What does it mean?

Sorry I haven't posted here in awhile.  Just been busy.

I want to share with you the comments from many of my teaching friends regarding the victory of Glenda Ritz over Tony Bennett in the Indiana State Superintendent of Public Instruction election.  First, a little background.

Tony Bennett was elected four years ago, and almost immediately began to approach public educators as though they were the worst thing to ever happen to education.  As a teacher, I, along with my colleagues, took great exception to that.  I worked with some of the best teachers around.  I saw teachers who came in early, stayed late, worked weekends, purchased supplies, mentored struggling students, and did all kinds of things to try to help their students succeed.  To be told they not only were not good enough, but were the problem, was demoralizing and made many wonder why they were sticking it out.  To be told they were greedy was just crazy - and having summer break thrown about as if teachers do nothing all summer was just ridiculous.  Bennett first changed the rating system for schools, then made it illegal for teachers to bargain anything but salaries, then tried to have a new (illegal) contract forced on districts, then declared private, for-profit schools superior to public schools, then changed the ratings AGAIN, and twice changed the timing of the high-stakes test being used to rate those schools.  Oh, and this was done at the school's expense.  So it's easy to see why teachers were so opposed to him and what he stands for.  Bennett's idea of a good teacher was one who could pass a test, not one who has been trained in pedagogy and given ample opportunity to observe seasoned veterans and "practice" in internships.

Glenda Ritz is a teacher (as of right now).  She ran on the platform of highly qualified teachers.  She knows what teachers have been experiencing and wanted to change it.  The big obstacle for her was two-fold:  Name recognition, and she's not a Republican.  Bennett had the benefit of the backing of the GOP as well as corporate monetary support.  Ritz relied on word-of-mouth.

Today it worked.  Today, students, parents, teachers, and citizens grouped together to spread a message about how important it was to change the leadership in Indianapolis in the interest of Indiana's kids and were able to realize that change.  Not through expensive TV ads, not through mail (which no one reads anyway) and certainly not through slick signs and other media.  We just talked about it.  We simply put forth an impassioned plea for change and asked our friends and families to spread the word to their friends and families.  Today we saw the power of the voice of the people and how the system really CAN work for Joe Citizen.

So, back to the thoughts of my friends:

Today "the people have spoken" really rang true-a true grassroots campaign-Congratulations Glenda Ritz and all the students and teachers in Indiana!

I have never felt more validated in my profession. Thank you all SO MUCH for voting for our children, our teachers, and our communities right to control their schools. A great weight (in the shape, weight, and size of Tony Bennett) has been lifted off of my shoulders.

Thank You! Thanks to all my friends and family, ... who listened to me and my colleagues, respected our thoughts, voted across their tickets just because they respected our profession and Indiana children. This is an amazing day for Public Education in Indiana. Our children can now be taught to collaborate, create, communicate and participate instead of being taught to take a test once each year. Thank You!! You are all amazing! 

 Goodbye and good riddance to you, Tony Bennett. Go find yourself a new job - I suggest applying to one of the testing companies or for-profit school corporations you have been supporting, instead of Indiana's hard working and dedicated teachers!

Thank you thank you!!! Glenda Ritz is our new superintendent of public education!!! I am so happy I cried a little!!!! 

THE TRIBE HAS SPOKEN! Pack up, TB. Update your resume. We have been validated. Thanks from the bottom of my heart to all who support Glenda, from our kids, our communities, and from teachers everywhere.

It is nice to know that the best candidate for the job can win even if she didn't have the money or political clout. I should sleep good tonight.

And from two friends, one a former student who will be student teaching next year, and the other whose husband is in school to be a teacher:

It feels good knowing I will have a job when I graduate :)

YAY!!! A huge win for our family :) Glenda Ritz as State Superintendent! This means a hopeful outlook for my amazing husband as he begins his teaching career in less than 2 years! So proud of you honey - go get 'em!!!!!!!!!! 

It was important.  It still is important.  Our children are always important.  Our votes continue to be important.  And my feelings about the future of this state are so much more optimistic tonight.

I am now re-energized, re-encouraged, re-committed to be a good citizen, vote for more than just the President, and be more involved in my community.  It DOES matter!  We CAN make a difference!

 

What's your proudest parenting moment?

Moms are blatant child-braggers.  From the first smile, all the way until... well I don't think it ever stops, actually, ... we brag about our kids, and for good reason, too.  Unconditional love, which is evolutionarily contradictory, gives us the ability to think our own offspring are the best, and all other children are somehow inferior.  In short, we all think our kids rock, even if they don't. :-)

Those of you who have met my two girls will probably agree with me that they're amazing kids.  They've endured hardship through no fault of their own, and are both honors students, well-behaved, and make good choices for the right reasons.  My friends, family members, and their teachers all agree with that assessment, too, so it's not me looking at my girls with my Mom Glasses in place.

