Everything serves you
The sorrow you endure, makes the joy so much brighter. The relaxation you enjoy, gives you energy to work more effectively. The time apart from a loved one, makes the time together special. Death makes life precious. The heat of summer makes autumn refreshing.
Having to do without something, gives you an appreciation for it. Illness makes good health worth pursuing. Hunger stimulates nourishment.
The things we see as "bad", often make the good things good. How would we know pleasure without pain? With no discomfort, how could we be comfortable? If there were no darkness, what would be the meaning of light? Without ignorance, what would be the value of knowledge.
In every direction, in all situations, life has meaning. Always, there is the opportunity for fulfillment. Rather than cursing the darkness, appreciate the light that it makes possible.
-- Ralph Marston
22.9.10
17.9.10
The mysterious case of "Mr. I Don't Know"
If you have children or a husband then I am sure you have met Mr. I don't Know! He shows up when something wrong has happened, and nobody knows what happened or who did it. So Mr. I Don't Know showed up last night and stuck a RED crayon into the uniform pants of one my two very innocent children wash them and put them in the dryer, and you probably already know what happened next. Well this morning when I took the clothes out of the dryer, everything was covered in melted red crayon. But once again nobody knows who had the red crayon. and technically according to them it's my fault cause I did not check the pockets. With all that said THE MAID IS ON STRIKE!!
16.9.10
Thought of the day!
Painful truth
Truth can be painful. And yet, attempting to avoid the truth will always, ultimately, be much more painful.
Truth can be uncomfortable and unpopular. It can present difficult and complex challenges.
Even so, a dedication to truth is always the best course. For truth, no matter how earnestly it is suppressed, will always have the final say.
Yes, truth can be painful. And the longer it is evaded the more painful it becomes.
Truth can also be infinitely liberating. The effort and pain and discomfort of facing the truth are all very much worth the cost.
It is not always easy to be on the side of truth. Yet there is no escaping the fact that it is always best.
-- Ralph Marston
Truth can be painful. And yet, attempting to avoid the truth will always, ultimately, be much more painful.
Truth can be uncomfortable and unpopular. It can present difficult and complex challenges.
Even so, a dedication to truth is always the best course. For truth, no matter how earnestly it is suppressed, will always have the final say.
Yes, truth can be painful. And the longer it is evaded the more painful it becomes.
Truth can also be infinitely liberating. The effort and pain and discomfort of facing the truth are all very much worth the cost.
It is not always easy to be on the side of truth. Yet there is no escaping the fact that it is always best.
-- Ralph Marston
12.9.10
Reality vs What's Really Real!
Kids today watch way too much reality t v. Most of the shows portray kids whose parents are rich & famous, and they live lavish lifestyles like, My Super Sweet 16, MTV Cribs and Teen Cribs. Then there are some that try and teach teenagers a lesson by showcasing teenagers in tough situations such as, 16 & Pregnant, or Teen Mom. This show follows teen girls who are pregnant at 16 and are struggling with everyday issues like, how do they tell their parents their pregnant, or if they should keep the baby or give it up for adoption, why did they engage in sex before marriage or if they keep the baby will the father of the child remain in their lives. These are issues that the average teen who is watching this show may be able to relate to.
Now let’s take My Super Sweet 16 for instance. The kids on this show give these lavish parties, where their parents are spending crazy amounts of money on cars, hiring top-notch party planners, flying them to Vegas to shop, renting out lavish venues. Then there is Teen Cribs, which showcases the homes of teen celebrities and kids of celebrities. There have been published reports that suggest these people may not even own their homes, and that they are actually renting them. Giving kids false perceptions about their lifestyle. My daughter told my husband and I recently that for her 16th birthday party she wants to arrive in a Black Mercedes May Bach, which costs about $1500 dollars to rent, she wants us to hire several photographers, so they look like paparazzi, she wants a red carpet and she wants all of her friends to scream her name as she exits the car. I tried to explain to her, “that it’s t v, it’s not real”, but then she said, “it’s a reality show, doesn’t that mean it’s real?” No it does not, it’s media hype. Entertainment that’s all! Most of the people on these shows don’t even pay for all that stuff it’s given to them for allowing the network to showcase them on t v, and then some of them do, one lady on Super Sweet 16 took out a second mortgage to pay for a party. Now please tell me why would someone do that. That’s setting another bad example for kids, teaching them how to go into debt to pay for a party to impress others. Parents educate your kids on what is fiction and made for entertainment and what is real. T v is luring our kids into believing what they are seeing is an everyday occurrence. Remind your children that parents are here for love, support, and to provide them with food, shelter, an education and clothing. All wants come with good behavior, respect, and maybe a little loyalty and appreciation. Just because we may not be rich & famous, and have a lavish home, and lot’s of money to shop, we are still blessed with life. Letting them volunteer a day or two helping out in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter or something similar may show them how good they have it compared to the less unfortunate.
