Archives for August 2009

17 Again.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MClYhxyYC0M]

Some very funny moments, all involving how a Dad would think, and how that might look if a very cool Zac Efron were to put those adult ideas forward as a 17-year-old in high school. A passionate defence of abstinence in sex ed class ranks up there as a favourite scene:

Teacher: Okay, today we will be continuing our discussion with human sexuality and us we discussed the official school policy “abstinence”.

Zac Efron: Now that is very sensible! I’m glad some here has there head screwed on straight! I think all of us should make a pact to abstain from sex! now who’s with me?

Meet Karen Meades, runner extraordinaire.

She is now training for the gruelling six-day, 300-kilometre Moose Ultra on the Bruce Peninsula starting Aug. 16. Then she heads for Cairo in October to compete in the 260-kilometre Egyptian Sahara Marathon, or ultramarathon — as anything beyond the normal 42.2-kilometre marathon distance is known.

Meades is often amused by the flabbergasted looks on the faces of people, men especially, when they learn what she does outside the office. She uses her experience in motivational speeches to inspire women to fulfil their dreams and realize there is no glass ceiling they can’t crack if they put their minds to it.

I like that. I don’t do anything half as crazy, but I sure like her approach. You go girl!

This article is about only having one child for fear of increasing future’s carbon footprint:

In some sense, you are responsible for the carbon emissions of your descendants,” he said in an interview. He added that the impact on population growth and consumption of resources are also important to consider.

Then yesterday, I went to this event:

As soft-impact tourism, ArtWalk is non polluting and is inclined to attract people respectful of the community while generating community pride.

The random question for today is: Am I also responsible for the non polluting art of my descendants? Who will buy this non-polluting art (and let me tell you, it wasn’t cheap) if we have no descendants? What is my carbon footprint when I drive to the non polluting art event? Hmmm. High class problems, to be sure.

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Ouch! Brigitte hurt herself falling over backwards while trying to fetch eyeballs that had rolled a little too far.

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Tanya ponders: More art (AKA stuff) and less decendants (AKA consumers)… isn’t that what Al Gore wanted from the start?

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Véronique adds: Excuse me while I pull out my soapbox. I think the one-child-as-environmental-statement is a cop-out. It’s the kind of excuse people who are too self-absorbed to have a larger family use to make themselves look more self-sacrificing. It’s like couples who live in expensive houses, driving expensive cars, going on expensive vacations and tell you they would have “much preferred staying home to raise the kids but couldn’t afford it…” Why not just assume the fact that kids get in your face? Not giving a child a sibling is a decision that the only child does not make but that he or she will have to live with for the rest of his or her life. Even after the parents die. I personally think it’s unfair but I have six children so take it or leave it.

There is a mansion on my street. It’s likely three times the size of my house and my house is about 3,000 square-feet. Like me, the owners have two vehicles that they use to go shopping etc. But unlike me, the owners have two kids. They are driving the same distance I am to buy food and gas and drive their kids to activities. Except that they are doing it for four people, I am doing it for twice that number. So who has the bigger carbon foot-print? The problem is not the number of children. The problem is our lifestyle.

New mom qualifies for body-building competition 8 weeks after giving birth to daughter.

Wow. That’s impressive. Or completely nuts. I report, you decide.

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Tanya insists: I could do squats ’til I turned blue and I wouldn’t have a keister that nice. But I did fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans about 2 weeks after I delivered my daughter. To my boyfriend’s chagrin, though, it had nothing to do with pole dancing.

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Véronique adds: As a new mother who has been battling the prego bulge for almost 6 months, I feel like I must intervene! The pot belly as in “I was absolutely determined not to get stuck with that little pot belly like so many other new mums.” Well stop the presses: there comes a time in your reproductive life where it ain’t goin’ anywhere. I have toned up and lost weight and if anything, it’s made the pot belly look jigglier. My body is DETERMINED to look five months pregnant and I don’t think anything will change it unless I pull a Kate Gosselin and get liposuction in exchange for air time on my hit reality TV show. In the mean time, I am considering resuming eating dessert three meals a day — as nature intended — since cutting it off hasn’t made a dent. So there! If you were blessed by the Gods of good genes, enjoy it privately. Those of us stuck with the muffin top would be grateful. I’m looking at you, Tanya!

