*blend

I put this together just to get a rough idea of what I needed to get done over the next 2 weeks. I thought I would share it and make back-to-school shopping a little more optimistic for most of you reading this:

My Back to School Shopping and to-do list
Here is an estimation of what our back-to-school shopping list will look like (and cost!)

• 6 pair of gym shoes: $150
• 6 pair of school shoes: $300
• 30 jeans / pants / skirts: $600
• 30 shirts / blouses: $600
• 6 backpacks : $90
• 42 assorted one, three, and five subject notebooks: $200
• Folders and looseleaf paper: $20
• Pens, markers, colored pencils, rulers, etc: $60
• 6 visits to the optometrist: $360
• 5 pair of eyeglasses: $500
• 6 haircuts: $120
• 2 immunization boosters: $50

Total: $3,050

Now, don’t you feel better?

And I just can’t help myself:
Total cost: $3,050. Having peace and quiet restored at home for 9 hours each day? PRICELESS

It’s now 2 am. After having woke up after 11 am, we got some breakfast/lunch, and headed to the Smirnoff Arena. I’m not going to go into a bunch of detail about the day. It was great, the kids had fun, and it may the only time in their lives they get to see Ozzy.

BUT

It was hot. Not just “hot” but humid, sticky, thick air that you could barely breath, and there was VERY little shade, and nearly everyone there, including ourselves, were dressed in black. If it weren’t for the hose tents set up for people to drench themselves in, there is no way we could have made it all day.

The crowd was dense, and mostly drunk/high. I don’t care if people want to smoke a joint, but I personally can’t stand the stuff. I kept trying to find a place away from people where I could sit and take a break, but it never failed: I’d find a place, a nice curb in the partial shade of a tree, and take a seat. And here would come a group of folks, sit down right next to me, and light up. It was annoying enough when it was just me, but when my kids were sitting with me, I got a little ticked off. Have a little consideration, okay? I mean it, I REALLY don’t care who’s doing it, I’m even for legalization (maybe I’ll go into my reasons for that in another post), but like so many other personal lifestyle choices, I don’t want to be a part of YOUR decisions. And I’d prefer my kids have the option when they are older whether they want to get high on marijuana, instead of getting high now just by being near you. Luckily, they all thought it smelled like crap and moved away each time some rude punk lit up next to them.

Once in, you could not leave, unless you wanted to stay gone. So, market geniuses they are, a bottle of water cost 4 bucks. Needless to say, most of cash went to water. And $81 went to cheeseburgers for dinner. And it was a pretty nasty heat-lamp burger.

On the upside, hubby and 2 of the kids had a great time in the mosh pit at the 2nd stage. The others amused themselves shopping and “checking out the eye-candy”. Of which there was an abundance, of every kind. From clean-cut to grunge, even a few in kilts. They had all kinds of cute young boys to gawk at.

The ages of the crowd ranged from 3 year olds, to 70. I saw at least 2 grannies in their motorized wheelchairs cruising around (I think one was even banging her head to Devil Driver). One old man had his oxygen tank with him, and was using his cane to bang out the bass beat on the pavement. I had a good time crowd watching, and after a while of feeling self conscious at my rolls sticking to my wet tee, I loosened up after watching a few quite large scantily clad young women stroll by in thigh high leather boots with 4 inch heels or platforms, fishnets, skirts that didn’t quite cover the hind end, and corsets that could barely contain their um, “ample” cleavage. And frankly, they looked just fine. They fit in with everyone else, no one cared what anyone else looked like. It was pretty awesome. Frankly, I felt more out place for just being dressed in a tee and jeans. Hubby told me before we left I should take my funky clothes, because he knows I won’t dress in my preferred mode in my hometown. You know, reputation to uphold and all. But I thought I’d look stupid, a 30-something year old mom with her teenage daughters dressing like an 80s punk throw-back. But as always, hubby was right. This was someplace my dog collars, chains, pony tails, and combat boots would have been completely acceptable. Oh well.

