The Secret Life of Bees

A new movie came out on Friday called The Secret Life of Bees. It's based on the book. It is about a girl in the 1960's who is looking for answers about her mother. It takes place in the south shortly after the Civil Rights law was signed ( July 1964 ) abolishing "separate but equal" in the United States.
I really "feel" this story. Maybe because I love the era. Maybe because I know if I had been alive then I would have fought for every person's freedom. Maybe because I am a woman. Maybe because I am drawn to the south and it's simple way of life. I don't know.
I do know that it makes me think.
I feel like I was born at the wrong time. That my life was mistaken for someone elses. I hate being part of a generation that is named for it's nothingness. I am known as simply "X". I have nothing to fight for. Nothing to change. Nothing to gain.
I want to be marching for everyone's right to vote. I want to fight for a person's right to sit where ever they want on the bus (front or back), I want to warn people of the senselessness of war.
I loved the message. I loved the music. I loved the clothing. I loved seance of awereness people had.
They fought to go to school. They fought to vote. They fought to be seen as equal. They could appreciate what it meant.
In Australia voting is not a choice. It's the law. You vote. No questions asked. And as much as I wish it were compulsory here, I am so happy it's not. Forcing anyone to do anything (even if it is a very good thing) is so wrong.
I wish that every person in my generation could see that voting is not a hassle, it is an honor. The fact that we can or can not is a gift. I feel like we take our freedom for granted. I have always felt that peace is better, but war makes us realize what we have and how precious it is. I guarantee you that if the right to vote were taken from us (or there were even a mention of it) people would be up in arms to protect that freedom, yet we do nothing with that freedom.
The day I turned eighteen I registered to vote. It was nowhere near any kind of election, but I had looked forward to that day for years! Even then I knew it was a privilege to be able to vote. Even after I move to Australia, for what will be the rest of my life, I plan on keeping my citizenship as well as voting from abroad.
I only wish that we were born with the longing to embrace our freedom and make the most of what is given to us. I plan on teaching Korban ( and other children if I am so blessed ) how blessed they are to have half of their heritage rooted in a democratic society and the men and women who gave most or all to preserve that privilege.
I do not know why I feel such a deep seance of gratitude for where I came from and for those who have made it that way. I can't remember being taught to be that way. I know for a fact that I am a minority in my feelings for my age group.
I just know that I love love love America, with all if it's major imperfections, and I thank thank thank every person who has stood and fallen fro me when I could not to bless my life with this beautiful country.
I encourage and plead with you to all go vote. I think actively using our freedom is the best way to honor those who can not due to circumstance, choice, or death.

"Land of the pilgrim's pride. Land where our father's died. From every mountain top, let freedom ring . . ."

Little Repiblican

Korban is very interested in this whole presidential election. He keeps making me explain the election process and what a gov vs a senator is ( I am guessing since those running (pres & VP) are either or ), what a "vote" is, how old you have to be to vote, why we don't have a king and queen any more, why other countries still do, why you get to be king just by being born and not picked etc . . .
Well during all of this election talk he has been very interested also in who is currently running for president. I try to stay neutral during the process but Korban seems to very much favor McCain. I am still trying to figure out why. I mean he doesn't know anything about Dem vs. Rep or what each wants. About a week and a half ago he starts telling me he likes McCain. He tells me he would vote for McCain. He likes McCain's white hair. That his hair is not poofy white hair. Obama looks nice, but he just really likes McCain.
It makes me laugh! I'm thinking maybe McCain looks like a "grandpa" type person so Korban can identify with him in a positive way. I really have NO IDEA! I ask him why he likes him but he just keeps telling me, "I just like him Mom! McCain, McCain, McCain! I like to say his name too!"
I feel like I should go register him with the Really Young Republicans Party and buy him a business suit and prepay for his MBA. He is all ready very excited to vote and sad he can't at five! Oh goodness!

Yours, K.

Today

Nothing much today! Another boring day. I wish everyday could be so boring. I like just chilling at home, nothing major happening. Only one thing could make it better. To have the WHOLE family home to chill with.

yours, K.

Sigh!

Not very happy today. Korban has been having quite naughty behavior lately. he was getting SOOOOOOOO good and now all of a sudden he just burned and crashed! I really hate being a single parent and my heart goes out to ALL single parents in the world tonight!

Yours, K.

I Really Do Love Fall!

