Dad relaxing…..
Happy Father’s Day
Category Archives: Twists and Turns
Gay Adoption?
I have thought a lot about the children languishing in foster care or group homes because there are not enough families willing or able to adopt. It makes me so sad. There are many older children waiting for a family that may never come. Every child deserves to be part of a loving family, but many couples want a baby. Older children and children with special needs are not as “adoptable.”
There are various opinions, I know, about the “appropriateness” of allowing gay couples to adopt. There is the same question (sometimes) about single parents, interracial couples, etc. You get the idea. It seems there are as many opinions as people. Some may fear that gay couples will raise gay children. Let me ask you this: how many heterosexual couples have raised gay children? How many homosexual parents have raised straight kids? It goes both ways. Another concern I have heard is that homosexual couples might be child molesters. Gay does not equal pedophile. How many straight people are sexual predators?
I have a few gay friends. I know they would make awesome parents. I also know some heterosexuals who would not make awesome parents! Families are created in a multitude of ways, but it’s really love that serves as the glue that keeps families together. I know many people will disagree with me on this, and that’s fine. A loving home is preferable to a temporary, and often damaging, solution. Why allow children to linger in the system for years when a family—yes, even a gay couple—is willing to love and treasure some of those children? Open your mind, put aside religion and politics and ask yourself: what is in the best interests of the children?
Mystery Solved
Cat therapy?
So, Bela sometimes complains about neck and/or back pain. I think I’ve got it figured out! This is either the reason or maybe some feline therapy with possible acupuncture.
Facts=Truth?
Do people guilty of crimes walk among us? Does an accusation equal guilt? Can people be arrested and charged with a crime, but still be proven not guilty? Are innocent people in prison? Does the media influence the public’s point of view? We all know the answers to those questions.
The sad fact is that even an accusation of wrong doing can ruin a person’s life. Even if found not guilty, a person’s reputation may still never recover. A stain is forever on the person’s name in many cases.
I believe the system usually works. There are flaws, but it’s the only system for justice we have. One of the main issues is that too many cases are tried in the media circus, and people would rather believe the worst about others than face the truth. We like to be right. Nobody can be accurately judged from a sound bite on the news. That clip may be sensational and make for great television ratings, but it may not be an accurate picture of someone or how s/he lives.
We have become a very judgmental society. It’s easy to be led down the path when we believe everything we see in the news without questioning and without thinking for ourselves. People have become guilty until proven innocent; that’s not how justice works.
Best advice: jump down off the bandwagon, research the facts for yourself, and stop relying on the media and citizens with their own agendas to tell you what to think. Facts are sometimes quite different from truth. I’ll explain. It may be a verifiable fact that my car was parked all night in the parking lot of the local bar. Some busybodies may tell others that, based on that fact, I either spent the night at the bar or went home with someone after an evening of drinking. It sounds like a plausible explanation, doesn’t it? Easy to believe, huh? The truth, however, could have been that I simply parked my car there, had a friend pick me up to go out for dinner, and then on to the house. This could have been cleared up in a variety of ways: 1) minding your own business, 2) asking me or 3) checking the facts and searching for truth. With the right questions to the right people, the rumor of my drinking could have easily been proven false. Let’s stop getting so much exercise by jumping to conclusions. The truth will come out, even if it takes years. But for now, let’s stick to innocent until proven guilty.
Grad Class
This month is going to be tough! My grad class—the LAST ONE—has a reading schedule that is beyond brutal. The assignments are numerous, of course, so I will not be posting quite as often until I finish around June 30th.
Please check back when you can. You can always check out some of the posts you might have missed. Meanwhile, I will be frantically reading and writing to stay caught up in class. I don’t want to blow my A average, so you are welcome to say a prayer for me! 🙂 Graduation is so close….
Thanks for visiting my blog! I love checking the stats and seeing places lit up!
