I received this via forwarded email. It's what I was getting at in this post.
About time someone said it. Northland College (NZ) principal John Tapene has offered the following words from a judge who regularly deals with youth:
"Always we hear the cry from teenagers, 'What can we do, where can we go?' My answer is, "Go home, mow the lawn, wash the windows, learn to cook, build a raft, get a job, visit the sick, study your lessons, and after you've finished, read a book. Your town does not owe you recreational facilities and your parents do not owe you fun. The world does not owe you a living, you owe the world something. You owe it your time, energy and talent so that no-one will be at war, in poverty, or sick and lonely again."
In other words, grow up, stop being a cry baby, get out of your dream world, and develop a backbone, not a wishbone. Start behaving like a responsible person. You are important and you are needed. It's too late to sit around and wait for somebody to do something someday. Someday is now and that somebody is you.
Monday, October 01, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
Friday Funny
1. How do you decide whom to marry?
You've got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
- Alan, age 10
No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you find out later who you're stuck with.
- Kristen, age 10
2. What is the best age to get married?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
- Camille, age 10
3. How can a stranger tell if two people are married?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
- Derrick, age 8
4. What do you think your Mum and Dad have in common?
Both don't want any more kids.
- Lori, age 8
5. What do most people do on a date?
Dates are for having fun and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
- Lynnette, age 8
On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
- Martin, age 10
6. When is ok to kiss someone?
When they're rich.
- Pam, age 7
The law says you have to be eighteen so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- Curt, age 7
The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
- Howard, age 8
7. Is it better to be single or married?
It's better for girls to be single, but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
- Anita, age 9
8. How would the world be different if people didn't get married?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
- Kelvin, age 8
9. How would you make a marriage work?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck.
- Ricky, age 10
You've got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
- Alan, age 10
No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you find out later who you're stuck with.
- Kristen, age 10
2. What is the best age to get married?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
- Camille, age 10
3. How can a stranger tell if two people are married?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
- Derrick, age 8
4. What do you think your Mum and Dad have in common?
Both don't want any more kids.
- Lori, age 8
5. What do most people do on a date?
Dates are for having fun and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
- Lynnette, age 8
On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
- Martin, age 10
6. When is ok to kiss someone?
When they're rich.
- Pam, age 7
The law says you have to be eighteen so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- Curt, age 7
The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
- Howard, age 8
7. Is it better to be single or married?
It's better for girls to be single, but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
- Anita, age 9
8. How would the world be different if people didn't get married?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
- Kelvin, age 8
9. How would you make a marriage work?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck.
- Ricky, age 10
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Diary of an Incubator: Pregnancy and AS
Those of you who have been reading along here for a while will know that last year I was diagnosed with a form of arthritis called Ankylosing Spondylitis and adopted a low starch diet which helped to manage the pain.
I was on the diet for just over a year when I found out I was pregnant. By then the diet had become a new kind of normal. At first, cutting starch out of my diet seemed like food hell, but then it just became part of life. Cutting back or completely avoiding certain foods (bread, pasta, rice, cereals etc) seemed like a better option than not being able to sleep properly at night because of back pain.
My doctor (who actually has AS himself, which was why he was so quick to diagnose me when others had no clue) had said last year that sometimes AS can go into remission during pregnancy. When the morning sickness started at around 6-7 weeks, I realised I would have to trust his word. While some people are repulsed by meat when they are pregnant, for me it was vegetables. During my year on the low starch diet, I ate large quantities of salads and cooked vegetables. But now my body just couldn't hack some vegies anymore - namely broccoli, cauliflower, capsicum and sometimes celery. It was like my body was screaming, "No more!" I found broccoli so disgusting I would start to feel sick even while I was cooking it for Duncan. Even if someone mentioned the word 'broccoli' I would envision a head of broccoli coming towards me. Yuck!
So I broke the diet. All I wanted for a while was toast or dry crackers. Then the baby decided he/she wanted large quantities of chips and pies. People asked me if I was having any strange cravings, but I had nothing interesting or weird to share with them. All my body wanted was what it had been denied for the past year.
Guess what! The doc was right. The AS is in remission and I can eat whatever I want (bar the foods that are not recommended during pregnancy). It's not all smooth sailing. Even when I was on the diet, I would still have the occasional bad back day. A couple of weeks ago (at 21 weeks), I had back pain so bad I could hardly walk. Sometimes it seems like I have swapped one kind of back pain for another.
I still need to do some research about what to do when the baby arrives. Do I go straight back on the low starch diet? What if I'm breastfeeding? Drastically changing my diet plays havoc with my digestive system. I don't want to do it unnecessarily. It took ages to explain to people why I was on the low starch diet. They were just beginning to understand and now I'm telling them I'm not on it anymore...but may have to be again in the future. Ugh, no-one is going to want to have me over for dinner soon.
