Christmas 2012

Christmas Eve brought snow!  It reminded me of that old children's cartoon, "Frosty, the Snowman"... because in that story, Frosty was made from magical "Christmas snow", which allowed him to come to life.

There is something rather "magical" about Christmas snow.  It really makes it feel more Christmasy, if that makes any sense.

We spent Christmas Eve doing some last minute shopping, and stopping at the local sport store to rent our skis and snowboards for our annual Christmas Day ski trip.  It snowed all day.

We had a quiet, traditional Christmas Eve dinner with the kids.  Christmas morning was also pretty calm, since the kids are now at that age where we have to wake them up to open presents.  With breakfast and presents out of the way, we gathered in front of my computer to have a Christmas morning Skype call with Matt, who is living back in San Diego again.  It was really fun to get to talk to him.  After our visit with Matt, we bundled up and headed up to Brighton Ski Resort.

Helena and I at the beginning of our ski afternoon.

It was cold, cold, cold... but sunny!

Helena and Will next to the Explorer lift.

I spent most of the day on the Explorer lift/run.  Essentially, the bunny hill.  However, Brighton's bunny hill leaves the one at Sundance in shame!  Sundance's bunny hill is a tiny straight slope with a rope tow, while Brighton's has a lift and is actually a shortish green dot slope.  It took next to no time to ski down it, and as the afternoon wore on, the lift line for it got longer, and longer!  After a while, skiing it became a matter of maneuvering around all the learners sitting down on the slope, and the whole run became shadowy and cold as the sun sank.  My feet hurt like none other, because, although the boots felt like they fit when I rented them the night before, they were, in fact, too small and pinched my feet.  I mostly just tried to ignore it.

Will's heart didn't seem to be into skiing that day, and he disappeared to do his own thing after only a little while.  Meanwhile, Bill and Helena found a snowboarder dude Helena's same age who agreed to join her and give her tips and pointers on how to snowboard.  He didn't seem too put out about it, either.  I kept taking the Explorer lift and chatting with everyone I rode up with.  I never once met another local.  Everyone I met was from somewhere out of state.  I met a couple from Mexico, a group from Arizona, someone from Wisconsin, and someone from Oklahoma.  Helena's snowboard buddy was from Wyoming.

Later in the afternoon, Bill began trying to convince me to change over to the Majestic lift, which was in full sun.  I kept telling him I was happy where I was, but he eventually convinced me that there were easy slopes on the Majestic, and lots less people.

There were less people.  It was sunnier.

Bill and I at the top of the Majestic lift.

The thing about the Majestic is that it takes you to several different slope options.  Some green dot (easy), some blue square (moderate).  The ride up on the lift was FREEZING!  The wind at the top was whipping ice crystals into our faces as we got off the lift.  Bill started down the slope directly to the right of the lift and I tried to follow...

IT WAS TERRIFYING!  It was so much steeper than what I had just left!  I was so upset that I am afraid I was not very nice to Bill.  I steered myself to a lift support post and crashed into it in order to stop myself from careening down the mountain.  I think it is obvious by now that I am not alpine skiing material.  Maybe I'm more of a cross country ski type.  I took off the skis and walked down that first run.  It seemed like the slope got more gentle after that, so I put the skis back on and snow plowed down the rest of the mountain.  It seemed to take FOREVER because the Majestic takes you much further up the mountain.  My legs were shaky and very sore by the time I made it back to the lodge.

And, oh!, my feet HURT!  I hobbled inside and worked on getting those boots off my feet.  You know that feeling when you hit your funny bone?  My feet were screaming with that tingling sensation when I finally managed to get the boots off.

We joined the kids in the cafe for just a little bit before loading up the car and heading for home.

We found out later that the first slope directly to the right of the lift is a blue square (moderate), not a green dot (easy).  We should have gone farther to the right for the green dot run.  Harumph.  So now I feel like I have to go back and conquer that slope, this time actually sticking to the green dot course so I don't flip out.  I'll let you know if I ever manage it.

Don't let the casual pose fool you, it was frajeezing!  My hands hurt just to have them out of the gloves during the picture!

Headed back home, all tired out!

National Guard Weekend

Last week Will asked if we would mind if he joined the local National Guard unit for a weekend drill as a guest of one of the members; a boy in his grade.  I was a little surprised that a) he was allowed to join a drill weekend as a guest, and b) that he wanted to do that rather than go skiing.  Still, I said "Of course you can" and signed the liability release form (a form some have jokingly called the 'Death Waiver').

Friday night we had tickets for the whole family to go see The Hobbit in the theaters.  Will decided not to join us, however, since the movie went late and he planned to leave the house at 6 am Saturday morning.  So, we went to the movies without him and he went to bed early.  I got up early on Saturday morning to see him off on his weekend of adventure.  I really had no idea what he'd be doing.  I just hoped that he'd enjoy whatever it was.

