Mauritania, we are NOT!

As I'm watching the Parade of Nations last night, the announcers tell me that next up is Mauritania (with it's 3 or 4 athletes participating in the Games), who--by the way--had a political coup this week and their nation's government was overthrown, after these athletes had arrived in Beijing. Holy Cow!

We don't really have any idea what political upheaval is, do we? The worse thing we have to worry about is our Presidential election isn't until November and we have to keep hearing about the candidates and their personal slams against each other for another few months. We will have to keep seeing them on the news and in ads with celebrities endorsing them for various reasons that mean nothing to me.

I just finished watching the miniseries HBO produced on John Adams. Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney star as John and Abigail Adams. It was fantastic. A lot harder to watch than the book was to read. Those founding fathers were not politicians, they were statesmen. Their emphasis was not on becoming president, but in leading the nation. I'm not sure we have had a candidate like that, with higher motives, for a very long time.

After a brief discussion with Genius Golfer on this topic last night, he asked me about Ronald Reagan. Maybe Reagan was the last statesman, but since then Reagan has become a touch point for other Republicans--all claiming to be his political descendants. They can't all be what they tell us.

Regardless of which side of the political fence, you sit, we needn't worry that we will experience the kind of changes that Mauritania did this week. We have never had violent exchanges of power. In fact, the worse thing that seems to happen, is three times the outgoing president did not attend the inauguration for the new in-coming president. (John Adams was the first when Jefferson beat him to be the third President of the United States.) But comparatively, that is nothing more than a snub.

We are so blessed to live in this land. To have the opportunity to participate in our elections, in our politics, and even choose to run, if we wish. We really have no idea.

I wish the Mauritanians luck in the Olympics, but I wish them more than luck when they return home. They are going to need it.

Let the Games Begin!

I was originally going to write about something else this morning, but when I opened my homepage and saw the first photos of the Opening Ceremonies for the Summer Olympics, I had to change topics.

As you have read, I have swooned and fawned over Olympics from the past, 1984 in particular, there is something that draws me to the games regardless of which swimmer is doing the 100 meter butterfly, or competing for the gymnastics all-around title, or even the host nation's human rights stance.

There is something that transcends politics and foreign policy when it comes to the Olympics. I cheer for all the athletes, for their countries, for their struggles and challenges. And I celebrate when they do well, or set a personal best. My favorites are the ones that achieve more than they ever thought and still only come in third. They are so thrilled to just win a medal that they must feel like it was gold for their effort.

That said, my favorite athletes, of course, are American. I get a little weepy when Bob Costas and the NBC folks play the John Williams composed Olympic theme song and then tell me the story of the three taekwondo siblings all trying to become Olympic champions, or the story of the 41 year old mother of one who has made her fifth Olympic team and qualified for two swimming events, but chose to give one up to focus on her best chance and give another swimmer a shot at gold too. Or the runner who conquered injuries year in and year out to finally make his first Olympic team at the ripe old age of 30 and is challenging for the world's record. It is worse than Kodak commercials at Christmastime. Pass me the Kleenix.

OK, let's go--all 14 days worth of the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat". Let me hear the Star Spangled Banner play over and over. Let the NBC evening lineup include all the athlete spotlights I can watch. Let the world's politics stop for 2 weeks and just play--fair, and by the rules. So, the DVR is set and the schedule is posted on the fridge. You'll know where to find me during prime time for the next few weeks. I'm plugging into the world's biggest sporting spectacle: Let the Games Begin!

Some people's parents!?!

Last night was The Girl's first soccer game. She had a great coach and a lot of friends already on her team. The girls played well together and best of all THEY HAD FUN! This is the final year of Rec League soccer for the girls--at 9th grade they are eligible for the HS teams. And I thought the whole point of Rec Leagues was for the fun and maybe some learning.

Well, no one must have told the other team's coach. I thought he might blow a gasket. He was screaming at his girls and pacing up and down the side line. This was their FIRST game for Pete's sake. Somebody get this guy a Prozac!

The other parents were very vocal too, and I know that that only gets worse as the season progresses. The Girl even mentioned that she heard one parent complaining about the refs (who were all of 15 years old) and yapping loudly that the rules were stupid. (???) Who are these people?!

Sadly, they are the same people that wonder why the PTA does the things we do, and that choose not to become members or even volunteer in their children's classrooms and then complain that THEIR child is not receiving enough personal attention. Argh!

Regardless of these party poopers (every party has a pooper, that's why we invited them...) the majority of parents are fabulously encouraging, wanting their children to, yes, do their best, but to to do it with integrity and within the rules. Most parents appreciate all those who volunteer to coach, tutor, mentor, or serve their children. Almost all the parents want the same advantages for the friends of their kids as they do for their own children. Those are the kind of parents I know, the kind I work with in PTA, the kind I have volunteered with in Swim Team, soccer and preschool. They are the kind of parents you wish every kid had.

So while the vast majority are just the kind of people we want parenting the kids that our children play with, learn with, and compete together with, there will always be that ONE. You know the type: the kindergarten room mom who, midway through the year, had to be sacked; the passive-aggressive soccer dad who threatens the refs, the coach who directs his teams to win at all costs. No thanks. I much prefer to have a good time--even if it means losing a game or two--than deal with parents like that.

