Pet credited with keeping child warm in woods
Now I am seriously a cat person, but I do not know that cat would do this
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
More Daddy Rock
My second grader recounted a conversation he had with one of classmates who is also on his basketball team,
"Does your Dad wear earrings?"
"Yes"
"Is he a rocker?"
"Ahh no, well yeah, yes he is."
---
That is better than my pre-schooler's friends who told me I was a girl because I wear earrings as I drove them after school to our house for a playdate.
I told them there logic was faulty, if that was true then what about this, "Do your mommies have hands?'
"Yes!"
"Do you have hands?"
"Yes!"
"Well you must be girls, you must be mommies because you have hands."
Rather than learning the error of their initial logic they all began hiding their hands in the sleeves of their winter coats to show me they were not girls.
"Does your Dad wear earrings?"
"Yes"
"Is he a rocker?"
"Ahh no, well yeah, yes he is."
---
That is better than my pre-schooler's friends who told me I was a girl because I wear earrings as I drove them after school to our house for a playdate.
I told them there logic was faulty, if that was true then what about this, "Do your mommies have hands?'
"Yes!"
"Do you have hands?"
"Yes!"
"Well you must be girls, you must be mommies because you have hands."
Rather than learning the error of their initial logic they all began hiding their hands in the sleeves of their winter coats to show me they were not girls.
Daddy Rocks!
My boys were away at their maternal grandmother's for Valentine's for a few days, (cue porn music, bow-chicka-wow-wow) when they got home they were so excited to be back it was really great. Even though it wasn't boy's night, one of two days a week where we play video games together, I let them play Lego Star Wars II while I was making dinner.
I heard my big boy make a plan with the little one, "Let's go upstairs and say ..." I thought did he say ... then they march upstairs chanting, "DADDY ROCKS, DADDY ROCKS!" and gave me a big group hug.
It was really nice to see they missed me and being home, especially since their grandma's is a basically a rules free zone of constant TV, fast food, and not having to finish your vegetables to get dessert.
Now three days later they are back to making up songs about how I am mean because they can't play video games before school ("but Dad its an educational one!").
I heard my big boy make a plan with the little one, "Let's go upstairs and say ..." I thought did he say ... then they march upstairs chanting, "DADDY ROCKS, DADDY ROCKS!" and gave me a big group hug.
It was really nice to see they missed me and being home, especially since their grandma's is a basically a rules free zone of constant TV, fast food, and not having to finish your vegetables to get dessert.
Now three days later they are back to making up songs about how I am mean because they can't play video games before school ("but Dad its an educational one!").
Crash!
I am working on my Master's application personal statement right now and went from cranking rough draft of a heart felt retelling of my turbulent home environment and neighborhood growing up, memories flooding back, too many for this format but get them all down, edit it later. Making the connections of how these experiences led to my world view and how that world view will help me to help other and make the world a better place ... to I want to help people so they are healthy ... why are my answers so dumb now, oh, it's an hour past when I normally eat lunch and all I have had the past four hours is coffee, time for a break.
Monday, February 15, 2010
HONORS?
I am currently filling out a graduate school application for a MSW, and there is a field that asks for honors. The first thing that came to mind was Dean's List, maybe but probably not those lame Key Club honors, but when I saw what they listed as the examples: ABRCMS, DAAD, FAMU, Fulbright, IRT Consortium; I realised that they might not view my lame Dean's List achievements as honors.
Any advice from ya'll out there on the "interwebs"?
I am definitely fearing that to get accepted to a competitive program I will need to put in a few years of dues working at DYFS to up my Social Work street cred.
Honestly if I could get a legit MSW from Git A Degree Online In Yr Boxers University, (GADIYB U for short) I would, but my research into those Online schools came up with them lacking, and a bunch of annoying sales-ish calls from "counselors" who seemed more like once promoted telemarketeers.
Any advice from ya'll out there on the "interwebs"?
I am definitely fearing that to get accepted to a competitive program I will need to put in a few years of dues working at DYFS to up my Social Work street cred.
Honestly if I could get a legit MSW from Git A Degree Online In Yr Boxers University, (GADIYB U for short) I would, but my research into those Online schools came up with them lacking, and a bunch of annoying sales-ish calls from "counselors" who seemed more like once promoted telemarketeers.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Duct Tape is there nothing you can't do?
