I don't know if there's anyone else who starts feeling a bit contrary around this time of year, or if it's just me, but all of the push to spend, spend, SPEND, makes me want to go make some homemade gifts and send off a check to World Vision or Heifer, International.
As anyone who knows me knows, I'm not averse to spending money. At all. I enjoy shopping. I like nice things. I love to buy gifts and often pick up little things that I think that the people I love will like here and there during the year. But, boy do I hate the constant inundation of ads in my email, my mailbox, and on my radio for DISCOUNTS!, LAST CHANCE!, BUY STUFF!
I can't imagine thinking that my buying RIGHT NOW is so important that I encourage retailers to open on national holidays, causing thousands of moms and dads, sons and daughters, to have to miss holiday time, often with family who have traveled far to be there.
I can't imagine believing that it is so vital that I get my hands on some discounted piece of made-in-China gadgetry that I will trample other people to get to it.
Or that it is so necessary that my child have a particular toy under the tree that I will engage in a hair-pulling fight to ensure its presence.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those, "The world has ruined Christmas" people. Sometime the second week in December or so, when the furor of bargain-grabbing has subsided, I will dress up and go to the mall. (I will, however, leave town and go to a specific mall where I don't think I'll see anyone shopping in her pajamas, and where I often feel delightfully underdressed.) I will get my triple grande one-pump caramel brulee latte. I will wander in and out of festively decorated stores and pick up a few final gifts. I will enjoy the Christmas music.
I will decorate my house a little at a time, until the tree goes up in a couple of weeks. I'll break out my Christmas music. I'll bake cookies. And if someone wishes me "Happy Holidays" I certainly won't snarl at them.
The world can't ruin Christmas, because it isn't theirs to ruin. They can't even ruin Advent, which is the actual season of the world's "Christmas" frenzy. We can ruin it for ourselves and our loved ones by getting caught up in the pressure to do, be, and buy too much. I always find it anchoring to attend church during Advent. Not just on Sunday, but midweek, too. And if you are blessed, as I am, to be in a church where there are daily services, attending them can be a great antidote to the pre-Christmas stress that overindulgence of all sorts can bring. It's a good channel for my contrary feelings. It reminds us that this is a season of repentance, anticipation, and preparation.
Although a check to Heifer isn't a bad channel for contrarian impulses, either.
“Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by your protection we may be
rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by your
mighty deliverance.”
(Collect for the First Sunday in Advent.)
Showing posts with label Rants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rants. Show all posts
Sunday, December 01, 2013
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
It worked with my kids
Right now I'm really struggling to like some people that I love. And I'm disappointed with some people that I like. This isn't anything new. It happens with jarring regularity.
I am so tired of grown adults behaving like children. Or even worse, like junior high students.
I'm so tired of snide comments and pot-stirring. Of extreme comments begetting more extreme responses. Of plain-old, flat-out meanness.
I'm sick of bickering.
I'd like to grab several different sets of people by the scruff of their necks and stand them in the middle of my living room. I'd make them stand forehead to forehead with each other until there was laughter and forgiveness.
As my children have taught me, some people are stupid-stubborn, and this can take a while, but I've never seen it fail.
I am so tired of grown adults behaving like children. Or even worse, like junior high students.
I'm so tired of snide comments and pot-stirring. Of extreme comments begetting more extreme responses. Of plain-old, flat-out meanness.
I'm sick of bickering.
I'd like to grab several different sets of people by the scruff of their necks and stand them in the middle of my living room. I'd make them stand forehead to forehead with each other until there was laughter and forgiveness.
As my children have taught me, some people are stupid-stubborn, and this can take a while, but I've never seen it fail.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Hold a grudge? Me?!
Sitting across the table from the hubby at Mad Anthony's the other night, I saw a face on the TV screen that caused an immediate visceral reaction. Anger bubbled up from the depths of my being. I scowled. I may have even muttered a bad name.
The hubby saw who I was looking at and started laughing.
Who caused this reaction? Keith Olbermann? Bill Clinton? Hugo Chavez? Joel Osteen? No, no one you might expect. It was Gene Keady, former Purdue basketball coach.
