My dear friend is moving with her sister to North Carolina this weekend. I'll miss her bunches, as will Son#3 who has a major crush on her. She's one of my younger friends, but we've always clicked in part because we're both girly-girls and also because I'm very immature for my age.
Mentally, I feel like I'm in my mid-to-late twenties. I wish my body would age as slowly as my mind (ha ha!). As my birthday approaches, I keep waiting for the moment that I'll feel like a grown up. It hasn't happened yet...not when marrying, not when moving cross country with my husband, not having three kids, not when faced with my husband's heart disease and subsequent surgery (okay, that one did it a little).
But I digress. R, start a blog of your own adventures, please...I promise not to share the link with your parents when I see them at church. ;-)
Other news. I've been enjoying my new little toy. Dear Hubby bought me a Palm TX PDA for my birthday. I actually researched it (ad nauseum), and found the best deal, so I sort of knew what I was getting and opted not to wait until my birthday to unwrap. It's funny that as a stay-home mom, I would even think I'd need such a thing, but I am hyper-organized and anal-retentive so it suits my geekness.
My friend, Dee, treated me to lunch today. We went to Acme Oyster House. Started with the chargrilled oysters. We also split a soup and a poboy sandwich, but really, I could've opted for another dozen oysters. Yum!
OH! I almost forgot! I was 'carded' buying a bottle of wine at the grocery yesterday. If you know how old I am, you know why this is so terribly amusing to me. I asked the cashier if my crows' feet were "ID enough" and she said "no"! (Oh why, oh why couldn't it have been a college age 'he' instead of a 'she'? THAT would've been icing on the cake!)
More later....
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Friday, February 17, 2006
How Well Do You Know Your Neighbors REALLY?
I came across an interesting website today. It's called Family Watchdog (click here to link: www.familywatchdog.us). It's been around since August 25, 2005. It allows you to type in an address (your home, your child's school, your church, etc.). A map will pop up showing the address you listed as well as the location of any registered sex offenders nearby.
Of course, it relies on the fact that offenders are registering as they're supposed to and since the info is culled from public records, it can be dated at times. I like this site better than others I've seen because:
1) it shows photos of the offender (when available)
2) the map key will break down the type of offense
3) the tabs at the top list recent moves, and unmappable offenders
John Walsh of America's Most Wanted is affiliated with this site. We all remember the heartbreaking story of his son, Adam. Sadly there are six states that are not yet participating: Nevada, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Vermont. These states either do not provide address data or do not have a centralized registry.
Other advice from the website:
If you know of an offender that is not in this database, you shouldn't confront him/her. Instead contack your local police or sheriff department. A registered sexual offender that fails to report commits a felony, and can be returned to prison.
Finally, "harrassing anyone on the offender registry is a misdemeanor and can be punished by both a fine and jail time. The purpose of this service is to allow you to identify sexual predators that you may come in contact with, not as a tool to hunt them down and run them out."
Knowledge is the best defense.
Of course, it relies on the fact that offenders are registering as they're supposed to and since the info is culled from public records, it can be dated at times. I like this site better than others I've seen because:
1) it shows photos of the offender (when available)
2) the map key will break down the type of offense
3) the tabs at the top list recent moves, and unmappable offenders
John Walsh of America's Most Wanted is affiliated with this site. We all remember the heartbreaking story of his son, Adam. Sadly there are six states that are not yet participating: Nevada, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Vermont. These states either do not provide address data or do not have a centralized registry.
Other advice from the website:
If you know of an offender that is not in this database, you shouldn't confront him/her. Instead contack your local police or sheriff department. A registered sexual offender that fails to report commits a felony, and can be returned to prison.
Finally, "harrassing anyone on the offender registry is a misdemeanor and can be punished by both a fine and jail time. The purpose of this service is to allow you to identify sexual predators that you may come in contact with, not as a tool to hunt them down and run them out."
Knowledge is the best defense.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Happy Valentine's Day!
Son#1 just arrived home from school with his Valentine's "loot" as he called it. He's sharing his SweetTart hearts with me. I didn't know how popular Valentine's Day would be in the 5th grade. They still have the "if you're bringing in something, make sure there's enough for everyone" policy (for which I'm grateful). Anyway, Son#1 decided to skip the traditional Valentine's cards and opted to hand out Jolly Rancher lollipops instead, which he said went over very well.
Some annoying kids on the bus are still bugging him. Mostly petty stuff, but these kids are friends of the obnoxious kid who already got in trouble for bullying my son and now has to sit at the front of the bus. Son#1 doesn't seem especially bothered by these other kids.
Son#1 will be 'crossing over' to the boy scouts in a couple of weeks. That should be interesting. He's looking forward to it.
Meanwhile, Son#3 turns 4 on Saturday. I guess it's official: I don't have a baby anymore (of course all three will always be my babies, but you know what I mean...). He's such a big kid.
