It's barely 8:30 am and my feathers are ruffled BIG TIME already. Right away on CNN this morning, I start hearing about this idiot who wants to declare September 11 to be "National Burn the Koran Day." WTF??? America is based on the freedom of religion. We would not even exist if it weren't for the desire of certain Englishmen to break away from the Church of England. And the bottom line here is that, unless you are Native American, we ALL come from another country somewhere down the line. So, why now are we so down on everyone?? Why shouldn't others have the same opportunities that our ancestors had?
That said, I do agree that illegal immigration should be better controlled (elimination is impossible). Border jumping is not what I am advocating here. However, legal immigration is a huge part of our history and is what continues to make America the melting pot it was born to be. And I do agree that English should be our national language. We were founded by the English and that should be enough to say English is our language. People wishing to live here should learn English so we can all function in harmony. That's a basic necessity. It has nothing to do with anything but the functioning of America as a whole.
A few months ago, some idiot I used to call a friend sent me a text message I am sure she thought was hilarious. It said something to the effect of "Foreigners go home." I was not impressed. If that had been the law in 1954, I would not be enjoying the freedoms I was born into as an American citizen. My mother came to the United States from Germany in 1954, less that 10 years after the end of WWII and Nazi Germany. She had already married my father, a serviceman with the United States Air Force. She was a full-fledged United States citizen by marriage then went on to earn her naturalization certificate on her own. And she has every right to be here. But, shortly after her arrival, my grandmother, a Baptist, took her son and new daughter-in-law to church to introduce them to her friends. My mother, a Lutheran, was shunned and ignored by these church-going, pseudo-Christians because she carried a thick German accent and spoke in broken English. My grandmother, a member of that church since the early 1930's, never went back after that day. She found a new church with people that believed in equality and love for everyone. She found a church full of true Christians.
This morning, there was a post on Facebook that said, "Dear Muslim Americans, I am sure you are very nice, peace loving folks. But there are bad guys disguised as you. If you feel your rights are being compromised and would like to file a complaint, please get in line behind the Japanese Americans affected by events after Pearl Harbor. In the meantime, here's a cup of 'shut up and take one for the team.' It's what Americans do. You are Americans right? If you don't believe me, stop at Arlington National Cemetery."
I was absolutely shocked to read this. Is that really the sentiment of America? Should all Muslims be punished for the terrorst attacks from NINE YEARS AGO because "that's what Americans do"?? When I read that, I am almost ashamed to be an American. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States government rounded up all the Japanese citizens they could find and sent them to designated areas that were, sans the torture and murder, very much like concentration camps. Was that fair? Was that just? We as Americans pride ourselves in our rights and our Constitution. You can bet that anyone arrested in this country is suddenly an expert on their Constitutional rights. But there sure are people out there who feel that they deserve these rights and others don't. It doesn't work that way, people. Constitutional rights are guaranteed to EVERY U.S. citizen from the time they are born or naturalized until the time they die, regardless of gender, race, national origin or religion. The First Amendment guarantees it. And before you get on your soapbox and preach about your rights, remember that it is only luck that made you an American citizen by birth. You could have just as easily been born in Communist China and may be singing an entirely different tune.
The next time you meet someone who practices Islam or speaks with a foreign accent, say, "Hello" and make a new friend. Take one for the team. THAT'S what Americans do. If you don't believe me, ask my mother.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Teachers
Let's talk about teachers. Let's talk about those people who influence our young lives and the lives of our children just through the magic of their chosen professions. I can honestly say that I think teachers are some of the most underpaid, unappreciated people in our country. We pay athletes and actors millions of dollars to entertain us and yet we give peanuts to the people who shape our very lives and the lives of our children. What is more important than that? And most of the teachers I know don't do it for a pat on the back. They do it because it is their calling...their desire to make a difference in the lives of young people. They want to watch them grow and develop into fine human beings and, without anyone ever saying, "thank you", know that they took part in that creation. Parents send their children off into the world when they turn 18. Teachers send their children off into the world every year. It's called graduation.
We, as their students, put our teachers on a pedestal, amazed at their knowledge and ability to convey it to us so that we too can share in it. My teachers have been on my mind a lot in the last few years. Although they are still superheroes to me, things have happened that have made them more human to me. And it occurs to me that I never really said "thank you." I know they don't hear it enough, if at all, so I want to take this opportunity to say it.
I remember each one of my teachers. In kindergarten, way back in 1976, my teacher was Mrs. Sarah Smith. To this day, when I see her, she gives me a big hug and tells me how much she loves me. Thank you, Mrs. Smith, for being the coolest kindergarten teacher on the planet and for teaching me to color in the lines.
In first grade, I was blessed with Mrs. Bier. We lost her some time ago and I never got the chance to thank her for teaching me to read and write. I hope she knew how much I appreciated it.
