Wall - E

Today was a great family day out and about. We had planned on going to the beach just for the day, but the cost of gas and crowds from Labor Day weekend were enough to change our minds. We opted instead to go out to see a movie with all of us together, a rare treat. We got there a bit early, so we ate lunch at McMenamins. We let the kids choose and they selected Wall-E. They had been dying to see this film all summer and thankfully it was still playing. They got to munch on popcorn and share a soda (another rare treat).

It was really a cute movie with a great message, right up there with Finding Nemo (for those Disney Pixar fans). Cars is still my favorite though. K got a little restless about halfway through, but she enjoyed herself. We had been to the movies a few different times with N, but this was our first movie outing with K. Her grandma has taken them both to see a few different animated films when they visit her, but we were excited to share this experience for the first time with her.

Afterwards, N and I both got haircuts. I just got a trim. Hubby had tried to cut N's hair a few days ago, but the result was a little scary (ala Jim Carrey's bowl cut from Dumb & Dumber). The hairdresser was able to salvage his cut and now he looks quite handsome with his shorter do. He wanted a mohawk and I definitely didn't, so I compromised a little. The hairdresser spiked it with gel and called it good. I figured he could enjoy it that way until his next shower. =P

Do the Bus Stop!

I remember there is a dance called the "bus stop" and that's what I feel like doing right now! I'm so completely relieved, I can't even tell you. For the last few weeks, my childcare provider (whom I'll call "J"), and I have been exchanging numerous emails. She lives about 2 blocks from our house. We have been trying to figure out the logistics of pick up and drop offs for before and after school transportation. J's house nestled in between three different stops that are about a block or so from her home. The one at the top of the hill is closest to our home and the one N is most accustomed to using (for the last 2 years). There is also one behind her house a little bit and one down the street is furtherest away but easiest to see from her place. My son will be attending all day and my daughter only half day. My kids will board the bus together in the morning, but my daughter will be getting off alone midday.

My babysitter was being difficult about waiting outside her house to see the kids off the bus. She wanted to watch from her windows since she still has other little ones in her care. I understand her rationale, but I have felt that it is imperative to have a pair of adult eyes on my kids at all times. We have tried to reach a number of compromises, but none seem to be just right for both parties. After N went missing last year at his bus stop for about 40 minutes when he was a kindy, we've been on edge ever since about that. Nobody wants a repeat with K. I will spare you the tediousness of the details and get straight to the point. The transportation department just called to tell me they created a new bus stop in front of her house. At first I thought it was a mistake, but then realized the heavens opened up to make both of our days. I told the lady on phone that they were awesome! I am so completely ecstatic and feel like a huge weight has been lifted. Woohoo for the bus driver!

Like Water

So I started my new job on Monday. This week is primarily orientation, meetings, and getting prepared for the students coming next week. It has been a positive experience overall, a wonderful change from last year's overwhelming challenges. For those of you who may not know, I have embarked on a unique opportunity to teach English at an international elementary school that offers full immersion in Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese. My job as an "English Specialist" will be to essentially teach all aspects of language arts to various grade levels. There are three full time and one part time teacher in our department (they are all awesome). Our part time teacher will only teach in the morning, while the rest of us will teach four grade levels. I will teach grades 1st - 4th. Even though much needs to be done, I'm not nearly as nervous going into this year as I was last fall. I'm trying to be like water...just go with the flow.

I realize that there will be a lot of work involved, but I am really excited about focusing on my favorite subject area all day long (no math - yay!). While I'll miss the variety and space that comes with having a class of my own, I will love getting to work with kids of different ages. I am in the process of deciding whether I want to return to school to specialize in English or focus my energy elsewhere. This year will likely tell me one way or another what I should do. I'll have no windows, my work space will be severely limited and a challenge to fit all the kids. The pay is considerably less, the benefits are terribly expensive, and the commute is a killer. However, the cultural experiences and knowledge I will acquire will be priceless in other ways that I'm still discovering as I go. I look forward to going to work and enjoy the atmosphere, qualities I've missed. I've also made provisions to be much more present with my kids this year, so that makes me feel better that I'm not sacrificing my family for the sake of any job. It will take incredible focus and organizational skills to stay on top of everything in order to get home at a decent time, but I will do my best! Will post pictures of my classroom as soon as I get a chance.

