Okay, the holidays are over now, aren't they?

I'm getting used to hearing about stupid things parents do to buy the perfect gift for their kids at Christmas - but we're in the middle of January now, aren't we?

*ahem* Do I have to say it?

No -insert THING here- is worth your life. No, I mean it. No amount of money, no promises of gifts or bonuses, no fame or fortune...no show, no stunt, no nothing. Is worth your life.

Case in point.

Contestants in a radio stunt called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" revealed new details Sunday about an on-air water drinking contest that left a 28-year-old mother of three dead.

Jennifer Lea Strange died after drinking well over a half gallon of water Friday during the "Morning Rave" program on The End (KDND, 107.9 FM). About 18 contestants vied for a Nintendo Wii gaming console by drinking as much water as they could without going to the bathroom; Strange took second place.

I'll be blunt. I saw 28 years old and Ranco Cordova and went, "yeah, they're dumb enough down there to do it."

Yeah, enough water will kill you. Funny that. Also, should you have extreme head pain of any kind? If it's enough to bring you to tears, has never happened before (maybe, even then) - you need to be seen. Immediately.

And that's when I found out she was survived by three children.

Bad, worse and dead.

I am so sorry for the people who are going to have to clean up this mess - and the kids will be trying to figure this one out the rest of their lives.

Okay, the holidays are over now, aren't they?

I'm getting used to hearing about stupid things parents do to buy the perfect gift for their kids at Christmas - but we're in the middle of January now, aren't we?

*ahem* Do I have to say it?

No -insert THING here- is worth your life. No, I mean it. No amount of money, no promises of gifts or bonuses, no fame or fortune...no show, no stunt, no nothing. Is worth your life.

Case in point.

Contestants in a radio stunt called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" revealed new details Sunday about an on-air water drinking contest that left a 28-year-old mother of three dead.

Jennifer Lea Strange died after drinking well over a half gallon of water Friday during the "Morning Rave" program on The End (KDND, 107.9 FM). About 18 contestants vied for a Nintendo Wii gaming console by drinking as much water as they could without going to the bathroom; Strange took second place.

I'll be blunt. I saw 28 years old and Ranco Cordova and went, "yeah, they're dumb enough down there to do it."

Yeah, enough water will kill you. Funny that. Also, should you have extreme head pain of any kind? If it's enough to bring you to tears, has never happened before (maybe, even then) - you need to be seen. Immediately.

And that's when I found out she was survived by three children.

Bad, worse and dead.

I am so sorry for the people who are going to have to clean up this mess - and the kids will be trying to figure this one out the rest of their lives.

Okay, the holidays are over now, aren't they?

I'm getting used to hearing about stupid things parents do to buy the perfect gift for their kids at Christmas - but we're in the middle of January now, aren't we?

*ahem* Do I have to say it?

No -insert THING here- is worth your life. No, I mean it. No amount of money, no promises of gifts or bonuses, no fame or fortune...no show, no stunt, no nothing. Is worth your life.

Case in point.

Contestants in a radio stunt called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" revealed new details Sunday about an on-air water drinking contest that left a 28-year-old mother of three dead.

Jennifer Lea Strange died after drinking well over a half gallon of water Friday during the "Morning Rave" program on The End (KDND, 107.9 FM). About 18 contestants vied for a Nintendo Wii gaming console by drinking as much water as they could without going to the bathroom; Strange took second place.

I'll be blunt. I saw 28 years old and Ranco Cordova and went, "yeah, they're dumb enough down there to do it."

Yeah, enough water will kill you. Funny that. Also, should you have extreme head pain of any kind? If it's enough to bring you to tears, has never happened before (maybe, even then) - you need to be seen. Immediately.

And that's when I found out she was survived by three children.

Bad, worse and dead.

I am so sorry for the people who are going to have to clean up this mess - and the kids will be trying to figure this one out the rest of their lives.

Submitted for your amusement (and my snark) -

Heartsent's class this last Saturday was titled "Celebrating Your Child's Culture."

It's no surprise - the research bears it out - that transracial adoptees have an additional hurdle. They don't look like Mom and Dad, and white parents tend to raise their non-white kids to be, well, white. (You can insert my HUH anywhere you like.)

Suggestions?

