The kids are in a fabulous summer camp at Armstrong State University. It's called Art from the Heart and it is supposed to be a smattering of experiences from many artistic venues. It's 2 weeks and culminates in a performance at the end.
This year, as an aside, they decided to give kids the opportunity to have a mini-recital at lunch today and tomorrow. Fiona and Alex played today. Fiona played recorder and Alex the piano, and they both seemed to feel very good about it. How nice! I didn't even go, but it's supposed to really help encourage them to continue their practicing and advancement when they have opportunities to perform. Too bad Fiona picked her performance instrument, though! She's had ample performance opportunities with the recorder, but her last piano performance was last summer, at a parlour recital that I worked hard to put together, as I'd read about the importance of providing performance opportunities.
The lunch recital was just a little thing, but it just amplifies my satisfaction with this camp. I was very happily surprised with their end production performance last year, and I'm looking forward to the one they'll be doing this Friday. It's The Jungle Book, and Alex is Baloo (he even has a solo)!
Oh, the summer recital this year will be at my mom's church...much more laid back, as they'll have a potluck after church and the kids, including my niece and nephew, will perform while folks eat.
I've also read that Armstrong offers a January piano recital 'competition' for independent young students of piano teachers in Savannah, so I'm hoping to look into that. Not for the 'competition', but simply for the ease of having others coordinate it all. Yes, I'm lazy! :)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Literary Direction for Kids Update
We're still enjoying the Bible stories. It is quite the experience to read them from a 'history' or 'myth' perspective. We recently read about the venomous snake infestation that occurred to the Israelites during their 40 years in the desert with Moses. Do you remember that? Despite the fact that Moses had a 'cow' when his people had built the golden calf statue in their early desert years, Moses directed the creation of a bronze statue of a snake wrapping around a staff. All sufferers were to gaze upon the statue for healing.
This is totally fascinating! Not only the confusion about this being a possible 'idol', but it brings up the fact that Iris' and then Hermes' Caduceus is of snakes wrapping around a staff, also a symbol of healing and later the symbol of the American Medical Association.
We're not but a quarter of the way thru the Bible stories, but it's much more fun than I had really anticipated. We've already watched two animated movies in association with our Biblical readings: Joseph, King of Dreams and The Prince of Egypt (about Moses). I realize I don't have any movies in mind for the stories of Jesus, though! Most are created for adults that come to mind. It's been really fun to cement our readings with the exciting movies, and I wish I had more lined up!
Upcoming...I found out that Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson Greek mythology-based stories) has recently come out with The Red Pyramid, based upon the Egyptian pantheon. This was not my intended direction, but it's perfect, especially on the heels of reading about the Israelites' stint in Egypt and interactions with the Pharaohs (all the way from Joseph until Moses!). Riordan's books are interesting and kid-friendly, and Alex in particular will have a bit of interest due to his past Yu-gi-oh obsession. We're picking up the audio CDs probably tomorrow.
Meanwhile, we continue our classics, such as those books from the Little House series. We are approaching the end of Anne of Green Gables now, and of course we have the movies and television shows to accompany these!
This is totally fascinating! Not only the confusion about this being a possible 'idol', but it brings up the fact that Iris' and then Hermes' Caduceus is of snakes wrapping around a staff, also a symbol of healing and later the symbol of the American Medical Association.
We're not but a quarter of the way thru the Bible stories, but it's much more fun than I had really anticipated. We've already watched two animated movies in association with our Biblical readings: Joseph, King of Dreams and The Prince of Egypt (about Moses). I realize I don't have any movies in mind for the stories of Jesus, though! Most are created for adults that come to mind. It's been really fun to cement our readings with the exciting movies, and I wish I had more lined up!
Upcoming...I found out that Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson Greek mythology-based stories) has recently come out with The Red Pyramid, based upon the Egyptian pantheon. This was not my intended direction, but it's perfect, especially on the heels of reading about the Israelites' stint in Egypt and interactions with the Pharaohs (all the way from Joseph until Moses!). Riordan's books are interesting and kid-friendly, and Alex in particular will have a bit of interest due to his past Yu-gi-oh obsession. We're picking up the audio CDs probably tomorrow.
Meanwhile, we continue our classics, such as those books from the Little House series. We are approaching the end of Anne of Green Gables now, and of course we have the movies and television shows to accompany these!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Striving or Acceptance, a sermon?
"All that we are is a result of what we have thought" --Buddha
This blog is a mish-mash of my thoughts and opinions as well as a recounting of some family events from my perspective. I have been 'blessed' with a mind that is incredibly introspective--I process and rehash things over and over, but I'll miss the most obvious events occurring three feet away. Of course my take on things is incredibly subjective, but I will say that I think that my intent is generally to derive the best conclusions with the most care. I have occasionally changed my opinions, however, even on solid convictions, but not often, though!
My views are colored by my experiences, which largely include the books that I read and movies that I watch. These often introduce new twists on ideas, promote lofty ideals, and pronounce the intricate subtleties in relationships. When inspired, I then transpose those to my own life and see where and how they apply.
I can easily feel overwhelmed with expectations of perfection from myself and others, and I am aware that those expectations can overwhelm my friends and family as well. When others are suddenly introduced to an idea that I have been cultivating for years, I can instantly expect them to understand and embrace it the way I do. Even if they agree with the basic idea, that can be a tall order.
My intent here is to:
1. Apologize for my despotic personality! I understand that I can come across as controlling, judgmental, and self-righteous at times... I will admit that these tendencies are real and do actually exist, though I am quite as merciless with myself!
2. I'd like to validate the importance of acceptance and contentment. Loving ourselves, our friends, and our families for the way we are is a beautiful thing. Embracing a person, an individual replete with flaws, and momentarily letting go of efforts to improve or adjust those flaws is what real love is, isn't it? At least for a time! We should all spend more time loving and some of us should spend less time analyzing, nit-picking, scrutinizing...
