Friday, June 27, 2008
Where in the world?
I received this video from my friend Jen the other day, and it is by far the most fun, uplifting, and enjoyable video I have seen in ages. Thanks Jen!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Cling-On
For years I have been thinking about getting those vinyl clings that stick to the walls and have all kinds of clever sayings on them. The only problem is that all the sayings are either too "cutesy", too preachy, or too ugh. So I finally found a place that will do any quote that you want. Here are a few of my choices~
How do a FOOL and his MONEY get together to begin with?
The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.
Let's share, You'll take the grenade, I'll take the pin.
Avoid fruits and nuts. You are what you eat.
A man’s got to believe in something. I believe I’ll have another drink.
You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.
Raising kids is part joy and part guerilla warfare.
Never argue with a fool. People might not know the difference.
Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn’t have said.
Children: You spend the first 2 years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next 16 years telling them to sit down and shut-up.
A friend is someone you can call to help you move. A best friend is someone you can call to help you move a body.
I love being married. It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.
Marriage is nature’s way of keeping us from fighting with strangers.
Your marriage is in trouble if your wife says, ‘You’re only interested in one thing,’ and you can’t remember what it is.
A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
I didn’t fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian.
Why is ‘abbreviation’ such a long word?
Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
My mind is like a steel trap - rusty and illegal in 37 states.
If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2?
If you ate pasta and antipasta, would you still be hungry?
Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don’t have film.
Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won’t expect it back
Death solves all problems: no man, no problem.
If you can’t say anything nice, then at least have the decency to be vague.
Snails can sleep for 3 years without eating. One day, I shall be a sweet, succulent escargo of quiescence…until then, I practice.
How do a FOOL and his MONEY get together to begin with?
The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.
Let's share, You'll take the grenade, I'll take the pin.
Avoid fruits and nuts. You are what you eat.
A man’s got to believe in something. I believe I’ll have another drink.
You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.
Raising kids is part joy and part guerilla warfare.
Never argue with a fool. People might not know the difference.
Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn’t have said.
Children: You spend the first 2 years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next 16 years telling them to sit down and shut-up.
A friend is someone you can call to help you move. A best friend is someone you can call to help you move a body.
I love being married. It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.
Marriage is nature’s way of keeping us from fighting with strangers.
Your marriage is in trouble if your wife says, ‘You’re only interested in one thing,’ and you can’t remember what it is.
A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
I didn’t fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian.
Why is ‘abbreviation’ such a long word?
Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
My mind is like a steel trap - rusty and illegal in 37 states.
If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2?
If you ate pasta and antipasta, would you still be hungry?
Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don’t have film.
Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won’t expect it back
Death solves all problems: no man, no problem.
If you can’t say anything nice, then at least have the decency to be vague.
Snails can sleep for 3 years without eating. One day, I shall be a sweet, succulent escargo of quiescence…until then, I practice.
Things That Go Bump
Lately Dooce has been talking off and on about Land of the Lost and she mentioned the Sleestacks. For those of you who are not familiar with these, here is what they look like ~ 
Now you need to understand that as a little kid, these things scared the shit out of me. So the whole mention of it on her blog, brought back a lot of very icky feelings. When I was young my older brother would drag me out of bed to watch Land of the Lost because he did not want me to be scared...yeah, right. Let's just say that even as I type this I am looking over my shoulder. 
And now, I really must stop typing about this and move on to something else. In fact, I think I will need to put up several more posts just to move these off the page.
Now you need to understand that as a little kid, these things scared the shit out of me. So the whole mention of it on her blog, brought back a lot of very icky feelings. When I was young my older brother would drag me out of bed to watch Land of the Lost because he did not want me to be scared...yeah, right. Let's just say that even as I type this I am looking over my shoulder. Then the memory of these horrid monsters brought to mind several other creatures that I am sure seemed innocous to the creators of the films, but to me the were the bastions of my nightmares for years!
Here we have the lovely and innocent monsters (no clue what they were called) from Time Bandits.
And here is my all time favorite for encouraging countless sleepless nights, Skeksis from The Dark Crystal.
And now, I really must stop typing about this and move on to something else. In fact, I think I will need to put up several more posts just to move these off the page. Mommy!!! Daddy!!! Help me!
And the Oscar goes to....
Kim (Dan really) asks us "Your own, personal all-time Oscars - Best Actor, Actress, and Movie".
I love, love, LOVE this topic. I am such a movie fan and will watch any AFI tribute that is on, even to the point of taping it, which seems pretty silly really. (And yes, I said "taping", I do not own a TIVO/DVR thingy, nor do I really want to at this point. Hell, it was only 2 years ago that I bought a DVD player, as a VCR/DVD combo, and only 4 years ago that I bought a cell phone. And, to make matters worse I have never, ever upgraded from the simple basic cell flip-phone they start you out with. Pathetic or practical, you decide.) So on to my own personal, all-time Oscars.
