Intermission

I think I will be gone for awhile.
Will try to update at a later time.
Things just a little too crazy 'round here.

If you read my sister's blog, you know that my grandmother is in the process of...dying.

When you are six months pregnant, you don't need an excuse to feel emotional. And when you have an excuse...it's totally, horribly, worse.

So that's why I haven't been writing. Cause I can't write about my grandmother without falling to pieces, and everything else I may write about just seems so stupid.

To my readers:

Happy Holidays. Enjoy the ones you love.

Latest blog I've discovered

Had to give this one a shout out. It's just so beautiful, and so sad, and...
you should go check it out. But have some tissues handy.

http://www.fiveyearslater.blogspot.com/

UC still in the hot seat

Article this morning about another lawsuit against the UC system.

California's public universities and colleges violate federal law by charging illegal immigrants lower in-state tuition rates, discriminating against U.S. citizens from out of state who are charged a higher rate, according to a class action lawsuit filed Wednesday in Yolo County Superior Court in Woodland.
Lawyers representing dozens of students across the state -- and potentially thousands more who pay out-of-state tuition to attend the state's public colleges and universities -- declared that those students are penalized by the state and denied public benefits given illegal immigrants. The suit names regents of the University of California, trustees of the California State University and governors of the California Community Colleges as defendants.
"They are victims of an illegal policy of discrimination,'' said Redwood City lawyer Michael J. Brady, "that has cost them hundreds of millions of dollars collectively.''

You can read the full article here.
I actually graduated from a California State college. The first year I attended, I had been in the state less than a year, and so was not considered a resident. I had to pay substantially more tuition than students who were residents. It galled me, a lot, but those were the rules.

Here, I think, is the main question of the lawsuit: Shouldn't the first premise of being a "legal resident" of any state be that you are a "legal immigrant" of the country? If the student is in the country illegally, how can they be considered a legal resident anywhere in the nation?

People who are against the lawsuit claim, I think rightfully so, that these young adults are in the country already, most of them have lived here for years, and like it or not, they are not going anywhere. They argue that if the students are going to live here, we should give them the opportunity to get educated and become contributing members of society. That's probably true, too.

The problem with this, and a lot of the immigration laws, is I think the people who go the legal route end up being punished and penalized, while the people who come here and stay illegally end up cruising by. I paid highter tuition costs for one year because I was honest and admitted that I was not yet a resident. I could have gotten one of my friend's addresses, put it on the college application so that all my paperwork would have been sent there, and marked the "resident" box. If those who follow the laws end up getting penalized, while those who don't follow the laws end up with a free ride and no consequences of their actions, how can we still expect everyone to do the "right thing"? What's the point?

In other news: my finger is a lot better--it's actually amazing to me how fast it's healing.

Ask the Mohel for a local

Okay, okay, it's been a week since I've said (written) anything, which is my bad. And I could make the situation worse by regailing you with cute stories of my kids, like how Nathan kept me up two nights ago because he was terrified that aliens were in the house. (Other kids are afraid of monsters, but not my kid! Oh, no! Cause mine are extra cute and extra special!) And you'd quickly flip away from this post, thinking, what the eff?? I waited a week for some soppy story about her kid?? Screw this!

But maybe what you really want to hear about is how I circumcised my finger! Yes! At Nathan's birthday party! Because lots of bloggers disappear for a week, but how many can say that they cut out a chunk of their finger during their absence! So ha, I win!

Seriously, though. When it was time to get the birthday cake ready, I got a brand new (and obviously too sharp) knife out of it's packaging to cut it, and in the process, I sliced a piece of my finger off. It was really just a wide piece of skin off the top, but it wouldn't stop bleeding. So I had to quickly wrap a paper towel around it, and ask some of the other moms to take pictures and cut the cake, while I ran to the bathroom and tried not to freak out the kids.

I felt like an idiot, let me tell you.

Ehh, it will grow back.

