Shellon

Thank you everyone. Given that tomorrow I have classes, we're celebrating today with my mom's spaghetti that she always made on my birthdays when I was growing up. (If I can dig my way outa the snow, that is) Kelly and I went to a church carnival yesterday and she won a cake, so noone has to bake that bad boy. Life is good, ya'll are good to me, thank you.

We got more snow and the stuff is drifting hugely right now. weeeee my little car loves this slippery stuff. Lotsa snow in Mo Town for the big boys to play with their balls in. Lets not tell paw about all our beautiful white stuff. Out the door with a shovel.

The midwife that I see for my recent health concerns and upcoming surgery gave me a bottle of Noni Juice today. I've looked up info on it, so far it's been a fair mix. Anyone taken or taking this nasty tasting stuff?

This one is an oldie but a goodie that I thought rascal especially might appreciate. Dunno where it came from, but showed up in my email again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday's sermon was---Forgive Your Enemies. Toward the end of the service, the Minister asked, "How many of you have forgiven your enemies?" 80% held up their hands. The Minister then repeated his question. All responded this time, except one small elderly lady. Mrs. Jones?"; "Are you not willing to forgive your enemies?" "I don't have any." She replied, smiling sweetly. "Mrs. Jones, that is very unusual. How old are you?" "Ninety-eight." she replied. "Oh Mrs. Jones, would you please come down in front & tell us all how a person can live ninety-eight years & not have an enemy in the world?" The little sweetheart of a lady tottered down the aisle, faced the congregation, and said: "I outlived the bitches."

:blink:

What always occurs to me is that when someone wrongs or hurts me I spend MUCH more time on it than they do.

I don't hope to turn this much needed thread into a discussion about services, or lack thereof. However, the myth that there are a ton of services for these children is just that; a myth. If I have a client that is 10 years old and s/he is being abused, there is possibility that s/he will not be removed from the home. It's not that black and white, unfortunately. Alot of variables are factored in, like can the abuser be removed, to keep kid home in their own bed, with their own stuff, with siblings and loving parent? Can Grandma or Grandpa move in and parents out? Funding is the bottom line for everything anymore. If I know a kid has lived a horrific life and needs some therapy, I can try like crazy to find some for him/her, but it's not just that easy. Community Mental Health has tightened their intake specs to levels that are criminal in themselves. They can and do turn down a case, even though the child needs their assistance desperately. So, alot of kid get no help whatsoever? Yup, that's exactly it. Also, lets say the child really needs 12 sessions at 50 minutes each, alone with a therapist trained to help. IF the insurance company oks it, it's usually only for 3-4 and then the facilitator must then petition the insurance again to ask for more. Insurance might give 1-2, depending on how well the therapist convinces them the kid needs it, proves that results are being gained; a very difficult thing to do in this work. If the insurance turns it down, the kid maybe got 3-4 sessions, maybe 6, but nowhere near enough for him/her to talk about the abuse, pain, fear and the now what. The therapist has tried desperatly to hurry the work along, such as moving into the now what part before the kid is ready to get there. This is best case, when the therapist is actually trained, educated or skilled. More often than not, that's not the case either, I don't care what the licensing laws say. The priorities are really mixed up. If a child needs therapy, I have to know how to answer their questions in a way that tells the intake office that s/he's a danger to herself or others. If I do that, s/he's labeled and may get placement in a facility that doesn't meet the needs, but rather exposes her to other dangers. If I tell the truth that the kid is coming out of abuse, in a home that is unsafe, what I'd more likely get is 'how can we get help into the home to teach mom, dad, aunt, uncle, grandma, whomever how to parent, clean, etc' for which they might give a month or two of 3 hours a week in the home to teach. That is not enough to even address the real core issues, but that might be all the state will pay for. The cited problems? Money. Staff cuts, the workers will recite their case load that doesn't afford them to give more than a token 1/2 hour a week if that, then they'll go on to tell you other horror stories about their jobs, the corners they cut, and the facts that there is nothing they can do. Right now, for instance, priority is heating and emergencies. Child welfare is # 6 on a list of priorities according to a case worker I interviewed thursday Jan 26. On the bottom? Health care, medications, even for children. One would hollar "but these are babies! children! and they should be number 1" Which would be a true and fair statement. Seeme's been there, done that, knows the system and how it works and doesn't. I applaud her fight and scrap for her babies, whatever it takes, however long it takes, whoever she has to fight to get there. This man should never be allowed access to those children; he's lost that right, the end. But unfortunately the laws aren't such that it goes the way that is right. Thank you seeme, for fighting for your kids, but for my kids, my neighbors kids, for all kids and parents who are fighting this same brutal war of the system allowing kids to be molested in the courtroom after they've already been molested by someone that professes to love them. I understand that each state has differant rules, regs and policy. I speak of Michigan and it's terribly poorly run, poorly implemented, very very poorly financed. Kids should be able to feel safe and loved, period.

