Child Raising Thoughts

I was directed to a recent blog, http://www.integratedcatholiclife.org/2012/04/randy-hain-embracing-the-challenge-as-catholic-parents/, concerning our children.  The post was nicely written and sits on the side of my thoughts.  The person that pointed this to me, though agreeing with the post, needs to take what the post is saying.

This family the person belongs to is like many families that I have experienced.  On the surface, they look to be well-adjusted and normal.  They attend their religious services and are involved with their children (helicopter anyone).  You would think this family is the model family.  Indeed, there are many people that truly believe this while I know that it is not so.  Don’t get me wrong, they don’t beat their children and they want the best for their children.  It is the finer details they fail at.

The one crucial part that is missing with this family is “love”.  You can state you love someone but the meaning isn’t there if it isn’t from your heart.  There is no affection in this family.  I never saw their oldest get any affection in the roughly ten years I know these people.  It comes through the oldest too (I’ll call this person Number 1).  Number 1 is very cold in a very frightening way.  Number 1 has no compassion and enjoys harming others.  In fact, anyone that suffers pleases Number 1.  When you observe the parent, you see a similar personality with Number 1.  Number 2, second child, is becoming like Number 1.  This child is clearly not the favorite in the family.  Number 2 is last in the child tree for any perceived affection or compassion.  Number 2 is slowly becoming colder.  It is the same as you go to the last child.  This last child I wouldn’t want my children to have any relationship with.  Truly, I feel for the individuals that marry into this family.  At times, I think this is what hell will be like if it freezes over.

I’m not trying to judge this family.  Heck, there are quite a few families that I know could use some improvement.  No, this family has caught my attention because I was directed to the blog above by them.  Sadly, they won’t recognize what they need to do.  Saying, “I love you” as they go to bed would help.  How about meaningful hugs and kisses.  There isn’t a day where my children aren’t hugged by me or have me say “I love you” as they go to bed.  I am even angry with them at times.

When you find blogs such as the one by Mr. Hain, take time and reflect.  You should see areas where you can improve.  After reading his post, I spent time thinking about it and was happy to say that I do what he states.  I can do better, and I shall try.

By the way, my kids most likely think I need a huge amount of improvement.

 

The Attack On Penguins

Listening to Mike Milbury and Tortorella made me shake my head.  Now we have Roenick spouting of as if he has something useful to add.  We talk about whining, cheating and cheapshots.  In the end it is three individuals that do the whining and they have the true history to prove.

A Thursday game has Brooks Orpik colliding with Stepan.  Watching the game and the videos afterward, you see no intent to injure.  What do you see is Orpik lining Stepan for a check and Stepan deftly avoiding him.  Orpik tries to not be out of position and makes a bad decision.  Stepan is hurt, not seriously.  Orpik get a game misconduct and 5 minute major.  This is his first in three seasons, second in four seasons.  Clearly, this indicates Orpik as not a dirty player.  Brooks has matured into an intelligent player who made a mistake.

Now we jump to Tortorella and his whine.  Yes, he is whining just like he has done all season and in past seasons.  Okay, his comments about the Penguins organization and Orpik are wrong.  He needs to look no further than his own organization to match comments.  You could apply any organization.  His statements are nothing more than garbage and he knows it.  It was worth his fine.  Tortorella intentionally made these comments for a long term goal of winning the cup.  His comments are a common sports tactic that you see in ice hockey.  The problems with Torts is he does this all of the time.

Now to Milbury.  He is a media buffoon and nothing more.  I am even surprised he was a coach at one time, losing to the Penguins in the playoffs.  Really, the only reason he has a job is his silly comments he makes.  His recent comments were never thought out.  He is the Don Cherry of the US without the silly suits.  Milbury ruined the Islanders as he traded away talent  His coaching is even suspect. 

Now to Roenick, the one person of the three I’ve always liked… as a hockey player.  He has a big mouth and always speaks without thinking.  Go back to the 2004 lockout to hear his mouth.  Sound out of his mouth often times amount to flatulence of the head.

I have attacked these three men in a negative manner but there is history that backs me up.  Tortorella is the only one who has a reason to open his trap.  He wants to win and will do anything to achieve this.  Milbury needs his second rear to keep his job.  He can’t coach or manage a team.  I say, “save your money, Milbury.”  Jeremy is just Jeremy.  I liked him as a player.  His treatment of fans needs to be remembered.  His senseless statements though, more audio crap.

What about the Penguins whining?  Well, Malkin barely speaks English, so how could he whine.  Crosby on the other hand has greatly reduced his whining.  To be fair, compare Crosby whines to other players.  You’ll see no difference.  Hmm, what about the organisation?  You know, no one complained about Rupp taking out Staal for a month.  Knee to knee!  Where is the Penguin whine?  How about other Penguin players that were injured on knee to knee hits?  You see, the Penguins whine less than the Rangers but no worse than most any other teams.  On average they are all same.  While we look at it, look at the Penguin fans.  Really!  I don’t recall a Pens fan beating the crap out of someone.  No, I see a lot of negative comments and whines coming from these other 29 team fans.  Wow, imagine that!  Their fans whine no more or less than the other 29 team fans.

Once the Penguins go away, there will be a new team someone will complain about.  Milbury will find a new team to complain about or a new player like LaFontaine.  Oh wait!  He is complaining about him too!  Torts, I’ll leave you to yourself.  I know what you’re trying to do.  Jeremey buddy, you can close your eyes and go back to irrelevance. 

Blogging is for the lonely and bored

I have made an earnest attempt to keep this little blog active, unlike the previous two or three attempts.  This has not been as successful as I would have liked, but this blog is a great improvement.  I actually have posted, what, 15 posts.  That is more than I have done in the past.

This blog has made me realize that I am too busy with life.  When I have time, like now, to post, there is little time for a well constructed post.  It is off the top of the head and post immediately or nothing is ever posted.  I have dozens of old posts unpublished sitting around.  I am apparently more active than I realized.  Looking at my day, one would think I have tons of time.  Reality states otherwise.

Most of my days are spent working.  At home I’m preparing a meal or eating it.  There are other humans that require my attention.  On the weekends, I am outside doing an activity or some other function.  When I am in the house, there are other activities that I do that prevent me from blogging.  I haven’t even touched the tely which has been taken over by other beings.  I can’t even get a good hockey game in anymore.

This leads me to wonder if all of these bloggers are people who are bored and lonely.  I would say lazy but it takes work to post.  My life requires interaction with humans without computers or phones.  These bloggers must have little interaction with a real person.  It leads to my next question.

Are they married?

Egg Rolls

It has been a while since I posted.  Since the last time I posted, two egg roll making events have occurred.  Other cooking events has happened too, but the egg roll is on my mind today.

I didn’t have all of the ingredients needed.  I used olive oil and didn’t use sesame oil.  I did use napa cabbage for the first round and discovered little if any different between napa and standard cabbage.  The egg roll wraps from the produce section was used.  My recipe came from a couple of sources with pleasing results.

There were a few issues g   egg rolls.  I had quite an amount of oil in the roll after I fried them.  It was more noticeable on the second round than the first.  Less ginger was used on the second round as well.  Other than these two issues, I enjoyed the egg rolls.  A few more times and I’ll perfect the recipe and method.

What did I learn from this?  Well, preparation is required to drain the veggies.  You don’t want soggy veggies when making egg rolls.    I also learned that I have no idea how many cups were in my two cups of cabbage.  It didn’t matter.  I never had too much.  The bigest educational point is how easy it is to make egg rolls.  My recommendation is to research recipes online and pick the ingredients you want.  Sample and test to see what you like.