I just received a phone call from a dear friend. She’s been battling the big “C” for four years now, and she’s only 24 years old. That wasn’t the point to the phone call, though. The point was to tell me that her husband just told her he wants a divorce. He isn’t in love with her anymore. He’s a soldier and is scheduled to deploy in April. He wants her to stay in the house with him until then. Before this came up he said that although she will be facing a round of radiation and chemotherapy, he will not request to remain on rear detachment and stay stateside. Instead, he is more concerned about what the other soldiers will call him if he doesn’t deploy…for a third tour. Now he’s decided he wants a divorce? I’m starting to think that I just may know the most selfish man on the planet. We all know that my friend has no more than five to ten years left, and they have three small children. How in the world can any of this be explained to the girls? What does he plan to do when his soon to be ex-wife passes and suddenly he is faced with raising three girls on his own? I can make this promise publicly: As much as I care for him, I will do everything I can to ensure that the girls will have a stable home…with me. Enough is enough.

Report Card Update

We spoke with my daughter’s teacher about an hour ago. I suppose she was a bit intimidated, because she had another teacher there with her. The uninvited guest was actually a blessing, however. She imparted much insight as well as wisdom which was much appreciated. The teacher that needs to retire spoke up at the end, when my husband pointed out that our daughter would be better served if the assumption wasn’t that we were trying to attack them. She actually raised her voice at my husband and ignored the fact that I had apologized for writing something she felt was disrespectful. (Back story: We had an incident in which I felt my daughter was treated unfairly. I sent the teacher a note asking for her side of the story. If her story was the same as my daughter’s, then I asked for something to be returned to her. Somehow, this was offensive). My husband waited for me to say my peace in regard to the situation as I felt it was unfair of her to assume I was disrespecting her. I promise, she has not seen disrespect from me…yet. He then pointed out, again, that we need to work as a team. I don’t think any of this got through to the teacher. Thus, we will wait to see if things improve, but I am not holding my breath. At least we know that another of my daughter’s teachers is worthwhile. Maybe the one who needs to retire….will. I still feel that the teacher was wrong, especially on the words on her report card, but it turns out that she is simply an idiot, (one that teachers language-yikes), and that what she meant was quite poorly worded. She meant that my child focuses on herself and has difficulty stepping away from conflict and getting back on task. Wow. That was hard to word, wasn’t it? Yes, my child has issues, as does the teacher. Only 5 more months of school and counting….

Book Meme

Rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people

From “A history of Private Life from Pagan Rome to Byzanrium” by Philippe Aries and Georges Duby, General Editors

These ideas persisited from archaic Greece and India down to Benjamin Constant and Charles Maurras. In Rome, citizens were divided, on the basis of wealth, into civic “orders” (simple citizens, decurions, equestrians, and senators). In establishing wealth, however, the census took account only of property and land.

I’d tag but that tagging’s been done! *lol*

The Ant and the Grasshopper

The Ant and the Grasshopper: 2 Scenarios

*OLD VERSION*:
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.

Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.

The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!

************************************************************

*MODERN VERSION:*
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.

Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.

CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast.

How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, “its Not Easy Being Green.”

Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the ant’s house where the news stations film the group singing, “We shall overcome.” Jesse then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper’s sake.

Nancy Pelosi & John Kerry exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.

Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity and Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer. The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the government.

Hillary gets her old law firm to represent the grasshopper in a defamation suit against the ant, and the case is tried before a panel of federal judges that Bill Clinton appointed from a list of single-parent welfare recipients.

The ant loses the case.

The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ant’s food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant’s old house, crumbles around him because he doesn’t maintain it. The ant has disappeared in the snow. The grass hopper is found dead in a drug related incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be very very careful how you vote.

What’s that sound? Oh, that? It’s the sound of silence in response to my question. Oh wait. Look! He’s getting up and walking away.

Yep. That was so typical. God this relationship is so uplifting and secure. Aren’t you jealous?

Nerd Test

I actually had no idea how this one would turn out. hmm.

On the report card

On my 9 year old daughter’s report card:

“… It would do her good for you to encourage her sharing and caring and downplay her individuality. Individuality really develops during the teenage years when it is appropriate.”

SAY WHAT?!?!???

Sorry, I don’t raise lemmings. Yes, I will be in the principal’s office tomorrow.

Now we know why she threw away my daughter’s “goth” snowman.

You Passed the US Citizenship Test

Congratulations – you got 7 out of 10 correct!

Could You Pass the US Citizenship Test?

Sephora

Since I always seem to be in such a gloomy mood or on my soapbox, I thought I’d write a positive post for once. Yesterday, I entered the world of Sephora and found myself in a world of trouble. I’ve passed the shop many times in trips to Northpark and Stonebriar Malls, but until yesterday, I had not set foot inside. Oh the glory that is Sephora! Beware: It is impossible to enter and not leave with quite a bit less in your pocketbook! From facial cleansers to fragrance and cosmetics to hair care, this store is a plethora of all things feminine. Don’t despair guys, they have a few treats inside just for you as well. The staff, known as cast members, is chock full of completely knowlegable and friendly employees. At no point did I feel as though they were trying to sell me the most expensive line in the store, rather they found the products that met my needs and desires. As I was perusing the cosmetics with one cast member, another took my daughter to explore fragrances. At the end of the visit, there was no pressure to buy her a fragrance, (she’s only 9), but instead she was offered a sample vial of her favorite. Yes, you read that correctly, ONE sample instead of the fifteen you would receive from Dillard’s or Macy’s. Those always turn into an experiment of how many fragrances she can combine until I am forced to hold my nose in fear of passing out from the strength of the smell. I’ve saved the best for last, though. If you get home with your purchase and find that it is not all that you expected, you have a full SIXTY days to return or exchange it. Thus, after two weeks of use and dissatisfaction with a skin care product, you can return it. The foundation I purchased is a bit too light when worn all over my face, so I am returning it in exchange for a different shade. It’s that simple! So ladies, if you love your skin and wish to try something new, Sephora is the place to be!

The Parthenon Code

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I think I’ve read it all now. My jaw is still sitting on the floor which makes this incredibly difficult to type. Perhaps others have seen and read this information, but it is all new and shocking to me. How in the world could someone seriously make such illogical leaps in logic as to suggest that Athena is actually Eve of Genesis? Maybe I am incorrect here, but I believe that the Greeks were the first to record history. Would it not make more sense that the mythological Eve is actually based on Athena? There is absolutely no evidence of Eve until the writings included in the anthology of stories known as the Bible, (and THAT came from my Scriptures teacher at a Catholic high school, so don’t get your panties in a wad).

I suppose this is all simply reactionary on my part as I am sick and tired of Christian attacks on my religion. Until this point, I have never openly attacked anyone’s religion to include the terrorists on 9/11. Why is it so necessary for Christians to attack all other religions? Perhaps it is because it’s easier to attack than to admit the shortcomings of your own religion. Of course in this battle, I have a heck of a lot more power behind me.

I have gods, the have a god.
Blessed be!