Mummy Dearest

Toy Story

2011-02-14T18:15:00.000-08:00

I have a confession; I have little a thing for James May. Yes, the rather nerdy Top Gear presenter. Richard Hammond was a twinkle in the eye. I doubt Clarkson will make it but you never know. James will not replace James McAvoy but he would keep me amused for a while.

Anyway James May presented a TV series called, "James May's Toy Stories" which was frankly marvelous. In this particular episode he wanted to establish if modern children could cope with and get subsequently addicted to toys from yesteryear.

This episode dealt with James's own fascination with Airfix kits. He had completed many a plane as a young lad and wanted children of this generation to share his passion. The premise was simple, as the best things are, get kids to make kits then use these skills to make the ultimate model (to be disclosed later).

Initially the children were scathing and skeptical as it lacked the bells and whistles that so many of their contemporary distractions had. Once they got over the mental issue of this toy being from another century they began to enjoy the challenges each kit threw at them. OK so building model tanks and then making a film and blowing them up really appealed.

The ultimate model was a 1:1 Spitfire with James as the pilot. I shan't ruin it by relating the entire story as it is worth a viewing. What was significant about the Spitfire was it is the best selling Airfix model of all time and the children who were involved in the project lived close to where the Spitfire was manufactured.

The children did not know the social history which was worrying but then to our generation the second world war was eons ago.

We have little concept of sacrifice as made by the many. Wars now are fought at a distance with 24-hour coverage so we can tune in and out as we feel necessary. We are desensitized to the notion of warfare and cannot begin to fathom people fighting and many dying. We just do not see it and feel it. A generation of young men were lost, emotionally scarred, tortured, made heroes then neglected. Nothing has changed then.

The kids began to enjoy the task of building the ultimate model. The used leadership and team skills they did not know they had and they learnt all manner of new skills. The cell phones were absent and here was a group of young people making models as if it were the most natural thing. I was impressed.

I am not saying that all technology should be cast into the flames and replaced with spinning tops but there is certainly a place for older technology in a child's life. The simpler pleasures are what kids ultimately remember. They remember bike rides and the like.

It was so interesting to see this social experiment. I shall experiment with older technology with my tutor group and see what happens.

Update 2.0

2011-01-23T08:27:00.001-08:00

Time is flowing in a rather unusual way or so I believe. The available time to write at a given time each day has disappeared and been sucked into some void or other.

Life is good and I have not felt an overwhelming urge to relate nothing much. Life is divided into the following categories:

Family
Music
School
Lack of gym

Family

This week my parents arrived for a couple of weeks. They are circumnavigating the globe once again and just left my brother in New Zealand. I had not told my girls that Grannie and Bumpty would be visiting so I was able to surprise them good and proper.

Younger daughter realised that something was going on when we got near the airport. She thought initially that we were collecting Daddy as he was in freezing cold Indianapolis but guessed who it was. She has been glued to my father ever since.

Older daughter had the classic surprise reaction of wide eyes and a mouth in an o-shape as she did not really believe what she saw. The reaction was exactly as my mother had wanted. The hug that ensued was pure love and a real Kodak moment.

Older daughter is loving having Grannie. Older daughter is also having a hard time being an older sibling and there are a couple more issues to deal with.

I miss my family horribly when they are not here and am so glad when we are all together. We are a close bunch. Even though the parents are 5,000 miles away I do not believe they are missing out on the girls as they are so hands-on while they are here plus a weekly skype call when they are away.Cue the skype login sound.

I am loving having help. We have a trip to a coastal town next week. We have rented a house and I look forward to the sounds of crashing or lilting waves to lull me to sleep.

Music

I have the bohemian life my husband can afford. Thank you.

With a regular weekly gig in a coffee shop the musician's dream continues to grow. It is a small coffee shop but people are there to soak up the tunes and the sun. It is pleasant. I am having to learn new tunes fast and perfect older tunes. Had I led a more conventional life I would not be afforded these opportunities. There is something glorious about being able to play and people enjoy listening.

The configuration of the band changes each week as do the tunes but that is part of the fun. I tried out some jigs and reels I had never played in public before and it went well. Inside I was jumping up and down and doing a victory dance. Outside I had the focused gaze of a musician. I have a few more recorder pieces to air out. Music is my drug of choice.

A few more trips to the open Irish session are needed to really immerse myself in the culture. The guys who play are great and there is a sense of camaraderie. It is the same in any club.

