the threats against his life and the result is an extremely unenviable position.
I have every confidence in Barack Obama as a leader. His acceptance speech struck the right balance of hope for the future and humility in the moment. This man had the opportunity to make this election about himself, on a night that was truly momentous; he chose instead to focus on the people of this country. He spoke directly to us, not mincing words about the obstacles that lay ahead. He extended his support to those that opposed him and humbly asked for their support in return. This is a man worthy of our respect, regardless of party affiliation.
No one knows exactly what will happen in the next 4 years. It will be slow going, but progress will be made. Our new leader possesses a self-assurance and a coolness that will make him level-headed when the tough decisions need to be made. We can count on him to make rational decisions, as opposed to emotional decisions. This country desperately needs a large dose of rationality. I am so grateful that we will get it now.
President-Elect Obama has a very long, difficult road ahead of him. Our economy is swirling the drain, a long war has looked even longer until now and we're facing an energy crisis of epic proportions. Presidential expectations have never been higher. Add to that the high level of divisiveness that was involved in this campaign and the threats against his life and the result is an extremely unenviable position.
I have every confidence in Barack Obama as a leader. His acceptance speech struck the right balance of hope for the future and humility in the moment. This man had the opportunity to make this election about himself, on a night that was truly momentous; he chose instead to focus on the people of this country. He spoke directly to us, not mincing words about the obstacles that lay ahead. He extended his support to those that opposed him and humbly asked for their support in return. This is a man worthy of our respect, regardless of party affiliation.
No one knows exactly what will happen in the next 4 years. It will be slow going, but progress will be made. Our new leader possesses a self-assurance and a coolness that will make him level-headed when the tough decisions need to be made. We can count on him to make rational decisions, as opposed to emotional decisions. This country desperately needs a large dose of rationality. I am so grateful that we will get it now.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
The Nuts & Bolts of My Election Day
I have put off writing about this because I don't know what to say. In the moment, the enormity paralyzed my words. I'm still at a loss but if I don't start writing soon, I'll begin to forget and that is the last thing I want to do. So I will start with the beginning.
I refused to sign up for a mail in ballot and didn't really want to go to early voting, either. I like the ceremony of waiting in line, showing my ID, signing on the dotted line and curtaining myself in a booth. It's both solemn and exhilarating for me. I knew that to avoid waiting in line for hours I'd have to be in line before my polling place opened.
The kids and I left home at 6:30 AM to go to their school, which is my polling place. I took my place in line and there were about 20 people ahead of me already. By the time the required hour of 7:00 AM arrived, the line was beginning to snake around the school building. The kids played on the playground until the line moved inside. Solomon went to choir and the other two went with me to vote.
I knew the ballot would be extensive due the large number of proposed amendments this year. I had prepared a cheat sheet of sorts for myself from the voter's guide so I didn't have to read through all the amendments in the booth. Still, when I stepped into the booth, my stomach flipped at the sight of a page about 2 1/2 feet by 2 feet. I didn't know where to start. I finally recognized an amendment number in the middle of the page and pressed the appropriate button. I breezed through the rest of the amendments and then realized I hadn't voted for a single person yet. So I went back to the top of the page and pressed the buttons for the offices of President, Senate, House of Representatives and a couple of local races. Then I triple-checked all of my lit buttons and finally pressed the submission button.
We left the gym and I dropped off Samuel and Miriam in the cafeteria to eat (another) breakfast. Then I remembered that I hadn't gotten an "I Voted!" sticker. Yes, I'm a voting dork, I like the booth and I want that sticker. So I went back for my sticker.
On my way out of the school I called Jennifer to celebrate voting and got all choked up on the phone. I ran into a guy from the campaign office and he asked me if I was going to help out. I really wanted to be helping at the polls but I had to work. He asked me who I voted for and we both burst out laughing.
I stopped at Starbucks for my free coffee. I told the barista that I had just voted and showed my sticker. She yelled out, "Hey! She just voted!" and everyone cheered. The girl passing out samples of the Peppermint Mocha with a Twist complimented the back of my car. She said that she really liked the stickers, even though "I'm 'technically' neutral. But I really, really like your bumper stickers."
When I got to work another nurse was hooking up a tiny portable television so we could keep up with the news during the day. That turned out not to work so well since we could only tune in to The Price is Right. We ended up leaving the back computer on MSNBC all day to listen to the live feed, which wasn't very interesting.
During the day, it was pretty easy to forget what a monumental day it was. I was too busy to be nervous. But once it got to be 5:00 and polls closed on the East Coast, I started to feel funny. I rushed to pick up the kids and we ate a quick dinner in the car on the way to Ben & Jerry's. I got a free scoop for voting and the kiddos each picked a flavor, too. We sat in the food court and watched the returns on a massive television hanging over our heads.
I tried to explain to the kids what all the figures and calculations meant. Somehow the electoral process with its popular vote versus electoral vote escaped them. All they cared about was that Obama was definitely in the lead. Really, that's all I cared about, too.
When we got home the kids finished their homework and started getting ready for bed. I was pretty useless as a supervisory figure since all I could do was sit on the couch and watch the returns. I did manage to tuck in Miriam and Samuel and get Solomon into the shower. When I made it back to the living room, there was a picture of Barack Obama on the screen and a headline reading, "Barack Obama Elected 44th President of the United States."
I got chills and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. So I did both. I sat on the couch, in shock. Dad sent me a congratulatory text message and Jennifer called 5 seconds later. Solomon came out of the bathroom and asked me what was wrong. I told him that nothing was wrong, that Obama will be our next president. He whooped and ran to their bedroom to tell his siblings. They were already half-asleep and didn't care.
Solomon sat with me on the couch. He said he wanted to stay up and see Obama's victory speech. I wasn't going to tell him no during such an historic moment. So we snuggled together and he fell asleep in my lap half way through the speech.
I finally went to bed, relieved and also half afraid that I'd wake up in the morning to hear that there was a mess of hanging chads and voter disenfranchisment somewhere in the country. It was a great day and I hope I never forget it.
I refused to sign up for a mail in ballot and didn't really want to go to early voting, either. I like the ceremony of waiting in line, showing my ID, signing on the dotted line and curtaining myself in a booth. It's both solemn and exhilarating for me. I knew that to avoid waiting in line for hours I'd have to be in line before my polling place opened.
The kids and I left home at 6:30 AM to go to their school, which is my polling place. I took my place in line and there were about 20 people ahead of me already. By the time the required hour of 7:00 AM arrived, the line was beginning to snake around the school building. The kids played on the playground until the line moved inside. Solomon went to choir and the other two went with me to vote.
I knew the ballot would be extensive due the large number of proposed amendments this year. I had prepared a cheat sheet of sorts for myself from the voter's guide so I didn't have to read through all the amendments in the booth. Still, when I stepped into the booth, my stomach flipped at the sight of a page about 2 1/2 feet by 2 feet. I didn't know where to start. I finally recognized an amendment number in the middle of the page and pressed the appropriate button. I breezed through the rest of the amendments and then realized I hadn't voted for a single person yet. So I went back to the top of the page and pressed the buttons for the offices of President, Senate, House of Representatives and a couple of local races. Then I triple-checked all of my lit buttons and finally pressed the submission button.
We left the gym and I dropped off Samuel and Miriam in the cafeteria to eat (another) breakfast. Then I remembered that I hadn't gotten an "I Voted!" sticker. Yes, I'm a voting dork, I like the booth and I want that sticker. So I went back for my sticker.
On my way out of the school I called Jennifer to celebrate voting and got all choked up on the phone. I ran into a guy from the campaign office and he asked me if I was going to help out. I really wanted to be helping at the polls but I had to work. He asked me who I voted for and we both burst out laughing.
I stopped at Starbucks for my free coffee. I told the barista that I had just voted and showed my sticker. She yelled out, "Hey! She just voted!" and everyone cheered. The girl passing out samples of the Peppermint Mocha with a Twist complimented the back of my car. She said that she really liked the stickers, even though "I'm 'technically' neutral. But I really, really like your bumper stickers."
When I got to work another nurse was hooking up a tiny portable television so we could keep up with the news during the day. That turned out not to work so well since we could only tune in to The Price is Right. We ended up leaving the back computer on MSNBC all day to listen to the live feed, which wasn't very interesting.
During the day, it was pretty easy to forget what a monumental day it was. I was too busy to be nervous. But once it got to be 5:00 and polls closed on the East Coast, I started to feel funny. I rushed to pick up the kids and we ate a quick dinner in the car on the way to Ben & Jerry's. I got a free scoop for voting and the kiddos each picked a flavor, too. We sat in the food court and watched the returns on a massive television hanging over our heads.
I tried to explain to the kids what all the figures and calculations meant. Somehow the electoral process with its popular vote versus electoral vote escaped them. All they cared about was that Obama was definitely in the lead. Really, that's all I cared about, too.
When we got home the kids finished their homework and started getting ready for bed. I was pretty useless as a supervisory figure since all I could do was sit on the couch and watch the returns. I did manage to tuck in Miriam and Samuel and get Solomon into the shower. When I made it back to the living room, there was a picture of Barack Obama on the screen and a headline reading, "Barack Obama Elected 44th President of the United States."
I got chills and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. So I did both. I sat on the couch, in shock. Dad sent me a congratulatory text message and Jennifer called 5 seconds later. Solomon came out of the bathroom and asked me what was wrong. I told him that nothing was wrong, that Obama will be our next president. He whooped and ran to their bedroom to tell his siblings. They were already half-asleep and didn't care.
Solomon sat with me on the couch. He said he wanted to stay up and see Obama's victory speech. I wasn't going to tell him no during such an historic moment. So we snuggled together and he fell asleep in my lap half way through the speech.
I finally went to bed, relieved and also half afraid that I'd wake up in the morning to hear that there was a mess of hanging chads and voter disenfranchisment somewhere in the country. It was a great day and I hope I never forget it.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Three Weeks!
I looked at a calendar today and realized that it's just 3 weeks until I will start packing up for our Thanksgiving trip! I can't believe it's so close!
And after that, Christmas is just a month away. I can't wait for Christmas. We're going to have a tree for the first time ever. But that is another post for another time ...
Three weeks!
