Welcome!
I would hurl words into this darkness and wait for an echo, and if an echo sounded, no matter how faintly, I would send other words to tell, to march, to fight, to create a sense of hunger for life that gnaws in us all.
~Richard Wright, American Hunger, 1977
Welcome Students. Lets start writing!
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ReplyDeleteI wasn’t able to watch the Super Bowl the other day because I was running errands. That may sound odd, but I am in Japan and the game starts in the morning and usually ends after lunch. I did watch the news coverage and keyed in the Super Bowl commercials. A somewhat controversial ad was air by Coca Cola that stirred up a lot of conversation. The newscaster said that Coca Cola’s commercial had the national anthem being sung in different languages. That sparked my interest and I decided to look into it further.
ReplyDeleteDuring their sixty-second commercial the song, “America the Beautiful” is sung; which is not our national anthem. What you see in this advertisement is different aspects of America’s multi-cultured life. Shown during the ad is a cowboy on a white horse, children in a movie theater, surfers waiting for a wave, people dancing in the street, swimmers picking up bottle caps sunken at the bottom of the pool, a gay couple at a roller rink, and various people looking at the camera or just living life.
The various people come from different ethnic backgrounds and some wear the symbolic clothing that represents their culture. There are a couple of men wearing yarmulkes and a woman wearing a hijab. There are many Americans in the commercial that simply wear the attire wear the live. The cowboy has jeans and a cowboy hat, the dancers wear lose clothes to help them move freely about, and the children running through the desert in winter are wearing brightly colored coats and hats.
I believe Coca Cola had the intention of showing the viewer how diverse we are as a nation. They had “America the Beautiful” sung in different language to remind us that we are a melting pot. You don’t have to be born here to be an American. You don’t have to give up your history or culture to be American. This message was not receive well by many.
Despite Coke’s best intentions; a frenzy of negative blogs, tweets, and responses flooded in. Claims of, “We speak English” resounded. Some criticized that there were no veterans shown in the commercial. Others were in awe that the commercial aired in the stadium that was too close to where the Twin Towers were hit on 9/11. Some replied back, “I will never drink Coke again”. Not everyone held this view.
On the other side were people that appreciated the diversity that Coca Cola presented in their ad. These people criticized the nay-sayers reminding them there is no national language of America. They called the offended people, “Haters” and “Racist”. They reminded them that the year is 2014 not 1950. I read all this before seeing the commercial.
While I watched the commercial the song came across as sounding weird and different. I remembered that all things different are not bad. I have an interracial marriage and have been looked at negatively before. I thought those people needed to adapt to the world we live in now. I understood what Coke was trying to do in their ad, but I think they went about it the wrong way.
In the end, I think Coca Cola made a bold move but may have underestimated the public reaction it created. I don’t think their revenues will be affected. This commercial may become a vanguard of future commercials. The reactions that were posted may be studied in the future and the question may be asked, “Have we really come that far?” In the end, the commercial did accomplish what all advertisements seek; a lasting image that people talk about and remember.
I first watched the commercial in the same, after hearing about the controversy. But I didn't read any of the many comments until after I watched it myself. I saw a representation of our melting pot and a reminder that many Americans speak different languages. It wasn't shocking to me at all!
DeleteWhat was shocking were people's comments. Some were so hateful. Many people thought that Coca Cola were showing people around the world, not just cultures within America. This caused a big problem with people because of the song that was playing, and the fact that many people mistook it for our national anthem. You'd think if they saw the commercial while watching the football game, they would be familiar with our national anthem which is sung at the beginning of the game.
It's crazy to watch the same thing and yet see something completely different. It reminded me of the Cheerios commercial that aired awhile back. People were pretty upset with it just because it featured an interracial family. It looks like we really haven't come that far at all.
I was also not able to watch the game. I watched this video and cannot for the life of me understand why people are so judgmental over something so innocent.
DeleteIs this where we post our blog?
ReplyDeleteI have been very stressed in the last couple of moths with school, being a single mom, and work. There were moments where I thought I just wanted to give up and throw in the towel. I have never had to deal with so many emotions at ones so I was kind of lost for a while, almost depressed.
