The Serious Need for Play: Scientific American:

Free, imaginative play is crucial for normal social, emotional and cognitive development. It makes us better adjusted, smarter and less stressed.

"... Parents should let children be children—not just because it should be fun to be a child but because denying youth’s unfettered joys keeps kids from developing into inquisitive, creative creatures, Elkind warns. “Play has to be reframed and seen not as an oppo­site to work but rather as a complement,” he says. “Curiosity, imagination and creativity are like muscles: if you don’t use them, you lose them.” "

I caught this article from Laura's blog and found it very informative and just an all around interesting read.

WTHR - Indianapolis News and Weather - Indiana girl swallows magnets, needs surgery:

Indiana girl swallows magnets, needs surgery
Updated: May 23, 2008 05:44 PM

This story angers me, but not for the obvious reasons.

I actually saw this first on a news clip over on Comcast.net's "The Fan". First I was concerned as to how a child could knowingly consume THIRTY magnets. One of the first questions the news anchor asked was "Why did you eat them?" The girl's reply? "I thought they were candy." That stopped me right there. My first thought is "Magnets taste like METAL. Maybe these were plastic colored pieces, shaped weird and can be mistaken like candy." Then they show the magnet toys. They look like ball-bearings. Yes, they vaguely look like those small hard sugar candy balls you sometimes see on cupcakes at Christmas-time, but these things are about as big as a nickel (or larger, the pictures are kinda hard to judge the size), and are obviously metal. I've tasted magnets before, and they don't taste anything like candy. Metal doesn't taste good at all.

So the the girl's adopted (I assume) father continued to talk and my irritation continues to rise. I couldn't finish it, so I went searching for a print news article and found the one above. My irritation rose as I read the article, not for what it really said, but how it was stated. It insinuates the blame falls with the toy, but if you read between the lines, this orphanage even told the family that this girl has problems:

"She's only been in America three years and while she was in Russia, which is where she is from, in the orphanage she ate, they told us she ate everything she could get her hands on," said Lents.

Now, knowing this, why did the father give her a toy composed of small, easily swallowed pieces? My niece is somewhat the same, she will put just about ANYTHING in her mouth. We keep this in mind and don't buy her things she could possibly eat.

At the end of the article I see the words I was expecting to see and I nearly see red: But Haley's father wants the toy off the market for good.

Oh for the love of god, accept some responsibility! It is the parent's responsibility to make sure the child knows that it is a toy. Be there when they open the package, tell them what it is, get down and maybe even play with them and show them how it works. TELL THEM NOT TO EAT IT. The sheer fact that she claims she thought it was candy tells you that her parents didn't tell her it was a toy. More likely than not they gave it to her and went about their business. And if the child DOES eat it even after you tell them not to, don't blame the toy, blame the child. I'm sorry but most eight year olds know not to eat their toys.

Seeing things like this just angers me to no end. Bad parenting is what this is, nothing more. Now an innocent toy is being blamed for it. I'm tempted to go buy a set of this just out of spite...

..ok.. it looks fun to play with too... >_>

Yes, it was awful -- now please shut up - CNN.com:

Poignant, tragic, funny, outrageous --most of us have at least one story we tell (and retell) to explain our emotional bruises. But there's a big difference between understanding the past and being stuck in it.
--
"Oh, for God's sake," she says, rolling her eyes. "Could we please stop the drama and get on with our life?"

I normally try to avoid anything dealing with Oprah anymore, but I stumbled across this article on CNN. It echos nicely what I've been saying for years. For me it can be very very easy to slip into self pity. My brother died when I was eight; my father has a violent temper, though never physical hit anyone; was constantly bullied throughout school; so on and so forth. I could weep and moan and go on about how my life was so horrid.

Your life is shaped by your past experiences, not defined by it.

Probably the greatest thing about this article is the points it has to help you avoid getting stuck in that self pity rut. Teaches you how to recognize it and how to fight it.

Shire of Owl's Nest Event---Pirates of the Mediterranean:

The Shire of Owl's Nest Presents - Pirates of the Mediterranean: The Curse of the Maltese Owl
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Pickett's Mill Family Group Shelter
6789 Hiram Acworth Road, Dallas, GA 30157

I hope to be home in time for this. Anyone interested?

For those who don't know, early this morning there was an earthquake in southern Illinois.

