Instigating...again.

For some reason, I can think of more shit to say on Facebook than I can in my own blog. Perhaps it is because I know people are reading it.  I have perpetuated some serious political wars lately.  It is no secret that I am a flaming liberal, a label I wear with pride. I don't understand the conservatives who spar with me.  They respond with such hatred, bigotry, and racism, yet they are the party of Christianity.  I no longer post on other people's threads because they have like-minded individuals as friends and I usually wind up on defense when I prefer offense.  However, arguing like that has earned me an ideological friend or two that I would have not otherwise had the pleasure of meeting.  Nonetheless, I have started posting only on my own threads.  I have my backups, not that I really need them, but there is strength in numbers.  The positions I take on issues are backed with facts and combined with empathy.

Anyway, I think I just realized why I have a hard time blogging. I do my best work when people give me ammunition with which to respond.  Yes.  More later.

I'm such a slacker.

When I first started this blog, I logged on daily and was constantly thinking of topics.  The excitement has worn off, unfortunately.  Right now I am on Christmas break with the kids and since I have no job, I'm spending the day cleaning my house.  I can never catch up with the cleaning, therefore, I have little time to blog.  I also wish I could read my book on the JFK assassination but I can't find the time to that either.  I don't know how I ever found time to watch TV when we had cable.

JOB.  It looks as though I will be teaching another semester of HIST 2112 at VSU in the Spring.  I was hoping to have found a full time job already, but I haven't.  I love teaching, so I guess adjunct teaching as a holdover for a full time gig is not too bad.  My first semester teaching at VSU went famously.  My students really enjoyed the class, as evidenced by their responses on the Student Opinion of Instruction.  I am excited that I will get to do it again in the Spring and adjust the course accordingly.

SCHOOL.  When last I blogged, I had recently learned that I could not continue with the M.Ed. in I.T.  Since, I applied for the Ed.S. I.T. program at VSU and was accepted for Spring Admission.  This time I know I can't get a GA so I am saving up money to pay for tuition out of pocket.  I've had enough of student loans.  I'm hoping that starting this degree will lead to employment since the M.A. in History is not doing me any favors.  I plan to continue to educate myself until I eventually find a job.

HOUSE.  Joel and I are currently under contract for a new home that is just down the road from my dad's house.  It is in the neighborhood where I spent my childhood - Tallokas Circle.  Our loan application should have arrived at the mortgage company today.  Buying a house is an incredible stressful process.  And that money that I'm saving up for tuition, yeah I might have to use that for closing.  Hopefully not.  Our closing date is January 26.  It took us two weeks to start the loan process so we are just hoping that doesn't slow us down any.  I cannot wait to move into a bigger home.  This one is two story but only the bottom story is move-in ready.  The upstairs is completely unfinished but we hope to turn it into living quarters for Jacob.  Teenagers want their own space.  The house we live in now, the one I bought in 2003 at the tender age of 19, will be going up for rent.  I'm dreading that process as well.  I don't think I have the personality to be a landlord.  We'll see.

KIDS.  The kids are keeping me busy, as they should.  Brayden recently turned two and he is such a cutie.  He loves his brothers and is most happy when they are home with him.  I'm glad it is Christmas break because they help keep him entertained all day.  Bailey will be 11 next week which I cannot believe.  He and Brayden are on the same level in a lot of ways.  Brayden actually has better language skills than Bailey.  Jacob, my teenager, is well, a teenager.  If boys are this bad, I would hate to see what raising a girl teenager is like!  Glad I have boys!

I think I'm done for now.  Hopefully I can find the time to post for Christmas...

Note: I'm not offended by you calling me educated.

I am something of a political activist on Facebook.  I tend to express my opinions on issues when I feel so compelled.  For some reason, people get their panties in a wad about this.  I try my best to be polite and not snarky but in response (if people have to balls to respond) people try to insult me by accusing me of thinking I am smarter than them.  Still others go and post statuses about me (on the downlow) in attempts to belittle me!  Two in particular that I find the most amusing - one girl called me "overeducated" and one lamented that I think I know everything because I am virtually a "professional student."  Since when is the pursuit of educational attainment a bad thing?  And does it not come with the territory that I should be intelligent since I have a lot of university training?  I mean, should I have gotten dumber?  Someone else insinuated that I was a moron who was indoctrinating students.  All because I have an opinion that I voice based on facts that I have researched.  This is nothing revolutionary or radical.  Okay, I'm sleepy.