Last week, my younger daughter was at her best friend's for a sleepover.  The next day, she sent me a text message, asking me to make an excuse for her to come home.

[We interrupt this blog for a side note.  When my kids were in elementary school, I told them if they were in a peer pressure situation, to use me as the reason they wouldn't participate.  It gives them an out while still socially saving face, and allows for distance to evaluate the situation and friendship at a later time.  We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog, already in progress.]

I kind of laughed, because it's an odd request to get from a 13-year-old.  So I texted back, "Ok, um, come home to clean your room."  This wasn't much of a reach.  Her room is perpetually resembling what a clothing factory would look like post-apocalypse.  So, long story short, she used me as an excuse to go home.  I later asked her what the deal was, should I be concerned?  She said everything was fine, no one was doing anything harmful or inappropriate, just going in a direction with language and video viewing that she didn't want to go.  I was pretty proud of my daughter at that point for sticking to her personal principles and politely excusing herself from a situation she didn't think she should be in.  And if the mother of the friend is reading this, don't worry, it wasn't anything BAD.  Just not in her desired range of activities.  I would tell you otherwise.

The other day, older daughter and I were riding back from her dance lesson.  This child is a senior in high school, and as such has to complete a Senior Project in order to graduate.  Leading into this summer, she had discussed working with an architect to design and build a scale model of a home for an actual client - a really ambitious undertaking.  So, when she suddenly declared she wanted to learn ballroom dancing I was a little shocked.  (And, truth be told, relieved, because ballroom dancing is much more manageable given this child's 12309487 other pursuits.)  Many people, including me at first, challenged her because the architecture project would help as she pursues a career in architecture.  She stuck to her guns, and enrolled in dance lessons.  45 minutes away.  Did I mention she doesn't drive yet? :-)  At any rate, her persistence paid off, and the other day she told me how much fun she is having, and how glad she is that she chose this project.  She is the youngest member of her class but she doesn't let that stop her.  The younger adults (I'd say in their 20s) enjoy her youthful energy, and one asked me if she was going to continue after her project was complete.  Swim season and other priorities might prevent this for awhile, but rest assured my child will be back in classes as soon as she can, because she enjoys it so much.  Everyone needs an outlet for energy, and this might be her lifelong avocation.  Cool.

Both my girls are rather, well, STUBBORN.  I have no idea from whose side of the family they get that.  :-)  In these two cases, their persistence has proven to be an asset rather than a liability.  As girls, one of the best lessons they can learn is to trust their inner voice, not doubt themselves, and assert themselves.  Looks to me like they're well on their way to becoming independent, assertive women, and this mama couldn't be more proud.

So tell me, what's your proudest (at least right now) parenting moment?  Go ahead and brag.  We all love to read stories about how our kids are doing great things.

This will probably offend everyone.

The rules of etiquette dictate that one not discuss religion or politics in social situations.  Lately, many, many people, myself included, have been discussing one or both of these on social networking sites.  So, here goes:

This is my religious, political, how-I-really-think blog

First, a disclaimer:  My opinions are my own, and do not reflect the official position of my employer, my family, my city government, or the milk man.  They are my own opinions, and, as an American, I am allowed to express them.

I find it really unfortunate that there has been such a serious division within American society.  I have already grown tired of all the political bickering, infighting, accusing, and otherwise wasting time when there are really important things to do, like improve education, reduce the Federal deficit, bolster our science and space exploration funding, provide reasonable health care without putting additional burdens on society, and eating chocolate.

The amazing thing is that the ignition wasn't caused by a true injustice; rather, one person, one man, who happens to be the CEO of a major restaurant chain, expressed his opinion and the policy by which his company supports charities.  No one was harmed, no one was discriminated against, and no one was publicly mocked.  I don't recall this man ever saying he thought gay people are evil and going to hell, and it would have shocked me if he had.

Instead, in our "If you're not for me you're against me" society, this man's opinion about how he thinks things should be became the catalyst for neighbor to rise against neighbor, and friend against friend, all in the name of civil rights and free speech.