He got home Sunday evening.  He told stories of being issued an M-16 (unloaded) and being taught how to dismantle, clean, and reassemble it.  They had drills on speed and accuracy.  They worked as teams to dismantle, clean, and reassemble grenade launchers.  He also told of learning hand to hand combat techniques and practicing choke holds on each other.  One soldier passed out because he failed to "tap out", or let his sparring partner know when to release him.  He told us about time spent in classrooms, the 'chow hall', and PT (physical training... sit ups, pushups and the like).  He told us how the sergent and other active duty members jokingly called him "Ron Weasley" (for his long red hair) and how the sarge would say "10 points for Griffindor!" whenever Will did something well.  The joking and teasing was done in good humor, though, and he always felt welcomed by everyone there.  He told us about experiencing simulated combat using an assault riffle attached to a compressor (shooting at video projections, not real people) and how much different it was from a video game.  More sobering and scary.  He told us it was the longest weekend of his life, and he told us he wants to join.

He wants to join the National Guard when he turns 17.  That will be this coming May and he'll need a signed permission form from us to do so.  He plans to serve in the National Guard while going to college, then joining the Army once he has graduated.  He is still interested in majoring in Computer Science.  He is interested in either working with the rovers (unmanned tanks) or on developing combat training simulators.

In the meantime, he has been invited to continue participating in drill weekends with the National Guard unit, and wants to get his ACUs (training uniform) right away.  He wants to officially join in May, after his 17th birthday, and hopefully go to basic training this coming summer.

We had Will's SEOP (Student Educational Occupation Plan) with the high school counsellor today.  That's a meeting to make sure that the student is on track for high school graduation, and for making post high school plans.  Mr. Bayles, the counsellor, asked me how I felt about all of this (after Will told him his plans).  I am proud of my son and support him all the way in his desires to serve his country and go to college at the same time!

This may seem a strange post to follow my post about too much violence.  However, I can't help but feel proud of my son for wanting to do his duty for his country!  The military is the right setting for assault weapons and the military is the place to learn their proper use... in the defense of our country and our freedoms!

So, yes.  I will sign the papers in May if that is still his wish.

Aftermath

I can't let the tragedy of last Friday pass without reflecting on it.

On December 14th, at approximately 9:30 in the morning, a 20 year old young man shot his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT and murdered 20 first graders and 6 teachers & administrators in the school after first murdering his own mother at their home.  There doesn't seem to be any connection between the attacker and his victims at all.  Not that any connection or reason would justify such a heinous act.

The savage nature of this attack on such young and innocent victims has rocked our nation and brought grief to this holiday season.

It is eerie to me that only days before this crime, we had our school lockdown drill.  We hold one each year.  Only one.  My third graders took it in stride and asked the standard questions as we huddled in the corner of the darkened and locked room.  "What if I'm in the bathroom?"  "What if the classroom door is already locked when I get back from the bathroom?"  "Who just jiggled the handle of the door?"  But mostly they treated it like any other drill and dismissed it from their minds as they returned to their work when it was over.

When the 3rd graders returned to their classroom and a class of 5th graders arrived for art, their core teacher told me that they joked and laughed about the drill and did not take it seriously at all.  So I spent the first several minutes of class sobering them up about the seriousness of lockdown situations.  Once they realized it was no joking matter, they asked the million "What if" questions that could only come from upper elementary aged students.  "What if it is the FBI with assault weapons coming in the school?  Would we lock down, then?"  "What is the percentage of probability that this will really happen?"  "What if I hide and the bad person finds me?"  One girl suggested that if you are caught outside of a classroom, you should just run outside.  After her suggestion, I told them the story of the only time I have been in an actual lockdown situation.

I can't remember how many years ago it was.  Maybe seven?  I was working as the art teacher at Aspen Elementary School at the time.  The afternoon release bell had just rung and students were flooding out into the hallways when the Principal suddenly came over the intercom shouting "Lockdown!  Lockdown!"  I looked with dismay at all the children in the hallway as each teacher quickly gathered every child within reach and shepherded them back into classrooms and locked the doors.  I remember running the hallway with a fellow teacher to make sure we had everyone in sight, then locking myself into my classroom with an assorted group of children of all ages.  No one was with the correct teacher and no one was certain if every child had been accounted for.  We had no idea why lockdown had been called for, but I knew it wasn't a drill, because no one in their right mind would do a drill at that moment in time!

I had students in tears because they didn't know where siblings were.  Someone needed to go to the bathroom.  They all wanted to know what was going on and I had no answers for them.  All I could do was assure them that we were safe and we would have to wait for the all clear signal.  After 20 minutes, that signal was given.

We found out the reason for the lockdown after the fact.  The police were in an armed standoff with a man who had barricaded himself into a house just a block from the school.  When the release bell rang, the police realized that children were about to start walking through the neighborhood and ordered our lockdown to keep that from happening.  So, we were never in danger within the school after all.

Still.  Lockdown is a scary situation.  What a world we live in that such a thing is necessary!

