Training Bra

I will never forget when Princess was 3 years old. She and I went to Walmart to purchase her a very casual play outfit. I found a very cute skort and matching top. The whole thing was just $5. She needed something she could get dirty in, and she was so tiny it was not always easy to find clothes. I remember this outfit was a 2T. We arrived home and I put it on her. The top was a mid-riff. I was appalled. What business did a 2 or 3 year old have wearing a mid-riff??!! Since then I have been horrified at what styles are out there for little girls. High heels, more mid-riffs, slits, low cut tops, fake leather. Anything to make them look "sexy."

And the truly awful thing? Low cost clothing for little girls always tended along the Britney Spears line. It was very difficult to find appropriate clothing on a budget. There were and are age appropriate clothes - but always in higher end stores. If someone had the money, they could dress their little girl like a little girl and not mini-Britney Spears. Sexist and classist.

In recent weeks, I realized Princess was ready for her first training bra. Since we just needed the beginning basics, I didn't want to spend much money. So we went to Walmart. (I am very glad they are around in this economy - please understand Restless.) We were looking for the smallest beginning bra. And did you know that one can easily find a 30A training bra with padding and underwire? Black, red, hot pink - you name it. We managed to find a cute little white one that was appropriate, and then some sports ones - but no little girl in a training bra needs push up padding with underwire in sexy colors!! It's no wonder that girls have so many problems with self-image. Before they even know what sexy is, their clothing choices are supposed to be that. And if one is on a limited income, it's even more prominent.

Wish I could design an appropriate girl line for a discount store and get rid of all the inappropriate stuff.

Mamma Mia!

Friday was the day. I finally got to see Mamma Mia! For years I have wanted to see the stage version. Who doesn't love ABBA? And the songs always remind me of my childhood in the '70s. I'm not really a big fan of the modern musical (Howard Keel and Jane Powell were stars of the last musicals I enjoyed), but centered around ABBA songs - it just had to be good.

The story is fairly basic - a 20 year old woman is ready to marry on her Greek Island home. Her mom, Donna, (Meryl Streep) has never revealed her father. Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) finds Donna's diary and realizes there were three distinct possibilities. Unknown to her mother, Sophie invites all three men (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgard) to her wedding, hoping the truth will be revealed.

I believe I have not been a big fan of the modern musical because they take themselves so seriously. They are trying to come off like a serious and artistic movie with songs written to tell an exact and specific story. Dance steps are choreographed to the hilt, and it is just way overdone. Shouldn't a musical just be fun? Shouldn't the songs just be catchy ones to sing instead of melodramatic or greatly verbose ones? The songs here are obviously some of the best from pop culture history. One who have to be a dead piece of wood not to sing along (and I certainly did - admittedly, not very loudly). The setting was perfect. The Meditteranean and the Greek island were a visual feast. I was transported back to the couple days I had on Crete almost ten years ago. And then the movie did something really right - it casted stars who are true actors and can sing okay (not great, but good enough). Having really gifted actors makes all the difference in the world. Streep could not have been any cuter or appealing - it makes me feel better about heading into my middle age years. Brosnan and Firth - can't even say any more than that. And Julie Walters and Christine Baranski are always magnificent. I had only seen Seyfriend in Mean Girls. She has a sparkling voice that was perfect for this young, hopeful woman with such a generous heart.

Some of the most fun I've had in a while. And after the gore and angst of some recent movies, everyone needs some fun. Life should have some fun, some gifted and good looking middle-aged actors, and always some ABBA. My grade - A

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

I have for many years been a proponent of absence making the heart grow fonder. Familiarity breeds contempt. Too much of a good thing... You get the idea.

During the summer months, Hubby and I both are at home (since we both work an academic year). However, this summer I have been diligently working on a chapter for a book that is due in a few days. I was honored to be asked to write this chapter and have tried to put my best effort into it. Not an easy task with all the family around.

I had a deadline this afternoon of getting the chapter to my two readers before I send it off to the editor in a few days. And you know what babies men can be when it comes to illness or getting older? I wasted some valuable days last week trying to calm Hubby's fears over his first colonoscopy. For goodness' sake, Katie Couric did it on national tv! So this afternoon I am working hard on the laptop, trying to get the chapter completed. And how many times can Hubby (and kids) interrupt me? The final time Hubby interrupted me was this -

Hubby: "Look at my bicep. I have a bug bite on it." (as he models bicep)

Rio: "That's nice." (while continuing to type)

Hubby: "I think it's deformed my muscle. Look."

