Clothes Don't Make This Woman

I had the rare opportunity to "flip around the channels" last night. I happened upon The Learning Channel's show called What Not To Wear. This is a show, that I didn't know was still on, but that I like because they point out all the wrong choices the target woman is making with her clothes, then they teach her what is a right choice for her body shape and finally help her put it all together for a "reveal" to her family and friends.

I get this show because at any moment the crew from WNTW could ambush me and find all the wrong things I do with my clothes too.

The problem I have, and definitely would have were I ever to be the target of their help, is that I couldn't begin to see how you can spend $5000 on clothes--even if I bought stuff for Genius Golfer and The Boy and The Girl! I'd even think to find something for my extended family as well, as that it a LOT of money for clothes.

That said, I do like to look nice, responsible, modest, and age appropriate. I don't necessarily need to be trendy, hip, or fashionable. And I don't even try. Plus, we could live on that kind of money for about 2 1/2 months!

This last week, Sarah Palin and the Republicans were chastised--rightly so, in my opinion--for the $150,000 she purportedly spend at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus in outfitting herself and her family following her nomination to the GOP National ticket.

I don't begrudge her the make-over and even some quality [read: more expensive] wardrobe pieces. But this could have been a great time to put into practice what she told the nation at the RNC convention. Didn't she say she was just a "hockey mom"? Didn't she say she was a "small town girl"? Didn't she say she was "busy working mom, just like most American women"?

This would have been a great time to check out items at Macy's maybe, or Nordstrom. They are both high end retail stores that a regular, small town, working, hockey mom might get to splurge on once in a while. I could even see her getting a classic skirt suit tailored just for her plus all the accessories that go with it. But if she spent more than a couple hundred dollars (not thousands!) she had better be wearing it over and over--like real busy, working, hockey moms have to do!

I know that the report said all the clothes would be donated to charity following the election. Big whooop! Please, people looking to find designer things at Deseret Industries or GoodWill that cost that much retail are only looking to sell them on EBay!

Hey, maybe the WNTW crew could ambush Governor Palin and recycle those clothes to their next season's worth of target women. That would be a little more the kind of Politics/Reality TV I'd be able to swallow.

The AG Gets It Right

As you know, society--as I see it--is going to pot. People are not personally responsible for their actions, blame is placed on anything that moves, and rudeness is now a lifestyle choice. And you see that rude and irresponsible behavior escalating as the weeks go by.

Attorney General Mark Shurtliff held a press conference on Wednesday and presented "A Call to Civility and Community: Ground Rules for Respectful Public Discourse and Behavior". What a relief!

This document simply states some hopeful expectations and desired renewal of ideals that once were the norm. In fact, most of you reading this might think that this was established and indoctrinated long ago. For us, it was. For everyone else, not so much.

He outlined 5 basic points that must be kept in mind--in the public and civil settings that will get us back on track. They include:

• Remember the Importance of Rights and the Dignity of Each Individual.
• Responsibility Exercise your Rights While Protecting the Rights of Others.
• Respect Others.
• Refrain from Incivility.
• Rekindle Building Community.

Yes. Each one of these is the ideal that I had hoped we'd be living in our society. As I know from just walking to school with a pack of elementary kids, this is certainly not the case yet.

Kudos, today then, to the Attorney General for make a stand with this manifesto and putting it out there, recommending this model to the rest of us. He presented a larger version document to be publicly signed at a Fifth Annual Dialogue on Democracy dinner sponsored by the Utah Coalition for Civic, Character and Service Learning, Utah Commission on Civic and Character Education and the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah.

I would like to commit to this public call out for more civility. I need some work on this in my private life--as life tends to get away from me some times. I appreciate what this is asking for and in all reality, it is so do-able. Examine the document yourself here: http://www.attorneygeneral.utah.gov/cmsdocuments/Call_to_Civility.pdf

See if you too can join this proposal in your personal and community life. Like the Primary songs teaches, "Kindness begins with me".

Studmuffin and Brainiac

We just got The Boy's football pictures back. See that shaggy long hair?! It is crazy. I can't believe that he is 11 and looks this tough already. Don't tell him this, but he is not as tough as this photo projects. He is still a funny, smart, tender, and clever boy. His final Primary Sacrament Meeting Program is Sunday and he can't wait for THAT to be over. It is hard to see them grow up, but he is doing a pretty good job, all things considered.

