Chalk one up for good parenting.

Yesterday was my daughter's 3 year check up and, apparently, I have a budding genius on my hands. Ok, so genius is a strong term, but you catch my drift.

It seems that the fact that she can write an M, an O, and an A is an indication that she is advanced for her age. Good to know, because I was afraid she was actually a little behind. And the fact that she can do 25-piece puzzles with very little thought is ALSO an indication that she is advanced. We won't worry ourselves with the fact that it takes me longer to do a 25-piece puzzle than it takes her. But, I digress.

There were a few humorous moments in the doctor's office, though. Like when the doctor asked her if she could count to five and all my daughter says is "yes." I waited a couple of seconds and then told her that the doctor actually wanted to hear her count.

The highlight for me was the mother/daughter duet on the A-B-C song, 'cause you know she wouldn't sing by herself. Adds new meaning to the line, "Next time won't you sing with me." All together now.......................

It was also very interesting to see the doctor ask her to stand on one foot, to which my daughter replied, "Like a ballerina?" Yes, honey, just like a ballerina. Yeah, yeah......standing on one foot, then the other. Then, without further provocation, my daughter stars twirling with her arms above her head. Well, I suppose if she's going to sustain a head injury, the doctor's office is the best place to do it. Lucky for all, she stayed on her feet and we were able to progress to the discussion about day care/pre-school.

"What do you like to play with at daycare?"
"Lauren."

I tried to hide my smile at her literal answer. I explained that she meant what toys did she like to play with, and with much prodding we learned that she likes to cook dinner for her babies. Well, if there were any doubts about her girliness, they are all gone at this point. Cooking dinner and having babies? Whose kid is this anyway?

In the end, I found it more validating than I expected to learn that my child is bright and healthy. Since she is my one and only child, I don't have many kids against which to compare her. So to have a trained professional tell me that she is polite and well-mannered, as well as advanced for her age, was quite a relief and a shot of pride.

To celebrate, I treated her to a strawberry milkshake. Today it's back to the brain-food diet, 'cause we gotta get you into Harvard ya know.

I have been commissioned to write a piece on American Idol. Despite deep thought and concentration, I wasn't coming up with anything remotely intelligent to say about A.I. (which, I have been told, is what "insiders" call it). So, I sent an email poll:
1) who do you think did the worst last night?
2) who do you think did the best last night?

Bad.

That many competitors times two questions times six people's opinons = none of the same answers.

So what it really boils down to is: I don't know who to support. I like Katharine McPhee, but should the winner be someone who has been the recepient of so much vocal training? Should it be someone with raw and, as yet, untapped talent? I mean, at some point you draw the line, don't you? For Pete's sake, we're not letting Whitney compete.

Ok, I know the "line" is drawn somewhere around people who are 30 years of age and who don't already have a signed deal with a record label. But what do people think about when they're choosing someone to support?

Here are some things I considered:
1) Do they have potential? What is their "diamond-in-the-rough" factor?
2) Are they improving as the show goes on?
3) Are they humble? Are they teachable?
4) Are they cute? (Ok, that's an extra bonus)
5) Do they sound like other singers on Top-40 radio?

And here is my "ahah" moment. Who stands out? Who doesn't sound like someone who is already on the radio? And does America really want someone who doesn't sound like someone who isn't already on the radio? (I think that makes sense)

So, that's my dilemma. Is American Idol really about discovering new talent or just a way of ensuring we will continue to have people who sound like the people we have now? Hmmmm.....finger tapping, finger tapping, finger tapping.

I'll get back to ya on this one.

Ok, so there was this discussion on the radio this morning about Grant Hill coming back to play for the Pistons. Apparently he is “ring shopping” and is interested in finding the team with the best chance at winning a championship. But the question seems to be one of whether or not Detroit wants him back as opposed to whether or not he wants to come back.

Now, not being a native Michigander, much less a native Detroit …uh…person, I personally don’t care. I think in the long run my husband doesn’t really care either, but he feels the need to start this debate with me nonetheless.

“Do you think it’s right to do that,” he says.

“Do what?” I ask.

“Shop around for a championship team.”

I rolled my eyes in that way that let him know that I was entirely too tired and not nearly caffeinated enough to start that debate. But, after I had my morning jolt, I gave it some thought.

Yeah, I think it’s kind of slimy. Rotten, as a matter of fact.

Basketball is a team sport with a team reward. Is there room for individual excellence and performance? Sure, after all a team is made up individuals. But a team isn’t really a team when they all have personal agendas.

Say you’re on the Pistons, and you’ve worked your behind off the past few years to help them get to the championship. You’re already a good team that is perfectly capable of winning, as has been demonstrated. So, some old guy wants to join your team just because it looks like you guys are going to win again next year. Oh, and he wants actual playing time, too.

Would you jump up off the bench and say, “Here, here……take my spot!! You deserve a ring just because you’ve played a long time and had a good career”?