ReplyDeleteOne day I just decided to sit down and think about how I could make things more manageable and I realized I just had to be more motivated to accomplish the tasks I had to accomplish. So after a long day of work I sat down and started looking up motivational quotes online. Although I found a lot of different quotes, there was one that really caught my eye, because it fit the situation I was in.It made me realize that giving up is a weakness we all have, and I believe the only reason we have weaknesses is to overcome them.
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
Thomas A. Edison
Since that day, I make sure I read at least one motivational quote a day and I try to really learn something from it.
I really enjoyed reading this. This is something everyone faces at one point or another. Thanks for the motivational quote!
DeleteThis is a really interesting quote. Where do you get these quotes from and which are your favorites?
DeleteI have four kids and have been through a lot with them. There are many times where I thought that I was too stressed to handle a big family and juggle work and school, but always knew that in the back of my mind that I love them and that they are extremely important to me. Roughly two years ago, there were comments made by my kids that broke my heart and I realized I needed a change in the way I spent time with my family.
ReplyDeleteI was always extremely busy with life as mentioned above, whether it be spending many hours after work to stay and complete different tasks, or spending hours doing homework throughout the week. One day, I overheard my kids ask my wife why I wasn't home enough or energetic enough to play with them. This broke my heart and changed my life.
My main purpose of this post is that family is extremely precious and valuable. Days, months and years will fly by and you will not have the opportunity to get them back. From this, I have learned to value my family and cherish the times I do have with them.
The last year or so has been full of ideas, thoughts about work, and other thoughts about where I am going to venture next. I have over 20 years in the military and I am at the end of my career for the Army. My son also has one more year of high school before he leaves the house for either college or the military. I have a couple different avenues I can take after the military. I can either work in the SHARP (Sexual Harassment Assault Response Prevention) sector or return to the SATCOM (Satellite Communications) jobs that pay way more than SHARP. Plus I have a good clearance that is wanted by a number of companies out there.
ReplyDeleteI know I will miss the structure of the military for it’s what I know to be normal. Many say that they couldn’t do it for 20 years but the time goes by way too fast. I know that I will do good out of the Army too but it is still a decision that I must make in the next couple of months on whether I am going to try for one more promotion or will I retire and get paid more for what I do now.
The hardest decision that I have to make is whether or not I am going to stay here in Korea for another year so my son can graduate from the same school he is at now or move somewhere else and put him into his forth high school. It is a decision that we have to make as a family but it still falls on me if it goes any way wrong.
In the end of all the decisions I am going to make for my future endeavors I will at least be marketable to a lot of companies when I decide to hang it up for the military.
Snowboarding is not something I am talented at. I’ve only gone twice as of today. The first time was on a mountain in Utah. I went with my husband and two friends, all of which are experienced. By the time we got there it was snowing pretty hard, but it wasn’t the storm that bothered me the most about this particular trip. What bothered me was that there was no bunny slope for me to learn on. It was an all or nothing sort of day, and I immediately regretted tagging along. Over the next couple hours I managed to make it all the way down the slope maybe 4 times with only 1 major fall, as in completely head over heels. It was then that I was thankful for the fluffy, fresh fallen snow.
ReplyDeleteMy second trip was at an indoor place in Germany. It was so crowded we just sat there in the ice for about an hour unable to really move. I have never seen so many skiers in all my life. Most of them were just standing there talking, taking up space for the hell of it. The fake snow was solid ice in some patches making a fall pretty painful. Once you got to the bottom of the 30 second slope, there was easily a 15 minute line to catch a long ride back to the top. We spent more time waiting in line and waiting for the crowd to move than we did snowboarding.
So here I am, now looking forward to our next trip which will be Valentine’s Day weekend. I can’t wait to be on an actual mountain again after our last experience. I still pretty much suck at snowboarding, it’s like my feet just don’t get it. I honestly don’t mind falling ever few seconds because it’s something my husband and I can laugh at together. I remember I was so nervous at first that I didn’t even want to go. My husband had to push me out of the house, telling me how I can’t learn if I don’t try. In the end, I’m glad I did go and try something new, and I’m glad that it’s something that I can now share with my husband.
