Tales From Another Planet

As I grow older, but am still very young I take tiny steps forward, But I'm nowhere near done I can see more clearly, love more dearly, But still so easily Break down and blow up

T.P. Creech (aka "hubby") I'm back again with another Live Trax review.  This one is a favorite of mine. DMB Live Trax Volume 16 06.26.2000

If there's one thing I've been thinking of more than usual lately, it's the sad and strange fact that all of us are human. We hold some people up to higher standards for whatever reason (pastors, politicians, police, etc.) However, even those most austere and auspicious, are still only people. People with sin. People with personalities and passions. People with ideology and false theology and tendencies and past experiences and misinformation. Isn't it a beautiful and strange thing?

One problem in our society today, is the "golden handcuffs" phenomenon. I'm sure you've heard of it before, assuming that it applied only to the very wealthy. In reality, I feel that the golden handcuffs apply to way more people in modern society than we might think. Essentially, what the term means, is that you've gotten used to living a certain lifestyle, which requires a certain income, and you can't see any way to make significant lifestyle changes so you are therefore "trapped" in your job indefinitely, unable to make career choices as you might otherwise. Why is this big deal? And why do I slap the label "religion" on this post?

DMB Live Trax Volume 15 08.09.2008

Unfortunately, I think the problem of racism won't completely go away, until we acknowledge the subtle forms of racism that take place everyday. Yes, there are big issues, but people tend to ignore the big issues. They assume the severe cases of racism are just a "bad apple" here or there and neglect to address their own, more subtle brand of racism.

I've seen a few disturbing things from supposedly "Pro-choice" people lately. Mainly, their arguments are completely invalid, but they are looking for every excuse in the book. Here are two examples: The first example comes from an article circulating around Facebook. I have no idea why the article was even circulating because it was completely illogical. Basically, the article was from a doctor who said abortion should be legal and then went on to describe a very sad miscarriage of a 20 week old baby that wasn't initiated by any doctor, but couldn't be stopped. Here's the thing, that particular situation doesn't meet any requirements at all of the pro-life vs. "pro-choice" debate. Yes, doctors use the term abortion for miscarriage, so technically my own medical records list an abortion (spontaneous). Spontaneous means that the baby was coming and couldn't be stopped (and in my case had already passed away). So, yes, "spontaneous abor...

I've noticed a lot of churches and towns try really hard at building community. The towns or areas of town throw community block parties, or host festivals. The churches have sermons on reaching out to new people and making them feel comfortable. You may have even tried to have community yourself by following a list of ideas and then trying to replicate that process over and over until you can build community. However, I've noticed in my life, none of that has really seemed to work in the past. When I went to a large church in a large city, I did all the right things. I volunteered, I joined small groups, I talked to my neighbors and had part-time jobs to meet people. I joined mom's groups and tried to follow all the "how to make a friend" lists out there. Sadly, after nearly 8 years, I still had only a tiny handful of close friends who I could count on to help out in a crisis (and some of them were moving away at the same time we were). It was incredibly diffic...

If I could change only two things in this country today, this is what I would pick. 1) No person working for government can accept any type of gift - including campaign donations personally. Basically, NCAA standards would apply to anyone in federal government. If it's wrong for a college student to accept help paying rent or an electric bill, then it's wrong for a government official making $170,000 to accept hotel stays, rental cars, $1,000 meals, and more. All campaign donations should be made anonymously to avoid the current process of kickbacks and corruption. 2) Pharmaceutical sales representatives would not be allowed to verbally transmit any information regarding their products. All product information must be written (or digital) and approved by the company's legal department. Also, they would be prevented from "bringing food" and other gifts of that nature to doctors and hospitals. The cost of many drugs has risen exponentially over the past several ...