The other band is going well. We had a great rehearsal and a new tune. The recording dates are on the calendar. Time to really concentrate. I like dissecting a part and then seeing how it all fits back together. Not that the analogy was a good one as it is not that common for dissected pieces to ever be re-assembled.

School

Could the education system get more dire? This week we learned of even more cuts if tax cuts take place. There is to be a measure on the June ballot to keep taxes at their current level so as to keep more funding to education.

If this does not pass we are screwed. The amount that will be cut over the years is staggering and the children who are expected to pay the debt that was generated by poor leadership and executive decisions will simply not have the skills.

Each school is meant to have a savings buffer of 3% of the budget when this fund is dipped into to cover costs the state can then take over the school. We are 3 years away from this happening. That is not a long time. Is private school any better? In some cases yes in most probably not.

Schools are the linchpin of society and our district is frantically rallying to do what we can do. Why oh why do politicians think that education is non-essential and needs minimal funding? Governor Brown you have a lot of work to do. Bring back stocks and public flogging for politicians who are not prepared to invest in future generations.

I am so frustrated and angry. I have a second grader and one about to join the system. I will be as militant, involved and aware as I can be. I will continue to supplement what is taught and perhaps investigate opening a charter school.

Perhaps I am getting dramatic and react this way as the girls are little. I was given a little perspective when a friend suggested that I do not know how my girls will develop and that later in life it is better for them to be happy, not on drugs and not teen mothers! I want my girls to be happy and have the very best academically.

Lack of gym

Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.

Must try harder but life got in the way. Rather school demands took over the little time there was.

Must get ready for ski season or I will be more useless than normal. I need thighs of steel!

Happy New Year

2011-01-08T14:48:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year. As we enter a new decade in this century I wonder what is ahead. No pedantic comments about perhaps it being last year as having new decade status. Will our acceptance and dependence on technology continue and will I almost demonstrate my Luddite tendencies to software programs that do not do things as I would wish them to. MS2010- watch out.

At the end of this decade my elder daughter will be applying to college and the younger will be entering high school. Holy of Holies- scary stuff. I shall not continue on that track.

OK it is catch up time. I have been running around like a proverbial running around thing and have neglected to take time to muse. Shame on me. Basically at the end of the day I have been knackered and could not muster the energy to type. I needed mindless crap TV and not to have 1 more thing on the list of things to do.

New Year's Eve

We had a fine time with a delightful erudite group of friends. It is lovely to be part of a group of people who are educated, funny and have such a broad base of conversation topics; nothing is out of bounds. It was fun and know this a band of like-minded people who care about one another.

Food was plentiful and tasty. We had sublimes starters and inspired cupcakes. My curry was great even though I was against cooking it but it is a crowd pleaser.

Music

This week I have mostly been rehearsing and it is tiring. It is also a great experience to have my arse kicked musically. We should all be taken out of our comfort zones and this has been a great learning opportunity. I realise I like ink dots (sheet music) and do not really get all this guitar chord business. I musically understand the progressions but want notes.

I was volunteered for a band consisting of parents from my elder daughter's school to raise funds and it has been such a blast to try new things and re-work old favourites. I am learning new jigs on the whistle and learning classic tunes.

School Funding:

Found out how much the school budget is proposed to be cut and it is frightening. Do I have to think about private school? I have always wanted to send my girls to public/state schools as I had such a system growing up but it ain't all rosy anymore.

California for all its sense of self-importance has god-awful education standards and I believe we rate 49th. Just checked we do. Isn't that something to be proud of?

This is simply not good enough and we should be ashamed to accept this.

I decided to start a study group for a group of 7-year olds as they are effectively bored at school. All funding is now directed to the lower end of the educational scale as they can make more progress. This is then rewarded with funding.

Students who make the standards early are often bored. Let's get this straight this was a George Bush Jr. initiative, "NO Child Left Behind". I have a feeling this is how he felt among his peers so is now torturing other smarter children for his lack of intelligence. Breathe.

The whole act focuses on early language and literacy acquisition to a basic level but does little to help further those who already have these skills.

It depresses me that education is thought of so badly. California needs to wake up and realise that investment needs to be made in this sector. Please don't tell me the transport budget is being used to repair roads as I won't believe you.

Gym

Have made it back and feel so much better as a result. I am lifting heavier weights and run the risk of developing the physique a Russian shot putter. It is a good way to lighten the mood and push myself.