As for the main stage events, it was all right. First up was Lordi, they sounded more like an 80s metal band than the speed metal of today, and so I kind of liked them, but I couldn’t understand a single lyric. Not because of them in particular, but the sound levels in the arena were enough to make you think a jet liner taking off was good music. Lordi had some elaborate outfits, but it was still daylight when they took the stage, so were hard to see clearly from the lawn. We had 2 seat tickets, but stayed with the kids on the lawn. After Lordi was Static X, then Lamb of God, who got a massive circle pit going up on the lawn. That was an interesting sight.

Then the Man himself took the stage. Ozzy. I’ve seen him in concert before, but was still pretty excited. He wasn’t doing very well, and kept apologizing to the crowd for singing like ’shit’ and explained he had a blood clot in his leg and wasn’t supposed to be on stage, but he was there trying his best anyway. The man is a legend. He could have come to the microphone and hummed, and the crowd STILL would have screamed for more. The kids never really thought about his age until they saw him in person, and afterwards said “He really is getting old, isn’t he. Pretty cool he makes good music still”. GOOD music? Kids these days can’t fully appreciate an artist, can they!

I didn’t take my camera after all, and even though it would have a been pain to haul around and keep dry all day, I wish I had. I want pictures of my kids screaming and laughing and having a good time. One of the oldest bought a disposable camera, and I’m hoping her pictures turn out well. We snuck out during the very end of Ozzy’s performance, and finding the truck, getting out of the parking lot, then back onto the highway went very quickly and smoothly.

On the way out of the arena we were all given multiple copies of a CD called The Ram by Rich Shapero. It looked like a well produced album, nice cover, fancy inserts, good photography and art. Then we all gave a listen and broke out laughing. It was pure shit, plain and simple. A cross between Weird Al and who knows what else, a folksy singer with death metal lyrics, strumming his guitar and quietly cooing about flesh sizzling in the fire and a chest covered in fur. Now I know why they were thrusting these things into people’s hands “TAKE THEM, PLEASE!” In case you want more info this pathetically bad CD, or the book that goes with it, here are a couple sites: ‘Wild Animus’ Beast-Man, Rich Shapero, Exposed! from the LaRouche Political Action Committee or the man’s own web site, Rich Shapero. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

It is 4:30 am, and we have just checked into our hotel in Dallas. The internet connection here won’t work, so I am writing this to post later, probably after we return home. The drive was long, but went well. Besides the massive amounts of rain, it was pretty smooth. We had hoped the kids would sleep being so late, but no one even so much as napped. They fought over the DVD player, and over who was taking up too much room. Gas prices dropped considerable the closer we got to Dallas, which was nice but upset me. Why am I paying almost 50 cents more per gallon at home??

There must be 4,000 possible restrooms along our route, and I am pretty sure we stopped at almost half of them. Apparently, bladder synchronization is not something I had thought of….

In just a few hours, we will be on our way to Dallas, Texas to attend Ozzfest. By ‘we’ I mean Myself, Hubby, and 5 teenagers. In one vehicle. Two hotel rooms. 4 teen girls and 1 teen boy. To quote a friend off jaiku: Hilarity and mayhem must surely follow…. (credited to dzakstar)

So, it is currently 2:15 pm. The 4 girls are all my daughters, and have been instructed to pack only 2 suitcases total. Since 8 this morning I have had to listen to a litany of complaints about so-n-so taking up much room with her makeup, someone else trying to pack half her wardrobe, and yet another trying to fit her mega-size bottle of special soft’n’silky* shampoo into a side pocket of a duffel bag because she can’t go two whole days without it.