In second grade, I had Mrs. Jolliffe. She is Mrs. Schultz now. I spoke with her one day on the phone while I was at work and she said, "This is Marilyn Schultz." It took me a few minutes to figure out who she was! It was funny. Thank you, Mrs. Schultz, for teaching me to accept the differences of others and to play fair.
In third grade, I had Mrs. Bortz. What an awesome lady! I still see her once in awhile and it's just like visiting with an old friend. Thank you, Mrs. Bortz, for teaching me patience while I was struggling with math.
In fourth grade, I had Mrs. Sprecher. I clearly remember discovering my love for social studies and knowledge of government and the law while in her class. Thank you for that, Mrs. Sprecher.
In fifth grade, I had Mrs. Mitzi Manthey. I remember thinking how cool it must be to have an exotic name like Mitzi! They say that when major current events happen, you never forget where you were when you got the news. I remember like it was yesterday, sitting in Mrs. Manthey's class when Mr. Pease (principal) announced that President Reagan had been shot by John Hinkley. And I remember Mrs. Manthey's reaction and how it really made me understand the impact of what had just happened. Thank you, Mrs. Manthey, for teaching me to care about others and to take the time to understand their pain and their happiness.
In sixth grade, I had Mr. Hull. Everyone wanted Mr. Hull for a teacher because he looked like Magnum P.I. (Tom Selleck). Mr. Hull had overcome polio as a child and walked differently than everyone else. On the first day of school, he explained that to us and it made the differences disappear. Thank you, Mr. Hull, for teaching me that the differences don't matter.
In seventh grade (junior high) I had a number of teachers, some of whom I also had in high school. Math was taught by Mr. James. I saw him recently and he thanked me for taking care of animals. His face lit up as he told me of his beloved dogs. It was a very cool moment. Thank you, Mr. James, for your patience with me while I continued to struggle with math and for never making me feel like I couldn't do it.
For Language Development, I had Mrs. Harmon. I loved that class and looked forward to it every day. Thank you, Mrs. Harmon, for making it interesting and for helping me discover a love of writing.
High school...it seems like such a long time ago. In 2009, my class celebrated our 20th class reunion. (That's 1989 for those who are math-impaired like me! :-) It hardly seems possible. Obviously, we would be here all day if I mention everyone from high school, so here are just a few...
For 6 consecutive years, I had Mrs. Casey for a teacher. She taught Language Arts in junior high and Spanish in high school. I can honestly say that I never had more fun in a classroom than I did in Spanish. I remember walking into class one day, shortly after the movie La Bamba had come out. I was singing the theme song to the movie and was quickly joined by some friends. Instead of telling us to take our seats and be quiet so she could start the day's lesson, Señora Casey got out the cassette player, turned on the song La Bamba and cranked the music while we all sang along and danced around the classroom. It was a blast and a memory I will carry for the rest of my life. And that is just one example of the fun we had in Spanish class. And guess what...along the way, amidst all the fun and laughing, I learned to speak some spanish too!
Señora Casey, gracias desde el fondo mi corazón para la enseñanza me divertirse mientras yo aprender. Gracias a la enseñanza me valoran el conocimient que tengo, a ser aceptación de otras y sólo para relajarse a veces e ir con la corriente.
Patti Smith...teacher of English and Speech. She assures me that now that I am pushing 40 I can drop the "Mrs." and call her Patti. I remember when one of our assignments in Speech was to tell jokes. Can you think of anything more fitting for me? What a riot that was! I even remember my joke. What is green and flies over Poland? Peter Panski! ROFLMAO! Thank you, Patti, for teaching me to have fun and laugh every day, to not take myself too seriously and to face my fears head-on. I dreaded taking Speech class ( a requirement) because I hated speaking in front of people. Not only did I take your speech class, I took Speech 2! And the fear of public speaking went away. Thank you for that, Patti!
Patti lives just down the road from me. One night, my brother had borrowed my car. No sooner did he pull out of my driveway, did I discover a kitten (Dante) who was in severe distress. I called everyone I could think of to try to get a ride to the emergency veterinary clinic. Finally, it occurred to me to try Patti. She answered the phone immediately and, without skipping a beat said, "Do you need my car? Come and get it!" Dante and I got to Patti's house where she was waiting with the keys. "Go help that little one!" she said. Dante had emergency surgery that night. How many people would just hand over the keys to their vehicle without a second thought in the rescue of an animal. Words cannot express how amazing that entire situation was. Thank you, Patti, for your love of animals and for being a great friend.
The last teacher I want to mention (and there are plenty more) is Linda Neef. Mrs. Neef, in a single day, had the greatest impact on my young life and I hope she knew it. She was born to be a teacher and no single person mastered the craft as well as she did.