Brooke I completely understand your pain. I went snowboarding in Switzerland a few years back and that was one of the worst mistakes of my life. My friends took me to what they called a black diamond slope for my first time. I believe its called that because of the difficulty level of the slope. By the end of the day I had bruised ribs, a migraine, and Im sure a mild concussion.
DeleteHow did you get this to show up on the dashboard?
DeleteI'm not quite sure where I should start. I don't like talking about myself because I am just myself. The reason I say that is because I don't think I many things outside of the ordinary things that everyone does. I am a father of three, a husband, and I am an NCO in the United States Air Force. Just a regular guy doing what he can to better himself so I will have a fighting chance when I get back to the real world.
ReplyDeleteI will say that I enjoy learning and meeting new people while doing so. I love to travel as well, so my career choice was easy once I finished my first two years of college before joining the military. I think its important that we always try to strive to be better. I also understand how easy it is to just accept your situation as is. I just hope that I can influence or motivate people around me to always push to be great. Having a positive attitude on life always helps.
I have never been crazy about school but I know it's a necessary evil. I also push to do well with my academics because I feel like as a parent I have to lead by example. How am I to tell my kids to do well in school and need to go to college, if I am not willing to do so myself? I know all of my hard work will pay off in the end. I just want to be able to look back on my life and feel like I made the best of it. Being a good husband, father, and just overall good person are my personal goals in life.
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ReplyDeleteFor the past few years I’ve had the opportunity to watch my daughter excel in High School. It’s hard to believe that next year she will be graduating from High School and leaving for college. Over the years she has consistently made me very proud in the way she threats others, and her overall academic performance. I would like to think that over the years I’ve instilled in her the importance of being a person of good character. Even with that said I still worry about her leaving for college.
ReplyDeleteNot too long ago I asked her what did she want to go to school for. I think she has narrowed it down to journalism. Researching the different schools the next hurtle I will have to overcome is the cost. Fortunately, I transferred my Gi Bill over to her some time ago which is a big plus. Hopefully, when it is time for her to apply she will get accepted in the school of her preference.
It’s going to take some time adjusting to her not being around the house. When she goes on school trips now for a few days I find myself counting the days until she gets back. She can be your typical teenager at times, but I wouldn’t trade her for anything. At the end of the day I just want to see her succeed and have a career that she can be happy with
I recently got into the modeling world and i love it. I love the fact of dressing up as a different character and portraying someone else. It is like acting but just in front of a camera. I recently entered a contest and im trying my hardest to win. If i win i become the face of a company and this can get my foot in the door of the modeling world. I really want to win this but my insecurities get the best of me. I feel i am not as beautiful as the other girls. I keep telling myself I have as good of a shot as they do, but deep down i know i don't believe in myself. This is a hard lesson i am learning as growing up. We must learn to love ourselves the way we are.
ReplyDeleteSummer can’t come soon enough! I know I joined to military to travel and see the world and do whatever I could. Who thought bringing a child into the equation would make you rethink a lot. My husband and I are both serving in the Air Force. If there is one thing I regret it’s that my daughter doesn’t get to know her grandparents as much as she would if we were home. We are even from two different states so that would be a tough decision to make also. Thank goodness for Skype! We never planned to have our daughter but that doesn’t mean we aren’t grateful for her. She brings joy to our lives and sometimes drives us crazy but that’s the joys about being a parent.
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ReplyDeleteI know that this may seem a bit cliché for this time of year, but I recently signed up for a contest on a fitness website. The goal of the contest is to transform your body in twelve weeks. Whether you are a skinny guy putting on muscle or a bigger guy slimming down, it doesn’t matter. Whoever makes the biggest change wins. I am no stranger to gym, as I have dedicated a decade to religiously working out, but this is the first time I have set myself on a path towards a goal like this. Though I tell my friends and family that I am going to win, inside I am afraid I will always be a bit on the chubbier side.
ReplyDeleteEver since I was a young boy I have always been large. My dad owned a Domino’s Pizza franchise, so it’s no wonder I was big when I was eating pizza several times a week. I don’t blame my parents, though. I also continued on a long path of bad diet and exercise choices all through my adolescent years. I was perfectly comfortable playing video games and snacking incessantly. I hated myself for being so fat, but inside I had thought I was too far gone to make a difference in myself.