And after that, Christmas is just a month away. I can't wait for Christmas. We're going to have a tree for the first time ever. But that is another post for another time ...
Three weeks!
Friday, October 31, 2008
It's Funny Now
You know how when something comically awful happens it's hard to laugh about it at the time? Well, just recently I realized that a really bad day in our family's history has become hilarious. At least, to me. I'm not so sure that my kids feel that way yet.
It started with a day off work and a long To Do List. The kitchen was practically bare and we also had to hit the library, bank and car wash some where along the way. My kids are never ones to rebel against Murphy's Law so of course the morning started with bickering, antagonizing and a few tears with breakfast.
When we finally got to the car, I remembered that all the booster seats were in the cargo space since I had driven the lunch group from work the day before. I had to separate all three kids and sit them on the curb facing opposite directions while I reinstalled the seats. Once in the car I put a ban on all unnecessary talking to help restore my sanity and we made quick work of the library, bank and car wash.
It was close to lunch time so I decided to head to Wal-Mart and take advantage of the McDonald's at the entrance. (I don't like Wal-Mart very much but sometimes it just can't be beat.) This is where things truly fell apart.
We all had our food and I was just beginning to think good thoughts about my children again when Solomon screamed. I looked over and saw blood in his mouth. He had had a pretty loose tooth for a while and as happens with loose teeth, it had gotten in the way of chewing his cheeseburger. I tried to calm him down but when he saw the blood, there was no calming down. I started to worry that he was going to choke on the food in his mouth so I made him spit it out.
By this time, everyone in the place was staring at our table. I can't really blame them. A screaming kid is stare-worthy. But blood, partially chewed food and lunch time do not go well together. I left Samuel and Miriam at the table and took Solomon to a garbage can in a somewhat secluded corner where he could tend to his mouth. After much rinsing of his mouth, wiping of his face and deep breathing, he returned to the table and asked me where his tooth was.
Crap. I hadn't seen the tooth since the whole ordeal began. I asked him to open wide and confirmed that the tooth was, indeed, not still attached. More crying ensued. I looked in a wadded mess of napkins on the table and didn't see the tooth. The crying continued. I actually went to look in the garbage can. Fortunately, it had been recently emptied and the contents were mostly my own child's napkins. I still couldn't find the tooth. Samuel took this opportunity to mention that the Tooth Fairy can't give you money if your tooth is in the trash. The crying escalated to wailing. I slathered myself with hand sanitizer.
In the midst of this, Miriam had started begging for a bathroom because she needed to poop. Since we weren't going to get any more eating done, I packed up what was left of our lunch and we headed to the restroom. Solomon managed to pull himself together and began coming up with ideas to get the Tooth Fairy to visit him anyway.
After everyone had tended to their restroom needs (and I had scrubbed my hands furiously) we got a shopping cart and made for the produce section of the grocery store. I was busily choosing apples, carrots and cucumbers when Miriam said, "Eeewww, what's this?" She held up her hand and I saw a weird peanut butter-looking substance smeared on her fingers.
Where in the world did peanut butter come from? I checked the cart to see if a previous customer had made a mess of it. No peanut butter. I looked around the fruit bins and still didn't see any peanut butter. I smelled Miriam's hand. It most definitely was not peanut butter. Miriam turned around and I saw the non-peanut butter substance all over the back of her jeans.
Crap. For real this time. One good thing about Wal-Mart is that they have those great paper towel dispensers mounted on posts throughout the store. I ripped off a few towels and wiped Miriam's hand as well as I could. Then I used my trusty hand sanitizer for the second time in 15 minutes.
Another good thing about Wal-Mart is that you can be in the produce section and step across the aisle to find little girl shorts for $3. You'd think that with poo all over the back of her pants, Miriam would not be picky about the color of $3 shorts. But, no. She weighed the merits of purple, blue and pink before finally deciding on pink. I paid for the shorts and we went back to the restroom so Miriam could change.
I considered packing it in and going home but we would have been going home to a house with no food. So I sucked it up, crossed my fingers and headed back to the groceries. Fortunately the rest of the day passed without more trouble. But really, what could top blood, a truly lost tooth and poop from a public bathroom?
It started with a day off work and a long To Do List. The kitchen was practically bare and we also had to hit the library, bank and car wash some where along the way. My kids are never ones to rebel against Murphy's Law so of course the morning started with bickering, antagonizing and a few tears with breakfast.
When we finally got to the car, I remembered that all the booster seats were in the cargo space since I had driven the lunch group from work the day before. I had to separate all three kids and sit them on the curb facing opposite directions while I reinstalled the seats. Once in the car I put a ban on all unnecessary talking to help restore my sanity and we made quick work of the library, bank and car wash.
It was close to lunch time so I decided to head to Wal-Mart and take advantage of the McDonald's at the entrance. (I don't like Wal-Mart very much but sometimes it just can't be beat.) This is where things truly fell apart.
We all had our food and I was just beginning to think good thoughts about my children again when Solomon screamed. I looked over and saw blood in his mouth. He had had a pretty loose tooth for a while and as happens with loose teeth, it had gotten in the way of chewing his cheeseburger. I tried to calm him down but when he saw the blood, there was no calming down. I started to worry that he was going to choke on the food in his mouth so I made him spit it out.
By this time, everyone in the place was staring at our table. I can't really blame them. A screaming kid is stare-worthy. But blood, partially chewed food and lunch time do not go well together. I left Samuel and Miriam at the table and took Solomon to a garbage can in a somewhat secluded corner where he could tend to his mouth. After much rinsing of his mouth, wiping of his face and deep breathing, he returned to the table and asked me where his tooth was.
Crap. I hadn't seen the tooth since the whole ordeal began. I asked him to open wide and confirmed that the tooth was, indeed, not still attached. More crying ensued. I looked in a wadded mess of napkins on the table and didn't see the tooth. The crying continued. I actually went to look in the garbage can. Fortunately, it had been recently emptied and the contents were mostly my own child's napkins. I still couldn't find the tooth. Samuel took this opportunity to mention that the Tooth Fairy can't give you money if your tooth is in the trash. The crying escalated to wailing. I slathered myself with hand sanitizer.
In the midst of this, Miriam had started begging for a bathroom because she needed to poop. Since we weren't going to get any more eating done, I packed up what was left of our lunch and we headed to the restroom. Solomon managed to pull himself together and began coming up with ideas to get the Tooth Fairy to visit him anyway.
After everyone had tended to their restroom needs (and I had scrubbed my hands furiously) we got a shopping cart and made for the produce section of the grocery store. I was busily choosing apples, carrots and cucumbers when Miriam said, "Eeewww, what's this?" She held up her hand and I saw a weird peanut butter-looking substance smeared on her fingers.
Where in the world did peanut butter come from? I checked the cart to see if a previous customer had made a mess of it. No peanut butter. I looked around the fruit bins and still didn't see any peanut butter. I smelled Miriam's hand. It most definitely was not peanut butter. Miriam turned around and I saw the non-peanut butter substance all over the back of her jeans.
Crap. For real this time. One good thing about Wal-Mart is that they have those great paper towel dispensers mounted on posts throughout the store. I ripped off a few towels and wiped Miriam's hand as well as I could. Then I used my trusty hand sanitizer for the second time in 15 minutes.
Another good thing about Wal-Mart is that you can be in the produce section and step across the aisle to find little girl shorts for $3. You'd think that with poo all over the back of her pants, Miriam would not be picky about the color of $3 shorts. But, no. She weighed the merits of purple, blue and pink before finally deciding on pink. I paid for the shorts and we went back to the restroom so Miriam could change.
I considered packing it in and going home but we would have been going home to a house with no food. So I sucked it up, crossed my fingers and headed back to the groceries. Fortunately the rest of the day passed without more trouble. But really, what could top blood, a truly lost tooth and poop from a public bathroom?
Monday, October 27, 2008
Observations from Yesterday
Yesterday I was so caught up in the awesomeness of the rally that I forgot to mention some observations Jennifer and I made during our adventure.
The first is that when you stand shoulder to shoulder with the same people for an hour, you begin to notice smells emanating from them. The woman directly to our right smelled really bad; not the smell of perspiration but just a general un-washed smell dressed in un-washed clothes. The man in front of us had forgotten to apply his deodorant. The woman behind me needed to brush her teeth. Yuck.
The second is that some people decided walking 2 miles to the end of the entrance line was too much for them. We had made about a block's progress when Jennifer motioned at a guy slightly behind and to her right. She asked, sotto voce, if he had been there all along. I murmured back that he had not. I think he noticed our noticing because he tried to strike up a conversation and make friends then. We didn't care that he had cut in line behind us but we weren't going to become his new best friends, either.
Finally, there's this tidbit. When we boarded the bus to go down the 16th Street Mall, there was a man already standing in the aisle. As the bus filled up quickly, I had no choice but to stand right next to him. He smelt strongly of liquor. His eyes were red, watery and swollen and I suspect that it was not from crying.
I had been next to him for less than a minute when he asked Jennifer and me if we'd ever had breakfast at Dixon's. We said no and he went on to explain that the eggs Florentine look like breasts. Apparently the restaurant serves them with sliced olives placed just so, on the poached eggs. Lovely. Then he chuckled and said, "I know that's a weird thing to talk to strangers about, but I think it's funny."
He asked us where we were going. When we replied that we were going to the Obama rally he said he was going to work. "Yeah, I'm a designer and I am meeting a client about a bid this morning." Mmkay. I hate to break it to you, dude, but I don't think you're going to get the bid whilst reeking of liquor and looking like you haven't slept in 3 days.
After an awkward pause he said, "Do you like brie? You know, brie cheese? I had way too much brie and wine last night. But it's so good. So good."
I felt bad for the guy. I have no idea what drove him to drink so much all night; it could have been something really bad. Or maybe he's just a drunk and doesn't need an excuse to drink. Whatever the reason, he obviously felt bad about it and wanted to cover it up.
The first is that when you stand shoulder to shoulder with the same people for an hour, you begin to notice smells emanating from them. The woman directly to our right smelled really bad; not the smell of perspiration but just a general un-washed smell dressed in un-washed clothes. The man in front of us had forgotten to apply his deodorant. The woman behind me needed to brush her teeth. Yuck.
