Thursday, May 31, 2007

Relieved


My youngest son is what is commonly referred to as an underachiever. I have heard this since he first entered Kindergarten. Some fine, experienced teachers have been puzzled by him. They furrow their foreheads and say, "I think he can do the work...he doesn't seem to have any problem understanding the actual process...I'm just not sure how to motivate him." Over and over again, I have heard this. Probably as his mother, they were looking to me to solve this mystery. It is just one of those personality type quirks though. He lacks motivation and I haven't found the key to turn him on, so to speak. Here is the funny thing, he truly enjoys school. Wants very much to please his teachers. He doesn't have distracting behavioral problems. His problem of sort of drifting off doesn't bother others, it just hurts him, especially when taking timed tests.
This year has been particularly difficult. He has a very demanding teacher. I am fine with that, but he also seems to be completely unable to relate to Handsome Lad on any level at all. When I talk to him, I often get the feeling that he takes everything about Handsome Lad's behavior very personally...as though he is unmotivated just to get under Mr. W's skin! We really sort of got into it at our last Parent-Teacher conference. He suggested that Handsome Lad left his possessions scattered about just to spite him. He also suggested that he might benefit from being placed into the Special Education classroom...or at very least he should be repeating the 4th grade. Where to begin? First, Mr. W refuses to believe it, but Handsome Lad does want to please him and would never do anything just to spite him! He sometimes simply can't for some reason keep himself organized and/or on task. Second, I have a great deal of respect for the Special Education alternative available to everyone at the public schools. It addresses real needs that children have and some kids, of course, need intensive help to succeed. I assure you that this level of help is NOT what Handsome Lad needs...plus, sorry, but he doesn't need the stigma that goes along with it. As for repeating the 4th grade, if I thought that would help I would do it. I have nothing special against retention. I think sometimes another year is all that a kid needs to get where he needs to be. I didn't see this as being the case for Handsome Lad at all. So, we had some strong words between the two of us about these issues.
Finally, I requested that the district psychologist come in and do some testing to assess what is going on with my son. The teachers have gotten nowhere, although most of them have been much kinder about getting nowhere than Mr. W. After some sessions with Handsome Lad, she met with the resource teacher at his school to draw up a plan to help him succeed. We had a meeting this morning: me, Mr. W, the district psychologist, the resource teacher, and the Principal. I went in not knowing what to expect, but walked out feeling 100% better and totally vindicated in how I saw my son. It turns out that he scores quite high in all areas when he was tested one on one by the psychologist. She was especially impressed with his complex thinking skills and his memory. She did note that he has very poor fine motor skills, which I had also emphasized in my portion of the evaluation. After spending time with Handsome Lad, she determined that aside from motivation, which is still a bit of a puzzler, most of his problems stem from his poor fine motor skills. Think about it...if writing was difficult for you, and you were asked to answer a question would your response be a three word sentence or an involved paragraph? So, the psychologist and the resource teacher decided that based on this "disability" he does have a right to some special accommodations. Next year he will spend 30 minutes 4 days a week with the resource teacher getting one on one help with whatever written assignments they are doing in his class. Also, he will be permitted to have extra time when taking tests to eliminate the pressure and accompanying performance shut down that seems to occur with him.
Mr. W didn't seem that happy with all the positive talk that was going on. The Principal, with whom I have a complicated but respectful relationship was fairly quiet during the whole thing, mostly just there because it is her school and all. The psychologist expressed her great affection for Handsome Lad and said a lot of his problems seem to do with a lack of confidence (and I felt like saying 'no wonder' given what his teacher has been telling him all year). The resource teacher is excited to work with him. She feels that by the time he enters middle school he will be right on track.
I am so glad now that I asked for this assessment. I knew that Handsome Lad was bright, even with the gap between his potential and his performance. It felt good to know that I was right and even better to know that he will get a little extra attention to help him achieve the success that he deserves.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

I Love You, Mel. Thintherely

Taradays tell us that today is Mel Blanc Appreciation Day. You all know him and love him for the many fantastic voices he gave to our most enduring cartoon characters. I am putting in this picture because I think it says it all, plus it reminds me that we started this week with a day of remembrance.

Speak!

