January 31, 2007
A Month of Ten on Tuesdays
Yes, I know it's Wednesday ... but this is my favorite meme and better late than never!
January 2, 2007
10 Resolutions for the Next Year
1. Check my blood sugar at least once a day (already backslid on that one!) 
2. Go swimming at least 3 times a week once Tomas starts school
3. Write for an hour every day once Tomas starts school
4. Learn how to use my new camera
5. Learn how to upload pictures to my computer
6. Read more often
7. Catch up on my email
8. Learn/read more about pervasive developmental disorder
9. Read more books than I buy!
10. Save money every week
January 9, 2007
Ten TV Guilty Pleasures
1. Lost
2. Survivor
3. The Amazing Race
4. The Wonder Pets (ACK! This is "sewwious!" 
)
5. Dr. Phil
6. Oobi
7. Animal Cops
8. Notorious
9. Biography
10. Sponge Bob Squarepants 
January 15, 2007
10 Things You Do Well
1. sign language
2. playing with grandkids
3. write
4. play Tumblebugs
5. listen
6. collect books
7. sit in the passenger seat with an inexperienced driver
8. play Trivial Pursuit
9. cook
10. shop for gifts
January 23, 2007
10 Things You Have a Weakness For
1. the grandkids
2. my kids
3. chocolate
4. buying kid clothes
5. buying toys
6. buying books
7. buying more books
8. buying still more books
9. The Sims
10. TB's lame jokes even though I don't laugh at them
January 30, 2007
10 Things You'd Like To Change About Your Country
1. OMG, we need a new president NOW!
2. decent health insurance for everyone
3. decent housing for everyone
4. no one goes hungry
5. make polluters clean up the environment
6. get rid of "No Child Left Behind" and all those stupid tests kids have to take that teachers are forced to teach to
7. Better mass transportation in suburban and rural areas
8. Stop over developing the land!
9. Stop dependence on oil
10. Increase wages for child and elder care workers so that there's not such a high turnover and so much abuse and neglect
January 28, 2007
The Explosive Child
I bought the book to better understand how to deal with some of Little T's explosions. He has come such a long way since he first came to live with us but every once in a while, we'll still have a major meltdown. When I get a chance I'll set down and do an update on what's going on with our Tomas.
Anyway, the basic premise and theme throughout this book is: "Children do well if theycan"
In other words,when some kids have these tremendous tantrums it's not because they are trying to get attention or are spoiled or are obstinante or rebellious or possessed or what have you. It's because they are not able to comply for some reason. What reason could that be?
Maybe the brain hasn't developed pathways for executive skills--like being able to transition from one activity to another smoothly or to organize thoughts and actions.
Maybe there's a language processing delay.
Maybe they are developmentally delayed in the ability to control their feelings--especially to frustrations.
Maybe they are not able to "see" gray areas yet and everything is black or white.
Maybe social skills are delayed.
The idea is for the parents to act like the child's frontal lobe (what a concept!) to teach them how to develop and use pathways that will help them solve problems and communicate without exploding.
Does it sound like giving in to the child? It's not, not if you read the book all the way through.
It makes perfect sense for a parent to try and stay calm and teach a child how to work through an issue. The plan -- it's actually called "Plan B" -- involves 3 steps. All 3 steps have to be completed and in order for it to be Plan B. Everything is explained and there are lots of examples and sample conversations using Plan B.
I found it to be very informative and I think it could be an effective tool dealing with these kids.
Dreams From My Father
I bought this book a while ago from Borders, sometime after the Democratic National Convention in 2004. That was when I first heard of Barack Obama, junior senator from Illinois. He seemingly came out of nowhere, a quickly rising star and I wanted to know more about him. I'd decided I would read a nonfiction book for every 3 fictions and I chose this one for the first of the year.
I really liked his voice. The story he tells is poignant and compelling. I did not know this before but Barack Obama is multicultural. He had a black African father and a white mother who'd relocated to Hawaii with her family (from the midwest!). His mother's parents were somewhat liberal and left the midwest not only because of restlessness but because they didn't care for the bigoted views there. Still they were taken aback at the idea their daughter would marry a black man.
Unfortunately for Obama, his father did not stay and he grew up wondering about the man. His mother remarried an Indonesian man named Lolo and for a short time, they all lived in Indonesia where the young Obama saw first hand what life was like for the poor. And boy, talk about multicultural experiences!
On the road to trying to "find himself" Obama has some very enlightening experiences and encounters and he is honest about them all as he examines who he is. He eventually makes it to Kenya and meets his other family.
I thought this was a very inspiring book! Read it to hear a fresh, honest voice--one that hasn't been jaded by the politics machine yet!
So Much Stuff Going On, So Little Time To Post
We've been very busy! Here are some photo highlights from December...click on the picture for the full album!
Here's a picture of Kristin playing the sax along with other members of the band in her high school's holiday concert.
This is a shot from our Christmas Day photo album.
This is the one picture I got of Kristin just before we left for her Princeton trip. She participated in a 4 day conference, the National Young Leaders' State Conference, and she sure got a lot out of it! She made new friends and learned a lot of valuable skills
This is Kristin's birthday cake ... and I really like the fact that she's very much an individual.
What is your rising sun?
| Your Rising Sign is Capricorn |
 You have a tough exterior, and you can be intimidating when you want to be. Hard working and ambitious, you can survive in the most cut throat work enviroments. Outside of work, you are a true friend to everyone in your small inner circle. You may have had a difficult time earlier in life. Capricorns are late bloomers and you may be coming into your own right now. |
January 24, 2007
Happy Birthday Kristin!
