I wonder how empty this feels afterward:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7818140.stm
Sorry, I don't know how to make links with Firefox. You'll have to cut and paste the link I have above.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Bird Cage
Fil found good use for our empty bird cage. Jr told him not to give Mommy and Daddy any babysitting ideas.
Monday, January 5, 2009
A New World
So Jr and I get in this argument about how much the government interferes with our lives.
My opinion (which I admit, I read somewhere) is that the government is slowly taking away our rights and regulating what we do bit by bit. Since each right or aspect of life that the government takes away, or regulates seems insignificant, the people don't protest. One day, America is going to wake up, completely immersed and controlled, and won't have a clue how they got in this mess.
Take car seats for example. A little bit at a time, parental responsibility for the safety of their own children has been regulated more and more by the government. The law gets to choose who is allowed to sit in the front seat of our own car. The law tells you at what age a kid does not have to use a car seat any more. Also, there are also these other 'requirements', that pose as a law. This would be like the requirement that an infant carrier cannot wiggle more than an inch when it is strapped to the seat, and it must be in the center seat in the back.
Now of course, these requirements are a protection for children. A society cannot guarantee all parents are going to protect their own children adequately, so rules like this can have a noble purpose.
When I was a child, the standards were lower than today. A baby stayed in some kind of car seat until age 3 or so. Children were allowed to sit up front. Taking your car to the fire department, to see if the car seat meets the 'standard' was unheard of. Before my time, there were not even seatbelt laws. Doubtless, these rules saved lives.
The standard now, has interfered more and more with the lives of parents and kids. No one is going to object, because who would want to object to protecting their child's lives?
At this point, a kid cannot sit up front until they're almost a teenager. Parents must purchase car seats for their kids until they're 8 years old! Plus, the regulations that look like laws, require you to purchase new car seats, for each kid. No hand-me-downs. That could put your child in danger!
Now, tell me, is the motive behind this really for the well-being of children? Or could it possibly be for the benefit of car seat makers to sell their wares? Just think, an industry that has the government making laws requiring parents to purchase their products for 8 years at least.
Can they make a law that requires children to take piano lessons? Then, maybe I won't complain so much, since I'm a piano teacher.
Jr is thinking from a practical perspective. The way our society is set up now, the government has to interfere with more and more of our lives. When you live in a world that produces mothers who dump their babies in the trash can, or sucks them into sinks before they're born (to quote doctor Laura) a larger entity has to take control, at the expense of people who actually do good things.
My perspective is more grass-roots. Any solution I can think of, would require nothing short of a revolution and new government. But, there's no human society that would set one up really good. We need like, God's government. I think that would work really well.
So I guess both of us knew the solution all along, Matthew 6:9,10 and 33. We totally didn't have to have an argument. But what's the fun in that?
My opinion (which I admit, I read somewhere) is that the government is slowly taking away our rights and regulating what we do bit by bit. Since each right or aspect of life that the government takes away, or regulates seems insignificant, the people don't protest. One day, America is going to wake up, completely immersed and controlled, and won't have a clue how they got in this mess.
Take car seats for example. A little bit at a time, parental responsibility for the safety of their own children has been regulated more and more by the government. The law gets to choose who is allowed to sit in the front seat of our own car. The law tells you at what age a kid does not have to use a car seat any more. Also, there are also these other 'requirements', that pose as a law. This would be like the requirement that an infant carrier cannot wiggle more than an inch when it is strapped to the seat, and it must be in the center seat in the back.
Now of course, these requirements are a protection for children. A society cannot guarantee all parents are going to protect their own children adequately, so rules like this can have a noble purpose.
When I was a child, the standards were lower than today. A baby stayed in some kind of car seat until age 3 or so. Children were allowed to sit up front. Taking your car to the fire department, to see if the car seat meets the 'standard' was unheard of. Before my time, there were not even seatbelt laws. Doubtless, these rules saved lives.
The standard now, has interfered more and more with the lives of parents and kids. No one is going to object, because who would want to object to protecting their child's lives?
At this point, a kid cannot sit up front until they're almost a teenager. Parents must purchase car seats for their kids until they're 8 years old! Plus, the regulations that look like laws, require you to purchase new car seats, for each kid. No hand-me-downs. That could put your child in danger!
Now, tell me, is the motive behind this really for the well-being of children? Or could it possibly be for the benefit of car seat makers to sell their wares? Just think, an industry that has the government making laws requiring parents to purchase their products for 8 years at least.
Can they make a law that requires children to take piano lessons? Then, maybe I won't complain so much, since I'm a piano teacher.
Jr is thinking from a practical perspective. The way our society is set up now, the government has to interfere with more and more of our lives. When you live in a world that produces mothers who dump their babies in the trash can, or sucks them into sinks before they're born (to quote doctor Laura) a larger entity has to take control, at the expense of people who actually do good things.