So, last week when I had students in my classroom asking questions during the lockdown drill, I emphasized the importance of taking lockdown very seriously, but I assured them that elementary schools are very safe and that the chances of a bad person coming in to harm them are very, very remote.

And then came Friday.




In the aftermath, there is a firestorm of commentary and opinions about everything from gun control to mental heath sweeping the nation.  There are calls for higher security in schools.  People are polarized particularly on the issue of guns.  Some insist that guns should be outlawed all together.  Others claim that this wouldn't have even happened if teachers and other adults in schools were allowed concealed carry on school grounds.

I don't see how higher security in schools could have stopped this madman.  He shot through the locked doors with a powerful assault riffle.  Sandy Hook actually had higher security than most elementary schools I've ever heard of.  You had to be buzzed into the building.  Most schools can be walked right into.

Do I think guns should be outlawed?  No.  I think rapid fire assault weapons should be regulated more strictly, though.  I see no problem with people owning riffles for hunting and hand guns for defense.  But I see no reason for machine guns to be in homes.  Those are war machines.  I know there are those who would disagree with me.  Freedom to keep and bear arms and all that.  But it is how I feel.

Do I think mental illness needs better coverage within the system?  Absolutely.  Do I think it will happen?  Not with the crappy setup we have now.  Obamacare has worsened the health care climate overall, so I don't see an improvement coming for any one aspect of it.

However, I do think there is one dialogue that deserves more attention.

Raising a civilized generation.

Some have brought up the point that we are bringing this violence upon ourselves by raising a generation on glorified violence.  It is everywhere and it is gratuitous.  Movies and video games are awash in it.  How can we justify allowing our young people to desensitize themselves at so young an age?  There are ratings in place to protect the young from experiencing the graphic violence, you say?  The ratings system is a JOKE!  I have young students (8-11 years old) who play Halo and other violent video games all the time!  The "M" rating (mature) on the box didn't seem to stop their parents from buying it for them!  No ratings system will replace the common sense and discipline that should be in place amongst the adults of the world who should be putting their proverbial foot down and saying "NO" to violent games for the young.

And see what a hypocrite I am.  We have violent video games in our house.  I am not on a soap box preaching at others that they need to be more like me.  No.  I am also to blame.  We all are.  I am saying that as a society we have veered sharply off course.  You cannot raise a civilized society on violence.

I do not know if media violence had a part to play in this young man's decision to carry out his unspeakable act, and if this was an isolated incidence of violence...

...but it wasn't.  The mall shooting in Oregon.  The movie theater shooting in Colorado.  The college campus shootings in California and Virginia.  The DC sniper.  Columbine.  The list goes on and on.

So, what is to be done?  How can we be more safe?  How can our young be more protected?

For now, you will see a sharp increase in security in all the schools across the nation.  But will we take a stand and start protecting their minds as well as their bodies?

Fitocracy and the 100 Day Challenge

Last spring, I joined a web site called Fitocracy.  It is a social network for people who like to exercise, or are struggling to build a healthy lifestyle and are looking for motivation and support.  On Fitocracy, you build a profile and track your workouts.  Fitocracy awards points based on the difficulty level of the exercise done, and awards points accordingly.  You can also win points for completing "quests".  For instance, when I completed the half ironman, Fitocracy awarded me an additional 2,500 points for the "Half Ironman" quest on top of the points I earned for the exercise involved.  As you earn points, you "level up".

All of this seems kinda cheesy, and it is.  But the cheesiness is part of what I like about it.  Most workout tracking sites/apps are just so BORING.  This is a fun way to score when I exercise.  The site recognizes and rewards new personal bests.  And then, there is the social aspect to it.

Other Fitocrats can choose to "follow" you.  And you can choose to follow others.  You can join groups and find other site members with similar interests.  I joined several triathlon, running, biking, and swimming groups and found other people doing similar workouts.  People from all across the globe.  Fifty seven people are currently "following" me.  They cheer me on when I track a workout, and I cheer other people on, too.  There was a young high school graduate heading off to college and planning to join the college swim team, wondering if there were any body weight workouts she could do because she couldn't afford a gym membership.  I gave her a link to a workout pdf I found online that was just what she needed.  I've had other swimmers say they want to 'steal' my swim workouts.  I've gotten ideas for workouts from them.  I've cheered new runners as they faced their first ever 5K, and I had a dedicated cheering section when I faced the half ironman.  I watched a young man ride his bike across the country all summer long as part of a group that was building humanitarian houses while riding from sea to shining sea.  I'm cheering someone in the Cozumel Ironman.

There is a doctor in Colorado who started a 100 day sugar challenge.  He started following me sometime in the late summer.  He was several levels below me, at first, but he quickly caught up because he was doing monster-high-point workouts.  Before long, we were at the same level... then he passed me.  I simply can't rack up the points like that.  But the point earning rivalry that sprung up drove me to get to the gym on days when I would otherwise have talked myself into staying home.

