I love the outdoors!
• Aug. 28, 2008 - What Happened?
Posted By Dad2Three
I have a high school reunion coming up this fall. It's been 25 years since I was a "Bulldog" from a suburb of Akron, Ohio. A few weeks ago, I had a call from an old classmate asking if I would be there, and she gave me a web address for our reunion web site. Today, I logged on to take a look ... and I was completely and totally floored.
They have a "memorial" page for people from our graduating class who have passed away. Three people I was close with have died since high school - and I knew about each of them almost immediately. All three of those deaths took place within five years of our high school graduation. What I didn't know was that about 15 other people I graduated with are now gone - including a girl I sat with in homeroom just about every year (we did homeroom alphabetically and her last name started with "Lau" and mine with "Lan" - so we were always together). She died in 1999 at the age of 33.
Finding out one one of your friends is dead is shocking - but finding out, all at the same time, that more than a dozen of your friends have passed away is overwhelming.
Right now, I'm feeling really old and really depressed. Because I haven't seen them in two decades, these people are still kids in my mind ... what stinkin' happened?
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• Aug. 28, 2008 - Going down to the Gas-Station/Pharmacy/Body Shop/Wedding Chapel/Restaurant/T-Shirt Shop
Posted By Dad2Three
Tennesseans are enterprising folks. A quick trip through Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge demonstrates that people from the Volunteer State waste no time, love to multi-task and perfected the art of one-stop-shopping long before Sam Walton could even spell "Wal-Mart."
In my state, you will find Bubba's Emporium Pharmacy and Body Shop where you can get your passenger-side fender touched up while you wait for your allergy medicine. You will also find the Graceland Wedding Chapel and T-Shirt Shop where you can buy a t-shirt that says "My Grandma Went to Pigeon Forge and All I Got Was This Lousy Shirt" right before you get married by the Reverend Elvis Presley who has long sideburns, a rhinestoned jumpsuit and ends each ceremony by saying, "Thank you, thank you very much." (Note: The photo above was snagged from the internet and I have no idea who those people are, although I am told that it might be Mr. and Mrs. SmallWorld.)
This morning, I passed a gas station that also operates a pawn shop and restaurant. The sign out front said:
Now buying Gold and Silver Coins,
Jewelry, Watches,
Delicious Fried Chicken
So, if you're strapped for cash, take your delicious fried chicken to this pawn shop and you can walk out with a pocketful of money. Just don't even think about trying to sell them your mediocre fried chicken.
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• Aug. 25, 2008 - Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It's Off To School We Go
Posted By Jennifer
Posting on my homeschool blog when I am no longer homeschooling my oldest is tough. I've avoided it all summer because it makes my heart hurt. So there. No excuses. All out in the open. It wasn't my idea, either. Just attempting to be the obedient wife (and not doing such a great job, I might add). Details, details, I'm sure someone wants details. It's been a long time coming, I suppose, but I am a mastermind when it comes to denial. He wasn't enjoying anything, and I found myself angry much of the time. And an angry mom isn't a very good mom. He is now enrolled in 3rd grade in a tiny elementary school around the corner. And he loves it. I'm not saying that just to make myself feel better. He honestly loves it. He actually asked why he couldn't go on Sunday. Of course, his pleasure comes not from academics, but from the social scene that he now reigns. He has been invited to too many playdates to mention, and 2 birthday parties over the past weekend. Is this how it all works now? I found myself at one of the aforementioned parties, babbling about my fears at how he might do academically since he's never been in a classroom setting and never taken a test, and I realized I was just getting blank stares. I had lost them. Does everyone seems a bit distrustful of homeschoolers, or is it just the unknown that freaks them out? No, that 's just my paranoia. And the fact that we are straddling the fence, with one in public school and 2 at home, makes it even tougher for people to get. I know, I know, I have to do what works for my family. But this isn't easy. Not by a long shot. Don't let anyone ever tell ya' otherwise. |
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• Aug. 22, 2008 - Not Meant to be Offensive (Really)
Posted By Dad2Three
Last night, Wife2Me and Daughter2Me had to run into the mall to exchange something. Since it was going to be a five-minute event, I stayed in the car with my boys. The mall is in a small town about 15 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains. It is not the most "upscale" of our area's malls.
