I think they need to eat more soap...Irish spring is tasty!

A good Article from Today's SL Tribune and Desert morning news......
I find it all interesting my boys tell me I would be shocked to hear the language at school even from small children. I find it hard to believe in a State that claims to be so very "Mormon" these kids swear like an old truck driver or( as Layne learned working for the county jail)lady correction officer have the worse mouths..... maybe it is the education system not actually teaching them appropriate language skills.
Now I get mad and swear now and again but damn and shit are mellow compared to the filth I hear from some children in our public schools. I think we have a generation of foul mouth disrespectful angry youth ...or maybe they watched too much deadwood and not enough Christmas Story.....
read and enjoy

By Melanie B. Glover
The Sacramento Bee
Published: Monday, February 25, 2008

Adolescents and preteens are swearing more publicly than ever -- especially at school, experts say.

It's conversational swearing -- in the hallways and in the classroom -- that is on the rise, says Timothy Jay, one of the leading scholars on cursing in the United States.

Teens are more likely to drop casual expletives, or "fillers," than the generation before them and have more trouble adjusting their conversation to fit their audience. That means adults -- especially strangers who cannot sanction the teens -- hear more of the same language that the teens' friends hear, says Jay, author of "Why We Curse" and "Cursing in America."

He estimates that the average adolescent uses roughly 80 to 90 swear words a day.

Advertisement
"Elementary school teachers report that children are using more offensive language at school than they have in the past," says Jay, who is compiling data for a study he will complete in the fall examining preteens and swearing. "They have been breaking the rules at school more frequently in the last 10 years."

Jay, a psychology professor at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, Mass., has been studying swearing trends since the 1970s. He points out that language values in the United States constantly change.

"Our language values are shifting, and it's just different, not better or worse," he says.

At R.W. Emerson Junior High in Davis, seventh-grader Kaley McGrew, 13, hears peers using cuss words as fillers when they can't think of another way to express themselves.

"Some people swear and they don't even think about what they are doing; they just say it," she says. "It's just become casual to them, but to some people who don't swear, it can be shocking."

Emerson counselor Michael Leahy says that for the most part the students at the school know when to turn off the loose language they use with their friends when talking to him.

"But in the hallways, the kids are in their own little worlds, and all sorts of language is flying every which way," he says. "I think that the lines between public and private language have become blurred for our kids."

Like Leahy, the Emily Post Institute's Cindy Post Senning, co- author of "Teen Manners: From Malls to Meals to Messaging and Beyond," recommends talking to adolescents about the public image they want to convey through language.

"Some people use swear words with friends and nobody is offended," says the etiquette expert. "The problem is that it becomes a habit and it can offend unintended listeners."

Post Senning suggests working on helping teens control their profanity rather than disciplining them for using it. And evidence supports her idea: In a 2006 study conducted by Jay, 94 percent of people who reported being punished for cussing continued to swear.

Cussing is a natural behavior learned from family members, according to Jay.

"It starts as soon as they learn how to talk," Jay says. "At a young age, they're attentive to emotions. When you're swearing to be funny or when you're angry that just draws them right to it."

Jay notes that the Internet, television and other media may be making adolescents more comfortable with swearing, but it is their parents' own language habits that are the biggest influence.

The solution, says Jay, is for parents to teach the etiquette of swearing.

"Kids should know about the power of language. Parents should remind them about how important words can be and when you should use them," agrees Leahy.P.M. Forni, author of "Choosing Civility: The 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct," sees the comfort teens have with cussing as a result of parents and teachers opting not to address the issue.

"Many parents have decided not to fight this battle, and one of the reasons is because they often swear themselves and hear it at the workplace," Forni says. "Parents should ban swearing in the household in the same way that they've banned smoking in the household."

The most recent Gallup Youth Survey addressing the issue of swearing was published in 2001 and found that 46 percent of surveyed teens ages 13 to 17 used profanity at least several times a week or daily, while 28 percent said they heard their parents cursing a few times a week or on a daily basis.

"One of the consequences of excessive swearing is the inability to articulate," Forni says. "The profanities are the fillers. They take the place of a more sophisticated way of speaking."

