Atheist Registry

http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2011/08/atheist_national_registry_prop.php


Link to article I read.


http://pastorstahl.blogspot.com/2010/09/putting-atheists-on-national-registry.html


Link to the blog post.


I read this and just couldn't believe my eyes.  What a brilliant idea, Pastor Mike! Here, let me give you my picture and my name, and let you add me to your "Atheist Registry" - which is only for informational purposes.


Then he goes on to say why this is necessary to have this. 


" Perhaps we may actually know some. In which case we could begin to witness to them and warn them of the dangers of atheism. Or perhaps they are radical atheists, whose hearts are as hard as Pharaoh's, in that case, if they are business owners, we would encourage all our Christian friends, as well as the various churches and their congregations NOT to patronize them as we would only be "feeding" Satan. "


Wait, I thought this was for informational purposes?  Witnessing to Harassing us isn't purely for your informational purposes.  Then there is the whole safety issue thing.  There have been recent threats of death against Atheists.  Google, "Fox News Death Threats Against Atheists"  - that should pop up something for you.  Sure, let us get right on giving you our names and photos for identification.  


"Frankly, I don't see why anyone would oppose this idea - including the atheists themselves (unless of course, they're actually ashamed of their atheist religion, and would prefer to stay in the 'closet.')."


We oppose the idea because of the above mentioned reasons.  There is no reason to have an "Atheist Registry".  I'd also like to point out the fact that atheism isn't a religion.  It's the lack of a religion.  I am an out and proud Atheist, but that doesn't mean it's okay to put me on some "list" for your "informational" purposes.  Nor is it okay to equate me and those like me as hate groups, or sex offenders.  Our only crime is not believing in your god.  And I'd like to point out (as so many other Atheists have in the past) - you, yourself, are an Atheist in respect to all the other gods and goddesses in the world.  We just go one further.

Different Stuffs

Jeez, three blogs in a week?  Unusual, I know. :P


Last night I submitted my FAFSA.  According to my FAFSA estimator I should get a full Pell Grant and as I am planning on attending a local community college, surely that will be enough to cover my tuition and books for one - two classes?  I haven't decided yet if I should take just one or two, though I know more than two would be pushing it.  I haven't been to school in eleven years nearly and should take it slowly.  Maybe I should start with one to be safe and see how I feel after doing just one?  Of course, if I continue to take just one - two a semester it will take me forever to graduate.  I suppose that shouldn't matter, what should matter is doing the best I can in each class, right?


Our housing community offers a free pool along with the gym.  They have had a huge issue with people not putting their children in swim diapers and also children eating there and then vomiting into the pool.  This, of course, results in the pool closing and having to be treated.  This is happening several times a week.  The housing office decided to do the most extreme thing it could do - it has decided that any non potty trained children have to use the baby pool.  I'll have to take pictures when I take the three older boys this weekend so you can see what I am talking about here.  But the pool they have is very nice.  It's shallow - the deepest it goes to is 5 ft.  One area is intended for children, it has a couple awesome water gun type things that the children can play with; as well as huge flowers that are like sprinklers.  One of Charlie's favorite things is a huge turtle that he can stand next to that is also a sprinkler of sorts.  This is not the baby pool.  The baby pool is a separate pool that is intended for the littlest of the little.  I am unsure how I am supposed to expect my two year old to not have a tantrum when I walk him past the awesome flowers, turtle, and spray guns and tell him he has to sit in this baby pool.  Yeah, that's going to work out real well!  (No, I have no intention of even trying this.  I realize it would result in the biggest tantrum evar!)  


I realize that they had to do something.  However, I don't think they realize that the people breaking the rules before are just going to continue to break the rules.  I don't know if they know who has been causing the issues, but those of us commenting about the new rule do not know the age of the child(ren) causing the issues.  For all I know, they could be 3, 4, even 5 years old!  Now, what are they going to do?   Tell everyone who comes in with a 3, 4, or 5 year old and tell them they can't use the big pool?  I am unsure how this is going to work, I suppose I'll find out tomorrow when I take the older boys.  Sure, they can ask if your child is potty trained, but is that going to stop those who have already been breaking the rules from lying about it?  I just do not see how this will solve the issue that they have.  We'll have to wait and see what they intend to do next year.


This morning I got up, took Ricky and Kevin to their last day of the summer program and then went to the gym.  Dennis has the morning off since he has to work from 4-extremely late, so he kept the two younger boys at home.  


I did okay, I think.  I was the only one in there, so it was really quiet.  I did .15 of a mile warm up, then two miles.  I didn't allow myself to go slower than 3 and at my fastest went 3.5.  I realize that's really slow for most people, but I am pushing myself.  I also jogged for one tenths of a mile in each mile.  I've also kept up with drinking water, something I never do (I really don't like water all that much).  It's a start and that's all I have to realize.  

