Music

Vinny is getting more and more interested in music. The other day I heard him playing his 4 key piano and it almost sounded like a tune, he was obviously trying to make music. We are hoping he has his Grandpa Gary's gift to play by ear because neither Dan or I can play music so we can't teach him very well.

Diversity

I might alienate a few people with this, but I can't help it. Diversity as it is defined and treated in the world today is evil (as in I want to bash it with hammer as it runs around comically avoiding me).

My husband recently was hired by the state and had to go through some diversity training. He brought home the packet so I could see why he wanted to jump out a window after the first 2 minutes. What they called "Diversity" was anything but. It pretty much stated that those with "traditional" values, morals and ideals need to not only acknowledge but accept and embrace other peoples values even if they outright mock their own. On the other hand those with the aforementioned "mocking" values are not asked to do anything about the "traditionals". (T is now traditional and M is mocking). The feeling the packet gave was that Ts are wrong and you (M) are right and can do what you want and they need to get with the program. Um, how is that diverse? Shouldn't everyone have to respect everyone?

I mean, I am all for harmony and respect. My last supervisor at T-Mobile was openly gay. He had pictures of himself with his BF and his BF's daughter on his desk just as I had pics of Dan and myself. I didn't care. He knew I was LDS, he knew The Church's beliefs on homosexuality and we got along fine. We chose that it was not our place to judge (or vocalize judgement) at work. We would just let it be as we mutually respected the other's right under law and heaven to act as they chose and it did not affect our jobs respectively.

But if I was told I needed to accept and celebrate his homosexuality because I was wrong and closed minded, but he was told my beliefs meant nothing and to ignore them I think I might have become violent.

Here is a little article I really like from Glenn Beck's Newsletter. It is called arguments against idiots: Diversity and I like the points it made.

The Argument Against Idiots: Diversity

August 21, 2008 - 10:46 ET

How to win the argument de jour with logic and facts

The issue:

"Diversity"

What the liberal whiners say:

'What we need in America is to celebrate our diversity, the more diverse we can get, the better'

'Who's to say that a "melting pot" is better than a nice potpourri?

'Multiculturalism is the key to an enlightened society'

'You're dangerous! There is NO PLACE in America for your kind of thinking!'

Your winning, logical, reasoned arguments

1. Why? I mean, I know that shocks you right down to your Birkenstocks, but seriously, didn't we used to seek unity, not differences? Didn't we look for commonality? Weren't we at one time in this nation, considered a "melting pot"? We were encouraged to come together with our different backgrounds, and blend in to form a unified society. How can it be a good or desirable thing to promote separate languages and cultures within the same country?

2. I'm to say. Try eating potpourri. It won't go down real well.

3. The ancient Romans could tell you about the enlightenment of diversity and multiculturalism…well, they could, had it not destroyed them and their civilization. A little closer to our time, ask the Yugoslavs how well the multicultural thing worked out. Actually you'll have to side-step the rocket attacks from the break-off Republics of Serbia and Croatia, and dodge the incoming fire between the ethnic Albanians and Kosovars; the Bosnians and Slovs. Plus diversity has worked wonders in South Essetia, Georgia and Russia hasn't it? I mean, with the possible exception of the 3rd world war it threatens to touch off. How about the diverse region of Quebec? Other than wanting to secede from the rest of Canada, that seems to be going quite smoothly. And has anyone ever heard the term "Balkanized" or "Balkanization"? The terms come from the very divers region of the Balkans.

4. I see. So, you worship at the altar of diversity, only as long as it doesn't diverge from YOUR point of view? I guess that explains the effort to reinstate the "Fairness Doctrine" to shut down talk radio?

If you agree with that or what I have said you should check out this essay by Professor Robert P. George called (I think) Self-Mastery, Academic Freedom and the Liberal Arts, if you can't find it I can e-mail a portion of it to you.