That said, I know for certain of us, it's how we love...those we love most are to whom we show our caring. We wouldn't bother with folks we didn't care about, but we want our loved ones to do their best, look their best, BE their best. Of course we see how wonderful they are, but there's always room to tweak them and ourselves. Think of it as tucking in your collar tags and picking lint off your shirt...:)
3. Reassert my basic tenant that we are still responsible for our conduct. Sure, we can wear blinders and say, "Everything is just fine!" That's what slaveholders did, that's what the SS soldiers did as they followed orders in ushering Jews and their protectors into concentration camps...that's what we do when we buy animal products in the store that are from factory farms. It's what most people do. These are GOOD people, for the most part. They are loveable, sweet, kind folks. Sweet grannies and innocent, religious folks, hard-working men, children and mothers...
4. Therefore, we have to find a balance between accepting ourselves and others, and striving to improve society and look out for the well-being of others--especially those more helpless than ourselves. We have to balance self-gratification with conscientious awareness.
The environment is one area of awareness that is important. For the fact is that we are not living in symbiosis with nature. Factory farms, pollution, chemicals, clear-cutting, etc are part our existence, and we are responsible, whether we wear blinders or not.
The other primary area of awareness has to do with our interpersonal interactions. Inconsiderate actions and rudeness can feel perfectly okay to the person doling it out. Offensive behavior will sometimes occur, and we all have to put up with a bit of it. Trouble is, if we don't strive to be aware of how we're affecting others, then we can't do so...hence the importance of knowing and following basic etiquette. Following the Golden Rule is not enough...one person may be great with funny, lewd jokes and behavior and not mind them in the slightest. Wearing blinders and justifying ourselves as 'okay' allows us to fling aside our responsibilities to follow basic manners.
These are simply my thoughts. Why would we bother with etiquette or considering the welfare of factory farm animals unless we first thought about it? If my thoughts upset you, then consider that perhaps they've triggered a reaction for a reason. I have personal experience with this...
Here's the story: My dad's best friend was a vegetarian. When I was six, Jimmy came over and ate soup with us. I thought he was rude for picking out the meat in the soup. When I confronted him about it, he simply explained that he did not want to eat meat and support the needless death of animals, or something like that. Boy, did I react. I was furious with him and was sent to my room by my parents and threatened with a spanking.
In my mind, he had come to our house and insulted us! The insult was implied...we were unethical and cruel for eating meat...something so normal, something that had never bothered me before.
I was triggered. The reason? Because I'd been confronted with an idea that seemed to make sense, but placed an 'unreasonable' demand on me to change my behavior, which I'd thought was perfectly fine. I was six then, and it wasn't until I'd processed many books and films, witnessed the dead bodies of farm animals (actually some of the most ethical meat I'd ever been exposed to, honestly), and struggled with the idea for years that I became a vegetarian at age 14.
I became angry, resisted, processed, and thought about it for years and years before I implemented the idea. So, I suppose my point is that if you feel triggered by something that I say, perhaps it's something you need to look at more closely. Most people simply put those blinders more firmly in place, because it's convenient.
A word about those blinders: I admire them. I do. What a relief to just live happily and simply, not worrying about everything. However, I see folks unquestioningly fall prey to our society, again and again. Some of the folks with blinders are really valiant, and they face their adversities again without worrying, without questioning. And they often get through them with amazing strength of will.
I knew a woman who had practically every disease you can name...osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, lung disease, etc. She smoked and drank and ate terribly her entire life, and her body had no right to be continuing on, but she was a pistol! She was dedicated to fun! I immensely enjoyed seeing her as a patient, and she was one of the most vibrant, fiery people I've ever met. I adored her vitality. She suffered from her choices, but she was a happy woman. I admire that, but I know that it can't be my choice, and I can't in good conscience say it would be alright for me to do that. She had children who were likely exposed to the smoke, and later they had to care for her. Of course, you can argue that her vitality and the element of 'fun' balanced it out. Perhaps...but perhaps she would have still been fun with a few wiser choices.
So, BALANCE is the key. We can be more than we have to be. But, we should seek happiness, love, acceptance of ourselves and others as well. Love yourself, love others acceptingly. Seek to show a broader, greater love by striving for the truth and by considering the ramifications of your daily actions.
Oh goodness! I've started preaching! Yikes! You know, my grandaddy is retired minister...and genetically, we were so alike on the DNA analysis that he could pass as my father! I matched him on every marker!
And, perhaps I'm balancing a bit here, because my hopefully thrilling, romantic, creepy novel is by no means a preaching tirade! Ethics here, other stuff in my novels under a pen name! :)
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Friends & Family
Maia and Fiona in ballet leotards; Samantha and Fiona in tap outfits; Collete, Kasi, and Fiona at Kasi's birthday party
Michael & Jeff with their Dad; Fiona; Alex
Michael with his Dad & Mom out bowling!
Michael's cute laugh lines!
A birthday poster for me from my sweet girl!
Fiona's face when she sees my cookin'!Living Simply
I suppose it's simply our turn... I've often, in the past few years, shaken my head at all the problems others have had with their homes and vehicles, and I felt we were quite lucky in not having to deal with so much. I gave Michael a lot of credit, too, for maintenance, but I suppose stuff will still happen!
After 4 different AC repairs (Michael's work, too!), computer breakdown, Palm pilot problems, etc, our fabulous computerized clothes washer broke down again. This time, it ended up making more sense to replace it than to repair it, price-wise. So, we did so. The new machine is technically just as good and a slightly larger capacity. It's an energy-efficient, water-efficient front-loading model, just like the old one, but it's not quite so pretty and doesn't have the computer screen and all. However, this new one even has a 'sanitation' cycle that the older one doesn't.
Again, there were similar machines for triple the money, and they were PRETTY! We grabbed this one on clearance, and it featured some not-so-pretty scratches (hence the clearance price), but it's new and has what we need.
