wretchedheathen

Saturday, April 14, 2012

mommy wars

I work at home. I work outside of the home. I volunteer. I homeschool.

I think.. yes, your dying to know, it is the word "WORK" that is the hardest part. when I am 'working' regardless of when I am 'volunteering' for scouts, or 'volunteering' at the pb factory, or 'volunteering' for compassionate service, I want the labor that is involved to 'count'.when I am "working" and I am tutoring a child, any child, regardless if it is on skype and that child is 2000 miles away, or in the car and that child is only asking a question, or we are at the kitchen table and I am tutoring, I want recognition that my "time and talent" matter.

When I am "cooking", "cleaning", repotting a plant, teaching my kids about simple or compound interest, closing cost, or even going with my child to 5 different stores to price and quality compare refrigerators, I want my "efforts" to count.

When I am "working" and I have a camera in my face, or I am on the computer until 4 am deciding of two identical images, which one the eyes are just a little more open, or the sun light is reflected just a little bit better, I want that talent to "COUNT"

I wish that I could have a grain of rice for every 'job' that I have done that 'counted' so that when it all comes down to it, and someone says, how many grains of rice do you collect each year, then we all have rice to count. because while most people are truly caring and kind people, we really do not appreciate all the different jobs that each person puts as a priority, but we do want to be respected for every grain of talent that we share.

Even if you do what you do as a gift to your 'employer' it should be respected as a gift of time and talent and held sacred as the gift that it is.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Theory X and Theory Y

I almost caved. I was really close to giving up and giving in, but discovered that another child in our neighborhood got into a spat with my son, sending horribly nasty text messages of the most derogatory nature. My son blocked this child from his phone, and yet dad still wants to send him back to public school to 'teach him' how to deal with that type of people? ahem. let me think about this for 8 seconds.

I know that I stress about academics, I think that most of my issues is that I expect my son to perform on a level that may be a little more advanced than he is capable of because of the nature of TXVA. I have little faith in myself, I do not relax and go with the flow. I am a Theory Y personality manager, and he works better with a Theory X. However, I hate dealing with the Theory X managers when they can not coax him to be compliant. I am okay with delegation, they are not. So we continue to butt heads in methodology of education.

Last night was an optimal example, he was sent to bed at 10 pm. he was instructed he could read until tired, he was playing on his touchpad / phone until 2 am. he was not tired. why? he sleeps until late morning, so his entire schedule is out of sync with what needs to be for function and form in our house.

I am really worried about the transition from tween to teen. he is already exhibiting that 'TEEN' 'TUDE that I really did not appreciate with his sisters. It would be much easier if he was not so lovable when he is in his pleasant state. Tigger / Eeyore, I am familiar with and can handle. this Jeckle / Hyde, not so much.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Roasted Chicken Pie Florentine

Prep Time:

25 minutes

Cook Time:

30 minutes

Makes:

6 servings

Ingredients

1 pkg. (two 9-inch) refrigerated pie crusts

2 -3 Chicken Breasts, cubed and grilled

1 medium onion, chopped, carmelized

1 1/4 c. prepared Alfredo sauce, divided use

1 pkg. (10 oz.) Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed

2 pinchs nutmeg, optional

• salt & lemon pepper

Instructions

Heat oven to 375°F. Press one crust over the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan sprinkle with pinch of nutmeg.

In a skillet, caramelize onions in tsp of olive Oil, Add Chopped chicken with onion and cook until done, add Alfredo sauce.

Squeeze spinach to remove all moisture; blend in skillet with chicken & onion. Season with salt and lemon pepper, to taste. Spread evenly over pie shell sprinkle second pinch of nutmeg.

