Why I hate the Black Eyed Peas (and you should too!)

I pick Annie up from school every day. When walking out of the building today, I heard the Black Eyed Peas blaring from one of the 2nd grade classrooms. And I cringed.

I was actually so irritated that I briefly considered stopping in the room to tell the teacher why I was bothered. But considering that we have a fabulous school that allows us to request teachers, and considering that this particular teacher came highly recommended to me, and considering that I haven’t formally met her yet, and considering that she is #2 on my request list, I refrained.  Something tells me that I wouldn’t make the best impression with that.

Hey lady!  The BEPs are scumbags and I’m shocked and appalled that you would have them anywhere near impressionable young children.  You should turn that off immediately and oh by the way I think my child might be in your class next year nice to meet you.

Not so much.

But then later I thought hey, maybe I really should have told her.  Because chances are, she doesn’t know why I loathe them so.  And chances are, you don’t either.

The song that really put the BEPs on the map is a little ditty called ‘Let’s Get it Started.’  Familiar?  I’m sure, since it was EveryWhere for quite a while.  Commercials for the NBA, Apple, various television programs, in multiple video games, and – oh yeah – on the airwaves.  About 5 years ago, ‘Let’s Get it Started’ had us surrounded.   Nominated for Record of the Year and Rap Song of the Year, and Grammy award winner of Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 2005.  By all accounts, a huge commercial success.

But what most of you don’t know was that the song wasn’t actually released in 2005.  Not the first time, anyway.  The first time it came out was in 2003, on the album Elephunk.  And it had a different name.

“Let’s Get Retarded”

Seriously. 

The lyrics weren’t marketable, for obvious reasons.  So they changed them, and poof!  Commercial success.  But no one seems to know or care about what came before that. 

Except me.  I still care.  And I think you should, too.

The R-word is beyond insensitive.  It is beyond distasteful.  It’s cruel.  It’s demeaning.

It degrades and devalues a large group of the population, simply for their existence.

As my friend Darcie said, there are other words that were once used to belittle, based solely on the color of one’s skin.  And we are quick to notice and shun those who would use such offensive language.  So why is this word any different?

Don’t tell me I’m overly sensitive.  Don’t tell me it’s meant to describe a way of dancing.  Don’t tell me it doesn’t matter.

It matters.

I’m a Pittsburgh girl, and a die-hard Steelers fan.  You may have heard that we have a bit of a crap-storm swirling right now, in the form of Ben Roethlisberger.  He’s accused of assaulting several women (among other indecent behavior) and his jerseys are now worthless.  Why?  Because no one wants to appear supportive of such scum.

I was once a die-hard Michael Jordan fan, with an extensive collection of memorabilia.  All virtually worthless now, thanks to his less-than-impressive personal life.

Tiger Woods.  Need I say more?

Don’t tell me we don’t care about nasty behavior, because clearly, we do.  We care when it affects women or children or wives or blacks.  We just don’t seem to care when it affects the disabled.

But I care. 

My daughter is in a collaborative classroom because I requested it.  She spends her day with children struggling simply to speak, and she learns side by side with children that are still working on basic reading.  She does this because I care.  Because these children matter to me.  Because I believe that these children are her equals, and I want her to know that, too.  I am committed to collaborative education, and Lord willing we will continue to be a part of it.

And because of that, I am personally offended by the Black Eyed Peas.  Their song isn’t funny.  It isn’t cute.  And it isn’t excusable.

If they apologize, I may reconsider.  (Though hey, how are we faring on accepting Michael Richards’ apology? hmmm, not so good, huh?)  But then again, I’m not holding my breath.  It’s been due for 7 years, and there’s so sign of it yet.

So yeah, I guess I do wish I’d stopped in that classroom.  Maybe the teacher doesn’t know.  Certainly I hope that is the case.  But she should know, and so should you.

We make statements with our money.  Our dollar is often the most powerful way we can make our voices heard.  And I, for one, will not allow my dollar to say that I support lyrics like these. 

Please, don’t you support them either.