But for now, I'm just enjoying having all of those foods that were considered naughty while I was on the diet. Mmmm pies.
I was on the diet for just over a year when I found out I was pregnant. By then the diet had become a new kind of normal. At first, cutting starch out of my diet seemed like food hell, but then it just became part of life. Cutting back or completely avoiding certain foods (bread, pasta, rice, cereals etc) seemed like a better option than not being able to sleep properly at night because of back pain.
My doctor (who actually has AS himself, which was why he was so quick to diagnose me when others had no clue) had said last year that sometimes AS can go into remission during pregnancy. When the morning sickness started at around 6-7 weeks, I realised I would have to trust his word. While some people are repulsed by meat when they are pregnant, for me it was vegetables. During my year on the low starch diet, I ate large quantities of salads and cooked vegetables. But now my body just couldn't hack some vegies anymore - namely broccoli, cauliflower, capsicum and sometimes celery. It was like my body was screaming, "No more!" I found broccoli so disgusting I would start to feel sick even while I was cooking it for Duncan. Even if someone mentioned the word 'broccoli' I would envision a head of broccoli coming towards me. Yuck!
So I broke the diet. All I wanted for a while was toast or dry crackers. Then the baby decided he/she wanted large quantities of chips and pies. People asked me if I was having any strange cravings, but I had nothing interesting or weird to share with them. All my body wanted was what it had been denied for the past year.
Guess what! The doc was right. The AS is in remission and I can eat whatever I want (bar the foods that are not recommended during pregnancy). It's not all smooth sailing. Even when I was on the diet, I would still have the occasional bad back day. A couple of weeks ago (at 21 weeks), I had back pain so bad I could hardly walk. Sometimes it seems like I have swapped one kind of back pain for another.
I still need to do some research about what to do when the baby arrives. Do I go straight back on the low starch diet? What if I'm breastfeeding? Drastically changing my diet plays havoc with my digestive system. I don't want to do it unnecessarily. It took ages to explain to people why I was on the low starch diet. They were just beginning to understand and now I'm telling them I'm not on it anymore...but may have to be again in the future. Ugh, no-one is going to want to have me over for dinner soon.
But for now, I'm just enjoying having all of those foods that were considered naughty while I was on the diet. Mmmm pies.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Hey! Check Out My Blog - Part 4
One of the questions I had when I first became a blogger was, How do I get people to read my blog? How do I promote it? Other than commenting on other people's blogs, I've found entering posts in blog carnivals to be really good way to get the blog 'out there'.
Here are some sites which I have entered posts into:
1. Christian Blog Carnival
2. Best Posts of the Week
3. Photo Friday
Check them out and see if they appeal to you and fit with your style of blog. They may bring a little extra traffic your way and introduce you to some new blogs.
Here are some sites which I have entered posts into:
1. Christian Blog Carnival
2. Best Posts of the Week
3. Photo Friday
Check them out and see if they appeal to you and fit with your style of blog. They may bring a little extra traffic your way and introduce you to some new blogs.
Friday, September 21, 2012
We Have A Winner!
The random number generator thingy has selected a winner in my competition to celebrate this blog reaching 1000 posts.
It's Iris from Double Half or One Ten Without Ham.
Congratulations Iris. Could you please email me at seddyed at hotmail dot com with your postal address and let me know which prize you would like.
Thanks to all who entered. There were some great responses. Some of you have quite different reasons for reading the blogs you do. But you also said quite similar things. Rather than copy and paste the responses, I've tried to summarise the points (I hope I haven't misinterpreted what anyone was saying).
I have come to know the blogger through their work and so I want to keep reading what they have to say.
The blogger and I are like-minded i.e. both Christian and have shared experiences.
The blog encourages me to press on in my Christian walk.
The blog contains information wrapped up in life experience (not all one or the other).
The blog covers a variety of topics.
The blog makes me laugh, think, feel and consider.
The blog is entertaining.
The blogger is honest about their life i.e. they don’t gloss over life’s difficulties or make out they have a perfect life.
The blog helps me cope with difficult subjects and experiences i.e. death.
The posts aren’t too long.
The spelling and grammar is good.
I learn through the blogger’s advice/opinion and it helps me make decisions about my own life.
I like to read blogs from countries I’ve travelled to.
I like the blog’s photos and historic facts.
Quite a list!
Why do I read the blogs I do? Well, here's my list.
Thanks everyone who participated. It has been very interesting indeed. :)
It's Iris from Double Half or One Ten Without Ham.