Well, if you don't have any Asian friends, you need to think about cultivating some.
And if your home has no Asian things in it, you might consider adding them now.

..

Y'all can stop laughing now. Jim couldn't wait to spring that on caitlin at Famima when we got there. I could hear her laughing inside the store. (They were still outside.)

I do think we'll join Families with Children From China now, rather than later -

But it anyone wants to know if I've ever encountered racism myself? I think this qualifies - amusement aside. Benign, well-meant, and all that.

And my lack of alarm is very typical - to me, there is no real danger in racism, except from annoyance. That's my white-bread legacy. I can be "painted" any color I allow - my race - and the entitlements that come with it - permit it. But it's only paint, after all - or is it?

Depends.

We'll likely add a number of events to the calendar - we already do Chinese New Year, and we're aware of the Moon Festival - and yeah, it's likely we'll add Chinese school on the weekends when she/they hit school age. (We'll go too. Oh, throw us in the briar patch.)

But - we'll also continue to do Nisei Week. The party the Swiss Park throws around the first of August. We'll go to Solvang. And Knoxville. And Kailua-Kona.

And Olvera Street. Maybe, I should add Christmas tamales to the menu for Christmas Eve this year. (GHAD I LOVE THEM.)

And make sure they know the story behind The Ramona Pagent, same as I did growing up.

Our culture. Built out of many diverse origins - but it'll be ours.

White people scare us. I swear, the t-shirts should be made.

Submitted for your amusement (and my snark) -

Heartsent's class this last Saturday was titled "Celebrating Your Child's Culture."

It's no surprise - the research bears it out - that transracial adoptees have an additional hurdle. They don't look like Mom and Dad, and white parents tend to raise their non-white kids to be, well, white. (You can insert my HUH anywhere you like.)

Suggestions?

Well, if you don't have any Asian friends, you need to think about cultivating some.
And if your home has no Asian things in it, you might consider adding them now.

..

Y'all can stop laughing now. Jim couldn't wait to spring that on caitlin at Famima when we got there. I could hear her laughing inside the store. (They were still outside.)

I do think we'll join Families with Children From China now, rather than later -

But it anyone wants to know if I've ever encountered racism myself? I think this qualifies - amusement aside. Benign, well-meant, and all that.

And my lack of alarm is very typical - to me, there is no real danger in racism, except from annoyance. That's my white-bread legacy. I can be "painted" any color I allow - my race - and the entitlements that come with it - permit it. But it's only paint, after all - or is it?

Depends.

We'll likely add a number of events to the calendar - we already do Chinese New Year, and we're aware of the Moon Festival - and yeah, it's likely we'll add Chinese school on the weekends when she/they hit school age. (We'll go too. Oh, throw us in the briar patch.)

But - we'll also continue to do Nisei Week. The party the Swiss Park throws around the first of August. We'll go to Solvang. And Knoxville. And Kailua-Kona.

And Olvera Street. Maybe, I should add Christmas tamales to the menu for Christmas Eve this year. (GHAD I LOVE THEM.)

And make sure they know the story behind The Ramona Pagent, same as I did growing up.

Our culture. Built out of many diverse origins - but it'll be ours.

White people scare us. I swear, the t-shirts should be made.

Submitted for your amusement (and my snark) -

Heartsent's class this last Saturday was titled "Celebrating Your Child's Culture."

It's no surprise - the research bears it out - that transracial adoptees have an additional hurdle. They don't look like Mom and Dad, and white parents tend to raise their non-white kids to be, well, white. (You can insert my HUH anywhere you like.)

Suggestions?

Well, if you don't have any Asian friends, you need to think about cultivating some.
And if your home has no Asian things in it, you might consider adding them now.

..

Y'all can stop laughing now. Jim couldn't wait to spring that on caitlin at Famima when we got there. I could hear her laughing inside the store. (They were still outside.)

I do think we'll join Families with Children From China now, rather than later -

But it anyone wants to know if I've ever encountered racism myself? I think this qualifies - amusement aside. Benign, well-meant, and all that.

And my lack of alarm is very typical - to me, there is no real danger in racism, except from annoyance. That's my white-bread legacy. I can be "painted" any color I allow - my race - and the entitlements that come with it - permit it. But it's only paint, after all - or is it?

