Woohoo! Unexpected snow yesterday made me happy. Nothing huge, not even enough to cover the ground, but it was gorgeous coming down. There's just something about falling snow that makes me feel so elated, yet peaceful at the same time.
I've got a bunch of links this week, so let's get this show on the road!
*What Experts Want You To Know About Being In An Active Shooter Situation*
This is where we are now in the US.
I'm not getting political, this is just reality. And the reality is, I have a friend who survived a mass shooting. I have a friend whose child survived a school shooting. I used to post on a parenting messageboard with a lovely woman whose child did NOT survive a school shooting (these are two different shootings here). I have a friend who was supposed to be at that Vegas concert but who ended up skipping it and was so grateful that she did. My son's high school, which is also my daughter's preschool, had two separate threats of violence just this week. This is just the reality of life these days, because we've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas, to quote the Simpsons. I'm just one single person, but I'm connected to multiple people who have experienced a mass shooting or were slated to have been at one- there is something very, very wrong with that.
So here's a good article that may help if you find yourself in such a terrible situation. The first two, I already do. I had a political science teacher who was once a building inspector, and post-9/11, she gave us a speech about always being aware of your surroundings and being aware of the fastest way to get out wherever you're at. And my doing that is partly her advice, partly my anxiety- these days, I've added 'find a hiding place' to that list (which also makes the article), because...you never know.
*'Pure joy': refugees fleeing conflict delighted by first snow in Canada*
This is beautiful!
Two children, born in Eritrea, experiencing their first snow in Canada. They're absolutely delighted with it, dancing and jumping and twirling around (I'm with you, kids; I love the snow!). How wonderful for them that they can play outside and have these experiences, and that they can grow up free from whatever strife it was that they were fleeing. May this joy they're feeling dancing in their first snowfall remain with them, always. Welcome home, kids. <3
*6 Reasons Congressional Orientation Is Basically College Orientation All Over Again*
Again, not a political post; this is an old article.
I never knew this!!! I mean, it makes sense when you think about it; of course, the new congresspeople have to start learning the ropes and setting up offices and figuring everything out, but I had no clue they had such an organized orientation to go through- how cool is that? And in elections that are too close to call when orientation starts- BOTH candidates have to go to orientation! I don't know, I just find this really neat. My congressman-elect is going through this now (someone in a local Facebook group shared this link so we'd all understand the process, which is how I found it), as is the congresswoman-elect from the next district over.
They really should teach these things in school; if nothing else, it's a cool bit of information that might have some kids go, "Huh. What else is cool about this? What's next that I can learn?"And that would be wonderful. :)
*Researches In Switzerland Are Playing Led Zepplin To Cheese*
You read that right. And I typed it correctly.
They're checking to see whether different sound waves affect the taste of cheese.
The cheese- Emmental, apparently- won't be ready to taste until March 14, 2019, and I'm insanely curious to know what the results will be. We've all seen those science fair experiments on things like "Does Playing Music to Plants Stimulate Plant Growth?" that some kid inevitably did every year (I think I did mine on feeding soda and coffee to plants. Side note: I hated the yearly science fair. Not because I disliked science, but because my anxiety made presenting the project to the judges a terrible experience. Also there were the 30 page papers my private school started making us write in the fifth grade. No, I'm not kidding or exaggerating. We had to have a table of contents, a bibliography, a Roman-numeralled outline, the whole works. While it taught me well how to organize a paper, it was more than a little stressful for a ten year-old back in 1990. And typing all that out on an electric typewriter? Again, not a fun time for a ten year-old, nor do I really think it was a developmentally appropriate activity), and they always used houseplants- maybe the next great study will come on blasting Nirvana or the Beatles at edible crops. Maybe my salad will one day have rocked out to the Rolling Stones or the Brandenberg Concertos before it arrives on my plate, if we learn that cheese enjoys a good polka or epic rap battle. ;)
And that's it for today. I have one other link...but it's so applicable to me, and so in-depth, that I think I want to write an entire post about it, so that'll be coming soonish, whenever I get a chance. And I still have a recipe to put up. I need more free time! :D
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend in store. What caught your eye online this week?
Very interesting post. So sad about the mass violence.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad. I worry that we're getting too used to it- nowadays, it's rare for a mass shooting to be in the news for more than a day or two, because by that time, we're on to the next mass shooting. It's all so horrifying.
DeleteMy heart breaks for the Americans living in fear regarding shootings. I cannot understand the American culture surrounding gun laws. It has been explained to me, but still.....I am deeply thankful for Australia's gun laws. Most of us feel very safe. We don't need to worry about our children getting shot at school. What a horrific situation.
ReplyDeleteI remember when the gun laws were brought in there was an uproar. Huge political debates, people picketing and rallying for and against the decision. But our government and our prime minister stood firm and the reform took place. Even though he he suited up wearing bullet proof gear whilst delivering his speech. It cost a huge amount of time, and money to implement it. It certainly carried a risk to those carrying out raids once the voluntary hand back scheme ended. But they did it. Today Australia is thankful for it.
I am not against guns in the slightest, we have several. My husband haunts and going to the farm we will need them. He however has the correct gun license, and they are locked up abiding strict laws. The Police do check and the fines for breaking the law are HUGE, including possible jail time.
I hope and pray the American government can be successful in eliminating such horrific events.
xx
To be honest, I don't understand it either. We're in the same position as you- my husband is former military and has enjoyed hunting in the past- but neither of us understand the absolute gun worship that far too many people participate in. It baffles me completely. I think far too many people here live in a "This won't happen to me; it's something that happens to OTHER people!" And when you mix that with American individualism, it blends into a toxic case of, "What happens to YOU doesn't matter, so long as I get what I want and need." I see this attitude on social media amongst people I know, people I grew up with, and it horrifies me. Too many of us have forgotten the basic rules of living in a society and are all too quick to throw their neighbor under a bus in order to get to the head of the line themselves.
DeleteIt breaks my heart. It's horrifying, and it's disgusting that so many people are willing to live in fear and to let their fellow countrymen die so that they can own a gun. I personally think that Australia got it right and I wish we'd follow suit. After the Parkland shooting, when I was walking my daughter into her preschool class in the high school (which is run by an adult teacher and the teenagers in the Child Development program), I glanced around at the teenagers and thought, "If someone comes through these halls with a gun, are these teenagers going to be able to keep my four year-old safe?" And I cannot believe that that's what it's come down to, but it has, and no one in power cares enough to change it.