Yet another {study} I cannot like...

My relationship with watching T.V. is going down the tube.
This afternoon we were released from school early b/c of the potential wind.
The show "Don't be Tardy" is on.
EEk!
I really do not recommend spending time with these people.
From what I can tell, the point of the show is to film stupid people, who
really relish in stupidity.
Oh, and it's fine to play dumb (I hope) or to be really dumb (hope not)
b/c dad is an NFL player???
Deplorable.
Will not watch again.
I just turned it, actually.
Two commercial breaks were all I could last for that one.
Sufficient.
Don't be tardy sucks.

Check it out!!!

I am on Youtube--
My children were my production team this morning.
We went out to the side yard, to the saucer magnolia: AKA the Tulip Tree. :)
They recorded me with the I-Pad, and they held my letter signs for me.

The also critiqued my abilities.
"Oh mama!--you picked your nose after that one!" --So it doesn't matter that
we also recorded your feet at the end...--got erased.
"Oh mama! no worries that I got confused with the pop up from you tube b/c you yawned on that one any way."
{whew}...

So I am up there--providing pronunciation guides for the Spanish and English vowel sounds.
--along with a bazillion other people! :)--Hey language nerd friends, how are ya?
I am going to watch some of their videos too.

My class starts tomorrow night.
Wish on an eyelash for me, friends. :)
This is a bit out of my comfort zone, but here goes...that dive
into the cold {deep end} of the {high dive} of the pool.
Maybe, actually, it is not that far outside of my comfort zone...
maybe the water is just cold. :)

Hands, Icons, and swimsuits

Lately, as in the past five years or so, I have noticed a preponderance of things that are being done, "by hand."
The reason I know is b/c they are advertised as such.
The OTHER reason I know is b/c --how the hell else would you do it?
One example is the ice cream shop--if the ice cream is not soft serve--then
it is scooped by hand, no?
There is no need to advertise, "hand scooped"
--I mean unless there were a possibility to invest in some kind of robot scooper??--
Which, to my knowledge, there is not.
There are many others...this is the one that drives me nuts!
Can you think of others, have you noticed this?

On to Icons--which exist all around us!  Icons are everywhere--have you noticed?
Every celebrity and everything they wear--is an Icon or Iconic.
The overuse of this word makes me want to vomit, almost as much as most
of the celebrities that are referred to as such.
ick!
Please stop overusing that word--e! channel and everyone on it...
AND all the {news} people on the gossip shows...
And even the {real} news people over do this one.

And on to swimsuits.
I am noticing all of these photos that are meant to sell swimsuits, and the suit does
not fit the model.
As in, my breasts are a nice silicone size E cup, and the top of this suit is a size 4.
--ick again!--
Get a 32E--Good luck finding one sister!
and another suit was a tankini and the line that was supposed to go
under the breast was going right through the middle!
???  Did professional photographers and editors take and approve those shots??
If you want to see what I am talking about check out Rue La La.
It is like an online TJM@xx for rich people.
The swim fotos on there are ridiculous! LOL
I tried to grab a picture--but the site would not let me, or something.

(Notice I did put a comma before "and" up there in the title--leaving that comma out is a new trend that drives me bonkers too....it is supposed to be there!!

Wishing for:

On a lighter note than my most recent posts--just in case you took that second one seriously...
Here are two things that I am wanting these days:
One of them is the Clarisonic Mia-2 (or heck, one for that matter!) I just think this is so appealing...an exfoliation machine for your face. ;).
This has been offered at discounts several times and I have {almost} bought one! They are often offered in sets with very appealing face products as part of the package...
I have resisted! {yes! Go me!}
The next thing is a Holly Aiken purse.
These are in a store here in our downtown.
They are so cute to me.
This person is a handbag designer in Raleigh.
Her bags are --well--I am at a lack for words--imagine that! LOL.
They are clean style--in good sizes--and pretty.
How's that?

So, one day I might have one of these, but if not, I think I will make it. LOL.
My reverse a purse is rocking out on six years and it is still looking okay for a summer bag.
My face looks {better} since the dermatologist gave me good meds...so no worries about having an exfoliation machine. LOL.