When Colin was back at Purdue working on his master's degree, I supported the four of us by working as a waitress. I worked at a Damon's, where, in our Clubhouse, we had four large screen TV's. It was a fun place to work. The food was great. I was a good server and got good sections and made really, really good tips. I also had people who would request seats in my section. Unfortunately, one of those was Keady. (For the record, I don't think he cared who waited on him, but I usually had one of the two sections that had the best tables in the Clubhouse, and that's where he sat.)
The first time he sat in my section I was excited. He was with his wife and another couple. They ate and drank for hours. His wife smoked and I kept their glasses filled and their ashtrays emptied. The manager was comping their food, because, after all, he was Gene Keady. Usually a comped table meant an especially nice tip. Unless it was Keady. Then, as I discovered, it meant no tip.
So, they came in often. He would take up the best table, usually for the whole night. He and his wife were demanding. One time he left $5. When he sat in my section I usually lost about $25-30 that I usually made on that table on a weeknight.
Seems like it was just yesterday, not almost 20 years ago. Yep, I think I'm holding a grudge.
The hubby saw who I was looking at and started laughing.
Who caused this reaction? Keith Olbermann? Bill Clinton? Hugo Chavez? Joel Osteen? No, no one you might expect. It was Gene Keady, former Purdue basketball coach.
When Colin was back at Purdue working on his master's degree, I supported the four of us by working as a waitress. I worked at a Damon's, where, in our Clubhouse, we had four large screen TV's. It was a fun place to work. The food was great. I was a good server and got good sections and made really, really good tips. I also had people who would request seats in my section. Unfortunately, one of those was Keady. (For the record, I don't think he cared who waited on him, but I usually had one of the two sections that had the best tables in the Clubhouse, and that's where he sat.)
The first time he sat in my section I was excited. He was with his wife and another couple. They ate and drank for hours. His wife smoked and I kept their glasses filled and their ashtrays emptied. The manager was comping their food, because, after all, he was Gene Keady. Usually a comped table meant an especially nice tip. Unless it was Keady. Then, as I discovered, it meant no tip.
So, they came in often. He would take up the best table, usually for the whole night. He and his wife were demanding. One time he left $5. When he sat in my section I usually lost about $25-30 that I usually made on that table on a weeknight.
Seems like it was just yesterday, not almost 20 years ago. Yep, I think I'm holding a grudge.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
A tad bit annoying
A tad bit. It's just a little pet peeve. A teeny, tiny one. No one needs to take offense, because as far as I know none of you say this.
It is a tad or a bit. Not both. Both are nouns. Using both is redundant.
How do these things spread and become so ubiquitous? I've heard people use this from time to time and had hoped it was a local tic, but today I heard it on TV.
It is a tad or a bit. Not both. Both are nouns. Using both is redundant.
How do these things spread and become so ubiquitous? I've heard people use this from time to time and had hoped it was a local tic, but today I heard it on TV.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Being a careful consumer
Has it always been so hard to make sure you aren't being overcharged or that you're getting the service you pay for?
It seems like I am spending a huge amount of time lately dealing with payments that aren't credited, extra items on invoices, double billings, and refund credits that don't show up. I don't know if it's because everything is computerized and there are no checks in place or if this really happens all the time and I'm just lucky to be catching it.
Last month there were double charges for gasoline that I had purchased that showed up when I checked my account online. I'm spending hours on the phone because of improper coding for an emergency room visit because the insurance company and hospital can't seem to communicate.
Maybe this is amplified for me because I have to deal with the church's finances as well as my own. But I'd really like a break from having to be so vigilant.
It seems like I am spending a huge amount of time lately dealing with payments that aren't credited, extra items on invoices, double billings, and refund credits that don't show up. I don't know if it's because everything is computerized and there are no checks in place or if this really happens all the time and I'm just lucky to be catching it.
Last month there were double charges for gasoline that I had purchased that showed up when I checked my account online. I'm spending hours on the phone because of improper coding for an emergency room visit because the insurance company and hospital can't seem to communicate.
Maybe this is amplified for me because I have to deal with the church's finances as well as my own. But I'd really like a break from having to be so vigilant.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
"Don't those girls have parents?"
