FS 2.3 Spring Is In the Air

Punxsutawney Phil may have seen his shadow but the groundhogs around here are out and about. Now that it is starting to warm up you can see them sunning themselves in the afternoon. So, spring is in the air and with it a get busy, get moving feeling. I was re-energised recently with a visit to a very curious little shop. From the moment I walked in and started speaking to the proprietor I found a little bit of everything that I seek. The shop was filled to brim with odds and ends that I found unique and inviting but the people and their stories, information and willingness to help really stuck with me.

After my outing I went home and dove straight into one of the books I bought that day. This is when things started coming around full circle. My creative muse jumped right out of the closet and bashed me on the head. I allowed her to scream at me just this once,"to stop making excuses, you know you can do this, and the ever so obvious Listen to your inner voice!" Because she is right.

It is a time to plant new seeds on more ways than one. As many of you know the gardening bug hits me pretty hard this time of year and this year will be no exception. I am already starting some plants inside. It is a time to push past the obstacles and negative influences in our lives. Do not give into doubt, rejection, or hurtful remarks. Hold close those near you who support and applaud your time, effort, and ideas. It is time to breathe new life into our everyday by trying fresh new things. So, I say ... go out on that limb and jump right off. Talk to those people who you think are unapproachable, they may surprise you.

So, here it goes my dear friends and readers. I am in the works of starting something wonderful. At this moment I am still getting it off the ground but I will keep you posted and hopefully soon will have a link to send you. All the best!---CK

FS 2.2 Why I Loath and Despise Lexile

For several years now I have had to deal with the Lexile framework for reading program in our local schools. The service this website lexile.com offers is a catalog of books that are placed into reading levels. Kids take tests to show their level of reading and are given a range that they are to read books out of. School libraries shelve the books by the lexile level. So this all sounds well and good to get kids to challenge and improve their reading skills. There is a catch though. If a child finds a book they really want to read it must be within their lexile range and most teachers will take no exceptions. Children who have advanced reading levels for their age and grade are left with books that are too mature in subject matter or not interesting at all. I happen to be a parent to one of these children.

Ever since the Lexile program was integrated in our schools my child has less and less of a desire to read at all. The level my child sits at right now and range assigned to her has also taken away any chance for her to read fundamental classic literature. Basically my kid can read the latest crap novel about teen age romance but she cannot get any credit at school for reading Hemingway, Jack London, Dickens, Poe, H.G.Wells, Ray Bradbury or C.S.Lewis

It is both a blessing and a curse to raise a gifted child. We trust or educational system to ensure that they have the tools and knowledge to equip them for life and further education. I am not saying that it is entirely their responsibility. I take part in my child's education by staying on top of their grades, homework, projects and interests. The Lexile program and the teachers who do not demand that all children have a basic knowledge and exposure to the books, art and ideas expected to be taught in grade school I hold accountable.

I spoke with an educator in the gifted program at our school that dislikes the Lexile program as much as I do. I was informed that many of their "levels" posted for classic literature are based off of adapted versions of these books. This knowledge appalled me. So, when a kid looks up Great Expectations by Charles Dickens the level posted is much lower because it is based off an adapted by Joe Smith version of the book. Way to go Lexile! Thank you for dumbing down the children of our future. ------CK

FS 2.1 Crossing the Line

A story I came across today forces me to cross the line. I told myself I would not post blogs that were either religious or political in nature or content. Knowing that these two subjects turn friends into enemies no matter how harmless the concern or idea.

Today BBC news has posted a story titled, "US Firm To Remove Biblical Reference On Gunsights"

Of course the title got my attention but as I read on I became fuming mad. Here I will break down my side of the story......

The biblical reference in question is written as follows...

2COR4:6 and JN8:12 if you can read that clearly I would like to point out that the actual raised lettering is 2 times smaller and at the end of a stock number.

Trijicon, a company out of Michigan has been making products for the US military for over 20 years. They also supply the UK, Australia and New Zealand and yes the company is owned by a devout Christian. How offensive are these versus?

second Corinthians 4:6

⁶For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

John 8:12

¹²When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

I don't know about you but I am not offended by these references at all. They may not be the versus I would choose to display but they are a message of hope and faith. My anger stems from political correctness once again taking away a selfless and human kindness act, a message of hope for those in a place that feels like hell. If anyone needs a message of hope and faith in a time of despair it is our soldiers serving on the front lines. Let us not also forget that 99.9% of soldiers bearing these arms had no idea that these coded references existed on their weapon sights until this story was posted. A particular 11Bravo very close to me included. As for why this story is coming out now after 20 years of people not noticing. Apparently weapons stolen and falling into the hands of our enemies have caused this insane act. So now because the same people shooting at our soldiers are offended we are suppose to change our ways.