I know some of you are tired of the ever-present "crazy, homeschool mom" posts. So, I thought I would change things up a bit with a post that applies to public or private schools. Having been a teacher (briefly) at one of the lowest performing public schools in Louisville, KY, I thought I would share my "best practices" and "pet peeves" for choosing a "best school" for your child (if you don't homeschool of course). Pet Peeves Choosing a school based on test scores alone. Test scores are primarily affected by the income level of the students at the school, not the teaching or administrative qualities of a particular school. If you look at test scores alone, you could end up sending your child to a really terrible school that happens to have a lot of rich kids AND missing out on an opportunity for your child to become a leader in a diverse community and learn a lot more than their multiplication facts. Choosing a school based on ...

One of the more recent problems caused by the social media takeover of culture is the idea that we are the center of our own universe. A side effect of this unusual philosophy is the "you have a problem" syndrome. Of course, this particular issue is not a new problem, but it certainly seems to be getting worse. Unfortunately, I've found that this syndrome occurs just as frequently in those that are not attached to social media, perhaps as a defense against the you-centric philosophy of culture, but perpetuating some of the same mythology. I can't tell you the number of conversations I've over heard (see my previous post on  Life as a Reserved Extrovert  to find out why I am listening in on conversations without necessarily participating) where someone is completely bashing someone for X activity without realizing that what they are bashing someone for is incredible similar to what they are currently doing. Let me give you a few examples of what I'm talking...

I know, it's been awhile since I've posted. Between being sick and the nicer weather, and the never-ending schedule of activities, work, and housekeeping, I haven't had much writing time. The one day I did take some writing time, I worked on one of my novels (estimated date of publish 2022). However, I've been steaming over something for a little while, and finally decided to write about it. In order to get a discount through my husband's work for our insurance, we have to get our "numbers" done at a laboratory every year (cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, etc.) AND spend 20 minutes (or so) doing an "online health assessment" through the insurance company. I'm not upset (right now) over the health information they have on me, because honestly, Facebook probably has more information on me than I want, and people are much more likely to hack into that than my insurance company. However, in scanning through the "red, yellow, and gr...

By TC DMB Live Trax Volume 14 06.28.2008 1) Don't Drink The Water 2) Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back) 3) So Damn Lucky » 4) The Dreaming Tree 5) The Idea of You 6) Corn Bread 7) You Might Die Trying 8) The Space Between 9) Sledgehammer 10) Eh Hee 11) Louisiana Bayou 12) Out of My Hands » 13) Everyday » 14) Ants Marching 15) So Much to Say » Anyone Seen The Bridge? » 16) Too Much 17) Sister 18) Pantala Naga Pampa » Rapunzel 19) Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) This Live Trax is a somber one.  One look at the album cover and you see Leroi Moore, founding saxophone player of the band who passed a couple of months after this show took place.  The band dedicated this release to him. Obviously, any fan of the band wants to purchase this.  It's historic.  But I'm going to do my best to treat it as "just another show" for this review.  It's June 2008, which means there's a freshness here that was absent over the previous few y...

Let's be perfectly clear here, I'm not an unschooler, and I don't know many who are. However, I thought I would write from the perspective of a "schooling" mom as to what unschooling can be, is, and should be. Unschooling, in the truest sense of the word, is letting your child's imagination drive the learning process. However, that can look very different from family to family and age to age. Myths: Unschooling requires less time and effort than an "in the box" curriculum. In the early years, this is probably true, because most early learning (Kindergarten and below) happens naturally in the car, at the breakfast table, and playing outside. Once you get a bit beyond that, if you're truly unschooling, you will spend a lot of time running to the library or pulling up websites or Youtube videos to answer your child's most recent queries and trying every trick in the book to ensure a well-rounded education without formalizing it too much. ...