This is for my "baby" who is 15 today!
| In 1992 (the year you were born) |
 Hurricane "Andrew" becomes the most costly in US history with $20 billion worth of damage Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton is elected President of the United States Riots break out in Los Angeles after police are acquitted in the Rodney King case An "Earth Summit" is held in Brazil to address global environmental problems Jay Leno replaces Johnny Carson as host of the Tonight Show on NBC George H. W. Bush becomes ill on a visit in Japan and vomits on the Japanese Prime Minister Mike Tyson goes on trial charged with raping a 1991 Miss Black America Contest contestant Amy Fisher, the "Long Island Lolita," is arrested for shooting Mary Jo Buttafuoco on the front porch of her home Toronto Blue Jays win the World Series Washington Redskins win Superbowl XXVI Pisstburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup Aladdin is the top grossing film "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men spends the most time at the top of the US charts Mad About You and The Real World premiere Sailor Moon premieres on TV Asahi in Japan |
January 23, 2007
What Happened TheYear You Were Born?
| In 1954 (the year you were born) |
Nautilus, the first atomic powered submarine, launches Senator Joseph McCarthy begins leading televised hearings into alleged Communist influence in the Army Roger Bannister, a 25 year old from England, breaks the 4 minute mile with a time of 3:59 Supreme Court rules unanimously that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional Hurricane "Carol" hits the Long Island - New England area killing 60 and injuring 1000 Senate condemns Joseph McCarthy for contempt of a Senate elections subcommittee during his Army investigation hearings Playboy magazine issue features Margie Harrison, the first playmate Howard Stern, Oprah Winfrey, Christie Brinkley, John Travolta, and Jerry Seinfeld are born New York Giants win the World Series Cleveland Browns win the NFL championship Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup Lord of the Flies by William G. Golding is published |
January 21, 2007
So now it's cold and I want spring back
Now that Christmas is over, I am so done with winter!
I think the cold weather has killed off a lot of the nasty germs lurking in our house. We seem not to be hacking and sneezing and coughing round the clock. But we don't like a vacuum do we? And so with the cold weather comes aching joints and sore muscles. I'm not sure which is worse.
It's been a long time since I updated, mostly because of illness and being busy with the little guy. I have a lot of updating to do and a lot of email to catch up on!
For my dear friends who read my blog, I'm sorry I haven't answered you yet...but I'm getting there! Meantime, have a great weekend!
We are on our way to pick up Kristin from a weekend at Princeton--more on that as soon as I get a chance. What a great experience she's had!
January 08, 2007
January 07, 2007
It's Still Spring in NJ...
...and 8 more people were rescued from that landslide in Colorado. Plutoed is our new word of the year.. Speaking of words:
I say...and you think...
- Incomplete :: unfinished
- Bobby :: Kennedy
- Chopstick :: House
- Trauma :: severe injury
- Hesitate :: pause
- Leap :: jump
- Magnify :: Enlarge
- Yards :: football
- Alexander ::the Great
- Fracture :: break
Everyman
Everyman by Philip Roth was certainly a good book to read at the end of the year because of its so many universal themes. The "Everyman" in this book is a 71 year old guy in failing health--even though he works out and is careful with what he eats. He's had a successful career but not such a great personal life. There are feelings expressed that I think all of us have felt as we've gotten older--regrets for wrongs we've committed, sorrow for friendships and relationships and people we've lost, resentment for failing health and flabby skin and so on. I really could relate to a lot of it. I thought it was a great book and I was very moved at the end when the main character goes to the cemetery and talks with a grave digger. He learns that the grave digger did prepare his parents' graves and learns all the nitpicky and even gruesome details about the care taken. I don't like to think about death but let's face it, this is what we're all looking at eventually. Maybe that's why I wanted to read this book as soon as I heard about it--just as I wanted to read The Lovely Bones and The Five People You Meet In Heaven. Do we all have a morbid fascination with death and what comes after? Maybe...I would have given the book a 10 except I didn't understand why the man had three failed marriages and still was gawking at pretty women. Don't you learn by example? He had good parents in a loving marriage and his older brother was in a good marriage. So why was this guy such a slut? Oh well...but don't let that turn you off to reading it. It's worth it.
January 06, 2007
Is This Weather Crazy Or What?
Now I know I've gotta read An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore. We've been having some really crazy weather years but this has got to be the screwiest! It was seventy degrees here in NJ...who has this kind of weather in January? Florida! I wonder how warm it is there? I think this is more than El Nino and more than a warming trend. I think we are definitely having global warming and I don't care what Michael Crichton writes!
If that wasn't enough, poor Denver and other parts of Colorado are suffering with too much snow! They are getting what the rest of us in the East and mid-Atlantic should be getting! It's not really funny as I've just read that there's been an avalanche, 100 feet wide and 15 feet deep, that has swept cars off the road! Seven people have been hospitalized, more are missing, and rescuers have to use heavy equipment to get through all the heavy snow!
Read the whole article here.
Happy Birthday to my TB
Okay, I would love to claim credit for this but I am just not a poet...but it does express my feelings! Happy birthday, sweetheart!
"Happy Birthday" means much more
Than have a happy day.
Within these words lie lots of things
I never get to say.
It means I love you first of all,
Then thanks for all you do.
It means you mean a lot to me,
And that I'm proud of you.
But most of all, I guess it means
That I am thinking of
Your happiness on this, your day,
With pleasure and with love.
January 05, 2007
Unable to Sleep
For the first time in years, I have been awake virtually all night. I think I slept 2 hours between 1 and 3. I feel worried, frustrated and upset and cannot really vent here. I think what is most frustrating is feeling like my hands are tied, that there is not much I can do. How does that serenity prayer go?
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change...
the courage to change the things I can...
and the wisdom to know the difference.
In this particular circumstance, I need the wisdom.