Best Actor ever - Daniel Day Lewis. He has been my favorite actor since I saw "A Room with a View" at 13, then "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and "My Left Foot" sealed it. I prefer the character actors (William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Chris Cooper, Harvey Keitel, Kevin Spacey, David Straithairn, Samuel Jackson, Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, etc.) to actors like Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jim Carey, Matthew McConaughey, Patrick Dempsey, Dennis Quaid, Tommy Lee Jones, etc., who always seems like themselves to me, never the character they are playing (Sean Connery is the exception to this rule because, well, he is Sean Connery.) It is not that I mind their movies, just do not watch them with the same level of enthusiasm. I have several actors I respect immensely for their work (include the character actors mentioned above) - Robert Downey Jr., James Stewart, Donald Sutherland, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Ewan McGregor, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, Viggo Mortensen, Marlon Brando, Anthony Hopkins, Cary Grant, Jeremy Irons, Ralph Fiennes, Paul Newman, Humphrey Bogart, Russell Crowe, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Pierce Brosnan, Guy Pearce, Johnny Depp, and Greg Kinnear.
Best Actress ever - Meryl Streep. She can become anyone and is absolutely incredible in every role (Not that all the movies have been great, but that is neither here not there.) First movie I remember seeing her in was "Silkwood". Then when I watched "Still of the Night", "The French Lieutenants Woman", "Out of Africa" and "Kramer vs. Kramer" a few years later on video, I could not believe it was the same person. She is just awe inspiring. Best movie of hers, I feel, is "Sophie's Choice". My other choices in this category are Jessica Tandy, Katherine Hepburn, Diane Weiss, Nicole Kidman, Audrey Hepburn, Mary McDonnell, Juliette Binoche, Marilyn Monroe, Emma Thompson, Judi Dench, Kiera Knightley, Bette Davis, and Angelia Jolie.
Best Film ever - It's a Wonderful Life. This was so hard, so very hard to pick one movie out of all those that I love. But, if I had to watch one film for the rest of my life, this would be it. It is a tradition that D and I started to stay up on Christmas Eve, light a fire, make some popcorn and watch this together. No matter how late it is. So that factors into the decision, but you can not deny the quality and message of this movie. Besides the fact that "Capraesque" is a part of our vocabulary.
I had to also create a list of favorite movies in other categories, as picking just one overall movie did not seem fair. So yes, I am cheating.
Best Drama - Fargo
Best Sci-Fi - A Clockwork Orange
Best Romantic Comedy - Some Like it Hot
Best Gangster - The Godfather
Best Fantasy - The Princess Bride
Best Mystery - Rear Window
Best Epic - Schindler's List (Ok, personal bitch for a second. The fact that the hack of a movie Titanic is even on the list for Epics, let alone won an Oscar over the phenomenal LA Confidential is a travesty. The only injustice more severe was when Shakespeare in Love won over Saving Private Ryan. Hello?!)
Best Courtroom Drama - To Kill a Mockingbird
Best Sports - The Natural
Best Western - Dances With Wolves
Best Musical - A Hard Day's Night
Honorable mentions that are favorites - The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, The Graduate, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, No Country for Old Men, Last of the Mohicans (DDL version), Singin in the Rain, Rebel Without a Cause, The Philadelphia Story, Arsenic and Old Lace, Harvey, Silence of the Lambs, The Sound of Music, American Graffiti, LA Confidential, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Streetcar Named Desire, Jaws, and Magnolia, Goodfellas, There Will be Blood, Memento, Platoon, Seabiscuit, Star Wars, Untouchables, Witness, Sophie's Choice, Amadeus....and I could go on and on, and on!
I love, love, LOVE this topic. I am such a movie fan and will watch any AFI tribute that is on, even to the point of taping it, which seems pretty silly really. (And yes, I said "taping", I do not own a TIVO/DVR thingy, nor do I really want to at this point. Hell, it was only 2 years ago that I bought a DVD player, as a VCR/DVD combo, and only 4 years ago that I bought a cell phone. And, to make matters worse I have never, ever upgraded from the simple basic cell flip-phone they start you out with. Pathetic or practical, you decide.) So on to my own personal, all-time Oscars.