Place remaining crust over filling and crimp edges together. Cut three, 1-inch slits in top crust. Place aluminum foil over shell, Bake in center of oven 25 minutes, remove aluminum foil, brush with egg wash, return to oven for 10 minutes, or until crust is brown and filling is pippin hot.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Alstroemeria

humble but my favorite flower
Alstroemeria aurea (Peruvian Lily)

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Angiosperms - Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Alstroemeriaceae
Genus: Alstroemeria

Alstroemeria Saturne


Alstroemeria aurea (Peruvian Lily)

Alstroemeria (

/ˌælstrɨˈmɪəriə/; syn. Alstremeria),^[1] commonly called the Peruvian Lily or Lily of the Incas, is a South American genus of about 120 species of flowering plants. Almost all of the species are restricted to one of two distinct centers of diversity, one in central Chile, the other in eastern Brazil. Species of Alstroemeria from Chile are winter-growing plants while those of Brazil are summer-growing. All are long-lived perennials except A. (Taltalia) graminea, a diminutive annual from the Atacama Desert of Chile.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Favorite Riddle

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night, it's raining heavily, when suddenly you pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for a bus:

An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
An old friend who once saved your life.
The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing very well that there could only be one passenger in your car?

This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.

* You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first; * or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to ! pay him back. *
However, you may never be able to find your perfect mate again...

The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer. Guess what was his answer?

He simply answered:

"I would give the car keys to my Old friend and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the partner of my dreams."

Sometimes, we gain more if we are able to give up our stubborn thought limitations. Never forget to "Think Outside of the Box."

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

My crew

Monday, November 07, 2011

Oh' Rome Moscato d'Asti

N.V. Oh' Rome Moscato d'Asti (Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Moscato d'Asti)

Vintage Type Producer Variety Designation Vineyard Country Region SubRegion Appellation

N.V. White - Sweet/Dessert Oh' Rome Moscato Blanco n/a n/a Italy Piedmont Asti Moscato d'Asti

light, low alcohol, lightly frizzante, sticky sweet moscato. The lady at HEB said it is perfect mixed with sprite.

Italy

Piedmont

Vignaioli Piemontesi (Italian only)

Moscato d'Asti

Consorzio per la Tutela dell'Asti

Saturday, August 06, 2011

5th Grade Supplemental Math - Week 6

Week 6

Word Problem Solving Plan 1

Word Problem Solving Strategies

Problem Solving Word Problems 2

Word Problem Solving 3

Word Problem Solving 4

Thursday, August 04, 2011

Great Commencement Speech:

Ellen DeGeneres: Define Your Own Success

Tulane, 2009: My idea of success is different today. And as you grow, you’ll realize the definition of success changes. For many of you, today, success is being able to hold down 20 shots of tequila. For me, the most important thing in your life is to live your life with integrity, and not to give in to peer pressure. To try to be something that you’re not. To live your life as an honest and compassionate person. To contribute in some way.

So to conclude my conclusion: Follow your passion, stay true to yourself. Never follow anyone else’s path, unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path, and by all means you should follow that. Don’t give advice, it will come back and bite you in the ass. Don’t take anyone’s advice. So my advice to you is to be true to yourself and everything will be fine.

Tom Brokaw: Know That Less Can Be More

University of Montana, 2011: We may not have given you a perfect world, but we have given you dynamic opportunities for leaving a lasting legacy as a generation fearless and imaginative, tireless and selfless in pursuit of solutions to these monumental problems, a generation that emerged from this financial tsunami and rebuilt the landscape of their lives with an underpinning of sound values and an eye for proportion, knowing, in fact, that less can be more. It will not be easy, but I can promise you it will be rewarding in ways that a Wall Street bonus or a shot on American Idol cannot compete.

So where to begin? … It will be the most rewarding if it is rooted in personal passion and carried out with purpose, even when the first steps are small. You have an assortment of nimble and powerful tools that can assist you, and the Internet, with its vast universe of information and a capacity for research and communications playing out on ever-smaller devices across an ever-widening spectrum of choices. But those are tools; they're not oracles. They complement your mind and your heart, but they do not replace them.