This quiz was funny, because I was sitting at my desk muttering while I took it...

Your Score Is.... 69%!
 

Not too bad, pal. You got them mostly right. Of course, you did miss a few. Most of us do, though. You are totally normal. Don't knock yourself for the ones you pronounce wrong, but do try to improve!

Do You Pronounce Words Right?
Make a Quiz

Scattergories - Thx Tara and Rachel :-)

You must answer each question using the first letter of your name. The answer has to be "real", you can't make it up. If you don't have an answer, skip it.

Name: l.b.

1. Famous Singer/Band: Led Zeppelin

2. 4 letter word: Lion

3. Street: Leadora (Glendora, CA)

4. Color: Lavender

5. Gifts/Presents: Lenox China

6. Vehicle: Land Rover

7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: Lava Lamp

8. Boy Name: Lawrence

9. Girl Name: Lola

10. Movie Title: Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels

11. Drink: Latte

12. Occupation: Librarian

13. Flower: Lily

14. Celebrity: Lindsey Lohan

15. Magazine: Life

16. U.S. City: Los Angeles, CA

17. Pro Sports Teams: L.A. Lakers

18. Fruit: Lemon

19. Reason for Being Late for Work: Laziness

20. Something You Throw Away: Leftovers

21. Things You Shout: Look!

22. Cartoon Character: Little Lulu

Your turn!

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Tuesday Tag


This is for Evil-E's contest. I don't see it as a potential winner, but I have shockingly few incidences of graffiti on my daily rounds. This was actually on the counter of a study carrel here and was done in washable marker. I didn't clean it up, because I kinda liked it, but I rubbed it a little with my licked finger and it was gonna come right off. Someone must be ready for summer.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Three Day Weekends Rule!

By the luck of the rotation this will be a three day weekend for me. Hope some of youse guys get a long weekend also. I have no special plans beyond possibly catching up on some sleep and maybe putting a little extra effort into my neglected housekeeping regime. In honor of fallen soldiers. Um, yeah.

Reading, Listening, Watching - A Link-y Post!

I haven't written about anything too interesting lately and this post will be no exception, so rest easy!
Just wanted to mention my latest time wasters. I read, right in a a row, Lolly Winston's books, Good Grief and Happiness Sold Separately. Really, really enjoyed them both. After that I was sort of stuck and had to come up with a new list. Right now I am trying What Do You Do All Day? by Amy Schiebe. I think I am getting tired of the "rich stay at home mom agonizing over her decision" genre. You know? I may ditch it and move on to my next one which is a non-fiction called Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife. I have actually wanted to read this for quite a while. It was on my list after I read Stiffs, but it wasn't in or something and I forgot about it. Now that I have it in my hands I am eager to get to it.
Lately, I have been mostly just listening whatever come on my favorite XM stations. I haven't gotten any CDs lately or downloaded any iTunes even. There again, I do have a list of things I want for when I get a little extra cash..which may be never. Anyway, I am loving Peter Bjorn and John.
Television viewing has hit a bit of a low. Most of my favorite show have just run their season finales. I guess this will free up my time in the evenings...or I will just begin watching things I didn't have time to watch before. Sad...but funny. Just like my affection for "American Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance". I am an adult... and educated woman, so to speak. Yet I find these programs genuinely fun to watch and talk about. I don't know how to explain or defend it. It is just one of those things I guess.

Viral Wiki Fun

I got this from The Comedienne's Sidekick, who got it from someone else, who in turn got it from someone else!

Go to Wikipedia, type in the month and day of your birth, and then list 3 events, 2 births and a holiday that fell on that day. Here are mine:

Holiday: Western World - St. Valentine's Day

Birth: 1913 - Jimmy Hoffa, American labor union leader (disappeared 1975)
Birth: 1946 - Gregory Hines, American dancer and actor (d. 2003)

Event: 1886 - First trainload of oranges left Los Angeles via the transcontinental railroad.
Event: 1929 - St. Valentine's Day Massacre: Seven gangster rivals of Al Capone are murdered in Chicago, Illinois.
Event: 1961 - Discovery of the chemical elements: Element 103, Lawrencium, is first synthesized at the University of California.