Now let’s take My Super Sweet 16 for instance. The kids on this show give these lavish parties, where their parents are spending crazy amounts of money on cars, hiring top-notch party planners, flying them to Vegas to shop, renting out lavish venues. Then there is Teen Cribs, which showcases the homes of teen celebrities and kids of celebrities. There have been published reports that suggest these people may not even own their homes, and that they are actually renting them. Giving kids false perceptions about their lifestyle. My daughter told my husband and I recently that for her 16th birthday party she wants to arrive in a Black Mercedes May Bach, which costs about $1500 dollars to rent, she wants us to hire several photographers, so they look like paparazzi, she wants a red carpet and she wants all of her friends to scream her name as she exits the car. I tried to explain to her, “that it’s t v, it’s not real”, but then she said, “it’s a reality show, doesn’t that mean it’s real?” No it does not, it’s media hype. Entertainment that’s all! Most of the people on these shows don’t even pay for all that stuff it’s given to them for allowing the network to showcase them on t v, and then some of them do, one lady on Super Sweet 16 took out a second mortgage to pay for a party. Now please tell me why would someone do that. That’s setting another bad example for kids, teaching them how to go into debt to pay for a party to impress others. Parents educate your kids on what is fiction and made for entertainment and what is real. T v is luring our kids into believing what they are seeing is an everyday occurrence. Remind your children that parents are here for love, support, and to provide them with food, shelter, an education and clothing. All wants come with good behavior, respect, and maybe a little loyalty and appreciation. Just because we may not be rich & famous, and have a lavish home, and lot’s of money to shop, we are still blessed with life. Letting them volunteer a day or two helping out in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter or something similar may show them how good they have it compared to the less unfortunate.
10.9.10
Friday night, sipping wine, watching a movie, listening to my husband talk about work, writing this blog, telling my son how much I love him, texting my daughter telling her to come home from a friends house, telling her to be safe! Isn't a mother just grand. I think we invented the word multitask!
Soccermom!!
Soccermom!!
8.9.10
Are tattoos becoming a fad!
Fad: A phenomenon that becomes popular for a very short time.
Tattoo: The fad will fade, but the ink lasts forever.
Two teenagers recently told me that all the NBA players and hot rappers like Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy have tattoos. These kids think having tattoos are cool, because people they idolize have them. Everyone will not grow-up to be a pro-ball player or a rapper. What about the kid who will grow-up to be a financial advisor or a lawyer? Although it’s bad to stereotype, some people might not think it’s cool to be represented in court by a lawyer who has the word THUG LIFE tattooed on his neck or knuckles. Or some fortune 500 companies may not want to hire the young man who graduated top of his class and has an MBA from Stanford, just because of a tattoo he got when he was an adolescent. If you are going to get tattoos, here’s a word of advice: they should be tasteful and strategically located where they cannot be seen during a business merger or a job interview.
I am not against someone getting a tattoo; I am against someone under the age of 18 having one. In most states including Pennsylvania, which is where I reside, you have to be 18 years old to obtain a tattoo without parental consent. So would someone please explain how teenagers under the age of 18 are getting tattoos? For instance, my daughter who is only 13, told me that one of her classmates just got a tattoo at a tattoo party, which is where a tattoo artist comes to your house and charges half what a tattoo parlor would to tattoo your guests. They don’t ask for ID, so it’s easy for young teens to attend these events and be tattooed without parental consent. My concerns would be whether the person is licensed. Who is liable if something were to go wrong? Is the tattoo artist using sterile needles?
Teenagers getting tattoos, with or without parental permission, can lead to some serious unhappiness down the road, which is exactly where teenagers are incapable of seeing. Most teenagers are not good at setting priorities, so they don't realize that priorities change, and often with surprising regularity. Make sure your teenager is aware of the health risks involved with getting a tattoo, such as infections and blood borne diseases from unsterilized needles. Try compromising with your teenager; ask him or her to wait six months (since teenagers change their minds like the wind). If they still think they want a tattoo at that time you can revisit the idea.
Fads will come and go, so be careful in choosing permanent things that could effect your long-term goals or decisions.
Tattoo: The fad will fade, but the ink lasts forever.
Two teenagers recently told me that all the NBA players and hot rappers like Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy have tattoos. These kids think having tattoos are cool, because people they idolize have them. Everyone will not grow-up to be a pro-ball player or a rapper. What about the kid who will grow-up to be a financial advisor or a lawyer? Although it’s bad to stereotype, some people might not think it’s cool to be represented in court by a lawyer who has the word THUG LIFE tattooed on his neck or knuckles. Or some fortune 500 companies may not want to hire the young man who graduated top of his class and has an MBA from Stanford, just because of a tattoo he got when he was an adolescent. If you are going to get tattoos, here’s a word of advice: they should be tasteful and strategically located where they cannot be seen during a business merger or a job interview.
I am not against someone getting a tattoo; I am against someone under the age of 18 having one. In most states including Pennsylvania, which is where I reside, you have to be 18 years old to obtain a tattoo without parental consent. So would someone please explain how teenagers under the age of 18 are getting tattoos? For instance, my daughter who is only 13, told me that one of her classmates just got a tattoo at a tattoo party, which is where a tattoo artist comes to your house and charges half what a tattoo parlor would to tattoo your guests. They don’t ask for ID, so it’s easy for young teens to attend these events and be tattooed without parental consent. My concerns would be whether the person is licensed. Who is liable if something were to go wrong? Is the tattoo artist using sterile needles?