Our two younger daughters are not attending. I had to draw the line at taking ten-year olds with us. It’s going to be hard enough watching the older ones. So the two younger ones need to pack to go to Gramma’s house while we are gone. And that isn’t going smoothly either. They insist on taking most of their stuffed animals, 8 Doctor Who novels, and their own blankets and pillows. Gramma lives ONE block away. I overheard one whisper: “We have room for the puppies. We can’t leave them here all alone”. So now, I keep going outside and counting puppies and kittens to make sure none have been packed under the jammies.

The boy going with us has been friends with Ms. Soft’n’silky since 3rd grade. He came over just a little while ago with his stuff - one compact duffel bag. Something one of my girls couldn’t pack one outfit into much less all the junk they need for 2 days. Thank you for this! I’m still not sure how I’m going to get all this luggage into the back of a Trailblazer.

Right now, all 7 kids are all in the front room watching an episode of Wonderfalls, while I’m sitting here freaking out over the logistics of this trip.

• Where do we put the boy since the hotel didn’t have adjoining rooms?
• Where did I put the tickets?
• Should I take the camera?
• I thought I printed out maps, where did THOSE go?
• Should I go buy bottled water now, or just pick up stuff as we stop for gas?
• Speaking of gas, is the truck still full?
• Speaking of the truck, where did I put my iPod adapter?
• Where is my iPod?
• What else am I forgetting?

And to top it off, I have no idea what I’m packing to wear. Should I take the blue jeans and black dress shirt, or the black t-shirt and dark jeans? (Yes, my wardrobe IS that dull). Maybe I’ll just take both and sit on the suitcase to close it…..

Dear hubby is still at work, and missing out on all this fun. How fair is that? Then again, he’ll probably do most of the driving tonight, so I shouldn’t say anything…

I think I’m just going to go take a nap.

*soft’n’silky is not a brand. It’s what we have dubbed the particular brand of shampoo and conditioner one of my daughters insists on using since she is the only one with extremely long, VERY straight, and VERY thick hair. And she doesn’t share.

*Note. This post is much more personal than any others, and doesn’t apply to either technology or blended families, but it does highlight some of the wonderful things that can come from being part of family and community. Not everything in a blended family is work and struggle!

My family and friends threw a birthday party for me Friday, July 27, 2007. It was awkward being the reason all these people gathered together, but we all had a great time, especially with the Thumpin’ Puppies providing the music for the night. They have a whole slew of new songs not on any of their CDs that I absolutely love, and we tried recording them playing, but with all the kids there that night, and dancing in front of the camera, neither the audio nor the video does the band justice. I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who came, you won’t know how much you being there meant to me. I hope you all enjoyed the night as much as I did, and to the band: THANK YOU. You guys are unbelievable, and I can’t wait to start hearing your music played on the radio!

If you are reading this and have not heard of the Thumpin’ Puppies, check out their web site and sample some of their music. They are original, talented, and down-right awesome.

As for me and the party, I have never been so flattered. My better half, Brian, never ceases to surprise me with all the things he does to make his family happy. This party was all his idea to begin with, and he took care of every detail, from making sure we had a cook, to getting the band equipment down to the hall. While I sat in a lawn chair at 2 am wishing I had stopped with the third glass of wine, he cleaned up, packed up, and got his whole family home safe and sound. I wish I possessed the verbal skill to express to him, and to all of my friends, how much this event touched me. Thanks for the gifts, but you being there was all I asked for!

And even though we were outnumbered 3 to 1 by kids, I am REALLY glad all of you came, too. My girls made some new friends, and got to spent time with old friends.

H and J: Thanks for letting me step on your toes on the dance floor!

And to Brian: What can I say to Superman? “Gettin’ Riggy wit it!”

2007-07-06 Tinkerbears frst time outside, originally uploaded by westxrenee.

Coming outside to play for the first time was too tiring for this little 3.5 week old terrier-shepherd mix.

This evening while watering my front yard, I saw what I first thought was a young hummingbird. But unlike most hummingbirds, it stayed at the flowers as I approached, and even flew around my head. When I got closer, I found it to be a Hyles lineata, or “Hummingbird Moth”. Here are some pictures and video I captured before it got too dark to see.

