More Africa Pics!

So my friend Stephanie just posted some more pics from Africa and I thought I should share them :)

The bottom one is of another volunteer, Rhian from Wales, who is holding this little girl I saw when I was at Vicky's. You may remember me saying I saw a little girl there who I thought was the most beautiful kid in the world and have been kicking myself for not getting a picture of her. Here she is!!! I'm so excited that Steph had this picture!

And then there's more of the babies, my Lona of course, and Ntlanta :) And at the top, that is Stephanie in the red shirt.

World AIDS Day

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) -- Church bells tolled, workers put down their tools and court proceedings stopped Monday as South Africa marked a minute of silence for AIDS victims and ended a decade of denial about the epidemic.

Activists hold balloons, reading: "Protecting Oneself Is Also Getting Infromed," during a rally in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on Monday.

Peter Piot, the top U.N. official dealing with the disease, joined political leaders and hundreds of AIDS activists at a rally in the coastal city of Durban to show his support for a government that has made a break with the discredited AIDS policies of former President Thabo Mbeki.
"We are the first to admit that a lot still needs to be done," said Baleka Mbete, the deputy president, as she lit a candle in remembrance of the victims.
South Africa has an estimated 5.5 million people living with the HIV virus -- the highest total of any country in the world and more than one-sixth of the global total. About 1,000 South Africans die each day of the disease and complications like tuberculosis. Even more become infected because prevention messages haven't worked.
And yet for years, Mbeki's government downplayed the extent of the crisis. Mbeki himself doubted the link between HIV and AIDS. His health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang openly mistrusted conventional AIDS drugs and instead promoted the value of lemons, garlic, beetroot and the African potato. Watch as reality TV star describes living with HIV »
Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health last month calculated that government delays in introducing AIDS drugs between 2000 and 2005 cost more than 330,000 lives in South Africa. The study said that an additional 35,000 babies were born with HIV during the same period because authorities were reluctant to roll out mother-to-child prevention programs.
"We have to mourn the lives of those we have not saved," said Barbara Hogan, the health minister who replaced Tshabalala-Msimang after Mbeki was ousted in October. She cited the example of an 8-year-old boy battling both AIDS-related TB and meningitis who was on a waiting list for drugs when he died.
"We could have saved his life," Hogan said. She promised to improve HIV treatment and prevention programs, and to increase the supply of drugs to HIV positive women to stop them from passing the virus on to their unborn children.
South Africa has the biggest program for AIDS drugs in the world. And yet, about half the 800,000 people who need drugs are not receiving them. Experts estimate that within five years, about 5.5 million people with HIV will need medication to prevent their immune systems from worsening.
The government wants to halve new infections by 2011 and ensure that 80 percent of people with the disease get treatment and care.
But it faces a mammoth task. The Global Fund on AIDS, TB and Malaria has rejected a South African request for nearly $92 million over the next two years for AIDS projects and $68 million for TB prevention and treatment. AIDS campaigners blamed the former health minister for failing to respect the fund's strict operating rules.
The Durban ceremony marked an unprecedented show of unity between government, big business, trade unions and activists. In the past, activists and doctors had to resort to the courts to force government to provide AIDS drugs.
Church bells rang for a minute's silence at noon, and all banks agreed to cease business for that time. Murder trials were briefly interrupted. Trade union and business chiefs said they would have a 30-minute work stoppage to talk to their employees and encourage them to be tested -- which still remains largely taboo among men. Cell phone services sent text messages to their teenage subscribers.
"With the young and working age dying in droves, South Africa's death statistics resemble those of a country in a terrible war," the Confederation of South African Trade Unions said.

Hey there. Not much to say, but I kinda felt like it's been awhile since I wrote... let's see...



Joel McHale was funny. Duh right? He's a comedian...so yeah, he'd be funny. One night last week me & Kametia (the girl I'm mentoring) went to a hockey game. That was fun. Right now I'm just ready for Thanksgiving, more so I'm just ready for the time off work. I'm so exhausted just from work, the second job, and with my classes starting back up again. I think I might be back in the groove a bit. The first week back I was like...wow...I'm never going to graduate because I don't want to do the work one bit! It's getting better each week. I don't have to work at all this week for the second job and it's so weird...I keep looking at my calendar and thinking, "Ok what night do I have something going on" and then it's NO night!! Such a great feeling :) And to know only one more day of work, ahhh.

***Ok, so I started writing this last week and apparently got sidetracked. The 4 day break was exactly what I needed. Wednesday night me & Ivan went out with Breigh, who is a friend from California. She was in town visiting her boyfriend's family. So that was so much fun. On Thanksgiving we went over to Ivan's friends/co worker's house (Chris & Heidi) to eat with their 2 kids, and Ivan's friend Ryan, his fiance Kathy, and their 2 kids. The food was awesome, and we all totally knocked out on the couch after we ate. Perfect. Friday Ivan & I braved the sales to see what we "needed." Needed clearly isn't the right word for a new TV! hah But since Circuit City is closing they had everything like 40% off. So that was our big purchase for the year :) We also looked at furniture and put a couch on layaway, so I'm pumped for that. Then I went on a slight splurge at Pier One, which was very exciting. You can just never have too many vanilla candles right?

