It is so weird when you look at your hit counter and see which posts are the most popular. It's completely nonsensical to me.
For a long time my number one hit has been my Vegan Broccoli-Cheese Soup recipe. Following closely behind, is my post on Fun and Interesting Facts about Ethiopia. Next up is search term like Funny Stories About Fear or Extremely Funny Stories, which leads everyone to the link I put on those search terms.
Another hit I get frequently comes from search terms like Pornography and LDS and Pornography, When to Go to the Bishop or pornography, What Happens When You Go to the Bishop or Spouse Pornography Problem, or what to do when kids find pornography. I'm very very glad to see these searches coming in, because it was with this very hope (gleaning traffic from those seeking guidance about their pornography problems, or their loved ones' problems) that I put that series together.
Lately there's been a new one. Who knows why, but I have gotten at least 20 hits in the last two days for the search term, SNL Making Fun of Obama, and that of course leads to the link I embedded there.
A few others that get regular hits have been my post about Whether Or Not I'm a Feminist, and my post entitled Naked Barbie Doll. I'm not exactly sure why someone would type that search term into a search engine.
Blogging is kind of a funny thing.
(BTW you see what I have shamelessly done? I direct-labeled all my most popular blog posts so as to raise the level of traffic! Hahahaha!!! [evil blogress laugh].)
Oct 6, 2009
Oct 2, 2009
Shared Heroes
Sometimes I think that B. Obama and I have a lot of similar feelings about the world. One of the moments that has really made me feel that way, was when he was asked who he would choose to have dinner with if he could choose anyone in the world, dead or alive. President Obama said he would choose Mahatma Ghandi.
I think I might have chosen Jesus Christ first. But someday hopefully I'll see him again anyway, right? Mahatma Ghandi would be the next name to roll off my tongue.
And here's why.
I'm so glad we have the opportunity to celebrate Ghandi's life and work today.
I think I might have chosen Jesus Christ first. But someday hopefully I'll see him again anyway, right? Mahatma Ghandi would be the next name to roll off my tongue.
And here's why.
I'm so glad we have the opportunity to celebrate Ghandi's life and work today.
Oct 1, 2009
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
Even though I'm a health-conscious mom, trying not to feed my kids too many MSG-laden products or nutritionally blank products or starchy carbs all at once; even though I try to make getting as many veggies down tiny throats my focus a lot of the time, I sometimes need that easy-cheesy, cheap, filling, always-a-winner recipe. Usually these kinds of things involve meat, as I've learnt to my ultimate despair. So I've had to improvise and come up with stuff on my own.
Shepherd's pie is a fond childhood favorite. I loooved it on a cold winter afternoon after a long, hard day of school. And so I've figured out a way to approximate it, veggie style.
Nosurfgirl's Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie.
2 cans string or cut green beans
1 can cream-of-mushroom soup
2 tsp vegetarian bullion powder, chicken or beef style; or powdered onion soup mix
Mix these three ingredients together. Spread on the bottom of a casserole dish.
1 pckg flavored mashed potatoes, cooked.
Spread this on top. It will be thin; if you want a thicker layer use 2 pckgs flavored mashed potatoes instead of 1.
sprinkle with:
paprika to taste
1/4-1/2 cup french fried onions (depending on your liking).
Bake at 375-ish for 45 minutes or so, or until ingredients are warmed through and potatoes on top start to get kinda goldeny.
Honestly... good, Mormony, Midwesterny, 50's houeswifey deliciousness :)
Shepherd's pie is a fond childhood favorite. I loooved it on a cold winter afternoon after a long, hard day of school. And so I've figured out a way to approximate it, veggie style.
Nosurfgirl's Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie.
2 cans string or cut green beans
1 can cream-of-mushroom soup
2 tsp vegetarian bullion powder, chicken or beef style; or powdered onion soup mix
Mix these three ingredients together. Spread on the bottom of a casserole dish.
1 pckg flavored mashed potatoes, cooked.