Video Description: Cool footage of a White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata) in my front yard the evening of 2007-04-11. It’s often referred to as a hummingbird moth because it can easily be mistaken for a young hummingbird because it resembles hummingbirds in size and behavior.

No longer taboo or a mark of deviancy (or motorcycle ownership), tattoos have become a regular part of our modern culture.

Most of us get our tattoos to either memorialize events or people, or to identity a part of ourselves that are usaully within us in a way for everyone around to see. Tell your tattoo story… Here are mine:

I got my first tattoo in May of 2004. I felt like I had lived an entire lifetime, and was beginning a whole second life. A failed marriage, raising 2 kids alone, working 3 jobs to make ends meet while trying to get my education. Fighting for security, both financial and emotional, for myself and my children. Then in 2003, things began to turn around. I had been promoted at my primary job and no longer needed to work more than 1 job, I was getting closer to earning my degree, and coming to terms with the scars left on my family. Then I met Brian, and from that day on, things got better and better. 2 days before receiving my degree, I went with Brian to his regular tattoo artist, and decided it was time. I chose a design that for me meant strength, hanging on, and beauty. Not knowing what to expect, I also made sure it was simple. While some people find the experience of getting a tattoo painful, I wouldn’t call it pain - just an uncomfortable feeling at times, and not much at the rest. This one is on my right calf.

The symbol of the dragon evolved between myself and Brian as sort of “our” theme. Honest, brave, tenacious, strong, protective. That was our relationship. He was my dragon, and I was his. We brought out the best in each other, and filled in the weaknesses we had. When we married, we used entwined dragons as our theme.

I finally got my second tattoo just this year (March). I took the image that been drawn for our wedding invitations, and added tribal markings and color to create an original tattoo. It is another symbol for my relationship with Brian, and after celebrating our second anniversary, it was my way of saying I meant ‘forever’. This one is on my left upper arm.

Use the comments to tell the story of your tattoos, or what you would get if you don’t have one. If you have pictures, email them to me and I’ll add them to this post so we can see what you’re talking about!

For the most part, living in a small rural town is great. Less crime, quiet neighborhoods, the freedom to allow your children to roam the streets safely. It took me a year to get used to the fact that the selection in the grocery store is limited. We had to drive 90 miles if we wanted to go to the theater. But I did get used to it, and wouldn’t have traded my small town life for anything. But after over 8 years here, we have watched our small town change dramatically.

Traffic on the main street has grown. We have 5 traffic lights, all on this street. And this street is where every teen with the keys to mommy’s car cruises for hours after school and on weekends. I can live with this, I suppose I wold rather them cruise the street in plain sight rather than hiding out on the back roads of the ranches drinking. With the added traffic, the safety of the streets has diminished. Many of the cruisers whip around on the residential streets ignoring stop signs, and probably never seeing the younger teens walking. I have 4 younger teens who live to walk these streets just like the older ones can’t wait to cruise. But now I do worry when they are out. I remind them each time to watch the traffic, stay off the main drag, and stay together. Sometimes I just don’t let them go at all. No one has gotten run over in our community, but I don’t want to take the chance that one my children will be the first. My younger two are only allowed to go one block down the street to the park, and never without one of the older girls with them. I recognized the actions in myself that I exhibited while living in much larger towns: mistrust of others in my community, worrying about what could happen to the kids in plain daylight, locking our doors and setting the car alarms. It happened slowly, so slowly that I didn’t realize it until many months later. I miss the small town I first moved to.

I blame over half of the problems we experience now on one thing that will probably get me told off by many parents: most of these teens and young adults have NO DISCIPLINE. They are used to getting they want, doing what they want, and have no idea of consequences.