Job Interviews : /

I have been searching endlessly for full time employment. I really want to move my family into a bigger house and START A CAREER.  I'm 28 years old for crying out loud.  I should be several years into a career by now.  At this rate, I won't be able to retire until I'm 80.  I had two interviews over the past week.  One at Albany State and one at the local board of education.  I thought they both went very well... haven't heard back yet.  Now I'm playing the waiting game. 

I also applied for FSUs Ph.D. program.  If I happen to get accepted I will be absolutely shocked.  If I get a full time job AND get accepted I really don't know what I will do.  I am definitely going to try and get myself back in school in the spring or next fall depending on what happens on the job hunt.  All this uncertainty is driving me bananas.

Brayden probably won't be thrilled if I get a job.  He likes being home with me five days out of the week.  I only have to leave him for a few hours on Tuesday and Thursday while I teach.  He stays with my dad so it is minimally invasive for him.  If he went to a daycare I think he would have a panic attack.  He is so shy and completely fearful of strangers.

I just wanted to clear my thoughts.  That is all for now.

Jake's 13th Birthday Party - Featuring Photos!

Bad Mom Alert:  I haven't hosted a birthday party for Jacob in YEARS.  I think he was turning 6 years old the last time he had a birthday party...you know, the real kind where you invited guests and have birthday cake and presents.  Footnote:  We normally take him somewhere.  Birthday parties are SUCH a hassle.  This one took me two days to recover from.  This year, since becoming a teenager is such a rite of passage, Jake deserved a birthday party.  He was actually pretty nonchalant about it.  I think it was more about preventing myself from feeling guilty.  Nonetheless, nonetheless...

I told my closest friends and family about it just informally.  It started as just a gathering to cook, eat, and swim but it evolved into a regular old party. 

Brayden had some friends over.  Laura, Splash, and I all had babies within a seven months of each other.  Marley the Redhead is twelve days older than Brayden.  Jordyn the Choker of Babies is seven months younger than Brayden and Marley.  These two young ladies can hold their own!  Brayden was a little freaked out by all the commotion.  He is definitely a passive and docile child.  He doesn't fight when kids take his stuff and he just sits back and watches.  This is certainly not a trait that I passed down.  I was the bossy kid.  This picture says a lot about their personalities.  Jordyn is Laura MADE OVER.

Here is another one of my best friends, Ashley and her two kids, Ashlyn and Cole.  Ashlyn is only four months younger than Bailey.  I can't help but think of what Bailey could be whenever I'm around Ashlyn.  Anway, this is not a sad post! 

Here is Joel doing what he always gets stuck doing at our gatherings -- grilling.  He is just so good at it!  You can probably gather from his facial expression that he does not want me to take a picture.  This is common.  He hates my lust for photos and video.  One day he will appreciate it.  One day.  Until then...the glare.

Featured here are Splash and her husband Terry, Brayden on the train, Marley, and Layla.  Oh, and Laura in the background.  We all stayed inside most of the time.  It is hot in South Georgia!

Now we are singing Happy Birthday to Jake.  You can see Terry and Joel in the background.  It is always good to bring husbands around for Joel to talk to.  They were probably having an intellectual conversation about football.  : /

Since I was so young when I had Jake, it would come to pass that none of my friends have kids his age.  Brayden should have lots of children his age populating his birthday parties.  Jake, not so much.  He did have his friend Stephen come spend the weekend with him.  I have known Stephen since his birth because my dad and Stephen's dad were friends.  (This happens when you have children as a child.)  Their family even gave me some of Stephen's baby clothes for Jake to wear way back then (he is 3 months older than Jake).  Anyway, I digress.

The party was a success. We crammed about twenty people (or more) into my tiny house (next year I hope to have moved!!) and the kids had fun.  I felt better about doing something for his birthday and won't have to live with the guilt of not having a party for the poor fella. 