You may want to try this fun and easy exercise too! Wikipedia is nifty!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

You Kids and Your MySpace Rants

Oy vey. I am going to vent a bit again. Yesterday Princess Diva (21 years old, mom to one, with one on the way) and my daughter Girlie Girl (14 years old) got into an argument. It was a simple problem that got out of hand...one of those heat of the moment fights. Going against my own good policy, I just had to put in my words of wisdom. I asked Princess Diva to please be the grown up and give Girlie Girl a bit of a break. Oh, I should have stayed out of it. No sooner were the words out of my mouth than Princess Diva was all over me telling me that now she knows how I really feel about her and I don't need to pretend anymore and blah, blah, blah. I asked her if she was sure she wanted to make this little argument into some sort of ultimatum situation. No response to that, but later yesterday evening Girlie Girl saw that Princess Diva had deleted her as a MySpace friend (she deleted me too *sob*) and posted a little rant about people who pretend to care and then treat you like sh*t. I told Girlie Girl to just let it all go. Princess Diva is bound to try and make up when she realizes that without us she has no babysitters...
For myself, I see what Princess Diva and I have in common. She posts her rants on MySpace, I do mine on Blogger, but its all pretty much the same impulse.
When will I ever learn to just STAY OUT OF IT?!?!?

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Just Let Me Get Through This Day!

Oh my, it has definitely been one of those days. I attended a seminar this morning on the latest in Ready Reference websites. I could have spent those three hours sleeping and simply gotten an email or something reminding me to check out MCLS's super webliography. I would have read that email, went and looked at, and saved myself a drive and those lost hours...

Still, once I got to my regular job the phone calls started. The kids bickering, including some of the ones who are supposed to be adults! I dislike arbitrating their fights to begin with, but when they call me at work and try to drag me in...ugh! And not answering the phone doesn't work, because if they can't get me on my cell or my desk, they sometimes start calling the public desk phone hoping to catch me or to catch someone who will transfer their call to me. They can be ruthless. Ranting. It does help a little. But I'm sorry I've been kind of ranty lately. I'd rather be randy. *sigh*

Do you guys ever have outside problems intruding upon you at work? Or are you more able than I am to set boundaries? Either way, tell me how you handle it, because I suspect shutting the door and whisper screaming into the phone or sending terse phone texts isn't the way to go.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Steely Dan Fan


In the corner of the blogging world that I blunder through, there is a big celebration of Star Wars going on. I am totally cool with that, because as someone who doesn't know many of the best details about the plotlines and characters I am bound to find it educational and interesting.
Since I can't offer much in the way of Star Wars trivia or even opinionia, I decided to offer up some useless info about my own true love.
It is so uncool. It is so unhip. But damnit, I dig the Dan.

Here is some info lifted directly off of steelydan.com.

Steely Dan Timeline

1967-1968: Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, erstwhile students at Bard College, discover common interests in jazz, blues, popular music and contemporary literature, particularly so-called Black Humor. They begin collaborating on songs which they perform in various pickup bands.

1969: Fagen and Becker attempt to peddle their songs door to door in the famous Brill Building, home to many if not most of the schlock music publishers of the day. They are eventually signed to a publishing deal by a small company owned by 60's group Jay and the Americans, who are enjoying a brief revival of their popularity due to their hit remake of the Drifters' "This Magic Moment".

1970: Fagen and Becker join the Jay and the Americans' touring band

1971: On the recommendation of staff producer Gary Katz, the partners are signed as staff songwriters by Jay Lasker, president of ABC/Dunhill Records in Los Angeles. They move to Los Angeles where they are given a small office-with-piano in which to grind out the hits. A desk drawer in the office still contains the brown bag lunches of the previous song-writing team to use the office. The team interprets this touching detail as a symbol of the impermanence of success in the pop music scene. They proceed to write a series of classic but unrecordable cheesy pop songs, while secretly planning to assemble their own band and record their own album.

1972: After rehearsing after hours in the unfinished new wing of ABC Records office, the intrepid little band hits the studio and records their first album. The album, entitled "Can't Buy A Thrill", is released under the name "Steely Dan", which has been unceremoniously lifted from William Burroughs' novel, "Naked Lunch". The charter members are: Denny Dias (Guitar), Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (guitar), Jim Hodder (drums) and David Palmer (vocals).