Interiority Complex

Okay, so I made up the word 'cause it sounded good with Inferiority Complex. That's what I'm having though. Part of my stress as I slowly declutter my home is that I see how wonderfully decorated other homes appear. I see something in a store that would look amazing on the wall or a table, but usually can't afford it or it would somehow clash with my other knick knacks. My decorating style is eclectic at best. I do what I can, but I have zero skills in the design department. To toot my own horn for a second, I know that I am artistic, resourceful, and have an eye for how things should be arranged...but I can't decorate my house to save my life. Part of my problem is that I am too indecisive. I love many styles and themes, but can't stick with one thing for long. Forever I have wanted to decorate our home with a Japanese influence. Thankfully, hubby is fine with that, once we can afford to do it. I know where I can get many things that will suit my tastes, but am I getting impatient with the money part. We transitioned out of the college lifestyle where Goodwill was my early designer. I've bequeathed many an item in recent years to the next generation of young families. What is especially frustrating is how talented my SIL is in this department. I saw some professional photos taken of her and her family recently in their home. Her tastes are minimalist and simple, but very elegant. She just has a gift for this sort of thing. She has her nose in the air at times, but the woman has the midas touch for making her home look fabulous. I look around at my own cluttered, hodge podge of hand-me-downs and feel inferior. I know I shouldn't, but it's difficult when you aspire to decorate in a more contemporary style. I even surfed the net and window shopped several sites for ideas and items to buy. I didn't get anything, but was certainly tempted. Everytime I finish one organizational project and feel proud of myself, I see another part of the house that needs work. This takes the wind out of my sails. I think I need to invite one of those design shows on HGTV to come out and do our home. Now there's an idea...=)

Well Child

Since my insurance will be changing shortly, we've spent much of August getting caught up on medical and dental needs. I saw my audiologist to get my hearing checked. Since my hearing loss is progressive and unusual for someone my age, I am supposed to go in for annual hearing tests. I only a had slight deterioration this time around, so that was good news. However, I still have mild to moderate high frequency hearing loss, so the audiologist reiterated her reccommendation for a hearing aid since I mentioned how difficult it was for me to teach. I struggle when listening to others speak, especially if they are facing away from me at all. Unfortunately, my insurance doesn't cover the cost of aids at this time. I am hopeful that my new provider will cover it. In the meantime, I guess I am continuing to work on reading lips more.

As for the kids, they each had a teeth cleaning and x-rays taken. Thankfully, both had no cavities, so that was a big woohoo for them on their brushing skills! I was impressed that the this particular dentail office handed out actual character toothbrushes by Oral B vs. the plain boring ones that I got as a kid. They've come a long way in that department. They also had their annual well child check-ups. N was extra busy with the neurologist and a follow-up with our pediatrician. It is a huge relief that we finally have a diagnosis that makes sense. Once we learn more about what we are dealing with and any further progress to report, I may elaborate in the future on his diagnosis. For now, I will protect N's privacy on this matter. On another note, both are healthy and happy. K scored 20/60 on her vision screening, so she was referred to see an optometrist. She can see things up close, but struggles with the far away stuff. I assume that makes her near-sighted and may need glasses down the road. Not a shock in our family as many of our relatives on both sides wear glasses, including hubby. I am having a hard time getting her an appointment though before August is over. We've been using Kaiser for the last six years or so and since my insurance will be through a new provider, we have to find all new doctors...which really really bites.

Wonders of the West

I spent the this past weekend camping with my kids and good friends. We drove up to Eight Mile Loop Campground, located near Mt. Hood. We were lucky to get a campsite right next to a creek, so the kids had a blast exploring the area. The outhouse just far enough away that we couldn't smell it, but close enough that the walk was short. N and K loved roasting marshmellows and eating s'mores (my favorite thing when camping). K got filthy while playing in the dirt, while N just got wet from wading in the creek. As we sat around the campfire, I breathed in the beautiful scenery and realized again how much I love Oregon's trees. The kids loved going on a hike upstream, giving them a chance to further explore the woods. N was afraid of the dark and the prospect of cougars sneaking up on us. I assured him that we would be fine. Sleeping in the tent was a special treat for them as well. I struggled getting it up, but thank goodness for my friends who were quite helpful. More than anything else, I absolutely loved having all nine kids together in one place to just cut loose and have fun. Hubby had some work obligations, so he stayed home. However, I'm grateful we went and for the rich opportunities that my kids get when we play in the great outdoors.

So I sat down tonight to watch an episode of Law and Order: SVU, but decided to flip during the commercial break. I stopped on the Travel Channel to watch a piece on Death Valley. It turned out to be a special called Top Ten Wonders of the West. Needless to say, I got sucked in. I have traveled to many places in this country, but there is so much more to see that I never even conisdered. After watching this special, I wanted to start planning a travel itinerary now so I can look forward to future vacations with my family. Now being a native Oregonian, I was pleased that a number of places from my state were included on the show. I can't wait to see some of these other ones though. It was interesting to note how the show pointed out the ever-present dangers of each destination alongside the positives. Here is the list in backwards order and some of the highlights from the show:

Death Valley, CA -harsh and hot climate with temps upwards of 120 degrees or more; lowest spot on Earth; beautiful landscape

Columbia River Gorge, OR - lush greenery; one of the highest concentrations of waterfalls in the world including Multnomah Falls, windtunnel is huge attraction for extreme sports

Arches National Park, UT - gorgeous natural rock formations; spiritual place for some, great for off-road biking

Carlsbad Caverns, NM - amazing crystalized caves; fun to explore the deep in the underbelly of the earth