Rio: "Looks fine to me. Just a bite on the bicep." (as I glance momentarily at it)

Hubby: "But look at the other bicep! It looks kinda weird too! Do you think something is wrong with my muscle?"

Rio: (through gritted teeth) "Your muscles are fine. They are just old. Please go away and leave me alone."

Summer Movies

Yes, I have not blogged in a while. I don't work during June and July, except for being a homemaker and referee between my children (which is much more time consuming than heading to my "job" each day and actually having time to blog). I have been fortunate enough to see some movies this summer and here are my reviews -



Iron Man - hands down, the best movie I've seen this summer. I was never a comic book geek, so I didn't know anything about Iron Man. Apparently he was a genius weapon's designer who was also a rich playboy. After being captured by a terrorist group, he creates the Iron Man suit to escape to freedom. Upon reaching home, he reevaluates who he is and what he does. His one true friend is his assistant, Pepper. Robert Downey, Jr. is absolutely perfect as Iron Man. It was so nice to see a fully grown man, dealing with mature issues as a superhero (as opposed to some geeky teenager that is moping around after his lady love). Gwenyth Paltrow can never do wrong and is spot on as Pepper. She very subtlely delivers the best line in the movie about taking out the garbage.

Iron Man was fun, engaging, interesting, and I can't wait for the next one. My grade - A



Wanted - I have been anxiously awaiting this movie for two reasons - Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy. They are far and away two of the most gifted actors out there. And who doesn't want to see Angie kick butt in the cool way only she can do? The movie begins with a wimpy office drone, played perfectly by James McAvoy. His voice over and humor are one of the best things about the movie. Angie is part of an assasins group that is given hits from some kind of mystical loom (yeah, I thought that was kind of weird too - I'm all about the mystical stuff, but weavers as the world's best assasins?)

The action was great - could not have been better. Angie and Jamie offer their usual top caliber performance. Yet, I found myself wishing for more when the movie ended. The movie dealt slightly with the morality of listening to a loom that tells you who to kill before they commit atrocious acts. But there was more to be explored here among the gunfire - why should we trust this information? Who is really playing God when it comes to life and death? What kind of person does it entail to blindly follow orders?

The movie left me wanting something a little deeper instead of the tough gloss. My grade - B-

Hancock - I'm not sure I would have seen this particular one if Sonny Boy had not needed someone to drive him there. Yes, Will Smith is beyond cool, and the premise seemed interesting - a very faulty, drunken mess of a superhero. The first half of the movie dealt with this quite well. It was entertaining. Hancock meets a PR guy who wants to change the world for the better (Jason Bateman), and he helps Hancock redo his image.

Then the second half of the movie starts, and one wonders how someone thought to place the two parts together. It goes from an interesting superhero study with some good action and laughs to a melodramatic, soul-mate, mushy thing. One scene particularly overdoes it with feeling another's pain. It was fine to explore who Hancock really was, but the movie would have been far better served if Charlize Theron's character had maintained the ticked-off, cocky, kick-butt attitude she displays when interacting with Hancock one-on-one. There were better, and more consistent, avenues to be explored there.

The camera angles literally gave me a headache. A large portion of the movie was devoted to very up close shots of parts of the face - Theron's eyes filling the entire screen, Smith's lips and nose, Bateman's forehead. I kept wanting to back up so I could see the entire face. I have no idea if the director thought this was a symbolic way to show that we only see part of others - but it was way overused and I hope never to have to see movie filmed in that way again.

However, Smith, Theron, and Bateman were all quite good. The music was killer. My grade - B-

I am ancient

Sonny Boy had his last choral concert last night at the middle school. (That, in and of itself, is quite an entertaining story.) On the way home, we were discussing "the one hot girl in the school who is really nice." I finally figured out who she was last night.

"You know honey, you can always talk to me about any girl."

Big time eye roll.

"I'm serious. That's what moms are for."

Even bigger eye roll. "I'll talk to Dad. Not you!"

"Honey, it's great you want to talk with dad, but if you ever need a female perspective, remember that I work with teenage girls. And I was a teenage girl one time."

"Mom - that was last century!"

Technically, he's right.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

I was a teenager when the first Indiana Jones movie came out. I was working at summer camp, and one of my fellow counselors spent the whole summer wearing an Indy fedora and carrying around a fake whip. We were all a bit obsessed. I loved all three of the movies, so I have anxiously been waiting for the latest installment. In recent weeks, Hubby and I have shared the original trilogy with Princess and Sonny Boy since this was all new to them.

