“Swiper, No Swiping!”: The Demonology of Dora the Explorer
Date: Thursday July 3, 2008Posted in: den
I thought I would share this article that Den has recently published at PopMatters. This is what happens when you mix a father of two kids with an academic that has a background in history of religion.
I will be at ALA Annual conducting "man on the street" interviews through CLA / IT ALA.
Thoughts on video games
Date: Tuesday June 24, 2008Posted in: parenting, getting ready for the big move
I thought I would start out this post with a little thing that I learned about yesterday when I was at toyrus with Elden. For the past several months, and maybe before this, Elden has been referring to little game cartridges as ds. They were not really game cartridges, per se, like video games, but they were of cartridges from his leappad books things and his leappad doll. I had often wondered why he kept referring to these cartridges as ds. After spending about an hour playing with the toys, riding on all the cars, he heads over to the gaming area (btw, this is a great time killer), and yells out ds, ds!!! I can’t believe that I didn’t realize this before. All this time, he was referring to Nintendo ds (dual screen just in case you didn’t know what that stood for), or more or less handheld video games in general.
When Brennan, my eldest was younger, I was pretty adament against video games in the house. He has ever really been interested in handheld video games, although he love nickjr.com. Elden on the other hand, was exposed to Nintendo at the YMCA daycare. When I came to pick him up one day, he was sitting next to this older kid, I would say around 10 or so, watching him play Nintendo. I think ever since then, he has become almost obsessed about them and talks about them all the day.
Now that his 3rd birthday is rolling around the corner, just in about a month to be exact, I am actually thinking about buying him a handheld gaming system. I am not sure about the Nintendo, but perhaps the Leapster or another alternative. I haven’t decided quite yet, and actually I would consider the Nintendo, but Den thinks he is too young for it. I checked out the game selection, and heck I am sure if we did get this for him, I would probably pick up the Sims game or even the latest Guitar Hero for me. Hehe!!! I am a tech chick.
I think the clincher was when ever we were at my SIL house, I noticed that all three of her boys were always playing video games. In fact, all three of them had separate game consoles, including her husband. LOL! And ya, I would bitch to Den about this stating that never ever would we buy video games for the boys because I didn’t want to even risk the fact that they would spend all day and night playing video games and forgetting to finish their homework. But of course I am a hypocrite. I have spent many hours playing Sims and yes, staying up all night long trying to build an elevator on Sims tower, or in general playing that damn game (all versions of the game).
Other deciding what to get him for his birthday, I am also figuring out what to do for his birthday party. I think for sure it will be a local park. Nothing too fancy, but something fun for him. We skipped out on his birthday last for year for some reason. I don’t want him to grow up and feeling bad that he never had a birthday party. I am sure that wouldn’t be true, but you know, you just never know.
I know I haven’t been on here for a while. I just never sat down long enough to write a blog entry. Twitter, Facebook, and SLISlife (I am the adminstrator and mod for this networking site) have been keeping me busy, and not so much Flickr these days either. I haven’t been taking many pictures. I do have a fun second half of the week planned as well as a fun weekend coming up! I will be at Palms Spring for a little mom’s getaway. Den went to Yosemite for a boys getaway the week previously, so I think I deserve a little time away. : )
We just saw two contractors this past weekend to get price estimates on work on the house before we move. We will most likely be in early, mid August. One of the contractors said that it would take him 20 days. We plan to get started in the second week of July. Hopefully, they won’t be too off schedule because we also have to get this place worked on before showing to renters.
Okay, I am starting to ramble.
Today was Brennan’s first basketball game. This is his first time in a team sport. So far he has had two practices. He didn’t have too much fun the first practice because he pretty had in his mind that he could just go right out into the court and start throwing balls right into the basket. He didn’t think that he had to do any sort of practice. So that first practice was quite frustrating for him. The second week was much better. He still got a little frustrated, but he definitely started relaxing a little. At the game today, or actually yesterday (Saturday), he definitely enjoyed himself and remembered to have fun. The highlight of the game according to this coach, was when Brennan ran around the entire basketball court with the ball in hand. He didn’t dribble the ball at all, but literally ran from one net to the other net and back around to the first net, with both teams chasing behind him. I did record a video of it, which I would totally be posting to Flickr, but I had to take back the desktop back to the computer tech. I don’t have a card reader on this laptop. I did have one a few years ago, but it seems like perhaps I threw it away. Actually, I did have one, but it was for one of those bigger cards, not for an SD.