Channel Islands, CA - pristine stretch of shoreline teeming with wildlife; affectionately referred to as "California's Galapagos Islands"

Mt. Hood, OR - snow-capped mountain resort surrounded by forest land and glaciers; treacherous landscape and temperatures; historic Timberline Lodge

Redwoods National Park, CA - tallest and oldest trees that can grow to heights of 35 stories and live between 600-2000 years; nestled next to ocean as well

Yosemite National Park, CA - a collection of waterfalls, mountains, and breathtaking vistas; a glacier-carved canyon is complimented by meadows and streams; one of the most recognizable landscapes in the worlds; El Capitan

Yellowstone National Park, CA - lays one of the most dangerous volcanos in the USA; filled with active over 10,000 geysers and hot springs, home of Old Faithful; filled with roaming wildlife such as buffalo, antelope, and grizzly bears, every kind of landscape you can ask for

Grand Canyon, AZ - the stunning vistas and vastness of the landscape takes visitors breath away, whitewater rafting, hiking, and painted canyon views are big draws, carved by the Colorado River over millions of years is a geological wonder

Teamwork

Just finished watching the primetime presentation of Olympic coverage and what a night it was! Michael Phelps became the most decorated athlete in Olympic history. He shattered more world records in the process. He has had an amazing swimming career at in previous Olympics and World Championships, but he has owned these games. He is also on par to surpass mark Spitz's long-standing record of most gold medals won in a single Olympics. I got a kick out of the men's 4x200 relay. The US men completely dominated the race and shattered the previous world record.

The best part of the night though was watching the women's team finals in gymnastics. The rules state that the best three can compete on each event, a change from previous years. It can be a huge advantage or a major detriment. With gymnastics, it's always hit or miss...literally. Team USA started out pretty strong on vault and bars, with a particularly strong showing by Nastia Liukin on uneven bars. I believe she had the highest score of the night with a 16.900. However, there was an awesome performance by one of the Chinese gymnasts with an extremely different release combination. She received a 16.850. When the ladies rotated to the balance beam, both teams began to struggle. Cheng Fui, China's team captain, fell during her routine. The Chinese women were mostly sticking their difficult moves, but made many little mistakes in the simpler ones. They seemed to be checking their balance quite frequently. It seemed to open the door for the Americans. It was not to be.

With a chance to catch the Chinese, who were leading at this point, Alicia Sacramone buckled under the pressure by falling after her mount. She managed to finish the routine strong, but her score hurt the USA's chances of winning the gold. Nastia Liukin performed well as did Shawn Johnson, who has become a little Mary Lou-type of dynamo. She is tiny, powerful, and the most consistent member of the squad. The teams then rotated to the final even on floor ex. Still reeling from her mishap on beam, Alicia slipped during one of her tumbling passes. This added more pressure to the ladies to follow her, but they managed to hang in there. The night truly belonged to China. They finished out the night with a heartfelt performance by Cheng Fui, who teared up at the end with the pride of the whole indoor stadium rooting for her. It even made me cry a little. The way I see it, the Chinese deserved to stand atop the podium on this night. On that same token, America didn't lose a gold tonight, they won a silver. And that is something to be proud of. It was to hard to watch Alicia Sacramone's interview after her falls. She blamed herself for the end result and you could tell she was fighting back the tears. It was great to see how supportive the girls were of each other though. The medal ceremony was really touching to see. the Chinese crowd swelled with such national pride as their tiny gymnasts were awarded their gold medals. It was a great moment for them to be sure. They are in the words of Al Troutwig, "true trailblazers" as they are the first ever from China to win the women's team finals.

I'm definitely looking forward to the all-around. Both Nastia and Shawn qualified and both have a real shot at the title. Should be interesting!

Twice as Nice

Ever encounter someone or something that makes you go "hmmm?" I realize that twins, triplets, and the like share a very special bond that us singletons can never hope to understand. I have a set of twin cousins and have known many multiples over the years. I am not talking about the Mary Kate and Ashley Oleson kind of twins either. Well, there is a set of twins that live in my community that bring new meaning to the word Doublemint Twins. However, they are not the buxom blondes that you might expect though. They are never without the other. My guess is that they are in their later teens or thereabouts. They both have long, wavy, reddish-brown hair that they usually keep in single ponytails. They dress in identical outfits most of the time or a variation of the same outfit, complete with their signature tennis shoes and ever present backpacks. I usually see them walking around the neighborhood together in perfect stride with one another. Their ponytails swing in perfect unison as well, which is the freakiest part. It is the most fascinating thing to watch as they do this fast-paced stomping throughout the neighborhood with such unified precision. You really have to see them to believe it.