I think that kinda catches us up. Only 3 weeks until Christmas Break, can you believe it? I'm pumped. Before all of that though we have a Christmas Party at one of my co-workers and I'm pretty excited about that, we're going to see Chelsea Handler, going to a Suns game, going to Vegas for 4 days, AND celebrating our 7 year anniversary! So much to be excited about. And then, I'll be coming home too :) And can you believe it's been 7 years? Me neither. I'm very happy with us and how well we work together. YAY!

Just wanted to take a second to remind everyone to be in that giving spirit this holiday season :) I know, I know, that we're in "hard times" but I GUARANTEE you can afford to give a little money and/or time. Ivan & I are able to and we don't have anything on you guys, so trust me that I know you can do it. And with the hard times, that means we need to more than ever. If you're hurting, just imagine how bad someone else is. A friend of ours has recently come on hard times and was informed that government services we've always depended on just aren't there! Either no money, or the manpower to process the amount of help that is needed right now. The charities are suffering too, because those who normally give, aren't in the best position to do so, and there's a growing number of people in need also. Now is the time to help each other out.

Ok, that's my two cents for the moment. Peace!

Sound familiar?

Here's an article from the Pantagraph that goes along with my posts about kids needing to be able to play more:

No fooling: Experts bemoan loss of kids' play time
By David CraryAssociated Press
Advertisement

NEW YORK -- In one classroom, a group of preschool teachers squatted on the floor, pretending to be cave-dwelling hunter-gatherers. Next door, another group ended a raucous musical game by placing their tambourines and drums atop their heads.Silly business, to be sure, but part of an agenda of utmost seriousness: To spread the word that America’s children need more time for freewheeling play at home and in their schools.“We’re all sad, and we’re a little worried. ... We’re sad about something missing in childhood,” psychologist and author Michael Thompson told 900 early childhood educators from 22 states packed into an auditorium last week.“We have to fight back,” he declared. “We’re going to fight for play.”After his keynote speech at New York’s 92nd Street Y, the teachers dispersed into dozens of workshops, some lighthearted, some scholarly — but all supporting the case that creative, spontaneous play is both vital and endangered.It’s not a brand-new cause — two years ago it was endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. But social changes and new demands on kids’ spare time confront free-play advocates with an ever-moving target.Among the speakers at last week’s Wonderplay conference Y was Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a Temple University psychologist who contends that lack of play in early childhood education “could be the next global warming.”Without ample opportunity for forms of play that foster innovation and creative thinking, she argues, America’s children will be at a disadvantage in the global economy.“Play equals learning,” she said. “For too long we have divorced the two.”Some of the factors behind diminished play time have been evolving for decades, others are more recent. Added together, they have resulted in eight to 12 fewer hours of free play time per week for the average American child since the 1980s, experts say.Among the key factors, according to Thompson:— Parents’ reluctance to let their kids play outside on their own, for fear of abduction or injury, and the companion trend of scheduling lessons, supervised sports and other structured activities that consume a large chunk of a child’s non-school hours.— More hours per week spent by kids watching TV, playing video games, using the Internet, communicating on cell phones.— Shortening or eliminating recess at many schools — a trend so pronounced that the National PTA has launched a “Rescuing Recess” campaign.— More emphasis on formal learning in preschool, more homework for elementary school students and more pressure from parents on young children to quickly acquire academic skills.“Parents are more self-conscious and competitive than in the past,” Thompson said. “They’re pushing their kids to excel. ... Free play loses out.”The consequences are potentially dire, according to Thompson. He contends that diminished time to play freely with other children is producing a generation of socially inept young people and is a factor behind high rates of youth obesity, anxiety, attention-deficit disorder and depression.Many families turn to organized sports as a principal non-school activity, but Thompson noted that this option doesn’t necessary breed creativity and can lead to burnout for good young athletes and frustration for the less skilled.Vivian Paley, a former kindergarten teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools and now an author and consultant, argues that the most vital form of play for young children involves fantasy and role-playing with their peers.“They’re inventing abstract thinking, before the world tells them what to think,” Paley said in her speech to the conference. “It gets them thinking, ‘I am intended to have my own ideas.”‘She worried that preschools, in the drive to prepare students for the academic challenges ahead, are reducing the opportunity for group fantasy play — and thus reducing children’s chances to learn on their own about fairness, kindness and other social interactions.“The theater of the young receives the least attention from those planning the curriculum of our nation’s schools,” Paley said. “This very activity is being dismantled in our schools to make room for early phonics. ... Preschoolers are being asked to practice being first graders.”Fretta Reitzes, director of the 92 Street Y’s youth and family center, which serves more than 6,000 children, says many of the parents she sees are struggling to find the right balance for their kids’ schedules, asking “How much is too much?”Preschool teachers need to lead by example, Reitzes said.“Bringing play back into the lives of children, it’s not just OK,” she said. “It’s really good for them.”

