5-11-10
Once again, I am short on time this morning. Working hard on these credit lines, trying to earn my money.
Yesterday I checked online to see when soccer signups are, and I found out one of the early days is this Friday. It means Bobby will get signed up after we leave my parents’ house on Friday. Yie!
As if that wasn’t monumental enough, I also went down to the school to get the kindergarten packet to sign him up for school. They also have some kind of a lottery in which Dax may get to do a pre-k program there. Woo hoo! This would mean no more daycare, which means savings of $300 a week. All kinds of good. The pre-k program is chosen by lottery, so who knows if we would even get in. But I am crossing my fingers. Plus, they might pick him just because statistic wise, they need at least one white kid, right?
The suggestion was run by Papa Brenan about having Bobby come with us to Ohio. It would allow him to be shown off to some relatives, plus, it would give me a nice crutch. I also think that he would have fun. He is really good, especially when he doesn’t have the Dax influence. Papa Brenan will be getting back to us on that. It may not be a go, but wouldn’t that be interesting? Plus, I like the idea of Bobby and me time.
Yard sale plans for the 22nd. Attic and garage cleaning will take place over the next two weeks.
I may be trying for a smidge of OT the next couple weeks. With Maryann out for the next two weeks, I could easily warrant an extra 30 minutes each day. I don’t know how happy I will be giving up my extra 30 minutes of free time, but it won’t be that bad, and it gives me a couple of hours of OT a week, which is good.
In my stressing about money yesterday, I did manage to do a lot of laundry until I ran out of detergent. There is more cleaning to do tonight.
Ok, I managed to finish the bulk of what needed to be done with the credit lines. I still have other stuff, but since the program crashed, I can work on it a little at a time over the next few days, which is good. Maryann paid me, too, so this is all good to have the money ready for soccer.
My morning appears to be over, thankfully, which means I can zone out this afternoon. Woo hoo!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
USA
5-5-10
I am American.
It is a statement that isn’t said enough these days. The last time I was really patriotic was in 1984. I remember coloring my cardboard sign before my family headed down to the Los Angeles Coliseum to watch the Olympics. My sign was simple. It said in big bold letters, U.S.A. I was proud. I didn’t care what event I was witnessing. I just was excited to see my country compete. I loved that even though I didn’t know any of the athletes back stories, I had a built in team to route for.
I have changed so much in the last 25 years. So has America.
Cultures have thrived here. People from all walks of life flock to the land of opportunity. Be it from countries that border our own nation to ones over seas, we have expanded beyond our initial melting pot. The fondue that oozes over the land is rich with tradition and pride. No longer does my child have to look forward to a backpacking trip in Europe when they could probably get just as much backpacking in Downtown LA.
Our doors have always been open. They had to be. We didn’t come from here. Most of the blood that flows here traces back to everywhere but here. We are English. We are French. We are African. We are Mexican. We are Japanese. But the one thing we forget is that when we are here, we are supposed to be American. Not some hyphenated version of American. Just American.
By being American, it doesn’t mean to abandon our roots. There is no danger of this happening even if I thought it was a good idea. We celebrate Cinco de Mayo, St. Patrick’s day and Black History Month. We have Quinceaneras for our daughters and a Bris for our sons. Our roots are the threads of the complex American quilt that blankets us. It warms us when we are cold and it keeps us safe in making sure we appreciate the hardships our ancestors had.
But by being American, it also has some responsibilities. The biggest thing is not what language you speak or what beliefs you hold. In order to be American, you have to BE American. Just as you have to have a Costco card to shop there and a ticket to get into Disneyland, you need to have some form of citizenship to reap the benefits of this great country.
I am not talking about the folks just passing through. I am not talking about the ones who have work permits. The ones that concern me are the very ones that have been debated my whole life; illegal immigrants.
I understand the desire to come here. Especially when you are coming from a poor or otherwise lesser country that doesn’t present opportunity like America does. You want to provide for your children. You want to put in a hard day’s work. You want to make a difference. These are all incredibly respectable. But how can you look at yourself in the mirror every day and not see the shame you bring yourself, and the complete lack of respect you have for the place that is helping you out?
