Rebecca Talley's Blog, page 23
June 17, 2011
Down Syndrome and Mistreatment
A girl with Down syndrome was denied an airline ticket on British Airways simply because she has Down syndrome. This 12-year-old young woman attends a mainstream school, reads on grade level, and has traveled with her church group. But when her mother called to purchase a ticket from British Airways she was told her daughter could not travel.
Here's the link to the article http://tinyurl.com/69vbff7.
Of course, this article bothers me. It goes to show that as a people we aren't as advanced as we think we are when it comes to treatment of people with disabilities. Apparently, plenty of ignorance still abounds when it comes to Down syndrome.
Admittedly, there are those with DS who could not travel alone, but there are also people without DS who should not travel alone. Just because someone has DS doesn't necessarily mean they can't do something and to automatically assume so is wrong and cruel.
Julie Bellon reviewed my book on her blog. The review was awesome, but the story she shared about the young man with DS was absolutely wonderful. It gave me tears. If you want to read an inspiring blog post about DS read this one.
I think what bothers me the most about my son having DS is the way people, like this British Airways employee, will treat him. He's already been called "retarded" by a neighbor. My son has a speech delay and we're still working on potty-training, but he's a human being with feelings. He didn't ask to have an extra chromosome He just wants to live his life. He may have other challenges down the road, but that doesn't make him less of a person.
I'd love to meet someone, anyone, who doesn't have at least one challenge in life. We all do. It's part of being human. Yet, because people with DS have challenges that are more visible some feel it acceptable to mistreat them for it.
I guess the real question is: why do we ever feel it acceptable to mistreat anyone?
Here's the link to the article http://tinyurl.com/69vbff7.
Of course, this article bothers me. It goes to show that as a people we aren't as advanced as we think we are when it comes to treatment of people with disabilities. Apparently, plenty of ignorance still abounds when it comes to Down syndrome.
Admittedly, there are those with DS who could not travel alone, but there are also people without DS who should not travel alone. Just because someone has DS doesn't necessarily mean they can't do something and to automatically assume so is wrong and cruel.
Julie Bellon reviewed my book on her blog. The review was awesome, but the story she shared about the young man with DS was absolutely wonderful. It gave me tears. If you want to read an inspiring blog post about DS read this one.
I think what bothers me the most about my son having DS is the way people, like this British Airways employee, will treat him. He's already been called "retarded" by a neighbor. My son has a speech delay and we're still working on potty-training, but he's a human being with feelings. He didn't ask to have an extra chromosome He just wants to live his life. He may have other challenges down the road, but that doesn't make him less of a person.
I'd love to meet someone, anyone, who doesn't have at least one challenge in life. We all do. It's part of being human. Yet, because people with DS have challenges that are more visible some feel it acceptable to mistreat them for it.
I guess the real question is: why do we ever feel it acceptable to mistreat anyone?
June 11, 2011
Bike Riding, Book Writing, and Eternal Life
My husband will be accompanying all the priests in our stake on a mountain biking/camping trip in Moab, UT in a few weeks. We've been trying to go for a bike ride regularly to help him get ready for this trip.
We ride our bikes for 5 miles on the country roads near our home. The ride includes some small hills that seem much larger on a bike than in a car :). It's nice to be out in the warm weather away from the computer, phone, and TV and just enjoy the beautiful scenery as we bike around this loop.
I've found while riding my bike that if I look ahead and see the upcoming hill I get overwhelmed and think I can't do it. I feel discouraged and wonder why I ever started on the ride in the first place. I've discovered that if I keep looking just ahead of me, I mount the hills without any problems. It's kinda like the "one foot in front of the other" idea. If I only think about the immediate road ahead of me and see it in small chunks I feel much more capable of finishing my bike ride.
It's the same way with writing a book. I've published three novels and yet, sometimes, I wonder how I will ever write another book. How will I ever finish it? The task is too daunting. I'll never make it to the end. When I look at the entire project, or the entire bike ride, it overwhelms me and I feel discouraged. But, if I take writing a book bit by bit, chunk by chunk, before I know it, I'm finished. And, as with concluding the bike ride, I can look back on what I've accomplished and feel good about it.
