Friday, November 4, 2022

Random Thoughts

      This was a better week. There was a rocky morning with family and another curve ball got thrown at me for work, but I didn't feel hopelessly inadequate to move forward positively like last week. No theme today, just random thoughts put together. 

European Type Christmas Markets 

     My Facebook feed is filled with pop ups of multiple places, wineries, small towns, event centers hosting European Christmas Markets. Now they all might try and create the vibe, but we'll see how they pull it off. There's a couple that look appealing. Of course I don't have the real thing to compare too. The mom friends and I are going to pick a date. My daughter responded too. Someday, I'd like to really experience one in the UK, or continental Europe. My international travel will be limited I presume, so these might be my taste. 


Indoctrination or History

     Why now does expanding the reality of our nations history get branded in some circles as indoctrination? If that's so, wouldn't the history curriculum shared for decades equally be indoctrination? I vote for sharing it all. The history that occured in this country, viewed as positive or negative depending on a person's perspective, is how and why we have the nation we have today. Sugar coating what isn't pride inducing doesn't mean it's not part of history. Calling attention to laws that are technically still in statute but are by design discriminatory is not a woke left agenda, it's fact. 

     We have a school board candidate who's flyers say "education not indoctrination". As they just left the flyer ( after waking up the puppy!!!!) on my doorstep, I didn't get to call out the phrase and demand details, but it pissed me off. This issue and money are driving Minnesota politics. I can't help be defensive when I've worked my ass off for 35 years to try and give a good educational opportunity to every child. When my kids went to public school, I personally knew several board members that I'd describe as both quite liberal and ones quite conservative. But, they did the job working in partnership with the school administration to make budget and strategic decisions in the best interest of the students and thus, the community. My last child graduated in 2019. How did this shit show happen so fast?

Aging Inevitable 

     I'm trying to cut other people slack on how they deal with life inevitabilities. Getting older doesn't bother me so much. All my friends, all my family are doing it too, getting older. It's a privilege. I know turning certain ages can be hard though, particularly for a person who has seen themselves as young and active. We got a bit of a ridiculous request to help honor someone's mom the entire year after they turn 60, by committing to a month of fresh flowers for their home, resulting in a year of flowers. OK, I guess. Then I realized, this person is really struggling with the whole turning 60 thing. DH thought it was silly, but I'll join in. Who knows how I'll need to feel supported when I face something that is challenging to me, even if insignificant to someone else. There's worse ways to indulge someone. 

     Those are the tidbits in my head this morning. I was going to take the day off, but that curve ball took hours from my Wednesday and Thursday so I have things that need done before next week. What are the random thoughts in your head today? How do you feel about aging and birthdays, Christmas Markets, and school boards? Share anything you'd like.


31 comments:

  1. A few years ago we spent Christmas in Zurich and the Christmas Market there was AMAZING!! The hotel, the area, everything was like a scene from a Hallmark movie...it was magical.
    I watched a Dr. Phil show this week on the US education system and it was a real eye opener. I had no idea they had changed the grading system. At one school 44-24% was a D! When did that happen?

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    1. That does sound amazing. I'm not sure what you saw was the norm, and was quite possibly sensationalism for viewership.

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  2. We got here because, in fact, we don't teach history very well to begin with. am just waiting for someone to propose in a district that Holocaust denial is a legitimate theory and am not sure it would fail. Read "How Fascism Works" by Jason Stanley. AND VOTE!!!!

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    1. Vote yes vote! Critical thinking skills, done with respect, is part of a good education. Being America First and Always Right has horrible consequences for truly being a strong society.

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    2. Yep. This "isolationism" and "otherism" didn't work out so well for us in WWII...or WWI for that matter. You should also watvh the PBS series "Fascism in Europe." It will chill you in its similarity to recnt U.S. events. How can people be so stupid?

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  3. I can't imagine that depth of struggle with ANY birthday. I embrace them all and 60 was awesome and 61 is awesome now. It's a choice. Kind of you to join in and indulge her though ;-)

    I think we all know how we got "here" so damn fast. We're up for scary times if Congress flips! :-(

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    1. It truly keeps me awake thinking about what I could wake up to November 9.

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  4. When I was in school anything below 59 was an F, 60 to 69 was a D, 70 to 79 was a C, 80 to 89 was a B and 90 above was an A. Was the same for my kids and I just asked and it is the same for my grandkids and great grandson now.

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    1. That really is still the normal curve. I'd now like to r search what Lori watched.

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    2. You should be able to pull up the episode on You Tube or the Dr Phil website. It was an interesting talk with professors and teachers saying what they were being instructed to do and how things really are in some classrooms.

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  5. Words are chosen for their spin on the subject. "Education" and "Indoctrination" are just two ways of describing the same process. Think of the word "re-education" used in WWII to describe the process of brainwashing. There you go--another word. And, "Propaganda" comes to mind. It is a silly word game that is dangerous to those who don't examine the reality of the persuasion power of our choice of words.

    Think about how words are used to discredit the woman's feelings--bitchy, pms, bitter, hysterical. You can probably add another dozen.

    I, too, am really offended. People who are limited in their ability to examine what is being said are the ones who will believe all this garbage. Tommy asked me what "woke" really meant. I told him if you realize what discrimination is and how actions and words affect others, you are labeled "woke" as if realizing people are damaged is a bad thing.

    Okay, so I am having a little rant. I really hate injustice. I also hate using words to trigger a reaction that masks the whole issue at hand. Words are my life! Don't misuse them for wrong. Of course, I do know how to manipulate words, but I try to not abuse the persuasion. Commercials and ads do the same thing. But, it is all so complicated.

