Trouble in Thailand

Rachel pointed me towards a story this morning that I would normally be interested in, but not massively.

But this one is different! You see, my aunt and uncle along with my grandmother are currently in the middle of their first trip to Thailand. They have been visiting my great-aunt, and are now enjoying the sunshine in Phuket. They are supposed to be coming home in the next few days. I'm not really sure how that's going to work at the moment. This is one of those things that you feel like you need to do SOMETHING, but I can't think of anything I can do. Besides pray. So far the protestors are not being violent. Lets all hope that things stay that way, and that my family can get safely out of the country and back home.

That's silly...or is it?

I couldn't resist. It's too funny.

Actually I finished this one first...

The Ugly American by William J. Lederer

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a must read for anyone who cares about the state of our world. This book should absolutely be required reading for anyone who wants to pursue a career in politics. It is written fictionally, but each of the events portrayed actually happened. It is horrific how ethnocentric citizens of the United States are and how horribly that has affected our foreign policy all over the world.


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Just finished a book...

Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was an amazing look at the battle of Thermopylae. I'm going through the Marine Corps reading list with my husband, and I couldn't agree with them more for this pick. The principles and ideas the Spartans held to are the ideal of the warrior. I even cried.


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Kids are dumb. Right?

Apparently you can be hostile to a child, you can say things that make it obvious you think they are stupid, but it's ok, you are really letting them make their own choice. Because they are really that dumb. Right?



I don't know about other kids, but mine are very smart. I have to work sometimes NOT to influence them. Obviously, as a mother, it is my job to teach them things, and to influence their minds to a certain extent. I want them to learn what is moral, what is right and what is wrong. But I also want them to learn to think on their own. I do my best to explain why something isn't a good idea, or why it is, although I admit I'm sure I've made them feel stupid in the past. But I really don't want that.

Apparently this teacher doesn't feel the same way. What, a child that age isn't going to understand that they are saying something "bad" if an adult repeats it and adds "Oh Lord!! Oh Jesus!!" Because kids are stupid, right? Or we just want to make them feel that way? I don't know how this little girls parents reacted to this, but I would have been furious. No teacher should DARE to humiliate my child in a classroom setting like that. If they are misbehaving, sure, they should get in trouble. But does a personal choice like this rank as misbehavior? I guess so. That tone of voice sure is doing it's best to let Kathy know that her decision is "bad".

Our kids need to learn about the voting process. But obviously they don't have the right to a private opinion until they reach their majority. And the schools don't really want to let us know about it...I never heard a word about voting in my sons school till the day he came home with an "I voted" sticker. Why is that? Why, when they send home seven million pieces of paper every day, do they fail to mention that they will be discussing an important election, and having my kiddo vote? Maybe this kind of behavior is why.

Lolcats and Politics

I've been doing some reading on www.change.gov. I'm attempting to be open-minded and graceful. I believe that it is my duty to stay involved in my government, but that doesn't mean following a strict party line, or simply having knee-jerk reactions. But there is phrasing that worries me. Things that taken alone seem great, but added to a bunch of other things I can't help but think: Where in the world is all that money coming from?!

I'll try to go into more thoughtful depth about this later, after all, no knee jerking here, so I want to be able to lay out my arguments and thoughts in a precise reasonable manner. Not to convince anyone, but simply because I feel it's important for me, that I have thoroughly researched something. I want to be certain of my position. For now, I'll leave you with a cute kitty picture that sums up my feelings about...pretty much all politicians right now! (thanks Renee for getting me started on that silly website tonight!)

Since I left out the little one...

Grinning Baby, originally uploaded by baresilver.

I realized I didn't really put a picture in of the little one. So, We have another blog entry all for him. The picture is out of focus...he just moves too fast sometimes! But I love his little "I'm cute and I know it" grin.

Photography, and my recent activites

So, I've been toting around a growing pile of film for the last few weeks. I loath running in and out of the grocery store multiple times with a bunch of kids in tow. So the film has been taking over a counter, and then my purse. It's so much more painful financially when I do this. Not that it cost less when I do it all at once, but I don't notice it as much!