The second is that some people decided walking 2 miles to the end of the entrance line was too much for them. We had made about a block's progress when Jennifer motioned at a guy slightly behind and to her right. She asked, sotto voce, if he had been there all along. I murmured back that he had not. I think he noticed our noticing because he tried to strike up a conversation and make friends then. We didn't care that he had cut in line behind us but we weren't going to become his new best friends, either.
Finally, there's this tidbit. When we boarded the bus to go down the 16th Street Mall, there was a man already standing in the aisle. As the bus filled up quickly, I had no choice but to stand right next to him. He smelt strongly of liquor. His eyes were red, watery and swollen and I suspect that it was not from crying.
I had been next to him for less than a minute when he asked Jennifer and me if we'd ever had breakfast at Dixon's. We said no and he went on to explain that the eggs Florentine look like breasts. Apparently the restaurant serves them with sliced olives placed just so, on the poached eggs. Lovely. Then he chuckled and said, "I know that's a weird thing to talk to strangers about, but I think it's funny."
He asked us where we were going. When we replied that we were going to the Obama rally he said he was going to work. "Yeah, I'm a designer and I am meeting a client about a bid this morning." Mmkay. I hate to break it to you, dude, but I don't think you're going to get the bid whilst reeking of liquor and looking like you haven't slept in 3 days.
After an awkward pause he said, "Do you like brie? You know, brie cheese? I had way too much brie and wine last night. But it's so good. So good."
I felt bad for the guy. I have no idea what drove him to drink so much all night; it could have been something really bad. Or maybe he's just a drunk and doesn't need an excuse to drink. Whatever the reason, he obviously felt bad about it and wanted to cover it up.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Coolest Thing I've Ever Done
Jennifer and I trekked to Civic Center Park in downtown Denver today for an Obama rally. We figured it would be tough to get in and knew there was little chance we'd get a clear look at Barack Obama. But this is one of those things that I would hate to look back on and regret not doing. So we went.
I have a hard time putting my feelings about this into words. I've never been so invested in anything this big. I feel like our country is at a fork in the road. We can go one way and continue into a downward spiral or we can go another way and begin to dig ourselves back out. And just to clarify, lest you think I am blind behind my rose-colored glasses, I don't think that electing Barack Obama is going to single-handedly revolutionize our country and fix all of our problems. I do think it's a big step in the right direction, though.
I am concerned about the way we are perceived by other nations. Sadly, the Ugly American stereotype is more accurate than ever before. I am worried about the prices of gasoline and groceries, mortgages, education and health care. The average American is stretched so thin, we might begin to split down the middle. I know I feel like that.
I am saddened by the blatant racism I have seen during the last few weeks. You've read my feelings about that before and they have only deepened since then. I am terrified that if Obama isn't elected, those digusting excuses for human beings will feel justified in continuing to spew their hatred on all of us. I want them silenced, or at least brought down a few notches.
It was amazing to have all those feelings solidified this morning. Being in the midst of that crowd of 100,000+ individuals was one of the best moments of my life. The energy and excitement was overwhelming. As schmaltzy as it might sound, it really did give me hope for the future. Going to that rally was, quite simply, the coolest thing I have ever done.
Friday, October 24, 2008
I Was Insulted
Earlier this week a patient's mother stressed to me repeatedly that I must document all phone conversations in her child's chart so there would be no discrepancy when it came time for the insurance company to pay her claim. She said it over and over and over again.
This is insulting to me for several reasons. 1) I am a nurse and documentation is key. 2) I am a good nurse and my documentation is excellent, whether I'm charting patient care or a conversation in person or on the phone. 3) It is our office's policy to document everything to insure consistent patient care. 4) It's just common freaking sense.
I tried to say this politely to this woman, but she didn't seem to get it. Whatever. I sighed and let it go because that was Wednesday. But it happened again today. I spent 15 minutes on the phone with this woman while she repeated that her insurance company is a stickler for correct diagnosis and treatment and documentation. I gritted my teeth and said, "Ma'am, documentation in any medical chart is an absolute must and I assure you that I am writing everything down." She still didn't seem to appreciate my situation.
And to add further to the insult, she actually asked me to falsify documentation. She wanted me to write down that she had tried to come into the office many times this summer for her child's condition but was unable to because there was a family crisis. Seriously? I have no idea if that's why she hasn't been in until now. I don't necessarily doubt her, but I can't write that down. Then she asked me to document that her child's diagnosis is the exact reason he has experienced these particular symptoms for the past 5 months. Again, not my call.
When it became clear that nothing I said would satisfy her, I told her that she could talk to the doctor. I'm still irritated.
This is insulting to me for several reasons. 1) I am a nurse and documentation is key. 2) I am a good nurse and my documentation is excellent, whether I'm charting patient care or a conversation in person or on the phone. 3) It is our office's policy to document everything to insure consistent patient care. 4) It's just common freaking sense.
I tried to say this politely to this woman, but she didn't seem to get it. Whatever. I sighed and let it go because that was Wednesday. But it happened again today. I spent 15 minutes on the phone with this woman while she repeated that her insurance company is a stickler for correct diagnosis and treatment and documentation. I gritted my teeth and said, "Ma'am, documentation in any medical chart is an absolute must and I assure you that I am writing everything down." She still didn't seem to appreciate my situation.
And to add further to the insult, she actually asked me to falsify documentation. She wanted me to write down that she had tried to come into the office many times this summer for her child's condition but was unable to because there was a family crisis. Seriously? I have no idea if that's why she hasn't been in until now. I don't necessarily doubt her, but I can't write that down. Then she asked me to document that her child's diagnosis is the exact reason he has experienced these particular symptoms for the past 5 months. Again, not my call.
When it became clear that nothing I said would satisfy her, I told her that she could talk to the doctor. I'm still irritated.
Monday, October 20, 2008
An Actual Conversation
I had this conversation during phone banking tonight. I swear, I am not making it up. Not one single word.
Hello, my name is Jessica and I'm calling on behalf of Senator Obama's Campaign for Change. May I speak with Mr. Smith?
This is Mr. Smith.
Mr. Smith, can we count on you to support Senator Barack Obama this fall for President?
No, I'm voting for Ralph Nader.
Okay, well thank you very much for your time.
Wait, will you pay me?
I'm sorry, sir, I didn't quite catch that.
Will you pay me money? Nader is paying me $50.
No, sir I cannot pay you to vote.
I'll vote for Obama if you pay me $60.
I'm sorry, I cannot do that. Thank you for your time.
But wait, I really will vote for Obama. Pay me $60.
Click.
Hello, my name is Jessica and I'm calling on behalf of Senator Obama's Campaign for Change. May I speak with Mr. Smith?
This is Mr. Smith.
Mr. Smith, can we count on you to support Senator Barack Obama this fall for President?
No, I'm voting for Ralph Nader.
Okay, well thank you very much for your time.
Wait, will you pay me?
I'm sorry, sir, I didn't quite catch that.
Will you pay me money? Nader is paying me $50.
No, sir I cannot pay you to vote.
I'll vote for Obama if you pay me $60.
I'm sorry, I cannot do that. Thank you for your time.
But wait, I really will vote for Obama. Pay me $60.
Click.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
My Kid is Amazing
My eldest child is what I call a high needs child. He was a high needs baby and I predict he'll be a high needs teenager and adult. It requires much patience and creativity to deal with him. As a baby, he needed just the right amount of affection. Too much and he pushed back and voiced his opinion mightily. Too little and he got clingy and whiny.
Solomon has always been imaginative; almost too much so. He can watch a television show or play a video game for just half an hour, but hours later he'll still be going over things that could have happened or should have happened. He is funny and he makes me laugh about something every day. Sometimes he makes me laugh at the worst time, say when I'm upset with him and need to re-direct him.
Solomon's exuberance means that I spend a lot of time reminding him to "use an inside voice, please." I have to be very explicit in my directions and requests. I have to say exactly what I mean because he is very literal. Solomon keeps me on my toes; if I'm not consistent, he'll either call me on it, or walk right over me. He is, at times, exhausting.
I was anxious about the school year starting. Homework has been a large source of contention in our house since first grade. Behavior in class has been a problem to some extent, too. But Solomon transitioned into the school routine very smoothly. He did his homework with a minimum of complaining and actually said, more than once, that he likes some of his homework. He invested himself in school activities like running club and choir and made lots of new friends.
I tried not to get my hopes too high. I thought maybe we were in the honeymoon phase of a new school year. But the days and weeks stretched on and I noticed that Solomon is really helpful at home now. I can ask him to clean the bathroom sink or vacuum the living room and he does it without any problem. He helps his brother and sister with things they can't reach. In short, he's growing up.
This week Solomon's teacher let me know that he would be getting a High Flyer Award for this trimester of the school year. This is an award given to two students in each class, each trimester. These awards go to students who consistently demonstrate responsibility, helpfulness, respect and hard work. I am so happy about this I tear up when I think about it.
At the award ceremony this afternoon I was thrilled to see my child standing on the stage with his ear-to-ear grin. It's a small thing, but that moment made all the anxiety and frustration of the past couple of years worth it.
Solomon has always been imaginative; almost too much so. He can watch a television show or play a video game for just half an hour, but hours later he'll still be going over things that could have happened or should have happened. He is funny and he makes me laugh about something every day. Sometimes he makes me laugh at the worst time, say when I'm upset with him and need to re-direct him.
Solomon's exuberance means that I spend a lot of time reminding him to "use an inside voice, please." I have to be very explicit in my directions and requests. I have to say exactly what I mean because he is very literal. Solomon keeps me on my toes; if I'm not consistent, he'll either call me on it, or walk right over me. He is, at times, exhausting.
I was anxious about the school year starting. Homework has been a large source of contention in our house since first grade. Behavior in class has been a problem to some extent, too. But Solomon transitioned into the school routine very smoothly. He did his homework with a minimum of complaining and actually said, more than once, that he likes some of his homework. He invested himself in school activities like running club and choir and made lots of new friends.
I tried not to get my hopes too high. I thought maybe we were in the honeymoon phase of a new school year. But the days and weeks stretched on and I noticed that Solomon is really helpful at home now. I can ask him to clean the bathroom sink or vacuum the living room and he does it without any problem. He helps his brother and sister with things they can't reach. In short, he's growing up.
