Nablopomo

Bad Parenting Moment #2145 or Day 29

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 2 Comments

One more day to go in November.  That also means I have only one more day to get my license plates renewed.  Mmmm…

On to my bad parenting.  Minnow is 20 months old tomorrow.  I can hardly believe it.  Well, my mom got his present today–who knew stores could ship something so fast.  We picked it up and decided to give it to him early (my mom was totally cool with that).  It is something we have been wanting to get him and knew it would also be the only thing he would want to play with for at least 3 or 4 days.  Minnow has lots of grandparents who are all going to give him cool stuff and my MIL is coming for Christmas this year.  I didn’t want my mom’s gift to be the only one he wanted to play with on Christmas and quite frankly Minnow needed a new toy–something big and bold that would keep him from wanting to climb into the dishwasher or crawl into the oven.  Minnow now has a play kitchen and a Christmas present in November. 

I figure this is the last year I can get away with giving him his presents early as next year he will be too aware of what is going on.  Did I mention the outdoor playhouse we bought him also arrived–we’re putting it up this weekend. 

Gun’s R Us or Day 28

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / Leave a comment

I am so not inspired to post today at all, but I will since I only have 2 more days after today before I can take a blog break and I don’t know watch some completely mind-numbing tv.  I would like that. 

I was watching the ABC evening news yesterday–at least I think it was yesterday.  All the days blur together during this time of the school year.  Okay, back on track here.  There was a story about semi-automatic assault rifles and the need for police departments to start having their officers carry them as there has been a huge rise in the use of semi-automatic assault rifles among the criminal element in our society.  In 1994 Pres Clinton passed a bill that banned the sale of these weapons (Ak-47, etc) and really who needs an assault rifle?  I would hate to see the deer that met a hunter who had one–there certainly wouldn’t be any meat to eat.  Quietly in 2004, congress and good ole’ Pres Bush let the ban pass.  There was an increase in assault rifle crimes.  Congress then made it ILLEGAL.  YES.  ILLEGAL to track assault rifle crimes.   All gun crimes were required to be tracked together.  Wonder whose pockets got lined in that deal and by whom?

I really am tired of all this NRA “they’re gonna talk all our guns” propaganda.  I am not a fan of guns, but hey you want to kill some deer or quail or duck, then you should be able too.  I don’t think that we should rid the world of all guns (wouldn’t the world be a safer place though).  I seriously don’t think anyone needs to have a handgun or an assault rifle.  It just seems absurd–you can protect your home with a two shot deer rifle or bird gun–don’t tell me you cannot and that it would take too long to load as you aren’t suppose to make it easy to load you gun because, well that is how little kids shoot each other.  Don’t we want our police officers safe–if we only made available 2 shot hunting rifles and 6 shot revolvers than what are the odds that some drugged up criminal is going to be able to hit me?  But if we sell them semi-automatic handguns and/or rifles with the capability of firing 20+ shots in a matter of minutes or in some cases seconds the odds increase greatly in favor of someone landing a shot. 

It is impossible in our world to stop the sale of something that is available.   Wouldn’t it be a clearer message if we banned the manufacture of such weapons.  If the criminals didn’t have them then the cops wouldn’t need them.  I know this is a simplistic view, but I am in a simplistic mood.  If we don’t want people shooting each other stop making guns that make it so frickin’ easy. 

Things Like This Piss Me Off or Day 27

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 5 Comments

The world of international adoption is one that seems to be open to constant scruitiny and supposition by the press.  I have written about this before (sorry no links–you’ll have to search if interested).  Why is it that the media and the press feel it is their job to plaster a child’s loss all over the front page of papers, etc.  Why do we only see this in international adoption and only recently.  Jamie Lee Curtis’ daughter is adopted and I don’t recall reading all about how and why she was given up and how dare some family want to raise her as their own.  Nor with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman’s adopted children.  What about Rosie’s kids?  Why don’t we delve into their pasts and take their private and painful beginnings and discuss the ethics of those adoptions. Are does the media only care when it might be Sensationalized?  Why don’t we question why people here in the US give up their children for adoption or how our country here is so unfair that poor pregnant girls sometimes feel that they have no other choice but adoption?  But we question why someone in a developing nation would give up their child? 

Does it really matter why or how a child came to be available for adoption?  I am not saying that we should ignore possible breaches of ethics–domestic and international–but these stories are not just stories.  These stories are personal tragedies that have befallen to real people.  Zahara one day will be old enough to read the article above that the Daily Mail published.  How do you think that will make her feel?  I certainly wouldn’t want my son to read an article like that about himself.  It saddens me that selling papers and making money is more important than the welfare of a child and the privacy of that child’s beginning in life.  Adoption is something to be celebrated not demonized. 

I am thankful that I am neither rich or famous.  I am thankful that my child can grow up in peace and I can parent without judgement. 

The Long Long Winding Road or Day 26

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / Leave a comment

I can’t wait for this whole posting every day thing to be done.  It is taxing.  It amazes me how little I have to say when I sit down with the pressure to write everyday.  Bare with me these last few days…

I had my first meeting with my doctoral advisers.  WOW is all I can say.  I have a long road a head of me.  I have a lot of classes to take as I have come to my doctorate in education via a MA in English.  So I have more work than others.  I am very excited to get started but am weary as I look down the line to see all that it entails.  I am hoping I am up to the task as hubby is so very supportive and wants nothing but success for me. 

I struggle with how to juggle this new far more demanding course of study, work and more children.  I have decided not to go back to work full-time at least not right away–I will teach part-time for one more year after this and then re-evaluate.  I am one of those people who wants to do it all and I don’t often think about the logistics and the hard and fast realities that are involved.  I am trying very hard to do that with this endeavor.  My future earning potential is far more important to my family than it is presently.  I will enjoy not having the pressures of a full-time job while having the benefits of getting out of the house and working. 

I am able to carry over about 21 hours from my MA and maybe a few more.  That means I only need 69 more hours or 23 classes.  The road is certainly long.  Thanks for keeping me company. 

Thankful Post Six or Day 24

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 2 Comments

I am ready to be done with chronicling what I am thankful for…as it is a lot of work to look deep into your life and really talk about what you are thankful for.  I am done with the posts that lament on a person or two and am not moving on to bullet points.  I will think of some grand way to finish this week of thanks–maybe.  But for today it is a list. 

 I am thankful for…

Health–and the ability to do strenuous exercise (riding centuries and such).
Courage– I have overcome many things and have only been able to do that with courage.
Determination–without it I woudn’t be pursuing my doctorate or even be completing my Masters. 
Love–receiving it and giving it. 
Intellectual ability–this is something I had to work to develop and maintain.
Music–there is something that happens in music that brings people together and transcends race, religion, and social class.
Coffee–I know it is trivial but I am happy that I can afford to have good coffee at home. 
Opportunity–and the strength to answer the knock when it come (all we are given is the chance we have to make the most of it). 
Strength–see above.
Money–we are lucky to have enough to live a comfortable life and to give to others in need.  I wish I had more to give away. 

There is so much much more I could be thankful for.  I am also thankful for my husbands family…I didn’t write about them in my family post and should have, as I am thankful to have them…