His 100 day no added sugar challenge got me thinking.  I am not willing to go sugar free (especially not for the holidays!), but I realized that maybe this was just the challenge I needed to get off of soda for real.  I have quit soda many times in the past, always short lived.  Right now, I am addicted yet again.  I can tell I am addicted when I stop on my way home from work to get a soda on almost a daily basis... and when I can't fall asleep at night because there is too much caffeine in my system.  And when the scale starts to creep back up to ugly numbers I never wanted to see again.

So, I accepted the challenge.  Rather than 100 days sugar free, I am striving for 100 days soda free.  Yesterday, December first, was the first day.  March 10th will mark the 100th day.  Hopefully when I reach that mark, I will be a much more lean and fit version of myself and I will have mastered my cravings and desires.  By then I will be in full marathon training mode and a soda free body will be just what I need to succeed!

So, day two.  I know the first 21 days will be the worst.  It will take a week or two for the caffeine in my system to work its way out, and the cravings will take a while to subside.  Right now, I am facing headaches and fatigue, but I won't let that stop me.  Day 3, here I come!

"Black Friday"

BLACK Friday

Black FRIDAY

Traditionally the day retailers are finally able to show black in their annual ledger.  If they're lucky and have a good turnout.

Many years ago, when the kids were little bitty, Bill and I saw it as a game and adventure to get up around 3 am and go stand in line together outside the store doors with other crazy, adventure seeking shoppers and wait for the doors to open at 6 am.  Back then, that was considered extreme behavior.  We'd cuddle and laugh and sip hot cocoa while cheerfully chatting with the strangers around us.  At around 5:30 to 5:45 am, we'd start to see latecomers try to sneak in line in front of us, but mostly they were repelled by the die-hards around us who had built a strong bond of early hour camaraderie.  Once the doors opened up, we dashed inside like giddy children and had a frenzied blast buying up Christmas toys for our kids.  Many shouts of "Merry Christmas!" were heard, and I would see shoppers help each other lift items into carts.  We'd be out of there by 6:30 am, heading to breakfast at the local IHOP, and home again before the kids even awoke.

Those early years were fun times and I have fond memories of them.  It didn't stay like that, however.  Over the years, I started seeing disturbing behaviors amongst my fellow shoppers.  Once, I saw two grown women fighting over one toy.  That was a scene that repeated itself several more times.  Another time, I saw a man cussing out a store employee for not having any more of the item he stood in line so long to purchase.

One year, I saw the doors break as the crowd surged in.  That was the first time I felt scared.  The crowd was massive that year.  I can understand how dangerous a mob can be, because I was trapped in one that morning!  My only concern that time was to simply stay upright and go with the flow that was literally pushing me along.  I feared what might happen if I fell.

We stopped shopping Black Friday as a fun adventure after that.

Not as many years ago (5 years ago, in fact), I was standing in a Black Friday line; this time with my son, Will.  We desperately needed a family computer and couldn't afford to spend much money, so Black Friday sales were more of a necessity than anything else.  In my desperation to make sure I got the coveted "Doorbuster" price, we arrived at midnight, hoping for good line position.  Nope.  We were around the block standing on a bridge over the wetlands that surrounded the strip mall.  It was a terrible night, too.  It drizzled freezing rain on us for hours as we waited for the store to open.  It was miserable.  Will was only 11 at the time, and I could tell he was wishing he hadn't asked to come.   I ended up sending him back to the car to get out of the bad weather, but I stayed in line.  Yes, I did get a computer... but I got pneumonia, too.

Nowadays, it is not so much a "Black Friday" shopping experience as it is a "Thanksgiving Weekend Shopping Insanity" nightmare.  People camped out in front of stores for days at a time, sacrificing holiday family time in pursuit of the coveted "Doorbuster" that would be sold to them on Thanksgiving day itself... forcing others to give up their holiday in order to sell it to them.  The true insanity comes from the fact that these days there is NO NEED to stand in those crazy lines to get the best price!


You can get the same prices ONLINE.

So, why in the world would you stand in line at some unreasonable hour now?

We are once again in the market for a new family computer; that 5 year old laptop has grown quite geriatric.  So, after Thanksgiving was over and all dishes were done...  Everyone winding down or heading to bed... I spent a couple of hours researching the best online "Black Friday But Really All Weekend Long" deals while lounging in PJs and eating a turkey sandwich.  I bought a good computer at a decent sale price and it is being shipped to me, free of charge.  No fuss, no muss... and no scary mob/pneumonia inducing craziness!

It's sad to see how something that used to be fun and adventurous has turned so greedy and monstrous.  We really have no one to blame but ourselves.  Retailers are out to make money.  If crowds of idiots are willing to throw away tradition and flock to the stores to buy, buy, buy...

But not me.

Not ever again.