Today I Went To The Gym

So, I need to be real here.  I need to be accountable to myself and my family.  I used to look at people my size and wonder, "how did they let themselves get that way?" and the truth is?  You don't realize it.  It's a slow process.  For me it's been over the course of ten years.  Dennis joined the Army, I became a stay at home mom.  I became the stereotypical stay at home mom - I stayed at home.  I got lazy.  I didn't work out.  I had three more babies.  I got fat.  That was the easy part.

Anyway, today I started going to the gym again.  Because the scale is getting worse and I just cannot allow myself to go any further.  I need to cut the soda out as well - but that is even more difficult than cutting back on food and exercising.  So I am going to start with exercising, cutting back on portions, and hopefully increasing my water intake while allowing myself some of my precious Mountain Dew.  My preciousss.  Yes, say that like Gollum would, because if I go too long without it, that's how I would say it.

I've started this before.  I hope I actually stick with it this time.  Living where we live has made it unbelievably easy for me to go to the gym - there is a gym in the community center in my village and it is free.  It has a room with tables and a tv that the Charlie (and the other boys, if they are with me) can play in.  The fitness room and the play room for children are connected by a glass door and the walls are made of mostly glass as well - so I can see in there, perfect with Charlie being at the age he is now.  If I can't do it here, I can't do it anywhere.

Today I had a goal of 2 miles.  I made my goal, but it took me longer than I would have liked.  Mostly because Charlie kept wanting me to come into the room with him, so I'd get started, have to get off and deal with him.  I had brought juice boxes, books, coloring books, crayons, and several toys that they both like.  Not to mention that one wall is made up of small squares of chalk board - and the kid loves to draw on the wall.  You'd think that'd be his heaven.  There was also a tv, though it didn't seem to hold his attention much (I don't know what channel they had it on and it didn't look like I could change it.)  They also had a few toys that were my saving grace when I had three quarters of a mile to go and he was being stubborn.

Hopefully he'll get used to it as time goes on.  Right now I'm debating how often to go.  Three times a week?  Five times a week?  Will I burn myself out if I go five times?  Probably.  But is three times enough?  I suppose I have to start somewhere.


This is the last week of the summer program for Ricky and Kevin, so next week they'll have to go, too.  They will have to go with us until the first day of school (September 6th!) so hopefully that will help get Charlie a little more accustomed to going.

Today I applied for admittance into Northern Virginia Community College.  I am feeling excited and extremely nervous about going back to school.  It's not official, obviously, I still have to apply for financial aid (there is no way we can pay for me to go to school, so if I do not get enough in financial aid - or can't get loans - I doubt I'll be able to go) but it's a start.

I am planning on getting my Associates in General Education/Studies.  My intent (at this moment anyway) is to go on to get my Bachelors in Literature or English, with the goal of going into book publishing/editing.  

I have long wanted to have a career involving books - thought about going into library arts at one point, but this seems to be a more achievable goal than going into library arts considering how budgets are for libraries these days.  I've also wanted to become an author and that's extremely unlikely considering the fact I can never get beyond a couple chapters.

I don't know why I never thought of this career path prior to now.  I have been thinking for some time now that I wanted to go back to school in the Spring/Fall of 2011, but I had no idea what I wanted to go into.  Earlier today I did a Google (erm, Swag) search about finding the right career.  I found this site.  

When I read this: 

Exploring your career opportunities

• Focus on the things you love to do. What have you dreamed of doing in the past? What do you naturally enjoy doing? Jot down what comes to mind, no matter how improbable it seems. 
• Look for clues everywhere. Take note of projects or topics that stir your compassion or excite your imagination. Reflect on stories of people you admire. Ask yourself why certain activities make you happy, and pay attention to times when you are really enjoying yourself. 

I sat and just jotted down what came to mind first. This was my list:

• driving 
• solitude 
• reading 
• writing 
• learning new things 

Reading and writing stood out and I suddenly thought, "How do you become an editor? How neat would it be to read manuscripts and have a hand in publishing books?" So I did another Swagbucks search and found another site. This is the blog I found - she is an editor. Obviously I need to do a lot more research before finalizing, but I feel really excited. I looked into the requirements and according to about.com most editors have a BA in literature or English. Some have graduate degrees, but it isn't required.  

I am just going to have to take it a day at a time.  Of course, I have to try to remember high school math first. :/  


I don't know why that blue line is there, but I give up. lol

Feeling Close to Mom

It isn't often that I feel, for lack of better words, closer to my mom.  Obviously, she is dead, there is no "being close" to her anymore.  I mean more in the sense.. remembering her, remembering what she used to be like, I suppose.  


