Last night, a massive telethon called "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief" aired on multiple networks all over the US. I wish I could have tuned in, but I couldn't find it in myself to do so.
Don't get me wrong, I am happy beyond measure that the biggest names in entertainment stood up and gave of their time to help raise much-needed funds to support a group of worthy charitable organizations. It warms my heart to know that people continue to keep their hearts open to the tragedy in Haiti and gave generously to help in some way.
But I just couldn't turn on that TV.
Maybe it's because I've spent most of the last two weeks absolutely wrecked by what happened in a place I love so much. Seriously - I have even begun to wonder if it's time for me to call in a counselor because I have found myself, on several occasions, sobbing uncontrollably and totally overwhelmed by the grim reality of the situation.
Or maybe it's because I am sick, SICK to my stomach that THIS is what it took for the world to wake up and see the poverty and desperation that already existed in Haiti, long before the earth shook. I am in total agreement with Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who have frequently commented on the "stupid" and "unnecessary" death and suffering that's taking place in Haiti as a result of the lack of basic infrastructure and social services before the earthquake.
Of all the shiny famous people who stood up for Haiti last night, there are only a couple who ever publicly expressed an ounce of concern about her before January 12, 2010. So, for as much as I genuinely applaud their efforts in last night's telethon, I wish they had cared a little more, a little sooner.
Maybe, if more folks had cared sooner, fewer children would be orphaned today and fewer parents would be wondering what happened to their babies.
If you feel so moved, please feel free to donate to the cause: HopeForHaitiNow.org
I am in no way trying to take away from last night's effort. I just couldn't watch it. I hope it was a good show...
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Levity (Or, Is There a Silent Epidemic of Premature Hair Loss in 2010?)
So I spent the better part of this week alternately being devastated by the events in Port-au-Prince and the rest of southern Haiti and being pissed off at ignorant fools who manage to get behind a microphone and in front of a television camera.
By Saturday afternoon I realized I needed to refocus my energy back on my family and give my daughters some girl time, so we spent a few hours at the mall, spending their "Grandma and Grumpy money". It was just what I needed.
It was also an interesting people-watching expedition. Specifically, an interesting teen-watching opportunity. I realize that old people strolling the mall and grousing about the idiotic get-ups in which the younger generation parade themselves is a long-standing American pastime. I'm no trailblazer in this department. But I do wonder if I am the first to notice what appears to be a crisis of epidemic proportions in today's shopping centers, movie theaters, and other popular teen haunts.
You see... the dreaded COMB OVER is no longer confined to stringy-haired balding men in deep denial. It is now the standard issue teen 'do.
What the hell?!?!
Don't believe me? Check this out:
First...the CLASSIC COMB-OVER
And now...COMB-OVER 2.0 (AKA - "I'm 15 and trying to hide premature hair loss")
Maybe it's just me, but I think I see a pattern here... Or do they actually think it looks awesome?
Okay, now nobody better bust out those circa 1985 photos of me with my purple, crimped 'do.
Because that actually DID look awesome.
In my mind.
In 1985.
By Saturday afternoon I realized I needed to refocus my energy back on my family and give my daughters some girl time, so we spent a few hours at the mall, spending their "Grandma and Grumpy money". It was just what I needed.
It was also an interesting people-watching expedition. Specifically, an interesting teen-watching opportunity. I realize that old people strolling the mall and grousing about the idiotic get-ups in which the younger generation parade themselves is a long-standing American pastime. I'm no trailblazer in this department. But I do wonder if I am the first to notice what appears to be a crisis of epidemic proportions in today's shopping centers, movie theaters, and other popular teen haunts.
You see... the dreaded COMB OVER is no longer confined to stringy-haired balding men in deep denial. It is now the standard issue teen 'do.
What the hell?!?!
Don't believe me? Check this out:
First...the CLASSIC COMB-OVER
And now...COMB-OVER 2.0 (AKA - "I'm 15 and trying to hide premature hair loss")
Maybe it's just me, but I think I see a pattern here... Or do they actually think it looks awesome?
Okay, now nobody better bust out those circa 1985 photos of me with my purple, crimped 'do.
Because that actually DID look awesome.
In my mind.
In 1985.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Hypocrites, Take a Flying Leap (EXPLICIT)
For those of you who think that Pat Robertson or any of the other "Christian" idiots who spew venom about Haitian deals with the devil or other ignorant crap have a single fucking clue what they are talking about, consider the video below. Then consider the fact that the VAST majority of Haitians are IN FACT CHRISTIANS.
