My hairdresser's on TV:
She told me today it would be $20 more for my haircut, since I was now in the presence of a TV personality. :)
Friday, November 20, 2009
Adoption Works
A beautiful story to read here.
And if you haven't read the background story to the new movie The Blind Side, just do it. I promise you won't be disappointed.
And if you haven't read the background story to the new movie The Blind Side, just do it. I promise you won't be disappointed.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Color Belts
The boys tested successfully for their blue belts tonight at taekwondo - everyone there did well, in fact. The only drawback to getting one step closer to black belt is you test later and later (but arrive for roll call with everyone else). Instead of dwelling on that, however, here are some of the bright colors we encountered tonight:
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
More Proof
that dogs are smarter than we are. I'm inside working and they are - well, see for yourself:
Saturday, November 14, 2009
The Bible and Ecomonics
An interesting editorial with a good point: is it right to take passages of the Bible that tell us how individuals behave and use them to tell people how the government should act?
I would say no.
I would say no.
Fall in Houston
The leaves want to change colors:
But the hibiscus are telling them it isn't time yet:
But the hibiscus are telling them it isn't time yet:
Friday, November 13, 2009
School Days
Some random pictures from around school - we're still loving it and the boys are doing great.
Another cool clock, to go with the one outside:
The unofficial Chinese Mom's Club - they wait here every day for dismissal. Love the parasol.
Beautiful geometric front gates:
Marching home
Red is such a school color, isn't it?
Pretty:
We had conferences today and all is well. It's refreshing to know that Two is just as stubborn at school as he is at home, and his teacher thinks it's a riot and just rolls right over him anyway. And he loves her for it. One's teacher is the first he's had who emphasizes to us that he is so smart, which is also fresh air. She also knows he's a stubborn, prickly, exacting grouch at times, and she, too, likes him anyway. Such a good start to the year!
Another cool clock, to go with the one outside:
The unofficial Chinese Mom's Club - they wait here every day for dismissal. Love the parasol.
Beautiful geometric front gates:
Marching home
Red is such a school color, isn't it?
Pretty:
We had conferences today and all is well. It's refreshing to know that Two is just as stubborn at school as he is at home, and his teacher thinks it's a riot and just rolls right over him anyway. And he loves her for it. One's teacher is the first he's had who emphasizes to us that he is so smart, which is also fresh air. She also knows he's a stubborn, prickly, exacting grouch at times, and she, too, likes him anyway. Such a good start to the year!
Visualize World Peace
One of the most recent projects in One's 4th grade class was based on a book found by his teacher - A Million Vision of Peace. Inspired by the book, Ms. O had One and his fellow 4th graders draw a picture of how they saw "peace".
My first question to One when he told me he'd completed this project was "did you draw a Marine?" No, explained One patiently. "I was going for something that wouldn't make Ms. O have a fit."
(Translation: "Mom, you are so difficult sometimes!")
"Well?" I asked. And then he told me. And so, here is what he came up with instead:
Obviously, my fourth grader rocks. Big. time.
And Ms. O loved it, too, by the way. As I knew she would.
My first question to One when he told me he'd completed this project was "did you draw a Marine?" No, explained One patiently. "I was going for something that wouldn't make Ms. O have a fit."
(Translation: "Mom, you are so difficult sometimes!")
"Well?" I asked. And then he told me. And so, here is what he came up with instead:
Obviously, my fourth grader rocks. Big. time.
And Ms. O loved it, too, by the way. As I knew she would.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Red Light Cameras Suck
Red light cameras, which are multiplying around Houston like rabbits breeding, may be more of a hazard than a help. The local CBS affiliate in LA did some research on cameras there and found:
"The final figures? Twenty of the 32 intersections show accidents up after the cameras were installed! Three remained the same and only nine intersections showed accidents decreasing."
HT: Instapundit.
Having dealt with these cameras for a while, I'm not really surprised. If you forget which intersections have cameras, you're in trouble: you look up, see the yellow light AND the camera, and crash on the brakes as fast as you can. Not a safe maneuver.
Isn't there an easier way to solve intersection crashes? Like timing the lights so all four sides are red together for 5 seconds, just to make sure everyone is done speeding through? I dunno - people go off to school for degrees in city planning; they have to have learned something other than "bust someone for making a split-second decision that didn't injure anybody."