Around 5:20ish Mom got up to use the bathroom. She did great getting in and out of bed on her own, so that made me very happy. So, we're all settled back in, and then I feel the bed shake. I hear mom moving in her room so my sleep addled brain thinks she's doing some exercise or something that shakes the house. I'm kinda used to the house 'shaking' because whenever the furnace kicks in the entire house shakes. Felt the shaking twice, then went back to sleep.

This morning Mom and I are watching "Regis and Kelly" (though Kyle McLachlan is covering for Regis who is in South Bend, IN) and they mention the earthquake. Mom then starts going on about checking the news and the time. Apparently it was about 5:44am when we both settled down and she says she felt the house shake too. At first I thought she was crazy since it was over in Illinois. But then she mentions feeling her bed shake and it triggers my memory. So I look it up on CNN and it says that it happened at 5:36am EST. Giving time for it to travel up here, it's right about the perfect time.

This, I must say, is the first earthquake I've ever felt.

Yep, that's right. tatianamik and internetbrain have found a place, and it's just down the road across 41. I'm SOO excited! So far the plan is for them to move in April 12 (yea, I'll be in MI), anyone think they might be able to help out? They also have some stuff that needs done. The master bedroom needs repainted (right now this deep forest green which is very much not internetbrain's color), and the garage door going into the kitchen needs to be replaced with a wooden one with a cat door.

If you're able/willing to help out at all, post here with how they can get in touch with you.

EDIT: tatianamik is also looking for some recommendations for various things on her blog.

I've been trying to keep up with those who have given well-wishes, but I'll do this here too.

For those of you who don't have your birthday reminders from LJ on, today is my B'day.

Thank you to everyone!

How old? Well the formula is simple currently: 2008 - 00 = 28

Was up late last night, so i slept all day. Then I get a call from Pat informing me of the pending ice storm, and I'm worried. Tomorrow morning I'm supposed to get on a bus and go visit a friend (my birthday present from said friend) but dunno if this ice storm will prevent it. *sighs* So far greyhound is saying no cancellations... but we'll see.

Y'all know what this means, right? My b'day curse persists... it snowed on my b'day. *cries*

Jonathan Coulton with Paul and Storm | Five Spot | Eventful:

This is the guy who wrote CodeMonkey and the "I'm Still Alive" song (end credits for Portal). Anyone want to go?

New Health Alert: Salmonella Outbreak Impacts 30 States - The Emergency Email & Wireless Network .......... www. EmergencyEmail.ORG ........ NewsEmergency.com:

Apparently there is a call out of the Banquet Pot Pies. If you eat them, be sure to read this. Hope it's legit, i'm too tired to look it up right now.

Tonight Pat and I were over at Tom's watching cool TV shows when I heard my phone beep.. text message. Curious, I pull it out and my jaw hit the floor. It was a notification from facebook... my old best friend from elementry and junior high had found me. Believe it or not, I've been looking for her for years. I think we had made brief contact once or twice when I was in college, but that email had since debunked and I've not been able to find her.

Turns out she's been looking for me too. I had tried searching Facebook for her before, but she just got signed up. I'm soooo happy! Part of me wants to jump in the car and drive down there to see her (and her family since I think she's got two kids now [very scary thought]).

Ya'll know how horrible I am at keeping in touch, and I've always beaten myself up for not being a better friend and losing contact. She was one of those friends who was like a sister to me. I remember the plans we had made, I think I found those drawings of the 'mansion' we were going to share.. her, me and Rochelle (who was going by Rhonda back then). Kids dreams, best friends forever, all that jazz. I never had many friends in school, but those two were the closest. It always did hurt that when Rochelle joined my highschool it was like she was a different person, we weren't even friends anymore. Not that she brushed me off, but that it was like meeting someone new all over again.

Anyway, I'm happy and I'm going to stay happy. It's been a good night. I plan to stay that way.

OMG I LOVE ATLANTA BEING A TRANSPORTAION HUB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ground shipment in 1day or less. <3z ATL!


Post a pic later. right now installing all my programs and getting all the updates.

HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!


<3 quu

If you want to know why...

Look at my LJ Profile... scroll to the bottom... look at "Account Type".... *jawdrop*


EDIT: Also, if anyone sees or hears from omgdontlook, please tell her to email me. Dankie!

Mom saw her doctor today (not yesterday like we thought) and all her tests but one came back fine. The one that tested positive was a blood test for inflammation. Don't ask the technical term cause i don't remember. Anyway.. He's kinda not happy with the report on the bone scan, because even mom and I could see cloudiness where her inflammation is on the scans, so he's going to get another radiologist to look at her results for a second opinion. He's given her some really expensive, really good antibiotics which she will be on till Aug 1. At that point, he'll take a look at her and determine if it's cleared up or not. She's currently penciled in for surgery on Aug 10, but that's only if she is ok'ed on the first.