I met them up close once about a year or two ago, when they came running into the park after a young disabled girl that they were babysitting. They sat down for a few minutes and chatted, but then took off to another part of the park. The strange thing about their approach was how they would follow their young charge like her shadow...literally and in unison. If she ran here, they ran there. If she went down the slide, they were both right behind her with incredible energy and pep. When I see them out and about nowadays, they now have two kids to look after, also seemingly disabled. They usally each are holding and swing the hands of the children they babysit. I believe they are homeschooled if I remember correctly, so they are around quite often in our area. I have no clue how these identical twins manage to mirror each other's movements so seamlessly in every aspect. I mentioned them to hubby and he said he noticed them too and thought how odd the whole scenario with them seemed. They appear to be very sweet and such, they just seem like an anomaly in the twin world. To understand more about the connection between twins, check out this book at...http://www.twinconnections.com/book.htm.

I remember this set of triplets in a kindergarten that I worked in a few years back. They weren't quite as unusual as this pair, but they did share a unique language and something extra that caused them to play together a lot. Their mother wanted them to remain close and so she refused to put them in separate classes. It was tough on their individual identity development. I enjoy watching Jon and Kate Plus 8 as the Gosselins struggle to care for their huge brood. In case you haven't see the show on Monday nights on TLC, Jon and Kate are raising a set of twins and sextuplets. They focus on their misadventures in raising their little ones and the lengths to which they'll go to make sure they each become their own person and get one-on-one time. The dynamics between the kids are adorable to watch. Anyhow, the telepathic conversations that transpire in the womb and continue on in real life are a foreign language to the rest of us.

Bring back the ten!

As I sit here and watch the compulsory competition for the Beijing Summer Olympics, I am flooded with memories. Though I have followed gymnastics my whole life (even had a poster of Olga Korbut on my wall as a little girl and Nadia is still one of my idols), my favorite time can be traced back to the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. I loved watching the showdown between Ekaterina Szabo and Mary Lou Retton. It was unforgettable to watch all of that unfold...but I digress. Back to tonight's competition...

The frontrunners, China and USA, both have had a precarious night. Team USA in particular, has had a rough go of it. No one seems immune from mistakes and they are down with two injuries. I am really rooting for Nastia Liukin, daughter of the great Valeri Liukin, to do well. What I love about her is how she strays far from the normal cookie cutter routines. She is especially stunning on the bars and balance beam (which also happen to be my favorite events). It's too bad she took a tumble on her bar landing, but hopefully her difficulty level will help qualify her for the even finals. You just never know.

Gymnastics is a sentimental favorite of mine as I once swung around the uneven bars myself and did roundoffs from the end of the beam. I remember as a kid learning how to sprint down the runway to do a somersault on the vault. It was the scariest event in my eyes when I was training in gymnastics. I lasted about 5 years, but just didn't have the stamina to continue on to the next level of the sport. Though I learned few dazzling tricks, I wasn't brave enough to do backsprings, a signature move in the sport. I think the most complicated trick I learned was the back and front walkovers. The most complicated move I can to this day though is the backbend. Instead of becoming a competitor, I instead began watching the competitions on TV. I have been following the sport heavily since before I can remember. It's fun to research and watch older competitions to see how everything has changed.

For instance, if you look back to a typical ladies vault from the late sixties to early seventies, it usually consisted of a woman running and doing a single flip over it. No pizzazz or fancy tricks, just a simple body going over the vault. As time wore on, you noticed how gymnasts tried to set the bar higher each time. Even the vault itself has evolved in shape and dynamics. For an amazing example of a challenging vault, check out Olesia Dudnik at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up3oPgNrKHUbe.com/watch?v=Up3oPgNrKHU. You'll also notice how body styles have evolved. Men seem to stay pretty consistent in their builds, but the ladies have gone from having very womanly shapes to very girlish to somewhere in between. Nowadays, you see stocky, muscular gals to more very lean, almost birdlike like bodies.

Each apparatus also has had its ups and downs in terms of talented performances by gymnasts. I'm not sure which women's event is considered the flagship, but balance beam is widely considered to be the hardest due to the balancing elements involved. The high bar is clearly the premier event for the men. The high-flying tricks never fail to get the crowd excited. The women compete in just four, while the men compete in six events. I've never understood why the men have more routines to perform, but I always figured because men are expected to be extraordinarily strong while the woman exhibit their flexibility and artistry.

What has become a staple of all competitions though has been the scoring system. All gymnasts aspire to earn a perfect ten, reminiscent of Nadia. We all know that she won the not only won the 1976 Olympic All-Around, but she also scored the world's first perfect ten in competition. People still talk about it as thought it happened yesterday. We all remember Mary Lou's amazing vault performance back in 1984 when she also clinched the gold with a perfect ten. It is interesting to note how mesmerizing these moments are at the time and how they withstand the test of time. What I can't fathom is how the powers that be decided to do away with the traditional system and replace it with a new one that seems to stretch to a 17 scale. I'm still trying to figure out how it works. All's I know is that I don't really like and think that they should bring back the ten. Even the US announcers made comments about how they ought to bring it back. It is part of our history now and who knows what will transpire as we move forward. Bela Karolyi was interviewed and he let his feelings be known. He pulled no punches and would like to see the perfect ten return, no shock there. I tend to agree though.

Can't wait to see the team finals!