I was not disappointed Sunday afternoon when we saw the movie. I know everyone keeps talking about how old Harrison Ford is (I think he's 65), but that man can still kick butt. Shia Lebouf is always fantastic - a very gifted young actor (so hard to believe he got his start on a Nick kids' show). Cate Blanchett - never wrong. And it was so great to see Karen Allen again. And it was really great to see Ford and Allen looking age appropriate - not like a weird Martian with elongated eyes (that was another character in the movie).

The movie was just all out fun. The storyline was interesting; not as compelling as the first or third movie - but still entertaining. I liked the conspiracy mythology thrown in. The action was great. Do you remember how Indy liked to climb in and out of vehicles while socking the bad guys? Look for one scene with this which also involves a motorcycle. One of my favorites in the movie. One thing I enjoyed as well was that the characters were growing up and dealing with life. Life goes on and people have to live it - one way or the other. It was nice seeing old friends live their lives, battle the bad guys, and have a great adventure while doing it.

My grade - B

Sonny Boy was right

On a fairly regular basis, Sonny Boy greets me at the end of the day with, "You won't believe what ridiculous thing they made us to at school today!" It is usually just normal school stuff, but Friday was different.

"Well, you know we have those stupid EOGs next week (for the uninitiated - End of Grade tests that the state (read - bunch of older white male lawyers) makes the schools give out to see if children should pass or not - because they seem to think that qualified, hard-working and underpaid teachers don't seem to know if a child should pass a grade or not; and also - why not make a little 3rd (or 5th or 8th) grader freak out and be unable to sleep because of sitting for 2 hours a day filling in circles on a scan card?)?
So - today, we had a pep rally for the EOGs. We all went to the football stadium and they tried to get us to chant "EOG!" and do the wave with EOG. Then they gave us all these tshirts that said "Rock the Test," and the teachers were laying on the field spelling out "Rock the Test" and then they tried to get us to chant "Rock the Test." But we all thought it was pretty stupid and just a few nerds were the only ones who did the chants a little bit."

After I stopped laughing, I responded, "You're right. That was ridiculous."

Mother's Day Poem

Here is the poem Sonny Boy wrote for me for Mother's Day. I have kept the spelling as is, and "pom" stands for pomengranate.

She is like the fruit, wonderful pom
but I just like to call her mom.
Sometimes she can be a bit of a hastle
but she is as great as a wonderful castle.
She is one of the greatest people alive
if she died I would stick my head in a beehive.
I love my mom and that's all I have to say
except Happy Mother's Day!

In Memory of Dr. James E. Hull

Here is an article from the Gboro newspaper. It's about a very influential man in my life - one of my college professors, Dr. Jim Hull. Dr. Hull was a religion professor for many years at Greensboro College. As a religion major there from 1985-89, I came to know him well. I thought I would go on and get a Ph.d. and teach religion at a college somewhere. He kept saying, "Lassie, perhaps God wants you to go in the ministry." He continually introduced me to women who were ministers (my first encounter with clergywomen, because there just were not that many). He helped me explore Divinity School options (which I would go to regardless of an academic or ministerial life). Dr. Hull was a very strong support - always listening to any problems I had and encouraging me that God had great plans for me. He is certainly one of the major reasons I am in my chosen profession.

Dr. Hull also performed the marriage ceremony for Hubby and me 19 1/2 years ago. He will always be fondly remembered as a very important person for me personally. I hope that in all my years of working with college students, I might can attempt to be the same kind of person he was for me and for so many countless others over the years.

Princess to the Rescue

I had what I believe was a combination cold/allergy episode a few days ago. My voice was fairly scratchy on Wednesday, and then by Thursday morning I was teaching my class in a very loud whisper. After that, the voice was almost completely gone. It's been over three years since I last lost my voice. Never fun. I had a co-worker call Hubby to tell him not to call - I couldn't talk at all. (I thought I would act preemptively, since Hubby loves to call and just say hi.) A couple hours after that I was sitting in my office (all by my lonesome) when the phone rang. Princess was home from school. She didn't know my voice was gone, but I was hoping I could croak out a loud whisper, "Voice! Lost!"



I answered and attempted the two words. She kept asking "what?" and I kept trying to no avail. I then tried, "Call Daddy." She heard daddy (being the Daddy's girl she is, I should not be surprised) and hung up the phone.