Spread this on top. It will be thin; if you want a thicker layer use 2 pckgs flavored mashed potatoes instead of 1.
sprinkle with:
paprika to taste
1/4-1/2 cup french fried onions (depending on your liking).
Bake at 375-ish for 45 minutes or so, or until ingredients are warmed through and potatoes on top start to get kinda goldeny.
Honestly... good, Mormony, Midwesterny, 50's houeswifey deliciousness :)
Sep 27, 2009
music and LDS sacrament meetings
A discussion on what is appropriate in LDS sacrament meetings.
As you can probably imagine, I have some passionate views on this topic. I found this discussion to be very interesting... and I know a lot of you who read this are interested in this topic as well, so I thought I'd put this link out there.
As you can probably imagine, I have some passionate views on this topic. I found this discussion to be very interesting... and I know a lot of you who read this are interested in this topic as well, so I thought I'd put this link out there.
Sep 24, 2009
Adoption Adjustment: the difference is, no differences
OK this is a post that has been wanting to get out for a while. I have to say that, as a white adoptive mother of black children, the overarching truth is that black children and white children are not much different. They have the same stages of growth and development, the same personality vulnerabilites and strengths. They cry for the same reasons as my white children. They are as easily upset and as easily consoled. They don't have any kind of "natural propensities" for any one thing... they don't jungle gym any harder, run any faster (my little loli is a blur when she wants to be), they don't learn any quicker or slower.
And you're all reading this and going "duh. Well of course not. Skin color is just that... skin deep."
Let me just say that I was unaware of the lingering prejudices/preconceptions I still had (deeply ingrained, not because of how I was raised necessarily, or where I was raised... I blame my psych classes and the media more than those influences.) until I started raising my two African daughters. And now everything's completely blown wide apart, and I suddenly see things I didn't see before too. Those natural assumptions, those little lingering ideas of "difference" between race... they now look to me like prejudice, even though coming from the other end I know how that is never what is meant.
I also realize that I have become a mean, defensive, she-bear of a mom when I feel that race might be rearing its ugly head in any interaction with my kids. I have to tone it down in myself, because I know it's probably not the case in most circumstances. But sometimes I do things that surprise me. Case in point: the other day we were in Sam's. I was lingering, looking for sales on the cereal aisle. Several feet away was one of those little sample tables. Loli asked for some; I told her to run ahead and ask and I'd be there in a second. Bella went with her.
She came back almost immediately, with Bella, and her eyes were tear-filled. I was startled, asked her what was wrong, and she told me that the lady had said she had to wait for her mom. It wasn't what was said, that was a perfectly reasonable response to two kids asking for samples without their mother. I was the WAY she said it... Loli repeated the words in a tone that was scolding, short, snappish... and as I rounded the corner I saw the lady's grim expression.
I was sooooo mad. I don't know that it was because Bella was with Loli that the lady responded the way she did... probably not. Probably she was having a bad day. Probably she was just a crochety old lady. But because of my defensive mean-red rage, instead of just smiling placidly at her and moving along, I kind of chewed her out. I told her that if she wanted to sell things to people she needed to be more polite, that I understood there were policies but she didn't need to snap at my kids. She sputtered. I didn't raise my voice, I just gave her one of those looks I do best and in a few short sentences told her what I thought. And then I walked away.
Yeah. I don't know that I did anyone any favors. I think I embarrassed Loli.
Anyway, I'm writing right now to say there ARE differences between my black and white children. What I have noticed, different, about my African children, the older one especially, is that they seem to be constantly active, a notch up in activity level from my other kids. But this isn't necessarily because their black, it is mostly likely because they haven't had a lot of movies or TV in the past due to their circumstances, and so aren't in the habit of zonking out in front of the screen.
I've noticed that their skin feels rich and soft, almost like velvet, while my bio kids seem to have smoother, thinner skin. This is not neccessarily because of their race, in fact it is most likely because I'm a lot more conscious of taking care of their skin, because when it's dry it shows.