Congratulations Iris. Could you please email me at seddyed at hotmail dot com with your postal address and let me know which prize you would like.
Thanks to all who entered. There were some great responses. Some of you have quite different reasons for reading the blogs you do. But you also said quite similar things. Rather than copy and paste the responses, I've tried to summarise the points (I hope I haven't misinterpreted what anyone was saying).
Why I read certain blogs….
I already know the blogger personally.I have come to know the blogger through their work and so I want to keep reading what they have to say.
The blogger and I are like-minded i.e. both Christian and have shared experiences.
The blog encourages me to press on in my Christian walk.
The blog contains information wrapped up in life experience (not all one or the other).
The blog covers a variety of topics.
The blog makes me laugh, think, feel and consider.
The blog is entertaining.
The blogger is honest about their life i.e. they don’t gloss over life’s difficulties or make out they have a perfect life.
The blog helps me cope with difficult subjects and experiences i.e. death.
The posts aren’t too long.
The spelling and grammar is good.
I learn through the blogger’s advice/opinion and it helps me make decisions about my own life.
I like to read blogs from countries I’ve travelled to.
I like the blog’s photos and historic facts.
Quite a list!
Why do I read the blogs I do? Well, here's my list.
I know the blogger personally (or know of them i.e. a friend of a friend).
Shared faith (i.e. both Christian) and they encourage me in my faith.
Similar views on some topics.
Same nationality/location. When I first started blogging, just about all of the blogs I read were by Perth bloggers. This was because I was a Perth blogger, I could relate to a lot of the things they were writing about (when they mentioned a certain suburb etc, I knew exactly what they were talking about), and there was a strong chance we could actually meet in person one day. Now I read blogs from all over the world, but I'm still primarily attracted to Australian blogs.
I can learn from them i.e. they are in a different stage of life and have wisdom to share.
The blogger responds to my comments on their blog. Sounds silly, but I feel a bit stupid leaving comments on some blogs, only to be totally ignored ALL the time. Sure, you don't need to respond to every comment, but I feel quite unwelcome on some blogs.
Variety. Some longer, meaty posts. Some shorter funny posts. Some photos. Some jokes. I don't tend to read blogs that are all about one topic, unless it's a topic I'm really interested in.
A good blogging 'speed'. When there are too many long posts in a row, I feel like I can't keep up with reading the posts and participating in the conversations in the comments. On the other hand, I lose interest when the blogger blogs only once every six months or something.
Shared faith (i.e. both Christian) and they encourage me in my faith.
Similar views on some topics.
Same nationality/location. When I first started blogging, just about all of the blogs I read were by Perth bloggers. This was because I was a Perth blogger, I could relate to a lot of the things they were writing about (when they mentioned a certain suburb etc, I knew exactly what they were talking about), and there was a strong chance we could actually meet in person one day. Now I read blogs from all over the world, but I'm still primarily attracted to Australian blogs.
I can learn from them i.e. they are in a different stage of life and have wisdom to share.
The blogger responds to my comments on their blog. Sounds silly, but I feel a bit stupid leaving comments on some blogs, only to be totally ignored ALL the time. Sure, you don't need to respond to every comment, but I feel quite unwelcome on some blogs.
Variety. Some longer, meaty posts. Some shorter funny posts. Some photos. Some jokes. I don't tend to read blogs that are all about one topic, unless it's a topic I'm really interested in.
A good blogging 'speed'. When there are too many long posts in a row, I feel like I can't keep up with reading the posts and participating in the conversations in the comments. On the other hand, I lose interest when the blogger blogs only once every six months or something.
Thanks everyone who participated. It has been very interesting indeed. :)
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Less Than 24 Hours....
...for you to enter my competition which is to celebrate this blog reaching 1000 posts!
See here for details on how to enter. You could win your choice of two prizes.
I've had some great responses so far. Thank you.
I will announce the randomly drawn winner at just after 4pm (West Australian time).
You know you want to.... :)
See here for details on how to enter. You could win your choice of two prizes.
I've had some great responses so far. Thank you.
I will announce the randomly drawn winner at just after 4pm (West Australian time).
You know you want to.... :)
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Don't Forget to Enter My Competition
It's really easy. All you have to do is leave a comment or email me at seddyed at hotmail dot com telling me what attracts you to the blogs you regularly read and you could win your choice of two prizes.
This is to celebrate this blog reaching 1000 posts (see my previous post).
Deadline is Friday 4pm (West Australian time). :)
This is to celebrate this blog reaching 1000 posts (see my previous post).
Deadline is Friday 4pm (West Australian time). :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)