Two life lessons

Two items in the media really struck a chord with me recently and brought to mind some important life lessons.

Life Lesson #1:  If you jump into a den of hungry polar bears, you should prepare to be EATEN!

A woman inexplicably jumped into the moat of the Polar Bear habitat at the Berlin Zoo during feeding time.  Guess what happened? 

Someone actually got a picture of the attack and it is disturbing.  But you know what?  SHE was the one that jumped in there!  What did she think was going to happen?  (Although I wonder if there may not have been extenuating circumstances compelling her to jump.)  It made me think about all the times I have done silly, reckless things and then felt sorry for myself when I suffer the consequences. 

Life Lesson #2:  Different can be good!

Have you all seen this?  I have watched it countless times and still get emotional. 

I am officially a HUGE Susan Boyle fan now.  I hope she sees ALL her dreams come true. What a brave, talented woman!!! 

As a mother of a child with special needs, who sometimes does not match that perfect little model that the world would impose upon him, this clip spoke to me on a VERY deep level. We live in such a fickle, shallow society.  People are often automatically dismissed if they are deemed too different.  It broke my heart to see that crowd make fun of Susan, and I felt triumphant WITH her when she brought them to their feet.  She SHAMED them.  It made me weep because she doesn’t fit the image that society thinks is cool and yet she ROCKS!!! 

The internet is buzzing about Susan’s performance.  CNN even reported on it today, “Never-kissed woman wows Cowell, becomes YouTube sensation”.  You should read the comments people have made, they are wonderful!  The video also showed up on Give Me My Remote.  I love the comment by Catherine, “You have proven in a showstopping moment how we should not judge anyone on first appearances, nor should we ignore middle aged women and dismiss them as ‘invisible.’ You are magic.”

And as for the audience that made fun of her… well, maybe we should throw them to the Polar Bears!

“You know, from this angle you kind of look like Polamalu!”

Last night was quite eventful for for our household.  The Steelers won the Super Bowl!!!!  Mapman was born in Pittsburgh so he was VERY excited!  Go here to see pictures of our cheering section.  Oh, my 4-year-old, Thomas, said that the “HICKS-burgh” Steelers were playing, so CUTE.  Well, I thought it was cute, anyway.  Mapman was VERY intent on correcting him.  Yeah.  Hardcore fan.  Let me give you a glimpse into what the rest of our evening was like… 

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Goldie:  “You know, it really would  be a great American story if the Cardinals won, seeing as how they have NEVER been to the Super Bowl and are such the underdogs.”

Mapman:  “No it wouldn’t!”

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Goldie:  “Hon, can you please record the game?”

Mapman:  “I could, thanks, but I don’t need to.  They’ll show highlights of the game later.”

Goldie:  *confused pause*  “No… I mean for me…  for the COMMERCIALS.”

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Goldie:  “Which commercial did you like the best?  The Pepsi one with the “I’m all right” dudes, the Potato Head one, or the one with the Transporter guy?”

Mapman:  “The Dorito’s one where the girl’s dress got ripped off.”

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He did like the Potato Head commercial, though.  He laughed a little too hard when her lips fell off and she couldn’t talk anymore. 

Before the game I had let my long-ish brown hair air dry all wavy and was wearing black & gold.  My husband walked by and said, “You know, from this angle you kinda look like Polamalu!”    NOT exactly the look I was going for.

Man, that 100-yd interception touchdown had me SCREAMING!  Mapman kept trying to shush me because he was afraid I was going to wake the baby AND he wanted to hear the announcers.

And can someone please go get the shock paddles, STAT?  Because I still don’t think my husband has recovered from the heart attack that he had during the 4th quarter.  Now THAT was some football!!!!

He was really happy, INCREDIBLY happy, when his team won.  It made me happy to see him happy… although it made me sad to see Kurt Warner sad.  I REALLY like Kurt Warner.  I think he is an awesome person and a great Quarterback.  But I like my husband even better than Kurt Warner.  So congratulations Pittsburgh!  Here we go, Steelers, here we go!!!!!!!!!

PS:  OH  my goodness, I can’t believe I forgot to mention Jennifer Hudson!!!   I was totally rooting for her.  This was her first public performance since her sad family tragedy, and she knew everyone knew it.  She looked SO nervous, took a deep breath… and KILLED it.  Home run.  (I am such a gooof!  Wrong game…)  TOUCHDOWN.  You GO, girl!!!   Dare I say a better National Anthem than Whitney?  I know you made your Momma proud.

My family and I rose for the anthem (I insisted), and as we stood there together, holding each other, I cried.  For her, but even more so, for my awesome Country.

Poor Monkey

Those are words I never thought I would say- “Poor monkey”.  It all stems from a  childhood incident with one that apparently left me scarred for life.  So much so that if even just a squirrel comes too close to me I take off running.  Don’t trust monkeys.  Nope nope nope.  They are all furry and teethy and scary and generally up to no good. 

But when I saw this headline, “Woman ‘pregnant’ with monkey convicted of smuggling” I just HAD to read it.  And I actually found myself feeling sorry for the monkey.  I mean, that is just plain WRONG.  “Congratulations!  It’s a monkey!”  And did you see the picture?  The little guy looks… almost… CUTE.

Did I just say that?

What is wrong with me?

Wendy Portillo has been suspended

The Naples News reported yesterday that teacher Wendy Portillo has been suspended for a year without pay.  Click here for the full story.  Ms. Portillo came under scrutiny last spring following a Survivor-like “vote” in which she allowed other students to publicly ridicule kindergartener Alex Barton, who has an Autism Spectrum Disorder.  For the original news story click here.  I wrote two previous posts on this subject:

Florida Teacher Allegedly Lets Kindergarteners Kick Autistic Boy Out of Class in Survivor-like Vote

Let’s Not Become a Lynch Mob

 

Ban the R Word!

Many people I know use the word “retard” or “retarded” in common speech.  They are good, loving people who are obviously unaware of the reality that this word can inflict great pain when used as slang or an insult.  It has become such a part of common culture that people seem to have stopped thinking about the origins and connotations of the word.  Maybe they think that since it is so commonplace now it has stopped being offensive or hurtful.  They are wrong. 

I Wonder about “Tropic Thunder”

To see or not to see?  That is the question many are asking about the new movie “Tropic Thunder”.  In this movie there is a mocking depiction of an actor who portrays individuals with special needs.  The internet is ablaze with articles and comments firmly divided on the subject.  I am leaning towards NOT see.  Let me tell you why.  Better strap on your thinking cap… 

Shocking…

“Ignored Woman Dies on Hospital Floor”.   This article  REALLY got me going.  Another one of my hot button “issues” is the stigma attached to mental illness and the way that people with psychiatric conditions are often made to feel ashamed, embarrassed, and even frightened of revealing their condition to others.  They have faced dehumanizing treatment and misunderstanding from the media and society.  There is also often sub-par, even inhumane, conditions in some psychiatric care facilities.  

The callous disregard for human suffering that was described in this article from cnn.com made me feel horrified, sad, disgusted, and incredibly angry.  The poor woman had been waiting for TWENTY FOUR HOURS for a bed in a New York psychiatric hospital when she finally collapsed on the floor, convulsing and then lying completely still.  What did the staff do?  NOTHING.  For a full HOUR.  Finally someone walked over and NUDGED HER WITH THEIR FOOT, only to discover she was dead.  What did the staff do THEN?  Try to cover it up.  But the surveillance video tells it all.

I have not watched the video.  I will not watch the video.  But I WILL say, something has got to change.