Also consider the fact that the whole supposed "Ceremony at Bois Caiman" in 1791 (the eve of the Haitian Revolution), in which an alleged pact with satan was made in order to gain independence from the French is disputed to have even taken place.
http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/history/revolution/caiman.htm
Consider that the idea of a bunch of African slaves throwing off their shackles and kicking Napoleon's ass scared the shit out of the slaveholding nations of the United States, France, and other European powers in the early 19th Century, and consider the blatant, brutal racism that existed at that time throughout the western world. Consider there just might have been a reason for this pack of lies to have been perpetuated by "Christian" plantation owners and slaveholders in the U.S. at that point in history, and later passed on to their children and grandchildren.
Consider that one of many reasons for the Dominican Republic's relative "success" compared to Haiti is the FACT that the U.S., France, and most of the rest of Europe effectively isolated Haiti for the first century of her independence through economic embargoes and a refusal to recognize Haiti's independence.
Consider educating yourself a little bit about the history and culture of Haiti before you swallow - hook, line and sinker - the absolute CRAP that too many "Christians" are spouting as truth.
Consider the FACT that Christianity teaches us about God's forgiveness and mercy, so that even if the ancestors of today's Haitians had attempted to win their right to liberty via a deal with the dark one, their descendants have - by and large - found Christ and accepted Him as their Savior.
And then, if you still think there's even a grain of truth in the words of Pat Robertson and his fellow dip shits, consider fucking off.
Also consider the fact that the whole supposed "Ceremony at Bois Caiman" in 1791 (the eve of the Haitian Revolution), in which an alleged pact with satan was made in order to gain independence from the French is disputed to have even taken place.
http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/history/revolution/caiman.htm
Consider that the idea of a bunch of African slaves throwing off their shackles and kicking Napoleon's ass scared the shit out of the slaveholding nations of the United States, France, and other European powers in the early 19th Century, and consider the blatant, brutal racism that existed at that time throughout the western world. Consider there just might have been a reason for this pack of lies to have been perpetuated by "Christian" plantation owners and slaveholders in the U.S. at that point in history, and later passed on to their children and grandchildren.
Consider that one of many reasons for the Dominican Republic's relative "success" compared to Haiti is the FACT that the U.S., France, and most of the rest of Europe effectively isolated Haiti for the first century of her independence through economic embargoes and a refusal to recognize Haiti's independence.
Consider educating yourself a little bit about the history and culture of Haiti before you swallow - hook, line and sinker - the absolute CRAP that too many "Christians" are spouting as truth.
Consider the FACT that Christianity teaches us about God's forgiveness and mercy, so that even if the ancestors of today's Haitians had attempted to win their right to liberty via a deal with the dark one, their descendants have - by and large - found Christ and accepted Him as their Savior.
And then, if you still think there's even a grain of truth in the words of Pat Robertson and his fellow dip shits, consider fucking off.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
No! No! No!
God is reserving a very special place in Hell for this man, I'm certain.
I could turn this into an extremely livid rant about Pat Robertson and his kind, but I'll try to hold my tongue to the best of my ability.
At least for now.
At the moment I'm too busy trying to be productive at work while keeping an ear to the ground for word on friends and colleagues in Haiti to give myself permission to go off on an expletive-filled rant about this man's ignorance and cruelty.
At least for now...
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Gimme a Break!
I'm about to go off here. Be warned.
Seems some folks are getting all twisted into knots about the latest Disney animated feature film, The Princess and the Frog. Apparently, there's some real concern about the movie's inclusion of elements of New Orleans voodoo in the plot. Twitter tweets and blog posts by worried parents are burning up the web because people are scared that Disney may expose their babies to satanic influences with this film.
Oh brother!
Okay, I'm going to step back for a moment and say this: If you, as a parent, are truly concerned about the messages to which your children are exposed, kudos to you for being vigilant. I commend your efforts to filter the experiences of childhood in an informed and responsible way. More parents need to be on the ball about this stuff, as far as I'm concerned. I'd love to see more parents paying attention to what their kids read, watch, listen to, and put in their mouths.
But hear me out...
Do not tell me there is no racism involved when parents decide *this* is the movie they need to watch out for. I'm talking about parents who have more or less accepted Disney films as wholesome fodder for their precious young'uns until now.
