I'm not as eloquent as Danny. Politics isn't my thing, so if this post doesn't sound very eloquent and well thought out then I apologize.
From Danny's post:
the Dept of Education should not exist. Education is a State issue, not a Federal Govt issue.
I totally agree. I just want to point out that this nation was founded with the idea of a small central government and strong state governments. Sounds like Obama is trying to change that. Not cool.
if a little bit of competition was introduced in education, we would not be churning out the poor excuse of a public education system we have now.
Again, I totally agree.
This means that the Federal Government will begin to dictate the curriculum for our local schools.
I see this being potentially disastrous. Sure, you might think it would be a good idea for us all to be learning the same thing, but who is going to decide this? Some yahoo from California who doesn't have any concept about what is really useful for some kid in Indiana to know? (Why should I learn about hurricane safety if I live in the Midwest?)
Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit: Obama will make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students.
There are so many things wrong with this idea that I am flabbergasted that anyone could not see past its obvious pandering to the mindless American. I can't wait to pay for some moron to drink his way through college. And this isn't saying that the government will regulate college tuition, but I think it is a precursor to this. If our federal government starts telling our colleges what they are allowed to charge (Um, yeah, you can't charge anything. Thanks.) then they are going to start telling them what they are allowed to teach! Next step, the federal govt telling universities who they are allowed to accept. Yeah, I went to a liberal arts college. I 100% believe in allowing individual colleges or states or whoever decide what should be taught at colleges, how much they can charge and who should be allowed in. Am I way off base here (got to put on my tinfoil hat)? I may have misinterpreted this, but I don't think regulating what colleges are allowed to charge for tuition is too far away from his gay American Opportunity Tax Credit. Also, I don't think the federal government should be involved in this. I think this is a state issue.
Okay. I try to stay out of political discussions cause they make me sound stupid, but I just wanted to comment.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
My Eyes! My Eyes!
It has recently come to my attention that I can't see. Well, it wasn't really recently that I noticed this, and it isn't really something that I have noticed so much as it is something that is blatantly obvious. I am completely nonfunctional in the morning before I put on my glasses and I am totally screwed if I take my contacts out at night before finding my glasses. I'm a -5.5 in my left eye and a -6.0 in my right. I'm so nearsighted that I am nearly blind. Luckily, Mark finds it endearing when he has to stop what he is doing and hand me something that is literally right in front of my face.
The real problem is that my eyelids have developed an allergic reaction to the protein that builds up on your contact lenses. If I wear my contacts for more than a couple of hours my eyes start to burn. Sure, this can be helped by diligently cleaning my contacts (which I don't really do), but I have been told that there may come a day when I won't be able to wear contacts at all.
Well, I am happy to report that as of October 1 this will no longer be a problem. We are selling our house on September 26 (suckers!, just kidding, Bo) and therefore coming in to a little bit of money. So, I have elected to have a powerful laser scrape off the top layer of my cornea. I am having PRK, a form of laser eye surgery on October 1st. I went in for a consultation yesterday and found out that I am not a candidate for lasik surgery because my cornea is too thin so I have to have PRK.
Basically, PRK uses a laser to shave off bits of your cornea, reshaping it and allowing your eye to focus better. I'll go in on the morning of surgery and they will give me a valium to calm me down. Then, they will take me into the surgery room where they will put in a topical anesthetic. Mark will be allowed to be in surgery with me. The actual procedure should only take about 5 minutes per eye. Once he is finished the doctor will apply some medicine and then a contact lens bandage which I will have to wear for 6 days. Unlike Lasik, which has instantaneous results, it may take several weeks or months to achieve my best vision result. I was told that I won't really be able to see at all for about 5 days while the abrasions the laser made heal. This means that I will spend almost a week as if I couldn't find my glasses. (I should be able to see well enough to drive in about a week.) I'll have Tylenol3 in pill form, and two different pain relievers that come in drop form. I'll also have an antibiotic drop and a steroid drop to put in my eyes. I'm supposed to experience "mild discomfort," which includes dryness, tearing, burning, and sensitivity to light. Mark is probably going to take the week off to take care of me and help with the kids.
So, that's it. I'm going to be able to see! I'm pretty excited!
The real problem is that my eyelids have developed an allergic reaction to the protein that builds up on your contact lenses. If I wear my contacts for more than a couple of hours my eyes start to burn. Sure, this can be helped by diligently cleaning my contacts (which I don't really do), but I have been told that there may come a day when I won't be able to wear contacts at all.