1973: The band in various configurations tours the U.S. and Britain. Two more albums are released: "Countdown To Ecstasy"and "Pretzel Logic". Donald is now singing all the lead vocals and Walter has begun playing guitar leads. The final touring configuration includes Mike McDonald (vocals and piano), Jeff Porcaro (drums) and Royce Jones (percussion and vocals).

1975: Becker and Fagen disband the original group and begin to record entirely with various session players. The results include a series of acclaimed albums including: "Katy Lied", "The Royal Scam", "Aja", and "Gaucho".

1980: Becker and Fagen go their separate ways. Fagen records his first solo album, " The Nightfly", which is a huge critical and commercial success. Becker moves to Hawaii and becomes a gentleman avocado rancher and self styled critic of the contemporary scene.

The 1980s: Fagen pens tunes for artists including Diana Ross, Manhattan Transfer, Jennifer Warnes and Yellowjackets. He co-produces the soundtrack album for Bob Telson's musical "The Gospel At Colonus", and composes the score for the film, "Bright Lights, Big City". He also writes a column for Premiere Magazine. Becker produces albums for China Crisis, Rickie Lee Jones, and various jazz artists, including Bob Sheppard, John Beasley, Jeff Beale, Andy Laverne, Marty Krystall, The Lost Tribe, Dave Kikoski, and LeeAnn Ledgerwood.

1991-1992: Fagen and producer Libby Titus ("The Mistress of Rock'n'Soul") develop the New York Rock and Soul Revue, which culminates in the recording, "NYR&S Live at the Beacon Theatre". Sessions begin for Fagen's second solo album, "Kamakiriad", with Becker producing. Becker also joins the revue for their Summer '92 Tour.

1993: As "Kamakiriad" sales climb towards platinum and beyond, Fagen and Becker hit the road with The All New Steely Dan Orchestra '93. Becker begins work on his first solo CD, "11 Tracks of Whack" with Fagen producing. A Boxed set entitled "Citizen Steely Dan" is due out for Christmas.

1994: In May the group tours Japan. Becker's solo "11 Tracks of Whack" is released following the successful summer tour by the Citizen Steely Dan Orchestra '94.

1995: "Alive in America", an album of live performances from 93-94 is released. Fagen and Becker begin writing for a new album.

1996: The Official Steely Dan Website goes online in March. The Art Crimes Orchestra tours the U.S., Europe, and Japan.

1997-1999: Work on Steely Dan's first studio album in 20 years proceeds apace through 1999.

2000: "Two Against Nature" is released on Feb. 29 and debuts at #6 on Billboard's Top 200. Donald and Walter receive ASCAP's Founder's Award in May. Summer sees the Steely Dan 2K World Tour of Japan, North America, and Europe.

2001: In February, "Two Against Nature" wins four Grammy Awards, including Album Of The Year. Becker and Fagen are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March. In May, Becker and Fagen receive honorary Doctor of Music degrees from The Berklee College of Music. Recording for a new album begins in in the fall.


2003: "Everything Must Go" is released in June, and the EMG Tour of North America runs from July 23 to October 11.


2006: In support of solo projects, both Walter and Donald launch their own websites. Donald releases "Morph The Cat", his third solo CD in March, and Walter continues recording his second solo CD. The "Steelyard 'Sugartooth' McDan (and the Fab-Originees.com)" summer tour of the U.S. runs from July to September.

2007: The "Heavy Rollers Tour" dates are announced for the U.S., Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Optimism, By Force if Necessary

I could let the bad stuff run wild right about now.

-WTG is coming home to make like, um, challenging once again.
-Team C is such a one-dimensional friend.
-I have two graduations and two family birthdays to get through in June...so this brings further...
-Money issues.

What the hell though. Why not look at the bright side?

-I am determined to hold on the the peace of mind that an absent WTG has created and not let him fuck with my head anymore. Yay!
-Team C does at least provide me with one thing that I definitely need. Woo hoo!
-I have two graduations and two family birthdays in June. Don't dread milestones...they deserve every bit of joy that I can muster. Celebrate!
-Money issues are always going to be there, so learn to embrace creative ways of getting around them. Celebrating on a budget can still be awesome!