Nineteen

Thanksgiving day was extra special this year, because it was also my daughter, Helena's, birthday.  She is now nineteen.  It is hard to believe that so much time has passed!  I have so many memories of those years... and most of them good.  It makes me happy to know that Helena still wants to spend time hanging out with me, going places or even just spending time together at home.  I know that I am almost out of time for that.  She is on the verge of "leaving the nest" and I won't get to share her life with her on a day-to-day basis much longer.  Thinking of that makes me sad and I wish she could stay my little girl forever.  But I am also excited for her to go out into the world and have her own adventures, too.  So here is my Birthday Wish for my daughter;

May love and laughter light your days,

and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours,

wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world

with joy that long endures.

May all life's passing seasons

bring the best to you (and yours)!

-An Old Irish Blessing

Happy Birthday, sweet girl!  I love you!

My Awesome Car is Back!

I drove the weenie-mobile for nearly a month.  I got my Explorer back the other day, just in time for a snow storm!  Hurray!

During the weenie-mobile month, I came up with three reasons why I love my own car.  They are Size, Technology, and Arm Rests.



Size does matter.  In cars, anyways.  I was always sort of embarrassed when walking up to that weenie car.  One day this past week, when I arrived at school, I pulled into a parking stall between two SUVs. One of my students saw me get out of my rental car as he rode his bike to school and he said; "Hey, you're right, Mrs. Watson!  That car is tiny!"  Yup.  Even a 10 year old thinks it's weenie.

But, before you think I am totally vain, it's not all about looks!  That weenie car vibrated and thrummed to the very texture of the road surface.  It was noisy and obnoxious!  My Explorer is such a smooth and quiet ride in comparison!  And, as I mentioned, I got my car back just in time for a snow storm.  I much prefer having my heavy all wheel drive instead of that lightweight little thing.



Technology.  You don't realize how much you rely on it until you feel its absence.  I have come to rely on the buttons on my steering wheel to control the radio and my phone.  I love that my phone is synced to my car!  If my phone rings while I am driving, I can answer it with the push of a button on the steering wheel and the call is routed through the car's speakers.  Bill and I came up with a code phrase to let him know he was on the car speaker system while I had passengers to make sure he didn't share something not meant for other's ears.  I just answer the phone by saying, "Hi, Bill, you're live."  The phone sync also means I can push a button and tell the car to call someone specific.  The car will connect to my phone and dial for me.  Complete hands free phone access!

With the phone sync I can also choose to play my own music rather than listen to the radio.  I can tell the car to play a specific song, artist, genre, or playlist.  Handy on long road trips for those of us who aren't willing to pay for satellite radio.

I also missed the sunroof.  One whole month of perfect sunroof weather completely wasted!  Phooey.



Arm Rests.  You don't think much about them until you don't have them anymore!  The weenie-mobile didn't have any and I was constantly at a loss over what to do with my elbows.  I wanted something to rest them on.  Bill doesn't like the armrests in the Explorer, because they are at the wrong height for him and he is constantly banging his elbows on them.  But, they are just the right height for my elbows!



All in all, I am very happy to have my car back!

Politics

I am really no good at politics.  They are too hot headed for me.  No matter how much you might think you know about any given politically charged topic, someone you know will try to 'set you straight' by hurling their own set of facts at you, usually damaging a friendship in the process.

You see, it is easy to get any manner of facts to support your particular spin on the lodestone topics involved.  So, no matter what your personal take, you can find some article, some link, some incendiary set of facts to try to cram down other people's throats in the hope that they either see the error of their ways or choke on it.

So I try to steer well clear of it.

However, I cannot just pretend that politics don't exist.  Oh, I wish that were so.  But, try as I might to avoid them, I can't ignore the fact that we just had one of the most divisive elections in history.  And the truth is, I do have opinions on things!

The one part of President Obama's administration that has had an immediate impact on my life is the health care act he sponsored.  I have had the same health insurance for 13 years, now.  For 12 years, it was rock solid, dependable, and all around awesome.  Suddenly, with Obamacare, my insurance went from awesome to terrible.  Our out of pocket expenses went up. Our coverage went down.  I now have high deductibles for both medical and pharmaceuticals, forcing me to shell out nearly $1,000 in additional medical costs in the past 2 months alone on top of my really high premiums.  The premiums are so high that the only monthly bill that is higher is our mortgage!  It may be selfish of me, but I am not happy to know that I am now poorer so that other people can have some form of coverage.  I worked hard to earn a degree.  I worked hard to get a job with decent benefits.  We weren't well off to begin with, either.  Now we are struggling.

I was disturbed by the events of September 11th, 2012.  In a nutshell, on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, a small group of terrorists attacked the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, killing 4 Americans, including the US Ambassador, Chris Stevens.  The terrorists claimed to be acting out of anger and retribution over some anti Muslim video created by an American.  Rather than stand up for our citizens in the consulate, sending in troops, and demanding justice be done upon the terrorists responsible, President Obama apologized to the world for our First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

I haven't seen the video in question and it is probably ignorant and offensive.  But the freedom to speak is not just the freedom to speak wisely and for the good of mankind.  The First Amendment also protects the right to speak ignorantly.  Imagine this as a playground disagreement.  Bubba Ray says something ignorant and dumb to Sa'if.  Sa'if turns to Sam and pushes him down and stomps on his head.  Do we apologize to little Sa'if for Bobby being so ignorant?  Or is there a more critical problem on this playground?  Now, let's imagine that for some reason, we saw the whole thing coming.  We knew Sa'if was about to push Sam down and stomp on his head, but we stood by and did nothing?  In essence, that is what happened.  There was advanced intelligence that something was brewing in Benghazi.  Prior to the attack, the Marines had asked for reinforcements, and were denied.