I've noticed that both of my African kids' voices, especially the younger, are richer, a pitch lower, and seem to come from a deeper place. If I have my way I'll have a gospel singer in May. :) I don't know if this is because they are black necessarily, or because they just come from a family that has that tendency.
I've realized that the way I was prejudiced wasn't that I was seeing other races as inferior. It was more a readiness to judge differences, whether I perceived them positive or negative, as due to race. For instance, my "Ethiopian kids can run" from a previous post. Of course Ethiopian kids can run. So can American kids. Kids run. Kids run fast. All kids run fast... some faster than others, and skin color has much less to do with it than how they are raised, and what talents and abilities are encouraged by caregivers and those that they love and admire.
IN short, even after caring for my children for several weeks, I can't pinpoint any differences between black and white. And it seems to be less and less of a worry as they settle in and become a seamless part of our family, and become more and more "My Kids" period, and not my Adopted Ethiopian Kids.
And you're all reading this and going "duh. Well of course not. Skin color is just that... skin deep."
Let me just say that I was unaware of the lingering prejudices/preconceptions I still had (deeply ingrained, not because of how I was raised necessarily, or where I was raised... I blame my psych classes and the media more than those influences.) until I started raising my two African daughters. And now everything's completely blown wide apart, and I suddenly see things I didn't see before too. Those natural assumptions, those little lingering ideas of "difference" between race... they now look to me like prejudice, even though coming from the other end I know how that is never what is meant.
I also realize that I have become a mean, defensive, she-bear of a mom when I feel that race might be rearing its ugly head in any interaction with my kids. I have to tone it down in myself, because I know it's probably not the case in most circumstances. But sometimes I do things that surprise me. Case in point: the other day we were in Sam's. I was lingering, looking for sales on the cereal aisle. Several feet away was one of those little sample tables. Loli asked for some; I told her to run ahead and ask and I'd be there in a second. Bella went with her.
She came back almost immediately, with Bella, and her eyes were tear-filled. I was startled, asked her what was wrong, and she told me that the lady had said she had to wait for her mom. It wasn't what was said, that was a perfectly reasonable response to two kids asking for samples without their mother. I was the WAY she said it... Loli repeated the words in a tone that was scolding, short, snappish... and as I rounded the corner I saw the lady's grim expression.
I was sooooo mad. I don't know that it was because Bella was with Loli that the lady responded the way she did... probably not. Probably she was having a bad day. Probably she was just a crochety old lady. But because of my defensive mean-red rage, instead of just smiling placidly at her and moving along, I kind of chewed her out. I told her that if she wanted to sell things to people she needed to be more polite, that I understood there were policies but she didn't need to snap at my kids. She sputtered. I didn't raise my voice, I just gave her one of those looks I do best and in a few short sentences told her what I thought. And then I walked away.
Yeah. I don't know that I did anyone any favors. I think I embarrassed Loli.
Anyway, I'm writing right now to say there ARE differences between my black and white children. What I have noticed, different, about my African children, the older one especially, is that they seem to be constantly active, a notch up in activity level from my other kids. But this isn't necessarily because their black, it is mostly likely because they haven't had a lot of movies or TV in the past due to their circumstances, and so aren't in the habit of zonking out in front of the screen.
I've noticed that their skin feels rich and soft, almost like velvet, while my bio kids seem to have smoother, thinner skin. This is not neccessarily because of their race, in fact it is most likely because I'm a lot more conscious of taking care of their skin, because when it's dry it shows.
I've noticed that both of my African kids' voices, especially the younger, are richer, a pitch lower, and seem to come from a deeper place. If I have my way I'll have a gospel singer in May. :) I don't know if this is because they are black necessarily, or because they just come from a family that has that tendency.
