I Deserved It

"I really want to study this whole thing of drinking, getting drunk and people saying that they're having a good time. Because if you put on a good suit, you put on a good suit or whatever and you say, "I'm going out to have a good time." But some people announce it: "I'm going OUT... because I DESERVE to go out... and I'm going to get DRUNK... because I DESERVE to get drunk... and get out of my way!" ~~Bill Cosby, Himself

For those of you who have seen the video Bill Cosby, Himself, you know that the ending to the story above is that the person goes out, gets trashed and ends up worshiping the porcelain God. And, Bill then says, "Remember, you deserved this."

Well, that is how I'm introducing last night's saga. A friend of ours, Holly, invited us to her home for a Wine and Cheese party. I had a particularly stressful work week and since Jeff was driving, I thought I'd enjoy the wine....because "I deserved it!"

I don't think I drank that much. I don't ever recall feeling drunk per se....maybe a little tipsy. But, we left the party after only being there two hours and then we went to pick up our daughters who were with our babysitter. Jeff went inside to get the girls and that is when the unpleasant feeling hit me. My head started swimming, the van suddenly felt warmer, and my stomach felt queasy. Jeff returned to the van with the girls and they all noticed my lack of color....Jeff knew what was coming.

A few minutes later as we drove down the road, I tossed my cookies (and the photo above is how I found the passenger side of my van this morning). Rachel and Anna couldn't understand why I was so sick and Jeff was laughing at my predicament.
And, after we got home, I tossed my cookies (or should I say my wine and cheese) even more.... alot more.

I don't recall the last time I vomited after drinking alcohol...had to be in college. And, as I sat there worshiping the toilet, I remembered why I don't usually drink much. But, evidently, my tolerance has decreased significantly over the years because it didn't take much to make me sick last night. I'll just limit myself to one drink from here on out when I decide to partake again as I don't want to have the experience I had last night again.

Of course, Jeff was still smirking after I got up this morning and asking me if I'd like an omelet with chili on top for breakfast. :-)

And, all I can keep thinking to myself is..."I deserved it!"

No Child Left Inside

"In nature, children find strength."~~Maria Montessori


I read about an interesting concept this morning. I think many have heard about the "No Child Left Behind" educational initiative. There is a new one called "No Child Left Inside." And, it is an initiative that I wholeheartedly agree with.

A study was recently conducted that depicted "a high correlation between the drop in national park visits and the increased time spent with TV, home movies, video games, and the Internet."......Patricia Zaradic, one of the study's authors, has discarded her TV and urges other parents to go outdoors with their children. "The kids are going to do what you do," she says. "If you are spending the majority of your time glued to some sort of boob tube, how can you tell them to go outside and play?"......The "No Child Left Inside" idea is part of a larger national discussion among park wardens, government officials, and environmentalists about how to reverse a growing alienation from nature, particularly among youths. Those concerned cite the health of future generations, and the long-term support for conservation efforts by an indoor civilization. "For thousands of years in human history, kids went outside and spent their childhood outdoors, in nature. In the matter of a few decades, we are seeing the disappearance of that kind of play ... and that has enormous implications," says Richard Louv, author of the recent book "Last Child in the Woods." Studies of children, he notes, show that exposure to nature boosts attention spans, reduces stress, and could be an antidote to the rising problem of childhood obesity."

Many children have forgotten the lost art of playing in the dirt, running in the woods, and skipping rocks across the lake (and many adults for that matter). Add to this that many schools are cutting out recess times and no physical education....gee, I wonder why children in the United States are becoming more and more obese?

Living in an RV encourages outdoor activity because there isn't tons of room to lounge around inside. Of course, we've always enjoyed staying at state and national parks even before we had an RV of any kind. And, we've never been the types to do sedentary activities inside all of the time. But, I'm glad to see that others are starting to notice the benefits of outdoor activity and the importance of it. I do hope that while they are encouraging people to enjoy the great outdoors that they are also reinforcing responsible interaction with nature (i.e., don't feed wildlife, don't litter, etc.).

The article went on to recommend the following:

As for other ways to get the next generation into the woods, her mother has a novel idea: "You know what they should do is tell guys [that hiking] is a cheap date. And the girls will think it's romantic.

Ha! And, all this time I thought Jeff was being romantic when he took me camping at Mt Cheaha, AL, when we were college students. And, it was primitive camping (i.e., no bathrooms or running water) too! It appears I was just a cheap date. :-)
Actually, it might have been cheap (and a bit cold) but it was incredibly romantic. I guess some could say since we now live in our RV that we are on a neverending romantic venture.

Seven Wonders of the World

A good friend e-mailed this to me (thanks Jean!). I wanted to share it on my blog except I included photos of my family instead of the photos that were included in the e-mail.

Enjoy.

A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present "Seven Wonders of the World." Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes:
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Bascilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not finished her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there are so many."
The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."
The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. To See








2. To Hear













3. To Touch














4. To Taste









5. To Feel













6. To Laugh












7. To Love

The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wondrous! A gentle reminder--that the most precious things in life cannot be built by hand or bought by man.