Now, to start planning Brayden's second birthday party!  Maybe I will write a blog about his first birthday before it completely fades from my memory.

I am now the proud owner of a TEENAGER.

Invariably, when you have a child at the tender age of 15, you will have a teenager by the time you hit 28.  Well, I'm 28 and my little boy is now 13.  He turned 13 on September 1 and I've been meaning to blog since then but I've been busy chasing an almost two-year-old everywhere (oh, and looking for a job - two interviews next week!).  I really can't believe he is a teenager.  He is a great kid.  Sweet, respectful, smart, and well-behaved.  He is in a much better place in his life than I was at his age.  It is hard to believe that at his age, I was only a year from becoming pregnant with him.  Watching him grow up has really put my life into perspective. 

Here we are on his 13th birthday.  I would upload a picture of him as an infant, but honestly, I am too lazy to find one and scan it in.  I had just gotten home from a long day's work (3ish hours =D) and he had just come home from school. 

We had an intimate family dinner that night with the usual suspects (my five + dad) and made Jake's favorite food - bratwurst and pierogies.  My kid is strange.  The rest of us ate bacon wrapped pork tenderloin.  While we grilled, the kids swam in the pool:

Jacob is such a good big brother.

Then we had a little cake, featuring the cake that I wrote about here.

After blowing out the candles, Joel hit him with some silly string.  Bailey was TICKLED.  Can you tell?

While "Bubba" (How country, right?) opened presents, Brayden perched himself on the couch.  Is he not the cutest kid you have ever seen?

We got Jake some new clothes because suddenly, after all these years, he wants to wear "less immature" shirts.  Anyway, he got really excited about the Polo shirts he got because frankly, they are all the rage in junior high right now.  He also got some Abercrombie shirts, a Tommy shirt, some Hollister cologne, a new phone, some clothes to wear to his weightlifting class, and a couple of Xbox games.  I'm still trippin' on the new clothes that he asked for.  Junior high definitely changes kids...

Looking for the proverbial silver lining...

I hate when things don't go as I plan.  Joel says I am a control freak and I have recently realized that this is an accurate assessment.  As I noted earlier, I was supposed to start working on a second master's degree to be paid for by a graduate assistantship. I would concomitantly be working as an adjunct professor at VSU teaching HIST 2112.

Well VSU decided after I had already worked at the GA for nearly a week that I was not allowed to work two jobs on campus and I had to choose one to keep.  Since I had committed to the teaching job a loooooong time ago, my students had already met me, it would be hard to find a replacement for me, and I had already prepared ALL of my lectures, I decided that I had to keep that job.  Keeping the GA would have been better because it paid the same salary AND took care of my tuition.  Control freak that I am, I had ironed out every little detail for this semester and had planned out how every decision I made would affect my family.  Then BAM.  I'm only working 9 hours a week now.  Ha!  I guess the good news is I have A LOT of time on my hands.  So does my free babysitter (grandpa!) which makes him happy.

Maybe this little professor thing will give me some much needed experience and hopefully a full time job will fall into my lap real soon.  Fingers crossed.

Thought Potpourri

I am just throwing together a random compilation of nothingness just so I can calm my OCD.  I have really not had much to blog about because all I have been doing for the last several weeks is cleaning, taking care of kids, cooking, and working on my lectures.  I guess there is no better time than the present to review every little phase of American history since Reconstruction.  I am doing so much work for these classes in the fall!  Hopefully it will allow me to have extra time for the classes I am taking too.

I go back to school in two weeks and the boys go back in one.  I am sort of going to miss being lazy with them in the mornings.  I have everything worked out where the house stays clean, laundry stays done, and dinner gets cooked.  We are running like a well-oiled machine and now we have to redo a completely new schedule.  Brayden is not going to like this very well...with his brothers at school and mommy at work.  He wakes up every morning and wants to go see his "nene" and bubba."  He has gotten used to daddy being at work when he wakes up.  He's going to be just fine at home with "ursh" though.