Can I get a Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!!!

The shame on you list includes...

ABC news for bringing this one out in the open (first reports)

Welton Gaddy for your asinine quote "Images of American soldiers as Christian crusaders come to mind when they are carrying weaponry bearing such verses," Welton Gaddy said.

This is not a call for "onward Christian soldiers" Mr. Gaddy! No versus are actually written anywhere on the weaponry! Up until this story was broadcast the stamp on the sights 2COR4:6 and JN8:12 didn't mean anything to anyone except the people at Trijicon.

The Interfaith Alliance for claiming that the gunsights clearly violate the laws agains soldiers proselytizing in a predominantly Muslim country.

Can we take a poll and see just how many people were converted to Christianity from 2COR4:6 and JN8:12 being stamped on a weapon sight?

Just when exactly did Americans lose all self respect? Why do we decide to roll over and become everyone else's doormat? Why should we feel the need to cater to those who's goal is to harm and destroy us. From the eternal words of Theodore Roosevelt "The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life."

Let it be known that I am not an overly religious person. I simply stand up for people who are doing good deeds and getting punished for them. Hats off to the people at Trijicon for standing up for their morals and beliefs by placing a coded message that would stand out to those looking for it but not be noticed or offensive to those who do not. Trijicon has gracefully promised to not only stop stamping their message but also send out kits to remove the lettering. Is this the right thing to do? With the pressures and publicity this story has got I can understand their decision. Losing several government contracts could not do well for their business. On the other hand this does not change the fact that the message is out and that publicity alone may damage business for Trijicon. Our demand to make Trijicon stop stamping this code on the weapon sights they produce for our military is the same as slapping someone in the face when they say that they will pray, light a candle, or simply keep a loved one in their thoughts who is deployed with the military. ----CK

FS 2.0 King Reads

Firespark, you sparked my interest to go back and pick up where I left off the Dark Tower series. For those of you who haven't heard ... Word on the street ( http://www.stephenking.com/index.html) is that Mr. King will be working on another novel for this series. Can I get a "hell Yeah!" The working title is... The Wind Through The Keyhole. Hints say that this one may not be directly about Roland but don't let that discourage you. As we all know there is a world of back story to build an epic.

Yesterday, I went to the bookshelf with much excitement and dusted off our copy of Wolves of the Calla. I let the dishes pile up a bit and brewed far too many pots of coffee as I fell back into middle earth. My horoscope for today says it will be very much the same with slight interruptions and something about a turtle of enormous girth.

Other news is that the question was put out to Stephen King fans on facebook ... Which would you like to have first, another middle earth story or a sequel to The Shinning called Doctor Sleep? Do we have to choose Stephen? We are a house divided on this topic. My husband wants another Dark Tower book ASAP. I on the other hand being nostalgic, would really like to see where you can take us from The Shining. The title Doctor Sleep is quite intriguing, no far more than that... I am bouncing with the anticipation of a kid with ADHD. For you Mr. King I will force myself to be patient after all "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."---CK

FS1.9 Another gift of poison from Monsanto

Three GM corn varieties from the makers at Monsanto

First off I must say that there is nothing natural or healthy about a strain of corn that is resistant to caustic herbicides like Round-Up. I think we can all agree that we learned in science class that plants absorb chemicals, minerals, and nutrients from the earth. This is what makes them grow and in turn, makes them nutritious for us to eat. So, basic knowledge would tell us a plant that grown in this condition has absorbed these toxins and now we are going to serve it for dinner. How bad is this for the human body? Well the lab rats that Monsanto tested this on have come down with permeant liver and kidney damage after only 90 days of consuming this corn in their diet. Let us not forget the wonderful corn plant also gets turned into corn syrup which is found in everything from juice and soda to canned fruits and veggies. Corn is the great American filler to so many of our processed foods. Even our pets will be affected as most dog and cat food has a base of corn products. The only good news I can give you is, if you are using biofuel your car it's kidneys and liver are still safe.