Anyways, Brennan really had a great time. I like that they don’t keep score of baskets, but really emphasize the fun aspect of it. Although, during the game, you could hear a bunch of dire hard idiot sport fanatic fathers, getting a bit crazy over getting their 4-5 year children to get the ball into the basket, or so on. I was just trying Brennan to get his hands out of his mouth and not to be so loud. He is a nail biter, which bugs the heck out of me. He told us after the game that he had so much fun and that is was better than the practices. I am looking forward to the second game next week.
So an update on our desktop. I had taken the previous week it to a computer tech after about 4 months or more of having this problem. We were unable to install any type of software or download any sort of driver or upgrade of anything. When you clicked any admin. type files or folders, an error message would come up. So for the last several months, I have been searching for solutions, but I finally gave up. So to get things clear, I am probably the reason why the computer got all jacked up. I was fiddling around with it because I was trying to get it to run faster. Vista tends to really get bogged down. Plain and simple, it is just an unstable system and it has been a nightmare.
When I took it to the tech last week, I received it back. The tech told us that he had to install something to make the system more compatible with older bit systems. So my understanding, is Vista is 64-bit, where older systems, such as Windows XP is 32-bit or 16-bit. He thought that was our problem, but as it turns out, that is not the problem. I think the fact that I messed around with some of the settings, I essentially deleted some of the admin. functions. I did take the computer back on Thursday, and he told me that he was just going to do a fresh install and reformat the harddrive. Then I asked him how much was he going to charge. He told me $275. I was like are you crazy! I responded to him and said that he didn’t even fix our original problem. He charged me $85 + $45 for a system analysis, which btw is completely bullshit. So he then said, okay, I will charge you $200. I told him that I would call Den and ask him what he thought. Den didn’t answer the phone at the time, so I told the tech that I would have to come back another time to think about what we would do. And that I wanted to talk to my husband. So then he responded by saying how busy he was, and like he had over 70 computers that needed to be fixed, but that he would only charge me $150, but that it wouldn’t be ready until this coming Monday. I tried to get him down more because obviously he just pulls out prices out of his ass. He tells me that first on Friday he would have to erase the harddrive and then on Saturday, he would check the systems (bullshit), Sunday he was closed, and then Monday he would be able to actually reinstall the system software. Well he called me Saturday, just as we were going out the door for Brennan’s game, and said the computer was ready. I told him that I would pick it up Monday. Den feels that we shouldn’t have to pay the $85, since he didn’t fix the original problem to begin with. I told him, perhaps I was not clear to him what the problem was to begin with and that we simply should not pay that amount. I will at least tell the guy that since he finished earlier than expected, that we should pay less than the original price. I didn’t sign any type of contract or form, so it’s really like a wheel or deal situation. I don’t feel as strongly about how Den feels about the originally $85 because I don’t think that I really explained to him what the problem was. Plus, I left this disk that was one of the kid’s game. He said that he ran this game and it it worked fine. But this game just runs of the disk, so it didn’t actually need to install. He really should have done the formatting in the first place because I sort of had an idea that it was something that I did. I admit that I have tendancy to fiddle with the computer, even if I don’t really know what I am doing. I did stuff like this for years, where I even screwed up my computer at work. I remember one time, I accidently deleted files from someones computers, but luckily, I realized that I could pull the files from the network.
I did appreciate the comments that I received about my entry about my inability to speak out. Also, I know that I don’t comment that much to other blogs. I would like to do that much more, but a lot of the blogs that I go, I keep forgetting my password, and so that is the reason. Also, I really don’t make an effort to make this into a popular blog. I really do write for myself. But of course, I do appreciate a comment or two once in a blue moon. But like I said, I don’t really make a grand effort to popularize this blog. Perhaps in another blog, such as my polymer clay blog.