THAT was the question on my lips last Saturday night while waiting to be seated at Biaggi's. We were subjected to some of the most awful prom dresses that I have ever seen. This site, which is the first result in a google search for prom dresses will give you a clue about the kinds of dresses we saw. Lots of sequins and satin, but mostly lots of skin.
We saw cleavage on high school girls that would have been risque on a pop star. Lots of dangerously low backs and cut outs in bodices. On the other hand, we also saw some girls who looked beautiful, in dresses that were lovely and fashionable, without being skanky.
As the mother of teen boys, I can emphatically say that they would not leave the house with a girl wearing some of the dresses we saw.
As the mother of a 21 year old daughter, I know how hard it can be to find fashionable clothes that are modest. But we have to raise our daughters with enough self-respect--and respect for others--that they understand that the message those kind of dresses are giving isn't a positive one!
I'm not suggesting they need to dress like this. (Although that might be fun!) I am just suggesting that some of these girls could really use some parental guidance in the way that they dress. And maybe there are a few parents out there who need a reminder that it's okay to tell your kids no.
We saw cleavage on high school girls that would have been risque on a pop star. Lots of dangerously low backs and cut outs in bodices. On the other hand, we also saw some girls who looked beautiful, in dresses that were lovely and fashionable, without being skanky.
As the mother of teen boys, I can emphatically say that they would not leave the house with a girl wearing some of the dresses we saw.
As the mother of a 21 year old daughter, I know how hard it can be to find fashionable clothes that are modest. But we have to raise our daughters with enough self-respect--and respect for others--that they understand that the message those kind of dresses are giving isn't a positive one!
I'm not suggesting they need to dress like this. (Although that might be fun!) I am just suggesting that some of these girls could really use some parental guidance in the way that they dress. And maybe there are a few parents out there who need a reminder that it's okay to tell your kids no.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Wow! It's getting deep
Sorry, but my BS meter is going off.
These words of Jerry Kieschnik, President of the LC-MS, about Mollie Hemingway's piece in the Wall Street Journal are too much.
Either Pres. K. is seriously delusional or he needs to go re-read his catechism, paying special attention to the eighth commandment.
For more on this go here, and here.
These words of Jerry Kieschnik, President of the LC-MS, about Mollie Hemingway's piece in the Wall Street Journal are too much.
What is even more disturbing is the false and misleading picture she presents of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) as a deeply divided church regarding its mission and ministry.False? Misleading??
Either Pres. K. is seriously delusional or he needs to go re-read his catechism, paying special attention to the eighth commandment.
For more on this go here, and here.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Car repairs
Why is it that when something goes wrong with the car, and we take it in for repair, I should be quizzed about why it cost so much?
Do I look like I can tell if the repair dude is telling me the truth?
Do I look like I want to spend too much money getting my car fixed?
If a man is going to second guess the results of a trip to the garage, he needs to take the car in himself and wait while the car-fixer-dudes work so he can quiz them.
Do I look like I can tell if the repair dude is telling me the truth?
Do I look like I want to spend too much money getting my car fixed?
If a man is going to second guess the results of a trip to the garage, he needs to take the car in himself and wait while the car-fixer-dudes work so he can quiz them.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Politics, again
I'm having a really hard time even thinking about voting this fall.
I've voted in every election I've been eligible to vote in, either in person or via absentee ballot. I've volunteered for campaigns. I work each election in a polling place where the vast majority of voters are Democrats and I help insure that each person is able to vote. I've always felt like the process was important.
This year it's all seeming pointless.
We are going to end up with a president who is a liberal. That is almost certain. It doesn't matter if they bear a D or an R. They will continue expand the scope of the federal government. (Now they're investigating the New England Patriots. Don't get me wrong, I despise the Patriots as much as the next Colts fan. But come on!) [HT: Schreiber] They will continue to advance the nanny state. And no matter who wins they will continue to ignore that dusty old constitution.
Today I watched Ann Coulter say that if McCain is the nominee, she will campaign for Hillary.
I won't go that far, but I do think if it is McCain or the Dem, I'd rather see them Dem win. Then at least it will be their fault.