Here's hoping your birthday is wonderful!!! Happy Birthday Mo

:) Isn't GS a wonderful place? Nellie sent us her son's instrument. And, to add to the fun part, after I left the post office with this package I stopped at the grocery and who did I run into.... Mr Collins, my high school band teacher! I picked his brain for awhile, got information from him, as well as an offer for a few lessons if she wants them. And.... he's working part time in his retirement in a music store locally that does repair, maintenance and sales on used musical instruments and equipment. He'll take it to work with him, get a mouthpiece for it, check it all out, get it "band class ready". Thank you. Now for ear plugs.

HA! One of the best ones I've read.

Gawd that's NASTY!

If you've not read I Know This Much is True, I strongly recommend it. I didn't read it because it said Oprah, either. In fact I found it, then forgot it, then had some time to read again this last fall and WHOA! I couldn't put that bad boy down. I don't know how a book gets on her list, don't really care and it doesn't influence me. In fact I might otherwise NOT read a book that she's endorsed just because of the starstruck crud. Ron has now turned me onto Russian Literature, so I will be checking that out. Read War and Peace years ago, didn't get into it, think I'll read it again. Have also read from the talk show queen's list: White Oleander by Janet Fitch House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III A Virtuous Woman by Kaye Gibbons A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen While I Was Gone by Sue Miller We Were The Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates East of Eden by John Steinbeck As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner Light in August by William Faulkner The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner A Million Little Pieces by James Frey

So many variables to being mad Ire where one irritates another Anger where the issue needs more attention and resolution Rage where emotions run too high I've finally reached a place where I can accept being angry or mad. It's what we DO with our anger than makes all the differance.

Do you find it in the Video Section of www.cnn.com or somewhere else on the site? In the video section I don't see it, could be gone already I guess. http://www.cnn.com/video/

That was one of the biggest to twi wasn't it?

You know me CW, I'd never pee on royalty. Not on purpose anyway.

:lol:

Reading Rainbow has an annual writing contest for K - 3 graders that is wonderful. Check out 2004 winners stories. My daughter entered in 2nd grade and didn't place beyond an Honorable Mention and a letter from LaVar Burton but what a hoot it was as she proceeded through the process to enter her story. http://www.wcmu.org/tv/readingrainbow/rrcontestwinners.html

Thanks Nellie, we'd love to have your sons instrument if you locate it. No, she's not stuck on the coronet or trumpet, it's a matter of me calling it one thing, she another. Please advise if you can get your hands on it and let me know about shipping costs.

I wasn't able to go look at instruments today because we are iced and snowed in around here, probably for tomorrow as well. I did call the two pawn shops and the one I use all the time has SIX in house and the other one has three, so if we can't find one that will be sufficient, it's our own fault. And indeed, the prices range from $90 to 175.

Ear muffs. LOLOL Hadn't thought of that, but I'm sure I would have. HA! :unsure:

Thank you everyone. Ted, definately the price range you stated for new is out of the question unless the kid gets a seriouse job and probably the job she just got working on a local farm for the summer 'aint gonna cut it. :blink: Pawn Shops! Duh me, we always look at pawn shops for stuff; dunno why I hadn't already considered that. She did guitar lessons last year and didn't practice like she was supposed to and therefore was unprepared for the lessons that I was paying for; I ended the lessons. This is for middle school band, so it's for a grade, can't just quit, blah blah. Maybe she'll want to play again in next years, maybe not and I would certainly encourage her if she explored other instruments as well. But $150 for a used instrument is very reasonable for a year of band class. Will start looking.

Thanks David, what is your reason for never buying a new instrument? Buying used is usually what we go for, given budget concerns, but you seem to have other reasons, as well. Might it be the 'broken in' aspect?

You musicians out there in GS land, my 10 year old wants to play the coronet/trumpet (is there a differance?) in middle school band next year, so we're on the hunt for one. As a first year student, do I buy her something really basic, do they come in differant styles according to student and need? Of course the school will rent us one, but I don't like that idea and I also don't like paying the prices they want for used ones. The prices I got when I inquired were ranging from $300 - 500 depending on age and use from previouse students rentals. I think that's high for a used instrument when I can probably get one new for that range. I've not checked into those prices.