I like having Bailey in school because his disability is really hard to deal with.  I need respite care!  I am not ashamed to admit it!  It also puts him on a schedule and gives him something to do all day.  He loves getting up and riding the bus and going to school to play all day.  Jake is a different story.  I like having him home because he is a good help and fun to be around.  I am also so sad that he is growing up so fast.  He is going to 8th grade this year and in pre-AP classes again.  I'm glad he is in them but man, they are stressful.  He is definitely not the fastidious student that I was (am) as a kid (and adult).  He is, for lack of a better word - lazy!  Maybe, just maybe, he will turn it around this year.

I am still majorly stressing over Brayden's little teeth and having to get them pulled.  Everything about him is perfect, and it really saddens me that his teeth aren't.  I know I should feel fortunate that this is the only thing that is the matter, but I can't help that wish he had healthy teeth.

Anyway, maybe I will have more things to say as life gets more varied after school starts back.  Right now doing the same thing day in and day out makes for a pretty mundane existence.  I have a lot of stuff to say politically on Facebook, but for some reason, I don't have much to say to myself.  I should though, because I'm sure I will be glad that I said it when I am old and gray...assuming I will remember how to log in and read this thing...

Okay, I'm rambling.

Happy Birthday to me.

I turned 28 two days ago and it kind of saddens me to watch myself grow up.  I realize that growing older is better than the alternative, but I feel like I should still be 20.

I wish I was in the midst of a career, living the good life, going on vacations all over the country...but I'm not.  I'm still in (back in rather) college, still only working part time.  It kind of sucks.

I haven't had time to blog lately because I have been bogged down writing lectures for my classes this fall.  I have to get them done so that I can focus on the FOUR grad classes I am taking and the three kids and husband that need me to feed, clothe, and clean for them.

Much ado about nothing...

Will Work for Tuition

Hip! Hip! Hooray!

I got a graduate assistantship today for Fall and Spring!  I will be back in Distance Learning again but this time I will receive a stipend that is over twice what I received in either of my last GAs.  I worked in Distance Learning for a year in 09-10 and I am so glad that they were willing to take me back for another year.

This master's that I am doing now is different than my last one because it is all online.  As such, the tuition is much higher but the fees are much lower.  The GA will pay ALL of my tuition except $38.  I will still have to pay the fees.  With my MA, the fees were ridiculous and I had to pay them AND earn a much lower stipend.

Working in Distance Learning will marry well with my new degree in Instructional Technology.  It will give me a chance to put into practice what I learned and should be mutually beneficial.  I'm excited!

It looks like I have everything figured out.  I will work at my GA and teach two history sections while I take classes.  The only thing I have left to figure out is how many classes to take.  I really want to finish quickly but I don't want my grades to suffer.  Right now, I'm thinking that I should register for several classes and if I can't handle it, withdraw from them.  I still have a little while to think about it...

Just a quick post to express my joy and concomitant anxiety.

Ready...Set...Sigh.

I. am. crestfallen.  Brayden went to the dentist last week and we learned that he has to have an outpatient procedure in September.  I realize thtat even mild sedation dentistry is a necessary evil for a toddler, even if it is just to fill a cavity.  Putting my baby to sleep scares me bad enough.  So far, Jacob and Bailey have both been sedated for surgical reasons (the latter multiple times) and it never gets easier.  I HATE seeing them drift off into unconciousness.  I really hate when they wake up and are pissed off for the next two hours. 

Anyway, what's even worse than being put to sleep is what they are having to do to my baby.  It pains me to even think of it.  He has to have all four of his top teeth removed.  Removed.  He has so much decay in them that they can't be saved.  Not real sure what caused it, but he has had the decay from virtually the moment the teeth appeared.  They don't look that great up close, but at least they are there.  At least he can bite.  At least his tongue can touch them when he speaks.  At least he looks normal. 

He also has to have to cavities on the bottom filled and two caps put on up top.  That bothers me too, just because we brush daily and I have never had to have that done myself.  I can only imagine how much pain he will be in when he wakes up and recovers.  Bailey had the same procedure done...almost the exact same thing...when he was 3 or 4 years old.  He had his teeth smashed in at the daycare when he fell on concrete steps.  At least he was a little older.  It still took about three years for the teeth to grow back in (and then he fell at school and chipped half of the front one off. Ugh).

