Ebonics and New Math

I belong to a home school "discussion board". It is a fantastic place to vent or ask for help or just to know that other people are also going through what you are. Today there was a post that sort of threw me for a loop. I'm not really sure how I feel about it, so I figured I could blog it out. Prepare for a long, arduous journey. Bring a snack and a juice box.

The first part of the post is that our county school board had determined that Ebonics is being recognized as an official language. Now the staff can no longer correct it. The student is allowed to use Ebonics in their written assignments, except for "formal papers", or term papers. My first reaction is you have got to be effing kidding me. Who is the idiot that said this was alright?

Do we really want people to start speaking Ebonics? Although that tends to be rampant in our culture these days, it pisses me off. Speak clearly, please. I know that it sounds completely stupid, but in a way I agree with Jeff Foxworthy. One of his big jokes was you didn't want to hear your brain surgeon speak with a Southern accent. I don't want to hear mine speak Ebonics. I also don't want to hear it from my banker, or lawyer. To me, it makes people sound ignorant. It appears as a lack of respect to speak in a way that others wouldn't understand. It makes you a coward because you won't say it where everyone can understand you.

Apparently, teachers are being trained in college that to correct someone speaking Ebonics is bad for their self esteem. Really? I think trying to get you to clean up your act, clean up yourself, and make something respectable out of your life instead of dealing drugs on the corner would be great for self esteem. That's just me. And clothes that fit would be a great start.

On the other hand, think about the person or people that started Ebonics. How cool is that? Sitting around one day, made up a new language, and the next thing you know, it's all over the world. And the sheer volume of words now. It's almost like a foreign laguage. And there are cultures all over the world that have different slangs. Is Ebonics a form of slang? The words keep popping up in dictionaries all over the world. Does that make them an official word?

See, I told you I had to blog it out. It brings up questions that I don't have answers for. I just know that I don't like it. But I also think that if you come to this country, you should speak the language. I don't care what you say. I grew up in Texas and was not surrounded by it for a very long time. I do not remember Spanish spoken around me except for the Spanish we learned in kindergarten. Then it was almost that you couldn't get away from it.

It was everywhere you went with the signs that were posted. If you went to a theme park, the signs were in English and Spanish. If you went to a ball game, the signage was English and Spanish. I went on a band trip to another state and we were all amazed by signs that were all English. At first it was like we couldn't get enough of the signs. And, no, I am not a racist.

Here's my side of it. I look Hispanic. I have dark eyes, hair, and skin. Automatically, I was Hispanic. I'm not. If I was, I would be very proud of that side of my heritage. People would actually get irate with me when I wouldn't speak Spanish to them. I know enough Spanish to get me into trouble, and maybe enough to get me out. The would argue with my boss, in Spanish, that I was rude because I didn't speak to them in Spanish. She had to defend me in a language I didn't speak.

I was accused of being with a group of shoplifters because I look Hispanic. I was shopping in Dillard's one day and there were three Hispanic females at a rack next to me. The next thing I know, security was all over them, and escorting them to the office. One of the security guards asked if I was with them. One of the girls told them I wasn't, and so did I. He finally believed me and let me go. I never went back to that Dillard's. I know that these are my issues, but they influence the way I think.

One of my first office jobs was at a store with a warehouse. Most of the guys who worked out there were Hispanic. And they were all very nice and I considered them my friends. But when I walk by and they stop speaking, I knwo who they were talking about. Or when they don't stop talking and it's all Spanish. Yeah, just keep looking fellas. You'll never get to do that to it. I speak a little Spanish. I know what they said, and it was the fact that they tried to hide what they were saying. Who knows what I would say if I could understand what you were saying.

I say let's all speak English. Ebonics just sounds stupid, and a little degrading some times. I've layed out my language issues. There you go.

The other part was "new math". What was wrong with the old math? Did it suddenly not work the right way? Did 2+2 not equal 4? Apparently you do math from the left to the right. Huh? When my big girl came out of fourth grade last January, she wasn't doing new math. But how would I help her with her math? I do the stale math. And I have yet to see a text book that teaches new math. And I should know, because I am a curriculum junkie. And how does that translate into the real world? Is my bank, if it doesn't fail, suddenly going to switch to new math? Do I have to start balancing my check book a different way? I can barely keep it above zero now.