The past few years have seemed to entail a lot of this sort of compromise. What's comforting is to be able to pay for it straight out and not get entangled in a credit situation. I'm sure we'll be happy with the new washer, but it was so tempting to look at the shiny, pretty expensive models, and I am a bit wistful because the last one was one of those shiny, pretty models.
This happened with the microwaves as well (when I melted the old one a couple of years ago!). I had no idea what kinds of fantastic features were available on new microwaves, and I struggled against my desire to get the most fabulous high-end microwave. We ended up with a very nice stainless-steel front microwave with all sorts of features I haven't even explored, and I suspect that I'm just as happy with it as I would have been with the expensive model, after the first month or so. And this was less than half the price.
Anyhow, I think the point of my chatter is that it is easy to get sucked in by shiny, pretty, and unnecessary features. Our society of commercials and credit cards make it even easier to find ourselves victims of bills and high interest rates. We had the same situation when we bought our TV. We did get a very nice, big, energy star television, but I was practically prostrate before the huge, beautiful flat-screens that were, honestly, 20 times as expensive (a few years ago they were much more expensive, actually)! Once we'd made the purchase and I'd recovered from my pangs, I was immensely relieved we hadn't gone into debt for the pricy ones.
Oh, I will say that I am not completely immune to the importance of aesthetics. The acceptability of the scratched washer is largely due to the fact that it goes in the garage. Michael said, "You want the garage to be pretty? Then clean it up!" Yep, he was right. No sense in worrying about a few scratches when it'll be amidst the garage jumble.
The new-ish microwave is quite pretty, though.
My thought today is that by staying sensible and resisting entering the world of credit and debt (again), we receive the reward of being able to live more simply. Frankly, the maintenance plan that they tried to sell sounded like a lot of hassle, too!
Perhaps it's simply important to get our priorities in line before we make big investments. We did not get the cheapest model...we invested in the environmentally sound washer that will save vast quantities of water, especially, over the next many years. That was important. A few scratches for an appliance in the garage? Not really such a big deal. The microwave in the kitchen is a bigger deal, though, aesthetically speaking, and we definitely did not buy the cheapest model--and, honestly, that was primarily because of aesthetics.
I know I'm only talking about shopping (again), but shopping is a big part of our lives. We need to consider what we need, what is important to us, and what we are supporting with our purchases. We also need to consider how what we buy will affect ourselves and others in the future. For instance, an expensive new car may commit us to more stress about working more to pay the bill for it, but a reasonable newish car may decrease our stress levels immensely with its reliability, outweighing the more reasonable pricetag. If we have plenty of money, though, the gorgeous, expensive new car may be just the thing for us.
As for affecting others, we can promote the environment, our health and local businesses at times with many of our purchases. I have incredible room for improvement in this realm. I think I may write more about my positive purchases in this blog, because I am excited about them, but we do more than our share of convenience shopping, too.
After 4 different AC repairs (Michael's work, too!), computer breakdown, Palm pilot problems, etc, our fabulous computerized clothes washer broke down again. This time, it ended up making more sense to replace it than to repair it, price-wise. So, we did so. The new machine is technically just as good and a slightly larger capacity. It's an energy-efficient, water-efficient front-loading model, just like the old one, but it's not quite so pretty and doesn't have the computer screen and all. However, this new one even has a 'sanitation' cycle that the older one doesn't.
Again, there were similar machines for triple the money, and they were PRETTY! We grabbed this one on clearance, and it featured some not-so-pretty scratches (hence the clearance price), but it's new and has what we need.
The past few years have seemed to entail a lot of this sort of compromise. What's comforting is to be able to pay for it straight out and not get entangled in a credit situation. I'm sure we'll be happy with the new washer, but it was so tempting to look at the shiny, pretty expensive models, and I am a bit wistful because the last one was one of those shiny, pretty models.
This happened with the microwaves as well (when I melted the old one a couple of years ago!). I had no idea what kinds of fantastic features were available on new microwaves, and I struggled against my desire to get the most fabulous high-end microwave. We ended up with a very nice stainless-steel front microwave with all sorts of features I haven't even explored, and I suspect that I'm just as happy with it as I would have been with the expensive model, after the first month or so. And this was less than half the price.
Anyhow, I think the point of my chatter is that it is easy to get sucked in by shiny, pretty, and unnecessary features. Our society of commercials and credit cards make it even easier to find ourselves victims of bills and high interest rates. We had the same situation when we bought our TV. We did get a very nice, big, energy star television, but I was practically prostrate before the huge, beautiful flat-screens that were, honestly, 20 times as expensive (a few years ago they were much more expensive, actually)! Once we'd made the purchase and I'd recovered from my pangs, I was immensely relieved we hadn't gone into debt for the pricy ones.
Oh, I will say that I am not completely immune to the importance of aesthetics. The acceptability of the scratched washer is largely due to the fact that it goes in the garage. Michael said, "You want the garage to be pretty? Then clean it up!" Yep, he was right. No sense in worrying about a few scratches when it'll be amidst the garage jumble.
The new-ish microwave is quite pretty, though.
My thought today is that by staying sensible and resisting entering the world of credit and debt (again), we receive the reward of being able to live more simply. Frankly, the maintenance plan that they tried to sell sounded like a lot of hassle, too!
Perhaps it's simply important to get our priorities in line before we make big investments. We did not get the cheapest model...we invested in the environmentally sound washer that will save vast quantities of water, especially, over the next many years. That was important. A few scratches for an appliance in the garage? Not really such a big deal. The microwave in the kitchen is a bigger deal, though, aesthetically speaking, and we definitely did not buy the cheapest model--and, honestly, that was primarily because of aesthetics.
I know I'm only talking about shopping (again), but shopping is a big part of our lives. We need to consider what we need, what is important to us, and what we are supporting with our purchases. We also need to consider how what we buy will affect ourselves and others in the future. For instance, an expensive new car may commit us to more stress about working more to pay the bill for it, but a reasonable newish car may decrease our stress levels immensely with its reliability, outweighing the more reasonable pricetag. If we have plenty of money, though, the gorgeous, expensive new car may be just the thing for us.