I wonder how many hits I will get now from people googling "circumcised finger." Hee hee.

Anyway! On to the news! Here in California, an article about a recent lawsuit caught my eye. The gist of it is, a Christian high school doesn't like it that the UC school people won't accept three of their classes for college admissions. The problem is not the whole curriculum, mind you. UC accepts almost all of their classes for college admissions. Just not three of them. Because they don't meet with UC standards.

"The suit, filed on behalf of the students and the Christian school and scheduled for a hearing today in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, centers on three classes offered at Calvary Chapel Christian School that UC officials have refused to certify for admissions credit.
High school students who want to attend a UC campus must complete a sequence of UC-approved college-preparatory courses. The lawsuit says the university system discriminated against the Christian students by refusing to certify the classes.
UC officials argue that they have a right to set admissions standards to ensure that students are ready for college and say they consistently reject courses from both public and private schools for not meeting those benchmarks."

Here's the rub: the Christian school is claiming that the UC standards go against their religious beliefs, and that's why they shouldn't be held accountable to them. They're saying that they should have the right to teach the classes however they want, in whatever religious slant they want, and UC should accept it that way.

I don't know what to think about this. On the one hand, I don't think that any of those attending the Christian high school should believe that they have an inherent right to go on to a UC college. Going to college is not a requirement. It's something that a student strives for, something they should have to apply to and work towards. The UC system should be allowed to set whatever standards they want, in my opinion, the higher, the better.

On the other hand, should the UC people be able to decide how students are taught about things like abortion, euthanasia, and the like? Should UC policy dictate the slant of the way the facts are presented? As long as the teacher teaches that these things exist, that the facts happen or have happened, is it up to the UC "standards" to decide whether the teacher teaches that these things are good or bad?

I don't know. It goes both ways, doesn't it?

Well...on to eating Rainbow Cookies! There's a whole post about that, right there.

My brain is leaking out my nose

I have a cold. A very, very, bad, very, very, classic case of the common cold. I am not a happy camper.

But!

Ilan is now a first-degree Blackbelt, done deal, forever and ever, ah-men.
I am in my twenty-fourth week of pregnancy, if anyone is wondering (ha!).

I will be gone while I recover, I think.
Going back to bed now.

So, what's new with you?

Things I'm trying not to screw up:

Ilan becomes a Blackbelt this weekend. It's an all-day thing. He has his Physical Training test in the morning (three freakin hours!), and then, in the evening, is a "Blackbelt Gala." (How do you pronounce that word?? Ga-lah, or Gay-lah?? Help! I'm showing my stupidity!)

To the Gala, Ilan has to wear his heavy-weight karate uniform, so: off that went to the cleaners!
Nathan will need to wear a suit, so: off we went to Kohl's to buy him a new suit! Because there's nothing cuter than a five year old wearing a formal suit! Especially when you can buy the suit 50% off during the holiday shopping rush!
Luiz, of course, will also have to wear a suit, so: OH, NO!! My husband, who has worn a suit exactly three times in his entire life, does not have a suit! The one he wore last time (about three years ago) is full of holes!! A pox on you, moths!! And he will not go after work to shop for a new suit! So he will be stuck with whatever he can off the rack, right before the Gala! Cause, dearest, you are not going with a five year old who is better dressed than you are. But little boys! They are so cute in suits!

Also:
I have been preoccupied with others' blogs lately. Like Persephone, and Cecily, and House of Joy. Oh, yes, and my sister's. And, by the way? Calling someone's comments stupid and dishonest--that's no way to avoid debate!! Cause them those are fightin' words!! Hoo-yah!

Also:
The pregnancy has begun it's serious affect on my brain. Including my language region. In case you haven't noticed.

Can't write. Too mad at my sister. UGH!
But I wrote a lovely comment in her blog, if you want to go read it.

ADDED: How come no one is mentioning the latest NJG post? The poor woman just broke up with her boyfriend, and now she's getting pounded on!! UGH! More to be mad about!!