Best Actor ever - Daniel Day Lewis. He has been my favorite actor since I saw "A Room with a View" at 13, then "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and "My Left Foot" sealed it. I prefer the character actors (William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Chris Cooper, Harvey Keitel, Kevin Spacey, David Straithairn, Samuel Jackson, Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, etc.) to actors like Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jim Carey, Matthew McConaughey, Patrick Dempsey, Dennis Quaid, Tommy Lee Jones, etc., who always seems like themselves to me, never the character they are playing (Sean Connery is the exception to this rule because, well, he is Sean Connery.) It is not that I mind their movies, just do not watch them with the same level of enthusiasm. I have several actors I respect immensely for their work (include the character actors mentioned above) - Robert Downey Jr., James Stewart, Donald Sutherland, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Ewan McGregor, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, Viggo Mortensen, Marlon Brando, Anthony Hopkins, Cary Grant, Jeremy Irons, Ralph Fiennes, Paul Newman, Humphrey Bogart, Russell Crowe, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Pierce Brosnan, Guy Pearce, Johnny Depp, and Greg Kinnear.
Best Actress ever - Meryl Streep. She can become anyone and is absolutely incredible in every role (Not that all the movies have been great, but that is neither here not there.) First movie I remember seeing her in was "Silkwood". Then when I watched "Still of the Night", "The French Lieutenants Woman", "Out of Africa" and "Kramer vs. Kramer" a few years later on video, I could not believe it was the same person. She is just awe inspiring. Best movie of hers, I feel, is "Sophie's Choice". My other choices in this category are Jessica Tandy, Katherine Hepburn, Diane Weiss, Nicole Kidman, Audrey Hepburn, Mary McDonnell, Juliette Binoche, Marilyn Monroe, Emma Thompson, Judi Dench, Kiera Knightley, Bette Davis, and Angelia Jolie.
Best Film ever - It's a Wonderful Life. This was so hard, so very hard to pick one movie out of all those that I love. But, if I had to watch one film for the rest of my life, this would be it. It is a tradition that D and I started to stay up on Christmas Eve, light a fire, make some popcorn and watch this together. No matter how late it is. So that factors into the decision, but you can not deny the quality and message of this movie. Besides the fact that "Capraesque" is a part of our vocabulary.
I had to also create a list of favorite movies in other categories, as picking just one overall movie did not seem fair. So yes, I am cheating.
Best Drama - Fargo
Best Sci-Fi - A Clockwork Orange
Best Romantic Comedy - Some Like it Hot
Best Gangster - The Godfather
Best Fantasy - The Princess Bride
Best Mystery - Rear Window
Best Epic - Schindler's List (Ok, personal bitch for a second. The fact that the hack of a movie Titanic is even on the list for Epics, let alone won an Oscar over the phenomenal LA Confidential is a travesty. The only injustice more severe was when Shakespeare in Love won over Saving Private Ryan. Hello?!)
Best Courtroom Drama - To Kill a Mockingbird
Best Sports - The Natural
Best Western - Dances With Wolves
Best Musical - A Hard Day's Night
Honorable mentions that are favorites - The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, The Graduate, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, No Country for Old Men, Last of the Mohicans (DDL version), Singin in the Rain, Rebel Without a Cause, The Philadelphia Story, Arsenic and Old Lace, Harvey, Silence of the Lambs, The Sound of Music, American Graffiti, LA Confidential, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Streetcar Named Desire, Jaws, and Magnolia, Goodfellas, There Will be Blood, Memento, Platoon, Seabiscuit, Star Wars, Untouchables, Witness, Sophie's Choice, Amadeus....and I could go on and on, and on!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Mirror in the bathroom
This week Kim asks "What is your favorite room/area of your house and why.. please include photo if you can."
Considering that at this moment I am not really thrilled with being in my house anymore, this is a tough question for me. (For background we have been searching for a house for over a year...yes I said a year. We have looked at 113 listings and walked through 52 houses, not that I am counting or anything). Anyway, back to my favorite room. There are parts to our house that I really love. We have vaulted ceilings in our living room/dining room and kitchen, and we have done some two tone painting throughout the house that looks really cool. My daughters rooms are two rooms that I enjoy being in because they smell like them and look like them. Missy G's room is purple and we did Feisty Spice in two tones of pink, both with white trim and teal carpet. So they are girlie looking, something I would never in a million years admit that I would want to do, but the impulse over took me when I knew we were having girls. However, as much as I love their rooms and our bedroom as sanctuaries, my favorite room is our bathroom. Last April (2007) D redid the bathroom as an anniversary present for me. He and his dad put in all new tile in the shower and on the floor (we had carpet/linoleum on the floor before), all new faucets, and new towel racks, etc. Like most of the things in our house we collaborated on it and I feel it turned out beautifully. That room is one thing about (possibly) moving that makes me sad. The fact that I may have to go back to a POS bathroom!