About a month ago I started noticing a scrapping sound every time I drove into or out of my driveway. After a week I looked under the car and saw that there is some kind of cover underneath the front of my car and it was coming loose.
With closer inspection I noticed that a number of screws had come out of this under-covering causing it to hang down. I kept saying to myself when the weather gets better I will try to do something about it.
The weather kept getting worse. Today I had to park illegally in a pay parking lot to drop my preschooler off at school. The lot was not shovelled out so I had to park on top of a bunch of hardened snow. It may just have dawned on you, but it did not dawn on me that backing up over said snow with this thing hanging from underneath the front of my car may be troublesome.
Well after hearing the crunch, followed by the now constant scraping sound I new cold weather or not I could no longer procrastinate on taking care of this issue.
I could not find any left over screws that fit the bill, so as it has on countless jobs before, duct tape leapt to the rescue, lets just hope it will hold up through the snow and sub-freezing temperatures.
With closer inspection I noticed that a number of screws had come out of this under-covering causing it to hang down. I kept saying to myself when the weather gets better I will try to do something about it.
The weather kept getting worse. Today I had to park illegally in a pay parking lot to drop my preschooler off at school. The lot was not shovelled out so I had to park on top of a bunch of hardened snow. It may just have dawned on you, but it did not dawn on me that backing up over said snow with this thing hanging from underneath the front of my car may be troublesome.
Well after hearing the crunch, followed by the now constant scraping sound I new cold weather or not I could no longer procrastinate on taking care of this issue.
I could not find any left over screws that fit the bill, so as it has on countless jobs before, duct tape leapt to the rescue, lets just hope it will hold up through the snow and sub-freezing temperatures.
Adjustment Disorder
... don't ever take seven years off of working, damn near impossible to get your mind back into the regular work world groove, especially when you view it as a rut ... when i lost my theater rating / secret shopper / spy gig i should have looked to get something new right away ...
Adjustment Disorders
Adjustment Disorders
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
One Served
About three or four months ago when my little guy was still four years-old he was doing that repetitive question asking thing they do when they want something. I do not know if they think they are wearing you down, if they forgot they already asked, or if they think you forgot they already asked about xy&z.
So after asking about xy&z a zillions times my son runs up the stairs and tracks me down thinking maybe asking me on a different floor will net a different result to his question. I have no recollection of what the question was, can I play video games, can I have a cookie, can I have juice instead of water are some of the usual suspects.
He runs up to me and I cut him off saying, "No honey," he interjects, "But Dad you don't know, I am asking about ...," I then finish his sentence, "You are asking about xy&z, which you have asked me about five or six times and the answer is still no."
His response, "Oh man, I just got served!" and dejectedly went back downstairs with his head hung low.
We had heard someone say, "You just got served" a few weeks prior to that, but my little guy had not used the phrase before or since.
So after asking about xy&z a zillions times my son runs up the stairs and tracks me down thinking maybe asking me on a different floor will net a different result to his question. I have no recollection of what the question was, can I play video games, can I have a cookie, can I have juice instead of water are some of the usual suspects.
He runs up to me and I cut him off saying, "No honey," he interjects, "But Dad you don't know, I am asking about ...," I then finish his sentence, "You are asking about xy&z, which you have asked me about five or six times and the answer is still no."
His response, "Oh man, I just got served!" and dejectedly went back downstairs with his head hung low.
We had heard someone say, "You just got served" a few weeks prior to that, but my little guy had not used the phrase before or since.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
They are trying to blame it on the girl! / God forbid we have knowledge
I have this graphic novel bible from when I was a kid and my wife is as I type, reading it to the kids before they go to bed. She was starting at the beginning, you know on the first day, blah blah blah ... I did not realize that I had a problem with that story, well, I never thought the world was created in six days, but some of the creations of God seem to be out of order, but that's not the point here.
I over hear my wife reading about the garden of Eden and the forbidden fruit, and I began to rethink my "okay-ness" with teaching this stuff to my kids. I have always planned to teach them about Christianity because it is the religion of our culture and families, when they ask questions I answer them in a very non-fundamentalist way, the stories in the Bible are mostly stories that teach one how to live a good life that is respectful of others, and not an actual history. Some of it may have happened, some historial events probably did, but the main take away are the morals of the stories.
