It's Not Hard To Do Better Than Nothing

The Bush Administration should be known and remembered as not only the most stubborn administration in history, but also as the "do nothing" administration.

First of all let's begin with the revolving door at the U.S.-Mexico border. For years people have been raped, killed, and just plain dumped into shallow graves in Cludad Juarez, the Mexican city across the border from El Paso, TX.

These perpetrators have gone unpunished by an inept Mexican justice system.

The law enforcement records in Texas and New Mexico reveal that Jose Francisco Granados de la Paz was repeatedly jailed in the U.S. What happened? He was sent back to Mexico time after time. Only to return to the United States and commit more crimes.

On Monday, the U.S. Border Patrol discovered a secret tunnel that I am sure has been used to transport drugs into the United States.

Why am I so sure? Not so surprisingly a Border Patrol agent heard noise Monday from a 30-foot trailer that had been parked 360 yards north of Tecate, California.

What was in the trailer? It was half-full of packages containing marijuana.

There have been dozens of tunnels found along the U.S.-Mexican border yet the border still remains open to this day.


What kind of country are we leaving for our children?

What has the Bush Administration and Congress done about this? NOTHING!!

Decent American families are losing their homes to foreclosure. What has been done so far?
NOTHING!

Credit card companies are raising interest rates even if you've been a good customer and paid your bills on time. What is being done so far? NOTHING!

Dangerous imports of food and toys come into this country consistently. What has been done thus far? NOTHING!

Detroit public school graduation rate is 24.9 percent. Nationwide, 1.23 million high school seniors will not graduate this year. What is being done? NOTHING!

The Michigan jobless rate in May was 6.9 percent, which by the way is the highest in the nation. Michigan lost 28,700 jobs from March through May alone. What has been done? NOTHING!

Detroit has the highest poverty rate among 20 of the largest American cities. The average household income in Detroit is $28,069 and is the lowest among those 20 cities. Can you live on that? No, of course not. What is being done? NOTHING!

Medical care for illegal immigrants in 2004 was $2.2 billion and for their children $2.5 billion, which can only have increased over the past several years. What is being done? Oh gee, let's see -- leave the borders open. So what's been done? NOTHING!

Our wonderful men and women in the front lines are losing their lives every day. What is being done? NOTHING!

Big business and special interest groups are enriching themselves at our expense. What is being done? NOTHING!

We, the middle class, are at the mercy of individuals and companies that provide goods and services and control jobs. What is being done? NOTHING!

The American people are drowning and no one is lifting a finger to help. The country is on a one-way trip downward and not one person in the government is doing a thing to help.

There needs to be changes and quick. Not many of us can hang on much longer.

What can you do? For one thing write your Congressman. Also write the Senate. Let them know we as Americans aren't taking this any longer! We deserve better and we need to fight harder to make change.

Here is where to go and speak up for your rights as an American citizen:

www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

www.house.gov/writerep/

Give em' hell America. OUR FAMILIES DESERVE BETTER!!!!!

Today's Homework: Book Sense Outweighs Common Sense

I can't say this any simpler: there is just too much homework for our kids! Someone has got to do something about this.

Yes, they should have some homework, but there is such a thing as overload. I think the amount of homework my child comes home with is completely unacceptable.

On top of all the homework is the weight of the books they bring home in their backpacks. I am so worried about my child's back. I'm afraid she's going to do damage to it. I told her, that if a book is too heavy, to carry it in her arms to more evenly distribute the weight.

You would think someone would use common sense when they're making these text books. Remember, these are children carrying these books. Can't someone use their heads and maybe break up the book in sections? Instead of one book for the whole year, maybe there should be three or four smaller ones. Am I the only person who thinks of these things?



I know everyone is always worried about cost. Do they ever think, What about the cost to our children's well being and health? Isn't that worth anything anymore?

The stress our kids are under is simply too much. Someone has got to say enough is enough. Not to mention the stress the parents feel -- especially responsible parents who work with their children and make sure they have good work habits.

The kids need a little downtime and also time for outside activities. They need balance in their lives. They need family time.

Also, think of the parents. We work outside the home, as well as inside it. We have to make dinner and be able to have time to sit and eat. We need time with our kids; it's important for our family. They need time with us as well.

We're multi-tasking all the time, so why do we have to multi-task time spent with our children? Then people wonder why there is a breakdown of the family. This sure doesn't help!

Another excuse I've heard for all the homework is kids have to be able to deal with stress. Well, maybe that's true, but isn't it our job as adults to protect them from stress -- not cause more? When the kids become adults they'll have enough stress. Why do we have to intoduce it to them sooner than necessary?