People in this country illegally take full advantage of the system, without giving back enough. There are huge costs involved with people crossing the border illegally. In a study I read, it indicates that households headed by illegal aliens imposed more than $26.3 billion in costs for the government, yet only paid $16 billion in taxes. That is a lot of cash! I know that most people hate taxes. Did it ever occur to people that some of the reasons our taxes are so high is because we are covering people who don’t pay taxes? Why is it that our cost of opportunity is so much higher when we were born here yet people breaking the laws get a pass?
I am ok with amnesty. I am ok with closing the borders. I think I am even ok with Arizona implementing laws to make it easier to enforce an already existing law. It is a shame that it has come to that. We have had to resort to carrying our papers in order to prove that we are here legally. But as a society, we brought this on ourselves. We gladly purchase products that are from companies that hire illegal workers. Even my own father, who is a staunch supporter of closing the borders has bought a bag of peanuts from the guy standing at the freeway off ramp.
There are rallies where people chant “Si se puede”. Yes they can what? Continue to abuse a country who has been good enough to look the other way at their obvious lack of respect for the law? I know there are some that work hard to try and get a visa or that truly become a part of our country. But there are too many that don’t.
It is time that our country takes more pride in how great we really are. We are a country rich in culture. We will never be milky white, nor should we be. That being said, we also need to be loyal to the people who love our country. Not the ones who simply use and abuse it. I don’t care if you hate Obama. I don’t care if you like Sarah Palin. I don’t care if you prefer Conan to Leno. The only thing that makes any difference to me is that you respect what this country is.
I would never fault anyone who was working towards getting citizenship and it just takes time. All I ask is that you take that time to try. You want a better life for your kids? You want to come to the land of opportunity to do this? That is great, truly, but know this. By continuing to use our resources without giving back, there won’t be much of a land left for them. Is it any shock that California is broke?
To be American means to love America. I have taken it for granted for years while fantasizing about living everywhere from England to Canada to Australia. I crush on Brits and lately Irish folks (who coincidently always seem to be gay, but that is a whole different blog). I have been frustrated with our government and have even considered not voting since I didn’t think my meager voice mattered. But in the last few years, I have seen that even though we have our faults, at least we can. So many other countries don’t have the freedoms we have. I would imagine there are some in which something like a Tea Party might result in multiple deaths. We are a nation full of good hearted people that have not only tried to help our own, but reached out to other countries in time of need to assist in tragedy. I am starting to be pretty proud to wear red white and blue together.
I just hope that other people feel the same way. I hope that the people that truly care about the future of our country understand that changes need to be made. The workers coming to our country without papers are called illegal for a reason. They are breaking the law. The laws our forefathers fought to have the right to impose. The rules that have kept us moving forward and continued to evolve as a great country. Our rules may not all make a lot of sense. Banning gay marriage and making pot illegal seem really silly. Yet these are things that if were legal would not hurt anyone. Allowing people into our country, paying them, and yet not collecting taxes or having them go through the motions to be a citizen does.
More power to you Arizona. I know that there are many that think your actions take us back to a time when a short guy with a bad mustache tried to rule the world. But in reality, you aren’t trying to take over another country. You are taking back the one that is already ours.
I am American.
It is a statement that isn’t said enough these days. The last time I was really patriotic was in 1984. I remember coloring my cardboard sign before my family headed down to the Los Angeles Coliseum to watch the Olympics. My sign was simple. It said in big bold letters, U.S.A. I was proud. I didn’t care what event I was witnessing. I just was excited to see my country compete. I loved that even though I didn’t know any of the athletes back stories, I had a built in team to route for.
I have changed so much in the last 25 years. So has America.
Cultures have thrived here. People from all walks of life flock to the land of opportunity. Be it from countries that border our own nation to ones over seas, we have expanded beyond our initial melting pot. The fondue that oozes over the land is rich with tradition and pride. No longer does my child have to look forward to a backpacking trip in Europe when they could probably get just as much backpacking in Downtown LA.
Our doors have always been open. They had to be. We didn’t come from here. Most of the blood that flows here traces back to everywhere but here. We are English. We are French. We are African. We are Mexican. We are Japanese. But the one thing we forget is that when we are here, we are supposed to be American. Not some hyphenated version of American. Just American.