Once they get old enough to comprehend other theories on life and religion I will help them find something that suits them, we are sort of Episcopalians, if they like that fine, if not that's fine too.
So after the Adam eats the forbidden fruit, my 7 year-old says, "They are trying to blame it on the girl."
So I hopped up and went to the boys room to add my two cents, I said to my wife tell him the truth, she said I did they are trying to blame it on the girl, I said to him do you know why? Because women are evil!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only kidding, I said because men originally wrote this story and rather than splitting the blame equally they chose to blame women, but it was really both of their faults. I was so proud that my seven year-old could see through the BS when so many adults can not.
I over hear my wife reading about the garden of Eden and the forbidden fruit, and I began to rethink my "okay-ness" with teaching this stuff to my kids. I have always planned to teach them about Christianity because it is the religion of our culture and families, when they ask questions I answer them in a very non-fundamentalist way, the stories in the Bible are mostly stories that teach one how to live a good life that is respectful of others, and not an actual history. Some of it may have happened, some historial events probably did, but the main take away are the morals of the stories.
Once they get old enough to comprehend other theories on life and religion I will help them find something that suits them, we are sort of Episcopalians, if they like that fine, if not that's fine too.
So after the Adam eats the forbidden fruit, my 7 year-old says, "They are trying to blame it on the girl."
So I hopped up and went to the boys room to add my two cents, I said to my wife tell him the truth, she said I did they are trying to blame it on the girl, I said to him do you know why? Because women are evil!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only kidding, I said because men originally wrote this story and rather than splitting the blame equally they chose to blame women, but it was really both of their faults. I was so proud that my seven year-old could see through the BS when so many adults can not.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
One Legged Freak!
My 2nd grader was walking down the hall at school and he saw a boy that he use to have Taekwon-do with. The boy does not have the lower part of one of his legs, I do not know exactly how far down his leg goes, but while they were in class together he use to have a prosthetic leg.
I can remember my son asking me all kinds of questions about the boy while his mother/nanny (?) was sitting next to us, I tried to answer them the best I could but I know I was over compensating because she was next to us and came of sounding like a PC PTA member that Mike Judge would make fun of on one of his cartoons.
Anyway, now the boy uses some form of crutches, I imagine it must be a financial hardship to keep buying new prosthetics for a growing child. One of my son's classmates saw the boy and yelled out to him, "Look a one legged freak!" My son told him that's not cool and told the teacher on him, she did speak with the boy, but my son was mad that he was not sent to the Principal's office.
I was really proud of my son for not only feeling compassion but for standing up for another person, not because they were friends (they are not) or he had anything to gain, but because it was the right thing to do.
I can remember my son asking me all kinds of questions about the boy while his mother/nanny (?) was sitting next to us, I tried to answer them the best I could but I know I was over compensating because she was next to us and came of sounding like a PC PTA member that Mike Judge would make fun of on one of his cartoons.
Anyway, now the boy uses some form of crutches, I imagine it must be a financial hardship to keep buying new prosthetics for a growing child. One of my son's classmates saw the boy and yelled out to him, "Look a one legged freak!" My son told him that's not cool and told the teacher on him, she did speak with the boy, but my son was mad that he was not sent to the Principal's office.
I was really proud of my son for not only feeling compassion but for standing up for another person, not because they were friends (they are not) or he had anything to gain, but because it was the right thing to do.
Married in the Playground?
My PreSchooler was worried that he was now married because a girl (the one whose name I confused when talking to her mother a few months back) was told by one of her friends that she should kiss my son, so she walked up to him while he was playing and kissed him on the lips.
He was truly worried that because of the kiss being on the lips it meant that he was now married, "I don't want to be married Daddy."
We told him that it was okay, he was not married and if she tried to kiss him again he could just tell her to stop before she got too close.
My older son was totally freaked out by this whole situation, long after my little kisser was over it, he was very indignant about it, "My brother is only four no one should be kissing him!"
My wife and I teased the seven year-old, "Why are you so concerned, what are you jealous that he had his first before you did?" As you can imagine that did not go over real well with.
Scientists link plastics chemical to health risks
LONDON - Exposure to a chemical found in plastic containers is linked to heart disease, scientists said on Wednesday, confirming earlier findings and adding to pressure to ban its use in bottles and food packaging.