At the age of 18 after graduating high school, I made a decision that changed me forever. I signed up for a gym. Better than that, I kept going. Day after day, month after month, I kept at it. My friends and coworkers started making the typical “hulk” and “roid rage” jokes, but I love it. Because they weren’t fat jokes anymore. I loved that I wasn’t just the big fat kid, I was the big powerful muscle bound guy.
I loved the new me… or did I? I still wasn’t exactly comfortable taking my shirt off at a pool. I was still carrying quite a bit of extra weight around with me. I still had not broke myself of eating garbage fast foods and snacking even when I was hungry. Was it obvious from looking at me that I was packing quite a bit of muscle? Yes. For some guys, they would fine where I was at. But in my own mind I was still fat. In my own mind, I hadn’t changed. I was still a fat kid, just a strong fat kid. I had tried several times over the last few years to diet, but I never succeeded. Sure I would drop a few pounds off, but it always came back. Every few years I made a few diet changes, but I never made lifestyle changes. That’s the difference.
Now I have signed up for this competition, and I have a clear and defined goal. I have a deadline. I upload pictures weekly, and track my workouts online. I am accountable for my workouts and my diet. This is what I needed. I needed the competition to push myself further than I had before. Now the hunger pains and sore muscles are a badge of honor to be shown off to the other competitors. I’m one month into the new diet and workout plan and looking better than I have in years. I have confidence in myself, confidence in my plan, and the drive now to succeed.
There is still that little voice, though. There is that nagging little voice that tells me I will fail. That voice that tells me that I have been week in the past, and I will be weak once again. I hate that voice. I hate the old me it represents. This time it’s different. This time I will prove that voice wrong, and it will never bother me again. Because win or lose, I will stick with this until the end.
I was recently married. Well, it feels as if I was, anyway. The reality is, I’ve been married for nearly two years. During this time, my wife and I have been together for less than six months. We met through a mutual friend while I was in South Korea. After talking to each other on Skype for a few months, we met while I was on leave and visiting my family. It was six months after I left for Germany that I went home to get married. However, as you all know, there is a lot of paperwork that has to be done after you get married for your spouse to be able to join you overseas. While finishing this paperwork and waiting for a house, I was deployed to Kosovo. This put off getting them to Germany for a month and a half. Fortunately, they were able to come here less than a week after I returned from Kosovo. A little over two months after her arrival, I got word that I would be deploying to Afghanistan for a year in six weeks. I had to spend three weeks out of country for training and a week and a half in a different part of Germany for more training. I returned from that deployment right before Christmas, and we had all of two weeks together before I was asked to leave again for a week long field training exercise. Two days after I returned from the field, I had to leave again for a three day weapons range. Finally in typical patterns of three, I was identified to lead a convoy to another heavy weapons range, but this time it was only for a day.
ReplyDeleteThis has been quite a challenge for me, because we have a three year old son that is so used to me being gone, it does not even phase him anymore. We have been working tirelessly to build a strong relationship between my son and I, but it is difficult when I keep getting called away for work. In fact, I recently got word that I will be spending the latter half of March and some of the beginning of April in southern Germany for more training.
Though working in the military is rewarding, it is also taxing on those who are working behind the scenes. My wife and my son are always the ones on the blunt end of the stick when it comes to these things. Both of them have been very resilient, and seem to understand the necessity for me to be gone frequently. As much as I can applaud this resilience, I cannot help but resent the fact that it has become necessary for them to rely on it so frequently.
And, I'm just ready to leave Afghanistan. Two tours too many for me.....
ReplyDeleteI will write more about myself as the time permits, but all I can think about is the day I step foot off of that plane and back on to Germany soil.