Caught up

Had a lovely long letter from my old high school principal. I love that woman. She may have made grown men wet themselves in fear but she fought for her students and school. I will carry on her work.

Need a cup of tea and something to ease the developing chest infection.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

2010-12-24T13:20:00.001-08:00

... and all through the house I was running around like an idiot. I am utterly incapable of relaxing so took it upon myself to bake up a storm. As you are aware, dear reader, I enjoy cooking in particular baking. I am sure that there are shops where from one can procure baked goods but I'll be buggered to seek them out. To make life even more interesting I decided to attempt two new skills with varying degrees of success. Why oh why did I feel the need to play with sugar paste?

A tray of brownies now cools and the workings of a Yule Log are in the oven and food processor respectively. Yule Log is wheat free so I will wrestle a small child to the ground to retrieve the last morsel from a clenched hand!

I have yet to shower but have cleaned up a friend's cats, delivered keys to next person on list and trashed a pie I bought for a friend. I bought the pie as requested then put it in my bag the wrong and it looks most unappealing but she has assured me it is edible. Her dog trod on some Christmas cookies so I do not feel quite so bad. 'Tis the season for madness.

There is a very loud musical accompaniment as I write- Victor Hely-Hutchinson's Carol Symphony- the third movement if you must know. This incredible piece was used as the title music for an adaptation of John Masefield's "Box of Delights" back in the 80s. It is incredibly emotive. It is also the way my parents, my brother and I celebrate Christmas when we cannot be together. We love it that much. I do not cry as a rule but should you want to see me howl like a baby- play this piece as it just screams missing family. I do have a heart under the tough slightly squishy exterior!

The pizzicato harp announces a new theme and under it there is the Coventry Carol in eerie tones by the strings. The First Noel follows in a brighter major key while the harp continues. When all the strings come in the swell is immense and if you do not feel the love that we should at Yuletide there is no hope. I just listened to the link below to make sure it was the right piece and every inch of my skin went all goose bumpy. Enjoy and Merry Christmas. Have a Gud Jul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BxxdE9GvZc

2nd day of holiday

2010-12-21T20:07:00.000-08:00

.....a mammoth 8 hour play date. I hosted.

What the hell was I thinking?

OK it was a good friend and her daughters and another little girl but it felt like a daycare. May have to ban play dates here as the mess is too awful.

Need to retire to bed early and watch crap TV. (Man v Food- stylized gluttony. It is all very voyeuristic not that dissimilar from the web "feeding" fetish).

Stomach ache once again and have not deviated from what I can eat.

1st day of school holiday

2010-12-20T22:57:00.000-08:00

... kids drove me nuts. Only 2 more weeks to go!

Made me realize that lion taming or dog training would have stood me in better stead to be a parent than teaching. At this stage it is whip and chair work. One day I will have the fine headdress and sequined outfit until then it is more sweating it out.

Can't see the lunar eclipse as it is too cloudy here. Bugger. Someone will have taken fabulous photos I can enjoy. Thank you whoever you are.

Let's try that again

2010-12-19T18:47:00.000-08:00

"The King's Speech"

Had a fabulous day with the hubby day and was fortunate enough to see one of the best films I have ever seen. I do not say that lightly.

"The King's Speech" tells the tale of George VI's stammering, his speech therapist and his changing role from prince to king. The story is so beautifully crafted. The acting is sublime. All wondrous things have been said by other reviewers so what I have to say will be unable to compete.

What struck me about the film was an era of courage that we no longer have. Yes courage and bravery exist in all walks of life but the monarchy are no longer expected to be so royal for want of a better phrase.

George VI and the Royal family were portrayed as being unlike commoners. They are. We cannot expect them to be otherwise. We also cannot expect to understand how they live or the pressure placed on them purely being born of royal lineage.

The notion of public speaking was taken to frightening heights and the courage with which this fear was dealt was breath-taking. We saw a vulnerable, scared and tongue-tied monarch.

This was a time when a nation listened to what the monarch had to say and cared about the content. This was an era when the use of radio as communication between royalty and subjects was novel.

Royalists or anti-Royalists can marvel at this performance.

We take so much for granted in a time of constant access that we can tune in and out as we see fit. We do not always listen to the message or bother to find the time to concentrate on what is being said.

Please see this fantastic film. I hope it is showered with awards.

Here is a far more eloquent review:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/8078247/The-Kings-Speech-London-Film-Festival-review.html

"The King's Speech"

2010-12-19T18:45:00.000-08:00

Wrapped up in myself

2010-12-18T19:45:00.000-08:00

Come on woman, where have you been?