(If you don’t click the link, let me fill you in – they also replace ‘retarded’ with ‘dumb’, ‘cuckoo’, ‘[ignorant]‘, and ‘stupid’.  And they urge you to ‘bob your head like epilepsy’.  But of course ‘in this context there’s no disrespect.’  Sure.)

I’m a woman who has boycotted Rally’s for 14 years because of their oral-sex simulating Big Buford commercials, so yeah, I can totally skip your skanky music.

Black Eyed Peas, you suck.

The one where I go all Mom-crazy

There comes a time in every child’s life when they have to deal with a meanie. A bully. An unpleasant, difficult peer.

An 8-year-old jerkface, if you will.

Apparently for Annie, that time is now.

I. am. not. happy.

I’m kind of a warrior when it comes to my kids.  I can’t help it – I come by this naturally. In high school, our principal referred to my mom as ‘The Big Guns’ on more than one occasion.  Because if anyone so much as looked at one of her babies sideways, she’d have their head on a platter.

You might think that this would be embarrassing to a teenager.  I, however, was not embarrassed.  It felt fantastic to know that my mom had my back.  Also, I had more than one teacher with documented mental illness that seriously needed to find a new career path, so if my mom had to be the one to point that out, so be it.

[I hope that my daughters will appreciate this about me as well, since there's not a chance I'll stop any time soon.]

So enter the little punk that needs a good spanking girl who does not have nice manners. 

Honestly, Annie is a Pollyanna.  And overly dramatic. And often sensitive.

I take full responsibility for the Pollyanna thing. The melodrama comes from her father. Sensitivity? Not a clue.

So she’s never had to deal with a  mean girl before, and she’s ill-equipped.  She’s probably also more easily hurt than your average 7 year old who hasn’t been kicked in the gut before.

<sigh>

It doesn’t help that Annie is off-the-charts small for her age.  And this girl is more than a head taller, and bigger, and intimidating.  And when Annie tries to talk to her, the girl tells her she’s stupid.  She tells her to shut up.  She tells her she doesn’t care about her loose tooth. 

She tells her she doesn’t like her.

I’d like to tell the little girl exactly how I feel about her.  But that would be wrong.  And I’m supposed to be an adult.  And in theory, I should be ‘mature’ and ‘above that kind of behavior.’

I’m working on it.

In the meantime, I have no idea how to deal with this.  I’m torn between:

1. Helping Annie understand that you encounter mean people in life and you have to pray for them and find a way to toughen up and work through it
2. Leaving the extra-curricular activity where we encounter said girl, because Annie shouldn’t have to be anyone’s verbal punching bag in a supposedly fun activity
3. Telling the girl’s parents that they suck and their child is a mean, mean, mean little brat

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. You don’t even need to tell me.

But I still want to.

And frankly, if I don’t get a favorable response from them when I address my concerns, I might just stoop that low.

Hopelessly Flawed – I warned you up front.

Mr. Census, you owe me. Big.

I try very hard to bite my tongue restrain my fingers here.  Of course it’s my blog and I’ll say what I want to, but generally speaking, I’m a peaceful person.  I don’t want to argue with you in real life, and I especially don’t want to argue with you in cyberspace.  Occasionally I can’t help myself, but for the most part I think I show a great deal of restraint.

Besides, I’ve found that my political beliefs are not well understood or widely held, and I grow weary of endless explanations and defenses. 

{I would like to reiterate, in case you haven’t heard this from me two dozen times already, that liberal and Democrat are not necessarily synonymous, nor are conservative and Republican.  Four entirely different words.  Different meanings.  Despite whatever Fox News, CNN, Jon Stewart, and Glenn Beck would lead you to believe. Not. The. Same.}

Anyway.

This is one of those moments where I don’t stop myself.  Because I am seriously ticked.

Have you heard about the Census?

[If you say no, this might be where I go all crazy on you and tell you to get out of the country]

Have you heard about it because it is in our constitution? 

Or have you heard about it because you, too, have gotten approximately 37 mailings, notes from school, and a seemingly endless barrage of television and radio advertisements?

Actually, come to think of it, I bet most Americans have read the stupid reminder postcards (this month alone) more often than they have read the actual constitution in their entire lifetime. 