Do your own research:

http://weber-farms.com/blog/2010/01/13/unbiased-study-of-three-gm-corn-varieties-on-mammalian-health/

http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm

http://science.slashdot.org/submission/1149908/Organ-damage-in-rats-from-Monsanto-GMO-Corn

FS 1.8 New Year New Rules

It has been awhile since I last blogged.... So it may be a week late but here is the New Year and with it comes new expectations and goals. Happy New Year to you all and I hope that you reach and exceed those goals. I am currently working on a month by month basis to achieve such feats. I find looking too far ahead tends to lead to disappointment, which in turn make it seem less achievable. My list is probably very much like your own. Get fit, get healthy, be productive etc etc etc... I also have a few goals to instill important skills and less frustration in the young people in my life. Less video games more hands on entertainment. and the ever present chores first then fun applies to us all. What we are really reaching for is a new beginning and new motivation. Best of luck in finding all that you seek. CK

A Fish Story I Could Not Resist

Did Something Fishy Cause Benson The Giant Carp To Go Belly Up?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124991924916619783.html?mod=yhoofront

FS 1.7 Dinner Art

On the subject of "is it art?"

My day has been a bit frustrating. Starting at the beginning of the business day I had one small mission to accomplish. In a perfect, sane world this should only take one simple five minute phone call. In reality, I stopped counting the many people I was transfered to and given extension numbers for after 10.

Oh yes, and that one small mission was no closer to being accomplished. After banging my head a a few times, stomping around muttering insults to the customer service industry as a whole, I see it is time to start dinner.

This is great right, cooking usually takes my mind off the little things that annoy me. So, what are we having tonight? I express out-loud while rummaging through the pantry and fridge. By the look of these ingredients I say "spaghetti it is!" Right about now I have a large pot with meat browning to perfection in a saute' of olive oil and Italian herbs. The smell is wonderful and reminds me of the basil plant on my counter, and eureka! That's right I'm making pesto!

I pull out my most handy gadget in my kitchen the 3 cup food processor. Pesto is perfection in a few easy steps. Harvest the basil, rinse, stuff in food processor, add olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese and a dash of salt and pepper and chop, blend, mix, chop, voila! Pour that over a little angel hair pasta with some roasted chicken and yum yum yum! As I open the lid and take a whiff of my perfect pesto I know it would be a waste to encourage anyone else in my household to try it.

In my house I am outnumbered by those that feel Italian food is simply pizza, fried mozzarella sticks, red sauce, pizza rolls, pizza pockets and pasta and must always contain ground round or a wanna be "Italian sausage". I have learned not to argue when said members claim that a pizza roll is Italian food because it has a meshing of pizza ingredients and and good dash of MSG for a poison your palate forever flavor. Much like how some people consider Boones Farm a "quality" wine, twitch twitch shutter shutter. This is what everyone else under my roof considers "quality" Italian food. It hurts the CK. I feel shame, shame, shame, but as they say you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink the Chianti. -----CK

Mystery Photo Thursday 1.2

If you are scratching your head or shying away thinking this photo is creepy, you are not alone. The mystery of this pic is not what but WHY??? Two years ago I was visiting the Philbrook Museum working on an assignment for a class at OSU. I walked into the room and saw this, to make things even more insane it was animated and talking. Is it art? I am sure on some perspective yes. What and why I am still not sure. Please do not let this steer you away from visiting the Phil as this is most certainly not the norm for their collection and it is still one of my favorite spots in Tulsa. So, I open this blog up for someone to answer the questions we all have about this particular piece. I also must say that if it's purpose is for educational enlightenment I fear it would scare the poor, little children as soon as they walked into the room. ----CK

Alaska Sea Blob Mystery (Sorta) Solved

Alaska Sea Blob Mystery (Sorta) Solved

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I deduct 10 points from Slytherin

The Muggle world has busted Crabbe... (link to story below)

Insert your world of Harry Potter alibi here. I'll post a few to get you started.

1) But it was for potions class I swear!

2) I was holding onto them for professor Sprout while she was on vacation.

3) I was trying to conjure oregano.

4)It's the secret ingredient in Hermione's muffins that makes them so tasty.