When I was in high school, I was struggling a lot with math. I just couldn't seem to get my head around it and it was really getting me down. (Those of you who know me well know how dysfunctional I am when I can't understand something.) Beyond being afraid that a poor grade in Geometry would keep me off the softball field (my favorite place on earth), I was looking into colleges and feared it would block my entrance. Reading my face in her writing class one day, Mrs. Neef asked me to step out into the hallway. She said she could tell that something was weighing heavily on my mind and wondered if she could help. I explained my dilemma and, without words, she could read my anguish. She said, "Heidi, I am going to tell you something, but if you repeat it, I will deny I said it. I have been a teacher for a long time. I can add, subtract, multiply and divide. I can do fractions and percentages for purposes of figuring out grades. Beyond that, no one has ever asked me what x plus y equals and I have made it through just fine." And at that moment, everything fell into perspective and the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders. She was right.
I passed Geometry by the skin of my teeth, but I did pass. I played softball and I got into college. In fact, I graduated from college 17 years ago. And you know what? No one has ever asked me what x plus y equals.
We lost this dear lady last year and not a day goes by that I don't think about her and the impact she had on my life. I hope she knew how much I loved her and how important she was..and still is. Her funeral was a beautiful and up-beat celebration of her life and her presence was palpable throughout the entire ceremony. Thank you, Mrs. Neef, for being yourself and answering the call to teach. Thank you for teaching me perspective and acceptance of that which I have no control. Thank you for teaching me peace and happiness in all that surrounds me. And thank you for teaching me to treasure the little things and celebrate the miracle of daily life. I miss you.
I know this is a long blog today, but I can't leave without mentioning one more very special teacher...my niece, Rachel. She is a teacher in North Carolina. Rachel, I am so proud of you and I am so grateful, on behalf of every young person who comes through your door, that you chose to be a teacher. They may not realize it now and they may never take the time to thank you, but I hope you know that, each and every day, you are a good influence on them and you are instrumental in shaping their lives. Nice work, my niece, nice work!
We, as their students, put our teachers on a pedestal, amazed at their knowledge and ability to convey it to us so that we too can share in it. My teachers have been on my mind a lot in the last few years. Although they are still superheroes to me, things have happened that have made them more human to me. And it occurs to me that I never really said "thank you." I know they don't hear it enough, if at all, so I want to take this opportunity to say it.
I remember each one of my teachers. In kindergarten, way back in 1976, my teacher was Mrs. Sarah Smith. To this day, when I see her, she gives me a big hug and tells me how much she loves me. Thank you, Mrs. Smith, for being the coolest kindergarten teacher on the planet and for teaching me to color in the lines.
In first grade, I was blessed with Mrs. Bier. We lost her some time ago and I never got the chance to thank her for teaching me to read and write. I hope she knew how much I appreciated it.
In second grade, I had Mrs. Jolliffe. She is Mrs. Schultz now. I spoke with her one day on the phone while I was at work and she said, "This is Marilyn Schultz." It took me a few minutes to figure out who she was! It was funny. Thank you, Mrs. Schultz, for teaching me to accept the differences of others and to play fair.
In third grade, I had Mrs. Bortz. What an awesome lady! I still see her once in awhile and it's just like visiting with an old friend. Thank you, Mrs. Bortz, for teaching me patience while I was struggling with math.
In fourth grade, I had Mrs. Sprecher. I clearly remember discovering my love for social studies and knowledge of government and the law while in her class. Thank you for that, Mrs. Sprecher.
In fifth grade, I had Mrs. Mitzi Manthey. I remember thinking how cool it must be to have an exotic name like Mitzi! They say that when major current events happen, you never forget where you were when you got the news. I remember like it was yesterday, sitting in Mrs. Manthey's class when Mr. Pease (principal) announced that President Reagan had been shot by John Hinkley. And I remember Mrs. Manthey's reaction and how it really made me understand the impact of what had just happened. Thank you, Mrs. Manthey, for teaching me to care about others and to take the time to understand their pain and their happiness.
In sixth grade, I had Mr. Hull. Everyone wanted Mr. Hull for a teacher because he looked like Magnum P.I. (Tom Selleck). Mr. Hull had overcome polio as a child and walked differently than everyone else. On the first day of school, he explained that to us and it made the differences disappear. Thank you, Mr. Hull, for teaching me that the differences don't matter.
In seventh grade (junior high) I had a number of teachers, some of whom I also had in high school. Math was taught by Mr. James. I saw him recently and he thanked me for taking care of animals. His face lit up as he told me of his beloved dogs. It was a very cool moment. Thank you, Mr. James, for your patience with me while I continued to struggle with math and for never making me feel like I couldn't do it.
For Language Development, I had Mrs. Harmon. I loved that class and looked forward to it every day. Thank you, Mrs. Harmon, for making it interesting and for helping me discover a love of writing.
High school...it seems like such a long time ago. In 2009, my class celebrated our 20th class reunion. (That's 1989 for those who are math-impaired like me! :-) It hardly seems possible. Obviously, we would be here all day if I mention everyone from high school, so here are just a few...
