Tattoos

One of the core attributes I try to install in my children is to try not to judge others (ignore hypocrisy with post below). It's fighting against human nature and quite frankly, our current society. But this is what made my conversation with my 4 yr old so challenging.

We had an hour long conversation on tattoos. His teacher has one and he wants one, the kind that you can't rub off. I tell him right away he has to be 18 before he can get one, but I still want him to make the decision for himself. I try attacking this from the perspective of he has it forever.

Me: What would you get?
Son: A Power Ranger!!
Me: Think you'd still want that when you're 28?
Son: Yes!

Hm, that's not working. Well, he hates needles.

Me: They make tattoos by sticking you with needles over and over and it really hurts.
Son: Do adults cry when they get shots?
Me: No
Son: Well, then I won't cry when I get my tattoo when I'm an adult

Is it bad when your 4 yr old can argue a case better than you can?

Son: Can I make my own tattoo?
Me: Oh, no.
Son: Why?
Me: It would look terrible, a tattoo artist does them
Son: Who's a tattoo artist?
Me: I don't know any.
Son: But we have to find one.
Me: Well, they work at tattoo parlors.
Son: Where?
Me: I don't know, but maybe you can ask your teacher where she got hers.
Son: Yeah!

I'd love to be a fly on the wall when he asks his teacher where she got her tattoo and tells her he's getting one too.

Can't wait until November 2nd

And not because I can't wait to see who wins. Frankly, I don't care. Neither candidate excites me. I am just SO sick of the negativity. "Democrats are stupid and if they'd just think they'd realize that the Republicans are right." "The right is so crazy they believe anything the shrub tells them".

SHUT UP!!!!! All of you! Can't you see that both sides have valid points and respectfully agree to disagree. NO- I don't want excuses and I don't want reasons why you're right and they're wrong. You're both wrong and being complete idiots. There, you happy, you made me stoop to your level.

Whew. I feel better. Carry on.

He said what I couldn't

Eric, at Eric's Random Musings, verbalized quite eloquently why I disagree with religious based law making in his post Secular Ethics vs. Religious Morals. For example, abortion rights. Although many religions oppose abortion as seen here, not all do. By outlawing abortion, you are imposing religious beliefs on all, regardless of whether or not they have the same beliefs. I have no issue with John Kerry personally not believing in abortion, but also knowing that he can not make that decision for every person. That is about the only thing I agree with though. Bush is guided by his religion and while I admire his convictions, I do not agree with his beliefs and I feel his decisions are based on his beliefs only. The good news is that the Texas ballot has a libertarian candidate, Michael Badnarik, so I don't have to do the unthinkable and vote for either Bush or Kerry.

Queensryche ROCKED!

Or so I heard. The concert was Monday night downtown. I bought tickets as a surprise for my husband several months back. They were 8th row seats, bought them presale. I was so excited. Found out that day he couldn't get off work and we gave the tickets to a friend. The review from the friend is that the concert totally rocked. I am still upset today that I didn't get to go. It bites.

Sports watching is stressful

I used to love watching sports. The Oilers, Rockets, Astros, I loved all the home teams. Something happened during the Rockets three years on top. Maybe I became too emotionally involved, because now I no longer find watching sports enjoyable. Last night I turned on the tv to watch the final innings of the Astros and Cardinals and was able to watch 2 minutes. I got nervous and started reading a magazine to keep myself distracted. It's just a game! It's supposed to be entertaining and a stress reducer, not a stress inducer.

Finally put out of my misery

I signed up for Mister Crunchy's Survivor hoping to improve my writing skills. And I thought it would be fun. It was a challenge, and I'm not planning on quitting my day job for a writing job anytime soon. I have shamed my English teachers.

Frustrated

My job really frustrates me. I don't think my potential is even in the same building while I'm here. For years, I wanted to lead a job. I believe that is where my strengths would shine. I like working with people, organizing, solving problems. I hate the finite details and doing the same thing over and over again. And each time I am close to my wish, something happens that screws it up. For example, I was selected as a lead for a project. A different project develops and it happens that I've worked with this client before and he wants me back. Pulled off the other project, replaced with someone else, and now I'm still waiting on the other job. It may never materialize and I'll be working for the person who replaced me.

I know I shouldn't care. Quite frankly, I have enough on my plate without all the responsibilities here at work, but I do care. It does bother me. I feel useless, and totally unmotivated.

Weird conversations

I had a funny conversation with my son in the car this morning on the way to school.