I've realized that the way I was prejudiced wasn't that I was seeing other races as inferior. It was more a readiness to judge differences, whether I perceived them positive or negative, as due to race. For instance, my "Ethiopian kids can run" from a previous post. Of course Ethiopian kids can run. So can American kids. Kids run. Kids run fast. All kids run fast... some faster than others, and skin color has much less to do with it than how they are raised, and what talents and abilities are encouraged by caregivers and those that they love and admire.
IN short, even after caring for my children for several weeks, I can't pinpoint any differences between black and white. And it seems to be less and less of a worry as they settle in and become a seamless part of our family, and become more and more "My Kids" period, and not my Adopted Ethiopian Kids.
Sep 22, 2009
My Favorite Power Struggles
are the ones I let them resolve on their own. For instance, I had a kid this morning who didn't want to finish her letters. So she didn't have to... but it was enough mental torture for her, knowing that she hadn't finished and it STILL went in the file folder with all the other, finished ones...
Honestly, there's no need for punishments, I don't think, unless someone hurts someone or destroys something or takes something from someone else without giving it back and apologizing. Everything else has a natural consequence that actually requires very little intervention on my part, I've noticed. I've felt a lot better during and after the times I've allowed natural consequences occur, as opposed to allowing my own anger or annoyance make a situation completely artificial. It is tempting, for instance, when it's the fifth time you've had to carefully employ natural consequences to a particular child in a single morning, to do something you know will really "make them see reason."
ONe thing I have learned, especially working with kids who don't speak my language, is if you do let your temper get the better of you, that is what they focus on. The lesson they learn is, "mom was mad, so she put me in my room," and not, "I got put in my room because I colored on the table with crayons." I mean, really, who can blame them. It WAS because Mom was mad that they got put in their room, otherwise Mom would have been calm enough to remember that a very nice natural consequence (and also a removal of the source of annoyance to Mom) would be to make the kid clean the crayon off the table.
I am about 50 50 right now, and working on it. It depends on the day, honestly. There are days when I lose it and days when I somehow keep things going well until Dad comes home. But I'm getting better!!! Nothing like 5 kids under the age of 7 to give me loooots of pratice, haha. :)
Honestly, there's no need for punishments, I don't think, unless someone hurts someone or destroys something or takes something from someone else without giving it back and apologizing. Everything else has a natural consequence that actually requires very little intervention on my part, I've noticed. I've felt a lot better during and after the times I've allowed natural consequences occur, as opposed to allowing my own anger or annoyance make a situation completely artificial. It is tempting, for instance, when it's the fifth time you've had to carefully employ natural consequences to a particular child in a single morning, to do something you know will really "make them see reason."
ONe thing I have learned, especially working with kids who don't speak my language, is if you do let your temper get the better of you, that is what they focus on. The lesson they learn is, "mom was mad, so she put me in my room," and not, "I got put in my room because I colored on the table with crayons." I mean, really, who can blame them. It WAS because Mom was mad that they got put in their room, otherwise Mom would have been calm enough to remember that a very nice natural consequence (and also a removal of the source of annoyance to Mom) would be to make the kid clean the crayon off the table.
I am about 50 50 right now, and working on it. It depends on the day, honestly. There are days when I lose it and days when I somehow keep things going well until Dad comes home. But I'm getting better!!! Nothing like 5 kids under the age of 7 to give me loooots of pratice, haha. :)
Sep 20, 2009
Black and White
A quote from something I recently read online:
"Government intervention in the free market is called socialism. "
I actually snorted (in laughter). I mean, seriously? Is that what we've come to? Is our propaganda so bipartisan, so black-and-white now that either you're for an entirely free, laissez-faire economy or you're a socialist?
I have news for you, taagsmasher (old buddy, old pal). The founding fathers were socialists, then. Because any tariffs, taxes, any prohibitions on selling a substance or good, ANY taxes on businesses of any kind... all of these things are government intervention. We've had it from day one. It was our big grievance with England: no taxation without representation. But when we wrote the constitution, we did not get rid of taxation, we worked hard on fair representation. Taxation was always a given. And remember the added liquor tax that caused such a ruckus back in the 1700's... and remember the application of tariffs onto goods shipped from England... there are a hundred and one examples if you actually read your history books.