And to take this even further, it is the same with life and trying to reach the goal of eternal life. If I look at the whole thing, all the things I must learn and accomplish, all the faults I must fix, all the flaws I must overcome, it is overwhelming and I wonder if I'll ever make it to the celestial kingdom. Yet, taking it in small pieces, focusing on overcoming one fault at a time, I can accomplish my goal. I can look back and see how far I've come and feel good about it and that propels me onward. Eternal life isn't meant to come in one step. It is a series of baby steps throughout life just as writing a book or riding 5 miles on a bike is a series of small chunks that are doable one at a time.
We ride our bikes for 5 miles on the country roads near our home. The ride includes some small hills that seem much larger on a bike than in a car :). It's nice to be out in the warm weather away from the computer, phone, and TV and just enjoy the beautiful scenery as we bike around this loop.
I've found while riding my bike that if I look ahead and see the upcoming hill I get overwhelmed and think I can't do it. I feel discouraged and wonder why I ever started on the ride in the first place. I've discovered that if I keep looking just ahead of me, I mount the hills without any problems. It's kinda like the "one foot in front of the other" idea. If I only think about the immediate road ahead of me and see it in small chunks I feel much more capable of finishing my bike ride.
It's the same way with writing a book. I've published three novels and yet, sometimes, I wonder how I will ever write another book. How will I ever finish it? The task is too daunting. I'll never make it to the end. When I look at the entire project, or the entire bike ride, it overwhelms me and I feel discouraged. But, if I take writing a book bit by bit, chunk by chunk, before I know it, I'm finished. And, as with concluding the bike ride, I can look back on what I've accomplished and feel good about it.
And to take this even further, it is the same with life and trying to reach the goal of eternal life. If I look at the whole thing, all the things I must learn and accomplish, all the faults I must fix, all the flaws I must overcome, it is overwhelming and I wonder if I'll ever make it to the celestial kingdom. Yet, taking it in small pieces, focusing on overcoming one fault at a time, I can accomplish my goal. I can look back and see how far I've come and feel good about it and that propels me onward. Eternal life isn't meant to come in one step. It is a series of baby steps throughout life just as writing a book or riding 5 miles on a bike is a series of small chunks that are doable one at a time.
June 8, 2011
Mitt Romney? No, thanks.
The other night the phone rang and my husband answered it on the speaker phone (because our handsets are always missing). It was a political call. (I sure wish I could be on a "Do Not Call" registry for political calls because they are so annoying). The man on the phone wanted to know if we'd like to donate $75 to Mitt Romney's campaign. My husband politely said no and the caller insisted we donate something else. My husband still said no. The caller wanted to know why we wouldn't donate. My husband replied that we don't support Romney. The caller went on to argue with my husband insisting that Romney is the only candidate.
Really? What did he hope to gain? Did he think we'd change our minds if he got all argumentative?
My husband told the caller that he didn't like Romney's voting record and that he did not represent us especially when it comes to abortion. The caller said that Romney is against abortion but wants to leave it up to the states to determine their own laws about abortion.
If that isn't the least courageous way to face a highly emotional issue, I don't know what is. What a pansy position to take. Abortion is a hot issue for me because I believe every child has a right to life. Nine out of ten women would've chosen to end my son's life simply because he has an extra chromosome. I believe abortion takes the life of an innocent child. Romney obviously doesn't feel that way or else he's trying to pander to both sides of this issue. Either way, color me unimpressed.
I also do not favor socialized medicine. I believe it will destroy our medical care system. I do believe we have problems with our current health care system and that we need to solve the problems, but I don't want to turn over my health care, nor that of my family's, to the government. I have never seen the government run a program efficiently and I certainly don't want my health or my family's health to be dependent on politicians. Romney instituted socialized medicine in Massachusetts. He doesn't have a problem with the government running health care. He and I sharply disagree on this and I can't support someone who believes that the government is better at determining who should receive health care than a doctor or the patient.
Romney is not the candidate I want to represent me. And that's disappointing. I thought he would be. I favored him in the last primaries but as I've learned more about his voting record and his stand on issues that are important to me, I've realized he is not the candidate for me. If he is the republican candidate I will have to abstain from voting in the 2012 presidential election.
And if anyone knows how to stop those annoying political calls, please tell me.
Really? What did he hope to gain? Did he think we'd change our minds if he got all argumentative?
My husband told the caller that he didn't like Romney's voting record and that he did not represent us especially when it comes to abortion. The caller said that Romney is against abortion but wants to leave it up to the states to determine their own laws about abortion.