For 6 consecutive years, I had Mrs. Casey for a teacher. She taught Language Arts in junior high and Spanish in high school. I can honestly say that I never had more fun in a classroom than I did in Spanish. I remember walking into class one day, shortly after the movie La Bamba had come out. I was singing the theme song to the movie and was quickly joined by some friends. Instead of telling us to take our seats and be quiet so she could start the day's lesson, Señora Casey got out the cassette player, turned on the song La Bamba and cranked the music while we all sang along and danced around the classroom. It was a blast and a memory I will carry for the rest of my life. And that is just one example of the fun we had in Spanish class. And guess what...along the way, amidst all the fun and laughing, I learned to speak some spanish too!
Señora Casey, gracias desde el fondo mi corazón para la enseñanza me divertirse mientras yo aprender. Gracias a la enseñanza me valoran el conocimient que tengo, a ser aceptación de otras y sólo para relajarse a veces e ir con la corriente.
Patti Smith...teacher of English and Speech. She assures me that now that I am pushing 40 I can drop the "Mrs." and call her Patti. I remember when one of our assignments in Speech was to tell jokes. Can you think of anything more fitting for me? What a riot that was! I even remember my joke. What is green and flies over Poland? Peter Panski! ROFLMAO! Thank you, Patti, for teaching me to have fun and laugh every day, to not take myself too seriously and to face my fears head-on. I dreaded taking Speech class ( a requirement) because I hated speaking in front of people. Not only did I take your speech class, I took Speech 2! And the fear of public speaking went away. Thank you for that, Patti!
Patti lives just down the road from me. One night, my brother had borrowed my car. No sooner did he pull out of my driveway, did I discover a kitten (Dante) who was in severe distress. I called everyone I could think of to try to get a ride to the emergency veterinary clinic. Finally, it occurred to me to try Patti. She answered the phone immediately and, without skipping a beat said, "Do you need my car? Come and get it!" Dante and I got to Patti's house where she was waiting with the keys. "Go help that little one!" she said. Dante had emergency surgery that night. How many people would just hand over the keys to their vehicle without a second thought in the rescue of an animal. Words cannot express how amazing that entire situation was. Thank you, Patti, for your love of animals and for being a great friend.
The last teacher I want to mention (and there are plenty more) is Linda Neef. Mrs. Neef, in a single day, had the greatest impact on my young life and I hope she knew it. She was born to be a teacher and no single person mastered the craft as well as she did.
When I was in high school, I was struggling a lot with math. I just couldn't seem to get my head around it and it was really getting me down. (Those of you who know me well know how dysfunctional I am when I can't understand something.) Beyond being afraid that a poor grade in Geometry would keep me off the softball field (my favorite place on earth), I was looking into colleges and feared it would block my entrance. Reading my face in her writing class one day, Mrs. Neef asked me to step out into the hallway. She said she could tell that something was weighing heavily on my mind and wondered if she could help. I explained my dilemma and, without words, she could read my anguish. She said, "Heidi, I am going to tell you something, but if you repeat it, I will deny I said it. I have been a teacher for a long time. I can add, subtract, multiply and divide. I can do fractions and percentages for purposes of figuring out grades. Beyond that, no one has ever asked me what x plus y equals and I have made it through just fine." And at that moment, everything fell into perspective and the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders. She was right.
I passed Geometry by the skin of my teeth, but I did pass. I played softball and I got into college. In fact, I graduated from college 17 years ago. And you know what? No one has ever asked me what x plus y equals.
We lost this dear lady last year and not a day goes by that I don't think about her and the impact she had on my life. I hope she knew how much I loved her and how important she was..and still is. Her funeral was a beautiful and up-beat celebration of her life and her presence was palpable throughout the entire ceremony. Thank you, Mrs. Neef, for being yourself and answering the call to teach. Thank you for teaching me perspective and acceptance of that which I have no control. Thank you for teaching me peace and happiness in all that surrounds me. And thank you for teaching me to treasure the little things and celebrate the miracle of daily life. I miss you.
I know this is a long blog today, but I can't leave without mentioning one more very special teacher...my niece, Rachel. She is a teacher in North Carolina. Rachel, I am so proud of you and I am so grateful, on behalf of every young person who comes through your door, that you chose to be a teacher. They may not realize it now and they may never take the time to thank you, but I hope you know that, each and every day, you are a good influence on them and you are instrumental in shaping their lives. Nice work, my niece, nice work!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
50 Things I Believe
Just a list of 50 things I believe. Feel free to disagree.
1. Texas toast is just fat bread and the people of Texas probably don't even eat it any more than the French eat french toast.
2. Being an aunt is the most important thing I will ever do with my life.
3. Road rage is a good stress release as long as you limit it to yelling in your own car.
4. People with tattoos are expressive, independent and interesting. If you ask them the stories behind their tattoos, you will learn a lot about them.
5. People need to take better notice of the lessons we can learn from animals.
6. People who abuse animals should be subjected to the death penalty and should be tortured and killed in the same way they tortured and killed the animal.
7. The Duggars need to abstain.
8. People who drive slow in the left lane of the interstate should have their licenses revoked.
9. EMTs do not get the pay or respect they deserve.
10. English should be the official language of the United States. My mother came from Germany and she never once expected Americans to learn German to accommodate her.