And maybe--just maybe--the Republicans in congress would find their collective missing spines--or principles--if they are faced with a president named Hillary or Barack.
I've voted in every election I've been eligible to vote in, either in person or via absentee ballot. I've volunteered for campaigns. I work each election in a polling place where the vast majority of voters are Democrats and I help insure that each person is able to vote. I've always felt like the process was important.
This year it's all seeming pointless.
We are going to end up with a president who is a liberal. That is almost certain. It doesn't matter if they bear a D or an R. They will continue expand the scope of the federal government. (Now they're investigating the New England Patriots. Don't get me wrong, I despise the Patriots as much as the next Colts fan. But come on!) [HT: Schreiber] They will continue to advance the nanny state. And no matter who wins they will continue to ignore that dusty old constitution.
Today I watched Ann Coulter say that if McCain is the nominee, she will campaign for Hillary.
I won't go that far, but I do think if it is McCain or the Dem, I'd rather see them Dem win. Then at least it will be their fault.
And maybe--just maybe--the Republicans in congress would find their collective missing spines--or principles--if they are faced with a president named Hillary or Barack.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Okay, how 'bout we take a couple of months off?
Is anyone besides me already tired of the presidential race?
I'm a political junkie, but the media is really about to send me over the edge. They oversimplify, and make broad assumptions. Many are doing their best to make race, religion, and gender the reasons for picking a candidate.
Blech!
I'm a political junkie, but the media is really about to send me over the edge. They oversimplify, and make broad assumptions. Many are doing their best to make race, religion, and gender the reasons for picking a candidate.
Blech!
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Blog mess
I made the mistake of trying to update my blog tonight. My homeschooling blog is new blogger, so I didn't think I'd have any trouble. Ha!
The biggest problem was replacing all of my lists that I'm on. I still can't get some of the little graphics to show up, so I'm going to need to redo them. And it really messed up my blogroll. It didn't recognize all of the headers, so it squished several categories together. I still need to fix that.
I do think that I'm going to like the new look.
The biggest problem was replacing all of my lists that I'm on. I still can't get some of the little graphics to show up, so I'm going to need to redo them. And it really messed up my blogroll. It didn't recognize all of the headers, so it squished several categories together. I still need to fix that.
I do think that I'm going to like the new look.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Photo Hunt:: Childhood
Two of my boys running on ahead of the rest of the family on a walk through the woods last fall.
There was absolutely no way that I could limit myself to one picture on the subject of childhood. I think we're almost destroyed childhood in our society by not giving children enough time to play actively and imaginatively. We over-schedule them and load them down with homework, but at the same time they often have little useful work to do. We try to entertain them to stave off boredom, giving them TV shows that make them grow up too fast and clothes that make them look like miniature teenagers. Making sure that my children have a childhood has been one of the great side benefits of homeschooling.
This is my oldest niece having a fantastic time at the park near our house.
These are my two youngest nieces with that childhood staple, Cheerios.
Two of my sons perusing the pages of the latest Lego magazine....
Me, with my cousin Ann, who is still a lot taller than me.
Bethany, at four, wearing one of her favorite things. Her childhood was one long game of dress-up!
There was absolutely no way that I could limit myself to one picture on the subject of childhood. I think we're almost destroyed childhood in our society by not giving children enough time to play actively and imaginatively. We over-schedule them and load them down with homework, but at the same time they often have little useful work to do. We try to entertain them to stave off boredom, giving them TV shows that make them grow up too fast and clothes that make them look like miniature teenagers. Making sure that my children have a childhood has been one of the great side benefits of homeschooling.
This is my oldest niece having a fantastic time at the park near our house.
These are my two youngest nieces with that childhood staple, Cheerios.
Two of my sons perusing the pages of the latest Lego magazine....
Me, with my cousin Ann, who is still a lot taller than me.
Bethany, at four, wearing one of her favorite things. Her childhood was one long game of dress-up!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Media hyperventilation
Does anyone besides me think that the media is being unrealistic with their treatment of the shooting at Virginia Tech? Their suggestions that police should have shut down the campus after the first shooting seem very much like disingenuous Monday-morning quarterbacking.