I know there are lots of issues and hot topics out there that sway people politically.  For me, these were the two that weighed most heavily for me.

I voted for Mitt Romney.

No, not because we share a religion.  I don't really care what denomination our Commander-in-Chief adheres to.  It does matter to me that he (or she) believes in God and prays for divine inspiration.  However, I'm leery of President Obama because I am just not sure if he even believes there is a God.  That is not why I voted for the other guy, though.

I voted for Mitt Romney because I believe that what our country needs is a successful businessman as a leader.  Our country needs to work hard to get out of debt.  Our country needs a strong economic leader.  I saw what Mr. Romney did to save the 2002 Olympic Games.  The games (held right in my back yard, as it were) were mired in scandal, debt, and corruption.  It was a massive embarrassment for America on the world stage.  Mitt Romney was called in to fix the problem.  He did.  I remember people screamed about it at first, but everyone was overjoyed when, within a year, he had turned it around and made the Olympics successful, profitable, and an American success story.  This is one fact I know because I watched it unfold right in front of me.

It has been amazing to me all the bitter attacks against Mr. Romney over his wealth and his taxes.  People seemed truly incensed that he had so much money and paid "so little" in taxes.

I can't help but wonder if all those angry people, at tax time, sit down and say, "Gee, I could use the tax code to legally reduce my tax burden but I'm not going to.  I think I will pay more than I am legally bound to, because it is just the right thing to do!"

So, really, in this case, their anger is misplaced.  They shouldn't be angry at Mr. Romney for using the current tax code to his advantage (something that we ALL do as much as we are able), but rather, they should be upset WITH THE TAX CODE ITSELF.  Which, of course, Mr. Romney did not write.  Personally, I think the entire tax code should be abolished and a flat tax imposed.  Say, 5% for personal income tax.  Rich or poor.  Just pay 5%.  No loopholes.  No deductions.  No tax credits.  You made $1,000 this year?  Pay $50 in taxes.  $100,000?  Pay $5,000.  Businesses and corporations could pay a flat tax of 8-15% based on how much they keep their company off the grid.  Use less non-renewable natural resources?  Move down the % scale on tax burden.

I'm sure this outlook is overly simplistic and I probably know someone that would shoot it down and go into great detail about why it would never work.  Which is why I usually just keep my mouth shut about anything with even a whiff of political stink.

Or how about this one?  "Gosh, I sure do seem to have too much money.  I think I will just give it all away no one can blame me for being wealthy."

Since when did it become a crime to be rich?  I may be wrong, but I grew up playing Life, where we were all striving to make it to Millionaire Estates.  Did I miss the memo?  Are we not all trying to reach financial independence and wealth anymore?  That's what I still daydream about.  Mr. Romney has managed to get to "Millionaire Estates" in the real game of Life; he didn't inherit his money, and he earned it legally.  I guess we just have a bunch of sore losers in this country who figure he doesn't deserve his wealth because we haven't made it to Millionaire Estates ourselves.



But, really, none of this matters, because he was not elected.  President Obama was re-elected.  Yet our country is still very divided.  Half the country wished it was the other guy.

I won't talk or write about politics any more (until the next election cycle, that is).  There is lots more I could express my opinion on, but this has been quite long winded enough as it is.  So I will let it rest.

Still, I hope and pray for better tomorrows.  And I will pray for our President.  But I am worried, even if I don't talk about it.

Anything that can go wrong...

You know the saying.

This is a grump-fest post.  Please don't feel like you need to cheer me up or anything.  Sometimes I just need to write down some of the stuff banging around in my head to make it stop bothering me.  Believe me, once I finish this post, I will feel lots better and I'll be able to move on cheerfully.  First, though, a rant.

Why is it that bad stuff all happens a once?  I mean, really?!