    The complication extends to the fact that people know how to take advantage of people who are less educated and more persuaded by words and do not examine the motives of the speaker. Mostly, I believe, these people are more religious. That is borne out by the inflammatory speech we hear from the pulpits and mouths of people who are heavily involved with the church and depend on the guidance for all aspects of their life.

    Think about it, words like "religion" and "occult" are just two loaded words for the same type of phenomena. I recoil from both, maybe wrongly.

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    1. Well said! Words have power. They need to be chosen with wisdom.

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  6. I was stuck in traffic last night, and thinking about how "personal" politics has become for some folks & how it's changed behavior. When I was growing up, I remember politics being something people held beliefs on, & voted accordingly, but it was not a dominant identity in your life, or the cause of angst. Maybe during elections there was some angst, but it was tiny periods, and very limited. I also was thinking how interesting it would be to stop someone who is out wearing "F this person" shirts, and decorating their entire cars, and patrolling voting stations with guns.... & ask them, how do you handle differences of opinions on other topics? Let's pretend this isn't about politics. Let's say we disagree on sports teams, or best way to make chili, or even something like "should the US stick to daylight savings". What kind of person do you want to be? Having an informed opinion & sharing it is great. Beyond that, what kind of person do you want to be? Do you want to be the kind of person who intimidates others, and puts your entire identity behind the "pro daylight savings" ticket, or gets so angry you lose your job over daylight savings? Or get arrested harassing people over it? When you sub in any other issue, it just seems wild to me. At the end of the day, what kind of person do you want to be? Politics shouldn't change that.

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    1. This blaming every I'll on people you disagree with- any belief system is craziness. I really think we all want the same- safety, food, shelter, clothing, friendship, joys. This beating up others for different opinions on how we can all collectively get the basics met is so sad. Greed and zero sum game logic pits people against each other.

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  7. Completely agree with you over the Indoctrination or history issue. Some people have cancelled their National Trust memberships because they're upset by the Trust identifying the stately homes built on the wealth accumulated from slavery, they claim it's "Woke" and shouldn't be mentioned. Surely acknowledging the evils of Colonialism and being aware of the sensitivities of others is a good thing?
    I can't say that I've ever been bothered by my age, I'm still living almost the same life as I did when I was 20-something except with a hip replacement and no mortgage. As for Christmas markets, Birmingham has the biggest German-style Xmas market outside of Frankfurt. It opened on Wednesday night, runs until 23rd December and attracts millions of tourists every year, it stinks of processed meat sausages and the Glühwein tastes awful and costs a small fortune. It's not for me but loads of our friends love it! xxx

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    1. That's absolutely ridiculous. Who do they think worked for the wealthy in era's gone by? I think I'd like to see the Birmingham market. Maybe it'd be too much for me, but it sounds like I imagine a great German market to be.

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  8. Glad this week has been better! Hope you have a great weekend!
    It would be so fun to attend a European Christmas market. Maybe I will put that on my bucket list for someday. But for now, we will go to our Dickens of a Christmas festival. It is fun with the strolling minstrels and I always get some roasted chestnuts.
    I don't know what has happened to our country, but it seems like we have gone down a dark path in the past 6? years.

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    1. I think it started after the 2016 primaries. What was a joke became a power and ego feed, and the con began. The Democratic leadership did it to themselves tipping the will to get Hilary on the ticket.

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  9. In Virginia, Gov. Youngkin thinks parents should run the schools. As a childless person who still helps pay the bills through taxes and still considers myself a stakeholder, I wonder where my representation in the matter went?

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    1. You are so right. That's why I specifically said interests of students and community. We all benefit from a good education system- or are harmed.

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  10. Answering the question you posed about aging___it beats the alternative!

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  11. I would love to see the Christmas markets in Europe one day, they always look so pretty. I'm trying to not engage with politics now - its much better for my stress levels but I totally agree with you on the education/history issue, we need to hear all sides and teach kids to appreciate different peoples experiences of these events. I turn 60 in a few weeks and I feel great about it! I have no desire to be younger, I'm comfortable in my skin and so many friends through the years have lost their lives early. I'm so grateful I'm here to grow old. I think the person requesting the flowers needs some a reality check! Ageing is a privilege denied to many.

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    1. To be fair, her daughter came yo with the idea. She didn't ask specifically, but I know her well. I'll be 57 this month. Older than my sister and sister in law got to be.

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  12. I have been asked to run for school board and city council so many times and I say no thankyou, I don't need that sh*tshow. I get very frustrated with political adds. Especially here with all the right wingers that still believe in Saint Donald.

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    1. I'll never understand his appeal to people. He brags about not paying people, suing people he owes money to, and has the personality of the uncle everyone tries to avoid. He's plain gross in thought, word, and actions. Yet, they think he cares about the common person at all?

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  13. I've never been to a Christmas market. With regards to aging I think that I'm much happier in my own skin now that when I was younger and trying to fit into a box which was never going to fit me! Arilx

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    1. Being able to say we like ourselves is a great gift that comes with age.

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  14. I tell my kids that History happened, both good and bad, if we cancel the bad out we won’t learn from it. Understand how and why things happened and then try not to repeat them. It’s a complicated issue.
    I’m glad you had a better week.
    Megan

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    1. It's all complicated, but ignoring doesn't change facts, right. I'm glad the week was better too.

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  15. No Christmas things popping up on FB for me - yet.
    Sooner I'd eat rats at Tewkesbury than attend a school board.

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    1. The school board races are just madness these days. Fights about books, prayer, everything but what students and community needs.

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