My little boy is so perfect to me.  I dread this September when his cute little teeth are coming out.  I worry about him having to go toothless for four or five more years when his new teeth will come in.  The dentist said that it won't impact his speech development other than a little lisp (that presumably wouldn't exist if he had is teeth, but anyway...).  My baby will have to start school without his front teeth...take his school pictures without his front teeth...learn to eat without his front teeth... I know he will adapt but he won't understand why we are doing that to him at first.

The one bright side is that if he is experiencing any pain from the tooth decay, at least after he recovers all that will be gone.  I just wish it wasn't there to begin with, but it is and I have to come to terms with that.

Whew, this has been bothering me for awhile and I had to get that off my chest.  Over and out.

College in Perpetuity

I really think I am addicted to college.  Maybe it has something to do with me quitting high school.  Maybe I am here to prove that being a teen mom (times two) wouldn't stop me.  Maybe I want my kids to have a mom they can be proud of.  Maybe I want to make sure that I can afford to travel the world in my RV when I'm older.  (I have A LOT of places on my bucket list.)

Regarless of the reason, I have decided to pursue a SECOND Master's degree.  The first go 'round, I decided to get what I consider a real Master's...you know, the kind with a thesis and 25 page papers in every class.  Where paying tuition and showing up everyday doesn't guarantee you a Master's degree in a couple years. 

Since I went for the rigor on the first one, this time I am doing one that is a little more laid back...I hope.  I found out two days ago that I was accepted into VSU's Master of Education in Instructional Technology (Technology Applications) program.  Whew.  That's a long one!

I really would rather be starting a higher degree (a doctorate!) but I missed the deadline.  Additionally, I haven't decided which doctorate I want yet...whether it's the [easy] route with an Ed.D. or a [real] one - the Ph.D.  So I am giving myself until near to the application deadline to make that decision.  I will start that adventure in Fall 2012.

So here's to my new pursuit - a second Master's degree that will be completely unlike the last one - a sprint instead of a marathon.  I'm kind of hoping that I can knock it out in a year, which is completely and utterly crazy, but I can't stay out of school for a whole year.  I would go insane.  Then again, I will go insane trying to do this degree in a year... Okay I'm rambling.

My Semi-Homemade Ice Cream Cake

I made this ice cream cake at home but to simply call it homemade suggests that I created it from scratch.  Instead, I fashioned together a bunch of store made products that resulted in a delicious and inexpensive birthday/Father's Day cake for my husband.  I usually buy him a cake every year for his birthday which falls on or around Father's day.  I don't like the cakes from Dairy Queen because they have no cake and the only place I know of that combines real cake and ice cream is Brusters which 1) is too far away, 2) doesn't taste that great, and 3) costs too much.  So for about $10, I made my own ice cream cake for my family of five to enjoy.  Realistically, it would probably feed ten times that many people.

This WAS my first rodeo, but I think I would do everything the same.

Step 1:  Purchase materials necessary to construct the cake.

I used two boxes of yellow cake mix, three tubs of chocolate buttercream icing, one half gallon box of chocolate ice cream, and a 12x2 pan.  [Consider yourself warned: do not make a cake of this size if you do not have either a deep freezer or a LOT of room in a regular freezer.]

Step 2:  Bake both layers according to the box instructions and allow to cool completely.  The 12x2 cake bakes for 35 minutes.

Step 3:  At some point after you have allowed both layers to cook, take the ice cream out of the freezer to allow it to soften.  Line the pan in which you baked the cakes with clear plastic (aka Saran) wrap.

Step 4:  Once it has softened, spread the ice cream into the pan and put it back in the freezer to harden.  Be patient, it will be there for awhile.  When it is ready, it will look a little something like this:

Not the most appetizing sight in the world, but don't let that deceive you.

Step 5:  While your ice cream is reconstituting itself as ice cream in the freezer, go ahead and apply icing to the bottom layer of the cake.  (In ice cream cake version 2.0, I would go ahead and ice the sides of the bottom layer at this point.)  Don't ice the top layer, lest you want a mess on your hands.