As for affecting others, we can promote the environment, our health and local businesses at times with many of our purchases. I have incredible room for improvement in this realm. I think I may write more about my positive purchases in this blog, because I am excited about them, but we do more than our share of convenience shopping, too.
The most exciting combination, though, is when the right choice also makes sense for the pocketbook. Great consignment shops work that way, and the environmentally-friendly washer will, actually, eventually save a bit with the water and energy consumption savings.
Happy and wise shopping to all of us!
P.S. As of this week, the lawnmower is also down, so that may be the next 'big' purchase on our end... and no, it's no longer amazing how many things are going out at once!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Summer is Here
Wow, the heat of the past few days has been unbelievable. Thank goodness that, in the nick of time, Michael finally seems to have gotten our main AC unit back in action. This has been a crazy year with ACs so far, and I'm half convinced it's my fault somehow... my car AC went out first--last fall, actually, but we only fixed it when the weather started to heat up. Then the main AC, then the AC to the room above the garage (our study/playroom). Every AC unit that I have much to do with!
You know, I used to be that way with watches. Every time I wore one, the battery would die. I eventually stopped trying to wear one. Then, when I jogged on a regular basis, the MP3 player started constantly having its battery die.
Maybe it's all in my imagination, but I once had a conversation with a B&N Starbucks barista whose father had the same problem. He wore a band of leather, I believe, between any electronic/battery item and his person.
Michael's sort of the opposite. Many times, all he has to do is to sit at a computer for it to start operating correctly. Suddenly, though, his computers have all been going out this year. His Palm pilot as well...and the ACs have been quite recalcitrant about getting fixed. I've never seen him have so many problems!
Anyhow, kids are out for the summer. They start an Armstrong Arts Summer Camp next week, but we're relaxing this week. They are definitely my offspring...I put my messy chillun to work cleaning their rooms, while I likewise addressed my own. All three of us had our own audio books playing in our rooms, as we happily spent hours working on them. It was quite humorous, really, as we were each engrossed in our own story, doors closed, when Michael came home from work!
Fiona and I each listened to a Meg Cabot book. I'm running out of Sophie Kinsella novels, and Meg Cabot is another lighthearted novelist who writes children's novels as well as books for older girls and women. Actually, the one I'm listening to is about a teenager, but it isn't really suitable for an eight-year-old.
Alex is listening to Michael Scott's Magician again, as he's not so into the girly book scene!
It's nice for the kids to have a bit of down time. They almost didn't know what to do with themselves at first. Toys and such have become almost pointless, as they stay too busy for them half the time! The heat wave and friends gone on vacation have thankfully kept them inside, so they have had a little time to settle down and unwind a bit.
Oh, I have my 'netbook', as it's called, as Michael bought it for my birthday. I almost love it, but I'm having a couple of little issues. For example, this space bar isn't sensitive enough, and I have to keep going back to add spaces, every single line. Ugh. Oh well. It is light, and it slides right into my lovely new Coach purse (a birthday present from Michael's family), but I realized that it's not something to tote around all the time. 3 extra pounds is still 3 lbs. Just think of a 5 lb bag of potatoes for a moment and you'll get what I mean! Anyhow, though, it will still fit and will be easy to tote around if I think I'll be wanting it.
What else? Hmm...we went to see the Midway Museum at long last, which we all really enjoyed. It was kind of cool that a dress display of 18th century recreations was handsewn by a Ms. Cox, and the heroine of my novel is named Cox (though I may change that) who, with her friend, sews quite a few dresses... also, the museum reminded me a bit of Williamsburg, which I think we wouldn't mind visiting again.
My mother also came for a visit. She and I watched New Moon together, which was fun. She saw Twilight last time she came to visit me, and this time I had both the Edward and Jacob jewelry sets (also gifts of Michael, believe it or not!), so I let her choose (Edward was her pick) and I wore the other set while we watched, eating popcorn and all! I'm not sure why I always find it so fun to get her to watch my movies or read my books, when she's not particularly inclined to... I still remember her laughter as she read Janine is French by Lloyd Alexander when I was in high school. I was completely elated! And she does seem to enjoy my movies well enough, but it's still not her thing. I had fun adorning her with the jewelry and sharing the movie with her, though. I suppose it's just a normal thing for kids to feel, though, as my kids know I'm not terribly interested in some of their books and stories, but they often insist on telling me anyhow! And, somehow, I think I'll always feel a bit like a kid when my parents are around...
You know, I used to be that way with watches. Every time I wore one, the battery would die. I eventually stopped trying to wear one. Then, when I jogged on a regular basis, the MP3 player started constantly having its battery die.
Maybe it's all in my imagination, but I once had a conversation with a B&N Starbucks barista whose father had the same problem. He wore a band of leather, I believe, between any electronic/battery item and his person.
Michael's sort of the opposite. Many times, all he has to do is to sit at a computer for it to start operating correctly. Suddenly, though, his computers have all been going out this year. His Palm pilot as well...and the ACs have been quite recalcitrant about getting fixed. I've never seen him have so many problems!
Anyhow, kids are out for the summer. They start an Armstrong Arts Summer Camp next week, but we're relaxing this week. They are definitely my offspring...I put my messy chillun to work cleaning their rooms, while I likewise addressed my own. All three of us had our own audio books playing in our rooms, as we happily spent hours working on them. It was quite humorous, really, as we were each engrossed in our own story, doors closed, when Michael came home from work!
Fiona and I each listened to a Meg Cabot book. I'm running out of Sophie Kinsella novels, and Meg Cabot is another lighthearted novelist who writes children's novels as well as books for older girls and women. Actually, the one I'm listening to is about a teenager, but it isn't really suitable for an eight-year-old.
Alex is listening to Michael Scott's Magician again, as he's not so into the girly book scene!
