Controversial Topic!

A friend, Andrew Cannon, posted in his FB status update:  "Controversial Topic!" 

Nothing else, just those two words with an exclamation point, but no actual reference to a controversial topic. 

All the comments that followed are hilarious if you've participated in many chat forums or online controversial threads, which often include inflammatory comments, fiery rebuttals, hasty generalizations, etc., among some heartfelt and objective comments.  I am pasting the entire post below.  I didn't get all the references because I'm not often on chat threads, but Rob knew them all and was laughing the whole time he read them.  I've bolded the ones that made me laugh out loud :

*****************************
Andrew Cannon:  Controversial Topic!
Eliason: I disagree, and I can't believe you would take that point of view.
Jones: I'm sorry, but have you considered this?
Timothy Provenzano: Fiery rebuttal!
Andrew Cannon: Some feelings of hurt at his friends' responses, coupled with a feigned indifference.
John Chapman: Nonsensical statement involving plankton.*
Andy Wilson: What you're saying sounds just like the Nazis.... or Communists... or some other controversial group! Goodwin's Rule!!!!
Elizabeth Grace Cannon Romeril: Hasty generalization, and completely missing the point of the issue, while using examples that don't apply to prove a point that is beside the point.
Andy Wilson: Typical rhetoric coming from someone of your ideology! Ad hominem attack!!!
Andrew Cannon: Setting up a straw man. Knocking him down.
Rebecca Wilson Jones: Now, now. Everyone be nice. Because I'm right and you all know it.
Theresa Merrill: I can see that I, as the [sole] voice of reason, must intervene soon...
Jennifer Hoskisson: BlErG! Bringing Religion into this to simultaneously clobber you over the head with my righteousity and make you feel guilty for attacking my beliefs!
Andrew Cannon: ur dum
John Chapman: Suggestion that this entire argument is causing a vacuum.
Cara Jenkins: non sequitur then sulky withdrawal
Rachel Harris: Inflammatory statement!!!!
Jonathan Cannon: I think I missed something. What we're we talking about?**
Lee Van Duzer: Troll thread then post for the sake of posting.
Lillian Kaye Brough: emoticon
Andrew Cannon: First! Edit: Crap. I so wasn't first.
Kimberly Cropper Wilson: Obvious scathing attack thinly veiled as a curious inquiry.
Rebecca Wilson Jones: Final statement and then silently deleting you as friend and hoping you don't notice.
*****************************

I thought it was pretty funny how this mock argument pretty much nailed a lot of the negative types of comments that are posted when there are controversial topics.

Now, that said, I see a lot of people really make good, thoughtful comments as well on controversial posts, and think there's a lot to be said for discussing things rationally and sharing our opinions, even though it's hard because they're touchy topics.  It's some of the trolling*** and flame war**** comments that used to surprise me.  People can be really brutal over the internet sometimes.  When they start flaming or are trolling, I don't bite (I don't engage with them), and I no longer think they're credible voices to the discussion. 

*The random comment about plankton was my favorite!  But it really happens!  People throw in random things to shake things up a bit or lessen tension, or just to be random.  (Or maybe they are just random people!)
**I think Jonathan may have been the only person who thought he stepped into a real argument but couldn't figure out what we were arguing about.  = )
***Trolling, for the very few of you that may not know, is making comments specifically to incite reactions, not to contribute meaningfully to a discussion.
****Flaming, again if you might not know, is being incendiary just to be incendiary.  "ur dum" is a VERY mild form of flaming as I understand it.

The trick is not getting defensive or taking comments too personally when we discuss controversial items,  and also weeding out the incendiary ones from the thought-out points, and feeling like we learn more when we come away from it, even though most of us probably won't see eye to eye since we're already invested in our position on the matter at hand.  Keep a thick skin and focus on being objective, IMHO. = )

Four months old and 18 pounds!

Yes, our chunky monkey is already 18 lbs.  And he's the cutest chunky monkey I've ever met.  : )

Once Upon a Time...

...there was this girl.  She was a very social girl, and when she finally joined the blogging bandwagon, she ate it up.  She thought of things to post all the time, and looked constantly for any feedback to her posts, because she loves validation.  And she read everybody else's posts the moment they were up, and commented because of the social being she is.

And then that girl got pregnant again with her fourth. 

On purpose.  : ) 

And she remembered it was going to be hard, but it's even harder when you're actually in the middle of it, not just remembering it's hard.  And her need for sleep seems to just increase more and more.  Uninterrupted sleep, mind you.  (aaah, how you miss it when you no longer get it)

But even though it's hard, her new baby is so completely adorable, and her other children have such wonderful moments that she relishes.  (This song, called "Pachelbel Bedtime," is a good 'ole favorite that demonstrates how hard the whining and crying is, but how you still love those kids and wouldn't change anything for the world)

So, blogging has fallen by the wayside a bit, but that girl hopes that there will be a time and a place where she can keep up a little bit more and start putting up posts of the funny things her kids say.  And then maybe she can even start catching up on all of your posts, too!

Uh oh, that little girl's baby just woke up from his nap, and the groceries must be bought, the kids picked up, the dentist appointments completed, and then possible a trip to the pool after some homework and reading time.  Time to go.  But she'll be back sporadically.  ; )

Van-versations 212

I've just picked up Nathan and his little friend Dani from kindergarten.  They are enthusiastically talking to me about class.  Then Nathan announces with a very animated face, in a very authoritative tone of voice:

"Didja know?  Mrs. [teacher] *doesn't* live in her classroom."


Hahahahahaha!  He then followed it up, with the same air of importance, to tell me that she actually goes *home* after school.  To which Dani pipes up that she goes to the front office first.  Then she goes home.  Too cute.

Carterbug

Carter Scott Wilson was blessed at 2 months old, on March 7th.  I wish I had had the presence of mind to take pictures of the family that came and shared this special day with us.  We had Grandma and Grandpa Wilson, Ana, and three of her kids--Melvin, Emily Jo, and Gracie.  It was a wonderful weekend!

Carter has grown so much, and we love his smiles and laughs.  Here are some updated photos of our little chunky monkey:

Futbol

So.  Rob and I are watching Bryce and Jeffrey at soccer practice.  We can't tell what position Jeffrey is playing, and we're talking about it while we watch what he's doing on the field.  While Rob and I are talking, Nathan is toeing the dirt next to us, rubbing his shoes into the dirt to make designs, seemingly oblivious to our conversation.

Me:  I'm not sure.  He could be playing fullback.  Is he playing fullback?  Is he playing halfback?  I just can't tell.  He certainly looks like he's playing defense.  I think he's playing fullback. 

Nathan:  Mom.  He's playing soccer.


Rob and me:  Hahahahahaha!

Arrow of Light, the Pinnacle of Cub Scouting

The Arrow of Light award is the Cub Scout equivalent of earning the Boy Scout Eagle.

I'm so proud of Jeffrey for wanting to earn his Arrow of Light, and for doing so at January's pack meeting.

Jeffrey pins on the mother Arrow of Light pin just before the Arrow of Light ceremony.

And to earn it with his close friend Mahesh was a special treat. I am so proud of both of these Webelos! ('Course, I'm also the Webelos leader, so I am always proud, but I'm especially biased about these two outstanding boys)

From left to right: Me, Jeffrey, Rob, Vitthal, Mita, and Mahesh.

Mahesh and Jeffrey hold their authentic indian arrows quite safely and proudly.


Woot! Congrats, boys! You earned it!