Educational Gaps
Oh, dear. When Johnny Cash was mentioned on TV this afternoon, Ysabela asked who he was. I was in shock. Obviously, there are some gaps in her musical education! I checked the guide channel, and lo, and behold, there was paid programming about old country music. She got to see a young Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette. We sat there for half an hour listening to the music, laughing at some of the costumes and singing along with songs I recognized. I was ready to switch channels, but Ysabela was having none of that! We sat through another half an hour of old rock and roll. She was thrilled to see Elvis and hear Ritchie Valens, Fats Domino and Little Richard. The next thirty minutes were filled with the golden oldies from the fifties…..I reminded her that some of those songs were used in Grease and Dirty Dancin’. The blank look on her face convinced me that we need to see those two movies. Soon.
I have abandoned my seat at the desk in front of the TV because I am not into folk music at all. John Denver turns my stomach, and Peter, Paul and Mary make me want to vomit. Ysabela has firm control of the remote. I have to find a way to take control of the television again! Enough is enough! Now to find those movies….
Bela guarding the remote!
Manipulation
Don’t you love the way television manipulates us? I mean, think about it. There’s Honey Boo Boo (God help us!), Jersey Shore and now Big Smo. I don’t know any of the characters personally, but I do know they wouldn’t have been a blip on my radar before I saw them on television. I think the producers search for the most ridiculous people possible to use in a show. After they have all the publicity (good or bad), the unsuspecting public is duped into watching to see what stupid things will happen next. In the process, the ratings go through the roof and the characters become stars. The people on these “reality” shows aren’t really as stupid as they are portrayed—I hope. These people surely laugh all the way to the bank. The joke’s on the television audience.
Once in a while, someone will be a real “find.” Maybe once in a blue moon, a talented person will get a real break and become famous. Look at the rest, though.
Junk to Treasure
Ysabela and I were channel surfing last night and stumbled upon Junk Gypsies. Apparently, business is good for those girls. Turning trash into treasure can be a rewarding experience for those with vision, talent and creativity. In my case, time and tools for crafting would play a pivotal role! These Junk Gypsy girls have a workshop that any redneck Santa would envy. Their parents are also on standby to help with projects. I really enjoyed watching old things become upcycled treasures. I guess our favorite project from the show was the pinball machine table top. The girls found a pinball machine top, covered it with plexiglass and added legs for a super sewing table!
Ysabela is now thinking of projects we can do. To defend myself, I started following Amie and Jolie on Pinterest. You never know what picture will spark a creative fire at our place. We have several ideas for projects, but we have to gather supplies and hoard some time to create. 🙂 She has already made a shelf and a set of clothes line poles in shop class. I can’t wait to hang my wash on the line!
We found a chandelier at a yard sale for $1. It can be upcycled into a terrarium. I also bought some shelves and tables for $1 each at another yard sale. Those can be refinished if we feel like it. This year, Bela and I will be on the look out for pallets. I plan to revisit my own 4H Pinterest board to remind myself what I wanted to get done! It’s shaping up to be a busy summer.
Waiting for the Storm
Nebraska has been experiencing some wild weather today. The weather channel had my attention for quite a while.
My friend called me before the storm hit our town. She was getting ready as we chatted. I didn’t do much in the way of preparation. I managed to fill the bathtub with a bit of water, but that was all. I couldn’t help watching the sky. I thought about going out storm chasing, but once the rain hit, I decided to stay in with my pets.
The first “wave” of thunderstorms has come and gone. We had thunder, lightning, hard rain, high winds and some hail. Tornadoes have hit in some places. There may be more severe storms tonight. I’ll be watching the skies….
Groceries
I learned long ago never to apologize for spending money for groceries, even if I had to spend some of the bill money to do it. After all, we have to eat, don’t we? Checking prices in the store today made me feel like someone should be apologizing to shoppers! A large pack of shredded cheese was $19! Did I buy it? That would be a HECK NO! Meat prices were also outrageous.
In spite of the crazy prices, I ended up getting some supplies—it looked like more household things than human food, though. I had coupons in my pocket, but I forgot to use them. I discovered it after I got to the car and loaded my groceries. I trudged back in on aching feet to find a manager. I wondered if it was worth it. (I had worked all morning.) With my $6.50 securely clutched in my hand, I decided it had been worth the effort. That money was spent at the discount bakery a few blocks away. 🙂
The bottom line is that I will be doing more cooking. I didn’t buy much junk food either. Now if I can just start planning meals!
Ramblings of a Perforated Mind 