One of the most common questions people like to ask when they’re getting to know someone is ‘What are you the most afraid of?’. I never used to know what to say to this question. I mean sure, there are numerous situations that I would be afraid if I found myself in one of them, but it’s not something that sits on my mind to the point of where I can actually say I’m afraid of it. But lately something has been weighing on my mind a lot. I’ve realized that there is something I’m afraid of. I’m afraid of being average. Sometimes I feel like that’s all I’ll ever be in life, like I can never break past the mass of people just doing life and become exceptional. Growing up I was decent at sports, but there was always someone more talented. I’ve always been good at school but have never made honor graduate. I want to stand out, to break past everybody and everything that is mediocre. If we are all truly individuals than why do so many people look, act, and think the same way. And while I’m having all these thoughts, I still find myself being swept along with the tide, unable to stop it. Ignorance is truly bliss, I see complete idiots who think they are god’s gift to mankind but at least they’re happy. To actually see things for what they are and realize I am only one of millions doing the same thing is depressing. Yet I continue on.
ReplyDeleteHi Carrisa,
DeleteI completely understand how you feel. I often think about writing a book where my main character is an average person struggling with mediocracy. Our American culture glorifies the above average person, so we all struggle to do something great, or distinguish ourselves and our children from everyone else somehow. It can be an overwhelming expectation that one carries around, and it can be depressing. It shouldn't be though. This expectation is a product of our culture's constant need to be stimulated and impressed by a new situation or a new talent. Thanks for sharing!
I have always been fascinated with ghost stories and the supernatural. That’s not to say I believe in any of it, but I do always find the stories intriguing. Some of the stories that I have heard are actually very scary. It’s just funny how I never experienced anything crazy or supernatural before, but my friends have! The closest thing I ever came to as far as seeing something strange was actually out here in Japan.
ReplyDeleteMy friends and I were taking a train from Miyajima back to Iwakuni after a long day of sightseeing. There was four us, and we were seated in two booths on each side of the window. On one of the stops, an old lady got on the train and sat across two of my friends in the booth facing them. She would have a blank look on her face, utter something to herself, smile, then she would look at each of us and nod in approval as if we were having a conversation with her. Her teeth were very yellow and her eyes were really wide when she smiled, it was very creepy. The best way I can describe it is the same smile the Gollum from the Lord of the Rings has when he looks at the ring. I didn’t really think anything about it, and we eventually got off the train. Our stop was the last stop and we were the last ones off. I wasn’t really paying attention, but my friend said that he did not see the creepy lady get off the train, and when he looked back she wasn’t there. After that, I made the joke that she’ll be hiding in the darkest corner of his room, looking at him with that creepy smile, when he’s trying to sleep. He got scared and changed the subject.
Not exactly supernatural or that scary, but the lady was really strange and gave me the creeps. I could see her staring at me through the reflection of the window on the train. Of course, I know better than to judge someone or to believe stuff like that, but I did find the situation story worthy and the supernatural twist that my friend added intriguing.
The year 2014 has been started off with a large work load but also excitement. First of all the uniform allowance that I received at the beginning of the year was a major help because I am an E-3. As we all know being an E-3 is not the ideal spot to be at forever in anyone’s career. I have gotten so many things accomplished while being in this rank. I have gotten the opportunity to work outside of my department at work. My original department that I am assigned to is Pharmacy but I got the opportunity to work as a Dental Technician. Working this position has open my eyes by showing me those dental procedures are not easy as it seems. This on the job training is a great tool for me to use on the next advancement test coming up March 20th 2014.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that I accomplished this year is becoming part of the Sigonella base football team. I originally played for the hospital football team along with seven other people on the base team. We won the championship for the base against eight other commands. I was selected to join the base team because I had the most receiving touchdowns during the season. When becoming a member of this new team I quickly realized working with new players is very difficult. Usually everyone attended to do things their way and didn’t work together their way. Players started not showing up to practice because their attitudes conflicted with the other teammates. When we attended our tournament in Naples, it was definitely a very big embarrassment not only to our team but to our base. We lost every single game due to the miscommunication of teammates. I will not say all the blame is on the communication. The weather played a very huge factor into changing the game. The days were field with dark cloudy skies and chilling winds. We were used to the sunny weather of Sigonella, Sicily so we were not prepared. If there was anything I could go back in change in life the Naples tournament would be that event that I would change.