This Song Made Me Cry in the Car This Morning

"Bled White" - Elliott Smith

I'm a color reporter
(Rose city on the 409)
But the city's been bled white
(White city on the yellow line)
And the doctor orders drinks all night
(Drinking until he's trashed is just a waste of time)
To take away this curse
But it makes me feel much worse
Bled white
So I wait for the F-train
(White city on the yellow line)
And connect through a friend of mine
(White city to a friend of mine)
To a yesterdaydream
(Yesterdaydream was just a waste of time)
Because I'll have to be high to drag the sunset down
And paint this paling town
Bled white
So here he comes with the blank expression
Especially for me Because he knows I feel the same
Because happy and sad come in quick succession
I'm never going to become what you became
Don't you dare disturb me
(Don't complicate my peace of mind)
While I'm balancing my past
(Don't complicate my peace of mind)
Because you can't help or hurt me
(The anger, being mean was just a waste of time)
Like it already has
I may not seem quite right
But I'm not fucked, not quite
Bled white
Bled white

Saturday, May 19, 2007

One of Those Days and Happy 10th Handsome Lad

Yeah, worlds were colliding today, because Handsome Lad came to work with me today. I never really understand why he occasionally asks to come in. It feels hard to keep him entertained when I am trying to work. Well, it is a library, which is certainly more condusive to kid friendliness than most offices would be. He can read, play on the computers, get into the art supplies, even watch a video. Still, I just get him settled at something and get back to work and there he is standing at my side again. Maybe he just wants to spend time with me...there's a thought! It used to be that the most the two of us could manage at the library together was a couple of hours. Today he was here from 9 until 4, when my mom came and rescued him. Not bad.
Tomorrow is Handsome Lad's 10th birthday. My baby. We are going out to brunch courtesy of my dad and stepmom in the morning. Then his grandma is taking him to the hospital to see his dad. He mentioned visiting the park in the afternoon. I always let them pick dinner on their birthdays and Handsome Lad has chosen Golden Dragon Chinese. He wants a large number of people to be there, so I guess it will be a bit costly, but it seems worth it to me. I hope he has a wonderful day. I think he has it coming to him.

Eight Little Bits about l.b.

Thanks to Tara for the tag :-)

1. When I was a kid, I was always in the gifted programs. However, within those programs I perceived myself as rather mediocre.

2. My best friend, my sister, and I still played Barbies after most girls had given them up. It was our embarrassing secret. By that time we mostly enjoyed just arranging them in little scenarios.

3. Throughout my life I have been much more concerned with dressing for comfort than for looking fabulous.

4. I have never really enjoyed playing games...board games, cards, video games. Meh.

5. As I remember it, every time I have said "I am not going to get involved in this" and I did anyway (for whatever reason) I have ended up regretting it.

6. I only like the inside of pies. Most of the crust stays on my plate.

7. I love art and music so much, but I couldn't be much less talented in either area. It would be so cool to be a contributor as well as an appreciator.

8. You guys are lucky, because I am pretty sure that I am much better on paper (so to speak) than in person.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

It's Official

I am a horrible, terrible person.

Today, WTG's mom told me that he will be released from the hospital next Thursday at the latest. That will make it almost 8 weeks that he's been there. He will still need lots of care and he will need to move into one of the boys' bedrooms, because it has an attached bathroom. There will be a nursing aide around part-time and a physical therapist will come in two or three times a week to work with him. He probably won't be able to work for six months or so.

When I got all this news dropped on me at work, I just started crying. I mean, I knew he'd be out soon, but I guess I was hoping for a less dreary forecast for the future. The only reason we are both living in that house is because neither of us could afford it or much of anything else on our own. Now, I am being asked to keep on trying to hold it all together, and also be the one who is "there" for him as he recovers. I feel so overwhelmed that I want to scream and that makes me feel guilty. What kind of person have I become?

I do understand how awful this must be for him. He is the sick one. Yet that hasn't stopped him from criticizing everything that I have done trying to keep the ship afloat. It hasn't stopped him from refering to his dad and brother, who haven't offered to help us (meaning me and the kids) in any way as his team and taking every opportunity to make me feel like someone who would betray him at the slightest turn. And look at me. Maybe I am that person.