Son#2 will be home from school in little less than an hour. I wonder if he'll have any chocolate in his goodie bag...
Dear Hubby and I exchanged gifts this morning (perfume for me, running apparel for him). No romantic dinner planned, though. I volunteer with a group at church and we're meeting tonight as we do every Tuesday evening. Gee, just because Father K doesn't have a date, doesn't mean his loyal volunteers don't have plans. ;-) (I say this with my tongue planted firmly in my cheek.)
It's funny, though, how Valentine's Day evolves (as does every other holiday) once you have kids. Instead of enjoying Godiva dark chocolate hearts, I'm eating my kid's SweetTart hearts.
Happy Valentine's Day to you!
Some annoying kids on the bus are still bugging him. Mostly petty stuff, but these kids are friends of the obnoxious kid who already got in trouble for bullying my son and now has to sit at the front of the bus. Son#1 doesn't seem especially bothered by these other kids.
Son#1 will be 'crossing over' to the boy scouts in a couple of weeks. That should be interesting. He's looking forward to it.
Meanwhile, Son#3 turns 4 on Saturday. I guess it's official: I don't have a baby anymore (of course all three will always be my babies, but you know what I mean...). He's such a big kid.
Son#2 will be home from school in little less than an hour. I wonder if he'll have any chocolate in his goodie bag...
Dear Hubby and I exchanged gifts this morning (perfume for me, running apparel for him). No romantic dinner planned, though. I volunteer with a group at church and we're meeting tonight as we do every Tuesday evening. Gee, just because Father K doesn't have a date, doesn't mean his loyal volunteers don't have plans. ;-) (I say this with my tongue planted firmly in my cheek.)
It's funny, though, how Valentine's Day evolves (as does every other holiday) once you have kids. Instead of enjoying Godiva dark chocolate hearts, I'm eating my kid's SweetTart hearts.
Happy Valentine's Day to you!
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Thoughts for the Day
I've been a bit busy this past week - coordinating various appts (annual eye exams, Son#1's IEP at school), plus preparing for the onslaught of birthdays this month (my father-in-law's, Son#3's, mine). So just to keep in touch until I catch my breath and can prepare a *real* post, I thought I'd pass on a couple of chuckles, courtesy of Uncle Harold.
THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY
1. I signed up for an exercise class and was told to wear loose-fitting clothing. If I HAD any loose-fitting clothing, I wouldn't have signed up in the first place!
2. When I was young we used to go "skinny dipping," now I just "chunky dunk."
3. Wouldn't it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press 'Ctrl Alt Delete' and start all over?
4. Stress is when you wake up screaming and then you realize you haven't fallen asleep yet.
5. My husband says I never listen to him. At least I think that's what he said.
6. Just remember...if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off.
7. If raising children was going to be easy, it never would have started with something called labor!
8. Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever.
But Most Of All, Remember!
A Friend Is Like A Good Bra. Hard to Find, Supportive, Comfortable, and Always Close To Your Heart.
THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY
1. I signed up for an exercise class and was told to wear loose-fitting clothing. If I HAD any loose-fitting clothing, I wouldn't have signed up in the first place!
2. When I was young we used to go "skinny dipping," now I just "chunky dunk."
3. Wouldn't it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press 'Ctrl Alt Delete' and start all over?
4. Stress is when you wake up screaming and then you realize you haven't fallen asleep yet.
5. My husband says I never listen to him. At least I think that's what he said.
6. Just remember...if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off.
7. If raising children was going to be easy, it never would have started with something called labor!
8. Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever.
But Most Of All, Remember!
A Friend Is Like A Good Bra. Hard to Find, Supportive, Comfortable, and Always Close To Your Heart.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder...doesn't sound very attractive, does it? The two major dimensions, as the name implies, are inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. It's pretty commonplace so you probably know someone who has it. You know - the person who can't sit still, who can't wait his turn, who talks too much and doesn't seem to listen enough, who can't follow directions, who always loses things, who is chronically late for appointments (or worse, missing them altogether).
Son #1 is one such person, although he displays those characteristics in varying degrees. For example, he's 10 so he's not late for appointments, because I make sure he isn't. He's pretty good about waiting his turn, but he will sometimes blurt out the first thing that comes to mind (that's the impulsivity). He's also very fidgety.
To those people who feel that it's not a physiological condition, but rather a 'behavior' problem, I should point out right now that Son #1 is a very compliant kid - very eager to please. He's not contradictory or aggressive in the least. And to those adults who wonder why ADHD "didn't exist" when they were kids...well, it did. I also have ADHD (yes, professionally diagnosed). I was the student who brought home slightly better than average grades, along with the following teacher comments:
"She is very bright, but needs to apply herself."