And they no longer call it "borrowing". When you carry a number from one column to another, it's now called regrouping. Do you want to know why they changed it? Because you don't ever give it back. So it's not borrowing, it's taking. I kid you not. Every time I hear that I have to chuckle. But that was the answer given. Who was so bored out of their mind one day that they came up with that? Take one more drag then hand it this way. Expand my mind a little.

That's all I've got for now. I think I feel better. Thanks for listening.

Shoes, shoes, shoes

I love shoes. I mean I missed the house payment because Payless was having a bogo love shoes. I mean not allowed to go into a store that has shoes without supervision love shoes. And I found a pair I am in love with. Adore, really. Don't worry, though. I've never missed the house payment because I bought shoes. The urge has been almost overwhelming.

When hubby and I moved to Florida, we were digging through boxes for I don't know how long. He opened a box and took out a top layer of purses with a couple of belts. And then he started taking out shoes. And then he took out more shoes. After the third time of bringing out shoes he looked in the box. He asked me if the box had anything else in it. I said yes a couple of purses and a belt or two. He had already taken those out. Then yes, the rest is shoes. The box was a speaker box. The really big speakers for a stereo. The next question was whether or not I wore them all. Not at the same time, but yes. I like options.

We lived with my brother in law for awhile and he had a dog. That dog was the biggest pain in the butt you could ever imagine. She was always getting off her chain and roaming the neighborhood. And she liked to chew my shoes. But only my left shoe. I had to replace more shoes tahn I care to count because of that dog. And some of them I really liked, darn it. But shopping for the replacement was fun.

If I ever feel down, I like to go shoe shopping. But I don't like to go where they wait on you, because I might not actually be buying anything. I wouldn't like to get their hopes up for nothing. I just like to try on shoes that I probably wouldn't ever wear. I like to try on shoes with really high heels. And I love almost anything in a boot or a wedge. I don't like a long, pointy toe. I prefer a soft, round toe, but I don't mind a square toe. I like a great sneaker with just the right amount of lift in the arch. Heaven on my feet.

One of my greatest joys is having a new outfit and no shoes to go with it. That means the hunt is on. I know the best places to go for sneakers, or heels, or funky, or whatever. Usually, hubby stays home with the kids for that trip. It is high energy, low stress and all kinds of fun. It's hard to keep up with me when I'm in power mode.

I have been looking for a pair of shoes to wear with jeans and nice pants. I have been looking for something very specific. The shoes I have are about ten years old and very out of style, but they are all I have. I have a brown pair and a black pair. I've been looking for a shoe that laces up like a dress shoe, but has a heel. I would like to have a brown pair and a black pair. And last month I finally saw it in the Penney's ad. But it was still more than I can afford.

Now Target and Payless both have it. The one at Payless has more of a patent leather look, while the ones at Target are a little sexier. My dilemma is this. The one at Target is $6 more than the one at Payless. And because they don't have it at the one at our mall, I have a $3 off coupon if I go to another Payless. I know what I should do, but that isn't what I want to do. And I've tried on the ones at Target and they are so comfortable. And sexy. They just made me want to take my hubby around the corner and do things that are so not appropriate in the middle of Target. You can guess which ones hubby wants me to get.

Shoes are the thing that makes me happy. If we won the lottery, we would have to build a closet just for my shoes. I love for my kids to have lots of shoes. I love for my hubby to have lots of shoes. Hubby says he always had two maybe three pairs of shoes. He has six now. He says he never had that many shoes before. You never know when you need a good pair of shoes. The big girl is now only a size smaller then me. That means my shoe wardrobe is about to double. I think on that happy thought it's time to say good night!

Memories

Hubby and I were sitting outside last night after the kids went to bed. We love to do that when we have a few quiet minutes to ourselves. We had stopped doing that for awhile, but thankfully, have gotten back to it. We were talking about our growing years. He was getting ready for a camping trip last night and we were taking a break from getting the truck loaded.

One of his hobbies is making fishing lures. He's really pretty good at it. His dad is his biggest "customer". His dad likes lures in certain colors, tied certain ways, with certain colored jig heads. And usually he can't find what he's looking for, so he calls my hubby. And hubby makes them, and his dad catches fish. The point of all this rambling is that hubby had found two jigs he had tied that he wanted to take. And they had iridescent threads running through it that of all things reminded me of a prom dress that my mother had made for me. So here's my story.