Here is another thing I've heard: "We have to be able to compete with other countries." This is a lot of nonsense. Why put our kids through all this stress to compete only to have the CEOs of this country outsource American jobs anyway? All they care about is the cheap labor they can get in other countries. They don't care about the American worker or the American family.

All I know is, Halloween is this Wednesday and I'm sure there will be a heavy load of homework. For one day can't they ease the load a bit? Let these kids enjoy going out without being worried about homework.

Also, let the parents be able to enjoy our kids for at least one night. We have to cook dinner, clean up and get the costumes on them, which includes makeup most of the time. Have a little pity on all of us this Wednesday!

Have a wonderful and spooky Halloween!!!! BOO!

A Dying Breed: People With Manners, Morals

Other than my immediate family, does anyone today have manners? Is there someone who just does something for someone else without an agenda? If these people exist I'd sure like to know who they are.

You see it every day and it seems to be happening more and more. I'd like to think I'm one of the few people who have manners and actually care about others.

I speak from experience. This is where it all began for me. Many years ago, when my daughter was in first grade, her school was looking for a parent to be Treasurer of the PTO. I was at the meeting and thought it would be something nice for me to do. After the meeting was over one of my neighbors pulled me aside and said, "Are you nuts?!" I had no idea what she meant at the time. Well, I found out pretty quickly. This is when my eyes were opened.

After I became Treasurer, it all began. Some of the women in the PTO started talking behind my back. Keep in mind, I was a new parent in this school and had never been involved in PTO. The reason I know they were talking behind my back is because they did it right in front of me without realizing. These two women were talking about me and it so happened I was walking right behind them. Unfortunately, my daughter and husband happened to be with me and heard everything they said. The funny thing about this incident was the reaction when these two particular women realized I was walking right behind them. The expressions on their faces were priceless. I thought they would both die of embarrassment. By rights they should have. The most heartbreaking thing for me however was when my child looked up at me with her big brown eyes and said; "Mommy why are they talking like that about you?" I was honest and said the only thing I could at the time and that was "I'm not sure."

They had been talking about something they thought I hadn't been doing, like the previous treasurer. Instead of coming to me and speaking to me about it like adults should, they chose to talk behind my back, and make fun of me. Well, thats fine I'm an adult and I can handle it, but what made me so mad was my child happened to hear also.

People like this are cowardly and gutless. After only one year as treasurer I stepped down. It wasn't just this incident, but one of many. It also just wasn't me; they would talk about other moms behind their backs too. I am just not into talking and gossiping behind people's backs. Mainly because it sets a rotten example for my child, but also because that is just not the kind of person I am.

I thought this kind of stuff just happened with women, but over the years I have come to realize it happens to men too. Maybe not in the same way, but it has manifested in our lives over the last seven months twice.

My husband has been stabbed in the back by men he thought he could trust. The problem is not only did they hurt him, but they hurt me and my daughter in the process. One of the individuals, we had treated exremely nicely. We had him over for dinner many times, and my daughter looked up to him. We treated him like a member of the family, but all he did was use my husband and toss him aside. My husband was hurt, I was hurt and the most heartbreaking thing for me was my daughter was hurt. As a parent, nothing makes you more mad than when your child is hurt.

The strange thing is these people seem to be able to live with themselves without any remorse. They also seem to be able to justify themselves. Well, I guess they think if they convince themselves they were justified everyone else will see it the same way. Well that's just not so. Just ask my daughter.

Well, I guess if you can live with yourself more power to you. I, however, am glad I don't hurt or use people. I happen to be the kind of person who can't live with herself if I hurt or use someone on purpose.

Yes, I'm sure I've hurt people, but it wasn't intentional. If I do hurt someone it bothers me, and yes I am a big enough person to apologize. The one thing I don't do is talk behind people's backs. You know the old saying, "If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all." Why would you want to hurt or use someone intentionally? I can't figure that out.


If you do nothing else this weekend, try to do something nice for someone. Whether it's as simple as letting someone in during heavy traffic or simply holding a door open for someone. That little gesture can make someone's outlook and day just a little happier. Don't we at least owe that to each other? Just show some human kindness; it may have a trickle down effect.

Have a great weekend!

The Reason I'm Gonna Stick With This Blog

When I started this blog a couple of weeks ago, I wondered what I could possibly write about on a daily basis.

The second thing I thought about was, who cares what I think or feel? I’m just a regular wife and mother. I’m no one famous. I’ve never really done anything in my life that’s all that unusual. I’ve never saved anyone’s life or cured any kind of disease. I’m not gay. I’ve never been molested. So why on earth would anyone care what I have to say?

