When I grow up...

Some days I think I know everything. Other days, the evidence of knowledge is quite contrary to my individual perception -- in other words, I'm wrong. Oddly, I find peace in knowing I don't know everything (just don't tell the kids, they tend to think I'm smart).

My epiphany came when I explained my thought process to my dear friend and she patiently listened to my whining. At the end of my tirade, she told me that I might get upset at reading her message telling me that I was wrong. Upset? Anger? Really? I don't think so, she knows me too well and I can only applaud her insight.

I've decided when I grow up, I want to be smart and know everything that I thought I knew but I just never got around to learning.

So tired of the opinionated political "FW" emails...

I am a closet democrat who used to be a republican but I am really probably an independent. I just don't broadcast the fact. My biggest pet peeve? Sending me a FW email about political views (whether they mirror mine or not) and telling me I need to forward it on to everyone I know to bring power back to the American people.

Right, wrong, or indifferent, I'm going to explain my views--but please don't copy and paste and forward this on to five million people and tell them they have to send it to their mother, father, sister, brother, children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, and cousins twice removed.


Immigration

I get border control. I support border control. I find emails telling me we have to kill Mexicans before they cross the border illegally distasteful and, quite frankly, wonder about a person's mentality whenever a person's life is considered insignificant. I guess the person who is somebody else's child, parent, or sibling is just worthless.

Health Care

I pay my health care premiums. I pay my co-pays. I pay my deductible. I have a child with special needs and have him covered under my insurance, his step dad's insurance, and Medicaid. I do not abuse the system but I just cannot afford everything he needs. I take him to his appointments, I know when his medication is running out and I plan. I am fortunate to work for a company that offers insurance. I guess my neighbor across the street with a son who does not have insurance is unworthy and must have her family go without in order to receive the same services. I believe everyone deserves affordable health care.

Gay Rights

I believe in God. I believe God created everyone and everything. I believe God loves everyone. I believe God does not create junk. Blast me for having the views I have but gay people (my apologies if that is not the correct term) should have the same rights I have. I am not gay, nor do I live with anyone gay. I don't even know if I know anyone gay but by God, they should have the same rights that I have. Is it really going to hurt someone if they get married? Seriously?

Muslims and the Mosque

My heart broke on 9/11. I watched the television and cried with America. I detest what happened but am highly offended that "Muslims" are all lumped together in one bucket and everyone of this faith is considered "evil" and should be exterminated. The last time I checked, God created everyone (at least my God did). I guess that means my God created the Muslims, too. I did not have anyone, nor did I know anyone who lost their life in the terror attacks of 9/11. America was able to build a memorial at the site yet the nation is still riddled with fear because a religion is portrayed as violent wants to build a mosque for their place of worship. Get over it, embrace, move on. If the mosque offends you, then don't visit it.

Obama

I voted for him. I'm probably only one of the 48% of Americans who still like him, but I do. I voted for Obama because of what he wanted to do for health care. I voted for him because of how he made me feel -- Proud to be an American. I voted for him because I thought McCain and Palin were pretty old and pretty lame (although she could see Russia from her doorstep). I voted for Obama because I wanted change. I think change can occur but that too many people are focused on a fictitious birth certificate and whether Obama is a Christian, Muslim, or atheist. I thought he was American but apparently only Christians are Americans.

So, until you can send me your words and your thoughts, quit sending me someone else's thoughts. I don't care that all Marines are passing around an email about Muslims not being American or that Obama is an atheist. I care about me, my family, and your thoughts.

Don't send me an email what someone else thinks, write your own damn words.

The competitive edge...

I often wonder, at what age do schools move from "everyone plays ball" to "we only play those on the team that are good because we want to win."

I sit at the middle school football game and wonder, why does my (step) child not get to play. Is he injured? Did he miss a practice I didn't know about? Or does he just suck at playing the sport? The reason really does not matter but the unasked question of "Why doesn't the coach play my child?" did cross my mind and then the thinking began...

Maybe to be competitive, he had to have begun playing optimist football shortly after birth (would that be the crawl version of flag football?). Perhaps he should have begun playing in kindergarten. While we finally agreed to optimist football the last two years he was eligible, did this mean he didn't learn enough to play on the middle school team? Don't worry, the questions are all rhetorical and don't really require an answer but that is my thought process.

So, after three weeks of practices and being the oldest player on the team, I wonder if he just doesn't have the talent, if he has an injury, or if he just isn't one of the coach's favorites...

*done whining because I don't want to be "that" parent*

Some days, you just have to roll with the punches...

Quite frankly, there are some days you wonder why you wake and other days you wonder why you woke up. Why is it that whenever things head south, everything heads south?

I remind myself that my life does not involve the cottage at the end of the lane with the white picket fence but I get to have the home that has stains on the carpet, weeds in the front yard, sparse grass in the back yard, and a mailbox that is half on and half off the post. Instead of gourmet dinners and cleaning utensils and dishes right after fixing dinner, I leave the pizza box on the counter and dishes in the sink for someone else to clean up.

I often like to think I'm "normal" but have realized there is no benchmark for normalcy. I am what I am and sometimes I can't quite figure that out.

Some days, you just have to roll with the punches. Other days, you wake up and smile because you don't have to put on the banana suit.