5) Draco made me do it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090721/ap_en_mo/eu_britain_potter_actor;_ylt=AuJSxToBXagEvE_MQ60XJQKs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFrdjUyNjViBHBvcwMxNjYEc2VjA2FjY29yZGlvbl9lbnRlcnRhaW5tZW50BHNsawNwb3QtZ3Jvd2luZ3A-

FS1.6 It's Good To Know I Am Still The Alpha Of My Household

As a few of you know, I took a trip home this weekend and just returned yesterday afternoon. Upon walking back into the house I was expecting it to be in a shambles but to my surprise there was actually some major improvements made. No carnage, no wreckage, no Harold and his purple crayon murals on the walls. I do say I am most impressed. There was only one slight snag in the fabric of this home sweet home story... The dog Apparently my 38 pound little bundle of fur was too much for my 6 foot, military trained to kick your ass husband. Granted Ginger who is a mix of 3/4 German Shepherd and 1/4 we have no clue can be quite the stubborn little canine. She and I have on more than one occasion had the discussion over who is the head bitch of our household. I was shocked to hear that she was jumping on the couch and growling at my husband while I was gone. In fact her behavior was so bad that my husband was about to make a 911 call to the Dog Whisper instead she became an outside dog until I returned. Naturally, once I was settled in I had to see this so called "hell hound" behavior. So I opened the back door and she did her lap of joy around the downstairs then sat perfectly at my feet waiting for me to pet her. I bent down and gave her a pet and a scratch behind the ears and she quietly went into the next room and laid down. To this my husband just shakes his head and I say " it's good to know I am still the alpha of my household."---CK

Make Your Own Deadliest Catch Playset! - Deadliest Catch Wiki

Make Your Own Deadliest Catch Playset! - Deadliest Catch Wiki

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CK must admit, I am a big "catch Fan"! Though I do not harbor (yes that pun was intended) as much intimacy for the Discovery Channel as the Bloodhound Gang, I do enjoy most of their shows. Except for those drop me in the middle of nowhere and see how long I can survive programs which just irritate me.

The Deadliest Catch is by far my favorite. I am quite sure this has something to do with the Scandinavian influence in my life. If ever there was an example of the work hard play hard mentality this is it. The guys do one hell of a job in the most treacherous weather conditions and body of water that the planet earth has to offer. I lift my shot glass of Brennivin to all the crews for a safe journey but must admit that the Northwestern and Time Bandit are most admired but I'll leave the cod biting for good luck to Edgar-----CK

FS 1.5 Stop The Media Michael Madness

Enough is enough people, for more than 2 weeks now the media has been broadcasting every tiny aspect of Michael Jackson's life. It is impossible to check your email, watch TV, or open a magazine without being bombarded by a Michael Jackson story, speculation, or tribute.

This is not a life changing event!!!!!

The world is not going to stop turning!!!!!!

...and for the love of God he did not personally touch your life!!!!

Yes, Michael Jackson was a great musician and amazing performer. Yes, he brought entertainment to us with his music. Of course my sympathy goes out to his family and friends for their loss. On the other hand, I find that the media's inability to let go of this tragic event, carpet bombing the world with so much coverage for such a long time that I am starting to question if I grieved long enough for my personal family members who have passed. Those people who were a part of my everyday life and an influence to my character and the person I am today. How dare some news anchor in New York or LA who also had no personal relationship with the King Of Pop keep trying to convince me that Michael Jackson's death was more tragic and personal than my Grandfathers. Cut the crap, unplug people and look at yourselves. I am most certain you will find that if you step back and say "No" to the "Hulu Soup" (hulu.com) you will see the people in you life need your attention and the King Of Pop needs to rest in peace.-----CK

Mystery Photo Thursday 1.1

Who can be the first to identify this handy gadget?

Best of luck to all. ---CK

It is now Sunday morning and so far no takers on guessing the mystery object. I'm surprised that this one has stumped so many. In efforts to keep all of those I know and love from head trauma caused from slapping your foreheads I will keep my hints vague. Here we go....

Hint #1 "it Rocks"

That's right, that's all I am giving you but for those of you who can remember my tales of my time in Germany, think of one of the main industries in the area I used to live. The one that doesn't involve grapes. -----CK

FS 1.3 There Are So Many Things Wrong With The World Today And Here Are The Headlines To Prove It.

The news headlines on Yahoo this morning are so "out there" that I think I am just going to let them speak for themselves. Also because I am still working on my first cup of coffee and in a slightly foggy state this early in the morning.