However, the more I write the easier it has become. So far I haven’t had to look for material; everyday life has presented that to me. It may be that I have just had a whole lot of pent up frustration inside me, and this blog has helped relieve some of that. It’s become very cathartic for me. It has relieved my stress, because now I have a place to vent. More importantly, I hope I have helped or relieved the stress and frustration of at least one other person. So in that way maybe this blog is a good thing.



I just looked back on my blog yesterday and it has taken all kinds of twists and turns.
I’ve talked about kids and everything in between. It’s been fun!

I re-lived my childhood in one particular post, and that made me happy and sad at the same time. It made me miss my dad, who passed away in 1986. It also made me realize what a great dad I had, and how lucky I was to have him in my life. I had a terrific and happy childhood thanks to two wonderful parents who were always there for me.

I’ve had a very normal life, and I hope I’ve provided that for my child. I hope this blog has helped one other person other than myself. Maybe thru a recipe or just to know someone out here is going through the same things that they are.

I told myself I would give this blog a couple of weeks and if I felt it didn’t make a difference I would stop. Somehow it has made a difference in my life and I hope it helps someone other than just me.

My blog won’t save the world or stop war, but it helps me get out the frustration I can sometimes feel when things are just beyond my control. I see injustice every day and writing about it sure can’t hurt. Maybe it won’t change anything, but at least I can express my opinion, and hopefully I can make a small difference by just speaking out.

For now I guess I will try to continue this blog on a daily basis. It’s been a help to me and hopefully someone else, too. In some small way, maybe something I wrote or a recipe I’ve passed along has helped make someone’s day just a little bit easier and brighter.

Have a great weekend!

Today's Packaging: Overkill -- and Sadistic

One of my pet peeves for some time now has been packaging. The companies of these products are completely out of their minds.

Why is everything impossible to open? Is this really necessary?

I know one reason is to prevent people from stealing the product inside. However, you would think that the cost of the overpackaging they do would cost more than the people who would steal these products.

This happened to me yesterday. My husband and I picked up our daughter from school, and on the way home we stopped for gas. Our daughter asked if she could have some beef jerky. Of course we said yes. That was our first mistake.

My husband came out with one of these packages with a single piece of jerky in it. He hands it to our daughter, and I watch impatiently as she tries as hard as she can to open this package. Finally she looks at me, and now I'm trying to open it. My husband gets into the car after putting gas in the tank, and we hand it to him. Finally, five minutes and three people later, we get it open. Was it worth all the fuss? I don't think so.


YOU try to open this stuff!

This isn't just with food products, it's with almost every single thing you buy. Are you supposed to carry scissors with you wherever you go just to be able to open things?

Take CDs for instance. Now here's a good time if you like high blood pressure. First they put this cellophane stuff on it you can't remove without a pair of scissors. If that isn't enough, they put this industrial strength tape around the entire case that Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn't possibly remove, even on a good day. The search begins now for a pair of scissors. Again, 10 minutes later and minus one or two fingers, you finally get the CD out of the package. It's enough to drive you crazy.

Have you ever tried to get a Barbie Doll out of the package nowadays? Every single thing is sewn into the back of the box, including the doll's hair. I mean it is actually SEWN into the back panel of the box with a sewing machine. Get out the scissors again and lose a couple more fingers trying to get the hair off the back panel so as not to cut the hair. It's almost impossible.

What are these companies thinking about? They save a few bucks and we lose our fingers. I am not kidding when I say this. I have actually cut myself trying to remove products from packages that should be very simple.

Christmas morning is always fun. Trying to remove everything takes all day. The kids become impatient and a happy occasion becomes a stressful situation for not only the child, but the parent. Children want to play with their new toys right away.

Then there's the video game packaging, not unlike the CDs. They are virtually impossible to open without drawing blood.

What about those poor people with arthritis? How do they open anything?

Now there are only two products I can think of that you can remove from their packages without much effort and those are eggs and light bulbs. Other than that nothing else comes to mind.

Maybe someone should whisper into these companies' ears that they really can't be saving money in the long run. Nothing comes cheap today and I'm sure all this overpackaging is not saving them any money. Then again maybe it's because the cost always gets passed down to the consumer.

Just to let you know, THIS consumer doesn't buy certain products because of the packaging. For instance, that jerky we bought yesterday? I made sure I remembered the name of that brand so I'll never buy it again. Maybe if more people did this the manufacturers would get the message. Hit them in the pocketbook! That's the only way they will understand!