Geez, this is very depressing, but as the Queen of Denial I will no doubt be back in fine form soon. Thanks for letting me vent.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

War

I don't usually get political in my blog. I'm too shallow for that. But if anyone has any questions about the immoral war that we are currently up to our necks in you should read this blog: http://www.funwithhandgrenades.blogspot.com.

Toys 4 Us


Here is the little dysfunctional family that lives in a circus scene under my desk. They tend to get nudged a lot by my feet and knocked over, but that just gives me an excuse to rearrange them. Here they are pictured in a rare desktop appearance. From left to right they are: J.P. Patches, Nancy Pearl the Librarian, Pinocchio straight from Italy, Albert Einstein, Casanova, and Lois Griffin. They are my action figures for grown-ups!

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Something I Never Knew I Wanted to Know

You Are a Pinky

You are fiercely independent, and possibly downright weird.
A great communicator, you can get along with almost anyone.
You are kind and sympathetic. You support all your friends - and love them for who they are.

You get along well with: The Ring Finger

Stay away from: The Thumb

The Five Meme

I took this from dmarks over at Throwawayblog. I love me some memes when I am feeling otherwise uninspired :-)

The rules: Take the top person in the list off and move everyone else up one. Add your name to the bottom of the list.

1. Shelli's sentiments
2. Curiosity Killer
3. Wreckless
4. Throwawayblog
5. My Boring Life...Welcome to It

Select
5 new people to tag:

Hey, its up to you all. If you ever have one of those days and feel like you need
something then go for it!
---

1 year ago...I was right about where I am now. This has been a pretty static year in lots of ways.

10 years ago I was...Just about to give birth to my very last baby. Wow.

5 songs you know all the lyrics to
"The Long Run" by the Eagles
"Sometimes When We Touch" by Dan Hill
"Haitian Divorce" by Steely Dan
"Happy" by Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
"The Blues are Still Blue" by Belle and Sebastian.
Those are kind of random, right? Also, sort of humiliating.

5 things I would do if I were a millionare:
Buy a home of my own.
Make sure we all had reliable cars.
Travel.
Start a legitimate book collection.
Give to others.

5 bad habits:
Nail biting, as you know! Also...
Procrastination
Easily able to enter into denial
Comfort eating
Using reading as an escape.

5 things I will never wear again:
A bikini
Any of my old SRP tees
Any heel over about an inch
Pantyhose
The urban sombrero (unless it is urban sombrero day)

5 favorite toys:
Bobbleheads
My grown-up action figures
Crayons (those count as toys, right?)
The photocopier
My cell phone / computer (I can count those as one thing, correct?)

Ah, that was kind of fun! You should try it, really...really!

Monday, May 14, 2007

Maw Maw's Brag Book

I can't help but do one of those sort of cloying posts telling you how great I was treated on Mother's Day. First, I was able to sleep in until 8 or so, which I needed. Handsome Lad brought me a breakfast in bed of waffles, fruit, and orange juice. (Note: I did find out later, when I opened the microwave, that he had apparently attempted scrambled eggs...not a great idea in the micro unless you really know how to break up those yolks...) After breakfast, I tidied up the livingroom, while Girlie Girl kindly did the bathroom and the kitchen, and did a very good job of them too. About 1, some of the family came over for a Mother's Day lunch. We just did nice sandwiches, with a fruit salad, veggies and dip, and chips. It was just my mom, my sister and nephew, all the kids, including Kick Back Dude and his gang, plus my dad and step-mom. I invited my ex-MIL too, but she was in a funk and didn't want to come out. Secret Agent Man had cleaned up the backyard really good so that we could eat out there, plus he washed my very dusty car. Social Animal was sort of out of the loop, but I forgave him since he was recovering from Prom Night.
Anyway, I got flowers, a $50 American Express Card, a AMC theater card, a Starbucks card, and the promise that I will be getting new brakes put on my car ASAP. The best thing though, was the way the kids helped out to make the day nice.
In the evening I went to the movies with my sister, Girlie Girl, and Princess Diva. We wanted to go to the cheap theater so our choices were somewhat limited. We ended up going to see Next. It hasn't gotten very good reviews, but I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. I mean, it wasn't art or anything, but it was cool. I have this little thing, too, for Nicholas Cage. He isn't classically handsome or anything like that, but he has this certain intensity that I find appealing. Sure, he gets points off for naming his child Kal-el, but celebrities seem compelled to do that to their progeny.
Anyway, that was my very nice Mother's Day. Thank you for reading :-)