11. Sarah Palin is dangerously misguided.
12. If Elin Nordegren didn't try to beat the crap out of Tiger Woods with a golf club, she should have. No one would have blamed her and no jury would have convicted her.
13. There are no dangerous dog breeds, only dangerous dog owners.
14. The legal structure of Columbia County is corrupt.
15. Wrigley is the smartest dog I have. Charlie is the cutest. Gretchen is the most neurotic. Barney is the most appreciative. Tucker is the most well-behaved. Dawson is the most protective. Harry is the most loyal.
16. If I could find a practical use for cat poop, I would be filthy rich (pardon the pun).
17. People have a right to live their lives free of the harassment of others as long as they aren't hurting anyone.
18. Life is a Melissa Etheridge song.
19. Ellen DeGeneres is the funniest person on the planet.
20. Cosmetic surgery is stupid.
21. Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston should be spayed and neutered.
22. Sandra Bullock is the epitome of strength and grace and serves as a great role-model for kids. Also, she is hilarious.
23. Martha Stewart has cloned herself. She is EVERYWHERE...Walmart, K-mart, Home Depot, PetSmart...
24. Fred Flintstone must have had an excellent podiatrist.
25. Some people will just never see their own selfishness.
26. Kate Gosselin absolutely cannot dance but she has a lot of guts to try on national TV.
27. Baked Lays rock!
28. It's a lot of fun to feed s'mores to an old person with no teeth.
29. The accident at Extreme World in the Dells should never have happened. No amusement park ride should be set up where one simple human error can cost a life. There should be fail-safe plans at every step.
30. Six Flags Great America Frightfest is the BEST!
31. The world would be a better place if everyone had a mom like mine.
32. There are people in this world who will never stop gossiping or taking joy in the misfortune of others.
33. The White House party crashers should be in jail for a breach of national security. Those people have some serious attention-seeking issues.
34. Grammar and spelling are important. If you don't know the difference between to, too and two, you need to go back to school.
35. Farmville rocks!
36. Friends are often more loyal than siblings because they know and respect you for who you are and not for who they think you should be.
37. Cancer robs many people of many things including the basic comfort in understanding the illness. It is impossible to understand its indescriminate ways.
38. I have been blessed to come to know some of the most outstanding human beings on earth.
39. Building a mosque near Ground Zero is a good idea. It symbolizes the healing of America by illustrating how we can take a huge blow like September 11 and recover. The people who want to build the mosque didn't fly those planes into the buildings. America is based on freedom of religion and it would be un-American to disallow a religious group to build a place of worship.
40. Arizona has the right idea, but the wrong methods to control illegal immigration.
41. "August Rush" is an awesome movie.
42. Mel Gibson has ruined his career.
43. It's great that the US can help all of these poor people in Haiti following the earthquakes and Pakistan following the floods, but how about the homeless people here? We need to take care of America first.
44. Water chestnuts are evil and should be destroyed.
45. There are people in this world who would drive into the ocean if their GPS told them to.
46. Daniel Kutz should be tortured until he tells police where Beth's body is so the children can have closure. LOSER!
47. The executives of BP should get their asses to the Gulf coast region, roll up their sleeves and clean up their freaking mess instead of sitting behind overstuffed leather office chairs saying, "Gosh, we're sorry." Sorry means nothing to the animals covered in oil and the people who have lost their ways of life because of this mess. Yes, accidents happen. However, when the environment is at stake, there is no way in hell it should take 3 months to get it contained!! LOSERS!!
48. Pete Rose deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. There is something very wrong with the NFL allowing Michael Vick to play professional football after he was convicted of felony dog fighting while Charlie Hustle is being banned from baseball and kept out of the Hall of Fame for betting on a few games. Which is the more heinous crime? Very, very wrong...
49. The cocaine either belonged to Paris Hilton or she is the most colossally stupid person on earth. Let me get this straight: it's not her purse, but ALL of the contents inside are hers EXCEPT the "gum" that turned out to be cocaine. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight...
50. Being eaten by a shark is the worst way to die.
Thanks for letting me share...
1. Texas toast is just fat bread and the people of Texas probably don't even eat it any more than the French eat french toast.
2. Being an aunt is the most important thing I will ever do with my life.
3. Road rage is a good stress release as long as you limit it to yelling in your own car.
4. People with tattoos are expressive, independent and interesting. If you ask them the stories behind their tattoos, you will learn a lot about them.
5. People need to take better notice of the lessons we can learn from animals.
6. People who abuse animals should be subjected to the death penalty and should be tortured and killed in the same way they tortured and killed the animal.
7. The Duggars need to abstain.
8. People who drive slow in the left lane of the interstate should have their licenses revoked.
9. EMTs do not get the pay or respect they deserve.
10. English should be the official language of the United States. My mother came from Germany and she never once expected Americans to learn German to accommodate her.