While we were waiting in the mall parking lot, there was a seemingly endless parade of teenagers who were simply hanging out, which prompted the following exchange with OldestSon2Me:
OldestSon2Me - "I hate this mall. The only kids who come here are redneck gangsta' wanna-be's."
Dad2Three - "That's not very nice."
OldestSon2Me - "No, really dad. You walk through that mall and you'll see preppy rednecks, rapper rednecks, jock rednecks and goth rednecks. They all think they're something else, but they're rednecks."
Dad2Three starts to laugh.
OldestSon2Me - "At least when you go to the other malls, you see REAL gangsta's."
(Disclaimer - In defense of OldestSon2Me, I personally witnessed a young man at the mall who was wearing his NY Yankees baseball hat sideways, had the baggy jeans that showed about six inches of his bright red boxer shorts and was sporting five big gold chains around his neck - none of which went very well with his Confederate flag belt buckle and cowboy boots.)
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• Aug. 22, 2008 - Funniest thing said at my house this week
Posted By QueenoftheHill
• Aug. 19, 2008 - Ahhh, the possibilities
Posted By QueenoftheHill
There's a lady at church who is contantly giving me self-help books. She's one of those people who remembers everyone's birthday and never fails to arrive at church armed with a gift on the appropriate weekend before. I arrive with a gift for her sometime in the month after, because, as I've said before, I'm just a rotten friend. But I digress.
Clearly, judging from all my past gifts from her, she believes I need much self-help. (And to read Aretha Franklin's biography, but that's a blog for another day.) Finally, I explained to her that I simply don't read that stuff and in fact, loathe self-help books! First of all, I'm really not at all sure that I would choose to change the same things SHE thinks I need to change, and judging from past results, I'm powerless to change anything anyway. In short, it is my policy to avoid self-improvement books, programs, videos, you name it. Just too depressing to wake up the same ole Queenofthehill, morning after morning, with all the same flaws hanging out there for the world to see and a lot of wasted energy and emotion spent in trying to change the unchangeable. Not to mention that renewed sense of being a failure. Who needs all that negativity???
I really felt pretty dogmatic about this, until this past week. I suffered a terrible blow in the pride department a couple of weeks ago (Dad2Three tells the story better than I ever could) and the ensuing depression and literal nightmares I suffered as a result have spawned something of a spiritual awakening for me that has me thinking and praying a lot more.
This, combined with a recent weight loss of 44 pounds (as of 8/19/08), caused a light bulb to go off: if I could change my habits and my lifestyle significantly enough to lose 44 pounds, what ELSE could I improve about myself if I set my mind to it?
So now there's a world of possibilities.
Will I become a better housekeeper?
Will my children finally complete (or start) the second half of their Saxon Math before I call an end to the school year?
Will I stop obessively checking my email?
Will I stop yelling at my kids?
Will I be a better wife?
Fill in the blank and make suggestions ___________ -- you all know me!
It can really be quite overwhelming. It was a lot simpler to believe that I was impervious to all attempts to change me for the better. But God, in His infinite wisdom has sent me a theme song. Much in the manner that "Wheels on the Bus" or "It's a Small World After All" stick in your head until you want to scream, but still the point was taken. I guess I could accurately label it a "mission statement." Are you familiar with that old hymn Make Me a Blessing? Those are very simple words. I look at my beautiful children, one who will soon be a TEEN, one who is at that peculiar age of 9, and one who is a Really Terrible Two, and I want to drink in every moment of their lives, memorize every funny face they make, and... not make one false move. I want to be a blessing to them. I want to nurture them to be able to meet every iota of potential that is worthy of meeting. I want to create in them warm, fuzzy memories of their childhood and, well, ME! I want them to have warm and fuzzies when they think of Mommy. I do not want them to get a visual of a shrieking fish wife, which is what I am when I'm stressed out -- which is what I get as a result of poor organization and NO planning.
