So now that I have publicly established myself as a smother mother, I have to wade into the issue of violence in professional hockey.
My 9 year old son wants to play hockey in September and my husband and I have agreed. We hate the violence, but it is part of life to deal with risk, so we can't keep him in a bubble forever. He is passionate about hockey and desperately wants to play.
The most recent incident in professional hockey does not sit well with us.
Right now our son plays tennis. If another player approached him in the heat of a tight match and hit him in the head with a tennis racquet they would be charged with assault. If he was injured in any way it would be assault with intent to cause bodily harm, and if they broke his neck, it would be attempted manslaughter. Yet in hockey, a grown man who does the equivalent does not even end up on the bench. This is truly a disgusting chapter in the history of an otherwise proud sport.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
My son is growing up
So it is March and it is raining half of the time and snowing the other half of the time. I think it is fair to say that this isn't anyone's favourite time of the year. It is dark and cold and damp - yuk! However, March Break starts tomorrow and there are several hundred thousand students out there who will argue that this IS their favourite time of the year, so I guess it's just all in how you look at things.
So this morning my 9 year old son said that he wanted to walk to the bus stop alone. He said it yesterday and I insisted on going with him, but today when he said it I said okay. I know that he is going to be 10 in a few months and I need to give him little pieces of freedom and independence or he will grow up all messed up, but it is really difficult to let go. There is no doubt that I am a protective mother and my tendency to smother is augmented by the fact that we only moved to this neighborhood a few months ago and we don't know many people here yet.
I was really happy last night when he shared something that happened at school yesterday. Normally when asked how it went at school he just says "good" and that's it. He told me that he had to present his science project to the class - all 43 grade four students. He told me that it went well and that he received an A-, but that he was really scared. I was proud of him for doing so well and happy that he shared his experience with me. I guess it's time to sign him up for the "home alone" program - because that will certainly be the next thing.
Having kids is awesome. Letting them grow up is hard. Watching my son walk down the street and get on the bus from the upstairs window instead of standing beside him is tough too.
So this morning my 9 year old son said that he wanted to walk to the bus stop alone. He said it yesterday and I insisted on going with him, but today when he said it I said okay. I know that he is going to be 10 in a few months and I need to give him little pieces of freedom and independence or he will grow up all messed up, but it is really difficult to let go. There is no doubt that I am a protective mother and my tendency to smother is augmented by the fact that we only moved to this neighborhood a few months ago and we don't know many people here yet.
I was really happy last night when he shared something that happened at school yesterday. Normally when asked how it went at school he just says "good" and that's it. He told me that he had to present his science project to the class - all 43 grade four students. He told me that it went well and that he received an A-, but that he was really scared. I was proud of him for doing so well and happy that he shared his experience with me. I guess it's time to sign him up for the "home alone" program - because that will certainly be the next thing.
Having kids is awesome. Letting them grow up is hard. Watching my son walk down the street and get on the bus from the upstairs window instead of standing beside him is tough too.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Please stop calling everything NEWS
I have hit a breaking point this morning with what search engines call the news.
"Secret for the perfect toast" is on the moving list of news stories today. I almost went ballistic yesterday with "What's dirtier than a toilet?" on the rotation, but was distracted by other things. I get it - not everything has to be heavy news, a bit of light information can be fun and entertaining. Fine. So tell me who is marrying whom and how short that tennis star's skirt is, but please, do not insult my intelligence by trying to tell me that scientists have just broken the code on the perfect toast. Come on!!
If we don't have an appetite for more fluffy news about celebrities, how about information about new inventions, human interest stories about people who beat the odds or volunteers who are making a difference? Why? Because these stories actually take time and research to write. They require journalistic knowledge and effort to pull together and search engines don't want to pay for that kind of quality. They just want "eyes" on their site so they can sell more expensive ads. So they hire monkeys to produce content based on searches that people do instead of applying themselves at work. I should know, I write for one of those search engines (a girl's got to earn a living you know). I make $15 per article. Do you know what you get for $15? Total crap.
Hey, this could be another idea for Oprah - run an on-line news channel that actually hires people with journalistic integrity, pay them a fair salary for their work and refuse to publish anything unless it informs, inspires or educates. Thought for the day.
"Secret for the perfect toast" is on the moving list of news stories today. I almost went ballistic yesterday with "What's dirtier than a toilet?" on the rotation, but was distracted by other things. I get it - not everything has to be heavy news, a bit of light information can be fun and entertaining. Fine. So tell me who is marrying whom and how short that tennis star's skirt is, but please, do not insult my intelligence by trying to tell me that scientists have just broken the code on the perfect toast. Come on!!
If we don't have an appetite for more fluffy news about celebrities, how about information about new inventions, human interest stories about people who beat the odds or volunteers who are making a difference? Why? Because these stories actually take time and research to write. They require journalistic knowledge and effort to pull together and search engines don't want to pay for that kind of quality. They just want "eyes" on their site so they can sell more expensive ads. So they hire monkeys to produce content based on searches that people do instead of applying themselves at work. I should know, I write for one of those search engines (a girl's got to earn a living you know). I make $15 per article. Do you know what you get for $15? Total crap.
Hey, this could be another idea for Oprah - run an on-line news channel that actually hires people with journalistic integrity, pay them a fair salary for their work and refuse to publish anything unless it informs, inspires or educates. Thought for the day.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Oprah Winfrey Network
Well, well, well...so it has happened. Oprah has figured out her exit strategy! Good for her. I saw for the first time yesterday, an advertisement for OWN. I have to say, in true Oprah style, it was flawless.