11. Sarah Palin is dangerously misguided.
12. If Elin Nordegren didn't try to beat the crap out of Tiger Woods with a golf club, she should have. No one would have blamed her and no jury would have convicted her.
13. There are no dangerous dog breeds, only dangerous dog owners.
14. The legal structure of Columbia County is corrupt.
15. Wrigley is the smartest dog I have. Charlie is the cutest. Gretchen is the most neurotic. Barney is the most appreciative. Tucker is the most well-behaved. Dawson is the most protective. Harry is the most loyal.
16. If I could find a practical use for cat poop, I would be filthy rich (pardon the pun).
17. People have a right to live their lives free of the harassment of others as long as they aren't hurting anyone.
18. Life is a Melissa Etheridge song.
19. Ellen DeGeneres is the funniest person on the planet.
20. Cosmetic surgery is stupid.
21. Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston should be spayed and neutered.
22. Sandra Bullock is the epitome of strength and grace and serves as a great role-model for kids. Also, she is hilarious.
23. Martha Stewart has cloned herself. She is EVERYWHERE...Walmart, K-mart, Home Depot, PetSmart...
24. Fred Flintstone must have had an excellent podiatrist.
25. Some people will just never see their own selfishness.
26. Kate Gosselin absolutely cannot dance but she has a lot of guts to try on national TV.
27. Baked Lays rock!
28. It's a lot of fun to feed s'mores to an old person with no teeth.
29. The accident at Extreme World in the Dells should never have happened. No amusement park ride should be set up where one simple human error can cost a life. There should be fail-safe plans at every step.
30. Six Flags Great America Frightfest is the BEST!
31. The world would be a better place if everyone had a mom like mine.
32. There are people in this world who will never stop gossiping or taking joy in the misfortune of others.
33. The White House party crashers should be in jail for a breach of national security. Those people have some serious attention-seeking issues.
34. Grammar and spelling are important. If you don't know the difference between to, too and two, you need to go back to school.
35. Farmville rocks!
36. Friends are often more loyal than siblings because they know and respect you for who you are and not for who they think you should be.
37. Cancer robs many people of many things including the basic comfort in understanding the illness. It is impossible to understand its indescriminate ways.
38. I have been blessed to come to know some of the most outstanding human beings on earth.
39. Building a mosque near Ground Zero is a good idea. It symbolizes the healing of America by illustrating how we can take a huge blow like September 11 and recover. The people who want to build the mosque didn't fly those planes into the buildings. America is based on freedom of religion and it would be un-American to disallow a religious group to build a place of worship.
40. Arizona has the right idea, but the wrong methods to control illegal immigration.
41. "August Rush" is an awesome movie.
42. Mel Gibson has ruined his career.
43. It's great that the US can help all of these poor people in Haiti following the earthquakes and Pakistan following the floods, but how about the homeless people here? We need to take care of America first.
44. Water chestnuts are evil and should be destroyed.
45. There are people in this world who would drive into the ocean if their GPS told them to.
46. Daniel Kutz should be tortured until he tells police where Beth's body is so the children can have closure. LOSER!
47. The executives of BP should get their asses to the Gulf coast region, roll up their sleeves and clean up their freaking mess instead of sitting behind overstuffed leather office chairs saying, "Gosh, we're sorry." Sorry means nothing to the animals covered in oil and the people who have lost their ways of life because of this mess. Yes, accidents happen. However, when the environment is at stake, there is no way in hell it should take 3 months to get it contained!! LOSERS!!
48. Pete Rose deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. There is something very wrong with the NFL allowing Michael Vick to play professional football after he was convicted of felony dog fighting while Charlie Hustle is being banned from baseball and kept out of the Hall of Fame for betting on a few games. Which is the more heinous crime? Very, very wrong...
49. The cocaine either belonged to Paris Hilton or she is the most colossally stupid person on earth. Let me get this straight: it's not her purse, but ALL of the contents inside are hers EXCEPT the "gum" that turned out to be cocaine. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight...
50. Being eaten by a shark is the worst way to die.
Thanks for letting me share...
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Jennifer Neesam Marchillo 1972-2010
Jenni Neesam died on Sunday. Her obituary appeared in today's paper. She was 38 years old and leaves behind a young daughter and step-son. Jenni was a year behind me in high school and I so clearly remember laughing and joking with her at basketball and volleyball games. She was always so much fun to be around. This post is in her honor as a way of sending out thoughts and prayers to her family. Cancer is the hardest thing for us to understand because it has no rhyme or reason in choosing its victims. Why Jenni? Why someone so young? And why a young mother?
Kahlil Gibran is my favorite poet. Here is what he says of death:
You would know the secret of death.
But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?
The owl whose nightbound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.
If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life.
For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.
In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond;
And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow, your heart dreams of spring.
Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.
Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honor.
Is the shepherd not joyful beneath the trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king?
Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?
For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?
Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountaintop, then shall you begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.
--Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet"
Here's to you, Jenni. May you now truly dance in peace, free from pain and anguish. Your spirit lives on in Olivia and no one left behind on earth will forget your strength and courage and the lessons you taught all of us in facing our fears head-on. May God bless you and keep you until we can dance with you again.
Kahlil Gibran is my favorite poet. Here is what he says of death:
You would know the secret of death.
But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?
The owl whose nightbound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.
If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life.
For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.
In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond;
And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow, your heart dreams of spring.
Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.
Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honor.
Is the shepherd not joyful beneath the trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king?
Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?
For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?
Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountaintop, then shall you begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.
--Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet"
Here's to you, Jenni. May you now truly dance in peace, free from pain and anguish. Your spirit lives on in Olivia and no one left behind on earth will forget your strength and courage and the lessons you taught all of us in facing our fears head-on. May God bless you and keep you until we can dance with you again.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Hi My Name is Heidi and I am Addicted to Farmville
Yes, it is true. I am an addict. I love Farmville and I am on some weird quest to gather as many animals as I can. I am a Farmville hoarder! I don't know what it is. Maybe it is the fact that I can have all the animals I want without having to feed them or clean up after them. AND, I make tons of money off of them. I don't have to worry about cops and neighbors complaining. It's an ideal world! I spent a good part of this morning wasting time I do not have to make sure my farm is perfect. I also took a tally of all the animals. I have:
4 dogs, 9 cats, 1 bobcat, 1 wolf, 3 elephants, 2 moles, 8 chinchillas, 74 chickens, 20 goats, 4 turkeys, 6 llamas, 1 moose, 8 white-tailed bucks, 13 reindeer, 7 canadian geese, 7 swans, 19 ducks, 13 rabbits, 16 seagulls, 45 sheep, 13 bulls, 92 cows, 34 calves, 45 horses, 33 foals, 46 pigs, 1 woodpecker, 4 carrier pigeons and 17 honeybees for a grand total of 546 animals. It's awesome!
Come and be my neighbor!
4 dogs, 9 cats, 1 bobcat, 1 wolf, 3 elephants, 2 moles, 8 chinchillas, 74 chickens, 20 goats, 4 turkeys, 6 llamas, 1 moose, 8 white-tailed bucks, 13 reindeer, 7 canadian geese, 7 swans, 19 ducks, 13 rabbits, 16 seagulls, 45 sheep, 13 bulls, 92 cows, 34 calves, 45 horses, 33 foals, 46 pigs, 1 woodpecker, 4 carrier pigeons and 17 honeybees for a grand total of 546 animals. It's awesome!
Come and be my neighbor!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Common Sense...Not All That Common
So I have this friend. She is 36 years old and just about the most intelligent person I have ever met. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from undergraduate school and Summa Cum Laude from graduate school. She is now working on her doctorate in Psychology at a prestigious university. She is a wealth of information and can regurgitate just about every piece of information she has ever read. It is truly amazing and very interesting if you don't want to waste your time reading the Encyclopedia Britannica. But there is one problem...she does not have a single ounce of common sense anywhere in her entire body. I'm not kidding. It's painful to watch. Now, don't get me wrong, I love her dearly and am thankful for her friendship, but good Lord, it is amazing she has made it to age 36. She is exactly the kind of person who would drive head-on into the ocean if her GPS told her to.
Have you ever heard of the Darwin Awards? They are awards given to those unfortunate souls who commit the most outrageous acts of stupidity, resulting in their deaths. As they put it, the Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human gene pool by removing themselves from it. For example, there was the man who was trying to fire his 18th Century muzzle loader that he had packed with the appropriate amount of gun powder. When it didn't fire, he used a match to look down the barrel and see if it was clogged. Or the man who decided to trim his own trees and rented a large wood chipper from the local rental center. He parked the chipper under the tree and turned it on full blast, thinking it would save time to saw the branches off and drop them straight into the chipper. It was a great idea until he climbed up above the chipper and slipped off the ladder. Or the two guys in Minnesota who decided to play a little game of Russian Roulette...with a semi-automatic weapon.
The scary thing is that I have no doubt that one day my friend will be a nominee for the Darwin Awards. Her lack of common sense will catch up with her. It has to. People just can't go through life without common sense. Can they?
Have you ever heard of the Darwin Awards? They are awards given to those unfortunate souls who commit the most outrageous acts of stupidity, resulting in their deaths. As they put it, the Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human gene pool by removing themselves from it. For example, there was the man who was trying to fire his 18th Century muzzle loader that he had packed with the appropriate amount of gun powder. When it didn't fire, he used a match to look down the barrel and see if it was clogged. Or the man who decided to trim his own trees and rented a large wood chipper from the local rental center. He parked the chipper under the tree and turned it on full blast, thinking it would save time to saw the branches off and drop them straight into the chipper. It was a great idea until he climbed up above the chipper and slipped off the ladder. Or the two guys in Minnesota who decided to play a little game of Russian Roulette...with a semi-automatic weapon.
