Tropic Thunder

How does the saying go? Two steps forward, three steps back? I went on my friends blog today and read about the new Ben Stiller movie, Tropic Thunder. To read an article about it go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/10/AR2008081001869_pf.html On Amy's blog, as well as many others, they are asking for a boycott of this film. In the movie they refer to a "full on retard" many times. I can just see all the kids now who go see the movie and will think this is hilarious (since it is being portrayed that way AND it's a huge movie, so it must be ok, right?) and the phrase will become the new insult in school. I hope that every teacher/principal/PARENT will tell their children this is NOT ok. I cringe at the sound of that word. I remember being a kid and my best friend Jean's sister had and has Down Syndrome. Kids would sometimes call her "the r word" and tease her. It still brings an anger up in me when I hear it. It is simply not ok to be mean to other people. Period. Why is this funny? Does anyone have an answer? Because I would love to hear it.

Unfortunately, it's not just kids. One day last year in school I heard a MOM, yes a mom, say about her son, "he's such a retard". WHAT? It took every ounce of my being not to shake her and tell her that she is spreading ignorance. But I didn't. I probably should have, but I didn't. When I hear things like that it brings me back to reality and makes me realize we have a long way to go. You can really live a bubble here in East Lansing. Most people are very p.c., everyone plays with everyone. Most of the time there doesn't seem to be any of the racism that you see other places. But every so often it sneaks in. Zachary gets so morally outraged about social issues. He's 8. He goes on rants about racism, smoking and using "bad words" (like stupid!) When he was 6 a kid at school asked him, (I know this because a teacher overheard this and shared it with me later) "what's wrong with your brother?" He said, "nothings wrong with him, he's just Daniel". Amen. We could all learn from that.

I just saw Ben Stiller on Regis and Kelly yesterday. I know he has children. Does he allow them to call other kids a retard? My guess is no. Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't imagine Mr. Stiller and his wife Christine letting their kids use such a hurtful word. Why then does he use it over and over in his movie? From the description of the movie that I heard, it sounds like a funny concept. Why he "went there" and decided to make fun of people with disabilities is a wonder.

You can sign a pledge by going to Stop and Think, the r word campaign. stopsayingretard.wordpress.com/

I also will not be going to see Tropic Thunder. I hope you will join me and not endorse the movie.

Cordless phone, where can you be?

Does anyone else have this problem? I lose cordless phones. They end up all over the place. I never hang them up, then I can't find them. I know some people who always have them on their little cradles right where they can be found. But really, what is the point of having a cordless phone if you don't carry it around? That is what they are for! Otherwise you might as well have the giant phone hanging on your wall like we did in the 70's. Our families was on the wall in the kitchen. So I'd sit on the counter or lay on the floor (ala Marcia Brady). But technology has come a long way since then. We don't need to be tied down. We multitask. So I use the phone as it was intended. I move it. I carry it. But then I lose it.

I do not have a good track record with these things. Last year I brought one outside with me into the backyard. I came inside and forgot it was out there. Then, it rained. Shockingly, it never worked after that. Then I was down to one cordless upstairs, and one in the basement. To compensate for my stupidity the basement model came up to the main level. I went a long time without ever purchasing another. I always seem to need to buy these darn things and I guess I went on strike. Then as the holidays rolled around I asked my dad for a new cordless for Christmas. Perfect! And he delivered. . .he not only got us one, he got the model that has the home base and another station with another phone. So the other model goes back to the basement and I still have two for the main floor! Yea! I can't mess this up right? Wrong.

Once again, I lost a handset. Easy enough, you just press the page button right? I love the page button. It is a wonderful feature for people like myself who can never find the handset. I wish remote controls had that feature too. You could just walk up to the television press the page button and your remote would beckon you to it's hiding spot under the couch. Really, someone should invent that. Well, by the time I paged my phone the battery was dead. So I lost another one. Periodically I would look under cushions, under couches, in the laundry room. Anywhere I might have left it. I was sure that during some cleaning frenzy it would magically appear. Todd asked me more than once if it was in a flower bed somewhere. I was certain it was not. Well, sort of. But I had weeded many times since then and never run across it, so I felt fairly safe.

Then yesterday Todd walks into the family room with the missing phone in hand! I couldn't believe it. I begged him to tell me where it had been hiding for 3 months. Yes, three months. I know because I checked the last caller id and the last one was May 5. I have been through this house hundreds of times since May 5, how could I have missed it? Finally, Todd revealed where it had been hiding. There was only one place in our house that I had avoided for 3 months. . . . .it was on the treadmill. In the exercise room. How humiliating.