Which is the right path?

For those of you who have followed my foray into teaching know how challenging the process has been for me. The path to finding a job had been almost as rocky a road. Upon graduating from my teaching program, I thought that I would have no problem getting hired in the district I had worked for the last three years. All of my references and contacts gave me glowing reviews, but that did nothing for me in terms of securing a job, let alone interviews. It was a rude awakening for me to say the least. I learned quickly that I was going to have to branch out if I had any hopes of finding a position. The interviews were slowly trickling in over the course of the summer, but it wasn't until early August that I finally found a school willing to give me a chance. Most of the other places liked me well enough, but felt that I lacked experience (they were right about that) and that cost me many positions. I have a uncanny knack for coming in second for many of the jobs. My thought at that time was "how does one gain experience if no one will provide you a place to get it?" Yes, I was naive and still wet behind the ears in the education world. My previous years of experience in social services meant very little in this new world that felt I still needed to pay my dues.

After completing my first year of teaching, both hubby and I wholeheartedly believed that this time things would be different in my job search. After all, I finally had that coveted experience that I had lacked last year. My last position was only a one year temporary contract, so I was back to square one. Unfortunately, the road to finding a job hunting process was even more challenging this time around. The various HR people kept telling me that it was an amazingly competitive year (just my luck) and that for every position posted, about 100-300 people would apply (depending on the district). I had a handful of interviews out of the myriad of places I applied to. I lost count a long time ago on exactly how many jobs I applied for, but it's safe to say it's a lot. Again, I faced the same problem as last year. I could come close, but no cigar so to speak.

Then I got a series of interviews all within a three day span. It definitely seemed as though my luck was changing for the better. I had two interviews (for one job) in one noteworthy district and another interview for a private school. Well, I found out rather quickly that I was their second choice (deju vu), but this spot wouldn't work out...however they wanted me to interview for another position they were posting. I didn't hold my breath as a week went by and I heard nothing. I got a call from the private school. The director offered me the position and I leaped at the chance. She told me in a meeting that I was selected out of some 80 applicants. They felt I would fit in well with their staff and loved my passion for language arts (the focus of the job).

My joy was short-lived when I got another call to come interview for the district that had just turned me down. The superintendent liked me and wanted to get me in somehow. I agreed to come to another interview and the stress of what might happen set in. Now I realize that I don't have another offer on the table yet and I tend to overanalyze things, but I knew I needed to strongly consider the pros and cons of both jobs, should an offer be made available. Here I had this great job offer (which I already accepted) at a private language immersion school to teach English. Language Arts is my area of strength and my favorite subject to teach (along with Social Studies). I really like friendly staff and the fact that I'll be teaching several grades. It will be a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow as a teacher in a position I am sure to love. If this district interview had only come a week earlier. It has been stressing me out in a good way I guess. Then this morning I got another interview request for nearby district. A principal from last year that interviewed me twice for two different spots last summer, wanted to see me again. Maybe third time would be the charm. It's not like I have two solid offers from either district yet, but it still is food for thought.

On the one hand, the district jobs would provide a good salary, great benefits, and the potential for longevity. We want to eventually live in the district in which I'll work at, so the kids and I have the same school schedule. The only con I can honestly think of is that I would have to teach all subjects, juggling task that I am still learning to do. I know I would get my groove though and do fine. Then there is the private school position that I am already committed to. I have not signed an official contract yet, but there is a verbal agreement in place. The benefits and pay aren't good as the district jobs. The commute would be a challenge, but hubby and I could commute together to save gas. My days would be longer though to fit his hours. It would be an amazing place to work though, that I'm sure of. Not only are the staff very welcoming, but they are an international mix of professionals. People hail from England, Japan, China, Latin America, and many other places. The position is very rare and unique, so that is where my biggest dilemma lies. The school offers language full immersion tracks in three languages. I would be teaching English to small groups of students of all grade levels. I would collaborate with a team, so I wouldn't be left in the wind on my own like last year. Yet, there would be lots of autonomy to create lessons on my own as I see fit. My mom suggested I consider what regrets I would have if I didn't take this opportunity now. She said regardless of the timing, the districts would be there in the future. I am inclined to agree with her. In case you were wondering, I am writing this blog as it helping me sort out my own thoughts on the matter. It would be hard to say no to a district position if one were to come my way (part of me doesn't want to deal with the possibility), but I am already feeling a loyalty to this job. That says something to me.

Stranger Than Fiction

I was watching a documentary tonight on TLC that reminded me of an episode I had once seen on Law and Order: SVU. The story was truly disturbing and heartbreaking all at once. It was was called Born a Boy, Raised a Girl. It was about a psychologist from Johns Hopkins University named John Money (aka John Colapinto), who went to great lengths to prove his theory that in the battle that is nature vs. nurture, nurture is the winner. He sought to experiment with real human beings to test his hypothesis. When a family came along with twin boys, he saw his chance. One of the boys suffered through a botched circumcision surgery on his genitals that destroyed his penis, so the good doctor told the parents that it was in his best interests to be raised as a girl. The parents naively took his word as gospel and followed his recommendations. After his sex was reassigned through surgical, hormonal, and psychological interventions, the young child's odyssey began. The young boy's name was changed from Bruce to Brenda. He was treated like a girl in every way. Until the age of seven, it seemed as though he his experiment was successful. His research became famous and the case came to be known as John/Joan.