It's nice for the kids to have a bit of down time. They almost didn't know what to do with themselves at first. Toys and such have become almost pointless, as they stay too busy for them half the time! The heat wave and friends gone on vacation have thankfully kept them inside, so they have had a little time to settle down and unwind a bit.
Oh, I have my 'netbook', as it's called, as Michael bought it for my birthday. I almost love it, but I'm having a couple of little issues. For example, this space bar isn't sensitive enough, and I have to keep going back to add spaces, every single line. Ugh. Oh well. It is light, and it slides right into my lovely new Coach purse (a birthday present from Michael's family), but I realized that it's not something to tote around all the time. 3 extra pounds is still 3 lbs. Just think of a 5 lb bag of potatoes for a moment and you'll get what I mean! Anyhow, though, it will still fit and will be easy to tote around if I think I'll be wanting it.
What else? Hmm...we went to see the Midway Museum at long last, which we all really enjoyed. It was kind of cool that a dress display of 18th century recreations was handsewn by a Ms. Cox, and the heroine of my novel is named Cox (though I may change that) who, with her friend, sews quite a few dresses... also, the museum reminded me a bit of Williamsburg, which I think we wouldn't mind visiting again.
My mother also came for a visit. She and I watched New Moon together, which was fun. She saw Twilight last time she came to visit me, and this time I had both the Edward and Jacob jewelry sets (also gifts of Michael, believe it or not!), so I let her choose (Edward was her pick) and I wore the other set while we watched, eating popcorn and all! I'm not sure why I always find it so fun to get her to watch my movies or read my books, when she's not particularly inclined to... I still remember her laughter as she read Janine is French by Lloyd Alexander when I was in high school. I was completely elated! And she does seem to enjoy my movies well enough, but it's still not her thing. I had fun adorning her with the jewelry and sharing the movie with her, though. I suppose it's just a normal thing for kids to feel, though, as my kids know I'm not terribly interested in some of their books and stories, but they often insist on telling me anyhow! And, somehow, I think I'll always feel a bit like a kid when my parents are around...
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Author's Inspiration!
I have doled out my novel, quite hesitantly and dubiously, extracting promises of secrecy and broad-mindedness, to two friends thus far. As I've waited for feedback, I've entertained notions of stealing back the books, as it feels so exposed to share your creation with someone else and wait and wait for their feedback. Not only that, but in this case I worry about their opinions of me being affected and all...you know, romances being what they are!
Anyhow, I had my first feedback today, and my ego is inflated and quite happy! My friend declared her amazement that it was only my first novel, and, while talking about a 'creepy' part of the book, she literally got goosebumps. Yippy! :) She's pressing me for a sequel ("Don't wait for the summer to be over..."), so I'm elated and feeling more prone in that direction. Book 1 is actually not complete at all without Books 2 and 3. They're kind of critically linked, so I really should get on it...
I should think it was a perfect moment from any author's viewpoint!
Anyhow, I had my first feedback today, and my ego is inflated and quite happy! My friend declared her amazement that it was only my first novel, and, while talking about a 'creepy' part of the book, she literally got goosebumps. Yippy! :) She's pressing me for a sequel ("Don't wait for the summer to be over..."), so I'm elated and feeling more prone in that direction. Book 1 is actually not complete at all without Books 2 and 3. They're kind of critically linked, so I really should get on it...
I should think it was a perfect moment from any author's viewpoint!
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Jungle Book and the Fourth of July!
Huge, busy weekend... Kids were fabulous at their performance on Friday. I did get it all on my camcorder, but the blog won't allow such a big file, unfortunately, and I didn't take a camera. One day I hope to burn some copies, but I still haven't for last year's performance, either!
My folks came down for the show, bringing my niece and nephew. We had a late night with then Michael's folks and soon-to-be-sister-in-law and her sister on Friday.
My folks came down for the show, bringing my niece and nephew. We had a late night with then Michael's folks and soon-to-be-sister-in-law and her sister on Friday.
The Meaning of Life is... Being on Stage! And a discussion of intent vs effect...
Gorgeous Dancer!
Fiona is our performer. She is SO thrilled to get on stage, and she has the biggest smile and the most sassy wave and all... what a showgirl! She said, before the show, "Life wouldn't be worth living if I never got to be on stage..."
Anyhow, she did a fine job on her recital, and she was cute as could be. She danced a ballet number and a tap dance with her small Ellis group. I've been told many times now by a number of folks that she is extremely graceful, and I secretly agree that she takes grace to the level of an art, too... Mommy's privilege, right?
Now for the griping... The audience drove me crazy. It was unbelievable. At least every song, somebody was trying to get in and out of the aisle or stood in front of us. I had my toe painfully stepped on, and Michael said he was hit in the face with a butt at least 3 times. He likes crowds even less than I do.
I hate to be so crabby...but there are certain otherwise lovely people who seem absolutely clueless. At first it's humorous to see how thoughtless they are, but when they are disrupting your own daughter's performance, well, then it becomes less funny.
This woman and her daughter who sat next to us were major offenders. They were so enthusiastic and smiling--they were clearly there for a lovely, fun time. In and out, in and out of the aisle, though. I became so upset that I repeatedly lost the remainder of several dances while I fumed about being disrupted yet again, and I watched them instead of the dancers with apprehension as they headed back towards the aisle after snapping a photo or something. GRRR!
Not only that, but I felt responsible for continually having to stand up in front of the people seated behind me, knowing that at some point I was probably blocking the view of their own children.
Truly, though, I'm guessing that this mother/daughter duo are probably fun to hang around with. They remind me of a certain friend who almost never buses her own table in a fast-food restaurant, cluelessly lets buggies roll away in parking lots, unknowingly nearly runs down pedestrians...well, I'd better not go on too much, because I do love my friend quite well, but I'm constantly dismayed at how thoughtless she can be. I don't believe she has any idea about these things, either.
In fact, I know I walk around in my own little bubble, but Michael assures me that I don't tend to do this sort of thing. I hope not, though occasionally I think I might.
