The Wonderful World of Soup~

Soup is an endless sea of wonder, just like the many things I choose to write about. My thoughts explore Writing, World to National Events, Family Catastrophes (past and present) or whatever seems to get me thinking while sipping hot soup, tea, cider or a cold Pepsi...







Sunday, March 11, 2012

Something to Scream About

I want to swear, scream or even spit!
Don't jump to conclusions; I'm not mad or anything close. I just need a solid attention getter here. I'm clearly having trouble keeping up with my blog (especially due to a lack of Internet last month), so I guess I'll stop trying so hard to impress any rare readers with my wit, humor and skill in the field of writing.
To cut to the chase, I am going KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). Until I hear it from an agent, I may not have the above skills anyhow. But I know one thing...I can write entertaining stories/articles, usually.
Today, Saturday the 4th of February, I was awoken quite early. This is because my horrendous teenage daughters went to the Gila Valley Temple with a youth group at 5:30. (Not the p.m., people, the A.M.!) I may have to keep telling myself they are not so horrendous after all. But while the world sees their polite demeanor, radiant smiles, beauty and creativity, I have to stare at their hazardous bedroom for days on end. Seriously, I really mean hazardous and in a couple of ways.
There are apple cores, trash, dishes and yogurt cups on mild days and the floor is more like a gulf of dirty laundry and books. While one teen does not fight or argue, the other one does and with a vengeance like no other. The sweet teenager rarely turns in a bona fide math assignment and tells me I've ruined her life daily because she wants to dye her hair and have a FaceBook account (has to wait until she's 14).
But then again, their teachers rave about their manners, respect and genuine courtesy. They wake up almost every morning before the sun rises (& before me) and love worshipping in the church or temple. When the day or week is done, both of them have worked pretty hard. I was not so focused at 13 & 15, at least with the rising before dawn part. My daughters are really not so bad (and their room does look 80 % better today...)
As for me, I took to cleaning and tackling the mopping this morning until it was time to watch my fifth-grader's basketball game. His team, the Clippers, is undefeated and usually wins by 15 to 20 pts. Although he is not a typical athlete and hasn't made a shot yet, I love his perserverance and spirit. He's the shortest on the team, but hasn't let that become an obstacle thus far. Thankfully, the Clippers have a fairly short team of 5th and 6th graders with two of the four star players just a bit taller (& older) than he is. I want him to realize now that hard work and smart ball outweigh height and build. I keep saying (mainly to adults) that I cursed him with my short legs, but he doesn't act cursed at all. He sat out on injury (hairline fracture on the top of his foot) for more than three weeks and played a game on it without a tear (oops). All in all, he's picking things up pretty quick. While he's the star academically, I wouldn't be surprised if he runs circles around the less than witty athletes who rely on brute and size in a few years. Milk does a body good, right?
I ran about a half-mile today and walked the other half. It was the last day of "Booty Boot Camp", but due to the game, I couldn't go. So, I replaced the workout with a self-disciplined effort. That's gotta count for somethin'.
My husband & I then went to the temple in the evening to seal the day. It was amazing and a much needed event in a week, no month, no year of chaos. Even though we will celebrate and scream with friends for the big Super Bowl Sunday, it's nice to know that today was solid and productive. Happy days like today outweigh the sad or pathetic days and remind me how important it is to be a mother and an example to my four beautiful children.
Rather than swear or spit, I will choose my words and actions carefully.

The Top Ten Election Year

What are the top ten things I want to see in the next president? Well, this may take some forethought. I will say in advance that I'm far from a political analyst. But as a mother, educator, writer and American, my voice matters too.
(in no particular order)
1. Fearless- I want a president who is not afraid to follow his heart and do the unpopular thing. This is not the time to worry about being politically correct. We could also balance the budget better if this factor was removed.
2. Faithful- I want a president who stands by his beliefs, his family and his country. The best of the American presidents have been men of God. A president should always hold fast to the basic principles of patriotism and that pride should show daily.
3. Successfully balanced- I want a president with the know how to save a sick economy and the ability to teach more responsibility and set an example in the area of finances. Our country has a far bigger problem than a ridiculous deficit, an imbalanced budget and two parties that can't agree. We also have thousands upon thousands of Americans who don't save, spend too much on toys and vacations and use credit cards like a fat kid in a candy store, fresh off a sugar diet. This economy is sick & the next president must have some solid "know-how".
4.  Honest- I want an honest president who is willing to correct his mistakes and who can keep his word.
5. Visionary- I want a visionary president who can see America in a beautiful light, teach others of his vision and then bring the country closer to that vision.
6. Integrity- One of the highest of all character traits, the next president should be one with unmistakable integrity.
7. Humble- This is by far the hardest of all traits to come by, but most important in a man leading a free and mighty nation.
8. Happy- A happy, positive president would just help the country to spin a little brighter. Plus, as Americans, we should be the happiest people on Earth. Our president has to reflect that in his personality and countenance.
9. Brilliant- (no need for an explanation here) If he's not brilliant, then which buffoons voted for him?
10. Talented- I'm picturing a president with so many talents that he almost seems inhuman. On one hand, he needs to be an athlete, but on the other hand, he should be washing the dishes. A baker, a book-balancer, a whiz at scrabble, he can also write a beautiful thesis on how to save the ever-shrinking tropical rain forests. Our president should be savvy with technology and superior at designing cabinets (not the ones for the kitchen either).
All in all, we need a really amazing man as the next president (since there are not any strong woman candidates this election year). He won't be perfect and we must know this, but the country better stop voting for the latest fad. While the party system is broken and bored of finger-pointing (at least some of us), we must be vigilant. Vote for the family man with the truest smile, the sharpest record and faith in his heart. Any idea who that might be?