If that isn't the least courageous way to face a highly emotional issue, I don't know what is. What a pansy position to take. Abortion is a hot issue for me because I believe every child has a right to life. Nine out of ten women would've chosen to end my son's life simply because he has an extra chromosome. I believe abortion takes the life of an innocent child. Romney obviously doesn't feel that way or else he's trying to pander to both sides of this issue. Either way, color me unimpressed.
I also do not favor socialized medicine. I believe it will destroy our medical care system. I do believe we have problems with our current health care system and that we need to solve the problems, but I don't want to turn over my health care, nor that of my family's, to the government. I have never seen the government run a program efficiently and I certainly don't want my health or my family's health to be dependent on politicians. Romney instituted socialized medicine in Massachusetts. He doesn't have a problem with the government running health care. He and I sharply disagree on this and I can't support someone who believes that the government is better at determining who should receive health care than a doctor or the patient.
Romney is not the candidate I want to represent me. And that's disappointing. I thought he would be. I favored him in the last primaries but as I've learned more about his voting record and his stand on issues that are important to me, I've realized he is not the candidate for me. If he is the republican candidate I will have to abstain from voting in the 2012 presidential election.
And if anyone knows how to stop those annoying political calls, please tell me.
June 3, 2011
Graduation for #4
My daughter graduated from high school last weekend. Her older siblings made a surprise visit from Utah to see her graduate so we had a weekend full of fun.
We have our graduation exercises on the football field at our high school. Two years ago, for my older daughter's graduation, it rained and rained. And, to top it off, my youngest daughter barfed all over the man sitting in front of us. This year, thankfully, the weather was perfect and no one was sick.
I enjoyed the speech by a local elementary school principal who said they'd learned most of what they needed to know in elementary school. He shared valuable advice tied to each letter of the alphabet. It was a fun speech.
We don't have a valedictorian or a salutatorian because the administration didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings (yet, kids are cut from the football team, only a handful start for basketball, and I've comforted more than one child who didn't make it into the high school play so I'm not sure why we don't have the traditional valedictorian and salutatorian). Instead, the kids choose a classmate to speak (and doesn't that hurt kids' feelings?) and this particular young man gave a speech that was all over the place. I'm still not sure what he was talking about. However, the speeches by two young women chosen by the faculty were completely inappropriate. Filled with sexual innuendos, digs at conservatives who attended a rally for John McCain (students came specifically to this rally held at the high school to berate, belittle, and harass McCain supporters using profanity and showing vulgar signs and were incensed when asked to tone it down or leave), and then went on to say how they could now add the "hot" teachers on Facebook and even named a teacher (who's married) that they'd be adding. Their speeches were immature, rude, and embarrassing. However, they weren't surprising, which is a sad statement for our high school.
Fortunately, none of this dampened our excitement and pride as child #4 received her diploma. I was very proud of her. She worked hard and we had a huge celebration for her graduation.
Here are some photos:
We have our graduation exercises on the football field at our high school. Two years ago, for my older daughter's graduation, it rained and rained. And, to top it off, my youngest daughter barfed all over the man sitting in front of us. This year, thankfully, the weather was perfect and no one was sick.
I enjoyed the speech by a local elementary school principal who said they'd learned most of what they needed to know in elementary school. He shared valuable advice tied to each letter of the alphabet. It was a fun speech.
We don't have a valedictorian or a salutatorian because the administration didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings (yet, kids are cut from the football team, only a handful start for basketball, and I've comforted more than one child who didn't make it into the high school play so I'm not sure why we don't have the traditional valedictorian and salutatorian). Instead, the kids choose a classmate to speak (and doesn't that hurt kids' feelings?) and this particular young man gave a speech that was all over the place. I'm still not sure what he was talking about. However, the speeches by two young women chosen by the faculty were completely inappropriate. Filled with sexual innuendos, digs at conservatives who attended a rally for John McCain (students came specifically to this rally held at the high school to berate, belittle, and harass McCain supporters using profanity and showing vulgar signs and were incensed when asked to tone it down or leave), and then went on to say how they could now add the "hot" teachers on Facebook and even named a teacher (who's married) that they'd be adding. Their speeches were immature, rude, and embarrassing. However, they weren't surprising, which is a sad statement for our high school.