Don’t get me wrong: I don’t want to diminish this woman’s accomplishments. Indeed, when you are breastfeeding night and day, it is difficult to find the energy to train strenuously. It is also difficult to stick to a high protein, low-fat, low-carb diet since your tired, overtaxed, body is clamoring for MORE OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIPS! NOW!!! So I give her two-thumbs up for self-discipline and an A for effort.

But I have to say that when you are cooking for a crowd day-in, day-out, and that crowd includes two high performance gymnasts, one jiu-jitsu fanatic, a growing 5 foot 10 teenage girl and a husband who runs and lifts weights regularly, “lots of protein shakes, lean chicken, salmon and egg whites” gets long pretty quickly. Unless you are willing and/or able to make two meals everyday, it’s not going to fly, you can quote me on that. Logistical considerations aside, what message would that send to the children, especially the dancers and gymnasts among them? Mommy won’t be eating the same food you are ‘cuz it will make her fat? I don’t think so. In my family, healthy eating is in but special diets are out.

Finally, my husband and I had a good laugh at a wedding last year because the groom had completed an Ironman triathlon. My husband said: “I used to envy guys like him. Now I just think ‘Imagine what I could do if I only had myself to look after.” Indeed.

If, like me, you came of age in the 1980s (ah, the 80s), you’ll remember this.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcSMDqXT52s]

Director John Hughes died today, age 59. RIP.

Public plan would allow abortion coverage:

WASHINGTON – Health care legislation before Congress would allow a new government-sponsored insurance plan to cover abortions, a decision that would affect millions of women and recast federal policy on the divisive issue.

Federal funds for abortions are now restricted to cases involving rape, incest or danger to the life of the mother. Abortion opponents say those restrictions should carry over to any health insurance sold through a new marketplace envisioned under the legislation, an exchange where people would choose private coverage or the public plan.

Abortion rights supporters say that would have the effect of denying coverage for abortion to millions of women who now have it through workplace insurance and are expected to join the exchange.

In today’s Post (sorry I can’t find the link), an item asking whether high school kids in music class should sing Lady Gaga songs. No, they shouldn’t. Those should be banned or relegated exclusively to remix versions for my kickboxing class. High school is the time to learn obscure classical and broadway tunes and choral music sung in a fake British accent. How else could I snap my fingers while walking down the street singing the alto part of Rhythm of Life?

Recent UK study sheds light on the correlation between abortion and violence against women.

A link was also found between domestic violence and women seeking repeat abortions. 30% of women having a second abortion reported relationship violence and women having a third or subsequent abortion were over 2.5 times as likely to report a history of physical or sexual abuse by a male partner.

As the article in the peer-reviewed journal points out, it’s the abortion providers who are in prime position to identify the earmarks of domestic abuse. (Comforting thought, ain’t it?)

These findings highlight the need for health professionals to be aware of, and sensitive to, the possibility of violence in the lives of women seeking abortion. Our society should have zero tolerance for domestic violence.

Meanwhile, news of this and similar studies is travelling slowly, perhaps via town crier or Pony Express; certainly not through the mainstream media. I have my own ideas about why that is…

The latest shooting attack, in suburban Pittsburgh was, according to news reports, the work of a man who had blogged about his trouble finding a girlfriend and who had written publicly about his murderous plans on his blog. As a result, innocent women are dead. Did nobody read his blog? Did nobody think it was weird? Why the heck not?

Good news from Pakistan:

PAKISTAN has moved towards outlawing domestic violence when lawmakers approved a bill that will punish those found guilty of beating women or children with jail terms and fines.

Domestic violence against women is not considered a major offence in our society. I hope this bill will provide protection to our women against all types of violence in their homes and living places,” Ms Rehman said.

The law was passed unanimously in the lower house of parliament or national assembly today, Yasmi Rehman from the main ruling Pakistan People’s Party said, hailing what she called a “big day” for Pakistani women.

It will come into effect after the senate, or upper house of parliament, approves the law and President Asif Ali Zardari signs it into legislation.

Those found guilty of beating women or children would face a minimum six months behind bars and a fine of at least 100,000 rupees ($1,431.46).

Laws typically reflect a society’s predominant values (yes, I know; that means Canadians don’t care nearly enough about abortion), and I for one am glad to see any country go from “not a major offence” to “crime punishable by jail” when it comes to domestic violence.