Sixteen-year-old Niels Pedersen says he started swearing when he was in the sixth grade.

"It was the whole angst-y junior high thing," he says, recalling that he didn't stop "awkwardly swearing" until he got into high school.

The last time Niels was shocked by a profanity was when he was in fifth grade. Now he estimates that roughly 80 percent of his friends swear occasionally in conversation, though he adds that he never uses words that are purely derogatory and obviously hurtful to others.

"I'm more surprised by the slang and free use of cuss words not necessarily used by Niels but by his friends," says Maria Pedersen, Niels' mom. "It takes a lot for Niels to get really upset, and he'll use the language to make his point."

And though the high school junior is still young, he already sees a difference between himself and those a few years younger.

"My friends' little brothers are already naturally swearing in the seventh grade, and it's weird," he said. "I wonder if I was that comfortable."

Alice In Wonderland

Nate was Amazing in his school play last night. He looked like he had a whole lot of fun. He was a cardsman and a crab boy. He sang loud and painted the roses red! way to go Nate! He is the nine of hearts and you can see his head next the Alice sign. He has three performance's total and he loves being on stage. He hopes someday to work for Disney maybe he can be in High School Musical 4!

Christian

This is Chris , can anybody tell me ..What is he thinking?? Arbys??
He hates it when we do this but the Arbys outfit just brings it on.
He is a good kid, he is very kind, smart and loving. He worries a lot about other people's feelings.
He is 16 going on 17.........I think I may sing.....

You wait, little boy, on an empty stage,
for fate to turn the light on.
Your life, little boy, is an empty page
that women will want to write on

to write on.........

You are sixteen going on seventeen
Baby, it's time to think
Better beware, be canny and careful
Baby, you're on the brink

You are sixteen going on seventeen
Ladies will fall in line
Eager young maids and roues and cads
Offer you food and wine

Totally unprepared are you to face a world of women
Timid and shy and scared are you
Of things beyond your ken

You'll need someone older and wiser
Telling you what to do,
I am fourty seven going on fourty eight
I'll take care of you!

I am sixteen going on seventeen
I know that I'm naive
Maidens I meet may tell me I'm sweet
And willingly I believe

I am sixteen going on seventeen
Innocent as a rose
Bachelor dandies, drinkers of brandies
What do I know of those?

Totally unprepared am I to face a world of women
Timid and shy and scared am I
Of things beyond my ken

I need someone older and wiser
Telling me what to do,
You are fourty seven going on fourty eight
I'll depend on you!

Science Fair

This weekend I helped my 12 year old Son work on his science fair project. We had a great time so I thought I would share a few photo's. I whined about having to spend my days off doing this. But all said and done I enjoyed myself. It is better than cleaning house. Of course the house is a mess because I have spent the last two weekends working on 6th grade assignment's. It is probably the last year I will get to spend time with him on such things, soon he will be too old to want Mom's help.

Memories

Look what I found, a Nancy Nurse doll.....I think I need one of these.......I'm sure it would cost more than I could afford. I did have a Julia doll a very long time ago.
What is Julia you ask???
Julia was a half-hour comedy premiering on NBC in September 1968, the first african american nurse on TV...I loved Julia as a small child ........ The show is about Julia Baker (Diahann Carroll), a young African-American woman working as a nurse. She is also a widow (her husband died in Vietnam) trying to raise a young son (Marc Copage) alone. Other members of the cast include Dr. Morton Chegley (Lloyd Nolan), Mrs. Waggedorn (Betty Beaird), and Earl Waggedorn (Michael Link). It was one of the best shows of the late 60s/early 70s and is a classic.

TEEN MYTHS ABOUT PARENTS

Being a Mother of a Teen has brought back many memories. Mostly as to why I hated high school and living in Utah.
#1 the discrimination against those of a different faith, #2 the games #3 the clicks. #4 The Utah Mormon attitudes and finally the unintelligent ones who only graduate because their parents did their homework.
I never had patients for girls who play the victim either.