<sigh>

But national ignorance aside, come on.  Seriously.  The census is pretty darn basic.  And self-explanatory.  What do you think it says about our average intelligence that the government felt the need to spend $423 million dollars telling us to fill out the form?

NOT A TYPO.

$423 million dollars spent on census communications, which includes $85 million for printing and mailing the reminders alone. 

If I were a swearing kind of gal, this is the spot where you’d find the profanity. 

I’m not a mathematical type of gal, either, but I decided to stretch myself a bit here, just in case you are on my wavelength. 

Leaving the rest of the mind-boggling communications budget out of the equation, let’s tackle that $85 million.  Our home received 4 letters from school in my children’s backpacks, 2 letters telling us that ‘the census is coming!’, and 1 follow-up reminder to fill out the census (after I’d already mailed it in, thankyouverymuch.)  I pretty much found the ‘answer these questions’ blurb at the top of the census form itself to be sufficient instruction.  I could have done without all the other crap superfluous paperwork.  So for my part, I’d like you to keep your stupid mailings, Mr. Big Government, and give me $3.63 additional back on my taxes.

Thanks.

Of course that $3.63 is an exceptionally watered down number, since it takes into consideration our entire population, whereas the census mailings are per household rather than per person.  And it also overlooks the bulk of the communications budget which frankly, I also did not need.

This chart estimates the 2010 census as a whole is costing us nearly $47 per person.  Worth noting is that our last census, in 2000, cost less than $16 per person.  Holy Inflation Batman.

How many trees died so that the government could ask me an overly intrusive, offensive, and frankly irrelevant question like ”Are your children biological or adopted?”

My children are my children.  DNA’s got nothing to do with it.

Grrrr.

I’m not a crazy fringe person.  I’m not angry about the census per se.  I know it is useful, and I know it is constitutional.  I have no quarrel there.  But I take serious issue with the enormous amount of money being spent on it.  Or more accurately, being wasted on it.

I demand a government that is more respectful of my tax dollar.  I know there is a more efficient way to do this.  But ‘efficient’ and ‘government’ don’t exactly go hand-in-hand now, do they?

Can’t wait to see how ‘health care’ pans out.

Tongue. Biting.

Thumbs up, thumbs down

There’s a reason that Mommy Bloggers are all the rage right now.  Besides the fact that we’re fabulous, we’re also smart, savvy consumers.  Companies know that word-of-mouth can make or break them in many instances, and they are increasingly reaching to the social media world to get their message across.

I both love and hate that.  It’s great because I’m more likely to buy and use a product that a friend (virtual or otherwise) recommends.  It’s also bad because now the lines are blurry as to what is a legitimate recommendation and what is smoke and mirrors designed to net the writer some swag.  But overall, in a time when many of us are short on both time and money, peer reviews can help save some of both.

These are a few items that I have bought and paid for with my own money, and my un-sponsored, un-censored opinions of them.

Thumbs up:

Heeltastic cream – works as promised, as fast as promised.  I’m impressed.

Glee CD - Love. It.  So do my girls – we play this one non-stop.  Get the Target version if you can – it has 3 bonus tracks.

Handy Manny Repair Shop -  Oh my goodness is this cute!  Lilly got it for her birthday, but even I my 7-year-old enjoys the projects.  It comes with build-your-own plastic parts that are like 3-D puzzles.  Most are too complex for my 3-year-old to do on her own, but her big sisters are happy to help.  And since she loves all things Manny, this is right up her alley.

Henry’s Crab Cakes - These are sold in my local Kroger store.  They aren’t pre-packaged as the website indicates; rather, they are delivered in cases and the stores packages themselves on those little styrofoam trays.  They are $1 each (here) for a 2.5 ounce crab cake.  Besides being insanely delicious, they are also pre-cooked, so no need to fry in oil.  They bake to crispy, delicious, low-fat perfection in about 15 minutes.  Serve with this yummy sauce and dig in.

Combine 1 clove minced garlic, 1/2 cup mayo, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon cilantro, and lime juice to taste. Yum!