Considering that at this moment I am not really thrilled with being in my house anymore, this is a tough question for me. (For background we have been searching for a house for over a year...yes I said a year. We have looked at 113 listings and walked through 52 houses, not that I am counting or anything). Anyway, back to my favorite room. There are parts to our house that I really love. We have vaulted ceilings in our living room/dining room and kitchen, and we have done some two tone painting throughout the house that looks really cool. My daughters rooms are two rooms that I enjoy being in because they smell like them and look like them. Missy G's room is purple and we did Feisty Spice in two tones of pink, both with white trim and teal carpet. So they are girlie looking, something I would never in a million years admit that I would want to do, but the impulse over took me when I knew we were having girls. However, as much as I love their rooms and our bedroom as sanctuaries, my favorite room is our bathroom. Last April (2007) D redid the bathroom as an anniversary present for me. He and his dad put in all new tile in the shower and on the floor (we had carpet/linoleum on the floor before), all new faucets, and new towel racks, etc. Like most of the things in our house we collaborated on it and I feel it turned out beautifully. That room is one thing about (possibly) moving that makes me sad. The fact that I may have to go back to a POS bathroom!
Ninja Warriorettes
We love the show Ninja Warrior at my house (in case you have not seen it, it is a Japanese show with athletes that go through a 4 stage obstacle course to become the last person standing and the ultimate Ninja Warrior. It looks incredibly hard, typically 100 people try out and maybe 6 make it to the next stage. There is both a woman and man competition). Missy G is completely obsessed with this show and constantly begs her dad to set up an obstacle course in our yard. These pictures are the result of our Ninja Warriorette competition - 
Sous-y!
This year was the first year that I watched Bravo's Top Chef, so I have the writers strike to thank for that. I have decided to go back and watch past years as I am sure they all have to be as hysterical as this years. I found out that Chef's fight better than anyone else, which must be why the food is soo good...all that passion! Below are two shirts based on things that Chefs on the show said. I think they explain better than words can why the show is so great. (BTW, anyone want to buy me the second shirt? Haha!)
You'll Poke Your Brain Out!
Things that annoy me ~
1. Generic brand Q-Tips - Do not buy unless you feel like jabbing a sharp object coated with a light layer of cotton into your brain. Seriously, look before inserting into ear.
2. Food Manufacturers - On the news this morning there was mention that companies like Kellogs, Dreyers Ice Cream, and others are putting less product in their containers, but NOT changing their prices! Are you kidding me? It is not enough that groceries are already expensive and we can hardly afford to get our gas guzzlers to the grocery store, but now we have to go with an extra 3 oz of Fruit Loops?!?!
3. Early Morning News Shows - Speaking of the news...I realize that these people have been up for hours and are probably so loaded with caffeine that they can barely see straight, but do they have to be so damn chipper? Every morning when I watch it I have to change it when the weather girl comes on as she is just to excited...nobody should laugh that much at 5:30 a.m.
Things I am looking forward to ~
1. Get Smart, The Dark Night, The Love Guru, Hancock, and especially Wall-E. (Not that I get out to movies anymore, but if I did these are a few of the movies I would see)
2. Getting our swing set finished. Take my advice people, never ask a Virgo to work on a project for you, unless you have the capacity to be really, really, REALLY patient. (No offense to all you Virgo's out there). The nice thing is it will be absolutely perfect and beautiful when it is finished, the bad thing is it will not be finished until the kids who are going to use it graduate from High School!
3. Wipeout - This looks like a funny combination of Japan's Ninja Warrior (of which we are big fans) and America's Funniest Home Videos. All I know is that the commercial made milk come out of my nose, and I was not even drinking milk at the time!
1. Generic brand Q-Tips - Do not buy unless you feel like jabbing a sharp object coated with a light layer of cotton into your brain. Seriously, look before inserting into ear.
2. Food Manufacturers - On the news this morning there was mention that companies like Kellogs, Dreyers Ice Cream, and others are putting less product in their containers, but NOT changing their prices! Are you kidding me? It is not enough that groceries are already expensive and we can hardly afford to get our gas guzzlers to the grocery store, but now we have to go with an extra 3 oz of Fruit Loops?!?!
3. Early Morning News Shows - Speaking of the news...I realize that these people have been up for hours and are probably so loaded with caffeine that they can barely see straight, but do they have to be so damn chipper? Every morning when I watch it I have to change it when the weather girl comes on as she is just to excited...nobody should laugh that much at 5:30 a.m.
Things I am looking forward to ~
1. Get Smart, The Dark Night, The Love Guru, Hancock, and especially Wall-E. (Not that I get out to movies anymore, but if I did these are a few of the movies I would see)
2. Getting our swing set finished. Take my advice people, never ask a Virgo to work on a project for you, unless you have the capacity to be really, really, REALLY patient. (No offense to all you Virgo's out there). The nice thing is it will be absolutely perfect and beautiful when it is finished, the bad thing is it will not be finished until the kids who are going to use it graduate from High School!