Depends.

We'll likely add a number of events to the calendar - we already do Chinese New Year, and we're aware of the Moon Festival - and yeah, it's likely we'll add Chinese school on the weekends when she/they hit school age. (We'll go too. Oh, throw us in the briar patch.)

But - we'll also continue to do Nisei Week. The party the Swiss Park throws around the first of August. We'll go to Solvang. And Knoxville. And Kailua-Kona.

And Olvera Street. Maybe, I should add Christmas tamales to the menu for Christmas Eve this year. (GHAD I LOVE THEM.)

And make sure they know the story behind The Ramona Pagent, same as I did growing up.

Our culture. Built out of many diverse origins - but it'll be ours.

White people scare us. I swear, the t-shirts should be made.

Names Names Names

Michael Buday wants to become Michael Bijon. He is the husband of Diana Bijon and wants to take her surname because, he says, “Diana’s dad has become my father figure and I want to honor that.”

The problem is that, in most states, it is more difficult and expensive for a man to take his wife’s surname than for a woman to take her husband’s surname. Only six states currently allow a man to change his name to his wife’s as easily as vice versa. Those accommodating six are Georgia (which I’m proud to say is my state), Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, and North Dakota.

I've often said that there are times when women do get more options. How you decide to name yourself is one of them - I'm living proof. (Yeah, I field a large amount of resistance to having three last names, but once I explain why they're there, the resistance dissapears.) Hello, California - yeah, I got married in Hawaii and they explained that option to us then (we could also ADD any name we wished at that time as well).

johno and chriso, is this why you married in international waters? You really ought to say more about how you guys got married and chose the name you both would use - it's EXTREMELY cute and I never get tired of hearing the story.

Names Names Names

Michael Buday wants to become Michael Bijon. He is the husband of Diana Bijon and wants to take her surname because, he says, “Diana’s dad has become my father figure and I want to honor that.”

The problem is that, in most states, it is more difficult and expensive for a man to take his wife’s surname than for a woman to take her husband’s surname. Only six states currently allow a man to change his name to his wife’s as easily as vice versa. Those accommodating six are Georgia (which I’m proud to say is my state), Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, and North Dakota.

I've often said that there are times when women do get more options. How you decide to name yourself is one of them - I'm living proof. (Yeah, I field a large amount of resistance to having three last names, but once I explain why they're there, the resistance dissapears.) Hello, California - yeah, I got married in Hawaii and they explained that option to us then (we could also ADD any name we wished at that time as well).

johno and chriso, is this why you married in international waters? You really ought to say more about how you guys got married and chose the name you both would use - it's EXTREMELY cute and I never get tired of hearing the story.

Names Names Names

Michael Buday wants to become Michael Bijon. He is the husband of Diana Bijon and wants to take her surname because, he says, “Diana’s dad has become my father figure and I want to honor that.”

The problem is that, in most states, it is more difficult and expensive for a man to take his wife’s surname than for a woman to take her husband’s surname. Only six states currently allow a man to change his name to his wife’s as easily as vice versa. Those accommodating six are Georgia (which I’m proud to say is my state), Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, and North Dakota.

I've often said that there are times when women do get more options. How you decide to name yourself is one of them - I'm living proof. (Yeah, I field a large amount of resistance to having three last names, but once I explain why they're there, the resistance dissapears.) Hello, California - yeah, I got married in Hawaii and they explained that option to us then (we could also ADD any name we wished at that time as well).

johno and chriso, is this why you married in international waters? You really ought to say more about how you guys got married and chose the name you both would use - it's EXTREMELY cute and I never get tired of hearing the story.

*amused*

This mod cracks me up.

Someone's working out the bugs on the TARDIS for Sims2.

It replaces both your car and your wardrobe. Annnd...a couple other things.

No. Not a chance in hell. No way.

*amused*

This mod cracks me up.

Someone's working out the bugs on the TARDIS for Sims2.

It replaces both your car and your wardrobe. Annnd...a couple other things.

No. Not a chance in hell. No way.

*amused*

This mod cracks me up.

Someone's working out the bugs on the TARDIS for Sims2.

It replaces both your car and your wardrobe. Annnd...a couple other things.

No. Not a chance in hell. No way.