Thumbs down:

Dreamgear Stylus - replacement pens for the Nintendo DS – you were such a disappointment.  All 3 broke in less than a month.

The Princess and the Frog – You know I love Disney, but this movie was a huge letdown.  As a Christian, I didn’t appreciate the voodoo-centric storyline.  Especially since there is ‘good’ voodoo portrayed as well.  It was not appropriate viewing for my daughters, and I’m disappointed in myself for allowing them to see it on a school field trip before I had properly researched the plot.

Julie & Julia - Do you see the ratings on this page?  A-, B-.  Critics and viewers, you lie.  Darcie tried to warn me, and as much as I value her opinion, I didn’t listen.  That’ll teach me.  Yawn-fest is an understatement.  I kept watching, even when I wanted to stop.  Everyone I know liked it, so I kept thinking Darcie must have turned it off too soon.  It must have gotten good at some point.  FYI – It didn’t.  Don’t bother.

There you have it – a few of my recent picks & pans.  If you have any of your own to share, I’d love to hear them!

As it turns out, doing laundry does not suck

You just have to have the right stuff.  Who knew?

As a few of you have already heard, I got a new washer and dryer last week. It was unexpected and quite thrilling, as these are lovely, swanky, drop-dead-gorgeous front loaders that I’ve drooled over for quite some time.  (When you use a word like ‘thrilling’ to describe a new washing machine, that’s how you know you’re old)  They’re Samsung, in case you’re wondering.  And they’re HUGE.  Reportedly the washer can handle 25 bath towels or a king-sized down comforter, though I’ve not tested that assertion.

Sadly, our laundry room is hideous, so I won’t be posting cute pictures.

Our house is barely 3 years old so we should have much better, but sadly, no. The builder designed this laundry room as a total afterthought and it has 2 walls that are unfinished, pipes from the sump pump running several feet out into the room, and is just generally unsightly. Quite a disappointment for a brand new house, actually, and the only thing I truly dislike about this place. But alas, 4 bedroom homes were hard to come by when we needed to move, so I deal with the inconvenient and unattractive laundry. And it’s never even been important – until now.

Now my pretty appliances deserve better. They deserve a room as pretty as they are…but that ain’t happening anytime soon.

So here ya go – a little peek:

I know, I know, I’m not showing you the good stuff.  (Steam dryer is priceless, by the way)  But what I’m showing you is pretty darn good too.  I wanted them to be elevated but really didn’t want to pay the $400 for 2 pedestals.  We also needed a different height to accommodate my husband’s bad back, so these are 18 inch platforms instead of the 14 inchers you can buy.  And the best part was that they were made easily in one afternoon, for around $40 for the set.  Score!

They’re not perfect, but I think Ana would be proud of my gumption – even if they can’t hold a candle to her bed.

O shame, where is thy blush?

Unlike the rest of the country, I never jumped on the American Idol bandwagon.  It’s my personality – I eschew all things popular.  If everyone else is doing it, you’re generally safe to assume that I am not.  Two glaring exceptions are Disney (of course) and Glee (and I’m genuinely surprised that this offbeat show is so popular).

So American Idol – clearly not for me.

Also, I loathe ‘reality’ tv.

Yes, actually I can feel you cringe.  Sorry.

But last year, worlds collided when Disney World built an American Idol attraction.  I had the opportunity to tour the set and get the behind-the-scenes scoop on the whole attraction, and it was interesting enough to make me tune in to the 2009 Idol season.

Mostly unremarkable for me.

None of the artists really grabbed me, and the overall show was just moderately entertaining.  But dutifully, I DVR’d the new episodes last week, which I just finished watching.

Appalling.

And unlike the rest of the country, I’m not talking about Pants on the Ground or any number of other not-good singers who auditioned.  Largely I’m not even referring to Simon Cowell, who has been remarkably subdued in his criticism this season.  (A most welcome change, I might add)

No, I’m talking about Mary J. Blige.  To a lesser extent, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi.  To the fullest and utmost, the viewing audience of this show.

Shame on all of you.