3. Wipeout - This looks like a funny combination of Japan's Ninja Warrior (of which we are big fans) and America's Funniest Home Videos. All I know is that the commercial made milk come out of my nose, and I was not even drinking milk at the time!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Why I am not a femi-nazi
Main Entry: fem·i·nismFunction: noun
Pronunciation: 'fe-m&-"ni-z&m1 : the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes 2 : organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests
fem·i·nist/-nist/ noun or adjective
I read this post on a Feministing.Com, which is a site whose mission statement is "Young women are rarely given the opportunity to speak on their own behalf on issues that affect their lives and futures. Feministing provides a platform for us to comment, analyze and influence. " Now, I agree with this mission and I will say that I feel as women we have made tremendous progress in the past 100 years (thanks Mom!) and as I stated in a previous rant, I was influenced by many strong women while growing up (and a dad that fostered my sense of self), so I consider myself to be a feminist, however I have discovered while reading this site that their views and mine differ quite a bit on a lot of issues. Personally, I find nothing wrong with the fact that people (women) are being used in this way to draw attention for PETA. I would not care if they were doing it to NOT draw attention for a cause, but the fact that they are just makes it better.
I mean really, what is the big hang up with women posing nude? Who cares, or better yet, why do they care? To me if a woman is confident in herself and wants to pose nude, whether it be for art, a cause like PETA, or for Playboy/Hustler, etc., than more power to you sista! Granted, I get the point that PETA and sex/nakedness have nothing to do with each other, so the idea of using a naked person seems unnecessary. (But then, what do insurance and a talking Gecko have to do with each other?) I also have read many posts on this site that take the idea of Feminist too far in my opinion, or at least they see themselves differently as a feminist than I do.
I embrace the above definition and fully support activities that equalize the sexes and fight for women's rights. But, to me, feminism means raising my two daughters to respect themselves and others, to treat everyone as equals, regardless of sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, ability, etc., to be proud of their accomplishments and learn from their mistakes, to love their body for what it is and can do, to be honest, trusting, independent, faithful, kind, free spirited, devoted, loyal, to speak up for themselves and others, and to laugh at themselves. It does not mean criticizing men or attacking men or any of the other incidences of inequality that I have seen promoted on this site. My overall feeling when I read articles on this site is that it perpetuates the viewpoint that a lot of people have of feminists, and that is that they are "Femi-Nazis". It is therefore part of the problem, rather than the solution.
So as a feminist, here are my viewpoints on a few "hot topics" ~
1. Abortion - I am pro-choice, not in a "leave your hands of my body as it is solely my decision" kind of way. But in a, everyone should have the right to decide what is best for them in a given situation. Period.
2. Birth Control - See above comments.
3. Pay - Yes, women should be paid the same as men for doing the same work. The fact that we are not is a travesty.
4. Double Standards - It is stupid that a man can be assertive, while I woman is labeled a bitch. Or a man can be sensitive, while a woman is called weak. I abhor double standards and try to educate my girls about why it is wrong. But here is a double standard for you, why are a lot of play groups for kids called "mommy and me" or something similar? What about the men who stay home to raise their kids? Are they not faced with a double standard and being treated unfairly? Why are they called "Mr. Mom"?
5. Pornography - As long as no one is hurt, no children or animals are involved, and everyone is consenting, I do not care. Men look at it, women look at it, so what? Now I get all the "a person could become an addict/sex fiend/serial killer/ woman objectifier" argument. I also understand that it could benefit people who are having problems sexually in their relationships get past the issues and it can also help people feel more adequate sexually.
Pronunciation: 'fe-m&-"ni-z&m1 : the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes 2 : organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests
fem·i·nist/-nist/ noun or adjective
I read this post on a Feministing.Com, which is a site whose mission statement is "Young women are rarely given the opportunity to speak on their own behalf on issues that affect their lives and futures. Feministing provides a platform for us to comment, analyze and influence. " Now, I agree with this mission and I will say that I feel as women we have made tremendous progress in the past 100 years (thanks Mom!) and as I stated in a previous rant, I was influenced by many strong women while growing up (and a dad that fostered my sense of self), so I consider myself to be a feminist, however I have discovered while reading this site that their views and mine differ quite a bit on a lot of issues. Personally, I find nothing wrong with the fact that people (women) are being used in this way to draw attention for PETA. I would not care if they were doing it to NOT draw attention for a cause, but the fact that they are just makes it better.
I mean really, what is the big hang up with women posing nude? Who cares, or better yet, why do they care? To me if a woman is confident in herself and wants to pose nude, whether it be for art, a cause like PETA, or for Playboy/Hustler, etc., than more power to you sista! Granted, I get the point that PETA and sex/nakedness have nothing to do with each other, so the idea of using a naked person seems unnecessary. (But then, what do insurance and a talking Gecko have to do with each other?) I also have read many posts on this site that take the idea of Feminist too far in my opinion, or at least they see themselves differently as a feminist than I do.