In the interest of equal time and attention, here is The Girl's school photo too! Eight grade was not that kind to me. She is far smarter than I ever was and she seems so much more technologically savvy than I ever hope to be.

How did I get such good kids? God must have sent them the me to test and try them!

Tag! I'm It!

Dear Friend Amy "tagged" me in her blog this week so I have an assigned writing project today. Here goes,; let's hope I can remember things.

20 Years ago....1988

• I was a sophomore in college, in a duplex apartment, with a roommate that, technically, still owes me money.
• I cut my hair off SHORT!
• I had all four of my grandparents still.
  

10 Years ago....1998

• The Boy was a year old already.
• I bottled 98 quarts of tomatoes from my own garden.
• I was part of a cooperative home preschool group with The Girl and many friends.

5 Years ago....2003

• The Girl got her first set of glasses at the beginning of 2003.
• The kids and I joined my parents for a summertime road trip back East--as far as Nauvoo and the GreatGreatAunt's in Minnesota.
• We painted our house's interior--except the laundry room. Geez, it is nearly time to do it again.
  

1 Year ago....2007

• Our elementary school got a new principal who is a lovely woman that PTA just adores!
• GG had changed jobs from Tahitian Noni to Agel Enterprises in April.
• About this time of year I was finishing a costume for myself for Halloween: Edna Turnblatt from Hairspray!

This Years....2008

• Both kids swam for the city recreation team and I had a ball. I love that I have PTA and church friends that are also my swimming friends.
• Signed on to four years of PTA work at the council level as my kids shift schools to junior high and high school soon.
• Recycled in the Stake Young Women's presidency. I have made peace with this, finally, and I am glad now.
• Began a daily writing project in the form of a blog--and you, good friends, are the hapless crash test dummies. So sorry for that.

Yesterday

• Helped Dear Friend Tammy while GG took Mr. Rick (Tammy's DH) to play racquetball and for "male bonding" [read: guy therapy]).
• Got two Visiting Teaching visits for October done.
• Gently avoided an Enrichment Activity night only to get to catch up with an old friend who showed up on my door to visit.

Today

• I have got to go grocery shopping. I put it off as long as I can, but the chicken is $1.19 a pound for boneless, skinless breast meat. Gotta stock that stuff in the freezer!
• I'm hoping to catch some Burger Therapy with the girlfriends today. No plans yet, but it is still too early to call.
• It is Dear Sister-in-Law Brenda's birthday today! Happy 40th! I'm coming up right behind you.

Tomorrow

• I have a Regional PTA meeting that I have skunked out of of for two months already. As the President-Elect at council for two years, I haven't been too worried about it and our President isn't either. But I feel like I ought to show up.
• YW Volleyball resumes tomorrow evening after a Leadership Training Meeting/Sadie Hawkin's Dance Weekend/Fall Break/UEA time out. Hope everyone remembers.

There you have it. My tag is not an obligation as much as an opportunity. Feel free to do your own, or not. But I'd love to see what you have in the blanks.

Time's A Wastin'

I had about a half hour yesterday that required nothing of me--that is to say, I had free time! It was fantastic. Did you read Tolstoy? You may ask, or Thoreau? Did you write a letter to your mother? Did you write your personal history? Or did you spend that time baking fresh homemade cookies for your dear children? No, I did none of those worthy suggestions.

From those suggestions, I suppose the time wasn't completely free time. (Sorry, mom.)

What I did do was waste my time by laughing myself silly over old episodes of Saturday Night Live I rediscovered online. Nephew Travis and his new wife told me about the bit last Saturday with Sarah Palin making an appearance--that is what started it. Then I scrolled through some old segments and finally found one of a particularly funny "Church Chat". Remember Church Chat? Dana Carvey as the Church Lady? "Isn't that SPECIAL?!" Come on, you remember it too.

