Tsunami

"The earth is like a big cracked egg"
"The Pacific ring of fire"
What is Rob McDonald talking about?

More to the point, why would anybody want to live there?

"The earth quakes themselves do not kill people it is the buildings that fall down and crush people." Peter Mansbridge simply asked him to explain tsunamis and why there are so many earth quakes in such short order of each other and the guy manages to make a very good point in the mean time.

I have to say, I like Rob McDonald... even though it is kind of hard to get past his teeth and actually focus on what he is saying. Couldn't he get some work done on those things?

Well, I guess that since a meteorite can hit our planet at any point and destroy life as we know it focusing on the guy's rabbit teeth seems a bit shallow. Still, he is brilliant and you have to love how no matter what he is talking about he always looks like he is thoroughly happy. More people ought to be that happy and satisfied with themselves instead of stressing about silly insecurities.

Save a little for later

My son is very wise.
He eats only what he needs.
When he is almost full the shares a little with the floor.
He does it just enough to not get in too much trouble because some still makes its way into his mouth.
The rest he saves for later.
Then, after he's let down on the floor he wanders off while we are still eating.
After a few moments he comes back to forage.
If we hadn't managed to sweep it all up, he'll find it.
Sometimes, it seems like not a speck is left on the floor.
But, he still manages to find it.
How does he do it?... And he knows it's bad because when he sees me coming, he runs! Not just runs, he clamps down his mouth and chews as fast as possible.
He's a great multi-tasker.

What to do when your kids are too pretty

Mary was too pretty
Sammy was too shy
Everybody wanted them
To come out and to try
They wouldn't budge
They wouldn't go
No matter what was said
But, then there are the evil ones
They'll always get their way
So Mary was too pretty
But, she learned how to fight
So Sammy was too shy
But, he learned how to shout

How to stop thumbsucking

Don't even bother. The more you try the more they'll fight it. They probably did it in the womb.

That said, you're going to try anyway, right?

Well, don't do it too soon. Wait until they can reason it through with you. If you try to young the message will become too jaded before it can become effective. When they are old enough, incentives may work.... but, only if they are about ready to quit.

Look for when they do it. You may also want to wean that pet blanky or monkey away from them because you might find that they really only do it when they're hugging it tight.

Once the habit is broken, or so you thought, be prepared for them to try to come back to sucking every once in a while. When that happens, it could be because something is bugging them. Keep those lines of communication open and offer other sources of comfort (like time alone with you).

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), the pet diagnosis

The other day I got revenge for all the crap I've been through. For all the doctors that decided that simple diagnosis is all they have to do. How many times they could have done a little more. How much faster things could have been resolved.
It seems to me that modern medicine is no different than the urine sniffers of old. Patients are guinea pigs. Doctor's are too busy to be challenged. They want a quick in and out and move on to the next patient.
"Good news, we haven't found anything wrong with you." How is this good news? Is this why I was on waiting lists for months and years? To get no resolution?
Pity the poor souls that listen to doctors that fluff off their patients.

Is it all worth it?

You have to wonder why you try
You have to wonder why you cry

No time to sweat the tiny thoughts that clutter up your mind
No time for wishful thinking

The buzzing sound inside my head of things undone, unsaid
The years go by before I blink
The middle ages almost here

With many years that used to be
Ahead of all the rest
And yet, I'm here
I'm ready now
I've done what I set out to

I'm right on track
Through blood and tears
Through shear determination

There's nothing to regret
It could be faster, better, smarter
It could be richer, bigger, fatter
It could be worse

To look at other great achievers
To look at those that I admire
It may surprise and yet astound
That they, too, had not hit their stride
Until they about now

And looking back it seems so clear
All road led them to here
But, at the time it may have seemed that failure overshadowed
Each thing they did
Each moment passed

Yet here we are
Beholden
Bemused and full of awe

All we can do is what we've done
That's all that we can ask for
Today is gone
Tomorrow comes
Tonight I'll let myself to sleep
To rest, to dream, to re-invent
The reasons to wake up