I embrace the above definition and fully support activities that equalize the sexes and fight for women's rights. But, to me, feminism means raising my two daughters to respect themselves and others, to treat everyone as equals, regardless of sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, ability, etc., to be proud of their accomplishments and learn from their mistakes, to love their body for what it is and can do, to be honest, trusting, independent, faithful, kind, free spirited, devoted, loyal, to speak up for themselves and others, and to laugh at themselves. It does not mean criticizing men or attacking men or any of the other incidences of inequality that I have seen promoted on this site. My overall feeling when I read articles on this site is that it perpetuates the viewpoint that a lot of people have of feminists, and that is that they are "Femi-Nazis". It is therefore part of the problem, rather than the solution.
So as a feminist, here are my viewpoints on a few "hot topics" ~
1. Abortion - I am pro-choice, not in a "leave your hands of my body as it is solely my decision" kind of way. But in a, everyone should have the right to decide what is best for them in a given situation. Period.
2. Birth Control - See above comments.
3. Pay - Yes, women should be paid the same as men for doing the same work. The fact that we are not is a travesty.
4. Double Standards - It is stupid that a man can be assertive, while I woman is labeled a bitch. Or a man can be sensitive, while a woman is called weak. I abhor double standards and try to educate my girls about why it is wrong. But here is a double standard for you, why are a lot of play groups for kids called "mommy and me" or something similar? What about the men who stay home to raise their kids? Are they not faced with a double standard and being treated unfairly? Why are they called "Mr. Mom"?
5. Pornography - As long as no one is hurt, no children or animals are involved, and everyone is consenting, I do not care. Men look at it, women look at it, so what? Now I get all the "a person could become an addict/sex fiend/serial killer/ woman objectifier" argument. I also understand that it could benefit people who are having problems sexually in their relationships get past the issues and it can also help people feel more adequate sexually.
But I would like that on the side
Conversation with D after watching a show with a very high maintenance woman on it (read princess) ~
Me: I am glad that I am not high maintenance, aren't you?
D: Yup
Me: What do you want to do for dinner?
D: How about a Blimpies Sub?
Me: Sounds great!
D: What do you want?
Me: I want 6 inch sandwich from their hot menu, the roast beef, turkey, and cheddar, but I want it cold and with provolone instead of cheddar. I want it on Cheddar Jalepeno bread. I want mayo lightly on both pieces of bread, some mustard dribbled on, and a little pepper. I only want lettuce, tomato, and olives also. Make sure they do extra olives. Have them cut it in half too please. Thanks
D: (Laughing hysterically)
Me: What?
Me: I am glad that I am not high maintenance, aren't you?
D: Yup
Me: What do you want to do for dinner?
D: How about a Blimpies Sub?
Me: Sounds great!
D: What do you want?
Me: I want 6 inch sandwich from their hot menu, the roast beef, turkey, and cheddar, but I want it cold and with provolone instead of cheddar. I want it on Cheddar Jalepeno bread. I want mayo lightly on both pieces of bread, some mustard dribbled on, and a little pepper. I only want lettuce, tomato, and olives also. Make sure they do extra olives. Have them cut it in half too please. Thanks
D: (Laughing hysterically)
Me: What?
The Toothless Wonder
It finally happened, my baby girl lost her first tooth! I honestly expected this to happen earlier, as she is 6 1/2 years old, but there was this part of me that never wanted it to happen as I want her to stay a kid forever. It is amazing how fast the time flies and these milestones really make me realize that her adulthood is speeding towards me!
The tooth fairy brought her a dollar in exchange (my how the rate has gone up) and even put her name on it with her fairy dust! Needless to say, this became a favorite ("I can NOT spend this!") dollar pretty fast!
Come Here Often?
This week Shane asks us "Tell us about the worst, most awkward, most embarrassing or most messed-up date you've ever been on".
Embarrassing - Jr. Prom 1989 - Went with Sam. I had a beautiful blue and black dress, prior to the dance he asked me what color the dress was so he could match his tuxedo. I cut off a bow on the dress that was on the back (I hated it being there and gave it to him to take with him when shopping). He came to my door in a maroonish-brown tuxedo with tails and my flowers were yellow. Mind you, we had being dating for a month so this was not a first date, needless to say I determined at that point that he was color blind.