News from Vietnam/Cambodia

Remember my friend the Scot--Heather--who is traveling the world still? (So jealous might I add). She sent this email and I wanted to share it. There's a couple links to another blog and a website about an orphange and a hospital in Vietnam and Cambodia. Heartbreaking! Again, just raising awareness. So here's her email:

"OK y'all listen up. This is not my usual official group mail- this is an extra just cos you are lucky people. Here are a couple of websites that I want you all to visit. Thats all you have to do is look andr aise your awareness. If you want to do more than that then great. The first is http://vietnamorphanagedonation.blogspot.com. This is ablog written by Jack Sanderson who I volunteered with in Vietnam. Heworked full time at the Ky Quang orphanage for special needs kids. I'msure you all remember my statements in the email about this place andanyone who has read by blog will be left in no uncertain term abouthow I feel about it. Jack is only 18 but thinks behaves and writes assomeone much older. Please check it out.

The second is www.beatocello.com. This is a website set up by Dr BeatRichter, a Swiss doctor living in Cambodia. He raises funds andprovides medical services free to the poor families and children ofCambodia. He has been doing this tirelessly since the 1970's. He holdsBach concerts once a week for free in the hospital in Siem Reap mailyfor tourists to let them know more about the hospital. I attended oneon my last night in Cambodia and he was wonderful, warm and humourous.I donated blood and also a small amount of money- but I just wanted tolet everyone else know and hope that they check up on these 2 sites."

Kathy Griffen Update

It just occurred to me that I never wrote about how amazing Kathy Griffen was! I realize she's an acquired taste. Some people can't stand her. I used to think she was annoying and all of that. But then I started watching her show, "My Life on the D-List" and I quickly started falling in love with her. And then here and there I would catch one of her specials...and again...she had me laughing my ass off.

So we went and saw her and she was so flipping funny. I think the reason she's so appealing is that her comedy is like no other. It's literally like you are catching up with an old friend. Like she just runs into the room and is like, "OMG! I love you, I haven't seen you in forever, we have 2 hours to catch up, let me tell you everything!" And away she goes, and everything just happens to be hysterical.

The other thing Ivan and I think...is that a typical comedian will say--they take everyday situations and make them funny. With Kathy is just seems like her everyday situations just ARE funny. She doesn't even try. I don't know. She's the number 1 female comedian in the world right now, and I know why :)

One funny thing to note--Kathy has a huge gay following--men & women alike. On the way to the show I told Ivan that just to see if he'd react. I probably didn't even need to tell him because within 2 blocks of the theatre you could just tell ya know? And when Kathy came out she always says, "Ok, where are my gays at?" And I swear to you, at least 75% of the audience was on their feet cheering. I thought it was too funny. Ivan did too...probably not as funny as I did though. And then she asked where the women were, and finally, "Where my straight guys at?" Just a few people in the room. She follows up with, "Yeah I got nothing for ya! Sorry, I know you were bribed here tonight"..etc etc etc. Too funny.

Tonight we're off to see Joel McHale. I'm anxious to see his comedy style because I only see him hosting shows ya know? Regardless, he'll be funny, and hot, and I love him.

How can it be?

How can it be that I am so in love with a freakin' TV character? That would be Denny Duquette on Grey's Anatomy. It was love at first sight. And if you're watching you'll see that he's back. I could watch this show for the rest of my life with no other characters at all. Just Izzy and Denny hanging out all the damn time. I love this man. It's pretty freakin' pathetic. I mean I love the real man too, Jeffrey Dean Morgen...but I love love love Denny Duquette.

WE DID IT!!!

YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!

I couldn't even speak when Charles Gibson said, "It's 11:00 o'clock on the east coast, the polls are closed in California...ABC can project that Barack Obama will take California and several other western states, Barack Obama will be the 44th president of the United States of America..." Believe it or not I started crying. Which shocked me!!! I didn't realize how much I wanted it I guess. I'm so happy. And I'm happy Obama won by soooo many votes. We needed that. We needed it to be a clear win.

And now we're at that point where the bitter McCain supporters spew their feelings, judgements, and skepticism for the future. Which although is hard to stomach, is only natural and expected.

But McCain himself said it best in his speech tonight. Now is the time to come together. That is exactly what we need. What we've always needed. It may take a minute for people to get over their loss, but the end result is that we all need to come together. No matter what my views have been I've always believed in a united front.

Did I mention I'm happy?

Election Jitters!

I'm pretty anxious right now about how this election is going to go down. Regardless of who wins, all I want is for it to be a clear winner. If there's any kind of funny business I will be pissed.