Mom was a fantastic sewer. I almost failed a semester of single survival in eighth grade because I had a hard time sewing four straight lines to make an apron. Mom made most of our clothes growing up. Sometime she would make matching outfits for me and my sister. And sometimes she would make matching outfits for all three of us. We were so cute. We were almost always guaranteed to have an outfit that was one of a kind. But that is something I didn't appreciate for a very long time.

The first time my sister had to have a formal was in seventh grade. It was for a band banquet. The style at that time was tea length formal. It was almost like prom for seventh and eighth graders. So my mom made her dress. And it was beautiful. And nobody had one that remotely resembled it. There were, however, several girls that had the same dress on.

Come time for my band banquets, I went to the go to woman. I went to my mom. She took me to the fabric store and let me pick out the pattern. She had final OK, because she was making and paying for the dress. After I picked the pattern, I picked material. Sometimes I knew what I wanted as soon as I saw the dress, but sometimes it took a little wandering. Nobody had a dress like mine.

My two favorite that she made for me were my prom dresses. I felt like the bell of the ball and it was fantastic. My junior prom dress was spectacular if I do say so myself. I picked a pale creme colored fabric that was fantastic against my tan. I was so dark the dress almost glowed. On the fabric were dime sized polka dots that were iridescent. Every time I walked by a different light, the dots changed colors. And with the material glowing against the darkness of my skin, and the changing dots, it made quite a sight. That was probably the fist time I felt really beautiful.

The dress had a ruffle the was probably two inches wide at the top. It could be worn up like straps, or down for a strapless dress. I wore it down because I didn't have strap lines. It was fitted throught the bodice and had a slanted drop waist. That waist did things for my body that should be illegal for 16 year olds. But that's most things anyway if you ask me.

I had seen the pattern for my senior prom dress on one of mom's many trips to the fabric store. I couldn't wait for prom so I could ask her to make that dress for me. After months and months, it was time. The dress was strapless. It wasn't fitted too tight through the bodice, but fitted enough. It had a "belted" waist and dropped straight down. It was gorgeous. I had mom make it in a deep emerald green fabric that had a slight sheen to it. The top was outlined in a black lace that had, of all things, irridescent flowers. There really isn't a pattern there, it just sort of happened. The back was gathered at the bottom and had a lace panel in the back with lace ruffle. That dress was awesome and once again, I was one of a kind.

The only formal my mom didn't make was my sister's senior prom. I think my sister wanted the shopping for a dress experience that most girls like to have. But there were several girls there with the same dress, but only one that was the same color. I could have slapped her. I think my mom was a little hurt. But she held it together in front of us really well.

I loved going to the fabric store and looking through all the books at the beautiful clothes. And to find the right outfit for the right occasion and know that what you are wearing was made for you. It was made to fit your body in the colors that you like. And mom always did great work. I loved touching the fabrics and seeing the colors and trying to put things together.

All I had to do to was cut out the material on the line that mom told me to. She did the rest. She did most of it by hand. She would put an old movie on tv, make a pot of coffee, and smoke a pack of cigarettes, while she made our clothes. I even had her make me clothes one year instead of buy me school clothes. It also helped me establish a style that was uniquesly my own. Mom would measure, lay out and pin the material. Then she would stitch and sew and fit and refit and add zippers or buttons or snaps. She did fantastic work and I loved the clothes she made.

I guess I just need to say thank you again to my mom. She never fussed about making our clothes. She always made her girls look beautiful. And I just hope we appreciated what we had then, because I sure appreciate it now.

Pet Peeves, Part Deux

I called this Part Deux because I am actually stealing a blog topic from my friend Scott. I have a few pet peeves, too. I do like his about irregardless. Its a non-word. But do you know how many times I have heard myself say it? Point it out as bad or wrong, and look at me gravitate towards it.