The Bill of Rights grants us the right to express our opinions without the government telling us what we can or cannot say legally.  That doesn't mean we should just say what we think.  It also doesn't mean that we should take one person's opinion personally, nor should we take a person's opinion to an extreme.  However, in politics as well as in society, that's exactly what we have done.  So, here are my views on politics:

I have news for the Republicans:  This country isn't yours to take back.  It's ours, to use, and care for, and run efficiently.  If you're so interested in reducing Federal spending, start with your office budget.  Refuse your pension if you are a multi-gazillionaire (as most of you are).  To whom much is given much is also expected, and this country has been richly blessed.  It is our responsibility, as HUMAN BEINGS, to take care of others.  It is our responsibility to make sure that the beauty of this country is well-cared-for in a reasonable manner.  It is our responsibility to actually pay teachers, fire fighters, police officers, and soldiers what they're worth, not what you can squeeze out for them.  Do you value public safety, public education, and the defense of this nation?  Put your money where your mouth is.  Stop telling teachers they don't know how to teach.  Just because you went to school, does NOT mean you know how teaching works.  Using THAT logic, I should know how to design a bridge because I've driven over many, many bridges.  What a pile-o-poop.  Unions did not destroy this country, they helped keep oppression from getting out of hand.  Just because you can afford to do something doesn't mean you should.  Being able to earn money does not solve the problems we're facing as a country.  Sometimes, doing the right thing is more important than building your portfolio.

I have news for the Democrats:  Nobody owes you anything.  You don't DESERVE anything but respect and fairness.  You want a nice house?  You have to earn it.  You want an education?  Yep, you have to earn that, too.  If someone has earned a lot of money, that's his or her PRIVILEGE.  Stop being jealous of what you don't have, get off your fat fanny, and go pursue what you want.  Quit blaming everyone else for your problems.  Quit heaping society's ills on the rich.  If lazy people weren't lazy, they would be wealthier. And stop reading into what I'm saying.  All I'm saying is, it's nobody's job to take care of you but your own.  My responsibility is first to my God, then to my family.  I have to see to their needs ahead of a stranger's.  That's how it's supposed to be.  Stop defending the indefensible.  A woman who has had 4 babies, with 4 different fathers, who doesn't have the means to care for those babies, should be legally prohibited from getting knocked up.  It just makes sense.  Soldiers are not evil.  Guns are not the problem.  Legalizing marijuana won't solve the drug problem, it will just exacerbate it.   Unions are not the panacea we all thought they would be, and you know it.  Workers and corporations are not on opposite sides of a war, they're two important parts to keeping this country rolling.  And, if times are tough, everyone is going to have to give up something.  We can't spend money we don't have without penalizing our children.  We can't heap stupid, ill-thought regulations on businesses, be they large or small, and expect those businesses to stick around.  DUH, they're going to go where it's easier to do business.  BE REASONABLE.

Come on, have we really lost touch with what is important?  When I was a little girl, I was taught that one's faith was most important, followed by one's family, and then serving others.  The last thing on the priority list was supposed to be serving oneself. 

Why have my fellow Christians become so divisive, and angry?  I don't remember Jesus being this way.  Christ brought healing, not hate.  He brought love, not malice.  And when he did get angry, it was because people were acting out of turn, taking advantage of others, and using His house to their gain.  In other words, when Jesus got ticked, He had a really good reason.  And here's some news that will surprise a lot of people:  Jesus respected the Roman government.  He didn't walk up to sinners, sticking His finger in their faces, telling them they're evil and deserve destruction.  Even if it was true.  Jesus loved the unlovely.  He didn't advocate treating someone poorly because that person is a sinner.

So, if I follow His example, I am to be loving toward everyone, even those who are behaving in a way I don't agree is right; I am to find gentle words to respond to disharmony, not escalate the situation; I am to be angered by true injustice, and harmful behavior, not because someone thinks differently than me.

I am to respect the government.  The whole government.  Even *gulp* Tony Bennett, State Superintendent of Schools for the State of Indiana.  Oh geez, that's a hard pill to swallow.  But it's true.  I don't agree with the man, but crikey I'm supposed to respect him.

I am to respond to my friends with gentle words, not escalate the situation.  Yeah I've screwed that up the last couple of days.  And, unfortunately, it probably won't be the last time, either, because I'm a jerk.  And so are you. :-)

I am to love my neighbor as myself.  And, on those days that I don't like myself, more than I love myself.  For me, personally, this isn't hard to do.  I love people.  I don't always act lovingly, but I love people.  I want people to know my God because I act a little bit like Him a little bit of the time.