2014 has started off quite well for me also. My goal coming into this year was to complete my degree. In doing so, I made the brilliant decision to take two classes this semester. It has been difficult, especially with the math class that I am taking. Im barely getting by but I am determined to pass it. Math is my weakest subject so it is very difficult for me. I feel like all of my classmates think I am slow but I truly am doing the best that I can.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed this class because writing is one of my passions. It's something that has always been easy for me. I am kind of a talker, so communicating with others is a big part of my personality. I love getting to know people and just finding out what they are about. Everybody has a unique story and background. In order to really get to know someone you have to understand what they have been through, whats shaped them into the person they have become?
With that being said I encourage everyone to share their story because you never know how your testimony can affect someone else in their struggle. Tell people how you feel about them while they can still hear you. Let people know how appreciative you are when they do something nice for you and remember to smile as often as you can. Life is too short and we should make every moment count.
I have really enjoyed speaking with everyone that I have met through this course. Each of you have given wonderful insight and opinions on the multiple topics that we have discussed. For those of you that reviewed my essay's, thank you for the wonderful and honest feedback. You have truly contributed to my learning and personal growth, I sincerely appreciate it. For those of you that I gave feedback too. I hope I was able to assist you in learning and that my feedback was helpful in your development as a writer. To Ms. Bancroft, thank you for all of your help and timely responses. I believe you have helped me excel and become more confident about doing what I enjoy.
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ReplyDeleteThe last 20 plus years I have been traveling around the world in the Military. I have made some real good friends while traveling from Installation to Installation. If I could go back in time and change something about this I would. But just on the friend part of my life. I would never change the day I met my wife and the days our children came into our life. I would just look at the friend making part of military moving.
ReplyDeleteIt always seems that every time I meet someone that I enjoy hanging out with the time comes up to moving on in my career and leaving the friends that I have made. Mostly to never see them again for the rest of time accept on Facebook. It is very depressing to do this over and over time and time again. Even worse if you lost a good friend to death, it makes it hard to think about everyone you knew as a friend with that person.
I have lost friends to war and I have lost others to natural death. There is no difference to them being gone. Either way they leave your life and you are supposed to just keep driving on with life the way everyone thinks you should Every time I leave a base or post for another I think back to whom I will keep in touch with and the list is always short.
I have been this way ever since I met my wife. I feel really bad for this because of the way I won’t make friends she also suffered for the 20 plus years we have been together. I can count my friends in one hand that I keep in touch with. I can also see the way it has affected my kids and their making of friends. My daughter hated the fact that we moved so many times but struggled through the pain as good as she could. My son on the other hand hasn’t taken it as smooth. He despises the military for moving us around so much. He is in his third High School and I don’t think he would do another move. I should be retiring soon so maybe as a family we will make some lifelong friends when that happens.
Randy Schultz
I’ve developed a deep sense of appreciation for music. Whenever I hear a song being played on the radio or anywhere, I find myself enjoying everything about it. I like to listen to everything in the song: the lyrics, the chord progressions, percussion, special effects, etc. I like the little details, such as an occasional syncopated drum beat or a slight change in volumes, the things that many people don’t tend to notice. It’s humbling that the composer of the song takes the time to edit the smallest of details that most people don’t think twice about.
ReplyDeleteOut of all the things that I listen to in a song, I like the melody best. Lyrics are addition to many songs, but they are not the most important to me. For me to really like a song, it has to have a nice melody. I had a conversation with a friend of mine a few weeks ago and he told me that he doesn’t listen to any music without lyrics. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that, but I think value songs with strong classical foundations.
I generally don’t listen to mainstream songs because I think that a lot of them are shallow. For example, Drake’s popular hip-hop song “Started from the Bottom” is literally him saying, “Started from the bottom now we here. Started from the bottom now the whole crew is f**king here.” Though it appeals to a huge number of people, it’s what I would consider shallow.
Bogdan,
DeleteHave you heard of Lindsay Sterling? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHjpOzsQ9YI A friend of mine got to play with her and has helped her mix a few of her songs. I too think that mainstream music is missing a lot of what it means to be considered music; Talent!
My pride and joy.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever wanted to just write a journal about things your children say? This week I’ve never wanted to start something like this so bad. My daughter is five years old and boy does she have a personality. There have been so many dinner table discussions that could make you choke on food with laughter. Now I am not the type of mother that is going to hide anything from my daughter and I am going to be straightforward with her.
