Sex-Ed

I posted this article about abstinence based sex ed yesterday to my Facebook page and ended up with several comments, all interesting to read.
We weren’t the only ones discussing the issue. I saw it all over the national media yesterday.
Most people I know agree the US has a serious teen pregnancy problem. More than any other Western nation. Obviously, what we’re doing isn’t working, but when schools try to take over sex ed, even to the point of handing out the birth control, that doesn’t work either.
The study the TImes article is based on is interesting because it wasn’t sex ed in schools that made any kind of difference. It was a combination of parental involvement and abstinence based sex ed from an outside source. And the kids were young, middle/junior high years.
THe study was promising because it took a group of girls who SHOULD have gotten pregnant–lower socio-economic, kids of teen moms who were kids of teen moms (generational) where teen pregnancy wasn’t really frowned upon and was accepted as a part of life–and showed it’s not necessarily a given.
I wasn’t a teen mom, but I was a young, unmarried mom. I didn’t suffer from lack of knowledge, and my health class in high school was girls only and VERY specific in its instruction on birth control. I was a freshman and I was very vocal about abstinence. By senior year I was partying, and that freshman girl was long forgotten. But birth control was for “bad girls,” and most adults I knew said birth control was bad because it would give you permission to have sex. I’m not sure how that works, really, but I think maybe that attitude toward birth control is the difference between the US and other nations. I’m not sure what I think about birth control and sex-ed in school. I don’t think showing pictures of disease and saying don’t do it works any better than Just Say No does to stop kids from smoking pot.

LOST

I’ve been there since the first episode, so I’m definitely there now, but WHAT THE HECK???
Who were those people? When did Kate go Ninja? Worried they’re not going to be able to wrap this up in any way that makes sense. But it sure was fun to watch. I tweeted reactions throughout the show last night, and I certainly wasn’t alone. Lost, WTF and confused were all trending topics last night. Lots of people on Facebook and Twitter asking others not to post spoilers. Very interesting.

The antichrist came to town…

you might know him as Rick Perry.
Governor of Texas.
Anti-Teacher.
Fake hair.
“You know who I am,” school zone speeder, police maligner
Governor’s mansion ridiculous spender
Politician’s Politician
Big Man on Campus, Good Ol’ Boy who doesn’t have a Good ol’ to stand on.
I wish he’d go back to Austin, and I hope his days there are numbered.

Let’s Talk About Sex…

…at church.
Seriously.
The college ministry DH and I volunteer for is currently in the middle of a relationship series, and today, they hit on one of the most important aspects= emotions.
I live in the bible belt. When we talk about sex in public forums it tends to be a completely physical conversation. “Don’t do this. You’ll get pregnant, catch this disease, see this picture–you don’t want that, do you?”
Rarely does anyone ever talk about the reality of attraction (lust–back in the day DH wore Obsession cologne. I loved that stuff. Pheremone City. Man..just thinking about it gives me chills. AND you know what? There’s NOTHING wrong with that. That’s the point.) and the emotional investment of a sexual relationship and the emotional baggage if/when that relationship fails.
We only had a few minutes to talk today, nowhere near the time needed to have an open, honest FRANK discussion about sex, but we’ve got two more weeks to continue the discussion.

READING: The Sharing Knife book four. OMG! Bujold is a goddess. Can’t believe I missed her before now. New author to glom. Woo hoo!

Parenting 202

Parenting should get easier…
After potty training…no
After old enough to tie own shoes…no
After day care no longer necessary…no
After junior high…no
After first job…no
After first night out ’til midnight curfew…no
After first date…no
After first prom…no
After first heart break…no
After high school…no
After first weekend away from home…no
After first semester away from home…no
After first semester back home…no.
After first accident, minor as it was…no.

A long time ago my grandma told me it never gets easier. I thought she was joking.
I should’ve known better,

Happy Birthday to Me

41 years ago today, my mother braved the cold of Minot, North Dakota to give birth to moi–not that the cold made that big of a difference, but I’ve heard it was -30 that day. My dad spent his entire paycheck buying me onesies. My bassinet was their top dresser drawer. We were a poor family, but happy, so I’ve been told. Based on the photos, I’d say it’s true.

Friday…

Another week done, and I’m ready. This year is kicking my butt. Maybe it really is God’s way of reminding me I have a life outside the newsroom.

iPad, Take 2

I’ll admit to being one of the disappointed watchers as Apple debuted their new iPad. I kept saying: it’s just a big iPod touch. But then, over the past 24 hours I can’t stop thinking about it and how it can revolutionize education AND leisure time. I love my iPod Touch for reading. This is going to be even better. And it does everything I need it to do, really. I mean, I didn’t need a new computer. I have one. ANd my phone works fine as is…ESPECIALLY if I have an iPad with the data plan. I can watch movies whenever…I wonder if I can stream my Netflix to it? WIll I be able to text? If not, my kids tell me there’s an App for that.
I get the columns in the presentation. It’s not a phone. It’s not a computer. It’s an iPad. Something new all together. That’s cool.
Now, will I get it right away? hmmmmmmm. I tend to wait until a second generation so the mistakes are worked out. Decisions, decisions. Want, need.
I better remember Dave Ramsey. Looks like I better start putting my money back now.

Winter Weather Watch…AGAIN

As I write this TWC is predicting a significant weather event Thursday. My new mantra:
snow, snow, go away, don’t come back any day.

I live in Wichita Falls, Texas. I can’t drive in snow and ice. I don’t have clothes for snow and ice. 30 degrees is too cold. I think they should cancel school for flurries. I don’t like snowmen or snow angels or ice skating or snow ice cream. I do like to wear hats, but I can do that without snow. I don’t even think I like the song about all the snowflakes turning into candy bars and milkshakes. And I used to love that song. But now it just gives me the shiverees and not the good kind.

Snow: Booo. Go away. Thanks.

Noon•Apple

At noon the newsroom kids and I will be tuned in to engadget.com to see the Apple news. I hope it’s two things: an Apple tablet (hopefully called iSlate and not iPad..ew,ew,ew) AND a Verizon iPhone.