I am looking forward to seeing what type of programming they come up with. I hope that it is used as an opportunity to educate people at least some of the time. There is so much trash on television, it would be a real shame if she did not use the opportunity to get some important messages out there.
Not that I am looking for it to be preachy, but I think, for example, that people in North America cannot identify with true poverty as experienced in places like Haiti and around the world. Oprah is well positioned to reach out to people and to educate them without making them just feel ashamed like when you see a commercial with starving children. I actually believe that those commercials desensitize the public over time. You feel sad and want to help the first time you see it, but if you have already chosen another charity to give to, or if you disagree with the religious underpinnings of the organization - it only pushes you away from those suffering children, instead of making you understand how badly they need help and in what small way you could contribute.
I think that Oprah understands this and I am hoping that she uses this opportunity to find ways to convey messages without disenfranchising the viewer - but what am I saying? It's Oprah! She gets it.
Oh, and I'm always interested in some healthy and tasty recipes - for the love of my waistline, keep that Paula Deen woman off television - isn't North America fat enough???
I am looking forward to seeing what type of programming they come up with. I hope that it is used as an opportunity to educate people at least some of the time. There is so much trash on television, it would be a real shame if she did not use the opportunity to get some important messages out there.
Not that I am looking for it to be preachy, but I think, for example, that people in North America cannot identify with true poverty as experienced in places like Haiti and around the world. Oprah is well positioned to reach out to people and to educate them without making them just feel ashamed like when you see a commercial with starving children. I actually believe that those commercials desensitize the public over time. You feel sad and want to help the first time you see it, but if you have already chosen another charity to give to, or if you disagree with the religious underpinnings of the organization - it only pushes you away from those suffering children, instead of making you understand how badly they need help and in what small way you could contribute.
I think that Oprah understands this and I am hoping that she uses this opportunity to find ways to convey messages without disenfranchising the viewer - but what am I saying? It's Oprah! She gets it.
Oh, and I'm always interested in some healthy and tasty recipes - for the love of my waistline, keep that Paula Deen woman off television - isn't North America fat enough???
Charlie Sheen
So Charlie Sheen has a million twitter followers, but lost his kids yesterday.
This guy needs serious help. Such a waste. The guy is immensely talented, intelligent and successful and he going to end up dead before spring.
Please, somebody hit him over the head, tie him to a chair and force him to sober up before he leaves those kids of his without a father.
I confess that I watched the big 20/20 interview online. Outside of the sideshow craziness, there was one moment of real clarity when Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez were being interviewed. Charlie interpreted his father's words as judgment when he likened Charlie's addictions to cancer. All I could think was "dude, there are maybe three or four people in the whole world who actually care whether you live or die and two of them are sitting there - it's not judgment, it's love."
The whole thing is really sad. I am sure that in his manic state Charlie thinks that a million twitter followers means a million supporters, but it is really just a million people who want to see what crazy, self-destructive thing he might do next. Either that, or it's just a million twits. Either scenario is entirely possible.
This guy needs serious help. Such a waste. The guy is immensely talented, intelligent and successful and he going to end up dead before spring.
Please, somebody hit him over the head, tie him to a chair and force him to sober up before he leaves those kids of his without a father.
I confess that I watched the big 20/20 interview online. Outside of the sideshow craziness, there was one moment of real clarity when Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez were being interviewed. Charlie interpreted his father's words as judgment when he likened Charlie's addictions to cancer. All I could think was "dude, there are maybe three or four people in the whole world who actually care whether you live or die and two of them are sitting there - it's not judgment, it's love."
The whole thing is really sad. I am sure that in his manic state Charlie thinks that a million twitter followers means a million supporters, but it is really just a million people who want to see what crazy, self-destructive thing he might do next. Either that, or it's just a million twits. Either scenario is entirely possible.
A Blog to call my own...
So here we are, in the realm of the digital existence. I have been writing professionally for most of my adult life, but apparently nothing is more relevant than having your own blog. So here we are.
There are so many things that we could be doing right now - I could be working and earning a living and you could be, well, doing the same. Instead, we have come together in this egocentric forum where I will share my opinion and you will read it. Perfect (for me that is).
Sorry about the sarcasm, I think it stems from the fact that it was -16 with the windchill this morning and two weeks ago Wiarton Willie got my hopes up and said that spring was going to be early this year. Stupid groundhog.
Yesterday we got some news. Our daughter got her first letter of acceptance to a university. It may not be our first choice of schools, but it is still a cause for celebration. Regardless of what school she goes to, she is focused on going to university and that is huge. There were times when I wondered if this day would ever come, but it seems certain now that she will be attending classes in September with her freshly minted high school diploma sitting at home in a manila envelope like everyone else. Something to be grateful for!
There are so many things that we could be doing right now - I could be working and earning a living and you could be, well, doing the same. Instead, we have come together in this egocentric forum where I will share my opinion and you will read it. Perfect (for me that is).
Sorry about the sarcasm, I think it stems from the fact that it was -16 with the windchill this morning and two weeks ago Wiarton Willie got my hopes up and said that spring was going to be early this year. Stupid groundhog.
Yesterday we got some news. Our daughter got her first letter of acceptance to a university. It may not be our first choice of schools, but it is still a cause for celebration. Regardless of what school she goes to, she is focused on going to university and that is huge. There were times when I wondered if this day would ever come, but it seems certain now that she will be attending classes in September with her freshly minted high school diploma sitting at home in a manila envelope like everyone else. Something to be grateful for!
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