I have a list of things I believe are wrong.  I'm not going to list them here.  It's not for me to walk up to a person and attempt to flick a speck out of his eye when I have a tree branch protruding from my own.  I'll be qualified to judge you when I'm perfect, and not a day before.  I will continue to get angry when people hurt others, or act in an immature, irresponsible manner.  I think that's justified.  But rest assured, I won't tell you that I think you're going straight to hell because you don't like hockey.  [Disclaimer:  This is an example of hyperbole.  If you had paid attention in English class you would understand this.  I do NOT think people who don't like hockey are evil.  A lot of people died in a lot of wars so you can be wrong about the value of the sport, and I respect your right to be wrong.] 

I love you, whoever you are.  God has an amazingly wonderful, fantastic plan for your life, and if I'm privileged enough to help you discover it, how much more amazingly wonderful would that be?  If you want to know what I think I know, ask me privately.

God is real.  He is a living, thinking, caring Being.  He loves you.  He loves me.  And He is perfect.  Not in the "what a perfect morning" kind of perfect; the absolute, all-encompassing, not-even-a-scratch kind of perfect, and He expects perfection near Him.  Jesus sacrificed his own perfection to intercede for us, and the very simple but difficult thing to do is to just accept that, and try to live the way Jesus lived.  Please, don't tell me about the Crusades.  Don't tell me about all the other objections you might have to Christianity.  My only answer to all the screw-ups who have gone before me is that they're not perfect, just like I'm not perfect.  Like C.S. Lewis, you either accept it or you don't. 

And, if we choose to act poorly, whether we believe in God or not, we're going to face the consequences of those choices.  A drug user is going to eventually lose everything.  It's pretty much an established fact.  A liar will lose his friends, and maybe his job.  A thief won't be welcome anywhere.  Drive over the speed limit?  Yup, you're likely to get a ticket at some point.  Live a lifestyle that isn't in keeping with good choices, and you're going to face the consequences.  When I lose my temper, the consequence is that people avoid making me angry, and keep me "out of the loop."  When I overeat, I gain weight and risk my health.  I could go on and on and on but the point is I don't need to tell sinners they suck.  The consequences of the bad choice will do it for me.  Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but it will catch up, just like it catches up with me.

A saying that's been around for a long time goes something like this:  God grant me the courage to change the things I can change, the serenity to accept the things I can't change, and the wisdom to know the difference.  I'd like to expand on that.  God grant me the courage to stand up for what is truly right, the serenity to accept when I should stay seated, and the wisdom to know the difference.

How I spent (part of) my summer vacation

Today's blog post is unusual in that it's not my ranting or raving about anything, just newsy.  And very little science!

Being inspired by Fox 59's Sherman Burdette, I made plans to take my family on a mystery trip to southern Indiana.  I don't know much about this area except that it's the bottom edge of our state, and Corydon, the former capital and home town of former governor Frank O'Bannon, is down there.  I used some Hilton Honors points and made a reservation for one night.  And, the best part is, I didn't tell the girls where we were going or what we'd be doing.  I told Hubby, but only because we briefly contemplated canceling our plans and waiting for cooler weather.  In the end, we decided to tough out the heat.

If you're ever in New Albany, the Hampton Inn is nice.  Not amazing, but definitely nice.  And it's easy to get to.  Typical Hampton.  That's about all there is to say about that.  It was a good place to sleep.

We arrived in Jeffersonville for our FREE scheduled 11:00 tour of Schimpff Confectionary.  They have been in business for 121 years, and if you make a reservation, they'll be sure to be making candy during that time.  Well worth it, and it was interesting to see all the antique candy making equipment they still use.  After spending way too much on chocolates and hard candies, we went to check into our hotel.  Since our room wasn't quite ready, we decided to get some lunch and left our sweet stash with the desk clerk so it wouldn't melt in the car.

Sherman had said that Market Street in New Albany has a lot of "international" restaurants - "Just look for the fork in the road."  He meant this literally.  Scattered throughout New Albany are many art pieces, and on Market Street there is a large sculpture of a piece of cheese with a fork sticking into it.  Very amusing.

We wandered down Market Street and came across Habana Blues, a Cuban-inspired Tapas restaurant.  The adventurous spirit my older daughter and I share apparently rubbed off on my husband and younger daughter, and we went inside.  So glad we did!  Great food.  It's a small place but they don't skimp on quality in this restaurant.  Put Habana Blues on your list of places to go if you wind up in New Albany.

After dinner we went across the street to an antiques store.  Hubby likes to wander in them because he never knows what he'll find.  I saw some glasses with a beige-colored floral pattern on the side that I swear we had when we were kids.  That was slightly disheartening -- glasses from my childhood being sold in an antiques store.  When we walked in, that nagging old question popped into my head again:  Why do antiques stores always smell like an old lady's house?