I got an email this morning from a friend with a video dissing Obama. I won't even go into what the topic was because it's pretty ridiculous. And this is what ticks me off the most. People grasping at straws. If you are really talking about issues and truly agree with McCain, ok, I can't argue with you, you have your legitimate beliefs. It's the people voting against Obama simply for that reason-- not to vote FOR McCain, but to vote AGAINST Obama. Does that make sense? The people grasping at little bits and pieces they've heard in the media...Obama's a Muslim, Obama isn't a U.S citizen (really??) At least get a true reason to stand by.

I also think there's a good number of people who are just afraid of change. Change is hard. With McCain we know what we're getting and we can complain if things don't start looking up but at least we're comfortable with that right? If Obama comes in, it's something we're unsure of. Could things improve?? What if they worsen?? What if nothing happens??

Which leads me to my other point. I know a lot of people who like Obama but don't think now's the right time for him. He could waste his potential because change is hard, and if there's no changes in 4 years (which is a very good chance, not because of what he wants/believes/or tried to do but because it takes a lot to change government and turn around the messes we're in) everyone will badmouth him and blame him, and not give him another term. All of which is true. I agree with those possibilities and know it's a very likely. But what I also believe is that it will never be a good time. I believe if McCain wins we'll be dug even deeper (and if we're not, hallelujah!) Whether the promises are kept, or we make any progress it's a risk I think we need to take. I'm willing to bet on Obama and hope for the best. I just believe someone's gotta get in there and take a shot.

And going back to my point about listening to the rest of the world---let's say nothing changes or things get worse...I still wouldn't want anyone but Obama representing us.

The scary thing is that this is just the beginning. It's been such a bloodbath throughout the entire election and because we're so divided and so passionate about it, the insults, judgements, and opinions are going to keep up, full steam ahead for 4 years. Rest up! Ready your defenses! hah

"You Can Vote However You Like"

A nice little rap video about voting, to the tune of one of my current favorite songs, T.I's "Whatever You Like." I think it's worth watching :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgEGtYWonds (the song)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEKNAZbn9p0 (an interview with the kids, they know their stuff)

Leona Lewis

I'm a huge fan of Leona Lewis' songs "Bleeding Love" and "Better in Time." As I listened to them back to back last night I thought to myself, 'these songs totally contradict each other!' If I'm taking all my love advice from random pop songs...what I am supposed to do when 1 person says 2 totally opposite things? (At least in my interpretation).

In "Bleeding Love" I'm pretty sure she's talking about being with someone that nobody else thinks she should be with. And he must have royally screwed her over and blah blah blah.

In "Better In Time" she's talking about breaking up with that guy and how it will "all get better in time."

So what did she do?? Stay with him or break up??

***I do realize the events in these songs likely never even happened, I just noticed how they scream totally opposite things...hmmmm*** Although I don't love them any less.

Busy weekend this weekend. I was out of town for the conference Thursday and Friday, so I got back around 7:00 Friday evening, and just slept! I was tired. Too much thinking I guess. I worked Saturday morning with the city. It was our last baseball games for the season so at the end of each game we were handing out medals. Now we're onto soccer. And the occasional special activity--like next weekend is a fishing derby. Should be good times.

After work we went to a cookout with some of Ivan's co-workers. It was fine, but also kind of the strangest cookout I've ever been to. It was supposed to start at 2, we didn't get there until 3:30...and we needed to leave by 6:30.... they were grilling (without anyone eating anything) from before we got there until we left. It was so odd. I was like...if you're having a cookout, that started at 2:00...wouldn't you have eaten probably before we even got there? And if you didn't, wouldn't you be eating soon? Very strange. So at like 6:00 Ivan and I fixed our plates since we needed to leave. Anyway so that was that.

Then we went to the Improv because we had tickets to see Kevin Nealon do stand-up. I'm putting his picture on here because nobody ever knows him by name, but if you see his picture you'll know. He used to be on Saturday Night Live (from 86-95), is now on WEEDS (my favorite show) and has been in a ton of movies, such as Happy Gilmore, Anger Management, Grandma's Boy, and many more. Anyway, he was funny. (duh right?)

So every comic I've ever wanted to see happens to be coming to Phoenix in November or December! Which is awesome! So on November 6th we're going to see Kathy Griffen, who has that show "My Life on the D-List" and before watching that show I didn't think she was very funny but now I do. I think you either love her or hate her, and I've grown to love her. Celeeste says she's an acquired taste. So I'm pretty pumped about that. And then the weekend after Joel McHale is coming!! He is the host of "The Soup" which is another favorite show of mine, and I have a huge crush on him. He was in California last year and I was going to fly out to see him...that's how much I love him! haha And then, in December we have tickets to Chelsea Handler...who has a show on E! called "Chelsea Lately" and I think is really funny. She also has a couple books out, I read one and am waiting on the other to come in the mail, which are good. So I am just all kinds of excited that they are all coming!!! (I'm gonna put up pics of all of them cuz you'll know who I'm talking about-- Kevin Nealon has the feathered hair, Joel McHale is the other guy, Kathy Griffen is the redhead, and the blond is Chelsea Handler).