In short, I want to do better by them. Like with so many goals, that takes a multi-pronged approach. To eliminate stress in my life will force a number of lifestyle changes. To create a more enjoyable home and school environment will take a number of other steps. To deal with them in patience will take a completely different set of changes. Can I do what it takes? I would have said "no way" a few weeks ago.
I pray that God will "Make Me a Blessing" to them.
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• Aug. 8, 2008 - Oooouch ... THAT HURTS !
Posted By Dad2Three
I've made it a policy since I started this blog to not write about work. I've referenced it a few times, but never in detail. But, since I'm presently working for myself, I guess there's not much chance of being fired for anything I write, unless I really tick myself off.
Last Thursday night, I lost the first election I've been involved with in about 15 years. I forgot how much it hurts to pour your heart and soul into something you believe in and have it crumble in your hands during the time it takes someone to read two sets of numbers. It stings ... and it doesn't go away quickly.
Right out of school, I worked in print and broadcast journalism for about two years. Then, in the early 1990s, I moved over into marketing and communications, eventually spending 11 years as a senior-level marketing guy for a Chicago-based holding company. Two years ago, the holding company I worked for sold all but one of the companies it owned and I found myself facing (a) relocation or (b) looking for a new job. We didn't relocate.
Briefly, I took a job as business editor for our daily newspaper. I viewed this as more of a "networking move" than a "real job." The pay certainly wasn't "real pay." A few months ago, I left the newspaper and started doing marketing and media consulting, quickly landing some decent, well-paying clients. One of those clients was a political figure seeking re-election.
Although I was highly involved in politics back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I haven't had my hand in that arena for more than a decade. Fortunately, the candidates whose campaigns I managed and worked on 15 years ago were in geographic areas where politicians from their party do very well - and I had an almost flawless record of winning campaigns. That was not the case last week ... not even close.
There are two positive things I've been able to identify about this most recent political experience:
First, I made some fantastic friends that I wouldn't have met had I not participated in this election. (Note: This candidate was not from the party I have been associated with my entire life.)
Second, my son who is planning on law school (and has been fascinated with politics since about the age of 8) got to participate - right down to the election night party at campaign headquarters. I got to watch my son see what it is like to work, sweat and worry for months over something and lose ... not just by a little, but really lose. And as much as I hate to lose, I gave him the speech after we got home about how you learn so much more from losing than you do from winning.
I really do believe that, but it doesn't mean I like it -- because it still stings days later.
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• 7 August 2008 - Recipe Box Swap- Feta Stuffed Zucchini
Posted By Monkeys on Parade
I am sorry that the amounts aren't more exact. I tend to just add ingredients until it looks right. This recipe was formed while I was on phase 1 of the South Beach Diet and in a desperate attempt to use a pound of feta that I was concerned would go bad.
Serves 4
3 large zucchini
3 ounces of feta (large crumbles- It is best to buy it in a block and crumble it yourself.)
olive oil
salt to taste
ground red pepper (or chilies of your choice) to taste
juice from 1 lemon
McCormick's Salt-Free All-Purpose seasoning to taste
Preheat oven to 325-350 degrees
1. Slice zucchini in half length wise and scoop out the inside- rough chop what was scooped out.
2. In a bowl mix the chopped zucchini, salt, red pepper/chilies, all-purpose seasoning, and lemon juice.
3. Add crumbled feta to the zucchini mixture & stir it all together.
4. Stuff the zucchini shells with the mixture and place on a baking sheet/dish.
5. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle more all purpose seasoning over the top.
6. Bake until the zucchini shell is almost done or about 15 minutes. (It should still be just a little crisp).
7. Broil just long enough to lightly brown the feta/zucchini stuffing.
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• Aug. 7, 2008 - We Be Jammin'
Posted By Dad2Three
• Aug. 6, 2008 - Simple Truths ...
from the Louisville, KY Living Proof Simulcast ...
Jesus Loves Me ... This I Know ... For the Bible ... Tells Me So
no matter what ...
Jesus Loves Me ... This I Know ... For the Bible ... Tells Me So
through tears ...
Jesus Loves Me ... This I Know ... For the Bible ... Tells Me So
through gritted teeth ...
Jesus Loves Me ... This I Know ... For the Bible ... Tells Me So
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