At my doctor's appointment today I went ahead and took my diabetes screening test. You have to chug this disgusting orange-flavored syrupy substance in 5 minutes, then wait around an hour, then get blood drawn. Both techs that were doing the test on me were male. I was ready to yell at both of them for asking me, "doesn't it taste just like flat orange soda?" If orange soda tasted like crap, maybe. I think that men technicians should not be allowed to comment on anything pregnant women have to do in the lab. Because THEY HAVE NO IDEA. YOU chug it and then tell me it's just like flat soda.
Grr.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Coraline: a book review, and a review of the movie review.
Last weekend I read the book Coraline by Neil Gaiman. It is a fantastic book. (I just showed my cards, didn't I?) Anyway, it has been made into a movie, which I have not yet seen but plan to.
The story centers around a girl named Coraline who has moved into a new home with her parents, who both work out of their house. They don't have time to play with Coraline because they are working. Because of that, Coraline takes to exploring her house, meeting her eccentric neighbors, and she uncovers a door to nowhere. One night she is able to enter the door and it leads to her Other House with her Other Parents. They will give her everything she wants: food, attention, and affection. All Coraline needs to do is give up her eyes and sew buttons on instead. Seeing through this, she leaves and goes back home. Then she finds her parents are missing. She knows that the Other Mother has taken them and must decide if she is going to rescue them. There are several admirable qualities portrayed in this story. Coraline struggles with the fact that bravery means doing something you are scared to do but know is right, and she wants to be brave. She remembers a time when her father saved her from wasps by letting them sting him while she ran, and realizes there is nothing else to do but risk the same. Coraline sees through the fakeness of the Other Mother and knows that her parents do what they have to do for her. She also knows that getting everything she wants isn't what is right. What better message than a girl recognizing her parents' unconditional love, the value of hard work, and the value of frugality and patience, all leading her to be brave?
I read a review of the movie on a Christian website. Mostly it talked about how it was too scary for kids. I totally agree with that because it is a terrifying premise. But it doesn't devalue the story. It also criticized the harsh language. Apparently someone says "rat crap" and "cripes". Since rats play an actual part of the story, that isn't surprising. It is also violent. I think the reviewer is assuming that because it is animated, it is for children. It is not for children, but that doesn't mean that the whole movie should be tossed. I think the review is focused on the wrong elements. It's not dealing with the purpose of the story or the true bravery and love Coraline shows for her parents. This same site criticized Twilight, a movie about a vampire family, for being about.... gasp! VAMPIRES! It's such a surface criticism, throwing out all the positives because of a shallow and lazy morality.
I hope to see the movie soon. From what I've read and seen it seems like it's pretty faithful. I'll just have to plug my ears when they say "rat crap."
The story centers around a girl named Coraline who has moved into a new home with her parents, who both work out of their house. They don't have time to play with Coraline because they are working. Because of that, Coraline takes to exploring her house, meeting her eccentric neighbors, and she uncovers a door to nowhere. One night she is able to enter the door and it leads to her Other House with her Other Parents. They will give her everything she wants: food, attention, and affection. All Coraline needs to do is give up her eyes and sew buttons on instead. Seeing through this, she leaves and goes back home. Then she finds her parents are missing. She knows that the Other Mother has taken them and must decide if she is going to rescue them. There are several admirable qualities portrayed in this story. Coraline struggles with the fact that bravery means doing something you are scared to do but know is right, and she wants to be brave. She remembers a time when her father saved her from wasps by letting them sting him while she ran, and realizes there is nothing else to do but risk the same. Coraline sees through the fakeness of the Other Mother and knows that her parents do what they have to do for her. She also knows that getting everything she wants isn't what is right. What better message than a girl recognizing her parents' unconditional love, the value of hard work, and the value of frugality and patience, all leading her to be brave?
I read a review of the movie on a Christian website. Mostly it talked about how it was too scary for kids. I totally agree with that because it is a terrifying premise. But it doesn't devalue the story. It also criticized the harsh language. Apparently someone says "rat crap" and "cripes". Since rats play an actual part of the story, that isn't surprising. It is also violent. I think the reviewer is assuming that because it is animated, it is for children. It is not for children, but that doesn't mean that the whole movie should be tossed. I think the review is focused on the wrong elements. It's not dealing with the purpose of the story or the true bravery and love Coraline shows for her parents. This same site criticized Twilight, a movie about a vampire family, for being about.... gasp! VAMPIRES! It's such a surface criticism, throwing out all the positives because of a shallow and lazy morality.
I hope to see the movie soon. From what I've read and seen it seems like it's pretty faithful. I'll just have to plug my ears when they say "rat crap."