The twins met with the doctor for annually for seven years. The girl began to struggle with her gender identity. So the doctor took it upon himself to use unorthodox and extreme methods to treat Brenda and her twin brother deal with their unique situation. In addition to being forced to look at pornographic photos, the siblings were encouraged to experiment with each other in front of the doctor. Needless to say, this was very traumatizing for them both. Neither child knew that Brenda was really a boy. Brenda was brought up to believe that she was a girl, despite her genital issues. It wasn't until they were thirteen and Brenda became suicidal, that their parents finally owned up to the terrible truth. Brenda was relieved and decided to make things right. He renamed himself David and never looked back. His twin brother, Brian, took things much harder and never fully recovered. It was believed that the therapy traumas coupled with shocking revelations about his brother, drove him mad. He became schizophrenic and eventually died an untimely death from drugs and alcohol.

David tried to move on from his childhood traumas and make a life for himself. He was sterile, so he could never father children of his own. However, he found love with a mother of three and all was well in his life for a time. The doctor published his findings as successful, even though it was all a big lie. When his twin brother died, David was pushed to the edge as well. After a series of events, he ended up committing suicide at age 38.

The tragic end to this tale truly shocked me. It such a stranger than fiction story that was true. The doctor was held partially responsible for the twin boys' demise, though I'm not sure what became of him. He was widely discredited for his scandalous techniques to simply prove a theory. It was sad that he couldn't just let the boys alone. The sad truth is that parents should've sought a second opinion before making such a drastic decision to raise their son as a boy. I saw another documentary on transgender children that exhibit a preference for all things not associated with their actual sex. I can understand that sort of situation to a point, but David/Brenda was a boy through and through, just an unfortunate surgical error put him in this predicament. It is sad that they suffered so much pain. I think the doctor should've just learned what the rest of us already pretty much know...nature and nurture work hand in hand to shape us as human beings. You can read more about David's story at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Reimer.

Trannies, Soda Jerks, and Elves

So today was a perfect example of a how a day can be split down the middle in terms of good and bad. It began as any other day as I get the kids up and gave them breakfast. I dropped them off at the babysitter so that I could take the car into get the transmission serviced. The mechanic called me out to the shop to show me the pan to show me the metal chunks and scrapings that were in it. That coupled with the strange sounds my car has been making for the last month are signs that the tranny is going south. He said I was going to need to get it rebuilt very soon. Unfortunately, the warranty doesn't cover one that "is going" only ones that are "already dead." Nice, huh? I had them finish the service and went on my merry way. We are going to look into trading it in for a new car in the very near future.

The morning was full of lousy news about my car, but things started looking up around lunchtime. I got a call for another job interview. I accepted it and now find myself in a pickle. If I am offered this position, I'll have to choose between a great school district job with all the trimmings and the position that I recently said yes to that would enable me to teach my favorite subject to all elementary grade levels in a private school. It's definitely one of those situations that I'll have to make list of the pros and cons for. However, hubby is right in telling me not to count my chickens before they hatch. Anyhow, I picked up the kids and headed home for about an hour and a half to rest.

In the afternoon, I dropped N off for his art class and took K to the downtown fountain to play in the water. A bunch of kids from the Boys and Girls Club showed up and mass chaos ensued. It was difficult to keep track of K with all the children running around, but she held her own with the bigger ones. I sat and read a book, while she had a blast getting soaked. After melting in the sun for over an hour, K and I walked around a bit downtown to a nearby shop to get a fountain drink at an ol' fashioned soda shop. It was fun splitting a blackberry milkshake with her as we sat on stools. It even had a collection of classic Coca Cola memorabilia lining the shelves to give it that nostalgic feel. The only thing the place was missing was a soda jerk. It was still a charming little shop and I'll definitely be back with the kids for treats. We saved some for N when we picked up from his class. He drank it in about two minutes. When we got home, the kids ran amok in the driveway on their scooters. I collapsed in a chair, feeling quite drained. Unfortunately, I didn't get to sit for long as the kids were getting hungry for dinner. It was already after 5 o'clock.

After getting the kids and myself some dinner, I watched a rerun of Friends. Hubby came home in a very giddy mood. He told me that he had submitted his name in some sort of raffle thingie through the makers of World of Warcraft. He got a confirmation today that he was one a handful of people selected to be a beta tester for the newest expansion pack for WoW called "Wrath of the Lich King." It's kind of like being a Neilsen family that rates TV shows as a sampling of what people are watching. He was excited not only because he won this great thing, but also because he'll be one of the first people to play this new addition to WoW. A few months ago, this wouldn't have been a big deal to me. Now that I've played this addictive game for awhile now, I get can understand his excitement. My hubby is one of those people who love standing in line forever to see a big action flick on opening night, just to be one of the first ones to do so. Anyway, I probably won't see much of him this weekend as he'll be sucked even deeper into WoW realm of elves, orcs, and gnomes. Go figure.