I suppose this seems interesting to me because of the discrepancy Michael and I have always had about fault. Michael looks at effect...if someone hits him in the face with her butt, she's guilty whether or not she intended to do it. I've always lobbied on the side of intent...if it was an accident, then give her a break. However, this experience makes me question my staunch view there.
The guilty duo on our aisle were happy and sweet and enthusiastic--completely clueless about their rude behavior. While I realize this, I was still furious with them (by the end). I suppose Michael has a valid position... it has to do with taking responsibility for our own behavior. It's not enough to just say, 'not my fault, I didn't know...I didn't intend to cause any harm'.
We are responsible for not only following, but for knowing rules and etiquette, and, simply, being as considerate and polite and aware as possible. Focusing solely on self-gratification without taking responsibility hurts those around us, even if we don't mean for it to.
This discussion leads me to think about the critical role of parents in teaching their children about rules and etiquette. My own parents have their own system of belief about behavior, and, thankfully, I am convinced that they taught me well not to do that sort of thing during a performance. They also drilled us to respect teachers and elders and such. I am grateful that I've learned these things, as they come naturally.
What my parents didn't model or teach, though, were effective interpersonal family communications, with validation and basic politeness. Truly, polite behavior was seen as rather pretentious with familiar family and friends, so it's taken me forever to understand that it's still ideal for family settings, too.
And table etiquette? Oh my...I continually disgrace myself. My natural tendencies are fairly barbaric, and, now that I am learning proper table behavior, I am a bit mortified at my natural behavior, which I still incline towards. If you're not used to behaving nicely, it can feel completely foreign and pretentious and troublesome to actually try to employ proper etiquette.
I am fortunate enough to have a few friends who have a good deal of class, and they are truly classy in the best sense...in that they don't seem to judge others, but they maintain their own table manners by habit. When my barbaric children and I have dined with them, on multiple occasions, I have been blown away by the contrast, and I am understanding that it's my own duty to ingrain proper behavior in my children now, before it becomes incredibly difficult to learn when they're adults (like me!).
I have tried, with some success. Fiona occasionally gets it into her head to correct everyone at dinner, and Alex even responds to her with some recognition of the validity of her remarks. I'll make a great effort for a while, but I continue to slip back into old habits, and those are what the children generally have, as well. At least the kids are being introduced to the concepts, and they are fully aware that I don't always model the behavior I'd like to see from them.
So, again, I seem to be heading towards the more conservative stance. We impose on others when we don't take responsibility for ourselves and our own behavior. That said, I still think it's imperative to keep in mind that we all come from slightly different cultures, and I still believe intent is important. It's just not valid as a blanket excuse/'get out of jail free' card for repeat offenses. Oh, and we all have our weaknesses and faults, which we can't eliminate. We can only try to be as good as we can be, and we are responsible for at least that much.
Anyhow, she did a fine job on her recital, and she was cute as could be. She danced a ballet number and a tap dance with her small Ellis group. I've been told many times now by a number of folks that she is extremely graceful, and I secretly agree that she takes grace to the level of an art, too... Mommy's privilege, right?
Now for the griping... The audience drove me crazy. It was unbelievable. At least every song, somebody was trying to get in and out of the aisle or stood in front of us. I had my toe painfully stepped on, and Michael said he was hit in the face with a butt at least 3 times. He likes crowds even less than I do.
I hate to be so crabby...but there are certain otherwise lovely people who seem absolutely clueless. At first it's humorous to see how thoughtless they are, but when they are disrupting your own daughter's performance, well, then it becomes less funny.
This woman and her daughter who sat next to us were major offenders. They were so enthusiastic and smiling--they were clearly there for a lovely, fun time. In and out, in and out of the aisle, though. I became so upset that I repeatedly lost the remainder of several dances while I fumed about being disrupted yet again, and I watched them instead of the dancers with apprehension as they headed back towards the aisle after snapping a photo or something. GRRR!
Not only that, but I felt responsible for continually having to stand up in front of the people seated behind me, knowing that at some point I was probably blocking the view of their own children.
Truly, though, I'm guessing that this mother/daughter duo are probably fun to hang around with. They remind me of a certain friend who almost never buses her own table in a fast-food restaurant, cluelessly lets buggies roll away in parking lots, unknowingly nearly runs down pedestrians...well, I'd better not go on too much, because I do love my friend quite well, but I'm constantly dismayed at how thoughtless she can be. I don't believe she has any idea about these things, either.
In fact, I know I walk around in my own little bubble, but Michael assures me that I don't tend to do this sort of thing. I hope not, though occasionally I think I might.
I suppose this seems interesting to me because of the discrepancy Michael and I have always had about fault. Michael looks at effect...if someone hits him in the face with her butt, she's guilty whether or not she intended to do it. I've always lobbied on the side of intent...if it was an accident, then give her a break. However, this experience makes me question my staunch view there.
The guilty duo on our aisle were happy and sweet and enthusiastic--completely clueless about their rude behavior. While I realize this, I was still furious with them (by the end). I suppose Michael has a valid position... it has to do with taking responsibility for our own behavior. It's not enough to just say, 'not my fault, I didn't know...I didn't intend to cause any harm'.
We are responsible for not only following, but for knowing rules and etiquette, and, simply, being as considerate and polite and aware as possible. Focusing solely on self-gratification without taking responsibility hurts those around us, even if we don't mean for it to.
This discussion leads me to think about the critical role of parents in teaching their children about rules and etiquette. My own parents have their own system of belief about behavior, and, thankfully, I am convinced that they taught me well not to do that sort of thing during a performance. They also drilled us to respect teachers and elders and such. I am grateful that I've learned these things, as they come naturally.
What my parents didn't model or teach, though, were effective interpersonal family communications, with validation and basic politeness. Truly, polite behavior was seen as rather pretentious with familiar family and friends, so it's taken me forever to understand that it's still ideal for family settings, too.
