Go, Pack, Go!

You all know I am a Green Bay Packer's fan. I have been since I was little. My mom always cheered for them (because they were such an all-American team, I guess), and it rubbed off. People used to say I was simply on the bandwagon and I wouldn't stand by them if they lost.

They were wrong.

Two years ago when they started the season 1-6, I was still proudly wearing the Packer's jersey. Sure, I was getting all kinds of crap for it, but I still wore it. I still watched them (when they were on) and I still cheered no matter how badly they played.

Last year when Brett Favre and the Packers had a rough season, I was still cheering for them. Still holding out hope that they could be the team I knew they could be. I was so sad to see how poorly Favre was playing because I knew he was destined to be an NFL legend--and I wanted him to be a legend for all the right reasons. Sports announcers bashed Favre and said he should retire...said he should have retired long ago. Fans said he simply stuck around too long and he needed to quit.

But he didn't.

And this year there is a whole new Pack...they are undefeated going into today's game. Favre just beat Marino's all time touchdown record and Marino's all time pass attempt record. He holds the records for most consecutive starts and most wins by a starting quarterback. I knew he could do it, and I knew this team could turn it around. I knew that they would find a way to win somehow.

And now, suddenly, announcers are praising Favre...saying he should play another five years and that he still has it in him to play the game. The same people who, just last year, bad mouthed him and said that he should have quit years ago. True fans are sitting at home knowing they believed in Favre all along while these announcers are suddenly on the Favre/Packers bandwagon...

...what a difference a year makes.

Bloggers Unite!

Those of you who frequent my blog have probably noticed that there was a banner at the top of the page for a while now. Today is the day we have been waiting for--a chance for bloggers everywhere to unite against abuse in all its forms. I am going to make this brief only because I think I can say exactly how I feel about it in a few powerful words.

I have blogged in the past about the woman who left her child in her car. I didn't hide the fact that I felt that was abuse of some sort. Her punishment? Nothing.

A man abused his dog, China, by tying her outside and allowing her collar to grow into her neck. His punishment? None. He got the dog back.

Then there was the kid who, for no reason at all, stomped on and killed an albino python at a festival. His father's response? "That's why I can't take you anywhere." They never found the kid.

I think it all comes down to one thing--value life. If you truly value life, you cannot intentionally or unintentionally cause harm to another living thing. Neglect is abuse. Violence is abuse. And it needs to stop.

we all, as living beings, need to learn to love, value and respect each other. We need to acknowledge that all life is precious and deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. No one has the right to take away another living thing's right to life and security. If we all band together maybe we can do something to stop another person or animal from enduring pain that he should never have to endure.

Please, if you hear something or see something that is abuse, speak out. Protect those that are too scared to protect themselves or those that can't speak out to help themselves. Do that, and we are on the right track. Do that and the violence may end and the respect may start.

Beg Your Pardon?

Yesterday's Heads or Tails got me thinking a little more about things that get on my nerves, and I have realized that there is one big one that is plaguing the ENTIRE nation (or so it seems)--

Rudeness.

Rudeness is one of my biggest pet peeves. In most cases, there is no reason at all to be rude.

It baffles me when I watch people be rude to waiters/waitresses at restaurants. Why yell at them if you food hasn't come out yet? It really isn't their fault--they can only bring food when the cooks have it ready. And, as a rule of thumb, it is never smart to be rude to anyone who may be handling your food...

Why do people have to push up right behind you while you are waiting in line at the grocery? Last week I was waiting in line and the cashier was ringing up my stuff. As I stood waiting, the lady behind me was standing so close I could feel her breath. There really is no reason to do that to anyone. I can't move until the cashier is finished and I can pay. When that happens, I can get out of the way--until then, I don't see any reason for anyone to be waiting so close I could give them a piggyback ride!

While I am on the subject of stores, why is it that the majority of the cashiers are super rude? I understand that a lot of them are kids and they don't really want to work, but they don't have to take it out of their customers! I know when I worked my part time jobs as a teenager, I never really loved what I did, but I made the best of it. I can say that I was never rude to anyone--even those people who would come in five minutes before closing time on Christmas Eve. A little pleasantness goes a long way, and I feel that some of our store workers need to learn that.

Also, yelling at a store clerk because something you wanted to buy is out of stock won't solve any problems--all you are going to do is upset the store clerk...you will more likely get help if you are polite about the situation. I know I don't really want to go out of my way for people who are mean to me.

As a teacher, I see the whole gamut of rudeness at work. It amazes me how students talk to teachers today. I was calling for a student the other day in class and his response was "WHAT?" I told him that was in now way an appropriate tone and he rolled his eyes at me. First of all, if someone calls out your name, responding in a polite, inside voice manner would be nice. Secondly, eye rolling is one of the most rude, disrespectful things anyone can do. Some of these kids yell at teachers, talk back to their parents, are rude to our custodians and secretaries....

And some of their parents are worse. I had a parent once call me a moron, tell me my opinions were asinine and that I was a horrible teacher. I had another cuss me out on the phone over a homecoming candidate. I've had emails that stated I wasn't doing my job the right way. I've had parents threaten to sue me over discipline. And I think--my parents would have never confronted a teacher like that. Ever. Why? Because my parents figured that if I was in trouble, it was for good reason. Many of the parents I have dealt with in the past deal more in rudeness and personal attacks and less in logic and cooperation.