This week Solomon's teacher let me know that he would be getting a High Flyer Award for this trimester of the school year. This is an award given to two students in each class, each trimester. These awards go to students who consistently demonstrate responsibility, helpfulness, respect and hard work. I am so happy about this I tear up when I think about it.
At the award ceremony this afternoon I was thrilled to see my child standing on the stage with his ear-to-ear grin. It's a small thing, but that moment made all the anxiety and frustration of the past couple of years worth it.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
A Disclaimer
As you can see, I've been a busy little blogger this weekend, mostly political stuff. It's an understatement to say that I am quite vociferous in my opinion of who should be the next President of the United States.
I want to make one thing clear, though. I respect and value the right to vote as an individual sees fit. Americans are so fortunate to have this right and I don't want anyone to think I am telling them how to vote. Your vote is yours.
Voting comes with a responsibility and that responsibility is to educate oneself on the issues. Know your candidate and his stance on those issues. If someone has researched the issues and doesn't agree with me, I can respectfully agree to disagree. If one has not done that, well, I'm disappointed.
If you don't know your candidate's stance on the issues, please look it up. And I mean that for anyone, regardless of your choice in candidates.
(Obviously, if you're blindly voting for Obama, I'll be happy that you're voting for him. But once you know more about him, where he comes from and his vision for the future, you can't help but become passionate about your vote.)
And with that, I'm done with political blogging, for a few days anyway.
I want to make one thing clear, though. I respect and value the right to vote as an individual sees fit. Americans are so fortunate to have this right and I don't want anyone to think I am telling them how to vote. Your vote is yours.
Voting comes with a responsibility and that responsibility is to educate oneself on the issues. Know your candidate and his stance on those issues. If someone has researched the issues and doesn't agree with me, I can respectfully agree to disagree. If one has not done that, well, I'm disappointed.
If you don't know your candidate's stance on the issues, please look it up. And I mean that for anyone, regardless of your choice in candidates.
(Obviously, if you're blindly voting for Obama, I'll be happy that you're voting for him. But once you know more about him, where he comes from and his vision for the future, you can't help but become passionate about your vote.)
And with that, I'm done with political blogging, for a few days anyway.
In Other (Better) Words
McCain and Palin Are Playing With Fire
By Khaled Hosseini
Sunday, October 12, 2008
And the link, of course: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/10/AR2008101002456.html
P.S. I apologize for the lack of click-able links in my recent posts. I'm having trouble getting the code to work. I am looking into it. In the mean time, should you want to follow a link, simply paste the address into your address bar.
By Khaled Hosseini
Sunday, October 12, 2008
I prefer to discuss politics through my novels, but I am truly dismayed these days. Twice last week alone, speakers at McCain-Palin rallies have referred to Sen. Barack Obama, with unveiled scorn, as Barack Hussein Obama.
Never mind that this evokes -- and brazenly tries to resurrect -- the unsavory, cruel days of our past that we thought we had left behind. Never mind that such jeers are deeply offensive to millions of peaceful, law-abiding Muslim Americans who must bear the unveiled charge, made by some supporters of Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin, that Obama's middle name makes him someone to distrust -- and, judging by some of the crowd reactions at these rallies, someone to persecute or even kill. As a secular Muslim, I too was offended. Obama's middle name differs from my last name by only two vowels. Does the McCain-Palin campaign view me as a pariah too? Do McCain and Palin think there's something wrong with my name?
But never mind any of that.
The real affront is the lack of firm response from either McCain or Palin. Neither has had the moral courage, when taking the stage, to grasp the microphone, turn to the presenter and, right then and there, denounce the use of Obama's middle name as an insult. Instead, they have simply delivered their stump speeches, lacing into Obama as if nothing out-of-bounds had just happened. The McCain-Palin ticket has given toxic speeches accusing Obama of being a friend of terrorists, then released short, meek repudiations of some of the rough stuff, including McCain's call Friday to "be respectful." Back in February, the Arizona senator apologized for the "disparaging remarks" from a talk-radio host who sneered repeatedly about "Barack Hussein Obama" before a McCain rally. "We will have a respectful debate," McCain insisted afterward. But pretending to douse flames that you are busy fanning does not qualify as straight talk.
What I find most unconscionable is the refusal of the McCain-Palin tandem to publicly condemn the cries of "traitor," "liar," "terrorist" and (worst of all) "kill him!" that could be heard at recent rallies. McCain is perfectly capable of telling hecklers off. But not once did he or his running mate bother to admonish the people yelling these obscene -- and potentially dangerous -- words. They may not have been able to hear the slurs at the rallies, but surely they have had ample time since to get on camera and warn that this sort of ugliness has no place in an election season. But they have not. Simply calling Obama "a decent person" is not enough.
Is inaction tantamount to consent? The McCain campaign certainly thinks so when it comes to Obama and incendiary remarks from the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. By their own inaction, then, are McCain and Palin condoning these slurs? Or worse, are they willfully inciting the angry and venomous response that we have been witnessing at their rallies? If not, then what reaction are they hoping to evoke by their relentless public suggestions that Obama is basically an anti-American liar who won't put "country first" and has an affection for terrorists? Do they not understand the kind of fire they are playing with?
I -- and, I suspect, millions of Americans like me, Republicans and Democrats alike -- couldn't care less about Obama's middle name or the ridiculous six-degrees-of-separation game that is the William Ayers non-issue. The Taliban are clawing their way back in Afghanistan, the country that I hope many of my fellow Americans have come to understand better through my novels. People are losing their homes and their jobs and are watching the future slip away from them. But instead of addressing these problems, the McCain-Palin ticket is doing its best to distract Americans by provoking fear, anxiety and hatred. Country first? Hardly.
And the link, of course: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/10/AR2008101002456.html
P.S. I apologize for the lack of click-able links in my recent posts. I'm having trouble getting the code to work. I am looking into it. In the mean time, should you want to follow a link, simply paste the address into your address bar.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Untitled
I started this post Friday morning with a sinking, sickening feeling in my stomach. I was coming here to lament the atrocious comments made about Barack Obama by some John McCain supporters in recent days; comments that are bigoted, racist and, simply put, untrue. Further, they were comments that have been largely ignored by the McCain camp. I was so disheartened that I couldn't gather my thoughts and I saved the post so I could come back and edit it later. I am continuing my post now with a better frame of mind.
For what it's worth, I don't believe for a minute that all of McCain's supporters espouse the beliefs of these few. I wouldn't even purport to believe that John McCain himself believes these things. But his refusal to address these comments is paramount to agreement with them. John McCain has now made a couple of statements to the effect that he does not condone this type of bashing. Whatever his motive, I am pleased that at least something has been said. I fear this is a case of 'too little, too late,' though.
I hope that more of the media pick up on the nastiness coming from people like those in the first two videos. Some have and they have reported on it. I hope they continue to do so. Refusal to condemn actions and words like these is reprehensible.
This country should be better than this. I hate that in the 21st century people can still let race, religion and something as insignificant as a middle name color their perceptions of another human being. It's sickening and I am so sad to be living in the middle of it.
Things like this make me feel more 'glass half-empty' than 'glass half-full'. I don't like feeling that way. My response to this negativity is to volunteer for the Barack Obama campaign. During the two weeks leading up to the presidential election I will be working the phone bank at a local campaign office when I get off work. To those bigoted, uneducated nasties -- congratulations! You've just campaigned for the man you hate.
For what it's worth, I don't believe for a minute that all of McCain's supporters espouse the beliefs of these few. I wouldn't even purport to believe that John McCain himself believes these things. But his refusal to address these comments is paramount to agreement with them. John McCain has now made a couple of statements to the effect that he does not condone this type of bashing. Whatever his motive, I am pleased that at least something has been said. I fear this is a case of 'too little, too late,' though.
I hope that more of the media pick up on the nastiness coming from people like those in the first two videos. Some have and they have reported on it. I hope they continue to do so. Refusal to condemn actions and words like these is reprehensible.
This country should be better than this. I hate that in the 21st century people can still let race, religion and something as insignificant as a middle name color their perceptions of another human being. It's sickening and I am so sad to be living in the middle of it.
Things like this make me feel more 'glass half-empty' than 'glass half-full'. I don't like feeling that way. My response to this negativity is to volunteer for the Barack Obama campaign. During the two weeks leading up to the presidential election I will be working the phone bank at a local campaign office when I get off work. To those bigoted, uneducated nasties -- congratulations! You've just campaigned for the man you hate.
Media Bias
The following article can be found at this address: http://mediamatters.org/items/200810100015?f=h_top"
I have pasted the article in its entirety for those that don't want to navigate away from my music play list. Ha ha! The article is quite lengthy, but also very enlightening. Please take a few minutes to skim it, at the very least.
Media Matters: The media's enduring pro-McCain double standard
by Jamison Foser
I have pasted the article in its entirety for those that don't want to navigate away from my music play list. Ha ha! The article is quite lengthy, but also very enlightening. Please take a few minutes to skim it, at the very least.
Media Matters: The media's enduring pro-McCain double standard
by Jamison Foser
It isn't surprising that the conventional wisdom is that the news media have turned on Sen. John McCain. After all, decades of attacks from conservatives have conditioned reporters to believe that they are biased against Republicans -- even when there is scant evidence in the reporting to support such claims. And the McCain campaign has launched an all-out assault on the media, complaining relentlessly about the coverage its candidate has gotten.
On top of all that, McCain historically has been the recipient of the most favorable media coverage of any politician in modern American history. Reporters spent years all but offering to peel McCain a grape. So, just as the media judge a candidate to have "won" a debate if s/he "exceeds expectations," the fact that McCain's coverage hasn't been as hagiographic as expected has led many to conclude that it has actually been unfairly negative.
The truth is that when John McCain says "jump," the media still ask, "How high?" Think about this: When was the last time McCain or his campaign has wanted the news media to focus on something, and they have refused? From "lipstick on a pig" to Bill Ayers, the media have scampered after whatever mud McCain has flung, like a puppy dog chasing a stick thrown by its master. Sure, sometimes they have pointed out that McCain is lying -- and that's tremendous progress for a profession that has spent a decade flatly asserting McCain's honesty. But -- as I've explained in the past -- even as they've debunked McCain's claims, they've too often privileged the lie by allowing those claims to drive their coverage.
