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Thursday, November 20, 2008

Am I ready for this?

Last night we were discussing what to do for Emma's birthday that's coming up in a few weeks. Her, Jeff, and I were running ideas around, when Jeff had the idea of Emma going to visit her Nana & Papa for a few days. She loved that idea, since it's been a year since she's seen them.

Nana & Papa are in California...We're in Michigan. This presents a problem.

This trip would entail Emma, my soon-to-be-but-not-yet 9 year old, to fly...on a plane..by herself.

...breathe...

She's old enough (heck, I flew by myself numerous times from the time I was 5, but that was from Sacramento to Burbank & back), and I know she enjoys flying, so it's not like she'd be having a panic attack at 20,000 feet. She doesn't even require (by the airlines) that it be a direct flight, she can have a connection! (I don't want her to though.) We're trying to work out the details, and I know she's excited. She loves her Nana & Papa, and the chance to have them all to her herself for 4 whole days?? It's enough to send her over the edge. We'll see how Mommy & Daddy fair.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

For the love of a dog

For Emma's 1st birthday, back in 2000, we bought her the "Blue's Clues Big Musical Movie" DVD. She. Loved. It. She watched it all the time. It became a staple on our long trips to see family in CA. Once she got a little older, it became less of a favorite, and usually was left, forgotten, in our DVD case in favor of the current flavor of Barbie movie (which I still haven't forgiven Mattel for). After Sarah was born, she had her own favorite movies, like Signing Time and Muppets and Veggietales. Blue's Clues came out every once in awhile, but it wasn't mesmerizing for her like it had been for Emma.
Well we officially have another Blue's Clues fanatic in the house. And she goes by the name of Katie. I kid you not, this is what I heard in my house this morning:

Katie (in the kitchen waiting for a drink, hears the opening strains of the Blue's Clues DVD in the living room): "Gasp" BLUES CLUES MOMMY, BLUES CLUES!!! ::squeal:: (as she's running pellmell into the living room, almost hitting the wall as she turns the corner) IT'S BLUES CLUES!!!! YAY!!!!!

Cue complete silence for the first 20 minutes of the DVD.

I call that Heaven.

I know most people wonder how much use they'll get out of the toys and games and movies they buy for their children. Eight years later, this DVD is still bringing joy to the children of the Wilson household. I'd call that money well spent.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

This pretty much sums it up

I haven't written much since the Election. I didn't want to gloat, but let's just suffice it to say that I was happy with the way the election turned out.

I was NOT happy with what happened in my home state of California and the passing of Prop 8. I was talking to someone I work with and I equated the ban of gay marriage with black people not being able to marry white people 45 years ago. It's the same thing: black people weren't equal, so therefore they weren't allowed to have equal rights. Gay people are not seen as equal. This is appalling. What's the "straight" divorce rate nowadays? Over 50%. When was the last time you heard about a gay couple who beat their kids? I know many gay people who have adopted children or who've had surrogates. Since having those kids doesn't come in the "natural" way that it does for straight people, you can bet that those families actually WANTED those kids, and fought to get them.

This article in Newsweek pretty much sums it up.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/169157


It's appalling that people hide behind the religious aspect of it. Whatever happened to "love the sinner, hate the sin"? I don't personally believe that being gay is a sin, but you know what I mean.

I actually heard someone on TV say that they believe that only marriage between a man & a woman before the eyes of God was an actual marriage. Well, I guess that means Jeff & I aren't really married. We were married by a city official, in my mom's backyard. Not in a church, not by a clergy. It's not like gay people want to be married by the Pope, in the Vatican. They want the things that all (straight) married people get: health coverage, life insurance, THE RIGHT TO SEE THEIR LOVED ONE IN THE HOSPITAL.

Times change, the biases and prejudices of old need to be gone. The world has bigger things going wrong with it than gay people wanting to be married.

Monday, November 03, 2008

Rock the vote

Tomorrow is a huge day for our country. We, the people, of the United States of America, have the awesome job of picking the leaders of our country.

This in and of itself is awesome: the fact we get to CHOOSE. Let alone who we vote for, the fact that we are able to voice our opinions in a democratic process.

There are countries in the world where the only form of voice its citizens have are protests, or they are forced to suffer in silence, for fear of retribution.

In countries where democracy is a new concept, there are people who travel from hundreds of miles away, standing in lines for hours, just to be a part of the democratic process. To know that your voice is heard, regardless of the outcome. Because before, you didn't have a voice.

I think, as a country, we have become lax, frustrated and downright ambivalent about voting. I hear so many excuses: I live in a Republican/Democratic state so my vote is useless; I have to work; I have school; I don't like waiting in line; it's too far; I don't like any of the candidates; I forgot; I don't have time.

If your voting place is any closer than the next county, if you have shoes to wear to vote in, if you're not having to vote by scratching an X on a piece of scrap paper and putting it into a shoebox, then you have it better than a lot of people in the world.

Ditch the excuses. Go out tomorrow, in rain, snow or blazing sun, and perform your civic duty. Or quit bitching.

Consider yourself motivated.