27 January 2008

She's moved

Not Found

The requested URL /sys/main was not found on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.


That's what I have been getting the past few days when I clicked on my bookmarked link to Danielle Bean. If you like her blog and have been getting the same thing I was, don't worry -- here she is.

18 January 2008

A question of privilege

I saw this at Entropy's site and thought I would take part. Having backtracked it through a few linked blogs, it is interesting to note that some -- me included -- are saying this isn't what matters. I knew I was loved. Even though we didn't have a lot, we had what we truly needed: a home and family.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

An interesting privilege meme from What Privileges Do You Have?, based on an exercise about class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright.

Bold the true statements.

1. Father went to college
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college
4. Mother finished college
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home -- most of them were mine :)
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home.
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively -- maybe the now me, but not the me of childhood
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs -- Grants, scholarships, student loans and work study
16. Went to a private high school
17. Went to summer camp
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels -- What's a vacation? We did go visit my grandmother in Ohio when I was in ninth grade and had to stay at a Holiday Inn. Does that count?
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child -- maybe for one year after one of my sisters moved out and before she moved back :)
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school -- for that one year of my own room, I had a small black and white TV in my room that wasn't for my use only; mine was the only room it could go in so whoever wanted to watch something different from the rest of the family could
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family


It doesn't look like much -- two definites and two partials -- but I don't feel underprivileged now, nor did I then. I was loved (check number 7 for proof of that!) and somehow we always had a roof overhead, food on the table, and clothes on our back. Anything else is gravy -- and too much gravy isn't good for you :)

~ ~ ~ ~ Because I had to find out more, I tracked down Dr. Barratt's web page about the privilege meme.


17 January 2008

My new alarm clock


Or The son also rises . . .

My day started with the four year old jumping on the bed at 5:30 trying to wake me up because "the sun is up!" It appears we have a slightly different opinion of what constitutes sun up because it was pitch black when I opened my eyes. Just in time for him to cut on my bedside lamp. Ouch.

But it was okay anyway because it was the four year old. Perhaps I should let you in on the fact that yesterday he was the three year old. He's a little excited.

He was also nice enough to go wake up his brother and sisters so they were ready for school with plenty of time.

16 January 2008

What's going on here

This is what the kitchen table looked like in November when the products sold by the family's Webelos scout (popcorn and peanuts) and Brownie (candy and nuts) came in for delivery.


Webelos end of the table

Brownie end of the table

I was thinking about this because it is Girl Scout cookie time and I am wondering what the table will look like next month when the first orders come in -- especially since Marie set a goal of selling 250 boxes.