This must just be my week to be pissed off and irritated....

If I catch anybody sending around this poem, I'm going to have to rant. You don't want that.

Honestly, I don't know what was going through this person's head as she wrote this poem. I can only hope it was better before it got edited by being spread. Right now the rhyme and meter are both off, and the whole thing seems... trite.

It seems like the sort of thing written by somebody with no experience of child abuse, not even second or third hand experience. Somebody who just thinks child abuse is wrong and should be stopped.

Well, everybody thinks child abuse is wrong and should be stopped. I bet abusers even think that, whether or not they realize they're being abusive. That's one of those statements you can't help but agree with. Truth, justice, freedom, and child-abuse-should-be-stopped. Child abuse, much like Carthage, delenda est. You can just tack that line anywhere, and everybody will nod sagely. What else would they do?

Here's the thing. Passing on a stupid chain letter will *not* end child abuse. It won't help abused children get help, and it won't help abusers stop. It'll make you feel good, if you're that sort of person, but then you'll go along in your life and never think of it again, because you're the sort of person who passes along chain letters, and that's about as much as you think about this issue or that one. Great help.

Please forward this letter if you are AGAINST CHILD ABUSE. And if you're not, you're a horrible heartless person. Oh, and pray a lot. Because prayer has been proven to be effective in 87% of all child abuse cases. 25% of cases improved with a placebo. Side effects of prayer may include....

And while you're sitting there praying, some of the rest of us might be doing something. I don't know what, but I'm sure I can find something.

Of course, what really pisses me off isn't the standard stupid spiel you always find in chain letters, it's the poem. What on earth possesses people to take serious issues and type them up so badly as to make them laughable? When talking about Hitler, we don't have to preface all statements with "He was a very, very bad man". When we discuss genocide, we don't have to start out "Now, kids, this isn't very nice. Don't try this at home!" When talking about child abuse, we cheapen our argument by starting out with a sappy poem. It makes the entire issue into a joke.

And that's just not right.

And I've rambled, and I'm sorry, but I *hate* this sort of stupid thing. Anybody I catch passing around stupid chain letters is going to have some serious explaining to do, you can be *quite* sure.

So, as you may or may not know, I'm taking a quilting class.

It's good. We're doing a Little Giant one (middle, last row). Just one big block with a border around it, about 45 inches, I believe. "Crib size".

Only problem is that it's held just on the edge of Richmond Town, late at night. And the cars there are insane. The bus driver today not only let me off before my bus stop, but took the time to implore me to be extra careful crossing the street. I'd already figured that one out myself, thanks, but I took the advice in the spirit it was given. There aren't even any sidewalks there, and not enough streetlights. It's actually rather pleasant if you ignore the fact that you could slip and fall into the raging traffic at any second.

Today we (the beginners, not the experts who know what they're doing) traced our shapes onto cloth. This is a lot harder than I realized. I'd spent perfectly good money on a nifty device to tell me how big a quarter inch is, then realized that I can get my measures just as well by holding two fingers together. That's a bit more than half an inch, or a quarter inch around each bit of cloth.

I also spent perfectly good money on lefty scissors. Well, I can cut things instead of just bending cloth (or presumbably paper), but I've no idea how to use them! I'm so used to bending my hand all around that it seems strange *not* to. I'm tempted to slip Jenn the lefty scissors and see how well she fares. Because I'm evil that way. I suspect, though, that once I get used to the, the lefty scissors will be something I can't live without.

I think... I think I may actually get a serviceable and pretty quilt out of this. I hope so, anyway.... Pictures will come in due time.

OH! AND JENN! SCAN IN THE MOST RECENT ANAPICS!

The mei-tai came yesterday! I got to use it today!

It came *fast* - Jenn only got around to ordering it last week, and we had it custom-made, with pretty fabric, and a "toy ring", and a pocket. And embroidery saying "aunt", but it's really small, so kinda useless. I should just get one of those "Hello, my name is" stickers or something.( Read more... )

Next up, I want a podegi. I still hate strollers, and I think being able to have an extra sling will come in handy - one can be used while the other's in the wash, or I can hoist up the toddler while she's sleeping or having a tantrum, carry her that way. Not that I *want* to lug that kid around *and* her sister, but I'm actually strong enough to do it, and it'd be easier sometimes than the alternatives.

So, Ana's speech progresses apace.

Remember a while back I told you that she has trouble with her ls? That sometimes they come out as ys, and sometimes as ws? Well, now you can add "d" to that list, as in "Sildy, Piddow, and Yeddow". Not every l-in-that-place comes out as a D, just some of them. Always, of course, for the same words (unless she tries really hard, in which case they come out mostly right).

Slings I want...

( Largely for Jenn and my own future reference, unless somebody either has hit a small windfall or would like to stitch one of these thingies up for me. )

Edit: Oh, Jenn, the class is $130. And I still have yet to take my CPR, must schedule that....