This is your first week of being in Kindergarten all day long. I can tell you love it and that you’re having a good time making new friends.
Based on conversations I’ve been hearing you have with Mommy, apparently you and your new friends have been having meetings on the playground as part of what you call “The Butt Club” where you all “talk about butts.”
I appreciate this concept. It’s like an underground movement where Kindergartner boys can meet secretly to freely discuss the greatness of “butts”; a topic that is taboo in the classroom.
It would be my speculation that “having gas” would be a popular topic of discussion, as you and your friends of The Butt Club talk about butts.
On Tuesday when I came home from work, I handed you a surprise I picked up from the treasure box at the dentist office: a bendable alien toy.
You were so excited when you turned him around and saw that he had a visible butt!
This toy alien gave you much joy, and entertainment, for the rest of the evening; eventually, a clever and original idea was born:
You asked Mommy about having an alien-themed birthday party for when you turn 6 in November. Unsurprisingly, you were quick to also mention the inclusion of “butts” as part of the theme, as well.
We’ve still got 3 months to figure out how to accomplish this theme for your birthday party. Last year, we didn’t have an official party for you, since we took a trip to Florida to celebrate instead.
But with a newborn sister, and a week-long trip to San Diego for Uncle Jake’s wedding at the end of September, another trip in November is unlikely.
So maybe an alien-themed is possible… I’m just not so sure about the butts.
Superior Honda, a new and used Honda dealership in Louisiana, partnered with bloggers such as me for this program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about any product mentioned in these posts. Superior Honda believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Superior Honda’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.
Buying a car from anyone is a big deal. Especially when the car is used, there is a lot more research and negotiation when it comes to the deal. Often, if buying from an individual rather than a dealership, it’s a good idea to get your mechanic to take a look at the car. Below are a few of our best tips to get the best deal.
Show Up Physically– auto dealers and salespeople are much more likely to give you leeway in a negotiation if you show up in person rather than start your inquiry by email or phone. While we do receive a lot of phone calls, it is mostly for basic questions. Once someone is actually interested in discussing the best car for them, they really need to come in, otherwise I think they may not be very serious about their purchase.
Go to a Dealership– while used car lots have a large selection, they are not usually high quality. The highest quality used cars that you will find are going to be located at dealerships. At these locations, you can browse similar priced cars, even if they aren’t used, they may fit your need. Also, salespeople and dealership employees are more knowledgeable than basic used car lots, or buying from an individual.
Don’t Negotiate- well, actually you are going to negotiate, but use your first visit to simple inspect and gain information. Then, go back to the dealership on the last day of the month and see what price they are willing to drop. Another great negotiation tactic is to show up on days with poor weather. These slow days make a potential customer exciting and a salesperson may be more lenient.
Overall, buying a used car is a great idea! They are usually in good condition, last a while, and often can come pre-certified. Talk to your local dealership soon to see what they have to offer!
First was this summer’s X-Men Apocalypse, and more recently, Disney’s reboot of Pete’s Dragon, both same in that marvelous year in history. And of course, Netflix’s Stranger Things.
I personally have had an obsession with 1983 since I was in Junior High, about a decade later. The culture, the style, the music, the movies, and the TV shows were so enjoyable.
Even John Mayer backs up my theory in his song, “83”, where he admits, “Had it make in ’83.”
So it makes sense to me that people today, in 2016, continue to enjoy seeing the year 1983 brought back to life.
I am thoroughly impressed by the seemingly flawless way the Duffer Brothers have captured 1983 in their new sci-fi thriller, Stranger Things.
There is no question that Stranger Things is an exceptional TV show, like Breaking Bad and Lost.
But the question you might be asking, as a parent, is at what age Stranger Things would be appropriate for your child to watch.
While I can’t answer that question for you, I can give you a brief overview of elements of the show which ultimately give Stranger Things what I deem as the equivalent of an intense PG-13 rated movie.
Profanity:
While there are no major curse words, like “g—d—“ or “f—“, every episode contains multiple uses of “sh—“ and many of the episodes contain the phrase “son of a b—-“ and/or “d-ck”. I should point out that much of the the profanity is by the 12 year-old boys, in addition to the adult characters.
Sex/Nudity:
Most episodes are free of sensuality, but there is an early episode in which 2 teenagers (who are protagonists) engage in sexual activity. While no nudity is shown, the bedroom scene is not a quick one. The event is referenced briefly again in a later episode, in which the girl is referred to as a “sl-t” by the boy she had sex with.