And, increasingly, they uncritically quote McCain campaign attacks on Sen. Barack Obama for things McCain himself has done. When a campaign does something like this, the media often point out the hypocrisy, and the attack backfires. But those rules don't apply to John McCain. So when John and Cindy McCain attack Barack Obama for what they describe as a vote to "cut off the funds for the troops," the news media dutifully repeat the charge -- without noting that, by the same logic, McCain also voted to cut off funds for the troops: Obama voted against a funding bill that did not include a timeline for withdrawal; McCain voted against a bill that did include a timeline for withdrawal.
The funding vote has been the subject of some of McCain's nastiest attacks recently. Cindy McCain, for example, claimed Obama's "vote to not fund my son when he was serving sent a cold chill through my body" and lectured: "I would suggest that Senator Obama change shoes with me for just one day. ... I suggest he take a day and go watch our fine young men and women deploy." You would think, then, that media reporting Cindy McCain's purported indignation would note that John McCain also voted against funding. They haven't. Indeed, some have falsely stated the opposite -- that McCain did not cast such a vote. You might even think reporters would ask the McCain campaign if Cindy McCain got a "cold chill" when her husband voted "to not fund [her] son." But there is no indication that any reporter has done so.
But the best indication that McCain has not yet truly "lost his 'base,' " as The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder put it this week, is the glaring media double standard in covering the two presidential candidates' controversial relationships.
Let's start with Bill Ayers, since the news media have spent much of the week obliging McCain's efforts to make him the focus of the campaign. As an activist in the 1960s -- when Barack Obama was a young child -- Bill Ayers was a member of the Weathermen, a group of radical activists who launched a series of violent demonstrations and bombings in protest of the Vietnam War. Ayers is now a professor at the University of Illinois in Chicago and a school reform advocate. During Obama's first campaign, Ayers hosted a coffee for him, and the two men have served together on the board of a school reform effort funded by a foundation chaired by Leonore Annenberg, who has endorsed John McCain. The New York Times concluded that Obama and Ayers "do not appear to have been close," and Obama has denounced Ayers' actions as a member of the Weathermen.
A search* of the Nexis database found that more than 4,500 news reports so far this year have mentioned Obama and Ayers -- more than 1,800 this week alone.
Now: G. Gordon Liddy. Liddy served four and a half years in prison for his role in the break-ins at the Watergate and at Daniel Ellsberg's psychologist's office. He has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in "if necessary." He plotted to kill journalist Jack Anderson. He plotted with a "gangland figure" to murder Howard Hunt in order to thwart an investigation. He plotted to firebomb the Brookings Institution. He used Nazi terminology to outline a plan to kidnap "leftist guerillas" at the 1972 GOP convention. And Liddy's bad acts were not confined to the early 1970s. In the 1990s, he instructed his radio audience on how to shoot Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents ("Go for a head shot; they're going to be wearing bulletproof vests." In case anyone missed the subtlety of his point, Liddy also insisted: "Kill the sons of bitches.") During Bill Clinton's presidency, Liddy boasted that he named his shooting targets after the Clintons.
What does Liddy have to do with the presidential election? As Media Matters has noted:
Liddy has donated $5,000 to McCain's campaigns since 1998, including $1,000 in February 2008. In addition, McCain has appeared on Liddy's radio show during the presidential campaign, including as recently as May. An online video labeled, "John McCain On The G. Gordon Liddy Show 11/8/07," includes a discussion between Liddy and McCain, whom Liddy described as an "old friend." During the segment, McCain praised Liddy's "adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great," said he was "proud" of Liddy, and said that "it's always a pleasure for me to come on your program."
McCain even backed Liddy's son's congressional bid in 2000 -- a campaign that relied heavily on the elder Liddy's history.
To sum up: John McCain is "proud" of his "old friend" Gordon Liddy -- an old friend who plotted to kill one of the most respected journalists in American history, and who urged listeners to kill federal agents and advised them on how to do so. McCain campaigned for Liddy's son, and Liddy has even hosted a fundraiser for McCain at his home.
So McCain's relationship with Liddy is pretty much a direct parallel to Obama's relationship with Ayers. Except that McCain and Liddy have apparently spent time together more recently than Obama and Ayers. And Liddy's extremist activities continued well into the 1990s, at least. And Liddy says he and McCain are "old friends," while The New York Times says Obama and Ayers aren't close. And Obama has never said Ayers adheres to "the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great." Other than all that, it's a direct parallel.
Yet even as they obsess over Barack Obama and Bill Ayers -- just as the McCain campaign tells them to -- the news media have all but ignored John McCain's close ties to Gordon Liddy. A Nexis search** finds fewer than 100 news reports that have mentioned McCain and Liddy this year.
As Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman -- who has criticized Obama's relationship with Ayers -- has noted:
Liddy, now a conservative radio host, has never expressed regret for this attempt to subvert the Constitution. Nor has he developed any respect for the law. ... Yet none of this bothers McCain. Liddy has contributed thousands of dollars to his campaigns, held a fundraiser for McCain at his home and hosted the senator on his radio show, where McCain said, "I'm proud of you." Exactly which part of Liddy's record is McCain proud of?
While Obama has gotten lots of scrutiny for his connection to Ayers, McCain has never had to explain his association with Liddy. If he can't defend it, he should admit as much. And if he thinks he can defend it, let him.
To repeat:
* 2008 news reports that mention Obama and Ayers: more than 4,500.
* 2008 news reports that mention McCain and Liddy: fewer than 100.
Incredibly, The Atlantic's Ambinder today suggests that the media have not covered Ayers: "To truly drive Ayers into the public conversation, to trick what they consider an irredeemably biased press corps into biting, McCain has three vehicles gassed up and ready to go. ... So far, McCain has done none of those things." There are 1,800 Nexis hits for Barack Obama and Bill Ayers in the past week, and yet Marc Ambinder thinks the media have not bitten on the Ayers "story" -- and that McCain, who is running ads about Ayers, isn't "really serious" about pushing it, anyway. Even Steve Schmidt would likely be too embarrassed to try to claim that the media have not covered Bill Ayers.
Incidentally, Ambinder doesn't seem to have ever mentioned McCain's relationship to Liddy.
Not only have the media avoided stand-alone reports on McCain and Liddy, they consistently fail to bring up the connection when reporting on McCain's attacks on Obama's ties to Ayers, or in interviews with McCain staff who bring up Ayers. The McCain/Liddy relationship is such an obvious parallel -- except arguably much worse -- that it's hard to imagine how any evenhanded journalist could possibly justify ignoring it. Yet it happens again and again. And, needless to say, McCain aides do not get badgered about Liddy the way Time's Mark Halperin badgered Obama aide Robert Gibbs about Ayers.
Just this morning, NBC's Chuck Todd said he is "sure" Ayers will come up during the final presidential debate next week, adding that moderator Bob Schieffer "may feel no choice but to bring it up" in light of the "TV ads" the McCain campaign and Republican National Committee are running. Setting aside the absurdity of the suggestion that a debate moderator is compelled to bring up a topic simply because John McCain is running ads about it, if Schieffer does ask about Ayers, basic fairness demands that he ask McCain about Liddy as well.
OK ... moving on. How about controversial religious figures? Earlier this year, Media Matters showed that The New York Times and The Washington Post had published a total of 161 articles, editorials, and opinion pieces that mentioned Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright -- and only 12 that mentioned John McCain and John Hagee. That disparity wasn't unique to the Times and the Post -- and it hasn't evened out over time.
161 to 12.
Land deals? Barack Obama once bought a parcel of land from a controversial donor named Tony Rezko. Obama paid more than the land's assessed value -- but that hasn't stopped the news media from suggesting Obama had an improper relationship with Rezko.
Comparatively little attention has been paid to John McCain's relationship with real estate developer Donald Diamond. Diamond, a co-chair of McCain's campaign finance committee, has raised more than $250,000 for McCain's presidential bid and is a "close personal friend" and longtime political patron. For his part, McCain has sponsored two bills sought by Diamond that helped the developer gain what The New York Times described as "millions of dollars and thousands of acres" of land. And McCain helped Diamond buy another parcel of land from the U.S. Army -- a deal that helped Diamond turn a $20 million profit. The Washington Post and USA Today have identified other land deals McCain has facilitated as senator that have benefited some of his biggest donors and fundraisers.
Yet a Media Matters review last month found that five national newspapers had run a total of 39 articles, editorials, and opinion pieces that mentioned Obama and Rezko -- but only seven that mentioned McCain and his donors' land deals:
[S]ince The New York Times' initial April 22 article [about McCain and Diamond], the land deals have been mentioned in only six additional news articles, editorials, or opinion pieces in the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, or The Washington Post, and have yet to be mentioned on any evening network news program. By contrast, during the same time period, 39 news articles, editorials, or opinion pieces in those papers have collectively mentioned Obama and Rezko; and the evening news broadcasts have collectively mentioned Obama and Rezko in five reports.
39 to 7.
And, of course, there's always Charles Keating. The news media have done their best to ignore McCain's involvement in the Keating Five -- and, when they have mentioned it, they've done so by parroting the McCain-friendly storyline that the scandal turned the Arizona senator into the World's Greatest Reformer. Even this week, after the Obama campaign drew attention to McCain's involvement in the Keating Five with a Web page and a 13-minute documentary featuring one of the regulators McCain pressured on behalf of his political benefactor, the media have paid far more attention to Obama's relationship with Bill Ayers than to McCain's relationship with Keating. And when they have mentioned Keating, they have often questioned the propriety of the Obama campaign's decision to bring up the subject.
Remember: Barack Obama didn't have anything to do with Bill Ayers' wrongdoing. He was a young child at the time. McCain did have something to do with Keating's wrongdoing -- without McCain, the scandal would have been called the Keating Four, not the Keating Five.
And yet the media are quick to dismiss the Keating matter. When the topic came up on MSNBC earlier this week, Andrea Mitchell dismissed it as having occurred 20 years ago. Well, sure. But McCain was involved in it 20 years ago, unlike Bill Ayers' controversial activities, which occurred closer to 40 years ago, and which Barack Obama didn't have anything to do with.