My perspective is more grass-roots. Any solution I can think of, would require nothing short of a revolution and new government. But, there's no human society that would set one up really good. We need like, God's government. I think that would work really well.
So I guess both of us knew the solution all along, Matthew 6:9,10 and 33. We totally didn't have to have an argument. But what's the fun in that?
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Sad Day
My poor cockatiel Lily, just died. She was the best bird I ever had. She survived 2 cage-mates in her time, Placey, and [i forget].
We got her in 1995 when she was a year old.
She never bit anyone hard enough to hurt them. She also loved having the back of her head rubbed. The people she was especially fond of was my brother, Bobby Currence. Also, Katerina and Kim Price. Although, there were many people she recognized, and would tweet when she saw them.
She was a part of 3 households in her long life. The first one was the Gerrish home for a year, then she went to the Jarvis' home, and finally, The Andrews home, where she died.
Likely, her biggest adventure was when I let her out of her cage outside. Lacking the flying experience to navigate in unlimited space, she continued flying vertically, until she entered a larger bird's territory. Facing attack, she attempted to direct herself to safety. After a long loop around our yard, she landed on the very top of a maple tree. We had to shake the tree while repeating the phrase "Pretty bird" over and over until we could retrieve her.
She was in fact, a very 'pretty bird'.
The burial will follow this posting within an hour, and will be attended by Filip, and Joellyn Andrews. It will take place next to Placey's gravesite in the front yard of the Andrew's home on Jefferson Pike.
Friday, January 2, 2009
New Job
Next week I start teaching at the new piano store downtown Frederick.
This piano 'school' is much higher caliber than the music store I taught at previously. There is a set lesson plan that she wants me to follow. The program she created is excellent. It makes the method I use right now look like a 5th grader made it up. I'm so excited to learn it. She has children reading music on the 2nd lesson and having fun. She even has school-age kids analyzing classical music, breaking it down into chord structures. It is amazing. This program will make people understand music at a level I did not think was possible.
So next Friday, I have 3 students lined up. I have a week to learn how to teach a beginner how to sound good on the piano, while learning scales and rhythm in one lesson. What fun!
This piano 'school' is much higher caliber than the music store I taught at previously. There is a set lesson plan that she wants me to follow. The program she created is excellent. It makes the method I use right now look like a 5th grader made it up. I'm so excited to learn it. She has children reading music on the 2nd lesson and having fun. She even has school-age kids analyzing classical music, breaking it down into chord structures. It is amazing. This program will make people understand music at a level I did not think was possible.
So next Friday, I have 3 students lined up. I have a week to learn how to teach a beginner how to sound good on the piano, while learning scales and rhythm in one lesson. What fun!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Anniversary
We had our anniversary last friday. I made a special dinner of shrimp, scallops and grits, with a really good salad, and apricot tea cake for dessert. We also had Lystra come over, and I think we wound up at her house to watch a movie.
Mom was without electricity all day yesterday because of a wind storm. They all decided to stay the night in the hotel Jae works at. We decided to hang out at the hotel for the evening. Then JR ran home real quick and packed some clothes and booked us a room at Jae's employee rate. Sweet!
This morning, we woke up, had a nice big breakfast, and did some reading while Filip played. Then, Jae took Filip while Jr and I worked out in their gym. Then we went swimming, and sat in the hot tub. It was so nice.
This is such an example of why I'm glad I married Jr. I knew he had nothing planned for our anniversary when it came around. I was happy just to make a nice dinner and we spend it with a good friend. Then a week later, this opportunity comes up and he takes it. It's perfect, because the gift was not a 'requirement'. We both got to do something our own style, out of our hearts. Plus, it was a nice surprise for both of us.
That's my Jr. He never looks like he has any kind of plan, but he's dependable. He might be late, but it's always more than I ask for. Every 'guy' trait that I think I have (like logic or assertiveness) he always proves to be a little more than me. That's because he's my man.
Mom was without electricity all day yesterday because of a wind storm. They all decided to stay the night in the hotel Jae works at. We decided to hang out at the hotel for the evening. Then JR ran home real quick and packed some clothes and booked us a room at Jae's employee rate. Sweet!
This morning, we woke up, had a nice big breakfast, and did some reading while Filip played. Then, Jae took Filip while Jr and I worked out in their gym. Then we went swimming, and sat in the hot tub. It was so nice.
This is such an example of why I'm glad I married Jr. I knew he had nothing planned for our anniversary when it came around. I was happy just to make a nice dinner and we spend it with a good friend. Then a week later, this opportunity comes up and he takes it. It's perfect, because the gift was not a 'requirement'. We both got to do something our own style, out of our hearts. Plus, it was a nice surprise for both of us.
That's my Jr. He never looks like he has any kind of plan, but he's dependable. He might be late, but it's always more than I ask for. Every 'guy' trait that I think I have (like logic or assertiveness) he always proves to be a little more than me. That's because he's my man.
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