Jan’s Neighborhood

Yep..it's another perfect day.
And what am I going to do about it?
I am going to wash a few windows, change a few critter cages and go for a Bike Ride!! I can't wait on the bike ride...but I'll wait until this afternoon when the temps get out of the 40s!
Have a good one, y'all!

Good morning! Getting ready to run 9 miles with Miss K. Blades is off at her mom's so she's not joining us today. I would rather be curled up in bed because (1) it's still dark out (2) it's freezing out there and (3) I'm still sleepy!

So, in order to wake up, I thought I'd listen to this ridiculous Narwhal Song. I don't even know what cartoon it's for..all I know is it's cracking me up.

Another plus for this morning..the House passes a health reform bill!!!

All right..off to torture my body! Happy Sunday Folks!

San Jose 2008 342

Our nephew Shane and his girlfriend Maggie eloped yesterday in Atlanta.  We are very happy for them and will see them on Thanksgiving at Charlotte and Randy's house.

A year ago tomorrow Kevin's brother Shawn married Kim in San Jose.  Kevin arrived in California the day Proposition 8 passed to celebrate his brother's happiness.  This week we got to watch people a thousand miles away vote on the civil rights of their fellow citizens in the state of Maine.

So, since we have lived in Nashville we have celebrated our nephew Billy's wedding, Shawn's, Shane's, and in June next year Megan and Ryan will be married. My sister and her boyfriend Bob eloped also.

If, suppose, I died tomorrow Kevin would be left alone, lose his Medical Insurance, forfeit my pension, and have to ask my family's permission to bury me. 

Each time we celebrate the union of those we love we quietly get to reflect on just what the implications are for us.  We have only been together for 18 years. Collectively more than all our newly married loved ones combined as far as the time they have been together prior to getting married. There has been no party or anniversary wishes.  No invitations to send out or thank you notes to write.

But we have each other for as long as we are alive and perhaps one day somebody will "allow" us the same basic civil rights as the people in our lives have.

As you know we love our families dearly and support them all and share in their joy each time a milestone occurs.  It would be nice to invite them all to share in our joy but we have decided that we will wait until we can do it legally rather than do something symbolic. They all treat us as though we are married so it would really just be a technicality anyhow. Oh, and then there are the 1,200 legal rights we would enjoy in addition to a new toaster and a few gift cards.

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Spent all day at our first debate tournament of the year.  I hate having to work on Saturdays, but the kids had such a good time and learn so danged much from the experience that it actually makes it worth the time.  We took seven teams (three students to a team) to the tournament where they debated the topics:

• California should not require an exit exam for graduation from public high school.
• The U.S. should end corn subsidies.
• College athletes should be paid.
• The U.S. should offer a health insurance public option to all citizens.

Keep in mind that our debaters are in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades.  They have about a month to research and prepare to debate both the proposition and opposition sides of all four resolutions.  At the tournaments, the kids find out which teams they'll be debating against and whether they will be debating the proposition or opposition sides.  Twenty minutes before the debate begins the league presidents announce the topic and the teams have twenty minutes to write out their notes after which they debate the topic. 

They are amazing across the board!!! 

Watching a bunch of 6th through 8th graders thoughtfully construct arguments and respectfully debate each other with gusto, then go outside and play on the field together does a lot to give one hope for the future ...

It's so tiny..and green!

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by making it illegal for you to divorce!

I am looking into getting a Referendum on the ballot to make Divorce illegal in Davidson County in Tennessee. Marriage is a right and not a privilege. It should be treated as such.

In the Judao-Christian tradition, barring anyone's personal beliefs it should be illegal, based on Christianity and the tenets of most Christian faiths to divorce.

 What God has created let no man tear asunder........It doesn't matter if you are Jewish, Muslim, Agnostic, or Atheist.  Your rights will be decided on by the religion of the majority. There is no Separation of Church and State and I want to help you get into heaven when the time comes for you to meet your maker.

I am looking into starting a Petition Drive to get this on the ballot in Nashville. I am researching wording for petitions and the process involved in making this happen.  I will stand in front of large Christian Churches with petitions and then also go to Gay gathering spots to ensure getting enough signatures to get a referendum on the ballot.

Additionally I would like to make it illegal to remarry if you are already divorced.  If you can't get it right the first time you should not get a second chance given so many people are not legally allowed to marry.  That would be a gross abuse of a right that others are not permitted to exercise.

So I made a Fat Elvis costume for my friend's kid.  It looked kind of awesome.  I am expecting a shipment of candy - my tithe, if you will.

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We've reached the time in the school year when I get really exhausted.  We're really busy all day, then I have after school coaching that I have to stay for, sometimes, until 5:30 or 6:00.  I got up on the grumpy side of the bed today and I feel like I'm gonna rip somebody's head off (of course, not literally, but I'm sure you know what I mean ...).  I'm tired of asking kiddos that I'm coaching to turn in permission slips so they can ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE in Saturday's event.  I'm tired of working practices around kids' myriad other commitments.  Hey, I know we all want it all, but at some point we need to teach you to prioritize your commitments so next time around, it's gonna be "fish or cut bait, kids ..." I'm tired of telling the same kids for the 100th time not to play games on the 'puters in the liberry.  I'm tired of telling the same kids that if they're going to "study" as loudly as they are (largely having a friggin' party like it's a friggin' pub) that they should move to a table outside on the terrace.  

I was working out at the school gym and they have a nice TV with cable on it so I was watching AM on MTV because I need to know what the kids are listening to these days and this commercial came on!  WT? Um, I know, I am probably late to the game but really shake weight...really?!?!?

It's just like that Schick Quattro Commercial!

But I was cracking up with this shake weight commercial. Because hello! yes, my mind went there!

And then I saw this on YouTube

um..ok Shake Weight..O.K.