Well, I am happy to report that as of October 1 this will no longer be a problem. We are selling our house on September 26 (suckers!, just kidding, Bo) and therefore coming in to a little bit of money. So, I have elected to have a powerful laser scrape off the top layer of my cornea. I am having PRK, a form of laser eye surgery on October 1st. I went in for a consultation yesterday and found out that I am not a candidate for lasik surgery because my cornea is too thin so I have to have PRK.
Basically, PRK uses a laser to shave off bits of your cornea, reshaping it and allowing your eye to focus better. I'll go in on the morning of surgery and they will give me a valium to calm me down. Then, they will take me into the surgery room where they will put in a topical anesthetic. Mark will be allowed to be in surgery with me. The actual procedure should only take about 5 minutes per eye. Once he is finished the doctor will apply some medicine and then a contact lens bandage which I will have to wear for 6 days. Unlike Lasik, which has instantaneous results, it may take several weeks or months to achieve my best vision result. I was told that I won't really be able to see at all for about 5 days while the abrasions the laser made heal. This means that I will spend almost a week as if I couldn't find my glasses. (I should be able to see well enough to drive in about a week.) I'll have Tylenol3 in pill form, and two different pain relievers that come in drop form. I'll also have an antibiotic drop and a steroid drop to put in my eyes. I'm supposed to experience "mild discomfort," which includes dryness, tearing, burning, and sensitivity to light. Mark is probably going to take the week off to take care of me and help with the kids.
So, that's it. I'm going to be able to see! I'm pretty excited!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Oh, Matt Damon, I'm So Sad
I think I forgot to mention that I recently fell in love with Glenn Beck. (This may be a problem for Mark, but he seems pretty cool with all the other people I am in love with, so it might be okay.) What a coincidence that he should have so much to say about my first love (who I will never actually meet), Matt Damon. (See glennbeck.com) Oh Matt, why? Why did you open your mouth and talk about politics without a script in front of you? Why did you have to say all the things that people have been saying about Palin that bother me the most? Why? I think a little part of me died when I read that transcript.
Please, Christian Bale, don't say anything about American politics. I'm begging you. Don't kill the dream.
Please, Christian Bale, don't say anything about American politics. I'm begging you. Don't kill the dream.
Words I Dread: Part 1
"I Want That."
Mailee's birthday is in April. I have tried to explain to her several times that her birthday is a long way away. I've gone through every one of her relatives who will have a birthday before she does. We're talking like 20 people. Additionally, today is Mark's birthday. This makes absolutely no difference to her. Several times a day, while watching tv or while we are at the store, she will see something she likes and say, "I want that for my birthday! Can I have it, please? Please? Please?" I want to stab my eyes out.
Mailee's birthday is in April. I have tried to explain to her several times that her birthday is a long way away. I've gone through every one of her relatives who will have a birthday before she does. We're talking like 20 people. Additionally, today is Mark's birthday. This makes absolutely no difference to her. Several times a day, while watching tv or while we are at the store, she will see something she likes and say, "I want that for my birthday! Can I have it, please? Please? Please?" I want to stab my eyes out.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Slippery When Wet
We live on a corner just below a curve in the road. Today it is raining. I think you can see where this is going.
About an hour ago some yahoo driving a sporty silver car decided he was in a hurry. Too much of a hurry to slow down while going around a curve. Despite the fact that it is raining. Unfortunately his fantastic spoiler with all its inherent magical powers could not save him from eating dirt. He ended up in the ditch just on the other side of what would be my fence if I had a fence. A very noisy tow truck came and pulled him out while a policeman directed traffic. He just left, now 45 minutes later than he would have been had he slowed down to 15 to go around a sharp curve in the rain.
Idiot.
About an hour ago some yahoo driving a sporty silver car decided he was in a hurry. Too much of a hurry to slow down while going around a curve. Despite the fact that it is raining. Unfortunately his fantastic spoiler with all its inherent magical powers could not save him from eating dirt. He ended up in the ditch just on the other side of what would be my fence if I had a fence. A very noisy tow truck came and pulled him out while a policeman directed traffic. He just left, now 45 minutes later than he would have been had he slowed down to 15 to go around a sharp curve in the rain.
Idiot.
Brick vs the Bookcase
Brick made several attempts to kill himself over the holiday weekend. He ran for open stairs, tried to climb into a hot oven and made a mad dash for the campfire. Alas, all of his attempts were thwarted. He succeeded only in shortening my life. Feeling the sting of defeat, he made one more spirited attempt last night.