So watch the parents around you this season--at the football field or the soccer pitch. Lehi, Utah had a Sports Parenting Class they mandated a few years ago for parents of youth sports participants, due to the brawls that were popping up at kids' games in their city. Jeeeze Louise! Maybe with a concerted effort we can convince these crazy parents that this is NOT the Olympics, the NFL, or a life or death situation. Everyone just calm down and reassess that this is Recreation League...it is for FUN...it is for learning...it is for our KIDS!

Editor's Note

Editor's Note:
The previous post has been deemed obnoxious and mean spirited. The author has been properly chastised and sent to time-out. She does now sincerely and deeply apologize for her emotionally charged writings. She has assured her editors that no other offensive topics will be breached and, in general, her posting will be limited to her own experiences with minimal intrusion on others.

As editors, we also apologize for any discomfort or awkwardness the previous post may have caused our readership. We look forward to a more mature level of writing to be included in this publication. We do thank you for your patience and long suffering.

With deepest regrets,
The Editor

Welcome to the 21st Century

My girlfriends took me to lunch yesterday for my birthday! They are so great, and they always seem to know just what to say or do that will make me feel with it and groovy (oh, wait, did I just day WITH IT and GROOVY? Whoa. I am almost 40!)

These three friends gave me a very special present. They gave me a cell phone. Yes, I know that I was the last person on earth to jump on the communication bandwagon. I was still so very stubbornly a 20th century girl with my home phone and answering machine. But now I am a thoroughly modern girl.

My kids can now contact MY cell phone when I have left them home for an hour or two rather calling one of my dear friends' numbers. If my zippy little car gets stranded somewhere because I failed to refill it while I was in Orem, I cold call the SLC roadside help line for natural gas cars (they have one, you know). If I were to run away from home in compete despair and discouragement, my Dear Friends could hunt me down and find me in the nick of time, to be saved by the taste of butter cream frosting and quarts of Diet Coke.

So I haved joined the real world. The Boy is even more enthralled than I am with this phone. He is "teaching" me how to use all the features. (How does he know this stuff?!)

Once I got the little cute thing charged yesterday I call Genius Golfer to tell him my happy news and give him the number too, as he might want to find me one of these days. Instead he had only negative things to say "Why'd you do that?" and "How are you going to pay for that?!" It really did suck all the joy out of my new modern girl life.

When GG didn't get home until very late from work last night, he only said 2 gunting words to me. This morning, I got up with him and asked just what was wrong. He said that he had a rough day a work yesterday. When I asked what I could do, he just told me that he would handle it his way and left for work again.

'Communication is the basis for our successful relationship.' Well, not today.

He will come out of this, and if it something really serious, he will eventually talk to me. But in the meantime, I feel completely left out of his life. Like I'm a bit player when I would much prefer to be his life's co-star. I must learn patience with him as he deal with stress. But I want that patience NOW!

At least I can communicate with my friends who might want to find me, with kids who might need me, and for me to reach out and scream for help, and a Diet Coke!

Holy Time Management, Batman...

I had a regional PTA meeting this morning; the first for the new school year!

Now, those of you who know me, know that I have completely bought into the PTA mission and all that it represents. I've now served at a local level as: secretary, Reflections chair, President-Elect, President, and Leadership VP. Now I'm on to Council level jobs as: secretary and President-elect (this year), and in 2 years I've committed myself to the Council President gig. These are not jobs you take on accidentally. I have chosen my path, young jedi. The path has not chosen me.

But today's meeting, for all the cheer leading and excitement it had to pass along, was a partial waste of time. I love that there are people in the PTA organization that L O V E what they do in PTA. I am all about finding what sets you up and letting you run with it. But as a past local president. I know that my time was very valuable--it still is, in fact--and I don't necessarily want to sit through a 20-30 minute presentation on Health and Safety issues that, yes, I know are important, but the whole meeting was only supposed to last for one hour. ARGH!

Inform, but don't bore. Enlighten, but don't overwhelm. Let's be nice to our volunteers. Think about what they NEED to hear and use their time to the best possible affect. After all, we can't fire them, but they can quit!

Let her eat CAKE!

Today I write before you as a proud 39 year old, with the remaining creaminess of butter cream frosting on my lips. May I just sing the praises of a cake that I don't make?!

The Girl's birthday cake was a couple days after her actual birthday due to the whole Girls' Camp event, but nonetheless we had a family cake from our friends at the bakery at the local Macey's. It is my favorite treat in the whole world. It is exquisite in its simplicity and delicious in every other way. Understand that I am not the big ice cream eater in our family (that would easily be The Boy and Genius Golfer), I do love a good piece of cake.

My personal favorite, and as the appointed shopper for the family the sole vote in the decision, is a white cake with raspberry filling covered in a butter cream frosting, with any design you can imagine on the top. It is just that easy to put me into a shortening and sugar induced coma of sorts. It is creamy and sugary and just divine.

This week's representation is as follows:

I understand that this type of treat, on a regular basis, would certainly hurt my chances at some sort of steady blood sugar, but since there are only 4 in the family that we celebrate with this kind of cake, I figure I'm as safe as the next guy. Now let me eat my cake in pieces. This piece first, then that piece.