Olympics and Idaho

Wow, I haven't posted in a month! Well, 2 weekends ago we went to Idaho, so I thought I would post some pictures and tell you some of what we did. My cousin's new wife had a baby the second day of the reunion (that re-onion is why we went), Gabe. My aunt and uncle were VERY excite, it's their first grandchild. Also my other aunt made Vinny shirts to wear each day that said "Vincent Twice, Vincent Twice" (for anyone who doesn't know, Vinny was named for my cousin and they share the same birthday) The quote is from an old Sesame Street sketch. They were very cute.
Playing Ladder Golf
In bapa and papa's trailer
Playing in the grass
Daddy and Uncle Tom playing ladder golf
Sleeping in the van, I did that a lot! :)



On our way back we stopped by Malad Gorge near Twin Falls, ID. These are some of the gorgeous pictures we took. We also stopped at Multnoma Falls, which was fun as I haven't been there in at least 6 years. It was a lot of fun.






Now, on to the Olympics. Vinny is watching with us and he gets so excited when Sync diving, swimming and gymnastics are on. He points and squeals and dances. It is so cute, and it only reinforces my desire to get him into some basic gymnastic classes so we can keep him flexible and active. I would hate to waste his love of those things.

Wow

Remember when you were young and your parents could only ask if you have done drugs or are having sex? Not this generation, check this out http://www.brickhouse-childsafety.com/drug-detection-test-kits.html

It is nuts! Another sign of the times, they have bullet-proof backpacks. But they have some child locators. I am really interested in the little brown bear one. Vinny usually stays within sight but if I lost him, or someone grabbed him, it would be nice.

Blonde

I am going to get my hair done in the next month and I am thinking about going blond. I want to know what people think about the idea. I am thinking a honey or caramel color, not platinum or anything. So let me know what you think! Oh, and don't tell Dan, I am going to surprise him!

Rant

I haven't written on here in awhile and I have been wanting to, but I have no idea what I want to write, so this will pretty much be a hard to follow crazy rant.

I have been stressing lately about the current state of the world. I think about how bad things can get today, but what will be like in just 5 years, and how will it be when my son is older. I think about when he is dating and I am so worried. I mean, the pressure to dress filthy for little girls starts at birth, have you seen the swim suits they have for newborns? I wouldn't wear some of that in public even if I wasn't LDS. It is so bad and getting worse. People are trying to make it legal for any age to look at pornography on the internet. Monsters who are after our kids are being protected more then the kids are. I have the right to know if you have done something to a child, especially if you live next door to me.

Sex has become as common as breathing, and as pointless as soap opera wedding. I mean that term alone says it. Shows like Desperate Housewives and Swing Town are being praise and there is a new reality show ever minute but good, family entertainment is falling by the way side. Have you ever watched some of the stuff on ABC "Family", drunken college kids, sleeping around, scantily clad prom girls, a show about a prego teen created due to the popularity of Juno. I just, ACK! I am horrified thinking about the future my kids are going to face.

Although that makes me think of visiting teaching this last week. (I know, we were pretty late.) We talked about how those who were strongest in Heaven were saved to come her to earth in this time of turmoil, and we know that we are not tested above what we can handle. I look at my little boy, all 23 lbs of him and think "Wow, you have powers in you that could, and very well may, change the world." He could be one standing against the most powerful forces of evil even known to earth. He could be a prophet or apostle. He could lead millions. He has that power, the soul of a warrior in his tiny little body. It is amazing.

More on sampling

If anyone would like in on these kinds of offers check this out, this is a portion of the e-mail I received from Pete, my corisponant with the samples:

"Please feel free to let any other bloggers know that I'll send them samples of Gloves In A Bottle to try if they are willing to post a review on their blog if they like it. All I need is their blog URL and mailing address. They can contact me at
petegrimaldi@earthlink.net ."

I have had two awesome samples through him already, full bottles plus small samples to share. So send him a message if you'd like!