Next weekend we have tickets to a hockey game too, and like 8 of our friends are going so I think it'll be a really good time. A couple times a year the school district sells tickets for cheap so I jumped on it.

And we're thinking about going to Vegas. Ivan is a member of this thing where you can get cheap vacations. We don't want to spend money a flight so Vegas is the best option. They have set weekends for each location. So it would be 4 nights in Decemeber (the weekend before our 7th anniversary) staying at the MGM Grand, and tickets to see the Blue Man Group too. Which is exciting. I've already seen them but would love to see them again. And when I was talking to Megan about it she reminded me that I saw them a very long time ago! I totally didn't realize how long it's been...it was in 99 when I saw them! And they weren't really famous yet. So I bet the show has changed a lot, and even if it hasn't it will be awesome. So we'll see... for the past 4 years we've said we're going to Vegas a million different times and never gone (I've still never been to Vegas even though it's been in driving distance for 4 years now!) but I hope we follow through this time.

I guess I'll be going. Ivan's making a big breakfast (yum) and I might be meeting up with Kametia later so I should get moving.

The Kindle

So have you all heard of the Kindle? It's basically like an iPod for books. Oprah had it on her show today and I just want to throw out a disclaimer!!!

I told my mom & Ivan at least a month ago that I wanted it for Christmas. So just this one time, if I end up with it, it's NOT because I saw it on Oprah!! haha

Ready Bodies Learning Minds

So I'm in Tucson right now for a work conference and it's the best conference I've ever been to. It's called, "Ready Bodies Learning Minds." And it's all about the concept that kids need movement in order to be ready to learn. A lot of this can get more technical, and it's not necessarily new information to a lot of therapists; But the way it's being presented is new; it's practical and straightforward. There's great everyday examples that anyone could understand, and the woman presenting is fun-- she's personable, funny, and most importantly, practical. I'm loving it.

While it's great for us as therapists to get this information, it would be awesome for teachers, and especially parents to see this stuff; because we have an idea of this stuff already. A lot of it is talking about parenting and the world today, which if people understood, they would understand why we're seeing more learning problems, behavior problems in kids, and things like ADD/ADHD.

For example, the way kids play and are handled is so much different than it used to be. Duh right? People are afraid to put their babies on their stomachs...do you know what that's doing in return? They're not developing strong core muscles, later in life this can make them fidgety little kids who can't stay in their chairs and are moving all over the place...kids who get in trouble for being hyperactive... because we're all afraid to put them on their tummies and carry them around in their car seats rather than carrying them in our arms and them having to learn to support themselves. That's just one example.

Another would be--look at our playgrounds...do you see any merry-go-rounds? Tire swings? Seesaws? They're leaving the playgrounds because everyone's afraid the kids will get hurt. Well this affects the way they learn to move and process movement...again, making them fidgety kids. (These are VERY basic terms I'm using, if you wanna get technical just ask :)

And not only that, the way your body moves and perceives movement is tied to your vision and hearing and touch, and all your senses. If one is off they all can be.

So we have a fidgety kid, who's showing behavior problems, and probably is having problems with handwriting too. Or cutting. Or is just clumsy.

Now, we've taken away their strength, and various ways of learning movement; then we add to that teaching skills earlier and earlier (which kids aren't ready for, because developmentally they shouldn't be ready for years!) Not only does this mean that maybe we're thinking kids are delayed (when they aren't, they just might be on track developmentally and we're introducing things too soon!), we also need to look at other factors in the environment. Such as...cartoons, video games, microwaves, drive-thrus, the internet----just examples of the way we live now and how we don't need to wait for anything...kids don't need an attention span anymore--until you put them in school and expect a 5 year old to sit in his chair all day. When did he have a chance to develop an attention span? On top of the fact that at 5 years old he shouldn't be expected to sit for 8 hours, and add to that that we're taking away recess all over the place, PE is on it's way out or at least decreased, and then he's the baby that didn't lay on his tummy. Let's not forget that after this, he's wiggled all over the place and is yelled at and punished because he can't, he's unsuccessful in his academics because they were started too early...so now he might even be acting out-- being aggressive or is emotional. Because he's frustrated to all hell.

What do we do? Get him therapy, get him resource, get him medication.

Yes, there are kids who NEED medication and are truly AD(H)D.

In my opinion (and those of many others) is AD(H)D over diagnosed and over medicated? Yes.

What can we do? Look to how kids used to live! They need to jump, run, skip, swing, spin, climb, and yeah, even fall. Because they learn from all those experiences. They need to push, pull, ride bikes, cry! And just be kids!!! That is why we're seeing more and more problems with our kids. The whole way kids are raised (through our faults and just society as a whole) has changed. To add to that...why's it matter if a kid sits at his desk anyway? Really? Aren't we trying to get an end product out of him? So why do we get caught up on the fact that he needs to wiggle, stand up, lay on the floor?

