Thursday, April 19, 2007

H2O Gone Mad

They make protein water? Is this because of the low-carb diets out there? Well, even in those plans, regular consumption of plain water is considered important.

But protein water? Somehow all I can do is mentally picture meat floating around in water. However, it comes in fruit flavors. Is it just me or is there something very wrong with this concept?

I think just standard water is just fine, thanks.

Turning a Blind Eye

I refuse to watch the video or hear the audio of the manifesto of the Virginia Tech shooter. My 15 year-old was talking about how they released his stuff in the media this morning after NBC, the only network to directly receive the video ran it on the news last night. I told her she was simply not allowed to see it. She was annoyed at me for taking this choice away from her, even though she didn't want to see it. I just need to lay out my reasons for her and rant a bit.

One: It's wrong to air his video in the first place. The networks are playing a game with the public for ratings. I don't agree in suppression of the media, in general, but I also believe NBC should have truly examined the value in their offering. There was no value in releasing this and, in retrospect, it should be clear there was nothing to lose by NOT showing it. The outlets that follow on their heels release this junk are just looking for numbers. We should hear about why this sort of sad thing happened but to hear the self-righteous rantings of this young man is going too far.

Two: The shooter was clearly mentally ill and his rantings are the creation of a mind that sees conspiracy everywhere and the world like a riding bull trying to buck him no matter what he did. There will be those disenfranchised individuals who will consider his manifesto as some kind of valid statement about the status of their own lives.

Three: No matter what you say about his mental health, it's what he wanted and you just can't give that to him or people like him. He took time between shootings to mail off this package, it was clearly as important that his video be aired as it was that he take down as many people as possible in the process.

Four: I'm your mother and I said so. Yeah, I'm pulling out that old trick.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Sketchy Details

For Easter, my kids got an assortment of candy (including the obligatory chocolate bunnies), silly toys, slipper socks, sketch books, and a large supply of ordinary mechanical pencils each. Sketch books fill-up fast around here. At 6:30 a.m., my 15 year old decided to depict her Easter morning in her new sketch book. With some modifications, it could be considered a reasonably accurate depiction of last Christmas morning too.

Saturday, April 7, 2007

Recycling Easter


My 10 year-old daughter made these little lava lamps for her blog so I decided to "borrow" them for mine. I like how the little blobs of wax bubble up and then break off to float to the top. Very clever, kiddo!
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Easter is tomorrow. We are going against tradition and having a BBQ dinner instead of the standard ham, etc.. My husband usually threatens to order pizza on major holidays because he doesn't believe the time and hassle is necessarily worth the effect of an enormous meal. However, just ask him what he thinks of me buying the dozens of cookies and sweet treats I traditionally make during the various holidays.

One of the traditions of Easter I remember as a child is getting a new basket every year--the kind with the long, flimsy handle. These were the kind that usually fall apart and have very little use outside holding the holiday haul. Every few years when my parents would have a yard sale, the baskets would come out and sell for something like a dime.

When I had kids, the bunny brought them holiday standards. When they were tiny they got those plastic toy wagons, beach pails and the like. One year, however, the bunny brought my kids some really nice sturdy wooden baskets. They were pink and purple and not necessarily baskets that would find everyday use. However, they were sturdy and very
accommodating.
So, the following year, we shredded some recyclable papers, put this filling in the baskets and set them out for the bunny to fill. They have been reusing these for years, much like a Christmas stocking. The fact that we aren't contributing to landfills is a bonus.