It's all in a name!

People have all kinds of interesting hobbies. I have a number of them myself including but not limited to, scrapbooking, reading, writing (blogging), playing WOW, and touring open houses. Another hobby I used to have before I was a mother myself, was making baby name lists. I think every young girl who dreams of having children one day has at some point done this. If a name was deemed to off the wall or cutesy, I would keep it around for a possible pet's name (i.e. Gypsy, Riley). Anyhow, now that I have named my two munchkins...I have moved onto just being a spectator as celebs introduce their little bundles of joy with fascinating name choices. Most everybody knows that celebs are notorious for choosing unique and/or crazy names for their offspring. It's as if they forget that their child will be the one carrying around their moniker in the years to come. Some names look great in print, but don't always roll off the tongue. Let me give you some examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly of celeb baby names past and present. You'll find some of them to be easily within the confines of what we deem normal, while others will definitely stretch the boundaries of your imagination and make you go "what were they thinking?!"

Here is a sample list compiled from Listology.com and Infoplease.com:

• Rumer Glenn, Tallulah Belle and Scout LaRue (daughters of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore)
• Jett (son of John Travolta and Kelly Preston)
• Moxie Crimefighter (Penn Jillette)
• Diezel and Denim (sons of Toni Braxton and Keri Lewis)
• Speck Wildhorse and Hud (sons of John Mellencamp and Elaine Irwin)
• Pilot Inspektor (son of Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf)
• Tu Morrow (daughter of Rob Morrow and Debbon Ayre)
• Audio Science (son of Shannyn Sossamon and Dallas Clayton)
• Moon Unit, Ahmet Emuukha Rodan, Dweezil, and Diva (children of Frank Zappa)
• Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily, Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches Honeyblossom, and Pixie (daughters of the late Paula Yates (Tiger Lily's dad is the late Michael Hutchence; Bob Geldof is father to the other three))
• Zowie (son of David Bowie -- he later changed his name to Joe before settling on Duncan);
• Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q (son of Bono)
• Chastity and Elijah Blue (daughter of Cher and Sonny Bono, son of Cher)
• Banjo (son of Rachel Griffiths)
• Jaz (daughter of Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf),
• Romeo and Brooklyn (sons of Victoria and David Beckham),
• Aurelius (son of Elle Macpherson),
• Lyric and Zephyr (daughter and son of Robby Benson),
• Hopper (son of Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn),
• Kyd (son of David Duchovny and Tea Leoni)
• Reignbeau and Freedom (daughter and son of Ving Rhames)
• Jermajesty (son of Jermaine Jackson).
• Kal-el Coppola Cage (son of Nicolas Cage and Alice Kim )
• Sailor Lee (daughter of Christie Brinkley)
• Apple Blythe Alison and Moses Bruce Anthony (daughter and son of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin)
• Maddox Chivan, Pax Thien, Zahara Marley, Shiloh Nouvelle, Vivienne Marcheline, and Knox Leon (many children of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt)
• Phinneus and Hazel (twins of Julia Roberts)
• Sunday Rose (daughter of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban)
• Suri (daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise)
• Bogart Che Peyote and Rocco Kokopelli (sons of David "Puck" Rainey of Mtv's Real World)
• Rocket, Racer, Rebel, Rogue, and Rhiannon (sons and daughter of Robert Rodriguez)
• Sage Moonblood, Seargeoh, Sophia Rose, Sistine Rose, Scarlet Rose (sons and daughter of Sylvester Stallone)
• Piper Maru (daughter of Gillian Anderson)
• Dusti Raine and Keelee Breeze (daughters of Robert Van Winkle aka Vanilla Ice)
• Poppy Honey and Daisy Boo (daughters of Jamie Oliver of Food Network)
• Coco Riley (daughter of Courtney Cox and David Arquette)
• Bluebell Madonna (Geri Halliwell aka Ginger Spice)
• Kingston James MacGregor (son of Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale)
• Calico and Sonora Rose (daughters of Alice Cooper)
• Jeffrey, Mackenzie, Chynna, Tamerlane, and Bijou (son and daughters of John Phillips)

*I especially like the sound of Coco Riley, Harlow Winter Kate and Sunday Rose (so their parents' did well in my book. So I'm wierd, so what!).

There is another trend that is more acceptable in my book. The first name is fairly normal, but the middle name strays from the norm and borders on silly. Frances Bean Cobain is a great example of this. Her middle name doesn't have to be used, so she could simply go by Frances Cobain if she felt like it. However, the media rarely lets us forget and insists on listing celeb children by their full names when possible. Britney Spears and K-Fed's kids always go by Sean Preston and Jayden James (pretty decent names actually) in the media. Why not just Sean and Jayden? Just an observation on my part.