Anyway...I could be on a soap box about this for days. But I've had those beliefs already and they are being reaffirmed at this conference, and giving real world solutions. So happy :)

And if you want more info just let me know!

Obama-McCain Roast

They were both really funny and it was fun to watch :) Lighthearted fun in the midst of it all

Obama Roasting McCain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5SWQJWm6Tg

McCain Roasting Obama:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irXS4Q7mUKQ

Revelation Alert...

Revelation alert!!! Just in the past week since I started my evening job doing adaptive recreation, I have realized why I don't love my day job. First off, let me say it's only been a week but I've had a blast with the new job. It's fun, easy, and the big thing is that I'm getting to spend time with the kids doing what THEY WANT to do. My job all day long, while it is beneficial to them, is not what THEY want, it's what myself, the teachers, and parents have all decided they need. Can I see the benefit? Yes. But it's amazing how much more fun it is to do things with them that they are actually excited about and happy to be doing. In my day job it seems we're so focused on their weaknesses that we can't see their strengths. We're so busy correcting the problem that we don't appreciate what they are already capable of. In the evenings and weekends I get to see their true personalities--not the behavior we're trying to fix, or the stressed out kid, the kid just having fun with their friends.

Ok yeah, we have a lot of fun in OT, but the truth is I'm just tricking them with fun into working on a skill they need. And I'm not having as much fun as I could with them either because I'm trying to make sure they're doing it the 'right' way and seeing what their skills are.

So it's made me realize (thank God!) that I don't need an entirely new profession. I can still stay in the field of working with special needs people and use all my experience to do it well; I just need to look at the options in that arena.

Last night was the kick off to the Special Olympics fall season. So every SO team from the entire state of Arizona was here in Surprise for the opening ceremony. My job last night was to give them their new t-shirts, help them get their dinner, and just hang with them until it was time to march around the baseball field; then hang some more as we watched the opening performances. After that, there was a big dance on the baseball field. It was so much fun to watch and be a part of. And of course, inspiring, motivating, all of these things. And they were all so proud of themselves and each other, so excited. And I was too.

I know not every job is all fun & games all the time. I know my supervisor has to deal with the headaches of logistics and safety and working long hours, whereas I get the fun part of the job. But I still think with all the behind the scenes work, it's still something that I would feel more passionate about, you know?

For now, I am already taking from what I feel on the night job back to the day job. It's made it easier for me to talk to parents already; since I'm seeing them all the time rather than just once a year at an IEP meeting. I'm trying to have more fun and be a little bit more free too. And I'm just hoping that in the future I find something along these lines for a permanent job. I know the city has been in the early stages of looking into a major adaptive recreation center which I would definitely want to be a part of. So we'll see. For now I'm just enjoying finally getting to know my kids!

Like I was saying...

"Europe Mocks 'Half Baked Alaskan' Palin"

LONDON, England (CNN) -- There's no doubt about it. The European media has given Sarah Palin a hard time.

One European newspaper called the idea of a Palin presidency a "half-baked Alaskan nightmare."

Things started quite well, with the curiosity factor. To many Europeans there is something exotic about snowy Alaska. Viewers and readers were intrigued by the shots of the outdoorswoman with her eyes squinting fixed along a gun barrel, the thought of a vice president who had once been a beauty queen.

Columnists were approving that here, for once, was a politician in the higher reaches who probably actually knew the price of a loaf and a pint of milk. Women writers in particular responded warmly to her joke about the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom --"Lipstick."

But soon the carping began, and it was not confined to what U.S. rightists like to dismiss as the "liberal media elite."

We were, the Irish Times warned, "just a heartbeat away from the biggest half-baked Alaskan nightmare." Britain's Financial Times said his selection of vice president raised serious questions about John McCain's judgment and added: "The Palin appointment is yet more proof of the way that abortion still dominates American politics."

Prominence was given to an onslaught on Palin's environmental and animal rights record by veteran ex-film star Brigitte Bardot. Spain's left wing El Pais described Palin as "a figure who comes from the America that is farthest removed from and incomprehensible to the European spectator."

Since then the scorn has been constant, the jokes unrelenting, the YouTube exposure devastating. But let us dispel one bit of nonsense from the start. It is nothing to do with Sarah Palin being of the feminine gender. Sound Off: Is it fair for Europeans to criticize Sarah Palin?
Europeans have been astonished that America has never had a woman president. After all we in Britain elected the redoubtable Margaret Thatcher three times as prime minister. Norway did the same with Gro Harlem Brundtland. Germany has a female chancellor, Angela Merkel, even if she does tend to underline the remark I once heard from a British Ambassador: "A German joke is no laughing matter."

Nicolas Sarkozy's socialist challenger for the French presidency was the elegant Segolene Royal.
When Sarah Palin first became McCain's running mate there were even headlines in some British media suggesting that America had found its own Margaret Thatcher.

