Happenings...

Yesterday we had the first soccer game for the season. I totally forgot about it but fortunately, Jon didn't. We got there a little late but that's all right. Lydia was a goalie...still, I was a bit embarrassed we were so late. I'll try to remember next time. Let me just say, the place was packed. I don't know if it was support, or that they (the recreation center) decided to have 15 ball games at once, but there was a huge turnout. It went well and there wasn't any score, but the lets just say there was a few goals on our side. :)I was really impressed with the kids being so involved...I mean really focused and involved. Of course, my gal was facing the wrong way, but that's all right. lol!

There was one minor problem (or big, depending on your level of sensitivity to cigarette smoke). A woman (from the other team) decided to "light-up" and smoked around all these kids (including her own). I was really shocked. I've never seen anyone with such blatant disregard to people, let alone children. I guess she doesn't really care if they get cancer...but I do. I know a lot of parents do, in fact. I'm planning on writing to the Recreation center and making my complaints known. I'm all right with smokers smoking...away from children and me. Perhaps, in a bubble or a car, alone. My great-granddad died coughing up blood from smoking (and black lung from working in coal mines). I sure as hell do not want to do this myself, or see my kids (let alone anyone's kids) do this.

*******************

Another annoyance. Apparently, a letter to the editor I wrote a month or so ago has been misunderstood. I swear, with this sort of individual, there isn't much to say because they will only see what they want and hear what they want. I'm planning on responding (and I already know exactly what I'm planning to write and which stand to take). I guess I'm a little flustered that someone would respond in this manner, but at the same time, flattered that someone took the time to write about it. I really thought my little piece was too neutral. I guess, not.

One thing that bothers me about their response is, why the writer thinks being critical of having military at a HS is going to hurt the military? He makes the comparison to police "I wonder how she feels about a police presence at the school?". These are individuals serving the community. The purpose of having military recruiters at the HS is to recruit students...I've had kids tell me that these military guys will find out who's graduating, call their homes, tell the students they have an appointment on such and such a day and are expecting them. What person wouldn't go? Esp. someone who's taught to respect the military. I've heard of others buying kids meals, acting all buddy/buddy, & taking them out/giving attention. Does this sound ethical? Does this sound like a respectful organization? I'd make another comparison about predators and how they approach innocent kids...what's the difference? It's corrupt and it can cost them their lives or, if lucky, an arm or leg. To quote Leo Tolstoy, it's sending kids to be cannon fodder for a war that is not ending and has no point to it.

I've had friends join the military because they were so poor that $15,000 seemed like a good deal. And I think the price has gone up since then...The only reason my one friend survived was he had mechanical skills that his father taught him and was able to be pulled from the front line (he saw friends injured and killed). Now, do we want to send an 18 year old to this?

I once wrote to one of my groups that the poem by Dylan Thomas should be changed from:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

to

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Youth should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.


And every veteran should be saying this to the youth:

Stop that nonsense,’ we say.
We are the veterans who know the meaning of war:
Away with guns, soldiers, and the military,
away with generals and
politicians who have a vociferous capacity
to send our youth for cannon fodder.
-Koozma J. Tarasoff

I think there is a reason why the generational gap is so big, it's so we won't listen or talk to each other and learn. We won't learn the stories from those who experienced war first hand. We won't hear the 90 year old talk about the Great Depression, or learn about the strikes and the changing of laws because our great-grandparents said, "No! I will not starve, I will not let companies take advantage of my family, I will not let big business bully me into submission." This is what almost all 3rd or 4th generation Americans have in their family tree.

Anyway, thoughts I've been thinking...