Go ahead and judge but I let her have a sip of wine or beer and as her parent I am ok with that. She’s not drinking a case of beer and she knows she can’t have more of it until she is older. She does not try to sneak any wine or beer or shots of liquor. This week I was making Parmesan crusted chicken with a lemon sauce. The recipe required some Chardonnay. I couldn’t let the Chardonnay go to waste so I decided a glass or two would be just fine! I let my daughter taste it. Now I don’t drink much at all. It’s rare if I do and it must be a special occasion or hey it’s already open so I’m going to drink it! I may have used the term fuzzy around my daughter as in “I’m feeling a little fuzzy.” Approximately twenty minutes later and two glasses of Chardonnay in, dinner was on the table! I may have been a little tipsy. Ok who am I kidding I was more than a little. As I’m eating my amazing chicken my daughter decides to whisper over to me. “Mom, I’m a little fuzzy.” I’m not even going to lie I lost it. It was a straight giggle festival at the dinner table. I need to keep her around for entertainment!
She always comes up with something random at the dinner table. We don’t preach religion on her. That will be her decision when the time comes. At school some children talk about their beliefs and if she wants to listen she can I won’t stop her. She used to go to a daycare that every Sunday they would go to church. Sure she can see what they do at church since the family was from Sri Lanka it was a different kind of service. As we all know Easter is coming up. A child in Hayden’s class told her that the Easter bunny is just like Santa. If you don’t listen to Jesus he won’t bring you presents. We proceeded to ask her who Jesus was to see if she had a grasp on the concept. We also asked her if Jesus was dead how could the Easter bunny and Santa find out if she’s been listening to him. She made her point very clear that “He just does!” We’ve also brought up the science portion of the whole big bang theory, being a Catholic, or even being religious. When it comes time for it she will make her decision. I will not force anything upon her.
Theresa,
DeleteI have a 3 year old who is just grasping the concept of Santa, Christmas, the Easter bunny, and other make believe characters. My wife and I have decided that If he chooses to believe Great. If he asks about the legitimacy of them, then we will of course tell him the truth.
My blog seemed to not have been posted. I may be a bit of a dunce when it comes to the blog scene. Here it is again!
ReplyDeleteI have spent 2 and a half years stationed here in Germany. As my last blog post was about the fact I have not been home for much of that, I have made a fairly strong attempt to see as many things as I possibly can before my time here in Europe is over.
The first thing I did is take my wife to the Christmas market as soon as I got home. This was literally less than 48 hours after I got home. We got in the car, and drove to Nuremburg, Germany. If you haven’t been there, and you are stationed in Europe I highly suggest doing so. The Nuremburg Christmas markets are one of the largest here in Germany. I have to say it was quite an amazing sight to see thousands of people swarming the old town in the Christmas spirit. I really do not like Christmas for what society has turned it into, but this large market got even me into the Christmas mood.
The next month was filled with work, work, and a little more work, so we decided that the best thing to do was to enjoy some of the local food establishments. More specifically, we have made it our mission to find as many gelato shops as possible, and to try at least 3 items on the menu. There are 3 of us, so that is fairly easy. So far, we have located no less than 4 gelato serving eis-café’s. It is a good stress-reliever after a hard week to get in the car, and roam the area hunting for gelato. I think it may even become a Sunday tradition.
February has fit right into the norm, and I have worked more than I have slept. However, we did get away for a day, and we were able to see Neuschwanstein Castle. It was a good wake up and go trip, because we didn’t know we were going until the night I got back from my training. We both rushed to get ready, get a few hours of rest, and get on the road. It was a long drive for only being able to spend about 2 hours at the castle before it closed. I really enjoyed being able to spend a few precious hours with my family.
School has been a priority for me for a long time. I wish I would have taken this class sooner to help me write better for my previous classes since I put this class off as one of my last classes before I earn my associates degree. For me, school has always been a priority, but I took a long break from it the last few years and have recently gotten back into it hard. I am glad and thankful that I have the opportunity to go to school and not be charged for it. School is one of the best gifts that the military offers and I am truly thankful for it!
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