Bad grammar is one of my biggest pet peeves. "I ain't got no". What is that? It's a double negative is what it is. It works like a double negative in math. Two negatives equal a positive. Essentially, what you are saying is you do have some. Now keep in mind that I married a red neck. He's not offended, he knows. And I mean no ill will towards any red nek, so don't leave negative comments. I knew what he was when I married him. Back to the point. I have informed him that I will be correcting his speech and his speech patterns as long as we are homeschooling and I teach grammar. He promised to try not to get mad. I'll take what I can get.

People who do not clean up after themselves just get my goat. The appropriate place to put your wrapper is in the trash. If it falls out, pick it up and try again. It only takes another couple of seconds. It won't kill you. I promise.

Not using a blinker ranks right up there. I am really not a mind reader. I have a hard enough time reading my own mind, and now I'm expected to read yours? Good luck with that and let me know how it works out for you. It's really not optional equipment when you buy a vehicle.

Thanks for letting me vent. I was feeling a little whiny when this blog started. I feel much better now. I knew I could count on you.

Frustrated

I was sitting in front of the computer tonight wondering what I was going to blog about. I started to get just a little frustrated because nothing was coming to mind. Nothing. And then I got frustrated. This is my outlet. This is what I do to get creative and let all the junk out. You see, I am a frustrated writer. And apparently, things haven't changed much.

I get these really great ideas for books. Some are for romance, which I love. I know what you're saying. They are all the same. No, they really aren't. You haven't read one in a while if you think that. And there is some really great writing that goes into a romance novel. It wouldn't have such a large audience if it wasn't. I have written several scenes on the Harlequin web site that got really good feedback from some of the others on the web site. Most of the people on the web site are struggling writers, but there are quite a few that have been published. I like to get feed back from published writers that appreciate what I've done. I also am going to enter their "snippetthon". It's basically where you get to use part of a work in progress just to let everyone know what you are doing. It is copyrighted so if you see it somewhere else you can say "Hey, that's mine".

I have some ideas for more modern life stories. I have always been an observer and I love to ask questions. I have had perfect strangers open up their life to me after knowing them for all of 10 seconds. But something in the conversation just sparks an idea that screams at me. I had a woman at church, first time visitor, talk to me about a friend that lives with her family that she has become really close to. They thought about having an affair with each other. Her marriage was on the rocks and had been for many years. What do you say? But, later, I thought what a great story that would make. And how do you reconcile those feelings? I saw her at church this Sunday and she said were much better. She didn't elaborate, but think about where that story could go.

I love to read books by authors like Dean Koontz. I have really enjoyed his "Odd Thomas" series that he has written. But the first book I ever read by him was "Whispers". It scared the crap out of me. Not so much because of the paranormal factor. That actually didn't play into it at all. It was how scewed up society can become. The mental torture that some people have to endure that changes how they are, who they are, and what they are. Sometimes you think that those things could never happen. Then you see a story similar to that on the news.

I have read alot of Michael Crichton. I had started reading "Jurassic Park" right after the movie came out. I couldn't get into it to save my life. I actually did something that I very rarely do, I put it down. I don't do that often. Iam one of those people that has to finish it, no matter what. But I couldn't finish that one. I eventually saw the movie in the theater. A couple of weeks after I decide to try reading it again. And I loved it. Of course, it was nothing like the movie. I should say that the movie was nothing like the book. But what a great book it turned out to be. And that lead me to his other books. My favorite was "Eaters of the Dead". That was a great book. It was turned into a movie as well, "The 13th Warrior". That was several years ago, but I still haven't seen it. I had a friend tell me it was really a good movie and was one of his favorites. But I still have a hard time with it.

One of the first things I always did when I moved to a new city was find the library. I love the library. Did you know I have read my way through two libraries? Every book. When I was in third grade, I was too far ahead of everyone else. But instead of promoting me to the fourth grade, I had to sit in the library for weeks at a time. What else was I going to do? I read every book in the Liberty Elementary library at that time. Good thing the school year was almost over by the time I was done. I also read my way through a whole box of SRA cards in the fourth grade. I was the first to do that as well. The second library was on the USAF base in Alamagordo, NM. My dad would drop me off with lunch and enough money for the soda machine and a phone call. He had to work all day and it was better than sitting in front of the TV all day. All the librarians got to know me that summer. I would read all day and end up taking at least 6 books home with me. I still never got enough. When I started reading books from the adult section, the librarians knew something was up.