Fortunately, none of this dampened our excitement and pride as child #4 received her diploma. I was very proud of her. She worked hard and we had a huge celebration for her graduation.
Here are some photos:
June 1, 2011
Goodreads Giveaway
If you'd like a chance to win a copy of my book, The Upside of Down, be sure to visit Goodreads and register for a chance to win. I'm giving away 2 copies to people living in the U.S. The giveaway is June 1-June 30.
Click here to enter.
I've had some wonderful feedback on this book and I'm thrilled not only that readers like the story but that some have changed their perspectives after reading it. Thank you to all of you who have already read it. I really appreciate it and I appreciate the ratings and reviews on Goodreads. Thank you!!
Click here to enter.
I've had some wonderful feedback on this book and I'm thrilled not only that readers like the story but that some have changed their perspectives after reading it. Thank you to all of you who have already read it. I really appreciate it and I appreciate the ratings and reviews on Goodreads. Thank you!!
May 26, 2011
Scotty was "In It to Win It"
Wow!! What a finale last night on American Idol. I've watched many of the seasons through the years and I have to say this year had the most talent I've ever seen. Fantastic season.
I remember watching Scotty McCreery on the audition show and being blown away with his deep voice. Even more, I was blown away by his genuine charm. He was one of my favorites from the very beginning and I loved watching his growth through the weeks. His performance skills have improved by leaps and bounds and it's been so fun to watch. He has such an incredible voice, and as impressive as that is, I was far more impressed by the young man himself. He was always so polite. He was never full of himself nor did he ever get mad. He was always composed and he seemed to be such a kind-hearted guy. He's so down-to-earth. When they announced his name, we all screamed with excitement. My older daughter is sure she should marry him. The most impressive thing: his big moment in the spotlight wasn't even about him. He thanked God and then went directly to hug his parents and those who'd been there for him. He hugged all the contestants (loved the exchange between Lauren and him). He could've hogged that moment for himself, but he chose to make it about those who'd helped him along the way. Great kid--I hope fame doesn't ruin him like it has so many others (Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, even David Archuleta, etc.). I expect to see great things from Scotty and hope he'll stay grounded.
Lauren Alaina was so cute! I would've been happy if she won as well. She was also an early favorite from her audition. She's also so genuine and when she sang that song to her mom on Tuesday I thought I'd pop. What a beautiful song and what a sweet performance. Lauren will go places for sure. She'll be right up there with Carrie Underwood in no time. She's a beautiful girl with such an incredible talent and she's so much fun to watch on stage. I've loved watching her growth through the season and seeing her shine so many times. I knew it would come down to Scotty and Lauren. Secretly, I hope they start dating and end up getting married some years down the line. They perform together so well.
It was a fun show with all the finalists. They are all so talented. I loved seeing Pia again and hope she'll be successful--definitely the most shocking elimination this season.
Oh, I LOVED the performances with Carrie Underwood and Tim McGraw--I could listen to Tim McGraw in concert all night. He has such a gorgeous voice and his performance with Scotty was phenomenal. LOVED it!
Lady Gaga? Could've done without her. She's so strange and I don't like her music at all. She looked so weird in that outfit and I was glad it was on my DVR so I could skip her performance. The finalists opened with one of her songs but my older daughter fast-forwarded through it because she said the song was inappropriate. I don't think Lady Gaga is very talented and she's just so odd. I think Beyonce is beautiful but I don't care for her music at all. She can sure dance, though. I liked seeing Jennifer Lopez perform with her husband (I assume he's a Latin singer) and Steven Tyler, though he dresses like a woman, is a performer through and through.
I'm excited to see where Scotty and Lauren go from here. I'll definitely buy their CDs.
I remember watching Scotty McCreery on the audition show and being blown away with his deep voice. Even more, I was blown away by his genuine charm. He was one of my favorites from the very beginning and I loved watching his growth through the weeks. His performance skills have improved by leaps and bounds and it's been so fun to watch. He has such an incredible voice, and as impressive as that is, I was far more impressed by the young man himself. He was always so polite. He was never full of himself nor did he ever get mad. He was always composed and he seemed to be such a kind-hearted guy. He's so down-to-earth. When they announced his name, we all screamed with excitement. My older daughter is sure she should marry him. The most impressive thing: his big moment in the spotlight wasn't even about him. He thanked God and then went directly to hug his parents and those who'd been there for him. He hugged all the contestants (loved the exchange between Lauren and him). He could've hogged that moment for himself, but he chose to make it about those who'd helped him along the way. Great kid--I hope fame doesn't ruin him like it has so many others (Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, even David Archuleta, etc.). I expect to see great things from Scotty and hope he'll stay grounded.