Yesterday was a pretty good day. The kids both took long naps and we got the house picked up before Mark came home. I didn't have to clean poop off anything and nobody bit or kicked me, so I'd say I was feeling pretty stellar by 6:45 when I went upstairs to get ready for ballet. Mark followed me up with the kids and took them into the office while I changed in the closet. I was half in and half out of my leotard when I heard a loud thud and Mark yell, "Oh no!" Then there was silence. I thought that whatever had just happened was either not so bad (hence the lack of screaming) or very bad (hence the lack of screaming). I rushed into the office and Mark was kneeling over a now crying Brick who was laying on the floor.
"What happened?"
"He pulled the bookcase on top of himself. I think his nose is broken."
I must say I am proud of the speed with which I climbed out of my ballet clothes into regular clothes. I was pretty clear headed while I grabbed a wet rag to stop the trickle of blood coming from Brick's nose and found Mark a shirt and some socks. Mark was smart enough to think of giving him some Ibuprofen (did you know they make that for babies?). I called and mom came over to assess the damage and take Mailee home with her while we took Brick to Urgent Care.
We prepared ourselves for the inevitable accusations of child abuse from the staff, but they were all very nice to us. Maybe it was how upset Mark and I both looked, or how cute Brick was playing ball with us in the waiting room, or just that they could tell he wasn't hurt that badly. Maybe it was just that everyone there had a little boy and they had all been in our shoes. In any case the nurse was so nice and everyone was so reassuring. The doctor sent us down to get X-rays and we were greeted by a middle-aged x-ray tech who said she had no idea how she was going to get a one-year old to hold still for x-rays. Brick, of course, thought it was very fun to lay on the table and get his picture taken. He even smiled. We were so proud of how good and cooperative he was, and in the end the tech said she had never seen a little one who was so good. She offered to babysit anytime we wanted.
Turns out nothing was broken. He slept pretty well last night (only got up 3 times) and is currently running around the house attacking inanimate objects. His nose and right eye are swollen and blue and he is trickling out a mixture of snot and dried blood, but thank goodness he is all right. I wonder if he will consider last night a victory and take a break from his self destructive behavior or if tomorrow he will up the ante. I'll wait with baited breath.
Yesterday was a pretty good day. The kids both took long naps and we got the house picked up before Mark came home. I didn't have to clean poop off anything and nobody bit or kicked me, so I'd say I was feeling pretty stellar by 6:45 when I went upstairs to get ready for ballet. Mark followed me up with the kids and took them into the office while I changed in the closet. I was half in and half out of my leotard when I heard a loud thud and Mark yell, "Oh no!" Then there was silence. I thought that whatever had just happened was either not so bad (hence the lack of screaming) or very bad (hence the lack of screaming). I rushed into the office and Mark was kneeling over a now crying Brick who was laying on the floor.
"What happened?"
"He pulled the bookcase on top of himself. I think his nose is broken."
I must say I am proud of the speed with which I climbed out of my ballet clothes into regular clothes. I was pretty clear headed while I grabbed a wet rag to stop the trickle of blood coming from Brick's nose and found Mark a shirt and some socks. Mark was smart enough to think of giving him some Ibuprofen (did you know they make that for babies?). I called and mom came over to assess the damage and take Mailee home with her while we took Brick to Urgent Care.
We prepared ourselves for the inevitable accusations of child abuse from the staff, but they were all very nice to us. Maybe it was how upset Mark and I both looked, or how cute Brick was playing ball with us in the waiting room, or just that they could tell he wasn't hurt that badly. Maybe it was just that everyone there had a little boy and they had all been in our shoes. In any case the nurse was so nice and everyone was so reassuring. The doctor sent us down to get X-rays and we were greeted by a middle-aged x-ray tech who said she had no idea how she was going to get a one-year old to hold still for x-rays. Brick, of course, thought it was very fun to lay on the table and get his picture taken. He even smiled. We were so proud of how good and cooperative he was, and in the end the tech said she had never seen a little one who was so good. She offered to babysit anytime we wanted.
Turns out nothing was broken. He slept pretty well last night (only got up 3 times) and is currently running around the house attacking inanimate objects. His nose and right eye are swollen and blue and he is trickling out a mixture of snot and dried blood, but thank goodness he is all right. I wonder if he will consider last night a victory and take a break from his self destructive behavior or if tomorrow he will up the ante. I'll wait with baited breath.
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