I am trying very desperately to pass my love of the written word to my children. My oldest is quite the reader. My boy will read, and enjoys it, but he prefers to play the video game. And the baby is just learning to read this year. We'll see if I can get any of my kids to read through a library. Or at least read part of a library.

With all that I've read, it's no wonder that I love to write. I know the types of subjects I like to read and enjoy. They are wide and varied. Just about the only genre I don't get much into is science fiction. For some reason I just don't enjoy it that much. I'll read it if I have to, but it's not at the top of my list.

Well, apparently, I am not that much of a frustrated writer tonight. Thank goodness. I thought I might be losing my touch. We'll see what kind of trouble I can get into and maybe I'll write about that. My hubby says I'll just end up selling the movie rights and make us rich. I'm already rich in love, but it would be nice to pad the bank account a little.

Living the Life

Hubby has been working serious overtime the last couple of weeks. That's great for our bills because that means they get paid. And who doesn't like that? It makes me feel better. He just got paid Friday and we were able to make some serious payments on our credit cards. They are about to eat us alive! But we haven't used them in three months, which is huge for us. It's also the reason we haven't had any money. Everything gets paid for with cash, or the debit card. But you have to have cash to use the debit card. And with gas going up, and groceries, things just get harder and harder. Slowly but surely we are starting to fill up the hole.

Since he has been working so much, that means I am spending more time alone with the kids. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Until it gets to be about 9 at night and they still aren't in bed yet. By then, my patience has dried up and blown away. I try to have dinner ready at a decent hour so we can eat and they can get to bed, but it hasn't been happening that way lately.

I have to say that one of the perks of homeschooling is that they don't have to be in bed by a certain time. We don't have to get up and get ready for school. Most of the time we do our school work in our pajamas. I like that part. I will brush my teeth before we get started. It's not nice to read to my kids with morning breath. Not that it stops them, but whatever. The point I was trying to make, and got away from (duh!), is that if hubby gets home late, I can keep the kids up so he can spend time with them.

I got to do the shopping today all by myself. Hubby made a point to get off at 6 and home by seven so I wouldn't be out too awful late. I still need to get meat and cereal, but I don't buy Wal Mart meat. And our local Winn Dixie is having a sale on both things. So tomorrow after church we will probably make a quick stop.

I spent alot of time on the computer today just vegging and looking at other people's blogs. I know several people that have blogs that I like to keep up with. My friend Scott is one of those people. I never know what he's going to say, but I am always entertained.

I have always enjoyed Scott's writing. He has a way with words unlike anyone I have ever known. Not just the way he writes but the way he speaks is flowing and melodious and I love it. I always thought that he would be a fantastic writer. I have great story ideas if he would just write the book. Me, I get tired of the typing and lose track after a couple of pages.

I've always thought Scott has an "old soul". He has an affinity for things that people our age shouldn't have an affinity for, at least according to society. He loves old movies, show tunes, and classic authors. He has actually inspired me to read books that I didn't think I would like. And I ended up liking them anyway.

One of our homeschool moms has a blog that can be very inspirational. She is very much a Christian and uses alot of scripture in her blog. I am a little disappointed that she hasn't blogged in a couple of weeks. I'm waiting for a new entry to read.

I spent some time today reading other people's blogs. I was reading Scott's and when I was done, I hit the next blog button. I skipped over the ones in foreign languages that I can't read, read some in the languages that I can read, but mainly stuck to the ones in English. How interesting are other people's lives? I have always wanted to know what made people tick.

I have an ex that used to love to go to the airport and people watch. I had the best time. I used to wonder where people were going, how long they would be there, did they have a connecting flight. I wondered why some people would wear the clothes they traveled in, did their hair that way. I love to know the motivation behind the person. I do that in traffic, too. Where are all those people crammed in that minivan going? Are they all going to the same place? Are they related? My mom says I was born asking questions. She didn't think I would ever stop. I haven't. Some people call me nosy, I call myself inquisitive.