I really can’t believe I am about to say this, but I agree with Rosie O’Donnell wholeheartedly.  Almost two years ago she said “Is that what America thinks is entertainment?  To make fun of someone’s physical appearance and then when they leave the room laugh hysterically at them?  The whole thing, it’s terribly sad to me.”

To me too, Rosie.

In case you didn’t see it, meet Jesse.

Mary J. Blige, your stock dropped through the floor in my eyes.

Shame on you for laughing in this kid’s face.  Shame on you for being even more cold and heartless than Simon Cowell, whom everyone expects to have the compassion of a serial killer.  Kara tried to cover for you, to give you an excuse for your bad behavior.  It was the best she could manage and it was quick thinking on her part, but still a thinly veiled disguise.

And shame on all of you, too, that tune in every week to laugh at people like this.

What kind of people do that? 

I know that some people who go on this show are ‘asking’ for it.  They dress in crazy costumes, they behave bizarrely, they are very obviously trying to grab their 15 minutes of fame a la William Hung.  While I don’t condone mocking people, I don’t get overly undone about a chuckle at the expense of those who intentionally put themselves out there for a laugh.

Does Jesse seem like one of those people to you? 

He strikes me as an unsuspecting victim of a mean-spirited producer, condescending judges, and a cruel viewing audience, all getting their jollies out of belittling someone who did not ‘ask’ for it.  Jesse was manipulated and blindsided.  And shame on everyone who found that amusing.

This isn’t about hand-holding and sweetness.  I don’t expect the show to be all sunshine and roses.  Some of the auditioners do need to hear that they shouldn’t plan on a career in music, and sometimes the truth hurts.  But no one deserves to be belittled.  Laughing in someone’s face isn’t entertaining, it’s cruel.  I am raising 3 children and if one of them ever behaved that way, they would face an immediate and harsh reprimand.  I’d be willing to bet that most of you wouldn’t allow your children to make fun of a classmate in that manner either. 

So consider, don’t your actions speak louder than your words?  If you spend your evening curled up on the sofa laughing at people like Jesse, then you’re sending the message to your kids that making fun of someone is ok – cool, even. 

So yes, I agree with Rosie.  It makes me terribly sad as well.

We’re really a nation full of jerks sometimes.  And worse, too stupid to be ashamed of ourselves.

The one where I alienate all of my readers

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard about Pat Robertson’s recent comments regarding the earthquake in Haiti.  If not, catch up with this clip:

With me now?  Great.

So not surprisingly, there has been a huge backlash.  The airwaves and Internet are abuzz with talk of how Robertson is crazy, stupid, senile – some have even called him Satan himself.  And don’t forget he’s evangelical.  ‘Evangelical Christian’ is the ultimate insult, isn’t it?  As soon as a member of the media uses the phrase ‘Evangelical Christian’, you know they’re gearing up to talk about a serious nutcase.  One of ‘those’ people.

I don’t know the history of Haiti and how the country was founded.  Quite honestly, this controversy has not really sparked my interest enough to research and study the foundations of the nation.  I have a lot on my plate already, and I just can’t squeeze that project in.  I’m not here to comment on whether he is right or wrong in his belief about the pact with the devil.

Certainly I hope that isn’t the case, but his observation about the island of Hispanola is not without merit.  Haiti and the Dominican Republic are night and day in terms of prosperity.  Again, not being an expert here, I did some cursory research and found this excellent article about the disaster history of Haiti.  (Worth noting is that the article comes from New Zealand – I’ve found NZ and Australia both to be better sources for actual news and unbiased information than we can find in the US)   So bad things happen in Haiti.  A lot.  Do they happen there more than in the Dominican Republic, or are they more devastating there because the country is so poor to begin with?  Which came first, the chicken or the egg?  I can’t answer that question. 

What I can say is that Robertson’s comment was probably poorly timed.  I’m an optimist to the enth degree, but even I find it hard to imagine saying that this was somehow a ‘blessing in disguise’.  Perhaps better to say that if anything good could come of this tragedy, hopefully better construction practices would be one of them.  So worded badly?  Sure, I’ll give you that.