I think I have had a little too much time for mental masturbation of late and have forgotten that there are others out there who do not have time to indulge in such fripperies.

Having returned from a trip- Belgium and England- I found myself relaxed, refreshed and blissfully unaware that the festive season was here. I was caught up in me. I suppose a blog is not the best place to lament being self-indulgent when a blog is basically a diary for the digital age but where there is an audience.

I have been very selfish recently which is not a trait I like in anyone least of all myself. I have always prided myself on being capable of thinking of others and being accommodating. I think this was perhaps delusional.

Friends are going through tough times and I am thinking about baking or learning a diminished scale. What am I like? Must get back to being who and what I am. The airheadedness must be attributed to something but can't think what. Can I call it culture shock returning here after being in Europe? Trust me some mental adjustment was needed upon my return.

Must remove my head from my arse and get back to basics.

I am a Hypocrite

2010-12-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

I have realised that I am showing my daughter that being a hypocrite is acceptable.
I am a parent and as such am allowed to indulge.

If my elder daughter were not to do her homework I would be annoyed. I would explain that homework is practice and a learning experience. She would have an outburst and I would have to calm her down.

Each time we do homework we understand a problem better and better have the ability to apply the new skills it gives us to other situations. Homework is a necessary evil and as a teacher I enjoy setting it and watching how students grow.

If my daughter knew that I was not doing my own homework (blog) she would be angry with me but I would doubtlessly brush it off with excuses of being tired, busy or lacking subject matter. I would not be allowed to have a tantrum and would have to suffer her wrath as she labored the point that she was doing as she was told but I was not. See, told you I was a hypocrite.

I am now having to follow my daughter's and buckle down. I can't find excuses just a brief moment to write. I have a list of topics to address and a brief description of my trip to Europe and reunion, for example. The dress was fabulous, btw.

Time to get busy and not find excuses.

Tummy Ache

2010-12-07T20:00:00.001-08:00

OK I have a wheat sensitivity that is getting worse and how did I manage it today? Badly.

I suppose the raspberry and almond tart and apple pie, though tasty, did not help. Don't get me wrong they were not large pieces just tastes but now I am so bloated you could tie a string to my feet and use me as a balloon.

I know I have no will power but must now learn that this is so uncomfortable and ultimately not worth feeling and looking like the Michelin blimp.

Think I will watch some crap TV as hubby is away on business and so unable to pass judgment on my viewing. I may also revel in a little light self-pity.

Rusty Robot chum I will have to be better and maybe be a little more mature about how I eat as right now I am in a lot of pain!

Some sad news

2010-12-01T13:26:00.000-08:00

Just got one of those dreaded phone calls to tell me that someone has died. This person was my husband's cousin; she was 40 and left a 10-year old daughter. She was taken by the most unforgiving disease of them all - Cancer.

"It's just that Cancer is such a total bastard. It is not like other diseases. It doesn't obey the doctorly rules. It cheats." Robert McLiam Wilson's "Ripley Bogle" p.134.

McLiam Wilson's character talks of the inequities of this disease and how it likes to play and toy with people and the victims are just playthings.

It will be unbelievably hard for a mother to survive a child and for a child to be without a mother. Life goes on but not in the same way for these folks.

Packing

2010-11-18T19:41:00.001-08:00

If you know me at all you know how much I hate packing. I simply loathe the very idea of packing items into a bag. I lack spatial awareness and an ability to really plan out the outfits I will need. I have got better but am still challenged by bags and stuff to put in them.

I know the tricks of rolling items up and sliding them into other things and making a padded area for wine and breakables. I had shoes stuffed with chocolate for the girls when I came back from New Zealand.

I usually get help by pretending to be utterly useless and overwhelmed by the whole process. There is a slight element of truth to this.

Once when I was staying on a British Army base in Germany I was so paralyzed by packing for a return to trip to my then home in Austria that a friend called the guard room and 2 delightful young uniformed chaps arrived and with military precision fit the proverbial elephant into a matchbox then drove me to the train station. How can I top that? I get guys to do my bidding!

The routine is something along the lines of I select my clothing and dump them on the bed then hubby comes along, laughs and culls my choice. Then we can pack. I need the company and support.

This has now become such a ridiculous psychological barrier that I am unable to get passed it. I panic at the thought of packing for a long trip and I am off tomorrow.