The American people have made clear that they think the most important consideration in deciding who to vote for is the economy. An astounding 52 percent of Americans call "the economy and jobs" the "most important" issue to them in this election, according to the latest CBS/New York Times poll. Terrorism and national security came in a distant second, with only 11 percent.
John McCain and his campaign have made clear that they do not want the last few weeks of this campaign to be about the economy, the war in Iraq, Afghanistan, health care, the housing crisis, or the Constitution. They want it to be about personal associations.
Incredibly, much of the news media have sided with John McCain in treating Bill Ayers and ACORN as the most important topic facing the nation. Even worse, they are scrutinizing only Obama's relationships, not McCain's. It's bad enough that they're letting McCain, rather than the American people, set the parameters of the debate. The fact that they aren't applying those parameters to both candidates equally is an inexcusable double-standard.
And it's evidence that John McCain retains the support of his "base" -- the media.
* Conducted 10/9/08 using the search terms Barack Obama and ((Bill or William) w/2 Ayers
** Conducted 10/9/08 using the search terms John McCain and Gordon Liddy
Monday, October 6, 2008
Samuel, Vol. 2
So I met with Samuel's teacher on Friday morning. She showed me samples of his work. When he focuses, he does great work and gets it done in a timely manner. This doesn't happen often, though. She said he focuses more on peeling crayons or staring out the window or picking at the carpet or chewing on pencils or blowing in the ear of the kid next to him. She stopped just short of saying she thinks he has ADD. I actually think the law might forbid that.
The teacher talked about several ideas she has to help him focus. During Job Time, she has him sit at a desk very near her so she can remind him to keep working. She has an incentive chart and reward system going. She tried a timer for him and that worked -- for a day. She is working with the occupational therapist to develop more ideas that might help in the classroom.
She said lots of positive things about Samuel. He is cheerful and friendly. He doesn't disrupt class (other than blowing in the occasional ear). He is polite and follows the rules. He stays in his assigned place, whether it's a chair or the floor during circle time. He's very bright; that's obvious in the work that he does complete.
We talked about sensory issues, since he fixates on touching things or staring at things. I'm beginning to think Samuel might have the opposite of sensory integration disorder.* He is constantly touching things. A car in the parking lot. A brick on the house. He finds things that are special to him -- rocks, bottle caps, beads, paper clips, can tabs -- and he saves them in his pockets. Occasionally, these things find their way into his mouth. No amount of time outs or threats or scare tactics work to discourage this behavior. (Putting things in his mouth, that is. Collecting things doesn't bother me; putting them in his mouth is just plain dangerous and gross.) The occupational therapist noted this in her assessment. I don't know what the plan is for that, yet.
Samuel is so creative and imaginative. He comes up with great stories, tells me about his dreams in elaborate detail, invents his own games. He is determined. He recently spent 45 minutes tracing all the letters of the alphabet nearly perfectly because "I want to learn how, Mom!" I could tell he was tired, but he kept going. He observes things that I don't think I noticed until I was older than he is now. He's a wonderful kid.
I just don't know what to think. I understand the teacher's need to have him focus on work and get things completed. But I hate the push to complete so much Stuff in kindergarten. He's obviously a smart kid and he's learning more all the time. I know this because I do his homework with him and I can see how much he has absorbed in these first 6 weeks of school. I understand that he might have some greater problem that needs addressing and I'm all for that. I just hope we're not putting unnecessary pressure on him.
*SID is a condition in which one can't tolerate the feel of certain things, whether it's soft food or crunchy food or scratchy tags in clothes or clothes that are too tight or too loose. Absolutely cannot tolerate it.
The teacher talked about several ideas she has to help him focus. During Job Time, she has him sit at a desk very near her so she can remind him to keep working. She has an incentive chart and reward system going. She tried a timer for him and that worked -- for a day. She is working with the occupational therapist to develop more ideas that might help in the classroom.
She said lots of positive things about Samuel. He is cheerful and friendly. He doesn't disrupt class (other than blowing in the occasional ear). He is polite and follows the rules. He stays in his assigned place, whether it's a chair or the floor during circle time. He's very bright; that's obvious in the work that he does complete.
We talked about sensory issues, since he fixates on touching things or staring at things. I'm beginning to think Samuel might have the opposite of sensory integration disorder.* He is constantly touching things. A car in the parking lot. A brick on the house. He finds things that are special to him -- rocks, bottle caps, beads, paper clips, can tabs -- and he saves them in his pockets. Occasionally, these things find their way into his mouth. No amount of time outs or threats or scare tactics work to discourage this behavior. (Putting things in his mouth, that is. Collecting things doesn't bother me; putting them in his mouth is just plain dangerous and gross.) The occupational therapist noted this in her assessment. I don't know what the plan is for that, yet.
Samuel is so creative and imaginative. He comes up with great stories, tells me about his dreams in elaborate detail, invents his own games. He is determined. He recently spent 45 minutes tracing all the letters of the alphabet nearly perfectly because "I want to learn how, Mom!" I could tell he was tired, but he kept going. He observes things that I don't think I noticed until I was older than he is now. He's a wonderful kid.
I just don't know what to think. I understand the teacher's need to have him focus on work and get things completed. But I hate the push to complete so much Stuff in kindergarten. He's obviously a smart kid and he's learning more all the time. I know this because I do his homework with him and I can see how much he has absorbed in these first 6 weeks of school. I understand that he might have some greater problem that needs addressing and I'm all for that. I just hope we're not putting unnecessary pressure on him.
*SID is a condition in which one can't tolerate the feel of certain things, whether it's soft food or crunchy food or scratchy tags in clothes or clothes that are too tight or too loose. Absolutely cannot tolerate it.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Seen on a Bumper Sticker
Unless You're a Hemorrhoid,
Stay off My ASS!
Let's ignore, for a moment, the disgusting image this phrase brings to mind and focus on its message. Obviously, the point is that the guy doesn't want someone riding his bumper on the freeway. But does he really want hemorrhoids? Yuck.Stay off My ASS!
As far as the mental image goes, it should go without saying that no one wants to think about a fellow driver's southern end and its status regarding that unfortunate condition. This bumper sticker never should have been printed, much less purchased and placed on a vehicle.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Thursday Thirteen: Movies I Want to See
1. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
2. The Dark Knight
3. Burn After Reading
4. Righteous Kill
5. Ghost Town
6. The Women
7. Sex and the City
8. How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
9. The Duchess
10. La Misma Luna
11. Into the Wild
12. No Country for Old Men
13. There Will be Blood
2. The Dark Knight
3. Burn After Reading
4. Righteous Kill
5. Ghost Town
6. The Women
7. Sex and the City
8. How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
9. The Duchess
10. La Misma Luna
11. Into the Wild
12. No Country for Old Men
13. There Will be Blood
Fun With Dry Ice
We got a shipment of varicella vaccine at work today. It has to remain frozen until used so it is shipped in dry ice. I love varicella days at work. I pour water over it at different times during the day to watch it vaporize. I am always a little sad that I can't do more with it, what with charting and making phone calls and taking patient histories and all.
Anyway, I decided that today was the day to introduce my children to the wonders of dry ice so I brought the styrofoam container home. We started by pouring water on it. The kids were appropriately impressed. Then we poured hot water on it and listened to it crack up in the container. We finally poured in so much water that it froze into a solid mass with a layer of bubbling water on the top.
We tipped the container so the vapor flowed over the side like water. I showed the kids how to wave a hand gently over the top of the container to form waves in the vapor. Finally, we dripped some food coloring in the container and poured water over that. Very, very cool.
)
Anyway, I decided that today was the day to introduce my children to the wonders of dry ice so I brought the styrofoam container home. We started by pouring water on it. The kids were appropriately impressed. Then we poured hot water on it and listened to it crack up in the container. We finally poured in so much water that it froze into a solid mass with a layer of bubbling water on the top.
We tipped the container so the vapor flowed over the side like water. I showed the kids how to wave a hand gently over the top of the container to form waves in the vapor. Finally, we dripped some food coloring in the container and poured water over that. Very, very cool.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Sometimes You Just Can't Win
Most of the patients I meet during the course of my day are courteous and appreciative. Sometimes though, I come across someone rude or inconsiderate. Some of them are just having a bad day and they take it out on me. I can handle it. The people I can't handle are the ones that aren't having a bad day; they're the ones that are jerks, pure and simple.
I met a jerk today. It started when he and his son arrived 10 minutes late for the child's physical. He signed in at the front desk and said to his son, "Come on. We'll have to wait 2 hours, even though they make us get here right on time." For the record, they sat in the waiting room for 10 minutes while I set up a breathing treatment for a wheezing baby.
When the exam ended I went into the room to give the father various paperwork and to administer the child's vaccinations. There is a questionnaire for parents to fill out regarding developmental mile stones. His appeared to be completed but not scored so I asked the father if the provider had looked over it with him. He replied, "No, it was pretty clear that she was in a big hurry to get out of here."
So which is it? Your appointment takes too long or it's too short? What do you want?! And you know what? If she rushed out of your exam room, it was probably because you are one of the most disagreeable creatures on the planet.
Between those two lovely little exchanges, came a variety of comments. Taken singly, they might be interpreted as bad jokes from someone with even worse taste. Collectively, they represent a jerk. A sampling of those comments:
Son, this is why you need to go into the medical field; so you can tell everyone what to do and charge them for all of it.
Scream really loud and we can call our lawyer, okay?
Of course you charge for extra shot records. You charge for everything.
Aren't you going to call in that prescription? I just don't have time to drop it off.
I feel sorry for anyone who has to spend time with him on a daily basis.
I met a jerk today. It started when he and his son arrived 10 minutes late for the child's physical. He signed in at the front desk and said to his son, "Come on. We'll have to wait 2 hours, even though they make us get here right on time." For the record, they sat in the waiting room for 10 minutes while I set up a breathing treatment for a wheezing baby.
When the exam ended I went into the room to give the father various paperwork and to administer the child's vaccinations. There is a questionnaire for parents to fill out regarding developmental mile stones. His appeared to be completed but not scored so I asked the father if the provider had looked over it with him. He replied, "No, it was pretty clear that she was in a big hurry to get out of here."