By being American, it doesn’t mean to abandon our roots. There is no danger of this happening even if I thought it was a good idea. We celebrate Cinco de Mayo, St. Patrick’s day and Black History Month. We have Quinceaneras for our daughters and a Bris for our sons. Our roots are the threads of the complex American quilt that blankets us. It warms us when we are cold and it keeps us safe in making sure we appreciate the hardships our ancestors had.
But by being American, it also has some responsibilities. The biggest thing is not what language you speak or what beliefs you hold. In order to be American, you have to BE American. Just as you have to have a Costco card to shop there and a ticket to get into Disneyland, you need to have some form of citizenship to reap the benefits of this great country.
I am not talking about the folks just passing through. I am not talking about the ones who have work permits. The ones that concern me are the very ones that have been debated my whole life; illegal immigrants.
I understand the desire to come here. Especially when you are coming from a poor or otherwise lesser country that doesn’t present opportunity like America does. You want to provide for your children. You want to put in a hard day’s work. You want to make a difference. These are all incredibly respectable. But how can you look at yourself in the mirror every day and not see the shame you bring yourself, and the complete lack of respect you have for the place that is helping you out?
People in this country illegally take full advantage of the system, without giving back enough. There are huge costs involved with people crossing the border illegally. In a study I read, it indicates that households headed by illegal aliens imposed more than $26.3 billion in costs for the government, yet only paid $16 billion in taxes. That is a lot of cash! I know that most people hate taxes. Did it ever occur to people that some of the reasons our taxes are so high is because we are covering people who don’t pay taxes? Why is it that our cost of opportunity is so much higher when we were born here yet people breaking the laws get a pass?
I am ok with amnesty. I am ok with closing the borders. I think I am even ok with Arizona implementing laws to make it easier to enforce an already existing law. It is a shame that it has come to that. We have had to resort to carrying our papers in order to prove that we are here legally. But as a society, we brought this on ourselves. We gladly purchase products that are from companies that hire illegal workers. Even my own father, who is a staunch supporter of closing the borders has bought a bag of peanuts from the guy standing at the freeway off ramp.
There are rallies where people chant “Si se puede”. Yes they can what? Continue to abuse a country who has been good enough to look the other way at their obvious lack of respect for the law? I know there are some that work hard to try and get a visa or that truly become a part of our country. But there are too many that don’t.
It is time that our country takes more pride in how great we really are. We are a country rich in culture. We will never be milky white, nor should we be. That being said, we also need to be loyal to the people who love our country. Not the ones who simply use and abuse it. I don’t care if you hate Obama. I don’t care if you like Sarah Palin. I don’t care if you prefer Conan to Leno. The only thing that makes any difference to me is that you respect what this country is.
I would never fault anyone who was working towards getting citizenship and it just takes time. All I ask is that you take that time to try. You want a better life for your kids? You want to come to the land of opportunity to do this? That is great, truly, but know this. By continuing to use our resources without giving back, there won’t be much of a land left for them. Is it any shock that California is broke?
To be American means to love America. I have taken it for granted for years while fantasizing about living everywhere from England to Canada to Australia. I crush on Brits and lately Irish folks (who coincidently always seem to be gay, but that is a whole different blog). I have been frustrated with our government and have even considered not voting since I didn’t think my meager voice mattered. But in the last few years, I have seen that even though we have our faults, at least we can. So many other countries don’t have the freedoms we have. I would imagine there are some in which something like a Tea Party might result in multiple deaths. We are a nation full of good hearted people that have not only tried to help our own, but reached out to other countries in time of need to assist in tragedy. I am starting to be pretty proud to wear red white and blue together.
I just hope that other people feel the same way. I hope that the people that truly care about the future of our country understand that changes need to be made. The workers coming to our country without papers are called illegal for a reason. They are breaking the law. The laws our forefathers fought to have the right to impose. The rules that have kept us moving forward and continued to evolve as a great country. Our rules may not all make a lot of sense. Banning gay marriage and making pot illegal seem really silly. Yet these are things that if were legal would not hurt anyone. Allowing people into our country, paying them, and yet not collecting taxes or having them go through the motions to be a citizen does.
More power to you Arizona. I know that there are many that think your actions take us back to a time when a short guy with a bad mustache tried to rule the world. But in reality, you aren’t trying to take over another country. You are taking back the one that is already ours.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