Then there are the children who carry on their parents' names. There is Michael Jackson's two boys, Prince Michael and Prince Michael II (aka Blanket). That is just plain self-indulgent and creepy to do. Yet the Prince of Pop isn't the worst offender of this tradition. George Forman sired ten children. All five of his sons are named George: George Jr., George III, George IV, George V, and George VI. He is able to distinguish one from another by the use of nicknames such as "Monk", "Big Wheel" and "Little George". His daughters all bear "normal" names. I like how Will Smith and his lady loves went about their choices. Will's first son from his first wife is named Willard Christopher III (goes by Trey) after his proud papa. Will and his second wife, Jada Pinkett, named their two children Jaden Christopher Syre and Willow Camille Reign. They allowed their kids to carry on their namesakes in a creative and tasteful manner.

All in all, I would agree with the notion that naming one's child is an intimate process for the parents and is one of the fun parts of having a baby of your own. While I say to each their own, I always remember the cardinal rule that my own mother instilled in me while I was growing up. She took note of some of the names on my personal list and said simply..."remember that the child is the one who has to wear the name throughout their life and deal with its consequences...at least until they can legally change it at eighteen." It helped me temper many of my more offbeat choices. Though I believe my choies were pretty sedate in comparison to what we see out there nowadays. If I had any more children, I would be more adventurous with their middle names, but stick with slightly obscure, but not crazy first names.

Just for fun, here are some of the early names that I considered over the years (some complete with middle names and others that I just couldn't settle on one):

Girls:

• Olivia Jude (thought it flowed well)
• Carol Anne (yes, from Poltergeist, would've called her Carrie)
• Alicia Beth or Alicia Rose (always loved the name of my childhood best friend, Elisha)
• Kyra Rose (still love this one!)
• Marianna
• Nadya (for the gymnast and my an idol of mine)
• Alison Satomi (thought of during my time as an exchange student in Japan)
• Samantha LaVonne (middle name is my mom's)
• Madison Lee (from Splash)
• Maile Rose (Hawaiian name, long before Miley Cyrus fame)
• Emma (from Terms of Endearment)
• Tija Rose or Tija Elizabeth (pronounced Tee-ah and from Escape from Witch Mountain)
• Kaya Rose
• Amelia Jade
• Nina (from Young and the Restless)
• Melody and Marissa (wanted twins very badly)
• Rhianna (a variation of the Stevie Nicks' song Rhiannon)
• Nara (for the Japanese city)
• Lindsay (from a family friend)
• Arlina (liked it from the movie Switched at Birth)
• Taryn (loved the name of this former coworker)
• Ariel (from children's cartoon, Thundarr the Barbarian and The Little Mermaid)
• Davalee (a gal I went to school with)
• Cassidy or Cassandra (wanted to call her Cassie)
• Martina (wanted to call her Marty or Tina)
• Malerie (for Mallory of Family Ties)
• Charlene (pronounced Shar-leen)
• Aurelia (pronounced Ah-ray-lee-ah, for a Romanian gymnast)
• Thea
• Dulcinea (pronounced Dul-sin-e-ah, gal from high school)
• Marisol (love how this one sounds for some reason)
• Isabella (variation of Isabel from Fools Rush In)
• Aquinnah Jade (pronounced Ah-keen-ah, liked the first name from one Michael J. Fox's twin daughters)
• Avery Grace (loved it how it sounded and is Angie Harmon's {from Law and Order} daughter's name)
  

Note: Yes, I know I overused Rose as a middle name. I loved the flower and was also for Rose Wilder Lane, daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder. I didn't stress too much as my plan was to choose a family name or one of a few simple ones from a short list. Also, I realize how many girls names are listed vs. the boys. That's because boys names were easy for me to settle one, girls were much more challenging to choose from for me.

Boys:

• Alan (from Splash and for my dad's middle name)
• Aidan James
• Alex (not Alexander, for Alex P. Keaton)
• Liam
• Brandon
• Sean
• Ethan (of MI movies)
• Tristan (from Legends of the Fall)
• Kyle (from a childhood friend)
• Andrew
• Hayden
• Owen (youngest son from Party of Five)
• Tobias (would've gone by Toby, but again too cutesy)
• Albert (from Little House on the Prairie, yes I'm glad I didn't choose this either)
• Lucas
  

Note: Middle names would've simply been a family name, so omitted from list.

Yes, I was heavily influenced by names found in the movies or on tv shows. Since my dream is still to one day write a book or screenplay, they played a powerful role in my name choices. I could literally go on and on about this topic. However, since I just realized I've been typing for quite awhile, I think I'll stop. If you managed to get through this marathon blog, my hat's off to you. Feel free to share some of your personal name faves, I'd love to hear about them! For the those of you who care, I settled on Nicholas Allan and Kirsten Marie (whom I always refer to as N and K in this blog) for my children's names.