madameblogalot

Permanent. It’s there forever. (Unless you change your mind, spend a lot of money and go through some amount of pain, so I hear.) Otherwise, you will be forever marked. If you have a tattoo placed on your body.

The movement in body art has shifted dramatically over the last five to ten years. Many mainstream people are having “works of art” forever immortalized on their very flesh. It is something that is not only for those just coming of age, many middle aged folks are deciding to permanently ink their bodies as well. But when it comes to allowing a child to have his body tattooed, there are certain limits that are in place.

It seems that the laws vary from state to state, most stating you must be 18, while some states do allow minors to receive a tattoo with parental consent. So when I heard today about the 10 year old who recently received a tattoo, I was pretty taken aback. When I found out why he wanted the tattoo, I could at least understand-to a point- why he wanted it. He wanted it to honor his brother who has died. While I don’t agree with this form of honoring the dead, I do know it has become a fairly normal response among some groups of people. When everywhere kids look they see people with such body art-store clerks, waiters, athletes, their parents, even Barbie-why would they not see this as a normal and acceptable way of responding to their grief, or as everyday/mainstream/normal.

Should a child ever be allowed to have such a permanent reminder on their flesh? Though I know what I would say in response to that, I also think I have an idea of what some close to me would say….So while I think ten is way too young to make such a permanent decision, I am not sure I can actually say it’s “wrong”.

The Help: A very moving and poignant look at 1960s Mississippi, told from the perspective of “The Help”. This one is a HIT for the way the story is told.

Bladerunner: I did not even finish this movie. The original book (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) is much better. I guess the movie was a MISS for me.

Sherlock Holmes: Since my husband and daughter went to see the release of the newest Sherlock Holmes, I decided to watch the first one. About half way through my husband woke me up and said he could tell I did not like it. I said no, I thought it was stupid but I would finish it. We did not finish it that night and I did not realize it was only rented for two days so I missed seeing the end of it. I guess it was another MISS.

Arctic Drift: I felt this novel was on the hokey side and took til nearly chapter 70 before it got good. I would rate it as a MISS for me too, though I did appreciate the lack of vulgar language and situations.

Studio White: This book is a collaboration in which my sister was involved. It was interesting though maybe not quite my style. I will rate it as neither a HIT or MISS.

Sarah May Be Listening: Influencing the People Who Matter the Most: This is a small book my dad wrote years ago. I can appreciate the thoughts he is bringing to the reader’s attention, though I will rate the book as neither a HIT or MISS for me.

The Dark Ages: I actually watched this History Channel presentation in Sept. but forgot to list it. I “enjoyed” this film and felt like I learned something and actually put some history together as well. And, as my daughter was studying her world history that week, she quizzed me and it was over some of the things I had just watched! I got some of the questions right! So I guess I will rate this one as a HIT.

Nineteen Minutes: I am not a Jodie Picoult fan. This is only the second book by her I’ve read but daughter may use this as one of her choice readers so I wanted to read ahead of her. This novel about a school shooting is a tough one, which I guess Ms. Picoult writes about (tough current social events.) I just cannot wrap my mind around the way that teen behavior and even some adult behaviors, are normalized in her books-and in so many stories as well. Maybe I have been too naive, or maybe it really is just living in a conservative area of the country. At any rate, the story here is not enjoyable though I was drawn in and wanted to read the book, finishing the 455 page novel in less than a week. Even though I have never been in a school shooting setting I was able to relate to some of the feelings of some of the characters in the book so in that aspect I guess I would rate it a HIT. As for the storyline it is obviously not enjoyable and I hated the ending. I will rate this one as both a HIT and MISS.

the first part last: Another book daughter may read. Not my choice of reading material, but again focuses on a current social issue-teen pregnancy and parenthood. While I hate the language used I did feel like this one was perhaps a bit more realistic, being set in a large city. And the biggest difference in this story is that it is told from the teenage father’s perspective. A good twist. While it does delve into some places I would rather not have my daughter go, it was still descriptive without being too graphic (except for the language.) I did like the tone in which the story was told and felt the bond between the teen father and his newborn baby was beautifully and pretty realistically handled. I love the idea that lends itself to the book’s title: “But I figure if the world were really right, humans would live life backward and do the first part last. They’d be all knowing in the beginning and innocent in the end. Then everybody could end their life on their momma or daddy’s stomach in a warm room, waiting for the soft morning light.” This kind of beauty leads me to go ahead and rate the story as a HIT.

Buck: This documentary about the real Horse Whisperer was very interesting and informative. While I have no interactions with horses, I found Buck’s way with horses to be the same way we should be in relationships with people. Buck is amazing; he came from an abusive childhood and instead of becoming an abuser himself, has turned around to help others over come abuse and to avoid abuse in relationships. While he focuses mainly on the relationship between horse and human, it is so readily applicable to any relationship. It sure made me wish I would have been a better parent. I will rate this one a HIT.