Speaking of, guess what??? I actually did some experimenting this past week. Mainly, on my same paper beads. Those things are really taking a long time to make. I did work more on technique, but the outcome was the same. Things look a bit more tighter. So I will continue to work on those types of pieces, and hopefully one day soon, have any actual piece made. I did start on another piece, but really I think I want to veer away from jewelry pieces. Well at least production type pieces. I really take a long ass time to make just one piece, so it doesn’t make sense for me to try to create a dozen pieces to try to sell. I think I will be giving up on that side of it, but try to focus more on techniques and the perfection of a final art piece. It just took me several hours just to make a cane. In fact the design of cane is simple, but I had it sketched out for a few months now. It is just taking me a long time to get it right.
Tomorrow we don’t have anything planned. I think I will probably do some more claying tomorrow, but other than that I may relax a bit. I have lots of work to do. I was just given a couple of new projects that I will have to start working on. Oh, and I still need to finish watching the rest of Season 4 of the Oz.
I have been enjoying my nano for a week or so now. I am glad to be getting back into podcast again. I really didn’t listen to many podcasts with the shuffle, and when I had a working mini, I was only listening to podcasts.
So right now, I am listening and watching to:
1. Dawn and Drew Show - I’ve been a fan of theirs for a long time. Perhaps I should become a minion.
2. Craftcast - I enjoy listening to her interviews with polymer clay artists, but she does interviews of all types of artists.
3. Simply Ming - I used to watch his show on the Food Network, plus he is a hot asian guy to look at.
4. KCRW’s Good Food - I like watching food shows. I just don’t cook that great.
5. Oprah’s Soul Series - Discovering yourself and Oprah. What more can I say?
6. - Tony and Friends podcast I eventually want to purchase his “No Reservations” series. I don’t think we have the Travel channel anymore, so I have been missing this series.
7. B&N Meet the Writers - It’s interesting to listen to authors talk about their published book.
After the Discovery launched, I did a search and subscribed to the NASA podcast.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
I know, I know, such a lame title. I need to take a class how to come up with an interesting blog title. But that’s what really true. Rewind back to Thursday morning when we experienced some rainy, tropical type, yet cold, weird, so unlike Southern California weather lately. That morning we had a power outage, that lasted about 1 minute or so, which for some other worldly reason caused a shortage on our refrigerator. This refrigerator is not even a year old, but since we usually don’t buy extended warranties, we were not covered for a replacement. At first, when I noticed that the temp in the freezer felt like room temperature, I automatically blamed it on Elden and thought perhaps he was fiddling around with the temperature knobs. The next morning, Den noticed that the freezer was still at room temperature, and that the popsicles were melting, and it starting stinking, we figured something was very wrong. So we called S*#rs. They told us that a technician can come on Wednesday of the following week. Den was able to get another frig technician to come on Saturday morning, in which they told him that it would cost $500 to replace, so we ended up having to buy a new frig that evening. Well unfortunately for us, that was essentially our vacation money. (And yes, we had already spent our tax refund or payback, whatever it’s called). They were supposed to deliver it on Sunday, but for some reason during delivery, the frig was damaged, so they told us they would attempt another delivery this coming Tuesday, which is tomorrow. We ended up having to throw over $100 of groceries, mostly frozen meat. We didn’t think to buy ice to store in an ice chest, until it was too late.
Anyways, we went to the house this weekend to look around and see what work has to be done before we move in. Nothing has been replaced since we first moved into this house in 1976 or something. A very nice couple has been been living there, since our family moved out in 2000, when my parent’s completed building their dream house. They have one adult son, who was in college when they moved in, so it has been just the two of them ever since. My dad built all the concrete brick wall around the perimeter of the house, which are all still in excellent condition. I remember when they first built the swimming pool. I remember my brother would ride his bike into the pool. This was with water in the pool. LOL! We would throw all the lawn chair in the pool and just mess around. Every July 4 (which is my dad’s birthday) we would have a huge party, and before firecrackers were illegal, the adults would shoot up those huge rocket firecrackers. I remember our dog Whiskey, would bark like crazy and run up to the firecrackers, and would try to chase them. I’m surprised that it never caused a fire.