It's pretty obvious at this point that the cameras are privacy-invading revenue generators and nothing else. Just another example of government at work for you.
"The final figures? Twenty of the 32 intersections show accidents up after the cameras were installed! Three remained the same and only nine intersections showed accidents decreasing."
HT: Instapundit.
Having dealt with these cameras for a while, I'm not really surprised. If you forget which intersections have cameras, you're in trouble: you look up, see the yellow light AND the camera, and crash on the brakes as fast as you can. Not a safe maneuver.
Isn't there an easier way to solve intersection crashes? Like timing the lights so all four sides are red together for 5 seconds, just to make sure everyone is done speeding through? I dunno - people go off to school for degrees in city planning; they have to have learned something other than "bust someone for making a split-second decision that didn't injure anybody."
It's pretty obvious at this point that the cameras are privacy-invading revenue generators and nothing else. Just another example of government at work for you.
A Pleasant Reminder
Isn't it always wonderful to be reminded that people with too much money (and perhaps not enough brains) can get away with things the rest of us can't? Today's reminder:
Angelina Jolie is planning on adopting from Syria. Yes, Syria. You know, a Muslim country. With that religion that doesn't recognize adoption - that one. The one about which the US State Department says:
"The Embassy has been informed that Sharia law restricts distribution of inheritance to spouses and certain blood relatives and, for that reason, adoption does not exist in Syria."
and also:
"Adopting a Syrian orphan is a difficult process and, often, an impossible one unless one of the adoptive parents is originally a Syrian citizen. American citizens who are not also Syrian nationals must secure a court order from a Syrian court granting them custody or guardianship of the child. As a cautionary note, this approval is very rarely granted. In the case of a Catholic child, at least one of the prospective adoptive parents must be Catholic, unless the church authority makes an exception for the prospective adoptive parent that is from another Eastern Christian denomination, i.e. Greek Orthodox. The religious courts will also pursue an investigation to determine whether the prospective adoptive parents are of good behavior and high moral reputation before deciding on the case."
I guess none of the above will be any problem for the shudder-worthy Ms. Jolie, who will get what she wants regardless. If baby wants a rainbow family, then that's what baby gets!
Why are celebrities like her (and, of course, Madonna) bent on giving international adoption a bad name? Rhetorical question, of course.
Angelina Jolie is planning on adopting from Syria. Yes, Syria. You know, a Muslim country. With that religion that doesn't recognize adoption - that one. The one about which the US State Department says:
"The Embassy has been informed that Sharia law restricts distribution of inheritance to spouses and certain blood relatives and, for that reason, adoption does not exist in Syria."
and also:
"Adopting a Syrian orphan is a difficult process and, often, an impossible one unless one of the adoptive parents is originally a Syrian citizen. American citizens who are not also Syrian nationals must secure a court order from a Syrian court granting them custody or guardianship of the child. As a cautionary note, this approval is very rarely granted. In the case of a Catholic child, at least one of the prospective adoptive parents must be Catholic, unless the church authority makes an exception for the prospective adoptive parent that is from another Eastern Christian denomination, i.e. Greek Orthodox. The religious courts will also pursue an investigation to determine whether the prospective adoptive parents are of good behavior and high moral reputation before deciding on the case."
I guess none of the above will be any problem for the shudder-worthy Ms. Jolie, who will get what she wants regardless. If baby wants a rainbow family, then that's what baby gets!
Why are celebrities like her (and, of course, Madonna) bent on giving international adoption a bad name? Rhetorical question, of course.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
An Afternoon with Two
Yes, as has become obvious, I've decided to start posting pictures of the boys. And so, here is an afternoon with Two:
Art class, with his favorite art teacher in the world:
A little shopping for dinner:
And some dirt on his nose (actually, I think that's pencil from art class, but it's cute whatever it is):
Life at six-almost-seven is so good, especially for Two. He has had his bumps in the road, but he has none of the "existential angst" that plagues his older brother (there's something to write about someday!), and therefore cruises through life with a lot of good times and relatively little care.
Art class, with his favorite art teacher in the world:
A little shopping for dinner:
And some dirt on his nose (actually, I think that's pencil from art class, but it's cute whatever it is):
Life at six-almost-seven is so good, especially for Two. He has had his bumps in the road, but he has none of the "existential angst" that plagues his older brother (there's something to write about someday!), and therefore cruises through life with a lot of good times and relatively little care.
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