Within two minutes my cell rang again, and it was Hubby. I answered the phone and said nothing - he knew I couldn't talk. He said, "Princess called and said that you were really upset. That you'd lost something. What's wrong."



"LOST! VOICE!"



Hubby had a good laugh and hung up.

I hate Guitar Hero III

Sonny Boy is pretty good with money. He knows how to save for things he wants and how to find good deals. This is a feat most adults have not accomplished, so I'm quite proud of him. Today, he accomplished his goal of acquiring a used PS2 version of Guitar Hero III. For those without a teen, it is a video game where you hold a plastic guitar and follow the "chords"/color-coded keys while strumming a white switch at the same time when the screen indicates that color. It also tells you the duration to hold the color coded key.

GHIII has a number of songs from the hair bands of the '80s - my kind of music. When Sonny Boy's buddy, TC, was here today, I even bragged that I could "kick his behind" in GH. (Yes, I really did say that, and I was pleased that I substituted *&#! with behind - my competitive spirit is a bit much at times).

Turns out if you don't do the chords exactly right, the convicts at the concert start booing you. And if you miss enough notes in a row, they riot and your song is over. This has happened through five songs now - 4 '80s hair band rockers and The Killers' When You Were Young. I could understand why guitarists smash their guitars during a concert.

Plus the fact that my tendonitis (which so far is surviving a new tennis season) is now hurting once again. Guess I need to go get some gin soaked raisins and get my "behind" to bed.

Bad Mood

What does it mean when someone is in a bad mood for two weeks straight? And even the return of Moonlight, Robin Hood, and the presence of a homemade carrot cake doesn't quite get rid of the bad mood monster?

Someone please tell me when I am too old to drive...

One of my favorite things to do on Saturday mornings is to head to Greensboro's downtown farmer's market. I love to buy locally and fresh. I usually see some people I know. It's really a pleasant experience and a stress reliever.

This past Saturday I pulled off Yanceyville (a four lane road) onto the street for the market and then took an immediate left into the parking lot. A car was in front of me. I assumed the older woman driver was waiting on a parking space. The minutes began to tick by and cars began to pile up behind me - about 10 at my last count. Yanceyville Street was enduring a good little traffic jam. The woman was stopped right in the middle, so I could not drive around her. I didn't blow my horn, because she was an older woman and I didn't want to be rude. Then I saw a passenger from a few cars back knock on the woman's door, obviously pointing out the serious traffic problem she was causing. I saw a couple empty spaces off to the right, and when the woman still didn't move, I assumed she was waiting for someone. Then a parked car to the left of the lot left, and I pulled in. One less car, I thought, for the big traffic jam.

I then strolled through the market, and while standing at the freshly picked strawberries, an older lady came up to me and said, "You took my place." I was confused, and said, "Excuse me?" "You know what I'm talking about! Out in the parking lot! I'd been waiting for that space!!" A couple people were looking at us. "Mam, you had been waiting for about 10 minutes and had ignored a couple empty spaces, so I thought you didn't want to park - that you were waiting for someone. There was a big traffic jam." "You did not think that! You know exactly what was going on!" "Mam, I assure you that is not the case. I'm sorry for any inconvience I caused you." As she walked past me she hissed very loudly, "A*#+hole!!!"

I was rather stunned, to say the least. No one has ever called me that before (at least to my face), and I honestly thought I was doing the right thing. Mom reminded me that young people who are mean usually turn out to be old people who are mean. Be that as it may, someone just please tell me when I am too old to drive.

A Champion is Crowned

If you recall, I was woefully ignorant of College Men's Hoops this year, and chose to spend my madness in March with the Fug Girls. The Champion was crowned yesterday - the person who dresses the fugliest of all. Check out this link for a sappy tournament retro look.

A Very Special Kind of Prayer

This post is for my family (nuclear, origin, and extended) who mostly seem fairly interested in bodily functions.


In preparing to teach my World Religions class, I ran across this segment on the topic of Judaism. Jews are expected to give thanks continually, and there are blessings for many of the everyday actions of life, like taking a drink of water. Below is the blessing to be recited after using the toilet:


Blessed art thou, our God, Ruler of the Universe, who hast formed (human) beings in wisdom, and created in them a system of ducts and tubes. It is well known before they glorious throne that if but one of these be opened, or if one of those be closed, it would be impossible to exist in thy presence. Blessed art thou, O God, who healest all creatures and doest wonders.

Hot for Teacher

Sonny Boy and I had dinner together last night, and this is the conversation we had:

Sonny Boy: The really hot student teacher is back in Language Arts. She'll be there the rest of the year!

