Stop Global Warming

I got an email from a friend today about this online "virtual march" to help stop global warming. Usually I would think that an online march isn't going to do much, but they aren't asking for money so I decided to sign up. Turns out they have some really cool ideas about how individuals can be making a difference in their everyday lives. I was surprised to see how many of their suggestions are things I already do. Made me feel pretty good.

Go check them out... sign up... and look for the carbon calculator to see how you can change how much CO2 you release into the atmosphere. I tried to put their random action item banner on this page, but blogger won't let me. If anyone knows how I can do it I would love to learn. Here is the link and this is the html that blogger won't let me use (I removed the <> characters around the tags):

script src="http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/syndication/assets.asp?uid=597568&sel=action"

/script

Humorlessness, Part 2

Thanks, ladies, for your comments. I thought I would have a clearer, more calm perspective this morning, but instead I cried while I cooked breakfast. Pbbbt.

I realized that the problem isn't that someone used the word "retard" about me. It's that I haven't really accepted the idea that The Biscuit isn't a brilliant little boy. He certainly seems like it. If someone was just telling us today that he has Down syndrome, I wouldn't believe them. He's just too darn smart. Well, at his age maybe it's more clever than smart.

He got a toy for his birthday that's an activity center kind of thing. (I'll have to snap a photo and edit this post.) It has completely different things to do on the bottom, so he will turn it over when he's bored with one side. I realized a few days ago that he is turning lots of his toys over after playing with them for awhile, looking to see if there is another way to play with it. I think that's an example of his cleverness.

But who is going to see that if they first see his mouth open and his little tongue hanging out? I don't want someone writing him and his abilities off because of his appearance or because they happen to know his diagnosis. I've yet to meet someone who hasn't said what a cute baby he is; they don't say, "Aw, he has Down syndrome." Grocery store cashiers especially seem to like him. I only know one person who has mistaken his occasional shyness for the typical "Buddha Baby" -- a baby with Down syndrome who just sits there and isn't phased by anything. But she knew the diagnosis before she met him and must have known other kids who were that way. Believe me, he has opinions and expresses them! He is not always happy. But if this woman is going to make assumptions about him, so will others. I can feel myself tensing up for a fight just thinking about having to protect him from the limiting assumptions of others.

So much work. I knew that having a child would change my life, but this is not what I was expecting!

Jon Stewart's graphic explaining the Internet

I subscribe to a newsletter called Bonehead of the Day. Today there was a link to this video clip of Jon Stewart explaining Senator Ted Stevens' comment about the Internet being a series of tubes. It's a little long and the big funny is at the end.

Humorlessness

So, it turns out that I have no sense of humor. At least when it comes to the word "retard." The Biscuit has Down syndrome and, therefore, will have some degree of mental retardation. To have someone just off and call me a retard was like getting punched in the gut. Well, maybe not; I've never been punched in the gut that hard. It was like getting hit in the stomach with the ball when you are playing 4-square hard enough to have your feet knocked out from under you so that you hit the ground chin first, then sliding down the driveway you are playing on so that your jawbone cuts its way out of your body from the inside. That I have lived through. When I was 9. I just didn't realize I was back on a playground. At least not with that guy.

I thought that my post was clear enough that I was aware I might be falling for some sarcasm. Apparently not clear enough for one person though, since it was proof for him that I'm a retard.

But see for yourself.

Oh, and then he's got nothing to comment on about the next post, except for this? Ah, what a literary contribution! Playground bully. And I didn't say I was going away, just that I wasn't going to comment anymore.

Feel free to tell me that I have no sense of humor, but as you can see from the title I already know that.

The Spider Bite, Part 1

We think I got a spider bite. I thought that I got a splinter from our dining room table, but there was nothing sticking out above the surface of my skin. This was the first night that we used The Biscuit's new seat so that we could all sit at the table for a meal. I had wanted to put him on the side of the table for stability's sake but this chair hooks to the table and the mechanism for adding the leaf was in the way. All I can think about is how horrible it would be if this had happened to a 1-year-old who wouldn't be able to tell Mom & Dad what's wrong. I'm so glad that this place ended up being my seat and not his!




Here's my spider bite right after it happened. Very tadpole-like swelling.





After 45 minutes it was very red, especially to the left of the bite site, which was weird because that was opposite from the direction it looked like the poison had gone.



This was also 45 minutes after I felt the bite. This angle was to show that the swelling has increased and is more round.

Sharing

This popped up today and I felt like sharing:

Quote of the Day - Winston Churchill - "History will be kind to me for I intend to write it."


Here's something else to share. Wish I had the text of what he said.

New title: Biscuit Raising

I hated this blog's old title, Kath has too many blogs. It was something that I just thought of off the top of my head and it was not good.

There is nothing in my life now that isn't touched on by having become a mom. So, anything I comment on here will be influenced by my son, The Biscuit. (It's his title.)

I hope he doesn't hate that nickname when he gets older. I thought it was cute that my husband came up with something other than me having a "bun" in the oven.

Phishing Meme

I'm calling this the Phishing Meme. Obviously, I didn't fill it out because I couldn't think of funnier answers than this.

What is your full name?

What is your date of birth?

What four cities have you lived in?

What four TV shows do you love?

What four credit cards do you currently use?

What are four credit account numbers assigned you, and when (month/year) do they expire?

Do you have four credit card pin numbers, and if so, what are they?

What does your mother's maiden name look like if you type it four times in a row?

What are the first four digits of your social security number?

What are the last four digits of your social security number?

What number did you leave out of your nine-digit social security number? (That's your lucky number!)

What are the first four lines of your mailing address?

What are your four favorite banks?

What are your four favorite bean dishes?

What four people do you wish to tag with this meme?