And table etiquette? Oh my...I continually disgrace myself. My natural tendencies are fairly barbaric, and, now that I am learning proper table behavior, I am a bit mortified at my natural behavior, which I still incline towards. If you're not used to behaving nicely, it can feel completely foreign and pretentious and troublesome to actually try to employ proper etiquette.
I am fortunate enough to have a few friends who have a good deal of class, and they are truly classy in the best sense...in that they don't seem to judge others, but they maintain their own table manners by habit. When my barbaric children and I have dined with them, on multiple occasions, I have been blown away by the contrast, and I am understanding that it's my own duty to ingrain proper behavior in my children now, before it becomes incredibly difficult to learn when they're adults (like me!).
I have tried, with some success. Fiona occasionally gets it into her head to correct everyone at dinner, and Alex even responds to her with some recognition of the validity of her remarks. I'll make a great effort for a while, but I continue to slip back into old habits, and those are what the children generally have, as well. At least the kids are being introduced to the concepts, and they are fully aware that I don't always model the behavior I'd like to see from them.
So, again, I seem to be heading towards the more conservative stance. We impose on others when we don't take responsibility for ourselves and our own behavior. That said, I still think it's imperative to keep in mind that we all come from slightly different cultures, and I still believe intent is important. It's just not valid as a blanket excuse/'get out of jail free' card for repeat offenses. Oh, and we all have our weaknesses and faults, which we can't eliminate. We can only try to be as good as we can be, and we are responsible for at least that much.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Wrapping things up, Home Maintenance, & Shopping Chat
The school year is coming to an end. The kids have another full week of school, but they are so done already. No more homework, of course, and pizza parties, field trips, field days and all such have already occurred...so I have no idea what they're going to do with the last week of school, except for count the minutes!
Fiona has her dance recital tomorrow, which will wrap up her dance year until the fall, I believe. It's been a tedious week of dance rehearsals, but thankfully the recital is only an hour and a half or so with Ms. Maxine. She divides the girls into separate recitals, so it doesn't take an eternity!
I have been doing some new things lately...I sewed a dress for Fiona's doll, which we were both excited about. I made the most incredible non-dairy pizza (in my own opinion!) with a sweet onion sauce (2 Vidalias for one pizza!) with my own dough and all. Cakes and cupcakes from a mix, but surprisingly good with a homemade buttercream (very dairy!) frosting... I've thought about posting recipes, and I actually did write down the pizza recipe. Unfortunately, the pizza was too good, and I can't afford to make that very often, or I'll pack on the pounds like there's no tomorrow! I'm generally a bit better about the sweets, except for mochas and the like!
Let's see...I 'mucked out' the chicken coop today. I've always kinda wanted to 'muck out' a stall, so this was pretty close! I then pressure-washed the chicken coop and back of the house, with Michael's and Fiona's help! It's pretty amazing to see what a difference it makes...always making me wonder why I don't do it more often.
Meanwhile, Michael was working on our sad air conditioner AGAIN. It's been a quite the problematic appliance this year. I believe we hurt its feelings when we were looking quite seriously at getting an energy-efficient unit, which turned out to be unviable with our space, unfortunately. It's been wailing ever since...
Now for shopping...here's another plug for the fantastic Savannah consignment shops. After searching for a fancy party dress throughout the mall unsuccessfully, I ended up stopping by Plato's Closet and getting one for $10! I received compliments on it at the party and when I happily shared about the 'deal' with total strangers (hoping to boost Plato's business), I was tacitly informed that that's one of those things we don't need to mention when in social gatherings... hmm! Honestly, though, it's not like I'd brag if I'd spent $100 on it, it's the deal and the concept that makes it worth mentioning! I also found some fabulous pinstripe Old Navy slacks and a black sequined top and gorgeous flamboyant summer handbag...all totaling, with the dress, only $36 or so! Not quite cheap like Goodwill, but they have great taste and a great selection at Plato's Closet, so it's FUN shopping.
Then, today, I just happened to pop into Once Upon a Child on a whim, just to peruse but thinking it rather redundant, as I thought I'd prepared the kids for the summer already. It was packed...what a madhouse! I couldn't help but ask another mother what was up, and she told me it was 70% off of clothes with a 'stripe' on the tag (including almost all summer items)...for 2 hours only! I couldn't resist...I went a bit bezerk myself, but for goodness sakes...brand new Abercrombie polo for $2, jean shorts for $1.50, etc.! I got Fiona a TON of stuff that she didn't need and perhaps a couple of items that she did need. In fact, I'm asking her to pick through her clothes a bit to share some of our finds with her cousin Elizabeth. Poor Alex... I only ended up with three more shirts for him. Michael did his shopping, but the boy's section is far smaller, and his size pants and shorts were already gone. It was a bit more than $75 that we spent, including a few 'non-sale' items. Actually, it was funny...when the dubious cashier told Michael that he had selected a couple of non-sale items, Michael answered, "but not really...everything's on sale!" She didn't get that he meant the deals were fabulous even without 70% off! And they were... For example, I bought a brand new uniform dress with Children's Place store tags intact for $5.50! A $22 still-original-store-tagged cute terry skirt that will be perfect with a swimsuit was $3.50 and 'not on sale'. Anyhow, not to mislead...most of the clothes are gently used, but those are striking examples, to me at least! And, as I've said before, the shop has very good taste, for the most part!
Another 'whim' today was a stop in Staples. Can you believe the fabulous deals on laptops these days? I've got this old one from a decade ago...and I actually have a prehistoric dinosaur laptop solely for journaling (believe it or not, I don't share everything on my blog!). Anyhow, I've had a few issues with this one, though it's behaving perfectly lovely today. I am beginning to lust after the mini-notebooks, though. What a cute, convenient 'travel-size' computer. I oscillated between the gorgeous big-screen laptops with their tons of memory and RAM and all, but Michael asked the pertinent question, "Do you ever not bring your laptop with you because of it's size and bulk?" Yes! All the time. These adorable little mini-notebooks have a 10" screen, so not too bad. They have slim little padded sleeves, which could easily slide into a larger tote. Only $300 and less than 3 lbs! I could carry it everywhere! Groovy! And I'd love to get one for each of the kids at some point, too, for them to tote to school. How nice to just have it with them and not have to deal with waiting for school computers...
