Well, Damn

The Towanda Black Knights’ Cinderella season has ended. They had a great run, though, and finish the season at 12-1, a great record for a fantastic team.

Way to go, guys!

You did us proud.

Happy Turkey Time!

Give Thanks

When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light,
for your life and strength.
Give thanks for your food and the joy of living.
If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself.

–Tecumseh

As I said last year, I think it’s a great idea to have a day set aside to be thankful. Despite what so many of the Christianists think, one doesn’t need to be Christian to be grateful for the blessings in our lives.

I do have a problem with the Pilgrim nonsense, however. Let’s get real: these people came to escape religious persecution and then turned around and persecuted those who didn’t believe exactly as they did.

Thanksgiving isn’t about Pilgrims and Indians, at least, not in my house. Thanksgiving is simply the time to be grateful — to a deity or not — for the friends and family still with us, to remember those we’ve lost, to be thankful for the roof over our heads, the clothes on our backs, and the food in our tummies when so many are going without. This has been a difficult year in my home, but we have so much more than so many of our fellow citizens. We have been blessed.

So, here’s part of my “Blessings” list – the idea for which I stole, in part, from Strategerie:

• My children – R, P, and M – the greatest of my blessings.
• My mom and step-dad – always there with sound advice and lots of humor.
• My sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephew who all bring joy, laughter, and fun to my life. Remember: it isn’t a party until someone says, “Do you remember…?
• My friends, real and online – for being there.
• And, last but never least: my Gabbly pals — also known to my children as my invisible friends — jeff, EPU, Cy, Strat, Gari, eva, proudprogressive, Shez, Caitin, and leinie.

Happy Thanksgiving!

An Iroquois Prayer

We return thanks to our mother, the earth, with sustains us.
We return thanks to the rivers and streams, which supply us with water.
We return thanks to all herbs, which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.
We return thanks to the corn, and to her sisters, the beans and squash, which give us life.
We return thanks to the bushes and trees, which provide us with fruit.
We return thanks to the wind, which, moving the air, has banished diseases.
We return thanks to the moon and the stars, which have given us their light when the sun was gone.
We return thanks to our grandfather He-no, .., who has given to us his rain.
We return thanks to the sun, that he has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.
Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit, in whom is embodied all goodness, and who directs all things for the good of his children

There is Love….

To Leinie and Mr. L in Idaho who are tying the knot today:

May you both live as long as you want,
and never want as long as you live.

May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings,
slow to make enemies, and quick to make friends.

May the saddest day of your future be no worse
than the happiest day of your past.

– Irish blessing

All I Want For [Winter Holiday of Your Choice]

Like others who have lots of little people in their lives, I’ve been wondering just what in the world to buy them for Christmas … the holidays.

The one and only, very bestest, gotta-have-it toy my niece wanted – pulled from the market. Same goes for the items I’d been eyeing for my nephew and another niece.

I’m not about to buy some piece of Chinese-made lead-coated junk, so … what to do?

Ah – I heard that! Books, absolutely. I’m the book-aunt in my family. No event goes by without some book as a gift, and I frequently give books for no reason at all.

But, kids – being kids – like toys and want toys, and even if I don’t buy them now, I’m going to have to buy toys at some point in the future.

Which is why I was thrilled to find this:

Still Made in USA – a great resource list with links to companies whose products are, obviously, still made in the US. With product categories like: Toys and Games, Kitchen and Dining, Bed and Bath, Appliances, Apparel, Tools, Home and Garden … everything you could want or need — produced in the US, by US workers, under US standards — can be found through this site.

Under Toys and Games, for example, you’ll find companies such as:

K’nex – celebrating its 15th anniversary – K’nex building sets were a favorite of my boys when they were younger.

ImagiPLAY – “Toys with Integrity” – Earth-friendly and Child-safe toys

Skullduggery, Inc – plaster craft kits in a variety of themes: race cars, fossils, etc.

Shrinky Dinks - You remember these! Kids can create a wild variety of different objects with shrinkable plastic.

Wiffle Ball, Inc – Home of the original Wiffle Ball.

Greenleaf Dollhouses – dollhouses, furniture kits, birdhouses and more

Magic Cabin – soft dolls, dress-up clothes, arts & crafts, books

And that’s just a sampling. Enjoy looking around the site and finding great, safe toys, games, crafts, and more for kids of all ages – and stuff for you and your home as well!

I shall now consider this my good deed for the day – which means … chocolate for me!

Jenn’s Sunday Sermon – Feminist Edition

What is a feminist?

The answer changes from person to person. The MRA’s tell us women are out to dominate the world and reduce men to babbling pink and lavender shells of their former selves. There are women, like Phyllis Schafly, who have made careers out of telling other women not to have careers – but don’t anyone think about telling them to get back to the kitchen. There are patriarchy-haters who see anything associated with men, marriage, and/or children as evil. There are feminist-haters who see all change and progress after the 1950’s to be evil.

So, what exactly is feminism? What separates a “feminazi” from a “feminist”? Who draws those lines that say “this” is okay, but “that” isn’t, and “that one” is in the murky gray area?