We are talking about a 2,600 acre campus with 30,000 students. That would be the equivalent of shutting down a small city. The first shooting was believed to have been a personal thing. They're describing it as a "domestic dispute," which doesn't strike me as an entirely accurate characterization, but does convey an idea of the situation. Do they really think that school officials should have--or could have--warned thousands of people not to go to class because a guy shot his girlfriend?
So now everytime there is a domestic shooting in a US city the mayor should warn everyone not to leave his home because there has been a shooting?
They keep calling this a "school shooting." A large university campus is a far cry from your local high school. During a press conference yesterday there was incredulity that campus buildings, except for dorms, are open, not locked. Huh?! Have any of these people actually been to college? Of the four colleges that I attended only one could even manage to keep the dorms locked. And no security of that sort would have mattered anyway, because the shooter was a student.
Addendum: Polly addresses the another important aspect of this incident.
We are talking about a 2,600 acre campus with 30,000 students. That would be the equivalent of shutting down a small city. The first shooting was believed to have been a personal thing. They're describing it as a "domestic dispute," which doesn't strike me as an entirely accurate characterization, but does convey an idea of the situation. Do they really think that school officials should have--or could have--warned thousands of people not to go to class because a guy shot his girlfriend?
So now everytime there is a domestic shooting in a US city the mayor should warn everyone not to leave his home because there has been a shooting?
They keep calling this a "school shooting." A large university campus is a far cry from your local high school. During a press conference yesterday there was incredulity that campus buildings, except for dorms, are open, not locked. Huh?! Have any of these people actually been to college? Of the four colleges that I attended only one could even manage to keep the dorms locked. And no security of that sort would have mattered anyway, because the shooter was a student.
Addendum: Polly addresses the another important aspect of this incident.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Sartorial agony
This piece by Lars Walker on the American Spectator site was a very timely read for me.
We've had our first warm days here in the midwest during the past two weeks and people are coming out from under their winter coats. I wish most people would keep them on. As I wondered through our local outdoor shopping center last week I was once again assaulted by cleavage and muffin tops.
As it gets warmer we will have the opportunity to read all sorts of vile messages on t-shirts. We'll have the pleasure of sitting next to some hairy guy in a tank top at a nice restaurant or some 60 year old woman wearing shorts and a t-shirt to the philharmonic. I'm just hopeful that the news has reached the young women of Fort Wayne that ultra-low jeans displaying a thong are OUT.
Join me in my crusade. Wear a dress to that concert. Don't go shopping in sweats. Wear clothes that don't grip your torso. And please, please, don't let your husband or son wear and tank top and baseball cap to a restaurant.
HT: Cranach
We've had our first warm days here in the midwest during the past two weeks and people are coming out from under their winter coats. I wish most people would keep them on. As I wondered through our local outdoor shopping center last week I was once again assaulted by cleavage and muffin tops.
As it gets warmer we will have the opportunity to read all sorts of vile messages on t-shirts. We'll have the pleasure of sitting next to some hairy guy in a tank top at a nice restaurant or some 60 year old woman wearing shorts and a t-shirt to the philharmonic. I'm just hopeful that the news has reached the young women of Fort Wayne that ultra-low jeans displaying a thong are OUT.
Join me in my crusade. Wear a dress to that concert. Don't go shopping in sweats. Wear clothes that don't grip your torso. And please, please, don't let your husband or son wear and tank top and baseball cap to a restaurant.
HT: Cranach
Thursday, February 15, 2007
English???
Had a frustrating experience today. I have two young adults who are ready to get licenses. One needs to review for her test and the other needs to study so that he can get his learner's permit. So we went to a BMV branch to pick up a Driver's Manual. We drove across town only to find that they only had the manuals in Spanish.
I don't have anything more to say about this. I just had to share.
By the way, these are the same folks who changed my sex on my license to "M" and then made me produce an afadavit from my doctor to change it back. Really.
And people want government health care? Are they sure?
I don't have anything more to say about this. I just had to share.
By the way, these are the same folks who changed my sex on my license to "M" and then made me produce an afadavit from my doctor to change it back. Really.
And people want government health care? Are they sure?
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