I don't know what we're gong to do at this point, mom and I just got home and haven't talked about it. I've told Pat, but he and I haven't had the option of discussing anything just yet.

*sighs*

You know.. I feel bad for my mom. She just wants her knee done, but now it's looking like she won't be able to get that done till next year. >_< Not even she knows how she's going to last that long. I'm worried she's going to end up having to be in a wheel chair for the last few months or so.

Anyway.. I need to go. Almost time to go pick up her prescription.

My friend rhast sent this to me over aim:



It's a highly interesting read, totally neutral in tone and simply factual reporting. Wish more news was like this.

Thanks jingoro for posting this first!

24 double ended markers at Jo Anne's off Barret Parkway. Reg $90 on sale for $15!

Trying to upload pic.

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Markers Markers on Sale at JoAnn Fabrics

Below are some pictures I took from our visit.

( Read more... )

Now.. if you'll excuse me.. I need to go change and shower. I have Posion Oak junk all over me. I'm gonna have a shitty weekend. *sighs*

Made it out there fine!

Have better directions to post later along with pictures.

Site is completely rustic. No water at all. There is a revine with possible dry creek bed, but no water we've found at all. About 12 camp sites total, but a few have not been used in so long they are not really useable. Others are trashed, probably by local kids. There is one site PERFECT for groups.

more later!

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Alright, here is a bit more info (since I've been bitched about making too many posts before, I decided to just tack all this onto this post).

Update: I made a Google Map of how to get there, and where the good site is.

REAL DIRECTIONS:( Read more... )
We went down the 955B road, and it looks to go up along the top of the mountain. At one point we were able to spot the good site where we had left the car. Pretty nifty. I -think- it's a big loop (there is a split), but we never made it to where it looped around. VERY VERY long, but a very nice hike. Were going to drive down the 955A road, but realized we never saw a place to turn around on the 955B area and thought better of it. Will just have to hike down it next time.

All in all, the place is really nice. It's kinda remote, but less than a half hour from town. However, there is absolutely NOT amenities. No water, no toilets, no anything. There are not platforms, only cleared spaces among the trees and crude stone firerings. The only BAD thing is that it's obvious that the local kids come out here to have wild beer parties and don't clean up after themselves. There is poison oak, didn't see any poison ivy or sumac, but it's far back in the trees. If you stay on the gravel roads, there isn't a problem. Or just keep your eyes out and pray you're not reactive to it. *crosses fingers*

In Calhoun, there are lots of gas stations, a CVS, an Eckards (near 75), and a Piggly Wiggly (near 75), pizza and a mexican restaurant. One exit south of 315 is a Home Depot and various fast food, not to mention an outlet shopping stripmall. It takes less than 2 hours to go from the campsite down to my house in Kennesaw, so honestly, if you NEED something, it's easy to get it.

If you plan on camping there, here are a few suggestions of things to take:( Read more... )

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More info!

Since I now know it's "John's Mountain", I was poking around google and found this site with this map. Going to seriously have to look around that site because it does say that there at least USED to be a waterpump. I doubt it's there though. Anyway, the awesome thing is that the " Keown Falls Scenic Area and Hike" is not too far away. On the map they have, the "Pocket Road" actually merges in with what is now the larger "Everett Springs Road" (one we do NOT go on to get to Hidden Creek) so it should be real easy to get there. There are also a few other sites/rec areas that should be around there. Will have to go looking when we all decide to go camping.

If you look up above, I went in to Google Maps and made a map of how to get there. Once I knew what I was looking for, the forest service roads just JUMPED out at me. Silly me. The Satellite view over on Yahoo shows the campsite SOO much better though. Google's is hard to see, but I was able to use both to get the lines on the Google Map to show right.

I'm gonna post about there here because I know a lot of people don't keep up with deviantArt.

Not to long ago, I made this really awesome fractal that looks like water pouring out of a chalice. I was floored. It was simple, yet probably my best piece of work yet. I titled it "My Cup Runneth Over" and submitted it to my Apophysis fractal group. So far I've gotten really nice responses to it. I'm quite happy with it.

Last week, I decided to go ahead and make a full size poster quality version of the render and submit it for a print. This afternoon, the render -finally- finished! So now I present "My Cup Runneth Over - Prints".

I would not complain in the least if anyone decided to buy a print. ;-)