One day, while standing in line at Wal-Mart, I watched a 15 or 16 year old girl verbally abuse her mother because she wouldn’t buy the jeans the kid wanted. She used every foul word she could, and was doing it loudly. And this mother, while being called a bitch by her own child, just stood there and took it! I know none of my 6 daughters would ever do this. Why? First, they have been taught since birth that you don’t act like this, and second, they KNOW there will be consequences if they did. My kids aren’t perfect by any means, they do stupid things, and say stupid things, but they suffer the consequences of doing so. They are children…they will push their boundaries and push my buttons, but in the end, I think they do know where that line is that you just don’t cross…ever. You don’t touch other people’s property. You show respect for adults, and for your peers, and especially for yourselves.

I know that in some instances, the aggression exhibited by these kids is no fault of the parent. Moms and Dads can do everything right, and will still probably have to deal with a rebellious disrespectful teen at some point. But these parents will also ensure that the kid understands the laws of cause and effect in doing so. What about that mother in Wal-Mart? Will she go home and ground the kid? I doubt it, because their relationship was obvious. The mother will do nothing, the kid will forget about the jeans, and life will go on.

Another area in which the lack of discipline rears it’s ugly head is the workforce. The level of service at our restaurants and stores sucks. No other way to say it. It’s not because the owners of the establishments don’t care what goes on, but because there is a serious lack of available bodies to work. One of our local restaurants had to stop opening on Sundays because no one wants to work. Another had to cut their 24-hour schedule, because no one wants to work. And while we have many fine, polite, and skilled individuals in the service industry, we also have a high number of teens and young adults who feel they are owed a paycheck just because they showed up. Their time at work is spent talking about:

• their weekend
• the jerk who didn’t call them back
• what so’n’so did with so’n’so last night when their boyfriend wasn’t looking
• the severity of the cramps they were feeling because they were on the rag
• what he did with his best friend’s girlfriend
• how he took the car keys when his father told him no, and told the a-hole to go eff himself
• how hot the chick at the next table was and what she’d like to do to her

These are snippets of actual conversations around me while checking out at the grocery store or placing an order in a restaurant. The checker talking with the bagger. Two waitresses not bothering to end their conversation and both came to the table to take our order. The busboy who went to the table next to us and sat down while his buddy took our order. These people apparently have no idea where that line is! And if they do, they don’t care. Before you blame the store manager or restaurant owner, remember what I said earlier: at least these brats showed up. I was able to buy my groceries, and eat my dinner, because bad service is better than no service at all.

All of this leads me to the real point of my rant. If these kids knew boundaries, could have fun without hurting others, if they had been taught from an early age where that line is, what happened yesterday probably wouldn’t have happened. Kids will always egg cars, and toilet paper houses, but this is just pathetic:

My husband came home from the rig to take me to lunch. He got in at about 11:30, and we left for lunch at about noon. It was quiet on the streets, Saturday afternoon, most of our neighbors were home but inside because it was a little foggy. We left my truck parked in front of one my husband’s work trucks on the street in front of the house and drove off happily in the other truck. The neighbor next to us got home about 1:30, and said all was fine when he had pulled in. When we pulled in at 2, we found the rear window to my truck shattered. Not just broken, but completely shattered and knocked to the ground. It was apparent they had broken the glass, then pulled the shards out. This wasn’t an attempted robbery, because you can see that the truck had nothing it just by glancing through a side window. Not even a penny in the cup holder. It was pure mean vandalism.

To top it off, the police are more concerned with whether I had made someone mad instead of the fact that in broad daylight, some brats looking for some kicks shattered the window of my truck! The cops leave, and I know I won’t hear from them again. I’ll have to go the station and beg for a police report so I can file it on my insurance.

Why so negative about my local PD, you ask? Because when we had to report an act of vandalism early last year, the officer that showed up told us to quit wasting his time. Quit wasting his time! The attitudes of the people in charge of protecting us are just as bad as that of the mother in Wal-Mart: it will pass, and life will go on.

And I ask myself: do I want my life to go on in this community, or is it time to find a new small town?