Step 6:  This can get a little messy so be careful.  Pull the ice cream layer out of the pan.  Carefully peel the plastic wrap off the sides, just enough to make sure that no plastic wrap is stuck to the top of the ice cream layer.  Flip it upside down so that the top of the ice cream layer is situated evenly on the bottom layer of your cake.  Immediately arrange the top layer of cake in top of the ice cream layer.  Since the ice cream layer has probably melted a little, put the cake back in the freezer.

Step 7:  Cover the entire cake in icinv.  I iced my cake while it sat in the freezer and did it a little at a time. 

Step 8:  Slice it up and enjoy your handiwork.

Snap, Crackle, Pop: Homemade Chicken Tenders

I caught a huge pack of chicken breasts on sale.  I normally pan fry them whole in panko and they turn out delicious but I wanted to make it more kid friendly (since I have three kids).  The result:  homemade chicken tenders that would make you want to slap your mama.  My kids loved them.  They were relatively easy to make but I had enough to feed a small army so it was somewhat time consuming.  In the picture are *most* of the ingredients I used.

*Note: I rarely use exact measurements or times. I use my best judgment.  I apologize in advance.*

In sum, you will need:

• Chicken breasts or tenders
• Rice Krispies
• Eggs
• Milk
• Spices (I used salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, and parmesan cheese)
• Extra virgin olive oil

I forgot a couple ingredients when I took the picture.  I also put my entire spice rack because I hadn't settled on my spices yet.  I had a whole box of Rice Krispies that I used in lieu of panko, since it would have taken much more than what I had in my cabinet.  Besides, I wasn't going to use the cereal anytime soon because I don't think it is fit for consumption unless you mix it with a bag of melted marshmallows.  [Incidentally, I once wrote a paper on the health food movement of the 20th century.  No discussion of that topic is complete without mentioning John Harvey Kellogg who would probably be rolling over in his grave if he knew I was using a product with his name on it to coat meat.]

The first step is to pound the chicken with a meat tenderizer then cut them into strips or nuggets.

Next, set these aside and prepare the mixture for coating the chicken.  I cracked two eggs into a bowl and then poured a little milk in there.  Whisk that up and it's ready to go.  Then pour some Rice Krispies into a bag and crush them up, if you so choose, and put them in a glass pan (or other similar receptacle).  Add whatever seasonings your little heart desires.  The spices I used are listed in the ingredients.  Again, I didn't measure.

Coat the chicken in the milk/egg concoction then press into the cereal until covered.  Pan fry in your already-heated-to-medium pan of olive oil (I use just enough to cover the bottom).  Flip the tenders when they reach a beautiful golden brown color and feel crispy.

When they finish cooking, place the tenders on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.  The Rice Krispies make these incredibly crispy (as well they should).  If you have a 19 month old, make extra.

Send a weiner Tweet, lose a Weiner seat.

I'm not a politician.  I'm not even in a position of power, save the one I occupy alongside my husband here in my humble abode.  However, I would think that if I were one of the 435 members of the House of Representatives I could refrain from Tweeting a picture of my weinerprint to a young college coed that I didn't even know.  This is the picture that has been plastered across the TV for the past several days.

What reputable woman really wants to see this, even for the novelty of being attached to a Congressman?  If you want to impress me, vote against the Bush tax cuts.  Don't Tweet me your weiner.

As ridiculous and embarassing as this is for Anthony Weiner, I still think he should be sitting in Congress.  Don't get me wrong, he should not have done this.  He is guilty of a serious lapse in judgment.  Certainly he recognized the risks.  A fellow Congressman, Chris Lee, JUST resigned after he put a far less raunchier pictures on Craigslist.

Then again, Weiner (whose debaucle has spawned enough double entendres to fill the space currently occupied by his apparently huge ego) had reason to feel secure despite his woeful indiscretions.  The case of Republican Senator David Vitter set a precedent that our Congressmen can get out of a nasty scandal virtually unscathed.  After all, this DOMA defender, Clinton impeach advocate, and Christian family man with a fetish for diapers was busted in the DC madam scandal back in 2007 but kept his seat.  He hired a prostitute!  But God forgave him and hence, so did we.  Oh, the hypocrisy.