I sometimes think that knickers, passports and a toothbrush is all you need and I could pack that all by myself but what about the shoes?

I am delaying the inevitable by writing this instead of looking through the wardrobe and gathering outfits for 9 days. I will need warm, waterproof clothing and my killer dress for the reunion. Easy you cry. I think not.

I will have to build in a reward for this. Chocolate? Nah. I have 1 last piece of my delicious fudge from the Fudgehenge I made for a friend for his birthday. It is time to savor this last morsel and what better reason that this? At least it won't take up extra space in the case!

Catch Up

2010-11-17T20:32:00.000-08:00

Has a week really passed? Either I am getting older or time is really flying. Anyhoo a veiled excuse I suppose for not writing.

I have had a bit of a cold. It is roughly the same thing as man flu without the whining, staying in bed and demands for sympathy! The voice has dropped and the barking cough is progressing nicely. It is a cross between Mutley's aspirate cough and a large gruff dog actually getting angry.

I only mention this as I am about 2 days away from leaving for my trip. Yup time to be locked into a lozenge and propelled at 500 miles an hour across the Atlantic. These are germ fests and I only hope that my existing cold does not want to make new friends and invite them to stay.

Oh yeah they smoke in public places in Europe and are not treated like pariahs so I will be inhaling all manner of stuff and my dormant asthma will be re-awoken. My magical cure? Nothing. Get an inhaler, be grateful and happy that I can experience different lifestyles and stand outside for a bit.

I haven't started packing yet and I am appalling at this job.

Bangin' Tunes

2010-11-10T10:20:00.000-08:00

I am a music junkie. I love it in all its forms. As I write I am digging some ambient trance. I love the crafting of a good song, harmonies, funky bass lines and serious beats. I need to connect with the music on an emotional level and this connection is my focus of an article I am writing this month for an online parenting magazine.

I recently read that teenagers seek music as more of a way to conform and seek approval than rebel. I was horrified as I was not listening to the Smiths, Cure, Stone Roses, Sundays, Sex Pistols etc. to conform. What they had to say resonated with how I felt which was dislocated from society. I had no idea where I fit in but these bands had a sound I liked, an image and some of Morrissey’s finest lyrics. I loved his irony and observations and still do.

I thought harder and realized that I was listening to these bands because some of the boys I liked loved them and what way to better endear myself to these divine creature than professing a love for Black Sabbath, Sisters of Mercy and All About Eve? So I was conforming.

It has always been easier to be a geek who knew a few decent bands and be accepted than just a geek. I was not a geek more the arty type with hair wrestling itself free from the French plait down my back, bags of something tripping me up, clarinet case and rucksack slung over shoulders as I ran for the bus.

In fact my husband was the only one I knew who had Peter Murphy’s “Strange Kind of Love” and loved it as much as I did. This was a bonding moment almost 20 years ago. Boys again!

My brother is my music guru and he introduced me to so much incredible music- Placebo, Mumford & Sons, The Temper Trap, Pure Reason Revolution, Jose Gonzalez to name a few. I gave him Muse, Turin Brakes and The Doves. He has a knack for finding bands with a crafted sound that have yet to hit the big time but do. He wrote incredible and insightful reviews of all the gigs he attended and I felt I was there with him screaming, cooing and whistling. We are passionate about music.

I am still not writing the article I need to am I? I am trying to work out how I feel towards music. I am trying to get my thoughts in order as I only have 300-500 words to condense studies and emotions regarding teenagers and music for the piece. I suppose this is the brainstorming session. Any excuse to listen to music.

All Good Things

2010-11-09T19:50:00.001-08:00

I have just thrown away a pair of jeans which is not momentous in the grand scheme but for me warrants a mention.

These jeans were great and made my arse look decent unlike most previous pairs which made me feel I was dragging some humongous covered trolley behind me. Mind you I was bigger then so just a sackcloth would still have looked large and I thought denim might have been flattering- nah!

These beauties had served me well. They had done dinners, gigs, shopping trips, slob-out sessions, date nights, they had travelled and were a beloved piece in the wardrobe. They just fell apart and were shredded. They had serious holes in them but felt they needed a last wear to show my gratitude.

The holes were there through wear unlike a friend of mine's.

'Twas during the 80s when the band Bros entered the fray with ripped jeans and girls decided this was a style to emulate. Said friend dutifully ripped her jeans and was so happy with the result that she slept soundly that night.