So which is it? Your appointment takes too long or it's too short? What do you want?! And you know what? If she rushed out of your exam room, it was probably because you are one of the most disagreeable creatures on the planet.
Between those two lovely little exchanges, came a variety of comments. Taken singly, they might be interpreted as bad jokes from someone with even worse taste. Collectively, they represent a jerk. A sampling of those comments:
Son, this is why you need to go into the medical field; so you can tell everyone what to do and charge them for all of it.
Scream really loud and we can call our lawyer, okay?
Of course you charge for extra shot records. You charge for everything.
Aren't you going to call in that prescription? I just don't have time to drop it off.
I feel sorry for anyone who has to spend time with him on a daily basis.
Celebrating October
I love the fall. I like those days that aren't exactly cold and definitely not hot. It's sunny and overcast by turns. There's some rain with the hope that it might turn to snow over night.
And the fall colors! Colorado is the perfect place to take advantage of changing leaves. The reflection of sunlight on all those beautiful trees changes the look of everything. The scent of the air changes. It makes me want to take deep breaths to the point of hyperventilation.
Fall food is the best. I like sipping hot chocolate, simmering chili and baking corn bread, making potato soup. And of course, all the best holidays are coming. Nothing beats the Thanksgiving menu.
I love long-sleeved t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts with jeans. I'm a comfort person; forget high fashion. Fall is the perfect excuse to bundle up in comfortable clothes and sneakers.
Can you tell that I'm happy about October?
And the fall colors! Colorado is the perfect place to take advantage of changing leaves. The reflection of sunlight on all those beautiful trees changes the look of everything. The scent of the air changes. It makes me want to take deep breaths to the point of hyperventilation.
Fall food is the best. I like sipping hot chocolate, simmering chili and baking corn bread, making potato soup. And of course, all the best holidays are coming. Nothing beats the Thanksgiving menu.
I love long-sleeved t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts with jeans. I'm a comfort person; forget high fashion. Fall is the perfect excuse to bundle up in comfortable clothes and sneakers.
Can you tell that I'm happy about October?
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Samuel, Vol. 1
Samuel was evaluated a year ago for speech and other developmental delays. He definitely needed speech therapy, specifically articulation. The therapist made a few other observations: he hadn't decided on being left- or right-handed yet, was easily distracted and unusually fidgety. Since he was only 4 years old, we decided to focus on speech and let the other things work themselves out. He made huge progress in articulation and I was immensely relieved. You know it's bad when a child's mother cannot understand 75% of what he says.
Here we are a year later and it appears that Samuel still hasn't determined his handedness and is still very easily distracted. (The fidgeting has improved some, probably because he's matured a bit.) His teacher and I have talked about this to some degree on several occasions. I agreed to have an occupational therapy evaluation done. He can't hold a pencil firmly enough to write letters on a page. The teacher has also mentioned that he cannot stay focused on one task to finish it.
I'm fully on board with the OT evaluation; I really think Samuel could benefit from some exercises in that area. What rubs me the wrong way is the push to get 5-year-olds to Focus. I think school has become so competitive that kids aren't getting to be kids any more. (For example, I referenced parts of speech in Samuel's homework in a recent post here and I wasn't kidding. More about that in a minute.)
I was scheduled to have a conference with Samuel's teacher this morning but we had to postpone it because her child is sick today. I hope I'm wrong about how the classroom is set up and how much work the students are expected to complete independently. I guess I will find out when we do get to meet.
Now, about the parts of speech. Samuel brought home a sentence diagram a few weeks ago. It consisted of a piece of paper with words glued onto it. The sentence read "The baby eats yogurt." Each word was cut in a different shape: circle, square, moon and triangle. The instructions were to review article, subject, verb and object. I asked Samuel about it and he correctly explained it all to me. I was very impressed and so proud but thought to myself that he wouldn't retain the information.
Two weeks later, Miriam's homework assignment was to change verbs from present tense to past tense. I was working on it with her and asked her what a verb was. She stared blankly at me for a few seconds and then Samuel piped up, "A verb is what the subject does!" I almost fell on the floor. (For the record, Miriam caught on very quickly once she remembered what a verb is.)
Since then, Samuel has demonstrated that he really does know his grammar. Obviously, he can retain information that he hears at school. I'm not concerned about that. What concerns me is that if this kind of thing is being taught in kindergarten, what will next year be? Will he be able to keep up then? What other subjects are advanced past a kindergarten level? I know I'm probably borrowing trouble from the future and I know I have to chill out on that. But he's already showing problems in the aforementioned areas so I can't help but be a bit worried.
Bleh. If you made it through that, bless you. I know I'm a tad paranoid. I'm also making what may be unfair assumptions about what is expected of my kindergartner. If I'm wrong -- and I so hope I am! -- I'll be happy to admit it.
Here we are a year later and it appears that Samuel still hasn't determined his handedness and is still very easily distracted. (The fidgeting has improved some, probably because he's matured a bit.) His teacher and I have talked about this to some degree on several occasions. I agreed to have an occupational therapy evaluation done. He can't hold a pencil firmly enough to write letters on a page. The teacher has also mentioned that he cannot stay focused on one task to finish it.
I'm fully on board with the OT evaluation; I really think Samuel could benefit from some exercises in that area. What rubs me the wrong way is the push to get 5-year-olds to Focus. I think school has become so competitive that kids aren't getting to be kids any more. (For example, I referenced parts of speech in Samuel's homework in a recent post here and I wasn't kidding. More about that in a minute.)
I was scheduled to have a conference with Samuel's teacher this morning but we had to postpone it because her child is sick today. I hope I'm wrong about how the classroom is set up and how much work the students are expected to complete independently. I guess I will find out when we do get to meet.
Now, about the parts of speech. Samuel brought home a sentence diagram a few weeks ago. It consisted of a piece of paper with words glued onto it. The sentence read "The baby eats yogurt." Each word was cut in a different shape: circle, square, moon and triangle. The instructions were to review article, subject, verb and object. I asked Samuel about it and he correctly explained it all to me. I was very impressed and so proud but thought to myself that he wouldn't retain the information.
Two weeks later, Miriam's homework assignment was to change verbs from present tense to past tense. I was working on it with her and asked her what a verb was. She stared blankly at me for a few seconds and then Samuel piped up, "A verb is what the subject does!" I almost fell on the floor. (For the record, Miriam caught on very quickly once she remembered what a verb is.)
Since then, Samuel has demonstrated that he really does know his grammar. Obviously, he can retain information that he hears at school. I'm not concerned about that. What concerns me is that if this kind of thing is being taught in kindergarten, what will next year be? Will he be able to keep up then? What other subjects are advanced past a kindergarten level? I know I'm probably borrowing trouble from the future and I know I have to chill out on that. But he's already showing problems in the aforementioned areas so I can't help but be a bit worried.
Bleh. If you made it through that, bless you. I know I'm a tad paranoid. I'm also making what may be unfair assumptions about what is expected of my kindergartner. If I'm wrong -- and I so hope I am! -- I'll be happy to admit it.
Mocklate vs. Choxie
I like chocolate. I enjoy chocolate cake with chocolate icing. I do love fudge and hot fudge sundaes. But just a chocolate bar? Not so much. However, for a couple of years I've seen this stuff at Target called Choxie. The pictures on the box look really good and I've wanted to buy a box to try it. You want to know why I haven't? Well, I'll tell you.
Big dorks like myself, that know practically every Friends episode by heart, will remember an episode when Monica attempted to cook with some stuff called Mocklate. It was an artificial version of chocolate that was supposed to be healthier or something. All of Monica's Mocklate recipes were miserable failures. It was utter garbage. That's why I haven't tried Choxie -- I imagine it to be akin to Mocklate.
At least, I did. I finally broke down and bought a box of Choxie Truffles last week. Sweet mother of Buddha, they are awesome. They consist of a heavenly, light chocolate-ey, mousse-type filling surrounded by a layer of dark chocolate and sprinkled with shaved bits of white chocolate. The entire box is gone now and my mouth is still watering.
Moral of this story: don't let your favorite television shows -- entertaining as they may be -- color your perception of yummy confections. Or something like that. I don't really care, as I'm off to Target for more Choxie Truffles.
Big dorks like myself, that know practically every Friends episode by heart, will remember an episode when Monica attempted to cook with some stuff called Mocklate. It was an artificial version of chocolate that was supposed to be healthier or something. All of Monica's Mocklate recipes were miserable failures. It was utter garbage. That's why I haven't tried Choxie -- I imagine it to be akin to Mocklate.
At least, I did. I finally broke down and bought a box of Choxie Truffles last week. Sweet mother of Buddha, they are awesome. They consist of a heavenly, light chocolate-ey, mousse-type filling surrounded by a layer of dark chocolate and sprinkled with shaved bits of white chocolate. The entire box is gone now and my mouth is still watering.