Inaccurate assertion about the founding of the country?  Possibly.  Again, not my area of expertise.  I will say, though, that Robertson is far from the first person to believe or state something similar.  In fact, here is an article, written in 2005, that addresses that very issue.  The author is a native Haitian who attempts to dispel that rumor and acknowledges that the belief is widely held.  So again, right or wrong, I’d say Pat Robertson’s timing wasn’t the most sensitive.

What troubles me the most about all of this, though, is that there is such harsh condemnation for a man who has spent the last 54 years trying to do God’s work.  Has he made mistakes along the way?  Without a doubt.  Haven’t you?  Haven’t we all?  Everyone has a foot-in-mouth moment, and these are especially likely when you are in a high-profile position.  Apparently they are even more likely if you are a religious leader or a member of the Republican party.

When President Obama mocked his own bowling ability and said that he was suited for the Special Olympics, his apology was immediately accepted.  In fact, even those renouncing his statement felt compelled to soften their criticism.  Maria Shriver began with “While I am confident that President Obama never intended to offend anyone…” 

When Harry Reid made his remarks about black skin color and used the term ‘Negroes’  [cringe!] CNN was tripping all over themselves to say that he wasn’t racist, just socially awkward.  His apology was welcomed with open arms, and Democrats hit the airwaves telling us there was nothing to see here, case closed.

But when you are Pat Robertson, ‘Evangelical Christian’ and ‘Republican’ (because let’s face it, ‘Republican’ is uttered with the same disdain as ‘Evangelical’, isn’t it?), the only understanding you’ll find is from Eric Metaxas at Fox News.

Despite how this sounds, I don’t want it to be a political issue.  It’s a fairness issue, and fairness is hard to find these days.  If you  want fair, balanced, unbiased reporting, good luck finding it.  Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, The New York Times, NPR…nope.  Heck, even the major networks are clearly biased.  My little small town newspaper leans so far to one side it’s amazing it can still be called a ‘news’ paper without a snicker.  Objective reporting seems to be a thing of the past, and we’re left with choosing a trough that suits you and feeding directly from it.  (This has proven extremely profitable for Fox News, since they pretty much stand alone on the conservative front)

My point here is that somewhere in the middle, the possibility lies that Pat Robertson is neither Satan nor Saint, but a regular man who said something stupid.  Pretty much just like President Obama, Harry Reid, and a million other people.  His big sin here is being from the wrong side of the tracks.  The ‘right’ side.

And because of that, the fact that his Operation Blessing has spent millions of dollars on worldwide charitable projects, and has been in Haiti for years (many disasters prior to this week’s earthquake) will mean nothing.  No one will be reporting on the good he’s done, only his mistakes.  That’s just sad.

Instead of looking at him with animosity, I suggest that our energies would be better directed toward how we can help Haiti right now.  I’m not a fan or a follower of Pat Robertson.  I’ve never seen the 700 Club, I don’t buy his books, and I probably wouldn’t vote for him for President.  What I am is a fan of fairness, forgiveness, and understanding – none of which he is being shown this week. 

I hope I haven’t lost you, dear readers, but if that’s the case then so be it.  I can’t always bite my tongue, and I feel strongly about compassion and second chances.  I think Haiti and Mr. Robertson both deserve them right now.

Calling all crafters (or wanna-be’s)

I’m not sure how many of you know this, but I am a moderator for a great forum called Here Comes The Stork, a resource for online sellers.  The owner, Kendra, started out selling children’s clothing on Ebay (hence the baby name), but her business has grown tremendously and HCTS is now dedicated to helping sellers improve sales on Ebay, Amazon, Etsy, Bonzazzle, BuyItSellIt, independent websites, and any other online venue you can think of.  I’ve been a mod there for years and a member for even longer than that. 

One section of the forums is devoted to designers and crafters, which is where I found my niche.  I’ve been sewing all my life, but never tried selling online until HCTS and the Stork Studio Custom Design group (SSCD on ebay) gave me the confidence to go for it.

One of those encouraging members was Kim, or Kimberbell as she is known in the design world.  Kim is seriously one of the sweetest, kindest people you could ever [virtually] meet.  She always has a kind word for everyone, encouraging and supporting new designers and freely sharing her expertise.