Lauren Alaina was so cute! I would've been happy if she won as well. She was also an early favorite from her audition. She's also so genuine and when she sang that song to her mom on Tuesday I thought I'd pop. What a beautiful song and what a sweet performance. Lauren will go places for sure. She'll be right up there with Carrie Underwood in no time. She's a beautiful girl with such an incredible talent and she's so much fun to watch on stage. I've loved watching her growth through the season and seeing her shine so many times. I knew it would come down to Scotty and Lauren. Secretly, I hope they start dating and end up getting married some years down the line. They perform together so well.
It was a fun show with all the finalists. They are all so talented. I loved seeing Pia again and hope she'll be successful--definitely the most shocking elimination this season.
Oh, I LOVED the performances with Carrie Underwood and Tim McGraw--I could listen to Tim McGraw in concert all night. He has such a gorgeous voice and his performance with Scotty was phenomenal. LOVED it!
Lady Gaga? Could've done without her. She's so strange and I don't like her music at all. She looked so weird in that outfit and I was glad it was on my DVR so I could skip her performance. The finalists opened with one of her songs but my older daughter fast-forwarded through it because she said the song was inappropriate. I don't think Lady Gaga is very talented and she's just so odd. I think Beyonce is beautiful but I don't care for her music at all. She can sure dance, though. I liked seeing Jennifer Lopez perform with her husband (I assume he's a Latin singer) and Steven Tyler, though he dresses like a woman, is a performer through and through.
I'm excited to see where Scotty and Lauren go from here. I'll definitely buy their CDs.
May 25, 2011
Parent Paydays
My daughter graduated from seminary on Saturday evening. This is my 4th graduate. I'm very proud of her for getting up on school days by 5:00 am to get ready and attend seminary at 6:00 am before going on to school and, sometimes, being at school for play rehearsal until 9:00 pm. She has never complained about going to seminary and I've been so impressed with her knowledge of the scriptures.
She spoke in the graduation ceremony. She shared a conversation we'd had about how I remembered the exact moment I received my testimony of Joseph Smith. She said in her talk, "I was like, come on, Mom, you really remember that after all these years?" Everyone laughed at her implication that I was too old to remember such an experience and then she went on to share her own experience of when she received her testimony of the Savior and it was an exact time. She then said, "So, yes, Mom, I can now say that I remember exactly when I received my testimony of the Savior and I will never forget that moment." She then bore a strong and powerful testimony of the gospel which made my eyes leak. A parent payday for sure.
Last night my eighth grader did her Life Presentation to "graduate" from middle school. Eighth graders present their lives to their teachers, family members, and any special people they invite. My daughter's presentation began with her family. She made a slide show, set to music, with lots of photos from the family, including our trip to Disney World in December. The slide show then included photos of the temple, the 13th Article of Faith and the Young Women's theme, and then photos of the Savior. Her slide show concluded with photos of her friends, which included her siblings, her cousins, and some girls from church. It made me all teary to see her presentation. I had not previewed it nor did I have any idea what she'd present and it made me feel so happy inside to see what's important to her. A definite parent payday.
Every once in a while we get those amazing parent paydays and when we do, it's wonderful and it makes me so grateful that I have such an incredible family and I feel so very blessed to have these people in my life.
She spoke in the graduation ceremony. She shared a conversation we'd had about how I remembered the exact moment I received my testimony of Joseph Smith. She said in her talk, "I was like, come on, Mom, you really remember that after all these years?" Everyone laughed at her implication that I was too old to remember such an experience and then she went on to share her own experience of when she received her testimony of the Savior and it was an exact time. She then said, "So, yes, Mom, I can now say that I remember exactly when I received my testimony of the Savior and I will never forget that moment." She then bore a strong and powerful testimony of the gospel which made my eyes leak. A parent payday for sure.