The teacher of the year award goes to...

Calif. students get X-rated version of class DVD

Employee of the year goes to...

Scrub tech may have exposed thousands to hepatitis

Honestly, this last one takes the biscuit and all sarcasm aside this woman has angered me ever since the story originally came out. So I am giving her the Worst Mother Of The Century award...

Judge tentatively acquits woman in MySpace case

%&*%&)^**&*&*(&^*^*!!! Ok, I'm alright I will now excuse myself to grab another cup of coffee, stomp around a bit, and kick the dryer for taking to long to dry my clothes. Have a great weekend!---- CK

He's Just Not That Into You---movie review

I normally don't take much credence to movie and book reviews I read as I tend to like most movies that get really bad ratings. This is one of those movies... all the reviews posted on Netflix commented on it being a disappointment. Comments about Drew Barrymore having no more than a cameo in this flick make me wonder if said viewers even watched the 2nd 1/2 of the movie. It is not the greatest movie of all time, I doubt it will become a cult classic but still overall I enjoyed it. Is it a "chick flick" ? I would have to say yes. Only because I think most men would not feel comfortable owning up to the 101 ways a guy blows you off side of the story. Don't take this to heart guys, or as an attack, the subject is not some new insight for women to use against you. This is information that most women already have and the subject of this movie is finding humor in dealing with it. ---CK

Mystery Photo Thursday 1.0

It's a pretty busy morning for me so I am posting up a contest instead of my normal morning rant. Who can be the first to name the city and historical landmark in this photo? I can't give any hints on this one it would be far to easy. Good Luck!

FS 1.2 Nostalgic Morning Notions

I was put in a very "old school" mood first thing this morning by an article on Yahoo recounting the Sony Walkman's 30th birthday. Apparently it is big news to some people out there that the Walkman is having difficulty competing with the Ipod. So, now in honor of nostalgia we should put down our Ipods and go buy Walkmans to celebrate it's 30th birthday!?

If that doesn't give you a guilt complex that only a neglected mother could deliver then I am not sure what else would.

Now, I am a kitschy kinda gal. I have great appreciation for quality goods made to last through the decades. If I had to sum up my personal style for one of those HGTV shows I can only imagine the poor designer's face when I claim " Techy European Kitsch" as "My" style. That's right you must incorporate my 1970 red and yellow plaid thermos I use daily for my coffee along with my British bar signs, Icelandic and German knick-knacks, and enough techy gadgets to start my own Radio Shack into a IKEAish setting with a punk rock vibe.

In closing, Happy Birthday to the walkman and my best regards to Sony as they face the fact that technology has moved on, past the walkman and I am quite happy with my ipod. This is not to say that Sony is a bad company in general, in fact I have several Sony products in my home that I am very happy with. Let's just face facts that Apple has filled the niche for portable music devices. Can't you just be happy and content with having the PS3? Do they even still sell Walkmans? If so where the heck do you purchase them cause I haven't seen one in years on any store shelves. I have hope that the Walkman will find it's market in music snobs who cower away from the idea of a digital music library or vinyl enthusiasts if they could come up with a way to make that portable. ---CK

FS 1.1 How I Like My Coffee etc...

I have to agree with Dennis Leary on this one, specifically his famous Coffee Flavored Coffee rant. After all let's keep things simple people. Much like Italian food coffee is best in it's most simplistic form. A splash of milk and sugar or shot of whiskey are perfectly acceptable condiments. Coffee should taste like coffee not fruit salad, flowers, or pancakes. Please don't let me mislead you into thinking that I must be a Starbucks fan. I am not! In fact I find that most "gourmet" coffee tastes like burnt mud and much prefer cheap old Maxwell House. Most people are mislead into thinking that European coffee is far better than anything produced in America. I have spent some time living in Europe and have to disagree. In my experience it was very hard to find coffee at the grocery store that was not instant, yuck! I was blessed that the cafe' I frequented for coffee served a very mellow espresso. A dear friend of mine was not so lucky on her trip to Italy. This experience birthed a infamous quote,"That crap they serve in Italy that they call coffee would make baby Jesus cry." As a rule Europeans prefer their coffee strong like myself. This brings us to the question of how strong do you like your coffee? To which I respond... "I will not have a weak man in my bed or a weak brew in my cup." This rule also applies to beer and whiskey. ---CK