Now I knew Kim while she was on her way to the top, and while I’m sure she hasn’t yet reached the highest height that she will acheive, she is definitely on a mountain.  Unfortunately Kim is no longer an active part of our website…because she is too busy running her own!

Several years ago Kim got the genius idea to turn helping people find their creative abilities into a booming business, and boom it has. YouCanMakeThis.com was named one of the top Mom-Owned business by Startup Nation, and the site has been featured in many print publications and on television appearances.

So why am I telling you all of this?  Well, first and foremost because I love the site, and I really believe in the concept and the products available.  YCMT has inspired thousands of people to take the plunge into crafting, be it sewing, cake decorating, decoupage, beading, and so much more.  There are fun projects for kids, too!  Want to learn how to knit?  Paint?  Improve your photography skills?  It’s all there, and a lot more.

But the second reason I’m telling you this is because I have an awesome giveaway to be announced on Monday!  The folks at YouCanMakeThis.com have made a generous offer that I am all too happy to accept, and I can’t wait to share it with you!  So yes, this is just a little teaser to whet your appetite.  Now pop over to the YouCanMakeThis site and find yourself a project to keep you occupied this weekend, and I will give you the full scoop on Monday.  Whoops! Sorry – NEXT Monday.  I am taking the coming week off.

*Weekend project not required for contest entry, but recommended to make you a better person.

Calling out the critics

I’m behind on the news, I know.  I actually heard about these things when they happened, but none seemed entirely blog-worthy on their own, so instead I’m combining into one big gripey post.  So with no further ado, I present news that has ticked me off in recent weeks.

-Did you hear about Salma Hayek breastfeeding another child?  Apparantly this was a huge controversy.  I really cannot fathom why, though.  It’s not as if she was baby swapping in Atlanta, just for kicks.  She was in a third world country, holding a starving baby whose mother had no way to feed him.  She has milk right there and available.  What should she have done, exactly?  What would her critics have done?  “Sorry lady, I hate that your baby is starving and could die of hunger, but it makes me a little uncomfortable to give your child the nourishment he needs to survive, so you’ll just have to chance it.  Best of luck to you.”  Come on people!  This is exactly what our bodies were created to do, and if you would be in her position and choose not to help that baby, then shame on you.  This isn’t controversial, it’s compassion.  Something we could use a little more of in our world.

-Speaking of compassion, why doesn’t anyone have any for Bristol Palin?  I’m sure you’ve heard that she and Levi Johnston broke up recently.  This announcement seems to delight a number of people.  Why is that?  I have heard many dripping-with-sarcasm comments expressing surprise at this outcome.  Am I surprised?  No, I’m not.  The odds were not in their favor.  But I don’t get any satisfaction from it. 

This is a baby who will grow up in a broken home, people.  Does that not sadden you?  Critics and comedians, what is your point here?  This situation has nothing to do with politics and nothing to do with the governor, but disagreeing with her political stance has either clouded your judgement tremendously, or you are a bunch of nasty, heartless people.  I don’t know which the case is, you tell me.  All I know is that we have another set of teenage parents with a very long and difficult road in front of them, and now they don’t even have each other to cling to for support.  We have a baby who will not grow up with the benefit of two parents under the same roof.  And we have a lifetime of challenges and struggles facing them all. 

I don’t know what that path is like.  I do know that it isn’t easy, and would be even more difficult with the media scrutiny they are under.  Instead of tearing them down (it seems they are getting enough of that already), I’ve been lifting them up in my prayers.  It would be nice if you’d consider doing the same. 

-Jon & Kate Gosselin are going through a difficult time in their marriage.  And somehow people are happy about this.  Again, is it surprising?  No.  The strain of 8 children and a reality tv show must be tremendous.  Add to that their polar opposite personalities, and I can certainly understand them having some problems right now.  What I can’t understand is the public reaction to that. 

Whatever happened to the sanctity of marriage?  Is that not something worth fighting to save?  When did our lifelong promises to stay together, for better or worse, become so disposable?