My oldest has been joking a bit lately that mom is the "non-fun" one and dad is the "fun one". Some of this is his age (5.5 years old) some of it is an increase in behavior problems lately, but some of it is actually true, Now, I'm not going to lie and say that being a Mom is naturally stress free and all you have to do is let go a little and you'll magically feel better. But, as a fellow GMS sufferer (Grumpy Mom Syndrome) I did come up with a few ideas of what it is and how to help. Causes: Overconfidence. You know those times that you think to yourself, "Sure, I can take two young kids to the Lowe's and buy 10 bags of mulch even though only 3 of them fit in my car and my husband isn't here to help." No - just don't do it. Don't say yes to everything someone suggests. Even if you think you can handle it, if you are currently (or have recently been) suffering from GMS, don't do it. Overscheduling. I currently have one main...

My review of all of the DMB Live Trax series continues with what was, at least at the time, another recent release - this one coming out four months after the show had taken place. DMB Live Trax Volume 13 06.07.2008 1) Two Step 2) Rhyme & Reason 3) Corn Bread 4) Crash into Me » 5) One Sweet World 6) #27 7) So Damn Lucky 8) Crush 9) Don't Drink The Water 10) Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) 11) Pay For What You Get 12) Recently » 13) Water Into Wine » 14) Tripping Billies 15) Grey Street 16) You Might Die Trying 17) Ants Marching 18) Everyday 19) Louisiana Bayou 20) Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) A lot happened to DMB during 2008.  First, a little history. Stand Up, the band's polarizing (that's the kindest way I can put it - read: disliked by almost everyone) album comes out in 2005.  The following year's summer tour is very heavy on those songs and is considered one of the weakest tours.  In 2006, the band starts strong in the first month of the tou...

Among other fun topics at the "Women's Retreat" recently, a friend and I were discussing gender roles in different areas of society today. We discussed the interesting facts of secular versus "conservative" society and how neither one can really get it right. My husband asked me, half-jokingly, when transitioning from an almost all female workplace, where men were devalued and not allowed to move up when they were clearly the best candidate, to a mostly male workplace, where women are not in positions of leadership. He wondered, "Is there a place where men and women can work together side by side?" It's an interesting question. The post-feministic society does at times tend to devalue men. At his previous place of employment, a white male would be considered last for the job, despite the fact that the office was 90% female. His boss, and boss's boss, and boss's boss's boss were all female. When he had clearly earned a position of lead...

Some of you may (or may not) have noticed that I haven't been posting in the last week or so. First, it was the Women's Retreat at Emerald Isle. We had a blast, the weather was beautiful, and I came back refreshed and with some amazing ideas for my blog. While I'm sure that eventually those ideas will come to fruition and wow you, I was confronted with a sad reality when I arrived home... All that refreshing, relaxing and kid-free time, simply made me a bit more lazy around the house. Rather than spring cleaning fever, I feel like I've just gotten spring break fever. I've been taking the kids to the park multiple times a week, letting them play in the water table outside, and barely keeping up with the basic house chores. It doesn't help that my son started soccer right after we got back (and I'm assistant coach for the team) and my husband has been working late since then because of a big snafu in his work project. So, let's be honest. It wasn't...

By TC Today I'm talking Live Trax Volume 12. DMB Live Trax Volume 12 05.05.1995 1) Warehouse 2) Recently 3) Dancing Nancies 4) The Song That Jane Likes 5) Proudest Monkey » 6) Satellite 7) What Would You Say 8) Tripping Billies 9) Drive In Drive Out 10) Typical Situation » 11) #36 » 12) Ants Marching 13) #40 14) All Along The Watchtower I tend to float around when I pick my favorite era of the band.  Sometimes I really connect with the 2008-2011 era.  When Tim came back full time, I felt the band really picked up the energy and brought new life to a lot of old songs.  Sometimes I fall back to the 2000-2003 era, what I consider the height of their popularity and influence (if they had any at all), and that's when I first saw them too (in 2003).  And I tend to fall back into this period - the winter and spring of 1995. I'm not sure what it is about this particular era that is so fantastic to me.  The songs sound really tight.  The setl...