Friday, May 11, 2007

Happy Mudder's Day


Here are some flowers for you other big bad mamas out there. Aw, you can have some even if you're not a mother... go on, you deserve it!

The Edumacation Meme

A big thankew goes out to MiniJonB!

What was the name of the teacher that was most influential in your life from grades K through 6?

Mrs. Stratton. Amy. She was my teacher in both 4th and 5th grade. Back in those days they were going very experimental in the schools. In 4th grade I was in a 4th/5th/6th combination full of "gifted" students. In 5th grade, they dialled it down to a 5th/6th combo. And through it all Mrs. Stratton was there, making learning fun. She and her family became good friends of my family and my mom used to babysit her little boy, Cameron, while she taught school. My sister and I treated him like our little pet.

What subject did you favor in high school?

English has always been far and away my thing. Not the boring structural stuff, but the reading, writing, deconstructing. My Senior year English teacher was my most influential high school teacher. Thanks Mr. Henderson.

Did you attend a university and if so, did you attain a degree?

I went to Cal State Fullerton. Go Titans! And attained, of course, an exceedingly practical degree in English. Then, I set up a little shop called Ye Olde English Shoppe and sold my knowledge of literature on the free market. It has been incredibly profitable! Um, yeah.

Do you learn best through books, by watching, or hands-on?

All three are best. I do know that I used to take prodigious notes and I learned what I needed to know through the act of taking the notes. I never even really had to go over them. Once I wrote it, I had it.

Has education been an ongoing process for you? How do you feel about that?

I can honestly say I learn something new almost every day and I love it! I never want to stop learning or being appreciative of learning.
The result of the educative process is capacity for further education. - John Dewey

What six people are you tagging to do this?

Any six who haven't already done it, but were just waiting for the right moment. The time has come!

Thursday, May 10, 2007

I Didn't Even Realize...

See that post down there? The Very Brady post? That was my 600th post. We should have a party or something :-)

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

When I Was a Brady



Like lots of other kids who grew up in the 70’s (yes, yes, I am ooold), I loved the Brady Bunch. Peter was my favorite boy and Jan was my favorite girl. My sister and I used to pretend the Brady’s were our brothers and sisters. It wasn’t that we didn’t like our own family. I would say we had a relatively happy childhood. Still, we always felt that just the two of us were insufficient in some way. It wasn’t perfect, since we were both girls, throwing off that fabulous Brady gender symmetry. Nonetheless, we felt like we could fit in. We played elaborate games with our imaginary siblings, trying very hard to be true to how Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby, and Cindy would actually react in different situations. We were quite imaginative. The parents, our real ones or the Brady ones, didn’t figure in too much. We didn’t care about the grown-ups.
So, imaginary Brady siblings…insanity or pretty standard childhood game? You be the judge.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Ritual de lo Habitual

One of my favorite bloggers The Comedienne's Sidekick wrote today about her childhood habit of sucking her fingers. That made me think of my childhood and adult habit of chewing my fingernails. I know all the disgusting truths about my habit...I mean, hands are dirty things, right? Still, I don't think about it too much and I don't do it all psycho like some people whose poor little fingertips get all bloody. I would rate myself a very moderate chewer.

What the post mainly made me think about though was my son, Secret Agent Man. From the time he was a tiny baby his comfort habit was running his fingers over someone else's ear. I remember laying next to him and feeling his little fingers rubbing my ear as he drifted off to sleep. I was his favorite ear, of course. Still other ears would do in a pinch. I even remember him lying by our old dog, Nevada, and rubbing her ear! In the family, he was The Boy Who Played Ear-y.