If this couple is struggling then I am sad for them.  I hope they will work it out, for themselves and for those 8 little children.  They have a lot on the line, and they certainly don’t need public opinion making their lives even more difficult.  Yes, I realize that they put themselves out there because of their show, a move that they get much criticism for.  But I wonder exactly how many people would be presented with an offer for fame and fortune and say no thanks.  My guess? – not nearly as many who like to boast that they would.  And I sincerely doubt that when they agreed to do the show, they realized fully what they were signing up for.  An error in judgement?  Perhaps.  But since we’re all guilty of those, perhaps we’d be best served by remembering our own faults and shutting our mouths a little more.

I think a lot of this has to do with what my friend Sondra calls macro-micro situations.  People feel perfectly at ease belittling and mocking celebrities or those in the limelight, and the anonymity of the world wide web has unfortunately made that worse.  What one wouldn’t dream of saying to their next door neighbor, they blurt out easily about a public figure.  In the macro picture, apparently we have no shame.

I wonder if the people who say these things have children.  Would they allow their children to say such nasty things about their classmates at school?  Or would they tell those kids that kindness is important, and there is a time and a place to keep your mouth shut and your thoughts to yourself?  We as a society are failing to keep our mouths shut a lot these days, and I’m bothered by that.

Monsters vs. Aliens – my early review

I could sum this up with one word: Don’t.

But you know me, I won’t let it rest there.  So, in continuing my recent ‘complaints about cartoons’ trend, let me elaborate for you.

Like millions of other families, we watched the preview during the Super Bowl with our 3-D glasses.  I wasn’t impressed, but I wasn’t outright horrified, either.  That was because they didn’t show enough. 

A couple of weeks ago I took myself  my daughters to see the Jonas Brothers 3-D Concert Experience movie, because I knew that I they would love it.  And we all did.  But the previews before the movie, not so much.  Whatever happened to tailoring the previews to the movie?  Sort of an ‘if you like this, you might also like these’ approach.  Either that practice has been abandoned, or whoever did that for this one isn’t very bright.  First we were treated to a preview of witchcraft (aka Harry Potter).  Seeing as how the number one reason I love the Jonas Brothers is because of their devout Christianity, the witchcraft was a slap in the face.  (I recognize that I am among a small minority of Christians who feel this way, but I do.  And that’s a whole other blog post, in which I would elaborate and then be harshly criticized.  Maybe someday I’ll do it anyway.  But I digress.) 

Moving on…the next preview was for Monsters vs. Aliens, and I can sum this up with another word too: Dreamworks.  That’s right folks, not Disney.  Dreamworks.  Their standards are clearly not the same.  A few of the lovely tidbits the trailer illuminated for us:

-A girl with short hair is referred to as a boy.  Someone points out the error, to which the monster responds, ‘That’s not a girl, look at his boobies.’  Awesome.  Mockery, sexuality, body image issues, vanity – all inn one package.  This joke is fun on so many levels.  woo-hoo!

-A half-fish man is discovered and referred to as ‘The Missing Link’.  Nothing like a little Darwin for the pre-school set. I adore hidden agendas in children’s movies.  Like Happy Feet or Wall-E.  That’s just great.  Then I don’t even need to teach my children to think for themselves, I can just plop them in front of a video and let the people in Hollywood teach them values.

-A exclamation is made along the lines of ‘What the Fffffuuuungle’ (not the real end of the word, but something just a tad off of The F-word.  Clever play for youngsters, right? Ha, ha, ha.  That’s just so funny.  The only thing funnier will be when children all over the country start saying it themselves.  Now that will be freaking hilarious.

I could go on, but I won’t.  I think this pretty well makes my point. 

I’m sure this movie will still make millions, which saddens me.  It also saddens me to read the long list of celebs who voiced the movie.  Lots of people I enjoy watching contributed to this piece of garbage.  It has a PG rating, which since it’s animated I’m sure most parents will completely ignore.  It bring to mind movies like Tropic Thunder.  Apparently ‘taste’ and ‘class’ and ‘propriety’ are out the window.

Just skip it.  Please.  Don’t help them make money off of peddling this to our kids.  They deserve better.