• You already know my new car is in the body shop getting plastic surgery after an unfortunate incident that messed up its tail end.  Still not back.
• You also already know I hate my weenie-mobile rental car.  Now more than ever for reasons about to be revealed.
• Monday, Will drove to school and accidentally left the parking lights on in the Expedition, which killed the battery.  Dead as a doornail (what a weird phrase!).  Do you know how long it takes to use a weenie-mobile battery to jump start a big beastly Expedition battery?  A little over 40 minutes.  Since we were in the mostly empty school parking lot... no sweat.
• This morning, while Will was driving to school, the Expedition suddenly lost power everything (steering and electrics), then died on him when he managed to get it pulled mostly onto the side of the road.  He was blocking the right turn lane, but at least he was out of the middle of the road, right?
• Automotive gymnastics was not on my to-do list today, but I still managed to get the weenie-mobile nose to nose with the Expedition despite all the other drivers on the road looking at me like I'd lost my mind.  Oh, and to get the full visual, be sure to put me in pajamas!
• Trying to jump start an elephant like the Expedition with a mouse like the weenie-mobile in the middle of traffic during morning rush hour?  Not on my list of fun activities for the day.  It didn't work, of course, because we didn't have 40 minutes to sit around and wait for a big enough charge to build up.
• Don't you think tow companies are in the business of coming to the rescue of stranded motorists?  If you thought so, you'd be as wrong as I was.  I was told by two different companies that they "didn't have time to come out to tow my car".
• I can feel more expenses coming on with these new car troubles.
• Helena's phone is on the blink (it only works sporadically at this point), so she missed the text from her boss telling her that the shifts had been changed and why wasn't she at work today?  
• Helena also managed to fall on the stairs today while home alone and is now sporting wicked scabs and bruises all over her legs and feet. (I am truly glad it wasn't worse!  What if she'd broken a leg while all alone at home!  Poor girl.)
• Will's friend, Dallan, actually DID break his leg yesterday.  He'll require surgery that sidelines him for the entire skiing season.  Poor boy!  Dallan is Will's best skiing buddy, so I know Will's bummed, too.
• Will has been given an "Unexcused Absence" by his English teacher for leaving class early.  That freezes his grade until he goes to Attendance School TWICE.  An unexcused absence is considered a sluff and carries double penalty.  Each attendance school session costs $5.
• I've had a dead toe nail ever since the half Ironman back in August.  Could it just fall off already?!?
• And to top it all of?  I HAVE A STUPID COLD SORE!  Gah!  

See.  I feel better already.

PS:  I do need to say this...

As Will and I were stuck on the side of the road, desperately trying to figure out how to get out of the way of traffic and get the dumb Expedition back home, Liz M (Bill's niece) happened to drive by in her (nicer, newer, better-er) Expedition and asked if we needed a tow!

!!!!

Hooray for Liz!!!!

I sent Will home in the rental while I rode in our Expedition as Liz towed it back home.  She was my life saver this morning and completely turned a disastrous situation around!!!  (Note to self:  I was very impressed that Liz just happened to have a tow rope in her car.  I should get one and put it in my car, just in case...... whenever I get my car back, that is)

PPS:  I also need to say this...

When Bill got home from work this evening, he used his gargantuan work truck to jump start the Expedition and then left them hooked up charging the battery for a couple of hours.  That should keep the Expedition running until Saturday, when he can take it in to have the battery and alternator checked.

PPPS:  Really, I'm just about done...

Can you tell that some of my rants are just silly?  Those are my way of humorizing my life.  If you can't laugh at yourself, life is pretty grim.

The Longest Day

This has been a LONG week!  I swear, each day seemed to be stretched out into two days.

I think that is pretty normal when you have a regular work week immediately after a long weekend.  We had fall break last week, so I only worked two days last week.  It made this week seem quite long.

However, add in a bit of under the weather yuckiness?  This week was tough!

Early in the week I thought I was coming down with a cold.  I felt achy and sort of feverish, but I plowed on with my work week because the only thing worse than being sick is having to arrange sub plans.  You never see teachers abusing sick days like you do in other professions, because staying home sick only adds to the workload.  Writing sub plans is enough added work that if I'm actually contemplating doing it, I'm practically ready for hospitalization.  So, all week long I dragged myself out of bed, aches and all, and dragged myself into work, always a little off sync and slightly behind schedule.

It turns out, it wasn't a cold.

It was a bladder infection.

It became obvious that I'd have to go to the doctor about mid way through the day today.  I scheduled the appointment, and then slogged through the rest of my classes.  MAN!  I think time slowed down as the afternoon dragged on!  I couldn't wait to get home, pull on some sweats, and curl up on my bed.

The work day did finally end, and my boss even let me duck out early and skip my prep period.  The doctor's office verified the diagnosis, and now I am curled up in said sweats waiting for Bill to bring home some Rubio's for me.

I have a scrip now for antibiotics to get rid of the infection.  Antibiotics are really one of the greatest inventions of mankind!  Think off all the lives saved by antibiotics!  Not that my life is in jeopardy, of course.  But, man!  I was actually happy for the positive test results because it meant that I could take antibiotics to make it go away.  I remember going in to the doctor's office not to long ago hoping that I had strep throat, because then I could take antibiotics and the pain would go away quickly.  At that time I wasn't lucky.  That time it was something viral, so I had to just sweat it out.  No antibiotics.

Good timing with the meds, too.  I have a weekend for them to take effect and I should be feeling just fine when it is time to go back to work next week.

The Weenie-Mobile Syndrome

I got a rental car when I took my Explorer into the shop for repairs.  