The scary thing is that I have no doubt that one day my friend will be a nominee for the Darwin Awards. Her lack of common sense will catch up with her. It has to. People just can't go through life without common sense. Can they?
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Closing the Sanctuary and Retiring from Rescue
It is with tremendous sadness that I use my blog today to announce the closing of the Worthy Paws sanctuary and my decision to retire from animal rescue. This may come as a shock to some of you and I apologize if you feel blindsided. And I have to admit that I am feeling very very selfish right now. But the bottom line is that I just don't think I can do it anymore. The feeling of being overwhelmed used to only exist once in awhile. However, since my roommate, Jennifer, moved out last month, that feeling of being overwhelmed never goes away. Jennifer's intention is to allow foreclosure on the house, leaving me and all of the animals without a place to live. And I have just come to realize that, no matter how much my heart wants to help every animal I possibly can, I am but one person with limited abilities. The biggest factor is that the issues never end. Now, I am not saying that I am surprised by that. When you care for 100 abandoned, abused and neglected animals, you have to expect problems. But the outstanding vet bill of over $6000 at one clinic, $800+ at another clinic and $400+ at another clinic have just gotten to be overwhelming. I used to occasionally remember what it was like to have my apartment in Portage...when I had 3 cats and worked full time at Staples. It was an easier time but I knew something was missing. So I took 6 years of my life and I gave it to the animals. In the course of those 6 years, I have suffered the loss of most of my family because they didn't agree with what I was doing. They just didn't get it. And although it was hard, I am thankful for that time because it taught me a lesson in the kind of person I want to be. I don't want to be like them and to sit in judgement of others. But there are moments when, selfishly, I long for the simpler times. I envy those people who can get up in the morning, enjoy their coffee, go to work, come home, make dinner, watch tv and go to bed at a decent hour. Please don't misunderstand me. I do NOT regret the last 6 years. I made the life and death difference in the lives of hundreds of animals. I wasn't always perfect and I made some huge mistakes, but I do go to bed every night feeling like I did my best for them. I hope they think so too. But a time has come when I don't feel like I can continue to give them the best of me....I can't continue to give them what they deserve. When I woke up this morning to Tucker throwing up, Joey's left eye swollen shut, Charlie limping, Maxie's back leg swollen and Sancho having another bout of his chronic diarrhea and absolutely no money to tend to them with, I just felt like that overwhelming feeling was going to take over permanently. Make no mistake, they got the care they needed, but it absorbed the largest part of my day. Add into that that they need to be fed and their water needs to be changed and their litter boxes need to be cleaned and the dogs need exercise and the entire day is gone before I can blink. I am one person and I just don't know how I can do this anymore. From the deepest part of my being, I am so so sorry for letting everyone down.
I do not intend to "get rid of" all the animals. I hate that phrase. Adoption procedures will be followed and no animal will be given to a home that has not been thoroughly examined. It's just that I will be seeking adoptions more aggressively, through many more outlets, than before. Let me also be clear that the dogs are NOT available for adoption. My intention is to keep all 7 of the dogs and approximately 20 of the cats. I will also be looking for a place to live with them, so if anyone out there knows of a place I can rent where I can have 7 dogs, 20 cats and possibly a house trained pot bellied pig, please let me know. I know it is a tall order.
Please forgive me for my shortcomings and know that I am not blind to them. I will never completely separate myself from animal rescue. I can't. It's in my blood and it is part of who I am. But right now my role has to become one of helping to place animals into good, loving homes or finding a reputable rescue to help them. It just can't be as hands-on as it has been. I am physically and emotionally spent. I have never been a quitter and I hope and pray that is not what you all think of me. God bless you all and thank you for your understanding. If you hear of anyone looking to adopt a cat, please let me know. All cats are spayed/neutered and vaccinated. I will waive adoption fees to good, loving homes. Thank you.
I do not intend to "get rid of" all the animals. I hate that phrase. Adoption procedures will be followed and no animal will be given to a home that has not been thoroughly examined. It's just that I will be seeking adoptions more aggressively, through many more outlets, than before. Let me also be clear that the dogs are NOT available for adoption. My intention is to keep all 7 of the dogs and approximately 20 of the cats. I will also be looking for a place to live with them, so if anyone out there knows of a place I can rent where I can have 7 dogs, 20 cats and possibly a house trained pot bellied pig, please let me know. I know it is a tall order.
Please forgive me for my shortcomings and know that I am not blind to them. I will never completely separate myself from animal rescue. I can't. It's in my blood and it is part of who I am. But right now my role has to become one of helping to place animals into good, loving homes or finding a reputable rescue to help them. It just can't be as hands-on as it has been. I am physically and emotionally spent. I have never been a quitter and I hope and pray that is not what you all think of me. God bless you all and thank you for your understanding. If you hear of anyone looking to adopt a cat, please let me know. All cats are spayed/neutered and vaccinated. I will waive adoption fees to good, loving homes. Thank you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)