I know I all ready wrote how much I love fall but the more of fall I get the more I am reminded of why I love it! I think as long as I live fall will always be my fav time of year.
Since the fall weather has begun I leave the sliding glass door open every night because I can't get enough of that crisp clean air! It is just cold enough to wear a sweater comfortably or pull the covers just a bit tighter. It smells so wonderful.
I can smell hay rides, corn stalks, children playing, leaves falling, laughter, cider, turkey, pie, family, hazelnut cocoa, and the beginning of fun!
I just have so many wonderful memories of fall. I am going to miss "real fall" once I move to a place where there are just subtle changes in seasons. I know soon I will climatize myself to the environment and the fall I love will fade from my memory. Just a small hint. I will try my best to hold on, but I know, like sand, it will slowly slip through my fingers until all that is left are a few grains that have managed to stick. Eventually they too will be brushed away.
While I feel like leaving here and starting a new life it can't happen soon enough, lately, I am also starting to get very emotional about leaving and also very scared.
It will be okay for Korban. He's young and he will adapt well I know, but I am old and I have had very little happiness in that time, but what I have had has taken place here in Utah. Times shared with dear friends. Some good childhood memories. Falling in love. Going to college. Having Korban come in the world. Being a part of a real family with the Robbins. Being endowed. Praying alone or with others. Feeling so close to God. Buying gifts for friends. Going to movies. Just driving. Staying up all night talking. So many things I will never have again. Never drive past a spot and remember. All that I have, all that I am, will be left behind. I kind of understand how the pioneers must have felt. Leaving their homes in search of a dream of happiness. Having perfect faith in God that He will give them something so much better then they have ever known and that alone will make leaving everything behind worth it. I hope I'm right.

Your, K.

Fall Is Fav

I thought it would be fun to have a Halloweeny layout for the month! I LOVE Halloween! I have to say it is my fav holiday! I love fall the best of all the seasons. I was born in the fall. Fell in love in the fall. I love the way the leaves crunch under my feet. I love wearing layers. I love seeing mother nature adorn her most colorful dress. I love drinking cocoa. I love pumpkin pie! I love that it's a time you get together with extended family. I just really love fall! I hope all of you have a very wonderful fall season!

Yours, K.

Women Beware The Ducking Chair!

As many of you may know I am a wealth of completely useless knowledge! I have more to add to the vault! I LOVE the Discovery Channel(s)! A smorgasbord of useless knowledge! So tonight I watch a fun one about torture! Wow, people in the early times really loved to make people behave or suffer! They covered quite a few I have never even heard of and now wish I still hadn't! They also covered the well known methods, ie, Iron Maiden, The Rack, Guillotine, Pendulum (which they proved is something that was probably never used due to the fact that as soon as it hit dense flesh or bone it would loose all momentum and become stuck!). one that I have never heard of but was commonly used until the 1900s (yes the 1900s!)was a punishment called The Ducking (Dunking) Chair!
The Ducking chair was set up in most towns (there was a point in the early American colonies when it was law to HAVE one in town) near a natural or man made body of water. It was easily made using a see saw like structure with a "chair" on one end and a rope on the other. Because of the advantages of a pulley, a single person could easily "punish" someone for hours without ever tiring. Very good design.
This punishment, however, was reserved for women. For wives who dared talk back or hen peck their husbands. Also women who may gossip too much.
The naughty wife/woman would be strapped into the chair in front of the whole town and be repeatedly dunked into freezing cold water (yes the water that everyone threw their bodily waste into, the water the animals bathed in, the water where carcasses were cleaned, and so on and so forth)over their heads for the duration of the whole day!
Needless to say lots of husbands no longer had to worry about their wives because they would be widowers by the end of the day due to hypothermia, shock, drowning, or a combination of the three. It's safe to say that God was wise in choosing to have me be born now and not then because I can be a bit sassy!
I have included a drawing of a typical Ducking Chair and a narrative poem of the time about it! And on this note I leave you!


"There stands, my friend, in yonder pool
An engine called the ducking-stool;
By legal power commanded down
The joy and terror of the town.
If jarring females kindle strife,
Give language foul, or lug the coif,
If noisy dames should o­nce begin
To drive the house with horrid din,
Away, you cry, you'll grace the stool;
We'll teach you how your tongue to rule.
The fair offender fills the seat
In sullen pomp, profoundly great;
Down in the deep the stool descends,
But here, at first, we miss our ends;
She mounts again and rages more
Than ever vixen did before.
So, throwing water o­n the fire
Will make it but burn up the higher.
If so, my friend, pray let her take
A second turn into the lake,
And, rather than your patience lose,
Thrice and again repeat the dose.
No brawling wives, no furious wenches,
No fire so hot but water quenches."

Yours, K.

Lack Of Motivation

Wow! I have been a bad blogger lately. Not a ton to report just more of the same. As the title suggests I have lost all motivation. I am in a slump. As Dr. Seuss would say I am in the waiting place, the place where you wait for things to begin. I feel like I am waiting for my life to begin and waiting is NO FUN. I know it will be worth it in the end, but for now, not so great. Also I guess no news is good news, so in that sense we are good. While nothing good is going on, nothing bad has either (knock on wood). Anyway, hopefully things for all of you are wonderful. :)

Yours, K.