The problem is the lines change depending on who’s drawing them.

Conservatives drive me batty because every single line they draw is contradicted by another line they draw.

You have those who say women shouldn’t work, that they should get married, stay home, raise their children. But, show a woman who does that and needs the help of a government program – SCHIP, for example – and suddenly she’s drawing fire for spending time at home.

That’s just one example, but it applies to nearly everything “they” believe about what women “should do.” If you’re well-to-do or even wealthy because of your educational and career choices, then your ass belongs at home raising and nurturing your children. If you’re poor because of a lack of skills or lack of jobs above minimum-wage, then your ass belongs in the workforce.

Except, it’s not that simple, because some study is going to come out showing children of fulfilled career mothers do better in school or something, and then another will come out that says children whose mothers work have lower self-esteem or something, and then another comes out that says children do better in school if their mothers stay home and teach them happy little songs, and then another comes out…. Well, you know the drill. No choice we make is ever going to be the right one.

And that’s just the motherhood example. The “debate” between those who are childless by choice and those who choose motherhood (or had it chosen for them by failures in birth control, etc) can be even more vicious, but trust me, there is so-called “debate” over every possible choice a woman could possibly make about her life.

So, you’re asking, what do I call a feminist?

District IV Playoffs Begin!

I can’t be at the game tonight, thanks to a miserable chest cold and temps hovering above freezing. I’ll be listening to the play-by-play on the radio though, and wishing I was there.

But, to wish them luck, I want everyone to do something:

Stand up, wherever you are and face the Commonwealth around 7pm EST. Then, chant the following 10 times, very loudly:

Everywhere we go (everywhere we go)
People wanna know (people wanna know)
Who we are (who we are)
So we tell them (so we tell them)

WE ARE THE BLACK KNIGHTS!

MIGHTY, MIGHTY BLACK KNIGHTS!

 

UPDATE – 7:09pm: Knights score and the PAT is good! 7-0 Knights!

UPDATE 2 – 8:00pm: And the first half ends. Score is still 7-0, Knights.

UPDATE 3 – 8:24pm: Warrior Run scores, 2-point conversion intercepted. Score is 7-6, Knights with a slim – very slim – lead.

UPDATE 4 – 8:39: This is effin’ nuts! TWO effin’ touchdowns by the Knights that didn’t effin’ count because of “illegal procedure” calls. C’mon, guys, get it together! Score is still 7-6, Knights.

UPDATE 5 – 8:45pm: TOUCHDOWN TOWANDA! 14-6!! And no flags this time!

UPDATE 6 – 8:52pm: End of the 3rd quarter. Knights at 1st and goal! Woot!

UPDATE 7 – 8:55pm: TOUCHDOWN TOWANDA! 21-6 Knights!

UPDATE 8 – 9:14pm: Warrior Run scores. *sigh* PAT is good. 21-13, Knights still leading.

UPDATE 9 – 9:20pm: TOUCHDOWN TOWANDA! PAT is no good. 27-13, Knights. Just over 3 minutes left to play.

UPDATE 10 – 9:28pm: And the Knights win it!! Woohoo! Still undefeated! Next week, they’ll face Athens again, this time on their home turf.

Friday Anti-War Song

Blowin’ in the Wind
– Bob Dylan

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, ‘n’ how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, ‘n’ how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they’re forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.

How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, ‘n’ how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, ‘n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.

How many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea?
Yes, ‘n’ how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, ‘n’ how many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.

Wyalusing PA Makes Headlines

And not in a good way.

Sorry, Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau. I don’t think this is going to help the tourism industry of northeastern PA. What there is of a tourist industry, that is.

From the AP:

The giant agribusiness company Cargill Inc. said Saturday it is recalling more than 1 million pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria.

The ground beef was produced between Oct. 8 and Oct. 11 at Cargill Meat Solutions’ plant in Wyalusing, Pa. and distributed to retailers across the country. They include Giant, Shop Rite, Stop & Shop, Wegmans and Weis.

[snip]

Products that are being recalled:

Senior Night 2007

“With Your Shield Or On It”

Tonight, prior to the start of the last game of the regular season, I had the honor – shared with my ex-husband – of escorting my son onto the football field as the senior members of the football and cross-country teams, as well as the band, band front, and cheerleaders were recognized.

For the football team, each of the moms wore her son’s letterman jacket and was given a silk rose in the team colors.

It was a bit emotional, hearing the waves and waves of cheers for these outstanding young people, but especially to be there escorting the baby every medical professional had told me would be severely handicapped, mentally and physically, if I chose to continue with my pregnancy.

When PK was born, he was the image of perfection, and I am amazed and grateful and in awe of the wonderful young man he’s become.

*

PS: We won 41-6! The Black Knights are still undefeated! District playoffs begin next week…

PPS: This is quite possibly the third-worst photo ever taken of me.

PPSS: These are some big tall guys. I wore 4″ boots just to keep from looking like a tag-along kindergartener, and the picture doesn’t really show just how big that jacket was on me.

Black Knight Pride!

Photo by MelanieK.