Worst - 1989, Sam again. He was the typical Utah Mormon boy dating a very non-typical Utah non-Mormon girl. ( I think I was too much for him to handle...one of those things, like a bug attracted to the light that will kill it) Anywho...he invited me to his families house for Sunday dinner. Little did I know that it was LDS Conference weekend! This boy made me sit there for over 2 hours and watch the conference with him. You need to understand that we had had many discussions about religion and I had told him many times that I would not convert and was not interested. So this whole event came as a bit of a shock. The topper was when he presented me with my very own Book of Mormon with my name engraved on the front and "passages that I feel are important for you to read and understand" highlighted inside. Funny thing....it was our last date, but I still have the Book of Mormon. I kept it as a reminder as to why I would not date any more Mormon boys (not bashing...just an observation and my own prerogative). Which I held true to from that point on. (The complete irony/hypocrisy is how much this boy would be all over me with his hormones raging, yet then want to pray for forgiveness for our sinful making out afterwards. Way to much maintenance for me).
Awkward - My second date with D, August 3, 1994. We went to a Raptors game, as I mentioned in an earlier post and the whole date was wonderful. We ended up staying out till 2 am just talking and drinking coffee....best way to spend an evening. So what makes it awkward? The fact that our first date was 6 months earlier, was a blind date, and I never called him back until August 3rd! My reasoning was that I had just got out of a very bad, very manipulative relationship 2 months before my blind date with D. I was not ready for the right man to come along just then and I KNEW that D was the right one that night after our first date. (Insert your eye roll here if you want, but it is true). So, I didn't call him back for a while and instead went off the deep end with partying and what not for about 4 - 5 months. Once that was out of my system, I called D with the stupid line of "I just found your phone number". I am amazed he returned my phone call, but there it is.
Embarrassing - Jr. Prom 1989 - Went with Sam. I had a beautiful blue and black dress, prior to the dance he asked me what color the dress was so he could match his tuxedo. I cut off a bow on the dress that was on the back (I hated it being there and gave it to him to take with him when shopping). He came to my door in a maroonish-brown tuxedo with tails and my flowers were yellow. Mind you, we had being dating for a month so this was not a first date, needless to say I determined at that point that he was color blind.
Worst - 1989, Sam again. He was the typical Utah Mormon boy dating a very non-typical Utah non-Mormon girl. ( I think I was too much for him to handle...one of those things, like a bug attracted to the light that will kill it) Anywho...he invited me to his families house for Sunday dinner. Little did I know that it was LDS Conference weekend! This boy made me sit there for over 2 hours and watch the conference with him. You need to understand that we had had many discussions about religion and I had told him many times that I would not convert and was not interested. So this whole event came as a bit of a shock. The topper was when he presented me with my very own Book of Mormon with my name engraved on the front and "passages that I feel are important for you to read and understand" highlighted inside. Funny thing....it was our last date, but I still have the Book of Mormon. I kept it as a reminder as to why I would not date any more Mormon boys (not bashing...just an observation and my own prerogative). Which I held true to from that point on. (The complete irony/hypocrisy is how much this boy would be all over me with his hormones raging, yet then want to pray for forgiveness for our sinful making out afterwards. Way to much maintenance for me).
Awkward - My second date with D, August 3, 1994. We went to a Raptors game, as I mentioned in an earlier post and the whole date was wonderful. We ended up staying out till 2 am just talking and drinking coffee....best way to spend an evening. So what makes it awkward? The fact that our first date was 6 months earlier, was a blind date, and I never called him back until August 3rd! My reasoning was that I had just got out of a very bad, very manipulative relationship 2 months before my blind date with D. I was not ready for the right man to come along just then and I KNEW that D was the right one that night after our first date. (Insert your eye roll here if you want, but it is true). So, I didn't call him back for a while and instead went off the deep end with partying and what not for about 4 - 5 months. Once that was out of my system, I called D with the stupid line of "I just found your phone number". I am amazed he returned my phone call, but there it is.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
The sun will come out.....
I finally feel that I can take a breath. That the long, cold, dark winter of America's discontent is over. As Johnny Nash sings, "I can see clearly now the rain is gone." I am not saying the fight is totally over yet as Ms. Clinton is not exiting stage right, however it feels promising. I hope (YES WE CAN!) that she is not forced on to the ticket, as that appears to be her goal at this juncture. In my opinion, Barack will do better without her there than he will with her entrenching herself in the Oval Office as part of a new coalition that she seems to be envisioning. I also feel that she would not have ever entertained the idea of Barack as a VP if the shoe were on the other foot.
Now I have to say that I firmly believe as the mother of two daughters and having been raised by a very strong mother and with strong female influences in my family that a woman President would be an unbelievably great thing. I also will proudly say that I vote for Bill Clinton and really did not care what he did in the office or with whom. I care that he LIED about it, to us, to our faces, wagging his finger the whole time and asking us what our definition of "is" is. And if he were capable of running, I would probably vote for him again. That being said, I do not feel that Hillary, as President, is the RIGHT woman to carry the banner or charge for us. There will be one, but it is not her. Call it instinct, intuition, whatever, I just do not feel confident with her as my leader. Her inability to recluse herself from this race, further proves to me that she is more like George Bush than she would like to admit. Obstinate beyond logic, convinced she is right, arguing the truth that only she believes it with the hope of convincing the rest of us. That is why I am finally relieved that she is out of the race...even if she does not believe it herself.