That certainly was overdoing it. So much so that after 20 years close up reporting on the original I can't resist the temptation to paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen's comment when Dan Quayle unwisely compared himself to John F. Kennedy. "I've interviewed Margaret Thatcher, Governor Palin and I can tell you that you are no Margaret Thatcher."

No, the problem for Sarah Palin in terms of her acceptance in Europe has been the deep wave of Obamamania that had already swept through the European media before her appointment, the self-inflicted wounds of her early media appearances and the apparent box-ticking cynicism of her choice.

That was summed up for some by the appearance of those women at McCain rallies wearing T-shirts emblazoned "Small Town Gun-Totin Christians for McCain."

For Europeans, who were alienated during George W. Bush's first four years by a president who showed little interest in their continent and patently cared nothing for the opinions of its leaders, the turning point probably came with the appearance on the Katie Couric show when Palin confessed to not having had a passport until 2006.

Europeans are appalled at the thought that someone who wants to be vice president of the most powerful nation on earth had so little interest in the rest of a world which is so vitally affected by the decisions of the man, or woman, in the White House. And they are not much impressed by explanations that her parents did not have the money to send her on a fact-finding tour of the world as a student. Anybody with the money to own an SUV, hunt moose and drive a snowmobile has the money to travel. It was the American Mark Twain who reminded us all that "travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness." If Sarah Palin wanted to be loved in Europe she should have got about a bit.

The election...

I just have a couple things to say on my opinion about the election. It's no secret that one of the things important to me is global interests. You may remember I blogged a little bit about it while I was in South Africa, when I stayed at Vicky's B & B and met her kids. Her teenage daughter was wearing a shirt that said, "OBAMA 08." And her 10 year old daughter said to me, "I will hope for you that Obama wins!" This is from a teenager and a 10 year old halfway around the world. What I'm trying to say is that although whoever is elected will be running only our country, we are part of a global community and if they had a vote in this, it would most definitely be for Obama. We need to pay attention to the rest of the world!! We need them on our side. And Obama is the way to achieve that. There's a common misconception here in America that the rest of the world loves & adores us, wants to be us, respects us, and fears us. This is not true! This may be true for people in desperate situations, but for countries that are more equivalent to us in wealth and power, we're a joke. We're often seen as uneducated, lazy, selfish, and well, fat. We don't appreciate what we have and many of us are so clueless about the rest of the world. I always had an idea this may be the case, but especially after traveling this summer I know it's true. There were moments I really didn't want to admit I was American (especially when with Canadians :) hahaha Because it was like an automatic judgement, and I was expecting the groan or the "oh...." And people aren't afraid to tell you what they think either...about our lifestyle, about Bush, about 9/11...and about Obama! There is so much interest in this election, the world is holding their breath to see if we get it right this time. They are just as hopeful as we are that things will change. While we may be seen in a negative light, people are watching and ultimately what we do does have an effect elsewhere in the world (as we're seeing with the economy) and that's why we need to get it right. Another friend of mine who has traveled abroad had similar things to say. He was in Australia (working with the U.S. government by the way), and said, "I had the same experience... A LOT of Australians carry a disdain for the government and the people." We're a joke abroad. While some can see through our poor representation (Bush) to all the good qualities, you can't ignore the obvious problems we have here. So, we need a change, and the rest of the world knows it, we just need to catch up.

Which brings me to another thought. We're supposed to be a fairly progressive country I thought. We're so equal right? We have women's rights, and freedom of religion, and all these other freedoms. Yet it's a big deal to have a black president? We've still never had that? And it still 'scares' people??? Really? I read an article the other day about some of the things McCain's supporters are saying at his events (which by the way, he defended Obama, so kudos on that) One woman said, "I've read about him, he's an Arab." Are you kidding me? This is the kind of stuff that pisses me off to no end. I may not follow politics as closely as I should, you may lose me when the talk gets technical, but I know I'm not basing my choices on such trivial, and FALSE information. That's what is so scary. People who base their votes on things like that. Not only is it false (and there's so much false information out there about Obama that people just hide behind because they don't want to admit they're not ready for a black president) but so what if it was true... are we that still that backward?

Although it's hard for me to understand other people's points of view on this particular topic, I do understand voting based on different beliefs in the issues...not color of skin, or religion, which is unfortunately where some of these votes will be made from. And please trust I am the last person to throw out the race card; I will come up with every other explanation possible for things before I suggest racism, but it's blatant in this election. Which is so sad, and screwed up.

