parenting

Flew

Posted on by backuphill

silhouette photo of man throw paper plane

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Did anyone catch that last weekend? It seemed to have flown by so quickly that I am not sure I even had one!

How is it that our weekends get so busy that we just don’t feel like we had one?

Travel. Activities. Chores. Family. Gatherings. More Travel. Socializing.

I just don’t feel like I had much time for anything, yet I actually did a lot.

But the weekend was gone so fast that I didn’t get much of anything done that I wanted to get done or that I needed to get done.

I think we need more weekends and fewer work days. That should take care of the problem.

Most definitely.

Clean air

Posted on by backuphill

person smoking cigarette

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If you are still doing this, then you’re an idiot.

selective focus photography of man doing vape trick

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Or if you are now doing this, you’re an idiot.

If you are trying to defending doing either of these, you’re an even bigger idiot.

We all know now that smoking is bad for you. There is no doubt about it. Not only does it waste your money, but it destroys your body…and you do it knowing full well the consequences.

However, this whole vaping thing replaced the smoking trend with a “safer” alternative. Yeah, so much for that right? If you have followed the news at all, you know it isn’t going to end well.

This “safer” trend has been around a lot less time than smoking. Yet, it has taken significantly less time to show that it isn’t any safer. But, for some reason people think that putting something that doesn’t come from a cigarette into your lungs is better for you. Weird logic, don’t you think?

Look, it is pretty simple. The only think that should be going into your lung, for any reason, is air. Clean air (as clean as it can be).

That is all. There is nothing you can substitute it with and you can’t logically make an argument for anything else. If the American Lung Association tells you to avoid smoking, smog, and household chemicals, etc. then obviously any foreign substance – “safer” or not – shouldn’t be put into your lungs.

Honestly, I don’t even understand how this can be a debatable issue.

Idiots.

Biting

Posted on by backuphill

bridge conifers dam daylight

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Certain situations and certain people leave you silent. Not by choice, mind you, but because you know it will be better for you in the long run. Ok, it is by choice, but you have to because there isn’t really an alternative.

I am talking about biting your lip (some would also bite their tongue) in order to keep from saying something you’re gonna regret- even if it is the truth.

I am getting tired of doing it. That’s my point. I am tired of biting my lip. I am tired of biting my tongue. I am tired of walking on egg shells. I am tired of all the other cliche sayings for holding back.

I am afraid. I am afraid that if I let go and say what I feel, think, want…well, that dam is rather large and it is rather full…there will be a sweeping flood of destruction. That flash flood will not leave much in it’s wake.

So, I keep biting.

And biting.

 

(+ or -)

Posted on by backuphill

selective focus photography of tombstone

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I can’t decide. Is this a positive message or a negative message?

I am leaning towards positive, but at the same time I have a hard time not viewing this as a negative. I mean, we’re talking “legacy” here so if it lasts beyond us then it will either encourage us to continue doing what we’re doing or scare us into doing something different. Is coercion really the underlying message here?

The decisions you make today will affect the legacy you leave behind.

First, are my decisions today really that important? Are the things I do today really going to leave a positive or negative impression? REALLY? I suppose they could but am I really that important?

Second, should I really care? If I am gone, I am gone. Morbid? Yeah, but does it really matter to me after I am gone? What do I really care?

So, what do you think? Is this an encouraging message or is it based in fear? Is it meant to alter our behavior in a passive-aggressive way? Or is is just to encourage us to continue making good decisions?

selective focus photography of tombstone

Expectations

Posted on by backuphill

reflection photo of man standing on dirt road

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I’ll admit, I have a problem.

The problem? I have too many expectations. I don’t think I am an unreasonable person, but I do think that having expectations in the current days is slowly becoming an exercise in futility.

I expect that people mean what they say, and say what they mean.

I expect that people will be responsible for themselves.

I expect that people will own their actions, or inaction.

I expect that people will follow through. That they will honor their word.

I expect that family members will be productive citizens when they come of age.

I expect that my rights as a citizen of the United States are paramount to those of a non-citizen (obviously within limit as I am not a lawless individual).

I expect that the media should be fair and balanced.

I expect that my tax dollars are used for legitimate needs.

I expect that good customer service can’t be compromised.

I expect that respecting our elders and law enforcement is a given.

I could go on. But I won’t.

It doesn’t seem that there is a point to having expectations any longer. Yes, we all have our own expectations but there used to be those that everyone agreed upon and that just simply isn’t the case any longer.

What do you think? Is it unreasonable to have expectations these days?

 

Wise counsel

Posted on by backuphill

Grinding gears

Yeah, this today.

You know how you give someone advice you know is good advice because it comes from experience and yet they decide to do their own thing because they know better without having any experience (except failure)?

Yeah, grinds my gears.

I have not other words.

 

Ever find yourself giving wise counsel only to have it completely ignored?

Getting real

Posted on by backuphill

brown envelopes in mail box

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Let’s get real for a sec. Can we do that?

I am about to step on some toes, I am sure, but that’s OK. I do what I do.