When she awoke she was greeted by her grandmother telling her that she had fixed the nasty holes and now the jeans were patched and ready for another day. She was mortified.

Thank Levis for their invention and thanks to an old friend.

Venn Diagrams

2010-11-09T06:26:00.000-08:00

I have come to the conclusion that our marriage is more of a Venn Diagram these days. There is only a tiny bit where life intersects and we see each other.

The more successful hubby becomes, the more demands are made of him, the more he travels - the less we see him. I just miss him.

He has a great job which challenges and excites him and he is well respected professionally. I have to be there to support and maybe one day rejoin the teaching profession.

We have been together for a long time and married a long time. In fact I knew the moment I saw him I was to marry this man. I was 19 but it took 6 years to wear the frock. I called my mother to inform her but she probably thought it was just a thing I would say.

My husband is a lovely person who can be infuriating at times but can't we all? He cares, he's funny, he's a very interactive father and he's mine.

As the children get more challenging there are times when I wish I had my partner- in -crime to discuss this all with or at least help me fill out the West Point application for the younger one.

We just have to relish the time we do have together whenever that may be. I did see him over Skpe this morning for a few minutes so at least I saw him.

See you soon.

Please to Remember

2010-11-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

... the fifth of November and not just because it is my husband's birthday.

Today is the day we commemorated Guy Fawkes's less than successful attempt at radical politics.

To celebrate this odd British tradition we go to Muir Beach for a bonfire. We take sausage rolls and a thermos of tea and find that there are many people who speak funny like we do. There are Guys a-plenty ready to be burned and for a strange reason a bagpiper makes his annual appearance. This jolly older gent is such a hero at this event that it would not be the same without him.

It is an incredible setting that is so far from Britain or anything British that it makes you homesick. The sunset tonight was incredible. We gazed over the Pacific realising once again we are fortunate where we live.

We have been going to this bonfire for about a decade. There are no fireworks just a group of drunk Brits reminiscing.

This year's journey home alas was made more torruous not by the curvy road that always make feel as if my last feel will decorate the inside of the car but by Dire Straits. Yup, hubby decided that we needed this band for the musical accompaniment.

I have never really liked them. They seemed such an odd mix of almost rock and occasional bouts of smooth jazz. OK some of the guitar solos are sublime but on the whole I could leave them. I felt as it was his birthday I would put on a brave smile and concentrate on not throwing up. I was driving so felt it best not to hurl.

What better way to end tonight than "V For Vendetta"?

"V for Vendetta
written by Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski, from characters created by Alan Moore & David Lloyd

V: Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. (he carves a "V" into a sign) The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. (giggles) Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.
Evey: Are you like a crazy person?
V: I'm quite sure they will say so."
http://www.whysanity.net/monos/vendetta.html

Voting

2010-11-02T19:22:00.001-07:00

Today was election day and I duly voted. How I voted is immaterial but the fact that I can is more the point here.

I am not going to go into huge detail about the suffrage movement even though I find this absolutely fascinating I just want to thank tits members for having the courage to fight. A little fight goes a long way.

Below is an excerpt from a New Zealand website, http://nationalmps.co.nz authored by Nicky Wagner MP and dated September 19 2010 but retrieved today, 2 November 2010.

"The suffrage movement was New Zealand’s first truly mass movement. The Suffragists mobilised tens of thousands of people all over the nation, building momentum year after year until they achieved their goal.

One of the tactics they used was petition writing. Suffrage campaigners organised a series of large petitions to Parliament calling for votes for women. In 1891 over 9000 signatures were gathered and in 1892 almost 20,000. These petitions raised awareness of the cause, and supported suffrage bills before Parliament, but were ultimately unsuccessful.
Finally though, in 1893, nearly 32,000 signatures were obtained – the largest petition the fledgling nation had seen, and representing almost a quarter of the adult European female population in New Zealand at the time.

This was the petition that Kate Sheppard pasted together in her kitchen from individual sheets from around the country. Not all the sheets arrived in time – the post took a little longer in those days – but the roll she made up contained 23,853 names.

This was the roll that John Hall MP rolled down the central aisle of the House of Representatives. I’ve read that the petition made quite a thud when it hit the end wall of the debating chamber. It certainly made an impression because, within months, the all-male parliament had granted women the vote, making New Zealand a world leader."

I have seen part of this aforementioned roll on a recent trip to New Zealand and nearly cried. It was the most powerful piece of paper I will ever be lucky enough to see.

A "fledgling nation" was the first in the world to grant women the vote! Who says we can't change a system?