I clearly remember thinking my parents were so uninformed and behind the times.
Once I left home at the young age of 17 and my neurons fully developed I knew I was wrong. I have a great family and great parents. I was able to see what other people did not have, I felt fortunate to come from where I did and to be loved.

Due to the recent Teen Drama at our house I thought this information from Dr Phil.com would be helpful

Teen Myths about Parents:

1. My folks don't want me to have any fun.
Parents would actually just prefer risk-free fun. If teens try to understand parents' viewpoint, they might find a way to have fun and keep their parents reassured.

2. My parents care only about what I do for them.
Parents just want their kids to understand that as they get older, they are expected to contribute more in the form of time, energy and ability to pick up day-old boxers off the bathroom floor.

3. My parents have no idea of what it is like to be a teenager.
Nobody forgets what it's like to be a teenager. The real problem is that parents might be clueless about their teens. If that's the case, it's up to teens to clue them in.

4. My parents control my life.
Maybe they control the car keys, the checking account or the charge cards. But minute by minute, hour by hour, teens make the decisions that guide their lives.

5. My parents don't want me to grow up.
Actually, parents would be thrilled to know that their teens are growing up and thriving on their own terms. But they'll also treat their teens according to how they act.

6. My parents will never change.
Parents will change as their teens change. They first want their teens to demonstrate that they are ready to take responsibility for their lives.

7. My parents never forget my screw-ups.
Teens screw up, and it will eventually be a dim memory for parents. But until that happens, teens need to show their parents that they learned a lesson.

8. My parents don't respect my opinions.
Parents may write off their teens' opinions if they're tossed out poorly. Teens: Try getting their attention with true insights, good points, and with the power of your words and thoughts.

9. My parents think they know everything.
When parents come across as all-knowing, it's usually a defense mechanism. Show respect for their wisdom, and they just might admit when their teens are right.

HOW DO YOU GET WATER OUT OF YOUR EAR??

FIRST IF YOU HAVE EAR PAIN, HEARING LOSS OR FEVER CONSULT YOUR MD!
(THIS IS MY DISCLAIMER ALWAYS GO TO THE DOCTOR IF YOU ARE SICK)

Of course the easiest way to remove water is to shake your head to the side with the water if that fails then take 1-2 drops of isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and put them into the ear canal, this works wonders especially after a good swim.

NOW IF IT IS AN EAR WAX PROBLEM...THAT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING AND SOMETIMES THE WATER GETS STUCK BEHIND THAT WAX
If you have a build-up of ear wax that doesn't go away on its own, you may need to use ear drops or you may need to have your ears syringed. These simple treatments are usually painless.


Ear syringing usually helps to get rid of the ear wax, but it can have side effects. For example, it can cause infections in the outer part of your ear. Or the water squirted into your ear can damage your eardrum. But these problems are rare.
Ear drops that contain wax softeners are often used to break up the ear wax.
Your doctor may ask you to use a wax softener for a few days before your ears are syringed. But there hasn't been any good research to show that wax softeners help.

Dr. Mario Capecchi

I have had the most incredible day. I was able to actually sit and asked questions with Dr Mario Capecchi , a Nobel prize winning research scientist. WOW! It was an enlightening lecture on Stem cell research and his research with mice. He is not only a very intelligent man but he has a great sense of humor and can actually talk to an audience of nurses who still remember when they were just discovering the double helix. We are so fortunate to have this man right at the University of Utah. Now if we can get our country to get over the stem cell scares and let us do human stem cell research, I think we could cure so many diseases and we could do it right here in the pretty great state of Utah. Thanks to Mario! Today I have experienced greatness....WOW
http://capecchi.genetics.utah.edu/

Winter blahs

I have had enough snow. I'm so tired of waking every Monday to a blizzard.
It has snowed every other day for 6 weeks. I thought I lived in an Arid state?
Why oh Why can it not go away??
Please Sun give us some Shine..melt my frozen mind and give us some green!
At this rate it will be June before the piles melt......I need to move to Arizona!

Today was a horror I slid three times just taking Nate to the orthodontist, I'm not sure the straight teeth are worth that kind of torture. ...