As he got older, he gave up my ear...that would be embarrassing. Still sometimes when he slept with his brothers he would rub their ears...it was just his little thing and both Kick Back Dude and Social Animal were surprisingly tolerant.

Now that Secret Agent Man is fairly grown and one of those very private types I get some sort of comfort myself in thinking about his old comfort habit.

Monday, May 7, 2007

Are You Id, Ego, or Super Ego?

You Are the Ego

You take a balanced approach to your life.
You definitely aren't afraid to act out on your desires - even crazy ones.
But you usually think first. Morals drive you as much as hedonism does.
You've been able to live a life of pleasure... without living a life of excess.


Look at me, all balanced and all. haha!

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Where, Oh, Where Has Young Ryan Gone?

Some of you may be familiar with a fellow blogger called Ryan. His blog is (was?) called Smile Like You Mean It. I didn't post that as a link, because the link seems to be no longer active. Not to pry or anything, but I was just wondering what had become of him and his funny blog.
Are you out there Ryan...and you don't stop?

Es Cinco de Mayo!


It is that time of year again. Okay, it is probably more celebrated around here than in some other parts of the world. But have yourself a cerveza anyway and see if you can't find something to hit with a big stick. Don't forget your blindfold!

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Warning - No Original Content Here, Folks!

I just wanted to commend a few cool bloggers who are celebrating today for one reason or another.
Happy Birthday BabyBull...and many, many more.
Felicitous 200th post and 1,000th comment to the evil Evil-E.
And to one of my newer blogging friends, congratulations on your 100th post, dmarks. May you keep on bloggin'.

Watch for my 600th post, coming within the next week or so if I stay on the ball.

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

YouTube MeBlog

Here is one that never seems to get old for me. We've all seen it, but surely we can all enjoy it again, can't we? Yeah, we can...

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Arcade Fire's "Intervention" Lyrics (just because I like them)

The king's taken back the throne
The useless seed is sown
When they say they're cutting off the phone
I tell 'em you're not home

No place to hide
You were fighting as a soldier on their side
You're still a soldier in your mind
Though nothing's on the line

You say it's money that we need
As if we're only mouths to feed
I know no matter what you say
There are some debts you'll never pay

Working for the Church while your family dies
You take what they give you and you keep it inside
Ever spark of friendship and love will die without a home
Hear the solider groan, "We'll go at it alone"

I can taste the fear
Lift me up and take me out of here
Don't wanna fight, don't wanna die
Just wanna hear you cry

Who's gonna throw the very first stone?
Oh! Who's gonna reset the bone?
Walking with your head in a sling
Wanna hear the solider sing:
"Been working for the Church while my family dies
Your little baby sister's gonna lose her mind
Every spark of friendship and love will die without a home"
Hear the soldier groan "We'll go at it alone.

I can taste your fear
It's gonna lift you up and take you out of here
And the bone shall never heal
I care not if you kneel

We can't find you now
But they're gonna get the money back somehow
And when you finally disappear
We'll just say you were never here

Working for the church while your life falls apart
Singing halleluiah with the fear in your heart
Every spark of friendship and love will die without a home
Hear the solider groan, "We'll go at it alone"
Hear the solider groan, "We'll go at it alone"

Caught Up Update

Right now I am sitting at my desk drinking 7-11 coffee and, you know, wasting a bit of time. I have been very productive since I've gotten back to work and finally feel basically caught up. At this time of year we are in overdrive preparing for our big Summer Reading Program. All the elements seem to be in place, so the next month will be a bit of a breather.

It occurred to me that I have been reading A LOT. I had all that time when I was sitting around the hospital. Nothing too, too fabulous. Most of it I don't even recall, but it certainly served to pass the time. I did read a cute book over the weekend called Almost Perfect. Chick lit, yeah, but not as silly as some. Right now I am reading The Year of Endless Sorrows. This one, I am loving. l.b gives it two snaps and a twist.

For your listening pleasure, may I recommend Arcade Fire's Neon Bible. Milly took pity on me and finally burned me a copy, as I was dragging @$$ getting my own. If you aren't familiar with Arcade Fire, introduce yourself. Both their lyrics and their musical arrangements are fun and thought provoking. l.b. gives it two twists and a snap. Mm-mm-mm.