Son: Why is not everyone was decorating for Halloween?
Me: Some people don't decorate for Halloween (wondering if I should dive into the objection some Christians have to the pagan origin of the holiday).
Son: Aren't they going trick or treating?
Me: Not if they don't have kids.
Son: I won't go trick or treating when I'm a 'dult?
Me: Not until you have kids.
Son: Me have kids???
Me: Yes, when you get married, you will have children of your own (I really, really hope).
Son: Who will I marry?
Me: I don't know, but you don't need to decide that right now.
Son: Hm, maybe Eleana (a girl from his class).
Me: Maybe.
Son: Maybe I'll marry you.
Me: (thinking to myself, uh-oh weird Oedipus thing happening). No, I'm already married.
Son: You're married to who?
Me: To your daddy.
Son: So, who's not married?
Me: Miss Elizabeth's not married (the director at his school).
Son: Maybe I'll marry Miss Elizabeth.
Me: Maybe.
Son: Who's my sister going to marry?
Me: I don't know.
Son: Maybe Miss Lisa (the owner of his school).
Me: No, she's already married (not wanting to dive into gay marriage rights and secretly hoping this conversation will end soon).

What NOT to do

Recipe for disaster: take one sick baby, throw in a bit of medical knowledge, results from one blood test, and add all the panic you can imagine. Now mix all together and throw key words into google search. Bake at 100°F for 3 days. Pick the worst of diseases found.

Now you have a almost nonfunctioning mom.

Jackie Sherrill

Talking to The Husband last night, he poses another of his random, odd questions to test my current events acumen. He asks, do you know who Jackie Sherrill is? I said, of course. Not believing, he asks who he is. I answered he was the coach of the Aggies in the mid 80's. He's surprised I know that and carries on with his story. He's checking into the hotel and a man next to him sees his ring.

JS: Are you an Aggie?

TH: Yes, turning towards JS.

JS: What year did you graduate?

TH: '95. Are you an Aggie?

JS: No, I'm Jackie Sherrill, I was the head coach of the A&M football team.

D'oh! Later, The Husband has his comeback. Didn't recognize you without your headset.

Sick Baby

The family went on our annual trip to Leaky in the hill country. We stay on a game reserve and it is absolutely wonderful. Saturday, The Baby started acting sick, just not herself. Sunday evening she felt warm, so I took her temp. 101.7. Monday morning I planned on taking her to my grandparents since she couldn't go to day care. I took her temp Monday before we left and it was a whopping 103. Called the doc and took her in. The doctor was concerned because she didn't have any obvious symptoms. They pricked her finger and ran a CBC. Her white blood cells were elevated meaning infection. She was so cute with that band-aid on her finger. She would stare at it and hold her fingers apart and not use that hand for anything. I had to hold her drink up for her.

Then doc sent us out to the lab to get blood drawn for more tests. The tech was horrible and I almost cried, having to hold down my screaming daughter while they tried to get blood out of her arm. Then we drove back to the doc where they gave her two shots of antibiotics. As I am again holding down my screaming daughter, the nurse tells me these shots are very painful and they burn.

She still had a high fever this morning and we're going back to get her finger pricked again soon to see if her white cell count is down. Poor little sweet baby.

I have a new nephew!

Really, he's my first nephew. I have a niece who's 2 1/2 and her little brother was born last Wednesday. He's the cutest little thing! Not that I want another of those any time soon...

Anywho, we tell the boy his new cousin's name is Marlon and he exclaims "like Nemo's Dad!". I think everyone should run their baby name ideas past a 4 year old.

Scrappy Time

It all started out well. A group of women, lots of food and drink, headed down to the beach to scrap away the weekend. We arrived in surfside early Friday afternoon to find the air nor the water had been turned on in the house and it was HOT. Mom and I got there an hour after the first batch and when we walked in, they had all the drapes closed, fans on high and were putting wet washcloths on their foreheads to prevent heat stroke. A few hours later, dinner was started. And that's when the real fun began. Roaches jumped on anyone who walked in the kitchen; it was totally infested. A can and a half of raid later, and we were still finding roaches, even in the refrigerator!! No one wanted to go to sleep, but we finally gave up around 2:30 am. Everyone started making excuses to leave early. In case you were looking for beach rentals, avoid surfside rentals, we stayed in the Chelsea. I'm sure the owner was not pleased with renting to us either as we called over 10 times Friday night. Disgusting.