Lots of shopping talk...I have again been listening to Becky Bloomwood in her Shopaholic series! That's by author Sophie Kinsella. These books are much better on audio than in print, actually, just as a sidenote. The speech flows naturally, but it doesn't read as well. Her books are cute and silly, mostly, but they do put me in a shopping frame of mind. Becky loves her deals, too!
Okay, well, that's my update for now. I have been wanting to post random pics of some of these things (like the doll dress and the pizza, believe it or not!), but I've had software and computer issues. Hopefully I'll figure it out by next week, though, as I'll also have Fiona in her dance costumes, hopefully!
Fiona has her dance recital tomorrow, which will wrap up her dance year until the fall, I believe. It's been a tedious week of dance rehearsals, but thankfully the recital is only an hour and a half or so with Ms. Maxine. She divides the girls into separate recitals, so it doesn't take an eternity!
I have been doing some new things lately...I sewed a dress for Fiona's doll, which we were both excited about. I made the most incredible non-dairy pizza (in my own opinion!) with a sweet onion sauce (2 Vidalias for one pizza!) with my own dough and all. Cakes and cupcakes from a mix, but surprisingly good with a homemade buttercream (very dairy!) frosting... I've thought about posting recipes, and I actually did write down the pizza recipe. Unfortunately, the pizza was too good, and I can't afford to make that very often, or I'll pack on the pounds like there's no tomorrow! I'm generally a bit better about the sweets, except for mochas and the like!
Let's see...I 'mucked out' the chicken coop today. I've always kinda wanted to 'muck out' a stall, so this was pretty close! I then pressure-washed the chicken coop and back of the house, with Michael's and Fiona's help! It's pretty amazing to see what a difference it makes...always making me wonder why I don't do it more often.
Meanwhile, Michael was working on our sad air conditioner AGAIN. It's been a quite the problematic appliance this year. I believe we hurt its feelings when we were looking quite seriously at getting an energy-efficient unit, which turned out to be unviable with our space, unfortunately. It's been wailing ever since...
Now for shopping...here's another plug for the fantastic Savannah consignment shops. After searching for a fancy party dress throughout the mall unsuccessfully, I ended up stopping by Plato's Closet and getting one for $10! I received compliments on it at the party and when I happily shared about the 'deal' with total strangers (hoping to boost Plato's business), I was tacitly informed that that's one of those things we don't need to mention when in social gatherings... hmm! Honestly, though, it's not like I'd brag if I'd spent $100 on it, it's the deal and the concept that makes it worth mentioning! I also found some fabulous pinstripe Old Navy slacks and a black sequined top and gorgeous flamboyant summer handbag...all totaling, with the dress, only $36 or so! Not quite cheap like Goodwill, but they have great taste and a great selection at Plato's Closet, so it's FUN shopping.
Then, today, I just happened to pop into Once Upon a Child on a whim, just to peruse but thinking it rather redundant, as I thought I'd prepared the kids for the summer already. It was packed...what a madhouse! I couldn't help but ask another mother what was up, and she told me it was 70% off of clothes with a 'stripe' on the tag (including almost all summer items)...for 2 hours only! I couldn't resist...I went a bit bezerk myself, but for goodness sakes...brand new Abercrombie polo for $2, jean shorts for $1.50, etc.! I got Fiona a TON of stuff that she didn't need and perhaps a couple of items that she did need. In fact, I'm asking her to pick through her clothes a bit to share some of our finds with her cousin Elizabeth. Poor Alex... I only ended up with three more shirts for him. Michael did his shopping, but the boy's section is far smaller, and his size pants and shorts were already gone. It was a bit more than $75 that we spent, including a few 'non-sale' items. Actually, it was funny...when the dubious cashier told Michael that he had selected a couple of non-sale items, Michael answered, "but not really...everything's on sale!" She didn't get that he meant the deals were fabulous even without 70% off! And they were... For example, I bought a brand new uniform dress with Children's Place store tags intact for $5.50! A $22 still-original-store-tagged cute terry skirt that will be perfect with a swimsuit was $3.50 and 'not on sale'. Anyhow, not to mislead...most of the clothes are gently used, but those are striking examples, to me at least! And, as I've said before, the shop has very good taste, for the most part!
Another 'whim' today was a stop in Staples. Can you believe the fabulous deals on laptops these days? I've got this old one from a decade ago...and I actually have a prehistoric dinosaur laptop solely for journaling (believe it or not, I don't share everything on my blog!). Anyhow, I've had a few issues with this one, though it's behaving perfectly lovely today. I am beginning to lust after the mini-notebooks, though. What a cute, convenient 'travel-size' computer. I oscillated between the gorgeous big-screen laptops with their tons of memory and RAM and all, but Michael asked the pertinent question, "Do you ever not bring your laptop with you because of it's size and bulk?" Yes! All the time. These adorable little mini-notebooks have a 10" screen, so not too bad. They have slim little padded sleeves, which could easily slide into a larger tote. Only $300 and less than 3 lbs! I could carry it everywhere! Groovy! And I'd love to get one for each of the kids at some point, too, for them to tote to school. How nice to just have it with them and not have to deal with waiting for school computers...
Lots of shopping talk...I have again been listening to Becky Bloomwood in her Shopaholic series! That's by author Sophie Kinsella. These books are much better on audio than in print, actually, just as a sidenote. The speech flows naturally, but it doesn't read as well. Her books are cute and silly, mostly, but they do put me in a shopping frame of mind. Becky loves her deals, too!
Okay, well, that's my update for now. I have been wanting to post random pics of some of these things (like the doll dress and the pizza, believe it or not!), but I've had software and computer issues. Hopefully I'll figure it out by next week, though, as I'll also have Fiona in her dance costumes, hopefully!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)