Since it was 103 degrees Fahrenheit outside, and the upper floor of the shop was not air conditioned, we decided to see if our hotel room was ready, and it was.  The plan was to swim a little before dinner, but the pool was closed for maintenance.  So, we just relaxed a little before getting cleaned up for dinner.

We ate at Buckhead Mountain Grill.  My two-word review is Skip It.  The food was mediocre, the service was weird  - I swear I thought at one point one of the servers was going to stand there and watch while Hubby signed the charge slip! - and by 7:45 on a Saturday night it was pretty empty.  They have an outdoor bar area that I imagine in nicer weather is a neat place to hang, but again, I wouldn't waste any time or money on food here.  There's a seafood restaurant nextdoor that says "Excellent Sea Food" on its sign so you know it must be true.

The next day's schedule was to get up early, eat breakfast, and go to Falls of the Ohio State Park.  Hubby's shoulder was acting up AGAIN ("I don't like having Percocet Sundays") so he stayed at the hotel to "sleep it off" while the girls and I went to the park.  If you have never been to this state park, you really should go.  Spend a couple of hours wandering around the fossil beds in the river.  Someone (I was going to say "they" but I don't know who "they" are) put in a dam and hydroelectric power plant on the south side of the river, which keeps the fossil beds permanently exposed now - whereas once upon a time you had to wait for the river to go down to see the fossils, you now can see them year-round.  There are signs all over the place telling you to not swim and to listen for sirens.  However, with as hot and dry as it has been, no worries with regard to the flood gates being opened.  I took a few photographs, mostly for "record keeping".  The girls tried to get some rubbings with crayon but the vellum paper they brought wasn't suitable.  I think I have a few artsy-phartsy photos that might do well for posting to my Facebook account later.

After roaming the fossil beds, it was about 10:00 am and I was already heavily perspiring.  We went back to the hotel for another shower, and changed into nicer clothes for brunch.  Ah, brunch, that delightfully leisurely way to spend a Sunday morning if you're being a heathen and not going to church.  Kind of like us that morning.

Louis le Francais is a genuinely French restaurant on Market Street in New Albany.  We went for brunch and let me tell you, while the menu is somewhat limited, you will not be disappointed by anything you order.  I had "Zee Best Omelet" which it really was.  The chef prepares this omelet the way his mother taught him when he was still living in France.  It has roasted apples in it, and was really good.  Hubby had the vegetable omelet, which has ratatouille inside.  The girls both had quiche.  Louis makes his omelets with the ingredients mixed in, but they're so fluffy and so good!  The baguette kept coming, and paired with the fresh, homemade orange marmalade, which daughter #2 ate with delight, was truly divine.  Cappuccino!  Mimosa! Quiche! And for dessert, creme brulee and bread pudding!  Tres magnifique!  (Many thanks to daughter #1 for help with the French, who, incidentally, was dismayed that she had unwittingly passed on an opportunity to practice her French with the waitress, who was most definitely French.)

After brunch we came home, much to my chagrin.  It wasn't a FABULOUS vacation.  It wasn't a once-in-a-lifetime experience the way Yellowstone was.  It was simply a nice weekend with my family.  But aren't those the best memories?  Sure, I remember the big trips with my parents, but I mostly remember the little things, like my mom working with me to learn to cook and sew, my dad teaching me to play baseball and use tools properly, and our annual camping trips that were always the same and something I could always count on.  I hope I'm creating similar memories for the girls.

A blog within a blog

One of my former students, who shall remain delightedly anonymous, suggested that I make this blog about science newsy stuff.  I like the idea, but that's not all I'm about.

However...

When I come across things that are interesting, I want to share them.  So, here is my first Science Newsy Stuff post:

First, you would have to have been almost comatose to not notice that President Obama has effectively canceled all space activity outside of low-earth orbit.  Now, our astronauts have to hitch a ride with the RUSSIANS, which, being a child of the Cold War era, I find utterly reprehensible.  All those gains, advances, achievements that meant WE were the good guys, and WE beat the EVIL SOVIETS - they mean nothing now... because we're hitching a ride on their rockets.  Dude, what were you smoking when you decided that?  Bad, bad, bad decision.  What does our country have to shoot for now?  No goals, no "Sputnik moment" as Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson has said.

Who's that, you say?  He's the really smart African-American dude who has shown up on all kinds of television programs, including Steven Colbert and John Stewart's programs, talking about why we need space exploration.  I'm currently working on reading his book, Space Chronicles.  It's a good read, you should check it out.  He also has a weekly radio program called "Star Talk Radio."  But I digress.