A few things make me think of her.  Melissa Etheridge, Sinead O'Connor, Elvis.  Coca-Cola (mom's Coca-Cola addiction was as strong as her addiction to nicotine.)  Reading - mama loved V.C. Andrews, though there were plenty of other books in the house to read.  But, V.C. Andrews in particular makes me think of her.  To get even more specific, the Ruby series.  I don't know why - I simply "stole" the books from her and read them.


I feel really sad tonight.  Really missing having a mom, something that I don't really think about all that often.  I feel the tears threatening and really, I'd like them to wait as everyone is still awake.  I am not alone.  Me and crying only go together when I'm alone. 


I don't have much of hers left.  I know I've talked about that here before.  I have her Bible (it still makes me laugh to be keeping that thing.  For one, it's not a small Bible.  It's huge.  It's hard back.  And for another, it's a Bible.   Kind of weird for an Atheist to keep something like that around, for sentimental reasons anyway.  


When I was a little girl, my mom got some collector Elvis stamps.  She had envelopes mailed to the house for each of us girls.  I found it when I was going through boxes in the garage a couple years ago.  I realized that there was something inside of it and I remember getting so excited!  Surely this was my mom reaching through the years - surely there would be something big in it!  A letter.  


But there was only a Valentine's Day card.  To Miranda, Love Mom.  I was crushed.  Lately I wonder why mom didn't write a letter to us when she knew she was dying.  Maybe she thought she had more time.  It was a shock to us all.  We went from expecting a year, to six months, to suddenly in just two months she was gone.  Dennis' dad wrote him (and the rest of his family) when he found out.  I remember telling him how lucky he was.  Because inside I was jealous.  Jealous that he got that kind of closure and I didn't.


Now my door is closed and I'm really crying.  I guess it's true, time only makes you think about it less.  It's been almost twelve years - I'm thirty for crying out loud - and crying for my mama.

Less Than One Month To Go

We have less than a month before we are supposed to be heading the road from Alaska to Virginia and would you believe that there are still things not settled yet?  This whole process has been as frustrating as the move up here and for some reason I thought that since we knew oh I don't know, six months ago, that we would be leaving Alaska in April 2011 that it would be smoother.


Nothing is ever smooth in the Army.


But, we finally have orders!  I suppose that's something!  We also now have a date for packing up the house as well as loading things into the moving van.  April 6th is our packing day and April 8th is loading day.  They're supposed to come by on Tuesday to see what kind of boxes and such they'll need for our stuff.  Which means I need to do one more good purge this weekend and then I should be good to go!


We are on the waiting list for housing.  Eighth.  His TS Clearance paperwork made getting our orders take longer, which meant we couldn't apply until just a week (two?) ago.  My fingers are crossed that the waiting list moves quickly.  I really am not pleased with the four bedrooms available for D's rank, though if they let us get something from a village for e6s-e8s, that could work.  It's very similar to the 5 bdrms we are eligible for, just with one less bedroom.  Though, if we have to accept a 4 bdrm (and if they even have any available when we get there!) then we'd take it.  Because more thank likely we are not going to find a 5 bdrm off post that is within BAH.  We'll have a hard time finding a 4 bdrm, let alone 5.


Anyway, things are finally moving along.  I wrote the first half of this yesterday when I still didn't have a date for packing/loading, so I'm feeling much better than then ;)  Now to decide what day we should leave.  I have to decide if we can leave on the 9th or if it'd be better to plan to leave the 10th.  We need to make sure the house is good and clean.  If everything is in boxes, older boys in school, and the two younger ones at a friends house, surely I could get a lot done?  It's something to consider.  I'd have to get just about everything done on the 7th and then do a finish up job on the 8th after the truck is loaded.


I'm ready to be on the road already!!

Experiment

After Ricky and Kevin got home I decided to do an experiment.  Charlie is at the age where you can say "hugggiee!" and he'll laugh and come give you a hug.  My thought was that he (and maybe Simon) would be the only ones to give me a hug if asked to in that silly way.

I was wrong!  Charlie, as expected, gave me a hug and laughed about it.  Simon, complained about it, but gave me one anyway.  Kevin gave one without complaint.  That was a shock!  Ricky, unsurprisingly, gave me a look that said, "yeah, not happening" and then went back to doing what he had been doing before I called him over.

I know it sounds like a weird thing to do, but I was just thinking (before I did it) how I didn't have long left before I wouldn't get hugs when I asked for them, so it was nice to see that Kevin (who is 8) still did it.

We still don't have paper orders yet.  We are one month and two weeks, plus a few days, away from the move.  I would feel better if we had those orders.  Maybe by next Friday?