Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Wednesday Night Random

- I just got out of last step of bedtime routine ("hang out time" - which E usually does with his dad who uses this time to answer any question he can think of. Last week's question "how does time work?") by asking the boy if he would rather "talk about feelings with me, or machines and space and stuff with your dad?" Answer: "Um, can you go get dad?"

- Really, though, he does need to talk about his feelings. Or process them some way or another. Because there is an awful lot of crying going on around here these days. I think I've heard that's usual for 7. Would you say so?

- Speaking of feelings, I am still feeling the LOVE for the class I'm taking on NonProfit Management, coincidentally skills I'm using in spades these days. I think I mentioned that a coupla weeks ago, I talked to a lawyer, insurance agent, a banker and the fire marshall all one afternoon. Not skills I came into this job with, negotiating with those folks.

-Although I am also seeing a big increase in people asking for help - financial and psychospiritual - this fall. Hard times, man. They are not over.

- But back to my class. I got moderately booed last night for this contribution to class conversation:
Guy: Some study came out that said that some of the companies that are the biggest supporters of the American Cancer Society actually produce products that cause cancer.
Me: Well, does that partnership surprise you? If there was no cancer, there would be no ACS.
Class: Moderate boos and one "wow, cynical"
Me: I mean, just really look at their stuff sometime. It's all cure, cure, cure. But nobody's talking cause, cause, cause.
Someone else: (total change of subject)

-Evidently this is a minority opinion, and probably an unpopular one, so feel free to boo the comments.

-Speaking of being booed for unpopular opinions, I wrote a letter to the editor today. I dont do that too often, because when I was in my early 20's, I wrote one on behalf of the justice group at my church at the time, which made some people mad. But that's not why I'm shy about writing letters to the editor. I'm shy because in the little debrief meeting we had with the mad people, an English teacher who I really respected said, "Well, I don't agree with it, but mostly I'm offended because it was just really badly written..." (Years later, I was redeemed, though, when I went back to that same church to preach, and that guy had a really thoughtful and positive comment. Which I cant remember, of course, because you know how the kind ones dont stick the same way? But I can remember the good, full circle feeling I had.)

-I'll let you know if it gets published. And then you can be the judge of well written or not.

-Trying to think of the funny thing that one of the kids said tonight (besides 26-month-old godson saying PINE-APP-PULL which you totally had to be there for) or SOMETHING, but I seem to be fresh out of funny. So I guess I'll just end this randomness here and twiddle my thumbs for 35 minutes until Glee comes on.

3 comments:

Deb said...

This is ironic for me. I just waded into a parenting issue on, of all places, Facebook, with some moms who think children should be put to bed at x time and spanked if they get out of bed. My snide comment was "gee. how sleep-inducing to spank a child to sleep." And I got comment bombed.

That said, while I can't seem to keep my mouth shut, I am working on being less sarcastic and more positive. People will still throw rotten eggs but at least I know I have been respectful, gentle and honest.

But most of the time? I still want to go :P!!!!

Sue said...

I hear you both. I have a habit of speaking my truth and then listening to the dead silence that accumulates around me afterward.

Awwwkwarrrrd.

I agree with both of you by the way. Maybe we need a secret handshake or something. :)

MamaT said...

Amen to that. Especially the cause vs. cure part. Same with the Komen Race for the Cure--check out their corporate sponsors. Looking at the causes of cancer and doing something about it would be very painful for our Western world.