I find President Obama's choice to be disheartening and short-sighted.  When I was a kid, we launched two probes, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, in 1977.  They have been slingshotting themselves around planets and moons in our solar system, sending back fantastic images of Jupiter and its moons, Saturn, Saturn's rings, Uranus (the planet, immature noobs), Neptune, and beyond.  In 1990, Carl Sagan suggested that Voyager 1, which had left the plane of planetary orbits, turn around and take a photograph of the planets.  Our beloved home, Earth, occupies one little blue dot, and prompted Sagan to record "Pale Blue Dot," which I am linking to on YouTube here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupToqz1e2g  You really need to watch it.  Puts everything in perspective.

Now the Voyager probes are nearing the edge of our solar system.  What's the "edge," you ask?  Apparently it's when the solar winds - charged particles moving outward from the sun - dissipate into nothingness.  At that point, we'll know that the Voyagers have reached interstellar space.  The news story is all over, but perhaps NASA tells the story best.  http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/index.html Or you could read the article that I read, in Smithsonian:  http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Timothy-Ferris-on-Voyagers-Never-Ending-Journey.html?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=printmagazine&utm_campaign=2012-May&utm_content=voyager

We've sent many other probes into our solar system since Voyager 1 and 2.  There has been Galileo, which went to Jupiter. Cassini visited Saturn and is still dinking around the planet and its moons.  And let's not forget the little Mars rover that is diligently digging samples of dirt and rocks to analyze and report back to earth.  When scientists learned that Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, might have water beneath its icy surface, they chose to deliberately incinerate Galileo into the Jovian atmosphere upon completion of its mission rather than risk it crashing into Europa and contaminating it.  Today, NASA Solar System Exploration reports that recent data sent back from Cassini about Titan, one of Saturn's moons, indicate it might have water beneath its icy surface, too.  Check it out: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/display.cfm?News_ID=39823

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING TO YOU??? WATER!!!! ON TWO OTHER BODIES IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM!!!!

I now come full circle back to Carl Sagan, who wrote many books, including Cosmos, which was broadcast as a critically-acclaimed TV series, and Contact, which was made into one of my favorite movies ever, starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey.  One of the best lines from Contact is the quip that if we're the only living beings out there, it seems to be an awful waste of space.

Maybe it's not such a waste of space, after all.  Godspeed, Voyagers.

I miss the mitten

Cue piano music - it's the theme from "Cider House Rules."  Oh no!  Another Pure Michigan commercial, and before I have a chance to push the correct button on the remote, Tim Allen's voice lures me into yearning yet again for my home state.

Tim Allen? What's the big deal?  Well, he's a Michigander, as am I, and the familiarity of his narrative, and the fact that I know he knows what he's talking about, draw me in like our cat to the sound of the can opener.  I just can't help myself.

It's not that Indiana is a bad place to live, because it isn't.  The cost of living is almost obscenely low, the family values that established the Midwest prevail here to a great extent, and world-class education is available at a fairly reasonable cost.  Purdue University has graduated more Astronauts than any other university, and Ball State's architecture program is ranked fifth in the nation.  There are four distinct seasons (usually), the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 races are amazingly fun and still family-oriented, and the Pacers and Colts provide great sports entertainment.  State parks are well-kept, well-run, and really beautiful.  I could go on and on but suffice it to say, when the girls' father got a job in Indianapolis almost 18 years ago, moving here wasn't a difficult decision.  It's a good place to raise a family.

However, I underestimated the extent to which I would miss my home state.  We were a camping and boating family.  Every summer, and I mean every summer, my parents, sister, and I spent a week or two camping on the shores of one of Michigan's many lakes - usually Black Lake just south of Mackinaw City, or Lake Leelanau in Michigan's "pinky finger" region.  I learned the different ways to fish for walleye, perch, bass, and trout.  Dad often went charter fishing on Lake Michigan and even took me one year.  That turned out to be a huge mistake because the lake was rough and I spent the whole outing either being sick over the side of the boat or passed out on Dramamine.  Still, the water, and northern Michigan, draw me in like the sun pulls the planets.  I can't see the attractive force, but I can definitely feel it.

Michigan has lots of naturally-occurring lakes.  Indiana has man-made reservoirs.  Michigan has shores and shores of coast line, from rocky to sandy.  Indiana has Indiana Dunes, love it, and Gary, which, well, let's just say I don't go to Gary much.  I attended Michigan Technological University, waaayyyyy up in Houghton, Michigan, closer to the North Pole than to the equator.  Michigan has nearly all the history of my family.  In Indiana, I'm a transplant, and only claim citizenship by virtue of the fact that I've lived here much of my adult life and both my girls were born here.  This is their home, and this is where they will attend college, most likely.  This is where their roots have been laid, and to where they will be drawn when they are adults.