I finally got all my shots uploaded to flickr, but I figured I'd post some of my favorites here...and some that are more significant. That way we can have a little run down on what I've been doing for the past month or so! Ready?

The Mr. and I took the boys to experience our new town. Lucky us, they had a little festival on main street which we got to explore. Lots of nifty little antique shops, typical fair food, and a petting zoo. We all had lots of fun!

On the eldest's birthday, we all went to a local football game. Apparently, the Belton Pirate's were division champs last year...not so much this year. We still had lots of fun though!

And just because he's so hot...

The next week, we had a joint birthday party for me, the Mr., the oldest and the middle. Grandparents came, an aunt, uncle and cousins, all much to the joy of my boys.

With so many people in the house, I had the chance to run out to the grocery store...and, smart girl, I took my camera. Which gave me the opportunity to shoot something I'd wanted to catch for a while.

Halloween weekend was crazy: My birthday lunch,

trick-or-treating fun,

getting to see an old friend...we spent our whole growing up together, running in the woods, peeking through the neighbors fence, building fires and smoking fake cigarettes...and I haven't seen her since I was preggers with the eldest!

That evening, we had the Marine Corps Ball. Which was amazing, and tons of fun, and I'm ever so greatful to my parents for watching the short people. I really didn't get pictures, so as soon as we get the professional ones, I promise they'll be here.

That's really about it, for now. Besides the election. But I didn't take any pictures of that. So, I'll leave you with a couple that I like how they turned out, particularly well.

Uhm...Ok...

The United States is reviled by many because "we get into other peoples business." Much of the world thinks that we should mind our own country, and ignore problems in other countries.

And yet, we have this:
http://www.iftheworldcouldvote.com/

Essentially it reminds us that world opinion matters, that we should take into account how others would vote when we are voting. While our foreign policy is obviously a major consideration in this election, it seems to me that there is something of a double standard here. "The World" does not want The USA to be involved in running other peoples countries...and yet, wants to tell us how to run ours? Huh. Funny.

Abraham Lincoln, blank checks, information and other random quotes

On the radio: "I'm a native of Kansas City calling from Vermont of all places, and I wanted you to know that I'm voting for Abraham Lincoln because his corpse could do a better job than either of these two clowns!"

"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America', for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'" (Author unknown)

"The irony of the Information Age is that it has given new respectability to uninformed opinion."
~John Lawton

“What is not possible is not to choose.”
~Jean-Paul Sartre

“Within any important issue, there are always aspects no one wishes to discuss.”
~George Orwell

“In self-analysis the danger of incompleteness is particularly great. One is too soon satisfied with a part explanation.”
~Sigmund Freud

“Shall I tell you what knowledge is? It is to know both what one knows and what one does not know.”
~Confucius

A Proud Right-Wing Nut Job On Politics And Friends

I have very strong convictions, but I'm also open to differing thought processes and ideas. This whole election nastiness brings about an interesting consideration. We get emotional and frustrated, and I have heard folks rant and rail against those "crazy socialist left-wingers" or "the gun-toting right wing conspirators"...and yet, my sister and I discussed this morning, that individually, we all have friends, good friends, maybe even family who sit just as staunchly on the opposite side of the aisle from us.

So what do you do? Politics is something that you get 4 different opinions with 2 people in the room. And that's if they are on the same side! It seems like this is something that could destroy friendships, and yet how can you let it? My friends and family are the most important thing. And while I may think some of them are misguided, in the end the friendships are what last. I've had some very interesting discussions with friends regardless of who they are voting for. I think it's good that we all get the chance to voice our thoughts.

But even so, I'm very glad this is almost over. Tomorrow, we will be done. Assuming things don't get wacky like 2000.

And in the end, even if the absolute worst I can imagine does come to pass, what am I going to do to my friends who helped it happen? I can promise the most they'll get from me is a "Ha! I told you so!" as Steve and I run for the hills with our kids and our guns. ;)