Her staying in way past the point that was necessary has caused tremendous damage (humble opinion again) to the process and the party. The party is so fractured that people are saying that they will not vote for Barack and would rather vote McCain. Now, if you are doing that just because "your candidate" is not on the ticket and are doing it out of spite, than you are stupid. There I said it. Why not just stay home and not vote then? Save yourself the gas. Now, for those people who do not want to vote for Barack because he is black, well you are a bigot and there is nothing that can be done about that. That is morally reprehensible to me and makes no sense at all. That is as bad as those who would not want to vote for Hillary because she is a woman. Now to that completely ignorant group who do not want to vote for Barack because he is "Muslim"...newsflash.....he is a Christian. He belonged to a Christian church in Chicago for 20 years (remember the whole Reverend Wright thing?) Besides, who better to understand and help with our troubles in the Middle East than someone who understands and grew up around Muslims? I personally think it makes him very qualified for the job.
To me, Barack is the perfect candidate at the perfect time. He is my generations John Kennedy. He is only 11 years older than I am. He has daughters that are young like mine. He understands the needs, frustrations, desires, and fears that we face in today's world. He is hip to the technology and has used it well. He is a wonderful speaker, intelligent man, and has a vision of America that I want to see. That is why he has had my vote from the beginning.
And for those of you who question it, I can answer truthfully, I would have voted for Hillary, no question, if she had been the nominee.
Now I have to say that I firmly believe as the mother of two daughters and having been raised by a very strong mother and with strong female influences in my family that a woman President would be an unbelievably great thing. I also will proudly say that I vote for Bill Clinton and really did not care what he did in the office or with whom. I care that he LIED about it, to us, to our faces, wagging his finger the whole time and asking us what our definition of "is" is. And if he were capable of running, I would probably vote for him again. That being said, I do not feel that Hillary, as President, is the RIGHT woman to carry the banner or charge for us. There will be one, but it is not her. Call it instinct, intuition, whatever, I just do not feel confident with her as my leader. Her inability to recluse herself from this race, further proves to me that she is more like George Bush than she would like to admit. Obstinate beyond logic, convinced she is right, arguing the truth that only she believes it with the hope of convincing the rest of us. That is why I am finally relieved that she is out of the race...even if she does not believe it herself.
Her staying in way past the point that was necessary has caused tremendous damage (humble opinion again) to the process and the party. The party is so fractured that people are saying that they will not vote for Barack and would rather vote McCain. Now, if you are doing that just because "your candidate" is not on the ticket and are doing it out of spite, than you are stupid. There I said it. Why not just stay home and not vote then? Save yourself the gas. Now, for those people who do not want to vote for Barack because he is black, well you are a bigot and there is nothing that can be done about that. That is morally reprehensible to me and makes no sense at all. That is as bad as those who would not want to vote for Hillary because she is a woman. Now to that completely ignorant group who do not want to vote for Barack because he is "Muslim"...newsflash.....he is a Christian. He belonged to a Christian church in Chicago for 20 years (remember the whole Reverend Wright thing?) Besides, who better to understand and help with our troubles in the Middle East than someone who understands and grew up around Muslims? I personally think it makes him very qualified for the job.
To me, Barack is the perfect candidate at the perfect time. He is my generations John Kennedy. He is only 11 years older than I am. He has daughters that are young like mine. He understands the needs, frustrations, desires, and fears that we face in today's world. He is hip to the technology and has used it well. He is a wonderful speaker, intelligent man, and has a vision of America that I want to see. That is why he has had my vote from the beginning.
And for those of you who question it, I can answer truthfully, I would have voted for Hillary, no question, if she had been the nominee.
Cast Away
This week Monika asks "You are stranded on an island and will be there for six months. What three things do you want to have with you? (They can't be people, food or electronic devices.)"
Now seriously, I am a huge Survivor fan, so I totally get how to handle this question. Flint, a hunting knife, and a volleyball for compainionship....Wilson! Seriously, it would be flint, a hungting knife, and a very long rope. I could say something like some clothes, or books, or pictures of family, whatever. But no, without those three things I won't survive the 6 months!
Now seriously, I am a huge Survivor fan, so I totally get how to handle this question. Flint, a hunting knife, and a volleyball for compainionship....Wilson! Seriously, it would be flint, a hungting knife, and a very long rope. I could say something like some clothes, or books, or pictures of family, whatever. But no, without those three things I won't survive the 6 months!
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