It would be nice if they gave me something comparable to what I drive.  Some small to mid-sized SUV, like that awesome Jeep Grand Cherokee the rental company gave me for a week after the Alero got totaled.  That thing was NICE!  But, of course, the only reason they gave me such a nice rental that time around is that they made a mistake and upgraded me as an apology.  This time, since there were no mistakes, I got the cheap "weenie-mobile" rental that is covered by insurance.

Harrumph.

It is a Mazda2.  When Bill got home on the first night we had it, he laughingly pointed out that he'd had no idea that Mazda made anything smaller than the Mazda3.  He jokingly asked why I didn't just get the Mazda1.5?  Ha ha, funny man.

This car is seriously small.  It is rather ridiculous that it actually has 4 doors.  Looking at it, it doesn't look like there is enough room under the hood to actually house a motor, and the "boot" is nearly non-existent.  But it gets me from point A to point B, so I guess it will have to do until my car comes back home.

I have noticed an interesting phenomenon while driving it, however.  I call it "The Weenie-Mobile Syndrome".

I drive the same roads to and from work every day.  I drive the same speeds that I have been accustomed to driving in my Explorer, except now I am in a little fluff of a car.  The difference is, now everyone is blasting past me like I am some annoying little bug in their way!  When I am in my Explorer (going the exact same speeds on the exact same roads, mind you), no one tries to pass me... in fact, I am the one passing others right and left!  (I may have forgotten to mention that I drive on the fast side of the speed limit; just under the cop's "Holy Crap!  I've got to stop that maniac!" tolerance levels)

Since I have not changed my driving habits, I can only conclude that people react differently around "Weenie-Mobiles" than they do around SUVs.  I told Bill about this, and he said "Now you know how I feel!"

He drives a LARGE work truck.  Something in between a large dually and a semi tractor in size.

Think about your driving habits around large work trucks.  Don't you hustle to get in front of them in order to avoid having to stop behind them at a light?  I admit, I am guilty of it.  Bill says people cut him off ALL THE TIME.  But, I hadn't realized that people are contemptuous of little "weenie-mobiles" and it shows up in their driving.

It's a good thing this is temporary.  I can't wait to get my own car back!

...and Now He Drives!

I briefly mentioned in the post titled "First Accident" that Will has his driver's license.  He took driver's ed over the summer (early June, in fact), but only finished up the road portion of the class in early October because the school got backlogged and didn't get around to scheduling him until then.  Yeah.  I signed him up for SUMMER driver's ed so I could have a full week of early morning road tests done DURING our busy school schedule.  Thanks for that!

Anyways, he completed it just fine and was able to get his driver's license over the weekend.  Today was the first day there was a car available for him to drive himself to school.  We have two cars.  I drive one to work (which is currently a 'weenie-mobile' rental car while my damaged car gets repaired), and the other is for whomever in the family needs it at the time.  Sometimes Bill takes it off into the mountains for adventuring, but usually it is used by Helena to get to and from work.  Now, it is also for Will to get himself to and from school.  So, we have to plan out the week in advance to see where everyone needs to be, and when.  If Helena doesn't work until afternoon/evening shift, then Will can take the car to school.  If Helena works morning shift, Will is out of luck and I drive him to school.

This is not an easy thing for me; letting my youngest son drive.

Fourteen and a half years ago, my youngest brother was 16 years old, and just 3 months into having his driver's license when he was killed in a car accident.  That was a dark and difficult time for everyone in our family and I hesitate to even bring it up, for fear of bringing my mother pain.  I know she reads this blog.

A tragedy like that is something you never truly 'get over'.  Will was only 2 years old at the time, so he never got to know the uncle of whom he reminds me.

Because he does.

There is much in Will's personality that is similar to my little brother, Kris.  Will has a sensitive soul.  He is empathetic in a way that is rare in someone so young.  Kris was the same way.  Sometimes, I even thought his features were similar.  So, I have seen echoes of my little brother within my son as he has grown.

And now he is driving.

It makes me extra nervous, beyond the norm.  Last weekend's car accident didn't help, either.  I wish I knew how long it will take me to become okay with him driving.  Three months?  Six?  A year?  Until he is 18?

Never?!  Gah!  I hope not!

I am grateful for the probationary nature of new driver's licenses here.  Besides night-time restrictions (no driving from midnight to 5 am), he is also not allowed to have ANY passengers other than family members for the first 6 months.  This is supposed to eliminate showboating for peers during the first months of building driving experience.  The woman who issued him his license was also kind enough to remind him that, until he is 18, his driver's license belongs to his parents, who can take it away from him at any time and for any reason.

He drove to school for the first time, today.  He left 30 minutes early to avoid the "rush hour" parking situation at the high school parking lot and texted me upon his safe arrival.  After school, he went to see teachers about improving his grades... and to allow the parking lot to empty out before he drove home.  That will be the routine until further notice.

I can't and won't stop him from driving.  It is part of growing up and I can't deny him an important part of that transition from childhood to adulthood.

But, oh!  It is hard.