Tired of being the entertainment director

  I head out to the yard and start 'playing'. Kids too. No problem. If I quit, the kids will too. If someone is not with them they quit. Within minutes, both will drift back in and sit their ass in front of the TV.
  I have two kids like this and I don't understand. They always have to have something entertaining them. Something electronic. No thinking. They don't know how to find things to do. I got one who won't go outside because there are no other kids out. What? (I picture other kids, sitting in their house, saying the same thing.) And they act like sitting in front of whatever device is a right. A right?  And if I want them to do anything else, I had better provide it. Screw that!
 READ A FREAKING BOOK! Go outside. Go fishing. Ride a bike. Draw. PLAY! Anything.


(If you don't, I am gonna severely restrict the internet access in this house. I am under no obligation to provide it.)

Do Gooders

“I’ve come to believe that Take Your Daughters And Sons to Work Day is largely a feel-good exercise for the privileged,” she wrote.




   I completely believe that a number of charities have come to this.(see earlier post) Personally, when I hear 'Silent Auction' at a fund raiser I just know it is rich people at Giovani's or Cliffbreakers trying to ease their guilt. Events at a cpl hundred dollars a plate does not equate to charity work. And they need to quit acting like it. Time AND money are needed. And I really believe the money is the least important of the two. 
   I got a suggestion. Bring your money and your body straight down to the church or food bank  or where ever and just jump right in! Quit enabling the Do Gooders.


http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/26/11394879-as-times-change-so-do-attitudes-about-taking-kids-to-work?lite

 I am beginning to wonder if our next generation is so pampered by the success of the previous generation's hard won accomplishments, that they just expect exploration of Mars to magically happen? Or are they so entertained by their video games and iPod fantasies that they don't even care?




http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/19/11292047-astronauts-revisit-the-shuttle-debate   Mark S-2582942

Outside my window.

MELD disses volunteer!

   I just gotta say this . Something aint right. Now normally I don't interfere with my wife's personal affairs, but this time I gotta. Two years ago she was out of work. Sad and mopey, so she says "I am gonna volunteer!" She likes babies and is a caring person so after some thought she decides on MELD. Great place. As much as I know they help young mothers and fathers with their babies. That's a good thing. More power to them. So she goes down and everybody agrees and she starts going on Monday nights and takes care of the kids while mom and dad have group sessions. Even after she got another job. Every Monday, rain or shine, winter and summer she is there. She loves it. She even sets up her blog for donations to get clothes and toys for the babies. At one time she had her sister working too. She talks about the MELD babies all the time. Nothing personal, just the love and caring.
   Are you getting this? A volunteer who shows up everytime for over two years, donates clothes and toys, Loves doing it and what? Nothing. No thanks. No atta girl. No how are you doing. Not even a freaking Coke cola. 2 years!  Nothing. And you may say that she was volunteering and so she should expect nothing. Yep, you are right. And she didn't want anything. But would it have hurt? Isn't that common courtesy. Wouldn't you want to encourage people giving you free help?  But that aint all. They FIRED her!!  She went to the head dude and told him she was getting tired and maybe she cut cut down to every other week and he said that happens and he took her off the schedule! Pretty much said go away.That is fired as far as I can tell. And did he say thanks for your help and we appreciate it? Nope.
   My take on why he didn't want her anymore? He didn't like what else she had to say. Was not his way so it was gonna be no way. Some charities that do good, get what I call a histronic tunnel vision. They get so into the fact that they are being good that they fail to see others doing it too. If it aint their way of doing good then it is not the way. Full of themselves. "I am so good that everything I do is good. I cannot be wrong. My good is better than any other good." I think her suggestion implied that maybe the group needed a little redirecting and some suggestions for helping the moms and dads, but that just didn't fit in with MELD's way of doing good. I could be wrong.
  She doesn't regret volunteering for MELD. In fact, she is totally supportive of them. She will most likely look for some other place that might need and appreciate her and the work she does. I just think MELD should step back and review the way volunteers are taken care of. Caring people should be welcome and, for sure, free help should never be turned away.
   Please, MELD, and anybody else, tell me what you think in the comments below.