Mom: Really?

SB: Yeah! I kept raising my hand and participating a whole lot in class.

Mom: More than you normally you do?

SB: Oh yeah! Everyone was kinda laughing at me because they know I don't usually do that. And she even knows my name 'cause I was doing so good in class. She said she really likes to read and asked if I liked to read. And I said yeah I really like to read, even though everyone knows I can't stand it.

Mom: Yes, I know dear. You have told me that enough to fill a book by Tolstoy.

SB: So she asked me what my favorite book was and I told her To Kill a Mockingbird. She didn't know I had to read it for class last year.

Mom: Or that I had to explain much of it to you?

SB: (continuing to ignore me and grinning rather widely) She was real impressed that was my favorite book. I told her I really liked non-fiction, real type stories.

Mom: Why didn't you choose a different book that you've read?

SB: I know that would be the most impressive one!

Mom: Well, honey if this is what it takes to get you to put forth your best effort in school...

SB: Man, I wish all my teachers were so hot. I'd make straight As.

Torchwood

I've always loved sci-fi shows - anything that's a little different, with lots of great action, some camp, and interesting stories. BBC America has one of the best ones out there right now - Torchwood. It's a spin-off of the newly revamped Dr. Who (quite good itself). Captain Jack Harkness (center) is the leader of a current day team based in Cardiff, Wales that monitors a time riff and fights aliens. Good stuff! You see, everything changes in the early 21st century, and the Torchwood team is there to do what they can to save the world. Captain Jack is a mysterious, charming man from some other time (and maybe another planet). He leads former cop Gwen (the heart of the team), tech expert Toshiko, doctor Owen, and everything guy Ianto.

Torchwood comes on 9pm Saturdays, with the former week's episode at 8pm. Check out the site and let me know what you think!

Winning Dirty

For many years I have been impressed with Brad Gilbert's ideas on winning tennis dirty. It doesn't mean unfairly - it just means you do whatever it takes (within the rules). This is especially effective when one's mental prowess and tennis IQ are limited by lack of physical attributes. It's my mantra.


I played the other night for the first time in 3 months. With my spring league, there are 2 doubles courts and 1 singles. I gladly took the singles because I didn't want to have to keep apologizing to my partner for incredibly poor and rusty play. And rusty it was. A few shots pleased me - but I mainly just tried to keep the ball in play. It was nighttime, and I started using the lob a whole lot, hoping that my opponent would lose the ball in the lights (and she did a few times). Dirty.


After the match (which I did win!), I was talking with some of my teammates and a couple young guys who are pros. We discussed strategy and interacting with your opponent. I commented, "If I think she's not calling the lines that accurately, I always ask her what she does for a living during changeover, and then I volunteer that I'm a minister. People hate to lie to a minister." One of the pros responded, "Man - that is a great strategy! I'm gonna start doing that." One of my teammates then said, "But she really is a minister."


Kinda fun to see the looks on the guys' faces. But they did agree that saying you're a minister (whether it's true or not) is a pretty good way to win dirty.

What is Black Liberation Theology?

I haven't had the surprise and fear many white Americans have felt from the sermons by Barack Obama's minister. I also realize I have academic training that prepares me to hear a message coming out of liberation theology, particularly black liberation theology. I was going to give some basics explaining this theology, but I found a lecture online from a local professor that explains it far better than I could. It doesn't take long to read - I hope you'll make the time to learn about something so important and crucial.

And I'd like to say another word about not agreeing with someone you love. My brother and I don't discuss politics on a deep level - we need to stick to television reruns. I love him - he will always be my family. But I know he would not understand why Sonny Boy and I stood in the wind and rain for an hour and a half last night protesting the war in Iraq. And that's fine. My brother is a good person and I respect him even if we don't agree on politics.

And as a minister, I would also like to say that I would be fearful if I had a parishioner who totally agreed with everything I ever said in a sermon. I hope my sermons will provoke thought and faith development - but we are all unique people and need to think for ourselves. A minister is a spiritual advisor, not a cult leader who insists on complete uniformity.

5th Anniversary of War in Iraq

Today is the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq. My thoughts and prayers go out to all who have been impacted by this war - the 4000 US soldiers who have died, the thousands of others who have come home with serious physical and mental disabilities, the tens of thousands of Iraqis who have lost their lives, the Iraqis living with violence and fear each day, and all the many loved ones who are affected by loss and pain.