I don’t think so. At least I wouldn’t. Doesn’t that sort of defeat the whole purpose of competition - being able to switch to a winning team just because you’re about to retire? Does a championship really mean anything if you didn’t labor and sweat and pour your life into the development of the team? Somewhere, deep down in your heart, don’t you know it’s the same as stacking the deck?

I mean, I’m nobody’s judge. That’s just how I thought I would feel about it.

So I got a phone call the other night and it was my friend. I saw her name pop up on the screen of my cell phone and so I answered the phone by saying something to the effect of "What's up, So&So." And because she also has grown up in the technology age, she did not find it strange or out of the ordinary that I would answer the phone by saying her name. I am the same way; it is not a surprise to me when my dad answers the phone by saying, "My Baby....it's good to hear you voice." (Sidenote: I'm the only girl so although I am quickly approaching 30, I am still my Daddy's baby)

But back to the phone call. So I started thinking about how all of the innovations in the telecommunications industry have really changed how we communicate; it's taken all the surprise out of phone calls. I mean, there's no more of this: "Hmmm....it's 6:32 pm and I'm in the middle of dinner. It better not be one of those $@*& telemarketers. They always call during dinner. Doesn't anyone have any respect anymore?" Ok, so maybe that's not a bad thing. But what about the surprise of hearing someone's voice and the excitement (or other emotions) that go along with that? I mean, caller ID has taken all of the fun out of the telephone guessing game.

Well, maybe not altogether. I guess you could argue that seeing someone's name pop up on the Caller ID is also exciting, but I don't really think it's the same thing. Think about it - when you get a call from a number you don't know, your curiosity is piqued. You may not always answer it, but you do keep picking the phone back up and looking at it to see if they left a message. And if they don't, you wonder about it - who was calling me and what do they want? And some of you are even tempted to call the number back and say, "Hi, your number was on my caller ID...." even though you know this is a total stalker-type thing to do.

As enthralled as I am with my little gadgets, having all of these choices can ruin the little surprises that you used to encounter every day. Instead of listening to the radio to see what comes up next, I can create a playlist of my favorite songs and upload it to my iPod mini and listen to the songs I want to instead of what's being played without my intervention. And what about doo-dads like DVRs? We are no longer subjected to the scheduling whims of the networks; we can record our favorite shows and watch (without commercials, even!!) them on whatever night we want to watch them. Don't like Law & Order on Wednesdays at 10? TIVO it and you can watch it in half the time (remember, we skipped the commercials) at 6:32 while you're eating dinner. And if the phone rings in the middle of the show, you can look at your caller ID and decide whether or not to answer it.

&*%$ telemarketers.

Ok, so all of the religious talk has not died down over on the debate board of the website I frequent. I won't air all of the family's dirty laundry, but like any large group of people there are a number of differing opinions that are coming up. And the discussions are starting to get p.r.e.t.t.y heated.

The latest one is about whether or not Jews are going to hell. And the best part is that there's a poll where you vote "Do you think Jews are going to hell?" etc, etc, etc. I started to check the box that says, "Well, I'm not sure about ALL the Jews, maybe just the ones I don't like" and then I realized that I don't know any Jewish people that I don't like.

Alright, so that wasn't really one of the choices, but you catch my exaggerated and sarcastic drift, right?

So, here's the only thing I can figure: these people want to debate for the sheer enjoyment of getting other people riled up. Only..........see, I don't think it's all that funny to do it when it comes to someone's religion or heritage. There are few things in this world that are sacred anymore, and I just don't understand why people can't leave this one alone.

Religion is guaranteed to get people heated up; I guess that's why they say you shouldn't discuss sex, religion and politics at work. I second that motion!

What about my religious beliefs, you say? Well, I'm a Christian.
And if you're a Christian, aren't you supposed to spread the "Good News" to the world? Yep, that what's Jesus said.
And if you are a Christian, aren't you supposed to defend your faith? Well, I think that's a little harder to answer because it depends upon against whom I am defending my faith.

Here's how I see it (notice the use of the first person objective pronoun, so this is strictly OPINION): The basic premise of Christianity is that you believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins and, as such, you have the possibility of being saved from your innate sinful nature. Just a couple of things Christ really pointed out:
- there's that whole business of loving the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, body.
- and then there's - ahem - the loving-your-neighbor-as-yourself part.

I think that's the tricky part, the part that most people forget or can't seem to formulate into their daily routines. I know I'm guilty of it..........but we'll leave that for another post as well.

So, bringing it all back around to the question of whether or not Jews go to hell, well................that's not a question that I am responsible for answering. I realize that there are major differences between what I believe and what they believe, but why would God put me in charge of deciding who goes where when the big-gig here on earth is done. Sheesh - I don't even WANT that responsibility.

But here's the kicker - so many Christians are so concerned about figuring out who is right and who is wrong that they forget the neighbor loving. And don't think that only applies to the Jews. No way, man - that goes for the Muslims and the Hindus and the Buddhists and all of the other belief systems I have not named.