After I got off the computer, my phone rang (I really don't like dial up. But no changes in the near future for this section of the county, so I just go with the flow). Again, I digress. It was my sister in law that I don't really speak to anymore. She had insurance billing questions that she needed an answer to. Then she called me back about an hour later and wanted to vent about her aunt, who the question was for. What?!? We haven't spoken to each other unless absolutely necessary in almost two years, and now you want a venting buddy? Where were you two years ago when I needed a venting buddy? But, with a big sigh, I let her. Why? Because I am a good person like that. Ha, ha, ha. I called hubby after and told him. He almost drove off the road.

I took my iPod to the store with me tonight. I plugged myself in, turned the music up and bopped and danced all over Wal Mart. People looked at me a little strangely, specially when I was rocking out to the Foo Fighters. But really, when I hear that song, I cannot control myself. It just happens. I had the best time. Nobody bothered me, nobody harassed me. I didn't hear other people's kids crying and having fits. I did get help from a really nice man who helped me get a box of canned pineapple off teh top shelf. As short as I am, I had to stretch to get the box and pull it forward. What I didn't know was that it was on top of another box. I dropped pineapple all over the floor. Good thing they were canned and didn't make a mess. The nice man even picked those up for me. I took out my earphones long enough to give him a great big thank you!

Music for me is a fantstic escape and release. No matter what I'm feeling, I can always come up with a song to lift my mood, or tamp it down, or whatever I need it to do. Music soothes this savage beast. I like to turn it up and share it with others. Of course, not everybody appreciates my music. I was on my way very early one morning to help set up for VBS, and really needed something to wake me up. I had my windows down and P.O.D. blasting through my speakers. I looked over at a red light and this guy in a car had his windows down, staring at the minivan with hard Christian rock pouring out of the speakers. I just waved and took off when the light turned green.

It's time for bed now. I leave you with yet another glimpse into my boring life that makes me happy. Maybe tomorrow will be more interesting. Or maybe not.

Can't we all just get along?

I was watching the news tonight, which is something I try to avoid at all costs. Unfortunately, I really like Charlie Gibson, and it happened to be after 6:30. Anyway, the big debate seems to be can Sarah Palin run the country and still take care of her family? I have an even better question. Can any of the candidates run the country and still take care of their family?

Why does it matter that she is a political candidate and a parent? That question has not once been raised of any of the male candidates. And how much time has Obama spent away from his family? You cannot tell me that he has made, seen, or attended every little thing that his daughters have had while he has been on the campaign trail. If you do, you'll have to show me. Somehow I think it's physically impossible, but I'm open to the proof.

John McCain has grown children. But with seven houses, his time in DC, and his wife in Arizona, did he really make every little recital, practice, game, or whatever? I'm thinking no. But he's a man, so he's not expected to, is he? I don't think that's right.

I think the fair question should be can anyone run the country and spend quality time with their families? Is it fair to drag your family through something like that?

And as for all the flack about her daughter being pregnant, who the heck cares? So she did a little slip and tickle with her boyfriend, and ended up in the family way. I guess my only comment to that is I guess Palin's view about abstinence only sex education in schools isn't the best way to go. That's just my opinion and it's my blog. While I understand that view, I can say that just because you provide condoms doesn't mean their being used. Case in point. I think we need to educate our youth, specially our young women, that no is an acceptable answer. And we need to inform our young men that tugging on it won't make you go blind.

Sarah Palin's husband seems to be quite the outdoorsman if you haven't heard. Besides, he is quite the cutie. I wouldn't mind having a good looking fellow like that at my white house. Oh wait, I do. And I married him, too. They seem like your average, every day couple, just really into the political scene. They probably like to do the things that we all like to do.

Back to the original question. Can she run the country and run her family? I don't know. But so far she seems to be doing a fairly decent job of running her state and raising her family. But we won't know if she can do it unless she is voted into office. But just because we haven't seen her hold her baby doesn't mean she hasn't or doesn't. It means that while we have seen her in public, she's been working. Everybody needs to get off her back and judge all the candidates by the same standard. I do like the fact that she mentioned Hilary in her speech the other night. And I think she might be able to run with the big dogs.

So is this an endorsement? No! This is an attempt to open some minds, close some mouths and get some brains moving. Who do I think is best to run our country? I can tell you that I don't think any of the candidates are worth my vote. I don't agree with Obama- too car salesman. I don't agree with McCain- too old mannish. I don't have my mind made up, and may even do the infamous write in vote. Who knows? I know I don't have a clue.