A little history for your consideration:
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - White witch queen banishes, then later casts spell on beautiful stepdaughter out of jealousy. Step daughter goes and lives with seven dudes in a remote locale. Mighty shady. And wouldn't the plural of dwarf be dwarves?
- Pinocchio - Italian wooden puppet boy comes to life via magic. Hmmm...methinks a little Stregheria might be involved here. Just sayin'.
- Fantasia - All kinds of wizardry and witchcraft going on in this flick. I won't comment on the obvious consumption of mass quantities of hallucinogenics that took place at the animation studios.
- Sleeping Beauty - More jealous white witch action.
- Bedknobs and Broomsticks - Not a DIY home show.
- Mary Poppins - Now tell me she's not a witch. Homegirl can fly fergoshsakes!
- The Sword in the Stone - Anglo-Saxon witchcraft at its finest. Merlin is the man!
- The Black Cauldron - Ummm...yeah. No comment necessary. More white people dabbling in magical stuff.
- The Little Mermaid - Underwater white (okay, GREY) witch this time. Added bonus of a scantily clad female protagonist.
- Beauty and the Beast - More European magic/enchantment/witchcraft. Yawn.....
- Aladdin - Ahh, finally, some multicultural magic goin' on. Evil Middle Eastern dabblers in devilry. Come on folks, Robin Williams as a djinn! Oh, and another scantily clad leading babe.
- The Lion King - Guess it's okay if it's animals screwing around with soothsaying, conjuring, etc.
- Pocahontas - Here come the pagan native North Americans. Okay, no medicine men in this one, but there is a benevolent talking tree spirit... Main girl also uses the same fashion tape to keep from busting out of her duds as her buddies Ariel and Jasmine above.
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Uh oh. Catholicism and magic. Look out!
- Hercules - Polytheism, all wrapped up in a warm, fuzzy Disney flick!
- Mulan - Politically correct Asian ancestor reverence and talking, singing/dancing dead folks. And cross-dressing too!
- The Emperor's New Groove - Indigenous South American mojo. Oye!
Just wondering...
***And in case you couldn't figure it out already, I have shared all the above films with my daughters. And yes, there has occasionally been some discussion of the more occult elements involved. That's my job as a parent, right? Or should I just be plopping them in front of the DVD player and assuming it's the film studios' responsibility to make my parenting choices for me?
Friday, December 11, 2009
Totally Unstickified!
I am the worst blogger in the world, apparently. I have neglected my blog for the past few months because (gasp!) real life has required some serious attention. I won't feel guilty. I won't!
I have been devoting a lot of time and energy to my job, and a lot of thought and prayer to a big decision regarding my job.
In the midst of a major recession, when so many are worrying about the security of their jobs, where companies are downsizing and cutting hours, when even that "perceived-to-be-most-secure-of-professions" (teaching - my career for most of the last 12 years) is no longer safe from the axe, my employer is growing.
(Wow, was that a long sentence, or what?!?!)
I digress...
In a nutshell, my company is growing by leaps and bounds. Our territory has more than doubled since I came on board in July, 2008. It's exciting to be part of a team that is doing well in otherwise uncertain times. This growth has created new jobs, and I was presented with an opportunity to make a leap of faith.
As of January 1st, I will be transitioning from the training end of my company (with its modest, albeit guaranteed salary) to a sales position that is quite geographically desirable relative to where I live. The earning potential is unlimited. None of the sales team in my company - even those who had a "bad" year - made less than double what I currently make.
I am thrilled, terrified, and optimistic.
What I struggle with most is giving myself permission to take a calculated risk. For the vast majority of my time as a wife and mother, I have been the primary breadwinner in our family. For a long time, I have been the one who had to make sure things were taken care of. I was the one who could never take a chance, because - at the end of the day - it was all on me.
My husband is out of school and in a career he loves. He gets up every day and goes to work at a job that gives him a deep sense of accomplishment and pride. The fact of the matter though is this: He's in social work. He will never make a ton of money.
We're not greedy people. We don't need a mansion or a fleet of luxury vehicles. We don't even expect to take regular vacations or be able to shop in the high-end department stores. I am all about being frugal and watching our pennies, and nothing's going to change that. But we have three children. We have three college educations to finance, three weddings to help cover, three sets of braces, three of everything.