Whatever you believe have the courage to stand by it and stay true. Vote!

I have unsaddled the high horse.

Halloween

2010-11-01T21:52:00.000-07:00

We survived another legal begging session. Even though I have lived here for just about 12 and a half years I still find the whole spectacle of Halloween rather odd. Get children dressed up and get them to beg for sweets at a stranger's house when normally this kind of behviour would be frowned upon.

My daughters whole heartedly embraced this tradition and turned the visits into a sprint and occasional obstacle race when some unsuspecting smaller child got in their way. They remembered pleases and thank yous which was amazing. They were a princess and a cat in case you were wondering.

The haul from last night was impressive and they cataloged what they had. There was a stack of chocolate on the floor so I stole some before they counted. I am particular as to what I take so had to be careful. Anyway the younger daughter went to her room with a goodie bag in an almost pantomime skulk, oh no she didn't! Oh yes she did! She proceeded to eat a few choice pieces and left wrappers on the floor to completely give herself away.

I am not sure if all children think their parents are mentally deficient and incapable of realising that disappearing to a room with a ton of chocolate and closed door equals pigging out. To me this is part of the holiday. If she throws up Daddy can handle it. Incidentally her own word for vomit is "razzle" which has a Vegas showgirl-glitter, Liberace-princess kind of feel.

This whole preamble eventually gets to my point that Halloween is time for the living to mock death/ Death.

America is a deeply religious country that does not see Halloween as a pagan festival but as a time for children to dress up and have fun. The holiday here celebrates the macabre and makes light of all things grotesque. Women dress scantily and enjoy the naughtiness of it all. Children emulate their heroes.

For one night and one night only we do not tremble at the thought of death. Death is feared and the dead revered normally. There is a huge sense of grief and loss as a general rule but almost a feeling that were you to go Halloween would be seen as almost a comic exit.

At Halloween we taunt death with all manner of images and severed body parts. There is an overwhelming sense of mortal superiority. We are living yet simultaneously embracing death.

It is all a bit of a giggle because come 1st November everyone is terrified of dying once more.

Rambling

2010-10-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

While there is relative peace and the 2 warring factions (the girls) of the household have reached a temporary truce I can ramble.

I came to the conclusion that most successful blogs have a point and purpose and the rest of them are left as there are no defined parameters. Therefore the reason this is not successful as it meanders.

I ramble because I am at an odd stage in my life. I am directionless and crave work but am so entrenched in school stuff that only a part time job could work. I have been out of the work game for so long that I would have to start at a much lower level or be deemed too qualified for a relatively unskilled job.

Being at home with the kids is like perpetually being in a waiting room without knowing when the next mode of transport will arrive and where it will be headed. You just don't know what is around the corner but it could be a great adventure. Then again you could be stuck and never go anywhere but wish you had.

I have not lost my self of sense rather lost a whole perspective on the world outside. I have a feeling my views have become more conservative as I have aged but can be just as immature as any given situation demands. Is that just getting older though?

I do not know what to do professionally and have probably missed that boat. Oh well. I have kept busy writing resumes amongst other things. I know I need to be in a classroom teaching but who and what?? I love teaching adults but like other sides of the field positions are not really there. I have a knack of creating a job for myself by being loud and opinionated so people assume I am an advocate for whomever.

Teaching is how I define myself. I started a study group for 7 year olds as I needed the buzz. Thank heavens there is a a semester of high school teaching on the horizon. I know I will love it. I will feel I have come home and will thrive on its energy and moody teenagers. Hey I can be moody so better practice. I will feel alive once again.

I will teach again and change the world but have got to get the younger one to Kindergarten first. Only 10 months and counting. I will conquer the universe but will fit it in between ballet, gymnastics, play dates and the PTA.

Tight Dress

2010-10-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

I have posted that I will be returning home for my 20th High School Reunion. I am not sure if I mentioned the dress I propose wearing. It is a very tight Club Monaco number and is naturally black, in case you wished to know.

Tight clothing to impress people I have not seen for 20 years who were probably never even bothered by my existence back then seems strange. Why do I feel the need to impress? This is not my usual MO.

We have all aged but want to give the illusion of being youthful. We want to ensure that time has treated us kindly and that wisdom has prevailed. Let's hope wisdom is shown in our clothing choices as it was slim pickings growing up. This was the 70s and 80s. The 80s was the decade taste forgot in many ways. Most of the people I still know will giggle like their younger selves after a glass or 2.