The Wildest Dream: I was intrigued by this movie title and “cast list” so I decided to watch while training on my bike one morning. It was narrated by Liam Neeson and is about the question as to whether George Mallory did in fact make it to the summit of Mt. Everest in 1924. I honestly did not know there was a question about it so found the story very interesting. Apparently in 1999 Conrad Anker, a mountaineer, found George Mallory’s body on his own quest to climb Everest. Mallory’s body was below the summit but it is unclear whether he made it to the top first or not. So Anker decided to recreate the expedition to see if it could indeed have been possible for Mallory to have summited in 1924. The story of Anker’s recreation is interesting. I think the one part that hit me the most though was when Anker showed his family the clothing they had recreated to match Mallory’s. By todays ideals, it could be considered substandard. When Conrad showed his wife and stepsons, the youngest boy, a preteen whose father died while climbing in the Himalayas, was asked if he would wear such clothing to climb Everest. When he replied “NO” his mother asked what he would wear. His response, a quiet, fervent “I wouldn’t climb Everest.”

I was also fascinated by the fact that Mallory used oxygen to aid him on the climb to the top, as well as the fact that his final ascent was filmed. As for Conrad and his partner’s remake of the expedition, it too was fascinating. I was really impressed with Leo’s (Anker’s partner) strength in rock climbing as well as how much altitude affects the climbers. All in all, I rate this film a HIT.

American Assassin: The story itself was fairly intriguing. If you like espionage and intrigue and don’t mind rough language, this might be a good one to read. I will rate this one as neither a HIT or MISS for me.

National Treasure: I watched this one with my oldest nephew while on a trip together. I had resisted before but enjoyed the second one so much I thought I’d give it a try. I really enjoy the history of these movies and thought this was a fun one. Towards the end of the movie I realized I had seen the ending already before. I rate this one as a HIT.

This summer I became lifeguard certified. Part of the lifeguard training included CPR training and certification. All participants in the class had to go through step-by-step instruction to learn the proper technique and procedure for executing CPR. The CPR course included the chest compressions and the mouth to mouth resuscitation. Some people are very uncomfortable giving mouth to mouth to a stranger, but it seemed like there was no other way to help save a life. However, in a campaign from the American Heart Association and the Ad Council, a new digital application has been introduced to help teach the steps of Hands-Only CPR. This could be a good solution for the people who still want to help save lives, but don’t like the uncomfortable situation of mouth to mouth with a stranger. This could become a very popular idea!

I always have a huge problem with schools’ extra curricular teams not following/enforcing their own dress codes. And it seems that some programs are becoming more and more revealing/skimpy/(insert your own words), particularly cheerleading, track and volleyball. So when I came across this article, I was pretty impressed. More so because the girls themselves supported it. And I like how it makes them feel. And to be able to be competitive and not just look like some nerds/geeks/(insert your own words) makes it even better.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Girls-track-team-turns-to-skirts-to-improve-resu?urn=highschool-wp3098

Here is my second month’s time trails. I have only improved in the swim and that is if I did not miscount. I think my run last month was a bit faster because the little karate boys were all out doing their training run-they were motivation, like running after little rabbits. I know the bike was slower because it was a very windy day this month, but I finished it none-the-less. I do feel like I am getting stronger, even if my times don’t always reflect it. Now if I can just train my heart to work more efficiently during more exertion….

swim
16 laps
time-18:36

bike
15 miles
time-55:16
ahr-148

run
3.1 miles
time-29:08
ahr-156

State of Fear: Wow! This Michael Crichton book has lots to think about! If asked I would say it’s “about” global warming. But it’s about so much more than that. I really appreciate how much research Crichton puts into his stories; the author’s notes state that he read environmental publications for three years. And the bibliography list is impressive and interesting. I like though what the story is really about, the “state of fear”, the politicization of science and state, the control of the environment and the state, the place of the media in all this, the quest for power….I rate this one a HIT (except of course for my usual disclaimer on the harsh language.)

Leviathan ‘99: When I heard that the premise of this story was to do a Moby Dick type set in space, I was intrigued. I have to say though, that the story-while short and easy to read-was a MISS with me.

Somewhere a Band is Playing: I enjoyed the poetic use of language in this story. It was very reminiscent of Tuck Everlasting. Even so, I’ll rate it as neither a HIT or MISS.

The Andromeda Strain: I really like Michael Crichton novels. Our library does not have a big enough selection of them. I did find this old one. I think I even remember there being a movie when I was a kid. This story was a little more dry but I definitely like the lack of harsh, vulgar language! I don’t know if I quite “got” the whole story. While it was not quite the HIT most of his stories have been with me, it definitely is not a MISS.

Lewis and Clark: Great Journey West: This short National Geographic film is informative and interesting and filled with beautiful scenery. I like this kind of thing and have been impressed with the work of Lewis, Clark, The Corps of Discovery and the assistance of Sacagawea and the other Native Americans who helped them. I am always amazed at the journals, maps and drawings kept by Lewis and Clark as well as the fortitude of all involved (especially Sacagawea-giving birth and caring for an infant!) I would call this one a HIT for me.