"She is a very sweet little girl, but she talks too much in class."
Of course, it generally wasn't tested for back in the 70's so we just plodded through the school system and hoped for the best. I've learned to compensate. For example, I've been using a DayTimer since highschool so I don't miss appointments. I'd also take extremely detailed notes in class or in meetings (almost verbatim transcripts!) otherwise my mind might wander. At least the act of writing keeps me in the 'here and now' and doesn't allow me to drift off into dreamland. Ironically, I would rarely ever need to read back the class notes and would still do very well on tests. I guess it would be fair to say that I've overcompensated by becoming anal-retentive.
I don't take medication - as a stay-home mom I don't really feel it's necessary, but Son#1 does. Obviously there are no miracle cures, but we've found that medication does help him focus and although he's still fidgety, he's not bouncing all over the place.
Anyway, the reason I chose this topic is because I've been particularly inattentive in the past week and therefore couldn't focus long enough to blog, and a couple of people noticed (thanks, y'all). There's a TV commercial where they compare the mind of an ADHDer with a TV where someone is constantly channel surfing. It really is like that. Random thoughts pop in and out of your mind, sometimes before you have the opportunity to process them. I found painting my bathroom on Thursday very therapeutic. I hope it was the non-mental task and not the paint fumes. :-)
So I leave you with the following thoughts:
* I don't believe in either of the "D's" - it's not an attention deficit, but rather an attention inconsistency. We ADHDers can often hyperfocus on one thing to the point we tune out all else. Also, it's a 'difference' not a 'disorder.'
* Many ADHDers are gifted in ways that are not appreciated in elementary and secondary education, but are very much desired in adulthood: social skills, consensus building, multi-tasking, anyone?
* Finally to paraphrase Lara Honos-Webb from her book The Gift of ADHD,
"If one were to apply the logic of seeing differences as disorders to gender, the medical profession might well label women with a 'penis-deficit/hypermammary disorder.'"
That, folks, concludes ADHD 101.
Son #1 is one such person, although he displays those characteristics in varying degrees. For example, he's 10 so he's not late for appointments, because I make sure he isn't. He's pretty good about waiting his turn, but he will sometimes blurt out the first thing that comes to mind (that's the impulsivity). He's also very fidgety.
To those people who feel that it's not a physiological condition, but rather a 'behavior' problem, I should point out right now that Son #1 is a very compliant kid - very eager to please. He's not contradictory or aggressive in the least. And to those adults who wonder why ADHD "didn't exist" when they were kids...well, it did. I also have ADHD (yes, professionally diagnosed). I was the student who brought home slightly better than average grades, along with the following teacher comments:
"She is very bright, but needs to apply herself."
"She is a very sweet little girl, but she talks too much in class."
Of course, it generally wasn't tested for back in the 70's so we just plodded through the school system and hoped for the best. I've learned to compensate. For example, I've been using a DayTimer since highschool so I don't miss appointments. I'd also take extremely detailed notes in class or in meetings (almost verbatim transcripts!) otherwise my mind might wander. At least the act of writing keeps me in the 'here and now' and doesn't allow me to drift off into dreamland. Ironically, I would rarely ever need to read back the class notes and would still do very well on tests. I guess it would be fair to say that I've overcompensated by becoming anal-retentive.
I don't take medication - as a stay-home mom I don't really feel it's necessary, but Son#1 does. Obviously there are no miracle cures, but we've found that medication does help him focus and although he's still fidgety, he's not bouncing all over the place.
Anyway, the reason I chose this topic is because I've been particularly inattentive in the past week and therefore couldn't focus long enough to blog, and a couple of people noticed (thanks, y'all). There's a TV commercial where they compare the mind of an ADHDer with a TV where someone is constantly channel surfing. It really is like that. Random thoughts pop in and out of your mind, sometimes before you have the opportunity to process them. I found painting my bathroom on Thursday very therapeutic. I hope it was the non-mental task and not the paint fumes. :-)
So I leave you with the following thoughts:
* I don't believe in either of the "D's" - it's not an attention deficit, but rather an attention inconsistency. We ADHDers can often hyperfocus on one thing to the point we tune out all else. Also, it's a 'difference' not a 'disorder.'
* Many ADHDers are gifted in ways that are not appreciated in elementary and secondary education, but are very much desired in adulthood: social skills, consensus building, multi-tasking, anyone?
* Finally to paraphrase Lara Honos-Webb from her book The Gift of ADHD,
"If one were to apply the logic of seeing differences as disorders to gender, the medical profession might well label women with a 'penis-deficit/hypermammary disorder.'"
That, folks, concludes ADHD 101.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Thought for the Day: Wow! What a Ride!
from an email I received from a friend:
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming --- WOW! WHAT A RIDE!!!"
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming --- WOW! WHAT A RIDE!!!"
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