I think part of the problem is television and movies. Rudeness is funny there. Rudeness makes you cool there, so some may think (logically, of course) that rudeness is okay in the "real" world. Other people are just so unhappy with their own lives that they see it necessary to make other people miserable.

I think my blogging friend Andrew has it right...I think that if we all took a little more time to be more pleasant to one another, it would be amazing how much better we all would feel. Do something randomly nice today. Try to help stomp out a little bit of rudeness.

Heads or Tails Tuesday!

Today's topic is Pets OR Pet Peeves. Since I have already talked about my pets and did a rambling rant about my pet peeves, I have decided I will combine the two. I love both my dogs dearly, but they do some things that get on my ever loving nerves. So, allow me to present...

Pet Peeves About My Pets!

1. Gizmo, occasionally eats poop from the backyard! Honestly! (Our vet says it is normal. Normal? He eats poop. That's gross.)
2. Although I appreciate their need to protect, must they bark at every noise, movement, or breath of wind? I can't even yell "Hey TJ" upstairs because they automatically thinks that someone is at the door, so they have to bark...for a good five minutes.
3. I know Loki can jump up on the bed; therefore there is no need to hop up and down on the floor at three in the morning while whining for me to put him on the bed...I will not get up.
4. Looking pitiful and hungry will not work for me...I know I fed you this morning, I know I fed you the amount of food our vet told us to feed you, and I know that it was plenty...and playing TJ again ts me is just wrong. Quit it.
5. Why is it they have to go outside just as we sit down to dinner? (I know, Gizmo...it is your desire to eat poop.)
6. Although we know the closet is a cool cave like place to sleep, we do not appreciate Loki's hair all over our clean clothes.
7. Why do they sniff the crotches of our guests? Our guests stay away from the dogs' crotches, so the dogs should return the favor!
8. Gizmo has the urge to lick a rug after he eats...why is that? I hate walking into a room and stepping in wet spot. ick (especially because of pet peeve number 1)
9. Gizmo howls like crazy if we get into the general vicinity of the vet...and then that gets Loki started. Fun times.
10. Baths. I hate to give them and they hate even more to get them. I wish they had an autowash cycle :-)

I know I seem to complain a lot about my two fabulous boys--they are really great dogs, but these things baffle and confuse me about them sometimes. Of course, if they were any different they wouldn't be my boys! I just thought this was a fun spin on Skittles' already fun meme.

See you next Tuesday, fellow Heads or Tail-ers!

Be True to Your School!

It is amazing how time gets away from me. I meant to post yesterday, but I was a little feeling a little under the weather (as an after effect of the entire bottle of wine I consumed Saturday...yep...you read that right...an entire bottle...yikes). TJ and I went to The Shadowbox Cabaret and had a great night. We had never been before, and we were surprised at how great the band was and how fantastic the sketch comedy was. Plus, I knew the bass player (well, I thought I did...I thought it was a guy I went to school with...turned out it was his brother...close enough).

So, After consuming a whole bottle of wine, I wasn't feeling up to posting anything yesterday, so I took the day off. And, as I look back at recent posts, I haven't had much to say lately...I think I have been so busy with work that I haven't even thought about it.

I wanted to take this opportunity to show my support for Mike Gundy, coach for Oklahoma State football. Recently there was an article printed in an Oklahoma newspaper that belittled his quarterback. In a press conference, Gundy told the reporter exactly what he thought about what he had to say. Gundy stood up for this kid (and too often we forget that they are kids) and let the public know that much of the article was speculation and not true. Gundy was upset that the reporter attacked the character and the emotions of this college kid--and he said if the paper wanted to attack someone, they should have attacked him because he is older and can handle it. Instead, this college kid has to deal with undeserved scrutiny in his hometown.

I do think we often forget that these players are kids--they are younger than most of us and are under enormous pressure. We just assume that because they are on the field and playing a sport on television they can handle everything thrown at them, but they can't...they are amateurs. Think about the pressures of college already and then add to it the public eye--and you have a recipe for disaster.

I think that these kids need to be treated with a little respect and kindness--they are still playing because they love the game. They aren't getting paid, they do their best, and they play their hearts out. Don't believe me? Watch the player reactions when they lose a college football game...it is heartbreaking.

I think that college players should be in the media for their playing ability only--and no reporter, no matter how right they think they are, should attack the emotions and psyche of any kid.

So, I send kudos to Mike Gundy for standing up for his player. At least the kid knows he has one on his side...and now, because of the media coverage of Gundy's outburst, I think he has more.

Saturday Situation #2

A few weeks ago I said I was going to start a new Saturday game called Shan's Saturday Situation...and I forgot to do it last Saturday (oops)...

Here are the rules: I will give you two equally odd, weird, inconvenient or disgusting choices and I want you to choose which one you would rather have.

Today's choices:

Would you rather...

Have to hum constantly when you weren't speaking

OR

Sing everything you had to say?

Happy choosing!