Sorry guys. I just had to rant a little. You see, the more I listen to people talk about politics (or religion, that other impolitic subject) the more I begin to think that sweeping generalizations are for those who want to see the world in black and white, who want to see politics as "good versus evil" or "smart versus stupid" or "kind versus greedy." But politics don't work that way. I will put out there this thing that I hold to be one of my own personal truths: there are no perfect political doctrines or systems, or even documents--no, not even the beloved constitution. Which to me, is beloved; it's a very brave, very idealistic document, and it's kept our country in fairly good shape. But it ain't perfect folks. Wanna know why? It was written by men. It's the philosophies of men. You can't trust in the arm of the flesh, or the philosophies of men, or the doctrines or laws or political or social theories of men to have any kind of absolute truth.
I will say that the only thing that can make me really annoyed, when discussing politics with someone, is the feeling that they feel they are righteous or even "right" because of their political beliefs.
There is a right and a wrong in the universe. There is truth. But it doesn't come from Man, it comes from God. And the only documents I'd categorize as absolute truth are the ones I carry around in my little leather case to Sunday School.
It bothers me when people characterize any politician as "evil" or "going to destroy America" or "Puppets of a Secret Combination" or "The One Who'll Keep the Constitution From Falling Off It's Last Thread." They're men. Just men. Doing a job. I don't think that Either George H. W. Bush or Barack H. Obama have horns hidden under their hair, or halos either.
Anyway. I had a good laugh today. Thanks, taagsmasher, whomever you are. I needed that.
"Government intervention in the free market is called socialism. "
I actually snorted (in laughter). I mean, seriously? Is that what we've come to? Is our propaganda so bipartisan, so black-and-white now that either you're for an entirely free, laissez-faire economy or you're a socialist?
I have news for you, taagsmasher (old buddy, old pal). The founding fathers were socialists, then. Because any tariffs, taxes, any prohibitions on selling a substance or good, ANY taxes on businesses of any kind... all of these things are government intervention. We've had it from day one. It was our big grievance with England: no taxation without representation. But when we wrote the constitution, we did not get rid of taxation, we worked hard on fair representation. Taxation was always a given. And remember the added liquor tax that caused such a ruckus back in the 1700's... and remember the application of tariffs onto goods shipped from England... there are a hundred and one examples if you actually read your history books.
Sorry guys. I just had to rant a little. You see, the more I listen to people talk about politics (or religion, that other impolitic subject) the more I begin to think that sweeping generalizations are for those who want to see the world in black and white, who want to see politics as "good versus evil" or "smart versus stupid" or "kind versus greedy." But politics don't work that way. I will put out there this thing that I hold to be one of my own personal truths: there are no perfect political doctrines or systems, or even documents--no, not even the beloved constitution. Which to me, is beloved; it's a very brave, very idealistic document, and it's kept our country in fairly good shape. But it ain't perfect folks. Wanna know why? It was written by men. It's the philosophies of men. You can't trust in the arm of the flesh, or the philosophies of men, or the doctrines or laws or political or social theories of men to have any kind of absolute truth.
I will say that the only thing that can make me really annoyed, when discussing politics with someone, is the feeling that they feel they are righteous or even "right" because of their political beliefs.
There is a right and a wrong in the universe. There is truth. But it doesn't come from Man, it comes from God. And the only documents I'd categorize as absolute truth are the ones I carry around in my little leather case to Sunday School.
It bothers me when people characterize any politician as "evil" or "going to destroy America" or "Puppets of a Secret Combination" or "The One Who'll Keep the Constitution From Falling Off It's Last Thread." They're men. Just men. Doing a job. I don't think that Either George H. W. Bush or Barack H. Obama have horns hidden under their hair, or halos either.
Anyway. I had a good laugh today. Thanks, taagsmasher, whomever you are. I needed that.
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