Moral of this story: don't let your favorite television shows -- entertaining as they may be -- color your perception of yummy confections. Or something like that. I don't really care, as I'm off to Target for more Choxie Truffles.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Thursday Thirteen: Memories from Early Childhood
1. Mom making my Cinderella birthday cake. age 2
2. Someone scrubbing my hands with stinky soap and putting a gown on me so I could see newborn Jennifer in the hospital. age 2
3. Dad singing me to sleep in the rocking chair. age 2
4. Tossing a balloon to my aunt over the shower curtain while I took a bath and she was babysitting. age 3
5. Making mud pies in the back yard with the kid that Mom babysat. He was so old, at least 5. age 3
6. Going on vacation with Grandma and Grandpa and being eaten up by mosquitoes. age 4
7. Wearing my favorite dress at least part of every day at Dover. It was red and covered with flowers. age 4
8. Watching Dad milk cows on the dairy and getting to feed bottles to the calves . age 5
9. Waiting for the kindergarten school bus by Granny and Paw Paw's honey suckle bush. age 5
10. Thinking that an 'E' should look like this:
age 5
11. Lance being born and Dad telling Jennifer and me that he was a big baby; me thinking that meant he was already bigger than me. age 5
12. Playing dentist and pretending I had a loose tooth, only to realize I really did have my very first loose tooth. age 6
13. Trying to take my cat into the wading pool and getting the full benefit of his claws on my back as he scrambled away. age 6
And a bonus story because I can't leave it out --
A skunk spraying our front porch. While we were outside. With all the windows open. And box fans sitting on the window sills blowing into the house. age 6
2. Someone scrubbing my hands with stinky soap and putting a gown on me so I could see newborn Jennifer in the hospital. age 2
3. Dad singing me to sleep in the rocking chair. age 2
4. Tossing a balloon to my aunt over the shower curtain while I took a bath and she was babysitting. age 3
5. Making mud pies in the back yard with the kid that Mom babysat. He was so old, at least 5. age 3
6. Going on vacation with Grandma and Grandpa and being eaten up by mosquitoes. age 4
7. Wearing my favorite dress at least part of every day at Dover. It was red and covered with flowers. age 4
8. Watching Dad milk cows on the dairy and getting to feed bottles to the calves . age 5
9. Waiting for the kindergarten school bus by Granny and Paw Paw's honey suckle bush. age 5
10. Thinking that an 'E' should look like this:
age 511. Lance being born and Dad telling Jennifer and me that he was a big baby; me thinking that meant he was already bigger than me. age 5
12. Playing dentist and pretending I had a loose tooth, only to realize I really did have my very first loose tooth. age 6
13. Trying to take my cat into the wading pool and getting the full benefit of his claws on my back as he scrambled away. age 6
And a bonus story because I can't leave it out --
A skunk spraying our front porch. While we were outside. With all the windows open. And box fans sitting on the window sills blowing into the house. age 6
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Selfishness
I feel bad for my boss. She fell while hiking last week and cracked her patella. Her left leg is in a brace and she can't flex her knee joint for the next 3 to 6 weeks. After that she will need several weeks of physical therapy. This is a very bad situation for anyone, but especially so for a nurse. One cannot effectively care for patients with in immobilized knee.
As bad as her injury is, I can't help feeling sorry for myself, too. I'm the only other full-time nurse in the office so I am picking up the slack. The old timer is lazy. Another sort-of old timer is slow. The fill-in nurses are good but they're fill-ins and they don't do the extra stuff like track down lab results and x-rays. They don't remember which nebulizers are accepted by which insurance companies or where the face masks are. They don't enter vaccine lot numbers or even know which vendor delivers insurance doses and which delivers VFC doses.
So, I'll be happy for my boss when her leg heals. I'll be really happy because she can go back to doing her job and I can pitch in when I have a chance. That might make me sound selfish but I can't help that.
As bad as her injury is, I can't help feeling sorry for myself, too. I'm the only other full-time nurse in the office so I am picking up the slack. The old timer is lazy. Another sort-of old timer is slow. The fill-in nurses are good but they're fill-ins and they don't do the extra stuff like track down lab results and x-rays. They don't remember which nebulizers are accepted by which insurance companies or where the face masks are. They don't enter vaccine lot numbers or even know which vendor delivers insurance doses and which delivers VFC doses.
So, I'll be happy for my boss when her leg heals. I'll be really happy because she can go back to doing her job and I can pitch in when I have a chance. That might make me sound selfish but I can't help that.
Thursday Thirteen: To Do List
1. Cut the kids' hair. Both the boys need to be buzzed and Miriam's hair desperately needs a trim.
2. Take Solomon to the doctor. He swears that there is something "stuck to the thing that makes me be able to hear."
3. Wash the car. And vacuum it. And throw out the accumulated junk in it. And clean the fingerprints off the inside of the windows.
4. Stay on top of the laundry. I'm caught up and I want it to last as long as possible.
5. Call the apartment manager about the lights being out in the breezeway. Remember to tell them the kids' bathroom doorknob is jamming up.
6. Take the kids out for ice cream. They've worked hard this week and they deserve it.
7. Sweep and mop the kitchen floor.
8. Make lasagna to use up all the extra marinara I made this week.
9. Watch the season finale of 'Swingtown.' And hope that it comes back to CBS instead of going to HBO.
10. Plan an outdoor activity for this weekend. Biking? Kites? Hiking?
11. Play trains with Samuel. He asked me tonight while I was busy with something and then we both forgot about it later.
12. Catch up on my Sim families. I haven't played in almost 3 weeks. I'm a little ashamed to say this, but I miss playing dolls.
13. Unwind. The last two work weeks have knocked the wind out of me.
2. Take Solomon to the doctor. He swears that there is something "stuck to the thing that makes me be able to hear."
3. Wash the car. And vacuum it. And throw out the accumulated junk in it. And clean the fingerprints off the inside of the windows.
4. Stay on top of the laundry. I'm caught up and I want it to last as long as possible.
5. Call the apartment manager about the lights being out in the breezeway. Remember to tell them the kids' bathroom doorknob is jamming up.
6. Take the kids out for ice cream. They've worked hard this week and they deserve it.
7. Sweep and mop the kitchen floor.
8. Make lasagna to use up all the extra marinara I made this week.
9. Watch the season finale of 'Swingtown.' And hope that it comes back to CBS instead of going to HBO.
10. Plan an outdoor activity for this weekend. Biking? Kites? Hiking?
11. Play trains with Samuel. He asked me tonight while I was busy with something and then we both forgot about it later.
12. Catch up on my Sim families. I haven't played in almost 3 weeks. I'm a little ashamed to say this, but I miss playing dolls.
13. Unwind. The last two work weeks have knocked the wind out of me.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Someone Should Call CPS
I am starving my child. He won't have energy to eat the food on his plate at dinner if I don't give him a snack at 6:15. He's going to keel over and die rightthisminute. He needs food, and he needs it now, darn it! The two peanut butter and cracker sandwiches weren't enough and he needs cheese -- lots of cheese. I don't care about him at all.
/facetious
/facetious
What I Did Last Night
I work with someone who always asks me what I did 'last night.' She asks this in the same leisurely, half-interested way that people with no responsibilities ask each other what they Did Over the Weekend. If it were anyone else, it probably wouldn't bother me but she annoys me in lots of other ways so this is just one more straw.
(This same woman commented on my children being with their father for a month this summer and said, "Man, I wish I had had a set up like that when my kids were little." Really? You wish you didn't see your kids for a month and that during the school year, they missed their dad constantly? Really? You wish you had had that? She's also the same one that thinks everyone with state-funded insurance is lazy. She's a real gem.)
Plus, she's really out of touch with what it's actually like to have young children. She has 2 grown children and she seems to have forgotten what it's like to have them constantly needing something. For example, last week I walked into the office at 8:28, gulping down the rest of my lukewarm coffee from a travel mug with my first patient already in the waiting room. She breezed past me and said, "You have more time than I do in the mornings if you've already had your coffee." My jaw dropped. She had no clue that my morning started at 5:30 with a child's wet bed, a 5-minute shower and make up put on at red lights. I kind of wanted to kick her in the shin, just a little bit.
Later that day she stretched lazily and asked me, "So what did you do last night, besides go home and crash?" I was already ticked at her for the earlier comment about my morning and I didn't trust myself to answer nicely. So I didn't answer her. But if I had, I might have said something like this:
Well, I left here at 5:25 at a dead run to avoid paying $5 per minute per child for missing the 6:00 pm pick up deadline for the after care program. I barely made it there in time due to the horrendous traffic.
By the time we got home it was after 6 and all the kids had homework so I simultaneously signed homework folders, read homework instructions, cooked dinner, unloaded the dishwasher and moved more clean laundry to the ever-growing pile of clean laundry. We had dinner and finished most of the kids' homework.
Then I sent the eldest to the shower, bathed the middle child and put off the youngest's bath until this morning. I supervised the kids' teeth brushing, called their father so they could tell him about their day, picked up some toys, straightened beds, turned on night lights and music and finally turned out the light. I tucked in all 3 children and barely resisted the urge to pass out in their beds with them.
After that I cleaned up the dinner dishes, put away leftovers, swept the floor, reminded myself to take out the trash this morning, started another load of laundry and wiped up pee splatters around the toilets. I debated whether or not to watch television and decided to go to bed instead. And I forgot to brush my teeth.
(This same woman commented on my children being with their father for a month this summer and said, "Man, I wish I had had a set up like that when my kids were little." Really? You wish you didn't see your kids for a month and that during the school year, they missed their dad constantly? Really? You wish you had had that? She's also the same one that thinks everyone with state-funded insurance is lazy. She's a real gem.)
Plus, she's really out of touch with what it's actually like to have young children. She has 2 grown children and she seems to have forgotten what it's like to have them constantly needing something. For example, last week I walked into the office at 8:28, gulping down the rest of my lukewarm coffee from a travel mug with my first patient already in the waiting room. She breezed past me and said, "You have more time than I do in the mornings if you've already had your coffee." My jaw dropped. She had no clue that my morning started at 5:30 with a child's wet bed, a 5-minute shower and make up put on at red lights. I kind of wanted to kick her in the shin, just a little bit.
Later that day she stretched lazily and asked me, "So what did you do last night, besides go home and crash?" I was already ticked at her for the earlier comment about my morning and I didn't trust myself to answer nicely. So I didn't answer her. But if I had, I might have said something like this:
Well, I left here at 5:25 at a dead run to avoid paying $5 per minute per child for missing the 6:00 pm pick up deadline for the after care program. I barely made it there in time due to the horrendous traffic.
By the time we got home it was after 6 and all the kids had homework so I simultaneously signed homework folders, read homework instructions, cooked dinner, unloaded the dishwasher and moved more clean laundry to the ever-growing pile of clean laundry. We had dinner and finished most of the kids' homework.
Then I sent the eldest to the shower, bathed the middle child and put off the youngest's bath until this morning. I supervised the kids' teeth brushing, called their father so they could tell him about their day, picked up some toys, straightened beds, turned on night lights and music and finally turned out the light. I tucked in all 3 children and barely resisted the urge to pass out in their beds with them.
After that I cleaned up the dinner dishes, put away leftovers, swept the floor, reminded myself to take out the trash this morning, started another load of laundry and wiped up pee splatters around the toilets. I debated whether or not to watch television and decided to go to bed instead. And I forgot to brush my teeth.
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