As part of Upward soccer coach training, we had the opportunity to hear from an excellent speaker regarding child evangelism. He made some great comments about how the biggest things we can do are to not confuse children and try to keep things simple and concise and clear up any misconceptions. It was a fabulous opportunity. We also had a unique opportunity in our small group to discuss some of these very same concepts with an adult, and I can tell you that it's not nearly as easy as it sounds with an adult compared to a child. Yes, the adult can understand more, but it is so much more difficult to get from that place of understanding to that open and genuine acceptance. That's why Jesus said we must become like little children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. I remembered or came up with an analogy after last night's discussion. God's grace and the gift of Jesus (fully God as well) and His death on the cross to pay the price for our sins is really this simp...

A part of any good organization is a well-thought out mission statement. Since we aren't "officially" a homeschool yet (in our state, we don't have to register until the oldest child in the school turns 7), we haven't quite sat down to come up with an "official" name or mission statement. However, after a few of the latest blog posts, and helping some other families with advice for their journey to begin homeschool, I've decided it is important to sit down and list a few of the reasons we homeschool. Having a goal, idea, or even just a homeschooling "personality" is very important. I would suggest narrowing down your reasons for (or against) and ideas about homeschooling before even looking at curriculum options. If you don't, you might find yourself overwhelmed by all the choices, or spending a lot of money on a curriculum that doesn't end up fitting with your style. Obviously, this is just a blog post, but if you want a book t...

Most of us have heard the term by now, "white privilege". It means different things to different people, and is actually a bit different in many cases. So, what is "my" white privilege, and why does it matter? First, white privilege doesn't mean you are a racist person. It actually means that you don't have to think about race. For example, whenever I read a book written in this country, I typically assume it is written about/by/for white people, until and unless I read otherwise. Unfortunately, movies are much the same way. To some extent, this is because we apply our own world view to what we read, but to a greater extent, it's because those are the pocketbooks most likely to spend money on those products, so that's who the "main characters" are based upon. Some other examples? It means if I were to be pregnant in a bad situation, the majority of people would not ask, are you getting an abortion? It means if I were to be unemployed, I...

It's husband again.  It's hard to believe I've reviewed 10 of these already.  No time like the present to write about number 11. DMB Live Trax Volume 11 08.29.2000 1) The Stone 2) Rhyme & Reason 3) Don't Drink The Water 4) #41 » 5) Grace Is Gone 6) JTR 7) What Would You Say 8) The Maker » 9) All Along The Watchtower 10) Crash Into Me 11) Minarets 12) Lie In Our Graves 13) Bartender 14) So Much to Say » Anyone Seen the Bridge » Too Much [fake]  » 15) Ants Marching 16) Digging a Ditch 17) Pantala Naga Pampa » Rapunzel The series takes a hiatus from "current" shows (at the time) and swings back to a favorite time period for most fans, summer 2000.  This particular show is the show immediately after Live Trax Volume 3 (two nights earlier).  At first glance, the set is fairly similar.  However, there were a few surprises thrown in this show to make it special in its own right.  Butch Taylor also guests on this show as he did thro...

My husband said he missed being younger and carefree in his 20s. Maybe it's because I don't remember a lot of my 20s, but I can't think of much to miss (except the baby stage of my kids, since they are now officially both in the "preschool" age range). I feel like I wouldn't want to go back there, because I've learned and grown so much since then (although I obviously still have a long way to grow). So, while celebrating the birthday catapulting our youngest from babyhood to preschool, I reminisced a bit about what we were really celebrating. We're celebrating another year of growth in his life. I feel like 3 months ago, he was still wearing 18 months, and now he's outgrowing some of his 2T clothes. I can't wait to see how much he's grown at his official check-up tomorrow. He's enjoying puzzles and mazes, knows his colors and many numbers and letters/letter sounds. He is stubborn, sweet, cuddly, and defiant all at the same time. ...