OK, real. How’s this for real? I am going to go out on a limb here and make a bold statement:

If you are an adult and you are still having your mail delivered to mommy & daddy’s house as the main location of your mail delivery, you’re a loser.

There I said it.

I don’t feel bad about it.

As an adult, you should take responsibility for certain things. I believe being responsible for changing your mailing address after you move is one of those responsibilities. It’s not a hard thing to do. They have forms for that. Better yet, you can do it online and be done with it in a matter of minutes. Stop being so damn lazy that you can’t be responsible for your own mail.

Oh, and here’s a bonus bold statement:

If you’re a parent who allows your grown child to have mail delivered to your house when they have moved out just so you know they will have to stop by once in a while to get the mail, well, you’re just as lame.

Cut the damn cord already!

Good grief. If you are one of those parents who don’t mind getting your kids’ mail at your house then you are part of the problem too.  Help them get a freaking life! Oh, and while you’re at it, get one of your own too!

Ugh! Really. Just do it.

You both need to grow the hell up.

 

Consequences

Posted on by backuphill

building ceiling classroom daylight

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Sorry, kids. You’re just gonna have to “deal with it.”

As much as you would like to not have consequences for your choices, even if those choices are based on good intentions, there are still consequences. There needs to be in a civilized society and you can’t change the rules every time they conflict with your beliefs.

I am not sure if you are aware, but right now there are probably hundreds (thousands?) of students in your community skipping school for climate change. Their intentions might be good (albeit questionable). Their intention is to draw attention to an issue you are concerned about. Great.

But, this can be effectively done on any other day at any other time. There isn’t a legitimate reason to skip school and I hope that the school district & school board in Seattle don’t bow to pressure and excuse these absences.

That also goes applies to these kids’ parents. Come on, parents, have a little integrity here! If you are a parent who excuses your child from school for such an activity then you are a part of the problem too. I know that is a bold statement, but you need to stop enabling bad behavior in your child.

Maybe you even agree with what your kid is doing, at least in the sense of the “cause.” Maybe you’re the permissive parent…you want to be “cool”…whatever…, but do you want to make a bigger impact with your parenting? Allow them the freedom to make the choice of staying in school or skipping it AND THEN let them deal with the consequences of that choice. Stop enabling everything your kid does. There are legitimate reasons for an excused absence from school and this isn’t one of them. You aren’t helping your child learn that making choices comes with responsibility.

Kids, stay in school.

 

Over/Under

Posted on by backuphill

img_4961

If you are betting person, you probably think this is about something you do. It isn’t. I am not really a betting person, but I’ll take the Over on the fact that you likely have an opinion on today’s topic. Almost everyone does, they just might not like to admit it.

It goes a little like this…

You walk into the room. You really aren’t paying but you find a seat and go about your business. As you finish, you notice the toilet paper is wrong. Wrong, as in someone has put the roll in backwards. You try to ignore it but you just can’t. You have to try and switch it so it meets your preference. Over or Under.

I had to deal with this in my own house recently. Someone who doesn’t live here put the new roll of toilet paper into the dispenser the wrong way. I immediately had to fix it. I couldn’t even start the process by sitting down first.

Me? Well, I prefer Over. It is, after all, the only right way to do it.

How about you? Does the Over/Under bother you? Do you have a hard time resisting fixing it, even in someone else’s house?

**PSA: Parents, if you are teaching your children the Under, you are doing it wrong. Please don’t subject the rest of the public to your malfeasance. No one, especially your children, deserves that kind of abuse.

Pizza shenanigans

Posted on by backuphill

close up photo of person holding pizza

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Did that title get your attention? I know it does me! I love pizza and so I get excited just thinking about it. Well, that is until I start thinking about the shenanigans going on at the local Little Caesars.

I am sure you are well aware (and if you aren’t then you really aren’t a pizza fan) that Little Caesars advertises a special deal they call the “Hot & Ready.” Essentially, you can get a basic large pepperoni pizza just about any time (because they always have them prepared, thus hot and ready) for $5.99. This is advertised EVERYWHERE!

Why am I explaining what a Hot & Ready is? If these people love pizza like they say they do, then they already know this information.

So, our local Little Caesars benefits from a national advertising campaign but doesn’t actually offer the advertised price. Why? Well, apparently there are two types of stores, corporate and franchise. One is owned by the company and the other just has the name and product licensed to them. As such, the franchise stores can decide on their own what to price the products at.

Imagine my chagrin the first time I walk into our local Little Caesars store and ask for a Hot & Ready and expecting to pay $5.99 and then get charged $6.99. Yeah, that’s right, pure shenanigans!! When questioned why the response was “We’re a franchise and we don’t have to sell pizza at the corporate and advertised price.”

Well, okay then, Ms. Snotty McSnotterson.

From then on, let’s just say the pizza didn’t taste quite as good…and I drive out of my way to find a corporate store.

 

Yes, I realize it is only a $1 but it is the principle of the whole thing that bugs me. Anyone else do something simply for the principle of it?