Last night my eighth grader did her Life Presentation to "graduate" from middle school. Eighth graders present their lives to their teachers, family members, and any special people they invite. My daughter's presentation began with her family. She made a slide show, set to music, with lots of photos from the family, including our trip to Disney World in December. The slide show then included photos of the temple, the 13th Article of Faith and the Young Women's theme, and then photos of the Savior. Her slide show concluded with photos of her friends, which included her siblings, her cousins, and some girls from church. It made me all teary to see her presentation. I had not previewed it nor did I have any idea what she'd present and it made me feel so happy inside to see what's important to her. A definite parent payday.
Every once in a while we get those amazing parent paydays and when we do, it's wonderful and it makes me so grateful that I have such an incredible family and I feel so very blessed to have these people in my life.
May 19, 2011
Three Dimensions of Character Gets Personal
I attended the LDStorymakers conference a couple of weeks ago. It was fantastic. Our keynote speaker was Larry Brooks and if you are interested in writing fiction you'll want to check out his site www.storyfix..com. Excellent writing advice.
He talked about the three dimensions of character. I found his take on this fascinating, but even more important, his message about fiction has resonated with me in my real life.
The first dimension of character is how that character presents himself to the world. His habits, mannerisms, physical characteristics, ticks, anything that can be viewed by outsiders. As we people our books with characters we may be tempted to only use this dimension. A dimension that makes our characters feel flat. We focus on physical traits and habits, like biting fingernails, to try to communicate something about our characters. This is one-dimensional and while important in building our characters, we shouldn't stop here or we will fail to create fully-developed, realistic characters.
The second dimension is the reason for those habits, ticks, quirks, etc. What is the backstory? Why does the character always bite her nails when another woman enters the room? Why does the hero start to stutter when he's in front of a crowd? The backstory is what explains the outer characteristics we see in the first dimension.
The third, and most interesting, dimension is who the character is and what he does when under pressure. Is the character the same as he presents himself in the first dimension? If he's established himself as being cool and calm--never getting ruffled--as his public persona, what happens when his child is held at gunpoint? Is he still cool and calm or does he start screaming and yelling like a madman?
What the character does under stress reveals who he really is. And that's what hit me on a personal level. Am I the person I show myself to be when I'm stressed or upset or annoyed? Who am I really? I've thought about his over the last few weeks as situations have come up and I've reacted to those situations. Am I still the kind of person I want to be when put in a bad situation? I'd like to say that I am. But, I'm not. I don't react well to stress or things that are unexpected. I need to work on that and learning about the 3 dimensions of characters has helped me see myself more clearly.
Who says that learning about writing fiction is only helpful in our writing? Sometimes, it can be helpful in our real, day-to-day lives.
He talked about the three dimensions of character. I found his take on this fascinating, but even more important, his message about fiction has resonated with me in my real life.
The first dimension of character is how that character presents himself to the world. His habits, mannerisms, physical characteristics, ticks, anything that can be viewed by outsiders. As we people our books with characters we may be tempted to only use this dimension. A dimension that makes our characters feel flat. We focus on physical traits and habits, like biting fingernails, to try to communicate something about our characters. This is one-dimensional and while important in building our characters, we shouldn't stop here or we will fail to create fully-developed, realistic characters.
The second dimension is the reason for those habits, ticks, quirks, etc. What is the backstory? Why does the character always bite her nails when another woman enters the room? Why does the hero start to stutter when he's in front of a crowd? The backstory is what explains the outer characteristics we see in the first dimension.
The third, and most interesting, dimension is who the character is and what he does when under pressure. Is the character the same as he presents himself in the first dimension? If he's established himself as being cool and calm--never getting ruffled--as his public persona, what happens when his child is held at gunpoint? Is he still cool and calm or does he start screaming and yelling like a madman?
What the character does under stress reveals who he really is. And that's what hit me on a personal level. Am I the person I show myself to be when I'm stressed or upset or annoyed? Who am I really? I've thought about his over the last few weeks as situations have come up and I've reacted to those situations. Am I still the kind of person I want to be when put in a bad situation? I'd like to say that I am. But, I'm not. I don't react well to stress or things that are unexpected. I need to work on that and learning about the 3 dimensions of characters has helped me see myself more clearly.
Who says that learning about writing fiction is only helpful in our writing? Sometimes, it can be helpful in our real, day-to-day lives.