So what about the Great Commission? Well, it doesn't mean I'm not going to tell people what I believe..............it just means I'm not going to start needless polls on a website to figure out where they're going because they don't agree with me.

And that's all I have to say about that.

There was a topic raised on this website that I frequent........the debate of whether or not the Bible is the inerrant word of God.

This is a tough issue for Christians and non-Christians alike, and one that I have struggled with myself. Truly I think that it is a question that all Christians must ask themselves in the course of their discovery of God and the development of their faith.

For me, this boils down to a matter of faith. For a long time I couldn't reconcile how someone could say that the word of God was not all true from beginning to end; to say there were mistakes was tantamount to handing in your I'm-a-Christian card and joining ranks with the agnostics. After all, how do you pick which parts to believe and not to believe?

But here's the thing I realized: it actually requires more faith to believe in God in spite of the fact that there may be mistakes or discrepencies in the Bible. I haven't made some great study of this, and I don't have any sources to cite one way or the other. Every person is responsible for their own beliefs; I cannot convince anyone to change. But I have grappled with the question and have come to my own conclusion that, either way, I believe in Him.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:30 am EST
2. Diamonds or pearls? diamonds are a girl's best friend!
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Syriana
4. What's your favorite TV show? The Office
5. What did you have for breakfast this morning? a cup of coffee with hazelnut creamer
6. What's your favorite cuisine? Mexican or Italian
7. What foods do you dislike? eggs, eggplant, & licorice
8. What is your favorite chip flavor? BBQ Fritos
9. What's your favorite CD at the moment? Mmmm.....new Andrea Boccelli release
10. What kind of car do you drive? 1999 Honda Accord
11. Favorite sandwich? Chicken Salad from Jenkins in Cleveland,TN
12. What characteristics do you despise? manipulative
13. What is your favorite type of clothing? pajamas, but when I have to get dressed it's comfy jeans and sweaters
14. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would you go? Prague, Czech Republic
15. What color is your bathroom? Khaki
16. Favorite brand of clothing? Whatever is on sale,but consistently New York & Co.
17. Where would you retire to? It's "To where would you retire?" but that's another story. I'd go back to TN.
18. Favorite time of the day? about 8:00 PM when I get to sit down and not think
19. What was your most memorable birthday? Let's not go here.........
20. Where were you born? Decatur, IL
21. Favorite sport to watch? Live or on TV? Live - hockey; TV - baseball
22. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? N/A
23. Person you expect to send it back first? N/A
24. What laundry detergent do you use? Tide w/ Febreze (smells oh so good)
25. Were you named after anyone? Supposedly, but I've never met her.
26. Do you wish on stars? No........
27. When did you last cry? A few days ago thinking of my grandmother
28. Do you like your handwriting? yes, I pride myself on my handwriting
29. If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you? Naturally
30. Are you a daredevil? No
31. Do looks matter? I'm starting to disregard looks more and more, but on the whole, yes.
32. How do you release anger? Oh, sometimes I scream and occasionally there are flying objects involved.
33. Where is your second home? My in-laws' house; we're there constantly
34. What were your favorite toys as a child? Crayons, paints and the like
35. What class in high school was totally useless? Home Ec, a point to which my husband would readily agree.
36. Favorite movies? An Affair to Remember, March of the Penguins (does that count? I'm such a dork)
37. Favorite restaurant? Just one? Currently, The Claddagh in Livonia (Irish Pub)
38. What are your nicknames? I'm only revealing the ones that are acceptable for general use: Tiff, Nomar (long story)
39. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Nope
40. Do you think that you are strong? Well, if you'd seen me trying to do pullups last night, you'd say no.
41. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Mint Chocolate Chip
42. What are your favorite colors? Red & Black (not together, though)
43. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? That I don't stand up for myself enough
44. Who do you miss the most? my family, immediate and extended
45. Do you want everyone you sent this to, to send it back? N/A
46. What color pants are you wearing? Slate
47. What are you listening to right now? Nina Simone on my iPod
48. Last thing you ate? a few bites of Chex Mix and a strawberry smoothie
49. If you were a CRAYON what color would you be? today? a lemony yellow color; today, I'd be oh-so-tired-it's-Thursday blue
50. Last person you talked to on the phone? My grandparents in TX
52. Favorite Drink? sweet tea & Dr. Pepper (not together)
53. Do you wear contacts? yes, unfortunately
54. Favorite Day of the Year? June 20th, first day of summer
55. Scary movies or happy endings? Happy endings
56. Summer or winter? Summer, without a doubt!!!
57. Hugs OR Kisses? From whom? This might make a difference, ya know.
58. What is Your Favorite Dessert? warm brownie w/ mint choc. chip ice cream and chocolate syrup
59. What Book(s)are you Reading? Madame Bovary and The Canterbury Tales (for class)
60. What is on your mouse pad? My mouse (I couldn't have put it any better myself, K)
61. What Did You Watch Last night on T.V.? The Sopranos (we're watching the seasons on DVD)