I know how rare it is for someone to find a job they truly love. My husband has found that. I can't ask him to turn his back on a job that makes him so happy just to pursue bigger bucks. So, I guess it's on all on me.
And I'm okay with that!
I have been devoting a lot of time and energy to my job, and a lot of thought and prayer to a big decision regarding my job.
In the midst of a major recession, when so many are worrying about the security of their jobs, where companies are downsizing and cutting hours, when even that "perceived-to-be-most-secure-of-professions" (teaching - my career for most of the last 12 years) is no longer safe from the axe, my employer is growing.
(Wow, was that a long sentence, or what?!?!)
I digress...
In a nutshell, my company is growing by leaps and bounds. Our territory has more than doubled since I came on board in July, 2008. It's exciting to be part of a team that is doing well in otherwise uncertain times. This growth has created new jobs, and I was presented with an opportunity to make a leap of faith.
As of January 1st, I will be transitioning from the training end of my company (with its modest, albeit guaranteed salary) to a sales position that is quite geographically desirable relative to where I live. The earning potential is unlimited. None of the sales team in my company - even those who had a "bad" year - made less than double what I currently make.
I am thrilled, terrified, and optimistic.
What I struggle with most is giving myself permission to take a calculated risk. For the vast majority of my time as a wife and mother, I have been the primary breadwinner in our family. For a long time, I have been the one who had to make sure things were taken care of. I was the one who could never take a chance, because - at the end of the day - it was all on me.
My husband is out of school and in a career he loves. He gets up every day and goes to work at a job that gives him a deep sense of accomplishment and pride. The fact of the matter though is this: He's in social work. He will never make a ton of money.
We're not greedy people. We don't need a mansion or a fleet of luxury vehicles. We don't even expect to take regular vacations or be able to shop in the high-end department stores. I am all about being frugal and watching our pennies, and nothing's going to change that. But we have three children. We have three college educations to finance, three weddings to help cover, three sets of braces, three of everything.
I know how rare it is for someone to find a job they truly love. My husband has found that. I can't ask him to turn his back on a job that makes him so happy just to pursue bigger bucks. So, I guess it's on all on me.
And I'm okay with that!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Super Snapshot Saturday #1
Life has been in the way lately, and frankly my blog has had to take a back seat. I find myself incredibly overwhelmed by inertia...once I lose momentum it's very difficult for me to get moving again. So it goes with my blog. I'm still sitting on a half-finished post about my son's birth. It'll get done - someday.
In the mean time, Angel over at Emily Makes Three came up with a fun idea, and one that's perfect for helping me find my momentum again when it comes to blogging. The idea?
Super Snapshot Saturdays!
This week's theme - Black and White
So, after much deliberation, I submit some of my current favorite B&W shots.
I love this shot of my husband and my eldest child. This photo is four or five years old, but my husband still demonstrates the same attentiveness and love for our children that he does in this shot.
Along the river in Chilliwack, BC - July 2005
My middle child, finding pretty rocks. We spent 3 beautiful weeks on the road, driving from Southern California, through Oregon and Washington, into British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies, and finally into Alberta before turning around and heading home down the Pacific coast. We need another vacation like this!
My son, one of the most cheerful babies I know. He's two now, but this side of his personality is still very much intact. There are days (like today) where the stress of having a toddler at 40 weighs heavily on me and I wonder what the heck I'm doing, but his joy and energy are a welcome addition to our home. I love this kid!
In the mean time, Angel over at Emily Makes Three came up with a fun idea, and one that's perfect for helping me find my momentum again when it comes to blogging. The idea?
Super Snapshot Saturdays!
This week's theme - Black and White
So, after much deliberation, I submit some of my current favorite B&W shots.
I love this shot of my husband and my eldest child. This photo is four or five years old, but my husband still demonstrates the same attentiveness and love for our children that he does in this shot.
Along the river in Chilliwack, BC - July 2005
My middle child, finding pretty rocks. We spent 3 beautiful weeks on the road, driving from Southern California, through Oregon and Washington, into British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies, and finally into Alberta before turning around and heading home down the Pacific coast. We need another vacation like this!
My son, one of the most cheerful babies I know. He's two now, but this side of his personality is still very much intact. There are days (like today) where the stress of having a toddler at 40 weighs heavily on me and I wonder what the heck I'm doing, but his joy and energy are a welcome addition to our home. I love this kid!
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