Sure, Vitter's scandal was several years ago.  But is there a statue of limitations on unethical activities?  Especially when he hired a prostitute!  Weiner resigned over sending a lewd photo in a Tweet.  Was it stupid?  Yes.  Unethical?  Perhaps.  Illegal?  No.

I have my own opinions for why Weiner's weiner brought so much press.  There were photos and photos are sensational.  Twitter is relevant.  He sent a sensational photo over a popular form of social media.  This was a tangible scandal.  Plus, his last name is Weiner.

I will admit that I am annoyed about the resignation (and his actions that preceded it) because I support the Democrats.  They had so much momentum after the death of Osama bin Laden and the election of Kathy Hochul in the NY 26.  (Speaking of which, why IS all the scandal from New York?  Can't that state just secede from the Union or something?)  The Republicans are bats and the Democrats are level headed and unified...until recently.    They certainly didn't need such an unnecessary distraction.

For the sake of humanity, let's hope Weinergate is a thing of the past.

Male Dominated Field? Scoff.

So during my last semester of graduate school, I was presented with an opportunity to attend a conference with Phi Alpha Theta (an honor society) where I could share my research with the world (and by world I mean the ten or fifteen people in the room with me when I presented).

Four of my fellow students from Valdosta State University presented at the conference as well, which was held at Mercer University in Macon, GA.  Here are three of us...and a bear.  Yes, that is me on the right dressed less like an historian and more like a stripper.  Several months later and my feet STILL have not forgiven me for wearing those boots.

I chose to talk about my favorite episode from my Master's thesis (this will be the subject of another blog I'm sure) which was a boycott that stemmed from the Southwest Georgia Project, which stemmed from the Albany Movement, which stemmed from the Civil Rights Movement.  Anyway, I won't bore you with the details...

I mean really, where would we be without Brown v. Board??

Mercer is a private university.  Beautiful campus, fancy accoutrements, entitled children...  The demographic of this conference looked like something straight out of the antebellum era.  Every one of the 100ish people at this event was white and the entire wait staff who served us lunch was black.  Here is a snapshot of me, a classmate, and a Mercer employee that reminds me of how small I felt when I realized all us fancy white folks were being waited on by a black domestic staff.

Here is the whole VSU contingency.  Notice, I am the only member of the female persuasion.  Story of my life.

So, the moral of the story is (all digression aside), that even though I was outnumbered easily 5:1, the girl came out on top.  I won the award for best presentation at the conference based on originality, depth of research in primary sources, and delivery of presentation.

My handsome reward was a book that fit my interests (in hardback!). 



Confession: This white girl loves Malcolm X.

Be forewarned - this is not a book review.  I had enough of those in college.

I recently read Manning Marable's book, Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, which can be purchased on amazon.com here.  This is a picture of the hardback version.



I must say - this book was AMAZING.  Since I graduated in May with a Masters degree in History, I have had a LOT of free time on my hands (when I'm not chasing around my toddler).  I knew I wanted to spend some of that time reading for pleasure, since I haven't been able to do that for the last several years.  Why did I choose to read historical nonfiction rather than trashy romance novels?  I am going to be teaching American History at the college level in the fall and I figured I would beef up my knowledge this summer.  I also just love history (as well I should)!

The Civil Rights Movement is probably my favorite historical period.  It is better than fiction.  I am intrigued by it.  My favorite aspect of this grassroots movement was the bravery and courage necessary for it to occur.  Oftentimes, this movement is remembered by telling the story of the romanticized martyr MLK.  Malcolm X has always been controversial and has definitely taken a backseat to King in the historical memory.  I don't want that to be the case when I teach about this era.

From what I understand, this book was released upon learning that the author, Manning Marable, had a terminal illness.  This book was his life's work.  He had spent some 30 years researching and writing this groundbreaking masterpiece.  Unfortunately, he died just days before the book hit the shelves.  He left behind something very special.

This book reads like a novel.  I couldn't put it down.  The way he follows Malcolm through his life felt like he was right there with Malcolm through it all.  Having written a thesis, I know a little bit of what it is like to research a topic extensively and exhaustively.  I am most impressed with his success in getting Louis Farrakhan to be interviewed as a source for this book.  His thoroughness in researching Malcolm is incredible.  He left no stone unturned.  His eloquence in sharing the story is amazing.  This book was not only about Malcolm but about the Nation of Islam, the group that was an integral part of Malcolm's many transformations in life - the thesis of the book.