Still, I miss the mitten.  I miss the mitten like you wouldn't believe.  I see beautiful photographs on my Facebook news feed because I have "liked" the pages for the state tourism bureau and the Upper Peninsula travel agency.  I don't get back there nearly as much as I would like.  I keep talking about some day moving back but I can't help but be a little worried that somehow the mitten has changed in my absence.  Would the mitten have me back? Or would it be like visiting with your childhood friend, awkward, because you no longer have anything in common?  Can I go home again?  Well, it will be quite some time before I can even find out.  In the mean time, I'll just have to dream about home.

74 Comments on THAT???!!!

Sometimes I share things on Facebook that, in my ever-so-humble opinion (ahem), are relevant, informative, and, well, worthy of comment, and those things get no response.  Zero.  Nil. Nada. Zilch.

Then there was the day one of the underwires in my bra just broke for no apparent reason.  It was a Tuesday, which is a rather ordinary day most of the time.  Anyway, I posted it as my status, and you know, I got 74 comments!  What can make so many people, from so many varied backgrounds, want to comment on such a crazy post? 

Hold your judgment until you read how it went.  I have gone through the whole thing and changed all the names to first names, or nicknames, or initials, to protect the innocent.  It kind of reads like a one-act play, with some people staying on stage the whole time, and some wandering in and out randomly, making a single, perfectly timed comment.  It brought me a lot of laughs, and I hope it does the same for you.

Caryn My stupid underwire just snapped right in half.

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Jacca and Kim like this.

Kim Bahahahaha!!! I hate it when that happens!!!

Caryn ME TOO

Jen LMAO...I almost spit my drink out!!!!!

Kim Time for some new boob holsters!!!

Jen that's not what I meant by adding details!

CB I hate when that happens!

Caryn It's just that booby baskets are not cheap. :P

Jen well better your bra than your panties...THAT would be a problem!

Mikey I guess calling them fun bags is a point-of-view issue...

Sub Pics or it didn't happen! ;)

Mikey Pics like they do at the popo station. Front view, side view...

Jen umm...that's okay!

Caryn ‎Mikey, how sad is it that the only thing to drag you out of the lurking woodwork is a discussion about the functionality of my brassiere!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!  And in response to you kind gentlemen requesting a photo, no.

Karen I hope it didn't stab you!

SJ That happened to my mom a couple days ago

Caryn Weird thing is I was just sitting here, working, and leaned forward to pick up my glass of water.

Jacca I HATE when that happens!! What's an underwire??

Dana Aww crap!!! I hate when that happens too!!!

Jo Should have checked the tensile strength before buying.

Caryn I think this particular garment has long outlived its intended life span.  I find it highly interesting that a status about my underwire breaking has generated this much ... coverage.

Blondie Too much weight. Most people pay for that.

Caryn Are you calling me fat???

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Blondie In your boobs.

Staci LMAO! Men just don't understand how difficult it is to find the "right" bra and that you need a second mortgage to finance it once you do find it!

Kevin That's why I go without. I don't have to worry about it breaking, then.

Judi I am not laughing...I am lying....:)

Caryn I think I found my first blog subject!!!

Ron I am on my way to weld it back together Caryn. Hold yourself together.

Kevin I must say that your subject matter is very titillating.

Caryn HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Staci Leave it to Ron!

Ron Why do woman wear underwire ones anyways? Just wear the flapover pregnancy one. Makes it easier for you and us. LOL

Caryn Well, for one, those are 3x more expensive than regular ones. For two, they're butt ugly. And for three, it might shock you to know, our choice in undergarments is rarely made with your convenience in mind.

Staci On the floor! Point for Caryn!

Ron One of them or both of them on the floor????? What if only one of the doors is open?

Caryn Hey now, I'm not that old!!

Corissa I LOVE my vanity fair bra, have had it for almost 7 years and its still like new and I wear it ALL the time.

Sally I just about bust a wire laughing, Caryn!!! You should start another discussion about Spanx, especially in HOT weather!! :O

Jen spanx are great till ya hafta pee...if ya pull them down and it's hot...you will spend the next hour pulling them up...so I hear...lol

Cory I think this thread just bumped Facebook stock back up...cuz this is priceless!

BFFE Bwaaaaahaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaa....you all are cracking me up. But I'm laughing hardest at the busted underwire. I have so much to say, but I am trying to be so nice. Ouch, this hurts.