The Animal

I have been considering starting my blog again for a few weeks. We have had so many great accomplishments to post. I've been running them over and over in my head. So you ask. . . Michelle, what finally inspired you to start your blog again? What achievement motivated you? It's your kids right? Well, sadly enough, it was the Dyson D 17 Animal vacuum. Yes. Today I bought one. I have spent the last day or so dragging my children to stores. Watching Ruth at Sears carefully show me all the features. Letting me try different models on the conveniently dirty rug by the vacuums. Calling my friend Alyse who already was a lucky owner of one to get her advise. She is probably crazier about cleaning than me. For months I have heard her talk about vacuuming under beds, vacuuming stairs, firing cleaning people when they wouldn't do these things. I would think, "now who cleans under their bed that much?" Well, now it is 100% clear to me. I CANNOT wait to use the "low reach floor tool" that makes it all possible!

Daniel, lover of all things purple, was sold on "the animal" immediately. You see. It is partially purple. A purple vacuum?!?!? What else could a person want? Now your thinking, she doesn't have any animals does she? No, we don't. Does she even have fish anymore? Nope, even they have all died. You see, the other, "lesser" Dyson models don't come with all the fancy tools this one does. That low reach floor tool is like 70 bucks alone. Plus, IT'S PURPLE!

After putting it together I immediately vacuumed my kitchen rug. It is less than a year old and still sheds wool all the time. The Animal made it look like never before. My little bin that holds all of your dirt and is so convenient to dump out with a one finger push, had to be emptied after using it on my 9 foot round rug. It was FULL. How exciting! You do understand that I'm joking, well, sort of. . . . It is one powerful machine. We'll see soon enough if it stands up to the "won't lose suction" claim. My last hepa filter vacuum, the Hoover windtunnel, lost suction very early on and it never came back. It was disappointing. It cost me $300 8 years ago. Three days ago it exploded. Not a sonic boom, but a flash of light, a small poof sound, followed by smoke billowing out of it. This all happened when I had overnight company coming less than an hour later. I had been secretly hoping for that day for quite a while. The lure of Dyson's marketing is strong. I love gadgets and things that promise to make your life easier. Who doesn't? But have you priced these things? I scoured the web, hit the local stores. I finally decided on Bed Bath and Beyond. It was $20 more than Sears, (sorry Ruth, who works on "straight commission") but they let me use their 20% off coupon that shows up in your mailbox every other week. It gave me $110 off. Yes, 20% off saved me $110. If your good at math, which most people frankly are not, you would know that the vacuum cost was $549. Can you hear the sucking sound? Coming from a Dyson, it's particularly strong. But oh how I love it. . . . .

weekend update 5-14-07

Monday May 14, we had a wonderful weekend here in E.L. Most of the weekend was spent going outside then coming inside, going outside then coming inside. J Saturday was Zachary’s last soccer game. Daniel has become a good fan and stays and watches the whole game. He has even gotten used to my “yelling” (I tell him cheering). Zachary will miss the last game next week due to a boy’s trip to the cabin. Sunday was Mother’s Day of course! Grandma and Grandpa Sneathen came over. We had a nice day visiting and being outside. Daniel did the in and out thing and Zachary mostly stayed out. They both jumped on the trampoline yesterday and Zachary kind of makes up a game, explains it to Daniel and he enjoys playing along. It really warm my heart, like any mom probably, to see them having fun together, but when you see that interaction it is extra special! We gave Grandma a frame Daniel had made at cub scouts. We glued shells and starfish (his FAVORITE) to the frame and put a picture in (now posted) of the two boys before the big concert last week. Daniel was also very intrigued with the hydrangea plant we gave her. He really likes to know the names of flowers! “It’s not daisy’s or roses or tulips or carnations” over and over until he kept saying hydrangea.

We had a nice dinner that dad cooked. Both boys thought it was funny dad was cooking! I enjoyed it. Daniel and Zachary both truly love days like yesterday, even though it isn’t really about them. They love to give presents and love to others. It is a wonderful quality to have!

Daniel studied on and off too. A social studies test is today! I was satisfied this morning when I quizzed him and asked the 3 branches of government and he knew. Then he told me which was Congress, president and judges and court. Yea Daniel. If that is all he gets out of it, I think it is the core information to come away with and I was thrilled. We’ll see how much of the rest of the vocab is picked up. Even if the test doesn’t reflect it, I know he has learned the core concepts. But I love when the test reflects it!
Next week I will be late with this. If you don’t know I will be on a “girl’s” long weekend (three nights) to South Beach. I leave Friday morning and don’t get back until late on Monday. My friends and I are all celebrating us turning a new decade together! Any guess? I know your all thinking 30 but it’s not J Anyway, I’ll have fun, the boys can’t WAIT to go to the cabin with Dad and Grandpa. It’s all good. We are all very lucky. I know that!

Here are the handsome boys before the music program. It was a beautiful spring day. They both did an awesome job performing!