While I'm at it, I worry that people are so blinded by the fact that Sarah Palin is a woman, a mom, and seemingly 'everyday' person that they'll forget what they're actually voting for. I don't want a freakin' hockey mom as second in command. And if all you needed to see was she's a mom like you to decide your vote, you don't need to be voting in the first place. That's ridiculous. As far as I'm concerned, Palin is Bush in a woman's body; sounds ignorant half the time, doesn't answer questions, and isn't sure of the answers if it wasn't studied beforehand. I can't deal with another term of people leading our country who can't present us well. Even if you aren't good at your job, can't you at least fake it?! McCain is just as bad. He literally sounds just like Bush. He loses with me on presentation alone, without even mentioning the obvious fact that he would be more of the same we've been dealing with the past 8 years.

Man, seems like I had something else I wanted to say...but I don't remember now. I know everyone has their own views and I just want to be sure we're all voting for the right reasons. And take into consideration global interest. It does matter.

Ooh, I remembered what I was going to say. I think the economic problems we're having are a blessing in disguise. We need a giant slap in the face. We've all been living beyond our means, keeping up with Jones', and living selfishly far too long. While it may be a horrible situation to be in for some people, it can only be a benefit. This is our rock bottom and it can only get better. I can only hope people learn from this.

News from Abroad

You've all heard me talk about my friend Heather that I met in SA, from Scotland, who sold her house and is traveling the world for a couple years. She's been emailing with her travel updates and thought I'd share them; since we all love hearing about other people's lives!! haha So here's what she sent today:

10/11/08
Hi y'all

So I finally get around to my emailing- life has been a tad hectic
since I arrived here (here being Vietnam)!

A quick update for some- I had a month in Egypt, had a great time, met
some really cool people (you know who you are!) and saw some amazing
sights. The heat was not so much fun- well over a hundred on some days
and I never thought I would be so glad to see air conditioning!

There was some stress when I got back to SA- I had a lot to organise
and discovered that the volunteer organisation had not sorted my visa
as they had promised they would. No surprise with this lot- I've used
them before and they were just as hopeless so it will be the last
time. So I had to run around a bit and make quite a few very expensive
phone calls which did not please me that well.

However, the immigration department did let me in the country and I'm
currently residing in Saigon, more recently known as Ho Chi Minh City
(or HCMC). I have only been here 10 days but I love Vietnam. Its busy
and crazy, you take your life in your hands when you cross the street-
there are over 3 million motorbikes on the road here and you can
imagine what its like when they all stop at a red light! That's if
they bother to stop. There are no such things as road rules here-
everyone drives on any side of the road and the few cars that there
are really struggle to keep up. Even the taxis are motorbikes, and you
can squeeze a surprising amount of people on to one bike. Whole
Vietnamese families of 5 or 6 hop onto one and think nothing of it!

The people are some of the best that I've ever met- warm, friendly,
welcoming and will literally kill you with kindness. If something is
not quite right- in a restaurant or something- they are horrified and
will run around until it is sorted. They all say hello in the street
and are desperate to talk to you. Although the language barrier is
significant here- very few people speak English and I'm trying to
learn Vietnamese but its extremely difficult!

I'm working in a charity cooking house that has been set up by the
local people to support patients and poor people who have been in
hospital or have been ill. Carlee and I work together and go across
the street every morning at 7.30 am, for a cafe sua da- very strong,
chilled espresso poured over ice and with a giant slug of condensed
milk added- yum!!!. We start work around 8 am, peeling and chopping.
The heat is unbearable in the kitchen so we work on the street
outside- also very hot and some day 100% humidity!- and then carry the
food inside. We eat breakfast around 10.30- all the food that we cook
is vegetarian and absolutely wonderful! Then a short rest before
bagging and packing the food into individual parcels. In the
afternoons we go out and deliver the food to the local hospital and
then serve the rest at a small soup kitchen where the folks can come
with their Tupperware and get a hot meal. Its the only meal of the day
for most of them and I'm always getting in trouble for giving too much
to one person! The work is back breaking as its all done on the floor-
really bad for the back!- its hot, its heavy and its hard but its very
much worth doing and the people that I work with are lovely. The
kitchen is run completely by local volunteers who give their time
freely. I can't get much conversation with them but there is always a
chance for laughter and we enjoy each others company. They are some of
the biggest hearted folks that I've ever met.

Also plenty to do on the weekends- yesterday I took a day trip to the
Cu Chi tunnels which were used by the VC during the Vietnam war. The
tunnels are tiny and I have no idea how people managed to get in
there- but the Vietnamese are much smaller than Westerners! There is a
tunnel that has been specially enlarged to allow visitors to go in. I
was not permitted to go in it because I'm asthmatic but the others did
it and said it was terrifying! Today I'm off into De Tham to get some
clothes made, next weekend the Mekong Delta and a cookery course, then
maybe a few days in Hanoi. A month is not long enough!!

Anyway I think thats all for now- don't say that I don't give all the
details! Hope everyone is well and happy, thanks for all the emails
etc.

Take care all

Positive Thinking

So we all know I preach and preach about the power of positive thinking and all of that. I definitely believe in it, but I came upon this quote that is really funny...and true! I told Celeeste, "Let's be real here...this is why we actually think positive..."

"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."

So true, so funny.