Spurred on by this purchase and need to squeeze into said creation I have had to return to the gym. I do a form of circuit training that leaves me sweaty and with a smug sense of satisfaction that I exercised.

Muscles have begun to form but there is still the thought that I will have to buy some undergarments that will cut off the remainder of the circulation that the dress left available.I do wonder where my excess will be squeezed. Will I get chubby knees or a 42DD? I know which is preferable.

It is the kind of legal modern-day torture that leaves me wondering why the corset and other restrictive items of clothing were ever abandoned. We are constantly seeking the perfect look and to achieve this illusion we will stop at nothing. I am buying into it which makes me as ridiculous and vain as others.

It is all false advertising, like a padded bra. Remember the scene in "Animal House" where such deception is revealed before the young lady passes out? I laughed.

I will be vain and not care but will be relieved when I can unloosen the clasps and let it all hang out!

Sometimes

2010-10-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

Here is a poem from a birthday card. It is from a freckleface card.

"Sometimes
Sometimes I do handstands and show the world my pants*
Sometimes I like dressing up and doing a little dance
Sometimes it's nice to play with friends
Sometimes it's not, it all depends
Sometimes I go into the garden to pick lovely flowers

Sometimes I just daydream for hours and hours and hours

And sometimes at the end of the day, I lie down, snuggle up and say
Goodnight, sleep tight, I'll see you in the morning light"

(c) 2004

*pants in the English sense- the ones under the trousers

The Stick of Power

2010-10-22T20:39:00.000-07:00

I finally got my car back! After more than I would care to mention was handed over, my car came home. I was lent a lovely car but it was not mine.

I have a certain dislike for the way women are treated by mechanics. We are patted on the head and made to feel like we have nothing important to say. I suggested that my starter motor had once again failed but was told this was not possible. I was given a list of other credible reasons why the car took to making strange noises.

I gently told the manager that as this was the second time within a year this had happened that I would not be paying for it to be replaced. I reminded him that echanical parts of this nature should not fail so quickly. Needless to say I was right and the car manufacturer paid for a new starter motor. Point for me.

I have digressed. The stick of power is a gear stick and unlike the majority of drivers here I need one to change gear as this is not an automatic function in my car. I suppose it is the whole phallic nature of the shape and prowess that makes it so charming.

Women like to be in control and having things do as they are told makes driving a manual car so appealing. There is also a thrill of driving a manual that you simply don't get from an automatic. Climbing up and down the gears can be exhilarating. The change in power is immediate unlike so many automatics. OK I have a V6 which may help.

I cannot understand men driving automatics unless they drive stacks of miles. I almost feel that if you are unable to control your stick in the automotive domain there is little hope in other areas!

OK I have a date with Mr. Darcy. I know that he would have driven a manual and would have been in complete control of his stick.

The Fount of Youth

2010-10-21T14:17:00.001-07:00

I was carded at Trader Joe's today. It is such a gratifying feeling to know that someone is fooled by the wrinkles and laughter lines into believing I am under 21. Then again maybe the staff can just tell when you need a pick-me-up.

I had heard a frightening rumour that if you looked under 30 you were carded but even that is comforting. With less than a year until the change in decade, I am still flattered that people ask for ID.

Growing up in the UK it was different. You wanted to be seen to be 18, our drinking age. If you weren't everyone knew where to buy drinks underage and exploited this. Indeed I got my then 14 year- old brother to buy me beer as he looked older than me, I was 17 at the time. I drank beer and loved it but we did not have id and when asked I usually had to provide a passport.

I am still amused by the antiquated notion that the legal drinking age here is 21. Please, what else has to wait so long? My adopted country was founded by the most repressed people on earth with an austere monochrome wardrobe and a belief that being miserable made you stronger. Fun was out of the question. There are still parts of the country that hold these values dear but not here in sunny California. We want you to get merry on our wine.

Why is drinking here such a big issue? Is it really the fear of letting down the puritans and bowing to the evils of drink? I pity the rogue puritan who was desperate for a giggle, some fart humour, the need to urinate in public and then profess his love for everyone. I hope he found happiness some other way but I suppose he was told that that would make him blind so he was stuffed on all counts.

I am not advocating giving shots to young children unless they are tranquilizer darts but an easing in attitudes. If parents are enjoying a drink and not abusing it then studies show their children will follow the example set by ma and pa.

Eat drink and be merry for tomorrow there will be no more carding.