Caryn I so totally ♥ my friends

Deb Hilarious! Mine break & stab me all the time. Clearly a woman did not invent underwires, so why do we continue to wear them?

Caryn I think the main reason is gravity...

Deb Seems like someone as smart as you could invent something more comfortable & less dangerous that would do the job......just saying! :-)

Caryn Hmmm.....

Caryn Not sure I'm THAT smart.

Deb I'm not all that convinced that the underwire serves any purpose other than causing us pain.

Caryn I bought one that had a pseudo-underwire, some kind of plastic, flexible thing, and it didn't work nearly as well. Let's just say it needed more antigravity.

Deb WTH, after 3 kids I can just tuck 'em in my waist band & go. LOL!

BFFE It seems to me, Caryn and Deb, that you may be surpassing the weight limit on the steel. I've never had that happen.

Deb Seriously?!?!? Consider yourself a lucky woman BFFE. This is a very common occurrence for me......

Jen i can never quite understand how that little wire is supposed to hold up boobage...it goes under your boob, so don't your boobs just kinds flop over it? maybe it's just big boobs that have issues...hmmm

Deb That's what I'm saying! There's gotta be something else!

Jen lol...i have nver been comfortable in underwires...they poke and bend...but i also fall in the excess boobage category...sigh...

Jen i've just always worn "normal" bras...they hold me up and in and sometimes they even look good...who cares? no one sees them but me and Jeff and he prefers them on the floor...lol

Deb I'm not sure why, but I keep humming that song, Does Your Chain Hang Low. ".....Can you tie it in a knot, can you tie it in a bow! Does your chain hang low?"

Jen i always thought it was ears...but, whatever...mine do NOT hang low enough to tie in a bow or a knot or any other such thing...lol

Van Oh goodness this is hilarious! Ive always worn underwire. It seems to lift and separate. I hate the uni boob look! I am a bit of a critic on the subject. I love love love Vanity Fair from Kohls. They are worth the money and come in a variety of colors and styles. They last forever, never ride up and I have never had a wire PoP on me!!

Caryn I've had old ones break in the washing machine, but this is the first out of the blue.

Jen that's what you get for laughing at my missed hair appointments...never underestimate karma...muwahahaha!

Sally I wish my boobs could break a wire...

Caryn ‎^Needs to go on a T-shirt

Sally Yes!!

Ron It just hit me after laughing about this for 2 days. Isn't there a warranty or recall on an underwire bra that causes an unleashing. What if the units got poked and leaked---there are a few choices of leaked what here. And to all the women that wished they had more to justify and underwire bra--------I wish I needed underwire underwear.

Caryn RON!!! LMAO!!!! Underwire underwear... hahahahahahahahahaha..... units leaking.....
HEY!!! These are all natural, dude!!!

Ron That's what I KNEW you would say----that's why I said a few choices. ie MILK!!!! LOL And imagine if my underwire underwear broke a wire...OUCH!!!! LOL

Caryn Yeah your junk would be skewered! OW!

Jen i apparently have enough to justify a wire, but just dont like them...maybe there is a boob to wire ratio that i'm crossing...and i'm not touching underwire underwear...why would you wanna walk around with your junk lifted and seperated???

Jen on a side note...my comment was #69...interesting...hehehe

Ron LOL Good one Jennifer :) And to both of you, do not refer to as junk-----maybe a prize. LOL

Jen lol...well you were the one who said you wished you had enough to warrent a wire in your panties!

Ron Again-----not panties!!!! Men wear underwear. I wear my speedo------------BACKWARDS EVERYDAY!! LOL

Jen well that explains a lot! lol

What this blog is about

Ever have a notion that grabs hold of your brain and just won’t let go?  Yeah me neither.  :-) Just kidding.  Obviously, I’ve been thinking about starting a blog for a long time.  My biggest hesitation, and greatest fear, is that it makes me seem self-absorbed, as if what I have to say is somehow so much more worthy of your time than something else you need to do.  Believe me, it’s not any more or less worthy of your time.  It just … is.  But that’s the point of blogging, isn’t it?  To just share one’s thoughts in the hopes that another person is touched by them?

Sometimes I get really angry for really good reasons.  Sometimes I have what I think is an amazing insight.  And, other times, I’m amazed, yet again, by my kids, and how wonderful they’re turning out to be in spite of me and my mishaps.

So read, or don’t, and comment, or don’t.  My prayer is that you will leave what I write somehow feeling like you’ve connected with a sister, or made a new friend, or just saw a new way of looking at things that makes you think.  Thinking is the best thing.  From thinking comes learning, and from learning comes knowledge, and from knowledge comes insight and teaching, which inspires thinking.