{breaking}

The new show, "Breaking Am1sh" is on that learning channel.
I have watched a couple 1/2 times...and I cannot bear to watch.
This might drive home a point to me...Not all anthropological studies are meant to
be enjoyed by me, specifically.
This show surely appeals to some people.
I am not one of them.
Here is why:
This show {to me} exploits these people and their follies during one of the most tender times in any person's life--from 15 to 25.
This period is called, "The green period" by some.
It is a time of experimentation--trying the boundaries--making an a$$ out of oneself.
You, my dear readers, can fill in more blanks on that one, I am sure.
It is a time when everyone in a family just prays and prays that (sweetie) will come out of the other side alright...

Now, my whole life I have had this very pure and sweet picture of the Amish--I realize
this might be completely untrue--but it is what the Strawberry shortcake part of my brain has chosen to believe.
They seem simple--in that old quaker song kind of way.
They seem pure and calm, and dignified.

Taking teenagers/young adults during their green period and filming them--when they come from the amish culture--eek!--What a train wreck.
My skin crawls watching these young ones cussing and {all the rest that they do}.
--and if you know me, or read my blog, you know that a curse occasionally passes my lips--
Watching these guys use potty mouth, however, is disturbing on another level.

In a moment of bloggy fusion the other night Bethany already heard this post--live! from Whootentown road.

For everyone else who was not there, I said to her, "breaking redneck" "breaking ghetto" "Breaking guido" --breaking whatever else that one could think of that is some sub set of our population is almost acceptable.
I can take it, thus my love of "The Real World" for 20 years. LOL.
BUT--watching these Amish kids go from pitchforking hay and handpumping water for their autos (AKA horses)--to dropping f-bombs every other word...
It's like if you pour hot grease into a cold jar--it just bursts into chards all of a sudden--
and it surprises you, and disturbs you..

Well, in short, I do not recommend it.

Strangled part two

There are ways that the government can not spend so much money.

Treating the public schools like a festering sore--or a boil on the butt of humanity (quoting movies!) is a mistake.
Treating educated, dedicated people as if we are suckers, and dependents is wrong, and it is offensive.

I sure hope we all, as a collective, wisen up when we vote next time!
What a shame.

BTW--I sure would love to see the looks on the private schools peoples' faces when the poor kids show up with their {government vouchers} LOL! What a joke!

How was that for a soap box post? ;)

Strangled

In the news lately all I hear are reports about public school funding being cut.
Little tid- bits are being reported about legislation that {sneaks} in portions which will lead to things like:
less money for public schools
handing vouchers out to {free lunch} kids so that they can attend private schools of their
choice
creating another DPI that will just govern the charter schools...
Really?  Really?
I get a bit distraught, and I worry a lot.
It is worrisome that public schools are being treated like and viewed as just any other
{entitlement} program.
It is worrisome that after decades and decades of building up public infrastructure and personnel and educating a whole set of the populace to be professional educators--that we are viewed as, and treated as public leaches--or somehow inferior employees.
It scares the hell outta me that the public school system is being strangled by the people we have elected to govern us.

Why would our fore fathers and ancestors invest so much time and money into building buildings for our children to be educated?
Why, over time, has the public mind set and values set shifted so that we have rules and laws about children attending school?
Why would Universities all over the world have entire departments that are devoted to educating future teachers and administrators?
The answer, in my mind, is that public education is a public pursuit.
It is best for everyone to have a population that is, for the most part, educated.
Even when my dad was a little boy many farm people did not send their children to school...and guess what...
No one cared.  No one went looking for the kids who did not show up.
Over time these things have changed.
It took decades.
It took so much money.

So now, we have decided that any ole somebody can start up a school in an old k-mart, not provide transportation, not provide lunch--and operate under whatever charter they think up
This is what happens.
This is called Charter School
Are they all bad?  Who knows?  Are any of them, good--why sure..
But do I think my tax money should go to fund schools that do not have to play by the same set of rules.
NO!
You want a private school.
You want to charter a new idea-pay for it with your own money.
I think that is absolutely super!
Special needs kids are often not welcome at charter schools.  Meanwhile the federal law requires public schools to meet all of the educational needs of the special needs population.
What?  Does that make sense to you?
How would you feel as the parent of the special needs kid?
hmmm......

If our new set of government folks are upset over spending here are some ideas:
Require drug testing of all adults who live in households where any member gets a gov't check of any kind.
Only fund with gov't money one child per mother and one per father.  ONE.
You have more, you worry about how they get taken care of.
Money buys people choices, and if you don't have money to pay for children then you should stop having them.
We as a society have taken this kind of decision making out of the game....
Children are abused and neglected under our system.  I see it every day.
ThGrown ups talk about selling food stamps for cash...wtf people?
I hear children talk about "tealing food" from their parents...