They currently have black appliances currently in there, but I definitely want a more modern look, so they will take those with them. The counters are this horrid green colour. That will definitely have to go. In the front atrium, open hallway area, is this wonderful mediterranean tile. It is nice, but if we are going to go modern, we can’t have this tile. We plan on installing pergo wood all throughout the bottom floor, including my craft room. Yes, I did mention that I will be having a craft room. Yay, I am so excited! I really need my own private idaho to create in privacy. I’ve been having these creative spurts these last few days, and have the oven inside the bathroom, which is definitely not the best place to bake my clay, especially with the kids around. So it will be great to have my own studio. I have a goal this year with my art work, which will be an entry for another day.
We of course will be repainting, but I want to actually paint the rooms different colours. I am not quite sure what colours yet. I do have an idea for a colour scheme for the kitchen. I’m really excited finally about moving. We’ve been talking about forever. Den will be much closer to work. Actually, we can see the University from our backyard, which btw has a beautiful view. I did take pictures, but I finally took our main computer to get fixed, and I can’t upload any photos, since I don’t have a card reader for the laptop.
I guess I am back to my disjointed ramblings. : )
1. Brennan starts basketball practice today. I am excited to see him dribble a basketball. (Ahh, yes the simple things in life makes me happy)
2. I am pleased as punch to be part of the San Jose video team for the ALA Anaheim Conference in June.
3. My goal this week is to complete scholarship forms.
4. I am really loving the HBO series “The Oz”. I started Season 3 this morning.
5. Need to schedule contractors for estimates.
6. Why do the both of the boys have to pee in their beds.
7. I really want to play with polymer clay.
9. We haven’t been to Disneyland since 2004.
9. Today would have been perfect for Disneyland because it is a cloudy, cool, rainy day.
10. Today is teacher / parent conferences at Brennan’s school.
“Our strength grows out of our weaknesses”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
My husband woke up this morning and saw this entry open on the computer before I published it. He asked me, do you want to write about this? It seems so personal. Like it should be in a diary. My response was, “Yeah, I want to write about this. This is exactly what this entry is about.”
I admit that I don’t really pour my heart and soul in this blog. I’m not sure that I really ever have, after blogging these past few years. I have not felt comfortable enough to open myself up. I don’t know what I am afraid of. It has been a part of my personality for as long as I can remember. Of opening myself fully. This weakness that I have inside of me. I’ve been shaped this way by society, by my Korean-American upbringing, my experiences in growing up in a Methodist church and then continuing on to a Catholic high school and then briefly attending a 7th Day Adventist University, by my work experiences, and by my mother who even to this day makes me feel like I am not doing anything right. I have grown afraid of being judged, so I go on living afraid to speak out or to express my opinions. To show the strong side of my personality. When I am in a social setting, where people are partaking in a lively discussion, not necessarily something controversial, I am afraid to state what my opinion is because I afraid that someone will disagree with me, or will tell me that I am wrong. So I just sit there and nod my head in agreement to whatever they are saying. I’m afraid to get into any heated debate, where my opinion will be questioned. Even on message boards, I rarely give my two cents in a discussion. Yes, I am even afraid of confrontation with people I don’t even see or know face-to-face. And when I talk to my husband about any random thing, and he disagrees with me, I feel myself getting aggravated and agitated. Although, of all the people in the world, this person that I have been married to for almost 13 years, and have know since I have been know since high school, I should be able to feel the most comfortable around.
A few years back before the kids were born, when I attended couples therapy with my husband, and I told the therapist that I wanted to commit suicide, she sort of scoffed at me, and brushed it off as a side issue. She made me feel real stupid about the whole thing. I was like hell, I am here pouring my heart and soul out to you, and you are disagreeing with me about something so serious. She was actually much more interested in the relationship that I had with me mother.
Those issues with my mom. I just sort of just accept them and try not to let it bother me, but it still does.
I want to be a person who is not afraid of being strong and opinionated, but mostly not afraid to be judged. After being alive for 36 years, you would think that I would already be past all that.
So that is my weakness.