Teenagers getting tattoos, with or without parental permission, can lead to some serious unhappiness down the road, which is exactly where teenagers are incapable of seeing. Most teenagers are not good at setting priorities, so they don't realize that priorities change, and often with surprising regularity. Make sure your teenager is aware of the health risks involved with getting a tattoo, such as infections and blood borne diseases from unsterilized needles. Try compromising with your teenager; ask him or her to wait six months (since teenagers change their minds like the wind). If they still think they want a tattoo at that time you can revisit the idea.
Fads will come and go, so be careful in choosing permanent things that could effect your long-term goals or decisions.
Caffeine & Kids!!
Caffeine is a drug that is naturally produced in the leaves and seeds of many plants. A drug you say, if that is so, than why do so many of us take this drug.
Almost every young child & teen consumes caffeine everyday. Caffeine is in tea, coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, over-the-counter medicines, and popular energy drinks. Children and teens love soft drinks too (soda), which also contain caffeine, it’s tasty; it comes in different flavors, cola, fruit punch, orange, pineapple, and ginger ale. We drank it at bbq’s, at restaurants, we serve it at birthday parties. Some parents even allow their kids to drink a cold cup, bottle or can of it after they have played outside in the hot sun. Which is very unhealthy, because caffeine is a diuretic, which can cause constant urination, which could possibly lead to dehydration. Children need water after being outside for long periods of time.
Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, causing an energy boost. Some older teens will drink energy drinks, such as redbull or coffee, so that they can stay up to study for an important test or exam. This is not healthy, especially if a teen has already had a full day of school, work, and after-school activities in which they need to rest afterwards.
In it’s natural form, caffeine tastes very bitter. Which is why most people don’t drink coffee black. It’s camouflaged with lots other things to improve the taste. Like, cream & sugar. In most coffee houses, they offer coffee in many different forms, lattes w/ whip cream, cappuccinos, non-fat or low-fat, w/ soy milk etc. Sounds very tasty, but if you notice most of the camouflages have sugar. Which if consumed regularly causes childhood obesity, tooth decay, and cavities. Many parents believe that it also increases hyperactivity in children. Then why is it that the new trend is to see small children & teens in your local starbucks? If everything served in there is bad for all of us including children. I have to admit that I to will bring my children to starbucks and the bookstore café’s as well, but we usually order some of their healthier choices. Like, the Horizon Organic Milk Box (like a juice box, but milk). I on the other hand have coffee, and lots of it.
Caffeine is usually safe in moderate amounts. Teens should try and limit caffeine consumption to 100mg per day. Drink water or sports drinks such as Gatorade after sports. Young children should have less than 100mg per day; they should also drink water or low-fat soymilk with healthy snacks like fruits and veggies.
The old wise saying goes, “if you teach your children healthy habits while young, they will continue to have healthy habits into adulthood.”
Almost every young child & teen consumes caffeine everyday. Caffeine is in tea, coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, over-the-counter medicines, and popular energy drinks. Children and teens love soft drinks too (soda), which also contain caffeine, it’s tasty; it comes in different flavors, cola, fruit punch, orange, pineapple, and ginger ale. We drank it at bbq’s, at restaurants, we serve it at birthday parties. Some parents even allow their kids to drink a cold cup, bottle or can of it after they have played outside in the hot sun. Which is very unhealthy, because caffeine is a diuretic, which can cause constant urination, which could possibly lead to dehydration. Children need water after being outside for long periods of time.
Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, causing an energy boost. Some older teens will drink energy drinks, such as redbull or coffee, so that they can stay up to study for an important test or exam. This is not healthy, especially if a teen has already had a full day of school, work, and after-school activities in which they need to rest afterwards.
In it’s natural form, caffeine tastes very bitter. Which is why most people don’t drink coffee black. It’s camouflaged with lots other things to improve the taste. Like, cream & sugar. In most coffee houses, they offer coffee in many different forms, lattes w/ whip cream, cappuccinos, non-fat or low-fat, w/ soy milk etc. Sounds very tasty, but if you notice most of the camouflages have sugar. Which if consumed regularly causes childhood obesity, tooth decay, and cavities. Many parents believe that it also increases hyperactivity in children. Then why is it that the new trend is to see small children & teens in your local starbucks? If everything served in there is bad for all of us including children. I have to admit that I to will bring my children to starbucks and the bookstore café’s as well, but we usually order some of their healthier choices. Like, the Horizon Organic Milk Box (like a juice box, but milk). I on the other hand have coffee, and lots of it.
Caffeine is usually safe in moderate amounts. Teens should try and limit caffeine consumption to 100mg per day. Drink water or sports drinks such as Gatorade after sports. Young children should have less than 100mg per day; they should also drink water or low-fat soymilk with healthy snacks like fruits and veggies.
The old wise saying goes, “if you teach your children healthy habits while young, they will continue to have healthy habits into adulthood.”
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