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Random things no one tells you about being pregnant
I’m sitting here watching AI with my swollen legs up, hoping they might return to normal size, and pondering the things they don’t tell you in the “Pregnancy is a glowing land of marshmallows and butterflies!!!” books. (Not all are like that, to be fair. I really like a book a friend gave me called Your Pregnancy Week by Week.) Here are some of them.
There is no waiting around or putting others first when you have to go to the bathroom, eat, or sit down.
It is really hard to shave your legs when you can no longer bend at the waist.
Learning to sleep on your side is not as easy as the books make it sound if you aren’t already a side sleeper.
Nothing will ever taste as good as whatever you are currently craving.
That whole thing about how you can keep up your workout with whatever you were doing before? LIES! No one feels like exerting more energy on purpose after a long day at work.
There is no telling what will make you start crying or laughing hysterically at inappropriate times. You will also fly off the handle at the drop of a hat.
You will forget important things all the time. (I left my purse at the bookstore today… fortunately I remembered as soon as we got in the car and ran/waddled back in as quick as I could and it was right where I left it…)
People will feel a strange freedom to tell you bizarre/scary/TMI birthing/baby stories ALL THE TIME.
Target and Old Navy, hands down, have the most affordable maternity clothes around.
There is no waiting around or putting others first when you have to go to the bathroom, eat, or sit down.
It is really hard to shave your legs when you can no longer bend at the waist.
Learning to sleep on your side is not as easy as the books make it sound if you aren’t already a side sleeper.
Nothing will ever taste as good as whatever you are currently craving.
That whole thing about how you can keep up your workout with whatever you were doing before? LIES! No one feels like exerting more energy on purpose after a long day at work.
There is no telling what will make you start crying or laughing hysterically at inappropriate times. You will also fly off the handle at the drop of a hat.
You will forget important things all the time. (I left my purse at the bookstore today… fortunately I remembered as soon as we got in the car and ran/waddled back in as quick as I could and it was right where I left it…)
People will feel a strange freedom to tell you bizarre/scary/TMI birthing/baby stories ALL THE TIME.
Target and Old Navy, hands down, have the most affordable maternity clothes around.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
a quick vent...
I just wrote a 20 question quiz for my 6th graders... then Word froze, I had to shut it down, and it DID NOT retrieve my document, don't worry. So I had to rewrite it by brain, which is now rebelling against anything other than eating dinner and watching tv. I am officially done with work for the evening, and I'm going to go drown my sorrow in chips and salsa. And hope my swollen ankles magically go away.
Monday, February 9, 2009
I hate the Orlando Sentinel.
Below is an email I just sent to the customer service department and the editor of the Sentinel. Enjoy.
Dear sir/madam:
I am writing to you because I have been receiving so many phone calls from the subscription department it borders on harassment. I have been receiving these calls off and on for months. Every time, I decline. Last week, Monday evening around 7, I received another phone call asking if I wanted to subscribe for a special offer. I angrily told the salesperson that no, I didn't, I say no every time, and I want to be taken off the phone call list. I have received a phone call from the subscription department every single day since then but have been ignoring them. I answered the phone call from the department this morning, and when cheerfully offered a subscription for a special offer, I told that salesperson no, that I've already said no, and I have already asked to be taken off the call list, so to stop calling me, and I hung up. Please be assured that these sales practices are not effective. Because of these calls, I will never subscribe to the Sentinel, and I plan on telling as many people as I can about these rude, obtrusive phone calls and intrusive sales practices. Take my phone number, [ ], off of your call lists. You will never have my business.
Sincerely,
Jessica Eggleston
Dear sir/madam:
I am writing to you because I have been receiving so many phone calls from the subscription department it borders on harassment. I have been receiving these calls off and on for months. Every time, I decline. Last week, Monday evening around 7, I received another phone call asking if I wanted to subscribe for a special offer. I angrily told the salesperson that no, I didn't, I say no every time, and I want to be taken off the phone call list. I have received a phone call from the subscription department every single day since then but have been ignoring them. I answered the phone call from the department this morning, and when cheerfully offered a subscription for a special offer, I told that salesperson no, that I've already said no, and I have already asked to be taken off the call list, so to stop calling me, and I hung up. Please be assured that these sales practices are not effective. Because of these calls, I will never subscribe to the Sentinel, and I plan on telling as many people as I can about these rude, obtrusive phone calls and intrusive sales practices. Take my phone number, [ ], off of your call lists. You will never have my business.
Sincerely,
Jessica Eggleston
Saturday, February 7, 2009
the kindest cut of all...
