Fat Tuesday?

I guess I've lived a little sheltered life, since I'm not Catholic. I never heard of Fat Tuesday before now, and I had Catholics all around me while growing up. I've heard of Mardi Gras, but only since being an adult.
I have to say...I think it's all just an excuse to party. Do you really believe it's right to glut yourself just before depriving yourself of something for 40 days? My husband had a friend that was Catholic and she would give up M&M's for lent. He loved to torment her and eat them in front of her. I told him that was mean, but that's the kind of stuff they would do to each other. It was crazy.
I'm looking at New Orleans, and I know there are going to be people offended by this remark, but I wish they'd just let go and find a life. All that matters is that they've had Mardi Gras for how long? Apparently since 1875 or so. Longer than thanksgiving... hmm.
What really kind of bugs me is that the first street which was made really habitable and useful was Burbon Street??? Like that's something I would have been worried about.
I find it interesting how people are so caught up over tradition. Yes, there are many things that I think are important about traditions. But spending two weeks (Or MORE) partying all night and having parades with half naked people throwing necklaces at you and stuffing yourself silly is not my idea of a tradition - it's all about tourism and money. I guess that's not a whole lot different than Vegas, huh?
Not that I like Vegas either...
I guess more power to ya, huh?
Happy Fat Tuesday everyone...
I guess we'll make pancakes for dinner and start our own tradition. Think in 200 years my decendants will have a hard time giving them up?

Well...They're almost finished...

I can't believe February is almost over. Actually, I've been waiting for it to end!!! ;) It just seems like the past two months have dragged! I have enjoyed the Olympics...sort of. I have really gotten tired of the commentators. Especially with the ice skating...ARGH. I want to each through the TV and string them up. My hubby wants to do the same thing. I mean, I guess I understand now what makes a good skater and a bad or average skater, but I am really looking forward to tonight where hopefully they will shut up during the exhibition skating. I would mute it, but then I'd loose the music!!
My hubby feels that the Russian girl should have got silver, and I disagree. I think Sasha did very well, despite the two falls. He says the Russian girl fell only once...but it's about more than falling. It's grace and style and artistry...
OH NO! I'm starting to sound like those dang commentators!!!

Peace - Lennon style?

Okay, I didn't think I'd find something to write about the Opening Ceremonies- besides how fun they were to watch or anything. But when they had Oko Ono (or however you spell her name - sorry!) read Lennon's lyrics for his song "Peace" it sounded really dumb - then to have Peter Gabrielle sing it, he actually did a good job - but then I listened to the lyrics for probably the first time. Really listened. I'd never been really comfortable with the first two lines, I happen to be a religious person and to have them say imagine there's no Heaven or no Hell - that's like, imagine there's no consequences - no rules. "Nothing worth killing or dying for..."
It went downhill from there.
I mean, I am all for Peace! I think the Olympics brings us closer to peace than anything else right now. But for them to back the idea that if we did away with all religion and government we would have peace? That's what is called um, lets see, anarchy? Communism? - that is chaos and not a true society.
I'm sure they were just thinking about the idea of peace - and everyone living in harmony and happiness...yes, that's what we all want. But we are all different.
That is the main situation we find ourselves facing. We are all different. Whether we come from other countries, or backgrounds or faith or state of mind - we are all individual, and all going to see things a different way.
It takes courage to have peace - it takes even more courage to fight for something that is right, and to defend those who are unable to fight back themselves. I think if you ask the majority of those who are serving in the armed forces right now, they would tell you how much they have done for the people in Iraq. How those people thank them everyday for what they do. It takes courage and determination.
We don't insist people think like we do - that's against the basic human right of free agency - or the ability to think for ourselves. We just try to help them get their own countries going to where they can govern themselves - that promotes society and peace.
The Olympics opening was amazing - Italy did a great job. I hope that their message is interpreted the best way possible and we help everyone come home alive.
Just my rant for the day....

Olympics rule!

I am one of the biggest fan of the Olympics. Perhaps that's because they acknowledge the athletes that train their whole lives for these moments, or it's the stories of the down and out poor village that sends their one contestant, or the way it seems to draw the whole world together for just a few weeks...
I don't know what it is, but it's my favorite thing next to chocolate and my hubby, and I'm so excited I can barely stand it. I know there's the whole political side, and everyone makes money and the athletes are no longer amateurs, (sadness!!!) but it's still an amazing event and I think it furthers world peace, if only for a short time.
I'm gonna be busy the next two weeks in the evening - you can count on that!

Conflict

I hate conflict. I used to do just about anything to avoid it, but when you have children, it becomes ineveitable. (sigh) Also, there are times when you just have to hash things out with your spouse, so that communication is clear.

I find though, sometimes, that I have conflict with my conscious. I do mystery shops - therefore, I lie. I don't like to lie - I don't lie in any other aspect of my life (well...do little white ones count?) and so it feels very uncomfortable. I feel as if I'm in conflict the whole time I'm doing it. I have come to terms with some of them - but there are still shops that I've decided not to do simply because it makes me too uncomfortable. It's not life or death that I be there doing it, so I will not.

What makes it reasonable? Why do we place ourselves in these kind of situations? I don't know, but I know part of it is like stress. Conflict causes stress - simply because we don't know how to deal with it, or the other party is not trying to work things through.

How do you deal with conflict? Do you want to go out and kill everyone who makes you angry? (like that group of people in the middle east who think the world is out to get them)
Or do you run away and hide - pretending it doesn't exist? Unfortuately one cannot avoid conflict all of one's life - but you can still deal with it. You have to decide if the conflict is worth the stress. If it is, you deal with it. If it's not, you don't. Just watch it doesn't bite you in the butt!

The problem is though, you have to confront a child when they lie, or steal, or hurt someone else. That is what parenting is about. That's what family is for - you know, grandma, grandpa, aunts and uncles. They have a large influence on all of us. That's why it's the cornerstone of our society.

It occurs to me that perhaps that is part of societies job as well. Aren't we supposed to encourage good behavior in each other? Not being judgemental - just encouraging. That is why we have laws, isn't it? To discourage bad behavior and encourage good.

It seems to me that this has been going down hill the past couple of decades. Everyone is so concerned about ME. What do I get out of it? How does that possibly help ME?

Remember the 'Me Generation?' I don't think it left. I think it's just getting worse. Because (and this is just my opinion here) todays parents are the ones from the me generation, and they haven't changed...so their children are now doubly worse...

Where do you think what's his face came from that wrote Million Pieces? Sad.

Just the thought for the day...

greetings from the land of stupid

Well...I decided that I needed a blog to get stupid thoughts out of my head. I realize that no one is probably going to be interested in those thoughts...but here they are. I also decided that this needed to be done separately form my other blog because they are different thoughts....
My main gripe today is a situation going on in my state legislature. (sorry about spelling...I didn't get straight A's - this isn't called stupid thoughts for nothing...;)
They are voting to undo a bill they passed that allows the 'undocumented' youth to pay for college as living in the state. All the 'undocumented' kids are all upset about this - how can they afford to go now, etc.
Well....I have news for you. Get Documentation! Why should you have all the rights and privileges of a citizen of this state and country if you don't want to go through the legal channels? Now, granted, you might have been brought here by your parents and didn't know you weren't documented until entering college...although I think somewhere in high school that should have been made known to you... But you know, while I am glad you are seeking to get a higher education, and that you don't have a lot of money, neither do my own children. They are going to have to apply for grants and aid and work their way through college...what makes you any different from them? Besides the fact that they were born here, that is...

Just my rant for the day.