Next: Wow…Michael Crichton has some interesting stories, ones that are current in today’s society and have far reaching effects for the future. I think it is a good way to open the eyes of the general public to real issues that seem too lofty for many to think they can understand. While I did not enjoy this story as much the one I read last month, it did give cause for lots of thought, especially after reading the Author’s Notes and Bibliography. The story seemed disturbing, even more so after seeing how much of it is based on fact! It reminded me also of a review I had recently read about another book soon released about a chimpanzee that evolves into a human. (Just the review of that book disturbed me.) I learned some new terms with this book and some new ideas (and that some new ideas are really a hundred years old!) I will call this one both a HIT and a MISS for me. Though the story did take on more meaning after reading the notes and bibliography…

Deception Point: I thought I’d go with a Dan Brown novel to see if the language was any less strong/frequent. (Not much.) The story was pretty good. It is filled with ideas of government conspiracy theories, which I think are not too far fetched. The story also involved NASA and ideas to privatize it. Living close to Johnson Space Center and knowing many in the area associated with NASA, this part of the story seemed close to home. While I liked the story, I did not really like the ending. I think I would rate this one as a HIT anyway.

Inception: Some friends have been wanting to see this movie. We found a semi-free night and stayed up late watching it. It is just a good movie. I enjoy the thought-provoking nature of the story. I still rate it a HIT.

Timeline: I found this story intriguing at the beginning. And for a while I thought that without all the harsh language it could be a fun story for young adults too. I did find out that this story has been made into a movie, and at first I thought I’d like to see it. I still might, but with all the harsh language and the gruesome violence I am not sure the movie is for me. As for the story, I will rate it as neither a HIT or MISS.

The Wheel of Samsara: This short story is available to read online. It is a quick read. I have to say that while I did not quite “get it”, I laughed out loud at the final sentence. I will rate it as neither a HIT or MISS.

Reader’s Digest: I read most of the magazine. As always, it’s a HIT with me.

The Orkney Scroll: Found this book on the paperback exchange shelf at the library and liked the way it sounded. It is an archeological mystery book, sort of reminded me of Agatha Christie and also another art history mystery series. This book was a quick and easy read as well as interesting. I don’t mind learning a bit of history with my fiction! I will rate this one a HIT and will be looking for other titles in this series as well.

The Cosby Show Pilot Episode: We sat down with the kids to watch this classic on Netflix. I have seen it before and think the kids had too. We really enjoyed it. It was fun to see some of the differences that were part of the pilot and the following episodes (I believe one of the girls called the brother “Teddy”, they only had 4 kids, the house was different downstairs…) There were several times I laughed out loud. I will rate this one still a HIT after 20+ years.

While I have known for most of this year just what a game getting into college is, it was really driven home to me even more this past weekend. I have heard most of the information before, but I guess now that we were visiting a school that my son is seriously considering, it was all driven home a bit more. And the more I think about it, the more I don’t like it.

There are more kids applying to and attending college than ever before. That can be a good thing. But that fact has driven it to become a very competitive game. Kids apply to 5-10 colleges now and hope to find a decent financial aid package from at least one of these schools. The financial aid itself is a big game with the rules being used today differing from the ones in place when we were in college.

All financial information is based on the parents’ income as well as the students’ (with heavier weight placed on the students’ assets.) But, if parents are unwilling to help a student, the student does not have much recourse unless they can get a good job, join the military, wait until age 24 or get married. If parents who will not help pay are at least willing to fill out the FAFSA form, students may then qualify for a government loan even if parents will not help.

The government expects parents to pay for a child’s higher education. That’s it. Parents are expected to have sacrificed life and/or lifestyle in order to save thousands of dollars for outrageously overinflated college tuition prices and fees. (I was told that the formula is based on a family’s income from the year 1967 but the college prices are certainly NOT based on that year!) Now I am not against parents making sacrifices for their kids since they chose to have and raise them. But I do not agree that we should go into debt again (we did that already with our own college educations!) to provide our kids with a college experience (one article phrases it as parents should be penalized for choosing to drive new cars and have iPhones. REALLY? They have worked for their money and should be able to choose how to spend it. If they want and can afford these things, why should they forego it so the kids can be handed a new computer and iPhone upon entering college?)

These things are all good and becoming a necessary part of our children’s world, but why at our expense? When we made the choices and sacrifices to provide for our own educations and to spend the next ten years paying it off, why devalue it for our children? Is that not only feeding the entitlement ideals this generation seems to already exude? Doesn’t something mean more to a person when they have invested heavily in it? Doesn’t sacrifice on the part of the student give them ownership and teach them to value it more? Won’t they be willing to do that for something they greatly desire? Is the college game shortchanging our kids from the outset?

My mom was re-doing the border in her kitchen. When I saw it still in the package, I laughed, saying that is how I feel lately!

Of course, it’s not the full text on the banner, which really states “Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often.” A much better sentiment of how life should be!