There are so many things I love about Malcolm after reading this book, chief among which was his integrity.  This man, unlike many others who profess to believe in something, was no hypocrite.  He really practiced what he preached, unlike his mentor Elijah Muhammed. 

I don't think that enough white people in the south (or anywhere for that matter) understand black history, especially from a personal point of view.  This seems to feed into stereotypes and racism.  Blacks SHOULD be bitter about how their parents, grandparents, and ancestors were treated in the past.  Malcolm X was controversial partly because early on, he declared his antipathy for whites in no uncertain terms.  I have always felt like this was a fair and honest reaction to the things he had seen in his life and this book served as validation for that.

Marable unveils the real story behind Malcolm's death at the age of 39 in this book.  Killed by his former brothers in the NOI, Malcolm was forever silenced by an assassins bullet in front of his wife and children.    Manning has beautifully and intimately cemented Malcolm's legacy in this book which is sure to stand as THE definitive account of Malcolm X for years to come.

Love the Beach, Hate the Sand

Our not-so-little family recently took a weekend trip to Panama City, partly to satiate my hunger for a beach visit and partly to celebrate our three year wedding anniversary.  I didn't want to be THAT family who went absolutely nowhere over summer break.  Yes, I'm keeping up with the proverbial Joneses.  We usually don't take trips longer than about three days because I am very much a homebody and a cheapskate.  During the three days, we spent a total of about one hour at the beach.  We love the beach, but we hate the sand.  Swimming in the pool was much better...but we could have done that from home.  We mostly perused the stores at Pier Point, watched movies, and cooked at the hotel.

Here's my little doll Brayden all dressed and ready to catch his first glimpse of the beach and all its glory.  How stinkin' cute is he??

Here are my boys at the beach.  Brayden was unimpressed.

Brayden loves the water, as long as it is in the confines of a "baff" tub.  The crashing waves and mouthfuls of saltwater intimidated him.

I am always the one behind the camera so I need at least one picture to prove I was actually there. 

My Strawberry Hamburger, for lack of a better word.

I recently attended a bridal shower for a friend of mine who happens to be the person that introduced me and my husband.  The hostess had a cake that was so simple and delicious that I had to recreate it.  I decided that this little gem would be perfect on those days when I needed to make a quick dessert for a party/shower/gathering that would be sure to impress.

I really don't know what to call it but visually it resembles a hamburger of sorts.  Here's how:

Step 1:  Purchase ingredients.

The ingredient list is quite simple. 

1. Storemade pound cake.  I used Paula Deen's Sour Cream Pound cake but there are other equally delicious varieties.  WalMart often has these cakes in the "Oops! We baked to much!" clearance section.

2.  Two cartons of fresh strawberries.

3.  Cool whip.  The small container will suffice.  This big tub was WAYYY too much.

Step 2:  Dice up the strawberries into bite size pieces.

Step 3:  Mix cool whip into strawberries.  You now have your "meat."

Step 4: Slice the pound cake in half. You now have your "bun."

Step 5:  Spread stawberry/cool whip mixture onto bottom "bun."

Step 6:  Put the top "bun" back on and put remainder of strawberry mixture in the center.

Step 7:  Slice and enjoy!

My new outlet

Okay, I need a new outlet for my thoughts.  I feel like I have to be so guarded on Facebook, and Twitter sucks, so I figured I would try blogging.  I really don't know what my whole theme is going to be or why anyone would care what I have to say, but I am telling you anyway, whoever you are.

I don't really have anything of consequence to share with the world.  I have three wild, handsome, and rambunctious sons.  I have one dreamy, handsome, and tall husband.  I love to cook and I really enjoy reading about history.  I am also one hell of a Democrat, which usually pisses people off here in the dirty south.

Anyway, for now I am just going to record my thoughts here so that one day, when I am old and gray, I can look back and remember what kind of zany things went through my mind.  Plus, I can type on a blog a hell of a lot faster than I can write in a diary.