May 16, 2011
Pranks
I love to pull pranks. I used to get in trouble at girls' camp for pulling pranks. One year, we stole one of the canoes and hid it so we could go canoing on the little lake at night (I now realize that wasn't a very safe or good idea). Our leaders found the canoe and put it back in our tent and then we had to take it back to the canoe dock--we never did get to go canoing in the moonlight.
Girls' camp was prime time for pranks from tipping tents, to stealing bras, to making scary "bear" noises outside the younger girls' tents, I was always involved in pranks somehow.
Back in the day, I used to TP houses all the time. That was one of our staple activities growing up--we'd go TPing. And everyone's house was game. I did my fair share of cleaning up TP at my own house as well.
In college, we once filled up a trash can with ice from the cafeteria, hopped on an elevator in the boys' dorm (big no-no) and then when one of the boys answered the door we dumped the entire trashcan of ice on him. He wasn't pleased. We also moved our dorm mother's car up to the front door of the dorm and we decorated the trees outside the boys' dorms with tampons.
My sophomore year at BYU, we had a prank feud with our FHE brothers (one of whom is quite a famous LDS historical fiction author). They snuck into our apartment and dyed everything green for St. Patrick's day--our milk, the toilet bowls, everything they could get their hands on. I seem to remember the inner stuffing of a bean bag being used that year as well.
I love a good prank. But, I don't like ones that are destructive such as the one our seniors pulled this weekend at the high school. They snuck into the school and filled the entire freshman hall with hay. They then doused it with paint so it would be harder to clean up. Because of the amount of hay, the air quality inside the school was too poor for the kids to attend. My son has an adverse reaction to hay and can succumb to asthma very quickly and very dangerously. The added paint also added fumes to the building. The school had to cancel all classes for the day to spend it cleaning up after this senior prank. What does that mean? All of us taxpayers will have to pay the clean-up costs which includes all new air filters, washing walls, disposing of all the hay and making sure that kids with asthma can safely attend tomorrow. (Hay isn't cheap and it's a shame so much was wasted in an area where drought makes it difficult to grow enough hay).
I'm sure the kids didn't think about the damage their prank would do or the consequences. That's one of the problems with being a teenager--the inability to see past today. And all the kids are happy to have an extra day off school. But, pranks that are destructive aren't funny. I hope those involved will think through their next prank.
As for me, I've retired from TPing (can't make myself waste all that TP) but beware if you ever go to girls' camp with me :).
Girls' camp was prime time for pranks from tipping tents, to stealing bras, to making scary "bear" noises outside the younger girls' tents, I was always involved in pranks somehow.
Back in the day, I used to TP houses all the time. That was one of our staple activities growing up--we'd go TPing. And everyone's house was game. I did my fair share of cleaning up TP at my own house as well.
In college, we once filled up a trash can with ice from the cafeteria, hopped on an elevator in the boys' dorm (big no-no) and then when one of the boys answered the door we dumped the entire trashcan of ice on him. He wasn't pleased. We also moved our dorm mother's car up to the front door of the dorm and we decorated the trees outside the boys' dorms with tampons.
My sophomore year at BYU, we had a prank feud with our FHE brothers (one of whom is quite a famous LDS historical fiction author). They snuck into our apartment and dyed everything green for St. Patrick's day--our milk, the toilet bowls, everything they could get their hands on. I seem to remember the inner stuffing of a bean bag being used that year as well.
I love a good prank. But, I don't like ones that are destructive such as the one our seniors pulled this weekend at the high school. They snuck into the school and filled the entire freshman hall with hay. They then doused it with paint so it would be harder to clean up. Because of the amount of hay, the air quality inside the school was too poor for the kids to attend. My son has an adverse reaction to hay and can succumb to asthma very quickly and very dangerously. The added paint also added fumes to the building. The school had to cancel all classes for the day to spend it cleaning up after this senior prank. What does that mean? All of us taxpayers will have to pay the clean-up costs which includes all new air filters, washing walls, disposing of all the hay and making sure that kids with asthma can safely attend tomorrow. (Hay isn't cheap and it's a shame so much was wasted in an area where drought makes it difficult to grow enough hay).
I'm sure the kids didn't think about the damage their prank would do or the consequences. That's one of the problems with being a teenager--the inability to see past today. And all the kids are happy to have an extra day off school. But, pranks that are destructive aren't funny. I hope those involved will think through their next prank.
As for me, I've retired from TPing (can't make myself waste all that TP) but beware if you ever go to girls' camp with me :).