So, I cut my hair yesterday. It's been a long time coming. I've been mulling it over for about a year now, and over the past couple months decided to really start looking at longer hairstyles that I liked and thought might suit me. I also felt like if I was going to cut my hair, I should cut enough to donate because really... it's just hair. It's an easy thing to do, and my hair grows like a weed. (Though it always irritated me when people tried to make me feel like I was under some kind of moral obligation to donate my hair just because I wore it long and I was a horrible person for keeping my long hair... this happened oftener than one might think... from both people I knew and from complete strangers.) In thinking about how much I wanted to cut, I wasn't 100% sure about cutting enough to donate but William encouraged me to go ahead and do it. I knew that Pantene had a wigs for cancer patient program... and several years ago I donated to Locks of Love. However, on doing a little research, it appears that Locks of Love is a multi-million dollar racket that charges for their wigs. So donating hair = giving them an insane profit because they sell most of the hair "to offset production costs" and then make money off the wigs they do make for sick kids. Gag me. Pantene is actually honest and they give every single wig they make away for free to women with cancer. So, I went with Pantene. In doing research on them, the only mild negative I came away with was their ad slogan, "The kindest cut of all." The only reason for that is because that is also the slogan used to try to get pet owners to spay/neuter their pets. One would think that with all the money and resources that go into slogan campaigns, someone would have realized it was already in use... or maybe they did it on purpose, which is slightly worse. So yesterday, I did something I haven't done in all my years. I went to a professional hair salon for a cut that cost more than $10. Armed with pictures, a plastic bag for my hair, and a tape measure, and bolstered with support from Benita and Careth, and even a surprise visit from Joy, I took the plunge.
If you don't know me well, you might wonder why it's such a big deal that I cut my hair. Well, as one of my students put it yesterday upon hearing my plans for the afternoon, "But Mrs Eggleston! Isn't long hair, like.... your thing??" And it has been for years a part of my identity. I've always been happy with my hair. It grows fast, it's thick, and I like its natural color. But it was time for a change. I've had several people tell me that pregnant women always cut their hair. For me at least, that stereotype is true. It was the final thing to push me into actually deciding to just go ahead and do it. It just made sense to me that you know, I'm going to be a mom, and I should get a real hair cut. It was like a rite of passage. My pregnant friend and I occasionally wonder to each other if being moms is going to mean we have to stop shopping at Forever21 and Urban Outfitters. I don't think we do, but in some ways I am feeling like a grown-up for the first time in my adult life (I'm almost 30.) So, yes my hair is part of my identity, but now it's part of my identity as an adult. It's still long by most people's standards, just not ridiculously long as was my "thing" since college. Those days are gone, and I am welcoming the future with open arms and a fabtastic hair-do.
If you don't know me well, you might wonder why it's such a big deal that I cut my hair. Well, as one of my students put it yesterday upon hearing my plans for the afternoon, "But Mrs Eggleston! Isn't long hair, like.... your thing??" And it has been for years a part of my identity. I've always been happy with my hair. It grows fast, it's thick, and I like its natural color. But it was time for a change. I've had several people tell me that pregnant women always cut their hair. For me at least, that stereotype is true. It was the final thing to push me into actually deciding to just go ahead and do it. It just made sense to me that you know, I'm going to be a mom, and I should get a real hair cut. It was like a rite of passage. My pregnant friend and I occasionally wonder to each other if being moms is going to mean we have to stop shopping at Forever21 and Urban Outfitters. I don't think we do, but in some ways I am feeling like a grown-up for the first time in my adult life (I'm almost 30.) So, yes my hair is part of my identity, but now it's part of my identity as an adult. It's still long by most people's standards, just not ridiculously long as was my "thing" since college. Those days are gone, and I am welcoming the future with open arms and a fabtastic hair-do.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Current favorite movies of all time:
I realize my blog title is kind of contradictory, but my all time favorites list changes all the time. At this moment, my favorite movies ever are (in no particular order):
3:10 to Yuma
The Godfather
Robin Hood (The Disney version... it makes me cry!)
The Man From Snowy River
The Yellow Submarine
Harry Potter
Pride and Prejudice
Return to Me
Return to Oz
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Gladiator
Braveheart
I just watched 3:10 to Yuma for the first time, and it's good enough to make the all-time list. All the others are old faves. Most of these movies have nothing in common except that I really like them. The end.
3:10 to Yuma
The Godfather
Robin Hood (The Disney version... it makes me cry!)
The Man From Snowy River
The Yellow Submarine
Harry Potter
Pride and Prejudice
Return to Me
Return to Oz
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Gladiator
Braveheart
I just watched 3:10 to Yuma for the first time, and it's good enough to make the all-time list. All the others are old faves. Most of these movies have nothing in common except that I really like them. The end.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)