British and U.S. researchers studied the effects of the chemical bisphenol A using data from a U.S. government national nutrition survey in 2006 and found that high levels of it in urine samples were associated with heart disease.
Bisphenol A, known as BPA, is widely used in plastics and has been a growing concern for scientists in countries such as Britain, Canada and the United States, where food and drug regulators are examining its safety.
David Melzer, professor of epidemiology and public health at the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter, England, who led the study, said the research confirmed earlier findings of a link between BPA and heart problems.
The analysis also confirmed that BPA plays a role in diabetes and some forms of liver disease, said Melzer's team, who studied data on 1,493 people aged 18 to 74.
"Our latest analysis largely confirms the first analysis, and excludes the possibility that the original report was a statistical blip," they said in a statement.
BPA, used to stiffen plastic bottles and line cans, belongs to a class of compounds sometimes called endocrine disruptors.
The U.S. Endocrine Society called last June for better studies into BPA and presented research showing the chemical can affect the hearts of women and permanently damage the DNA of mice.
"The risks associated with exposure to BPA may be small, but they are relevant to very large numbers of people. This information is important since it provides a great opportunity for intervention to reduce the risks," said Exeter's Tamara Galloway, who worked on the study published by the Public Library of Science online science journal PLoS One.
URGING BANS
U.S. environmental health advocacy groups are urging a federal ban on BPA.
"There's enough research to take definitive action on this chemical to reduce exposures in people and the environment," Dr. Anila Jacob of the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization, said in a telephone interview.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering whether any action needs to be taken.
U.S. government toxicologists at the National Institutes of Health concluded in 2008 that BPA presents concern for harmful effects on development of the prostate and brain and for behavioral changes in fetuses, infants and children.
Canada's government plans to outlaw plastic baby bottles made with BPA. The charity Breast Cancer UK last month urged the British government to do the same because they said there was "compelling" evidence linking the chemical to breast cancer risk.
Experts estimate BPA is detectable in the bodies of more than 90 percent of U.S. and European populations. It is one of the world's highest production volume chemicals, with more than 2.2 million tonnes produced annually.
British and U.S. researchers studied the effects of the chemical bisphenol A using data from a U.S. government national nutrition survey in 2006 and found that high levels of it in urine samples were associated with heart disease.
Bisphenol A, known as BPA, is widely used in plastics and has been a growing concern for scientists in countries such as Britain, Canada and the United States, where food and drug regulators are examining its safety.
David Melzer, professor of epidemiology and public health at the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter, England, who led the study, said the research confirmed earlier findings of a link between BPA and heart problems.
The analysis also confirmed that BPA plays a role in diabetes and some forms of liver disease, said Melzer's team, who studied data on 1,493 people aged 18 to 74.
"Our latest analysis largely confirms the first analysis, and excludes the possibility that the original report was a statistical blip," they said in a statement.
BPA, used to stiffen plastic bottles and line cans, belongs to a class of compounds sometimes called endocrine disruptors.
The U.S. Endocrine Society called last June for better studies into BPA and presented research showing the chemical can affect the hearts of women and permanently damage the DNA of mice.
"The risks associated with exposure to BPA may be small, but they are relevant to very large numbers of people. This information is important since it provides a great opportunity for intervention to reduce the risks," said Exeter's Tamara Galloway, who worked on the study published by the Public Library of Science online science journal PLoS One.
URGING BANS
U.S. environmental health advocacy groups are urging a federal ban on BPA.
"There's enough research to take definitive action on this chemical to reduce exposures in people and the environment," Dr. Anila Jacob of the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization, said in a telephone interview.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering whether any action needs to be taken.
U.S. government toxicologists at the National Institutes of Health concluded in 2008 that BPA presents concern for harmful effects on development of the prostate and brain and for behavioral changes in fetuses, infants and children.
Canada's government plans to outlaw plastic baby bottles made with BPA. The charity Breast Cancer UK last month urged the British government to do the same because they said there was "compelling" evidence linking the chemical to breast cancer risk.
Experts estimate BPA is detectable in the bodies of more than 90 percent of U.S. and European populations. It is one of the world's highest production volume chemicals, with more than 2.2 million tonnes produced annually.
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