Monday, July 16, 2012

Random Thoughts to Start our Week


This drought is already hitting grocery prices hard. 
We're feeling it.
Not good in an already-crappy economy.
I know it will turn around eventually.
 
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I'm curious to experience a booming economy.
So far, in our adults lives, 
the booming part has happened during school.
We've only experienced working 
during a down economy.

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I am practicing self-discipline 
when it comes to Facebook.
It can suck me in.
I closed my account a few years ago 
and, for the most part, haven't missed it.
I do occasionally peek at Mark's 
and am reminded why I don't miss it.
And I'm not the only one.
(Really good article and comments).
 
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Man, some people go manic and 
post non-stop pictures and quotes.
And then there are the ones 
who post every little thing  
happening in their lives 
(hurray for the hide feature).
I can see the good things about Facebook, 
but mostly it makes me sad.
I have been with people who, 
rather than enjoying an incredible moment,
are in their phones missing it 
in order to share it on Facebook.

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July 9th is National No Bra Day?
 I had no idea.
I celebrate that day as often as possible.
 Bras are not fun.

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So, our county is reassessing 
everyone's property taxes.
The new amount goes into effect in 2013.
There are several people 
who must now sell their homes,
because they cannot afford 
the high cost from the increased taxes.
Thing is, nothing is selling, 
so who's going to buy 
an even more expensive property?
It's scary and sad.

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We are nervously awaiting ours.
Our house hasn't been reassessed
 in a LONG time
and not since all the improvements
 made by the previous owner.
 Ours, like those of many others, 
could double or triple.
Awaiting the mail these days is
 a stomachache-inducing, nail biter!

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We found a cute idea online 
of making report cards 
for kids to use to grade parents.
Mark and I got mostly As and Bs,
but I got a "D" and he got an "F."
Enlightening.

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Property taxes and drought and 
car repairs and malpractice insurance 
. . . oh my.

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PA state law requires that homeschool students 
take tests in certain grades.
Thing 2 had to take an achievement test this year.
It is the 3rd time we've done it so far
(twice with Thing 1 and once with Thing 2).

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One of the beauties of homeschooling 
is that you can focus on learning to learn 
rather than learning to test.
Our kids don't take many tests. 
They learn to learn. They're naturally curious.
So of course when they do test,
we're always interested to see their scores.
Every single time, they test well over 90% 
and above average.
We're so proud of them 
and their hard work and efforts!

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I saw an article about Mitt Romney this week 
that was eye opening.

It said: "Saying his foreign investments 
have been held in a blind trust 
and managed by a trustee, 
Romney emphasized he has no knowledge 
of where his money is being placed.
'I don't manage them. 
I don't even know where they are,'
 Romney said in an interview on Radio Iowa."

Bwahahahaha! Yes, Mr. Romney, I can totally relate.
I mean, I have so much money overseas that
 I, too, do not know where it is,
because I don't even need it!"
I asked my friend, 
"Don't you have so many off-shore accounts 
that you can't even stop to think about them?"
To which he replied, 
"I lose track of my foreign investment accounts 
all the time. It's a pain.
 I've lost track of all the people I've hired 
to manage my offshore accounts. 
And their assistants."

Dude can have all the money he wants. 
I don't fault him that.
But when I hear his camp try to spin it
like he can totally relate to the every man?
In this economy?
With comments like that?
Laughable.

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We got to meet Jimmy a few days ago!
We have become good friends 
via blogging and email for over 4 years.
It was wonderful to meet in person!
He is such a kind person.
I'll post about it soon.
It was a total delight to meet him
and spend time in DC.
I'm so glad we're friends.

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My sweet daughter gets braces today.
I'm a wreck about it.
I don't even know what to think 
about orthodontia in general,
but that's another story for another time.
For today, we're loading up on soft foods 
and fun surprises.
We've spent the past few weeks 
eating lots of popcorn 
and other treats she can't have for a while.
I've done a bunch of research 
on fun "care packages"
that people put together for relatives
 and friends who get braces.
Some neat ideas out there!

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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

No, I got to meet you guys! It was great and thank you, thank you, thank you for making the trip out to visit me. I can't even tell you how much I appreciated that and how much I've appreciated our friendship.

Dr. Mark said...

I agree--it was great to meet you, Jimmy. The best part is that it was a completely natural and normal meeting, like we were meeting an old friend. Lunch was great, too, by the way.

Thing 1 did great with the braces today. And you did great as the worried mother of a kid getting braces, especially trying to think of nice things for her.

Zelia said...

Thank you for not telling me. I would have been a wreck. I will call her tomorrow,oops today. It is12:35AM.

Vivian said...

I'm dying to know in what catagories the two of could have received D and F. Crazy kids.

jim said...

I think that jimmy must be great His comments are always so kind.

Thing 1 is such a trooper I have no doubt that she will be fine and probably make it a learing exoperience.

Boquinha said...

Thing 1 looks very pretty with her blue and yellow braces. She's a bit sore and we're making lots of soft foods, but she's doing great.

Vivian, I got a "D" and Mark got an "F" from Thing 2 for the entry "Doesn't scream at me when he or she is angry." We really don't generally yell or scream at our kids, so we asked him about this and he explained it to us. When people use frustrated or irritated tones, to him that's yelling.

Have you seen the episode of Modern Family where Gloria can't find the keys and Jay is talking and she keeps saying, "Stop yelling!"? Yeah, kind of like that. :P But seriously, the feedback was good - it helps us know what kinds of things we can work on, including "tone."

Emily said...

I had Vivian's same comment, so funny!

Neat that you got to meet Jimmy. I haven't seen him since we ran into him at Disneyland like 5 years ago. It's so...random that you guys are friends. The internet is awesome.

Stupid drought. Stupid economy. Stupid all of it.

If Mitt Romney can lose track of his money, I'd be happy to take over some of it for him! Heh. But I don't really think it's fair to judge a person on how much money they have, presidential candidate or not. I know plenty of filthy rich people (seriously, most of my siblings in-laws are disgustingly rich) that seem completely and totally normal and every day man kind of people. You would never know in a million years that they were loaded. And I relate to them just fine from my double-wide. Heh.

Boquinha said...

Jimmy, ditto, ditto, ditto. I didn't know until we got down there that you had stayed an extra day, rented a car, etc. all to see us. I had no idea! It was a LOVELY visit and way too fast. I want to post about it very soon.

(And Jim, you'd like him in person, too).

Emily, it is random. When I tell people about it, I'm sure it sounds nuts ("he's my husband's younger brother's wife's ex-boyfriend that I met through blogging and email"), but it totally works and I count him as a dear friend. He is really SUCH a nice guy. Thank you for your part in introducing us! The Internet IS awesome.

Like I said, I don't fault his being rich -- that's fine. And I know rich people who seem like every day kind of people, too. I just don't think Mitt fits in that category at all.