Defining Moments ... but what do they define?

Perhaps CNN should be callng their 25 year review "Moments that kept you glued to our channel, thank you." Or some such. But anyway.

Flipping channels before handing the remote over to L (who just crawled out of bed. Sheesh,) I caught this little snippet from CNN: "Tell us what news event stands out in your mind over the past 25 years." September Eleventh, duh. But there's another one. This is the story.

I was very pregnant with my son. The hubby-man and I had gone out to buy the last of the baby things we thought we'd need. We came home with fast-food and onesies and a useless baby grooming set, and turned on the tv.
And we were bombing Iraq.
The air war had begun while I had been blissfully shopping.
My son would be born into war.


Later, I watched US troops drive through the desert waving bottles of water to Iraqi troops who surrendered in droves. For water.
I cradled my newborn son and cried for those men. Of course, being full of hormones, I cried over AT&T commercials, too... So I don't know if that counts.

Other Things I Remember From The News
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The Iran Hostages and yellow ribbons tied on trees

AIDS

Chernobyl

The Challenger: My algebra teacher usually started class with a joke. He was the master of the straight face. He entered the classroom and said very seriously, "Did you hear about the Challenger blowing up?" As a group we shouted, "No! Tell us about the Challenger blowing up!" Math class was suspended as he brought in a tv and we watched news footage and discussed the space program.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall, and knowing that my children will never understand what it meant.

Tiananmen Square

L.A. Riots, parts 1 and 2

The Rwanda Genocide -unspeakable

Waco

Oklahoma City

Bank Robbers with Armor Piercing Bullets and how they let one of the robbers just lie there, and I thought it was justice.

The 2000 Elections and Republicans beating down the doors to disrupt ballot counting, Republicans trying to incite riots, Republicans getting off scot-free, Republicans accusing Democrats of doing everything the Republicans actually did.

Vote Fraud in 2000, 2002, 2004; and The Ukrainian Elections.

Not to mention everything I've blogged about in the past several years.

This Just Boggles My Mind
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Judge: Parents can't teach pagan beliefs

Both parents are Wiccan. Neither asked for the ruling. The judge decided to put it in the divorce decree. They are appealing.

What a waste of our tax dollars and judicial time.

Blah
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The stress caught up with me. Now I have a cold. I hope it's a short one.

Growing Up
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My son just walked out the door, headed off to his graduation; and I'm a little melancholy. He's getting his picture taken, while we sit at home and wait. I can't be there ... he's on his own.
:(

On a happier note, my sister loaned me her videocamera; so we'll have video of the ceremony!

I Love My Veterinarians
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Who else would give up their lunch hour to pull a needle out of a cat's mouth?

Moonshadow really scared me when she swallowed that needle. The one that I thought was securely out of her reach. (sigh) However; the total cost of the emergency vet visit, sedative, sleepy gas, needle removal, wake-up shot, and antibiotics, was only 96 dollars. Not bad at all.
I so do love my vets.


If you live in St. Louis, seriously consider Watson Road Veterinary Clinic for all your pet health needs. They're herp experts too!

The Problem With Teaching Theory As Fact
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I suppose it's part of our nature to seek absolutes. 500 years ago, there was theory that the sun revolved around the earth. It was taught (to those who could afford teaching) as fact. Thus it was an absolute: the sun revolves around the earth.
A thousand years before that, everyone knew the earth revolves around the sun. Just a theory, but taught as an absolute fact.

There are endless examples theories that somehow become "facts" in our heads.
Man evolved from proto-humans, dolphins evolved from proto-cows, the earth is flat, here there be dragons, aboriginal people are savages, every solar system has a black hole at it's center...

Suddenly, my first day of Kindergarden makes sense. Before I left for school, my father gave me a command. "Question Authority!" he said.
Because an authority does not equal an absolute. I guess.

But don't take my word for it.

It's only a theory.

36

Yep. As of 7:35 am yesterday, I was 36 years old. I feel like I should sculpt the number in mashed potatoes and say, "This means something."
And I guess it does. It meant that I got a full body massage and chocolate cream pie, and I didn't have to drive anywhere. How's that for cool?

Also, P's children came over to play video games with L. Elder Child asked, "How old are you now?"
After thinking for a second, I told her, "I'm thirty...six." (I usually have to think about it. I know I'm 30 something, but the actual number requires math and a wayback machine.)
Her younger brother said, "What?!? ...You look like you're in you're 20's!"
I replied, "Thank you."
He tossed back, "That wasn't a compliment."

*snicker* Little does he know!

What If...

What if... the inactive grenade that was on the ground 100 ft. or so from Bush, was a response test?

What if... the lightweight Cesna 150 was also a response test?

Even if... it was simply coincidence, somebody now knows more than they did about how long it takes to scramble fighters, how long it takes to evacuate, how many people would be out in the streets to be exposed to... oh, I don't know... a biohazard or radiation or whatever.

If someone knew to be watching the news, they would have gotten to see it live on TV.

And what's our threat level color now? Are we Bert or Ernie?

Uh oh, I been tagged!

Chasmyn tagged me with a meme. And here it is:

What follows is a list of different occupations. You must select at least five of them. You may add more if you like to your list before you pass it on (after you select five of the items as it was passed to you). Of the five you selected, you are to finish each phrase with what you would do as a member of that profession. Then pass it on to three other bloggers.