This particular segment was the week in 1988--come on in the "way-back-machine" with me here--when Jimmy Swaggart was caught in the sex scandal and confessed on TV, eyes weeping copiously, that he was a "sinnnnnnerrrr". Well, Phil Hartman played the fallen televangelist like no body's business. He was joined on that episode by Al Franken as Pat Robertson, who was a Republican candidate for the GOP's nomination at that point. Oh, and Dana Carvey's pious Church Lady was very funny, of course.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/4151/saturday-night-live-church-chat

What a total waste of time. I know, you say, I could have used that time so much more reasonably and responsibly.

I read a study once that a 15 minute period of hearty laughter can add years to your life. The oxygen you absorb through hard laughter helps your blood and your organs and especially your brain. Your skin regains some elasticity and your stomach will digest better following a spurt of laughing.

So, that is what I was really doing! I was extending my life, improving my health and well being. Yeah, Yeah....That's the ticket.

Oh, I Just Didn't Think of That

Well, I just returned from my appointment with the Academic Advisor. Enlightening, this visit was. Also, it included a reminder of just how long ago I attended college.

On the plus side, my Freshman English and Communications 101 classes may easily transfer to fulfill a portion of the prerequisites for this radiology program I am looking into taking. The down side is that as the waiting list for the program is today, the first openings they would have for it is 2014. That means I would be starting the program the same year The Girl would be starting college. That was a hitch that hadn't ever entered my thinking.

I would still have about 18 credits hours of prerequisites to do before beginning the four consecutive semesters and one summer term of full time clinicals that is the full program. And when that is over, I end up with an Associate of Applied Science degree and a license to work as a radiographer.

Time, it would appear, is not on my side here. It looks like I need to go back to the drawing board and come up with Plan B. In the back of my head, I knew I needed a contingency plan, but I was hoping I would be wrong.

I am grateful for other options that I have been offered and the possibilities that those offers may afford me. I'll continue to look into that and keep you posted. But in the meantime, don't look for me if you go to have your annual mammograms. Come to find out, I won't be there.

Up Late in the Neighborhood

For those of you who are keeping track, I got to sleep in today. Yeah!! It was almost 10! That is unheard of around here. Granted we were all up until nearly midnight --and I still missed Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live!

The kids were also up pretty late. That is one of the things that I love about our Cul-De-Sac Life here on the circle. The neighborhood collective of children gets together and plays "night games" all kids included. If you want to play, come on out. This weekend, due to the couple of days off from school, they have been like Friday nights over and over. We have even seen sighting from neighbor friends from the nearby cul-de-sac to our east. I love watching the kids all play together, regardless of age, where they make room for everyone.

We have some kids in high school, some in junior high and the elementary crowd. We even have a couple of kindergarten and preschool friends here that like to play with the "big kids" until they have to come in and go to bed. All are welcome.

We are also lucky in that we have access to a big empty field just on the edge of the cul-de-sac. They have a fort going up and constantly under construction out there. The boys and the girls are making it. Together. Some times the junior high crowd gets the lead on the construction, other times the elementary kids add their ideas to it.

The night games that come up include: "Capture the Flag", "Sardines", and "Escape from Alcatraz". These are creative kids who also made up a game they called "Who's Afraid of Shere-Khan?" But that, they tell me is a summertime night game. Oh. Please, excuse my ignorance. I'm just a mom.

I love that for the most part the kids can tell me, "I'm going outside with Neighbor-Across-the- Street. We'll be in the field" on their way out the door and I don't see them for many hours. Usually I have to go find them for dinner, etc. because they are having so much fun together.

I am also lucky in the fact that the cul-de-sac parent neighbors have similar rules and expectations for their kids as I do. This makes the "we are building fort in the field" an acceptable past time. I hate to be the buzz-kill here, but there are things that go on, even in "good" neighborhoods that can be dangerous or harmful. We can't escape that even on Celestial Circle. But when things have gotten a little too uncomfortable for one family, the other families have welcomed the information and have enforced the society's mores and rules. That makes me feel better when I know that my neighbors would tell me if they saw my kids doing or saying something that they knew I was not OK with, and the reciprocal is also true. I truly love my neighbors.

So, we were all up late, but the kids were doing just what you hope neighborhood friends will do when they are out of school, and the weather is still permitting. They are having fun, including everyone, and outside using their imagination to play together.

Too bad the adults in our town, state, and nation can't follow their lead and do the same. It would be great to hear the candidates got together to play a little game of Sardines!