Here’s that list:

If I could be a scientist… If I could be a farmer…
If I could be a musician… If I could be a doctor…
If I could be a painter… If I could be a gardener…
If I could be a missionary… If I could be a chef…
If I could be an architect… If I could be a linguist…
If I could be a psychologist… If I could be a librarian…
If I could be an athlete… If I could be a lawyer…
If I could be an innkeeper… If I could be a professor…
If I could be a writer… If I could be a backup dancer…
If I could be a llama-rider… If I could be a bonnie pirate…
If I could be a midget stripper… If I could be a proctologist…
If I could be a TV-Chat Show host… If I could be an actor…
If I could be a judge… If I could be a Jedi…If I could be a mob boss…
If I could be a backup singer…If I could be a CEO…
If I could be a movie reviewer… If I could be a monkey’s uncle…

These are mine:
If I could be a scientist… I would create a disaster prediction tool based on butterflies flapping their wings in Asia, planetary alignments and children's fussiness. And still no one would listen.
If I could be a movie reviewer… I would film my review in the car, on the drive home from the theater. (Thanks, Hubby-Man for inventing the idea a decade ago)
If I could be a Jedi… I could slice and toast bread at the same time with my lightsabre.
If I could be a midget stripper…I still wouldn't do VIP dances.
If I could be a CEO… Wait. I am a CEO. Heh heh heh.

Persephone
Fraggle
and Cowgirl
You've been tagged!

Sorrow
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We heard about this on Monday's morning news. All I can think about is the loss. For his family, for the school, for the world.

(KSDK - Town & Country, MO) -- Police have released the identity of the student killed in Friday's accident at Christian Brothers College High School in Town and Country. 17-year-old Brian Havey of University City died while leaving school.

Assistant Principal Jane Eschmann knew Brian since he was in the 7th grade. That's when he knew he wanted to attend CBC. Eschmann said, "Brian impressed me then as being a young man who was very conscientious. Really wanted to succeed and badly wanted to be at our school. He didn't disappoint us here at CBC, he was a very good student."

On Friday, Brian was pulling out onto North Outer 40 Drive when he was broadsided by a Jeep. Witnesses tell police the Jeep tried to avoid the crash but couldn't. The 41-year-old female driver suffered minor injuries. Brian died at the scene. Charges are not expected. Eschmann said, "Brian's mother knew when she saw us. I think she had gotten wind that there had been an accident. When we got to the door, we didn't have to say anything."

At the intersection where the accident happened, there aren't any stop signs. But police say that hasn't been an issue in the past. Any decision to install stop signs will have to be made jointly between the school and the city of Town & Country. Eschmann said, "The school is new in this location. We never in a million years dreamed it would happen to one of our boys. He will be very very missed at CBC."

Extra crisis counselors will be available to students on Monday.

I've been to CBC frequently, these past few months. The campus exit has good visibility, and oncoming traffic has excellent visibility of cars leaving the campus.
Just in case you were wondering why there wasn't a stop sign there.

L tried to send a condolence e-mail, but we don't think it went through. We will be sending a card instead. L is contributing what's left of his confirmation gift money, and if you'd like to add a dollar, please let me know.
Most of the kids who go to CBC are middle class, not wealthy; and a few dollars could help them with the unexpected expenses they have now.

Cranky Today
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Yeah. It's Monday. All the little shit from this weekend just exploded in me this morning. I'm very proud of myself for not screaming at anybody. The thing that's really getting to me is my hair. And it actually started a month ago when I was photographing the demolition of an old house. I was standing on the sidewalk, chatting with a neighbor and waiting for the backhoe to take out the last remnant of the house...



I caught this perfect shot...

And I did it while ignoring a neighbor who kept saying, "Mm! There's something about red hair."
I guess he figured I didn't hear him the first time. Or the second, third, fourth, etc. times, either.
Yes. There is something about red hair. It makes people forget their manners.

That was a month ago, and it still irks me a bit when I think about it.
On Saturday, I went down to 7-11 to fetch snacky treats for my family. The weekend manager decided to comment on my hair. He always comments on my hair, and I always forget that he exists the second I leave the store. This weekend, I bought a hot dog for my hubby; and Mr. Manager said to his employee, "Don't sell her a hot dog, it'll turn her hair red. Oops, too late! I guess she likes hot dogs."
Which I ignored. I don't pay attention to jackasses. And when I was paying for my purchases, he started singing. I am not kidding you. He sang, "I'd rather be dead... than red on the head..."
Bastard.
His employee had the decency to blush, and I spared her a moment's pity for having to work with this jerk.
Oh, did I mention that he was staring at my chest while he was singing? I guess he liked the buttons on my Cardinal's baseball jersey, that being what I was wearing.

So here are a few points of etiquette, for those few feeble minded sexist bigots who can actually operate a computer. You know who you are. You're the ones who found this blog whilst looking for redhead p0rhn...

1. It is not proper etiquette to tell a minority that you would rather be dead than a minority.

2. It is not proper etiquette to deride a customer.

3. It is not proper etiquette to stare.

4. Proper etiquette means treating a person like a person, until they prove otherwise. Like, say, opening their mouths and singing stupid songs.

Can A Cat Look Like His Feelings Are Hurt?
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Because my cat just gave me that look. I grinding some comfrey leaf, chanting away happily, when this paw came out of nowhere and patted my arm. I looked over, and it was Hunter. He came and sat down in front of me and watched me work. He cocked his head to one side and invested a lot of energy in looking cute, as I ground the leaves. But when I poured the comfrey into the oil, he looked horrified. I mean really horrified. His little kitty jaw dropped. Then he looked from the bag of leaves, to the jar of oil, back to the leaves, and right in my eyes.

I reached into the bag to get more leaves to grind. Hunter twitched his tail. He shifted restlessly as I ground and chanted. Then I did the horrible thing again. I poured grean leafy stuff into a container he couldn't get into. Again, he looked horrified. I was filled with a sense of wastefulness.

WTH?

I'm sure you figured it out by now, but I had been clueless. Yes. He thought it was catnip. And he was horrified at the waste of pouring his catnip into a bunch of oil.

As soon as I understood his upset, I fetched his bag of organic catnip.