Violence:
There is violence throughout the series, including a girl’s telepathic ability to break bones and even kill people. Additionally, there are many uses of guns and weapons.
Drugs/Alcohol:
There is occasional use of cigarettes and beer by some of the adult characters.
Dark Themes:
The overall theme of Stranger Things has to do with connecting to a darker, sinister parallel universe; as people are being taken there from the 1983 version of Indiana. Again, one of the main characters is able to excess her telepathic abilities.
Stranger Things is by no means a family friendly show, yet it is definitely fascinating, intriguing, and addicting.
As for a child watching it, I say the best comparison for inappropriate content for children would be Lost; regarding profanity, sex, violence, drugs/alcohol, and dark themes.
However, it’s up to the individual parent to decide at what age.
The new Pete’s Dragon movie takes place in circa-1983, just like this year’s X-Men Apocalypse, as well as Netflix’s summer hit show, Stranger Things. The funny part is, I have no idea why the new Pete’s Dragon movie takes place in the Eighties; it has nothing to do with the plot in any way.
Never at any point do they acknowledge the year. This is simply information you deduce from the clothing, hairstyles, cars, and lack of cell phones. When the movie begins, “1983” doesn’t flash up on the screen.
Similarly, I’m led to believe the movie takes place in either Washington state or Oregon, based on the redwood trees. But they never come out and say that either.
Oh yeah, and, by the way: Take your kids to see this movie!
It is totally worth it. It is the perfect family movie to see in the theater this year. Plenty of heart and adventure, yet not cheesy in any way.
Here’s a breakdown of the new Pete’s Dragon movie, from a “family friendly” perspective:
Profanity:
None; not even any form of “OMG”. There is a mention of literal hell, as the dragon’s eyes are compared to “the color of hell fire.” But I have a feeling no one is going to find that be be offensive.
Sex/Nudity:
Not even a kiss.
Violence:
A crew of men use tranquilizer rifles to hunt down the dragon.
Drugs/Alcohol:
Not even the sight of an empty beer bottle.
Dark Themes:
Just like virtually every Disney movie ever made, the boy becomes an orphan in the opening scene, in the event of a car accident. However, the trauma of this is downplayed greatly: The car is show flipping upside down but the bodies of the parents are not seen.
I strongly recommend this movie. My son just started Kindergarten this week; he’s about 5 and a half years-old. Pete’s Dragon was perfectly relevant and appropriate.
I am testing out a theory on emotional intelligence; and thanks to a video I just released on my YouTube channel this week, I have now made it possible for the free world to attempt to insult me, offend me, hurt my feelings, or negatively affect my emotions by being rude to me; via comments on the YouTube video.
My theory is that it’s officially impossible for the simple reason that I do not allow anyone to hurt my feelings. I do not give anyone permission or power over my emotions, since I am aware that it’s my decision to make, not theirs.
I quickly agree that “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is not true for everyone. After all, we live in an “outrage culture” in which people so easily get publicly offended; with a little help from social media.
However, I believe that I am on the complete opposite of the “easily offended” spectrum. Over the past 5 years of my life especially, I have taught myself the important life lesson that formally, I was allowing myself to be a victim, instead of proactively choosing to be a victor.
It’s not that I think I’m perfect. The complete opposite is true: I couldn’t be any more aware of my own shortcomings and faults. In fact, I daily invite the free world to give me constructive criticism so I can make my list of imperfections even longer; whether it’s in the virtual world or the real world.
If I can learn a way to be a better human being, I want to know. I love constructive criticism! I thrive on it.
The only way I can prove that it is impossible to insult me, offend me, hurt my feelings, or negatively affect my emotions by being “rude” to me is to make myself a human social experiment, in real time.
If I am insulted, I will admit that my theory was bogus and end the challenge.
However, I will be quite surprised anyone is able to insult me and it actually hurt my feelings. For anyone who does take me up on my offer, chances are, they will mainly be people online who I don’t even know. Just faceless, nameless Internet trolls and hecklers. As a blogger of eleven years, I’m used to that.
I think their “insults” would ultimately come across as obligatory, juvenile, and unoriginal; and that even if they did a good job, they would simply incriminate themselves as people who are insecure about themselves.
Granted, a person who would consider threatening me would not be participating in the challenge I am presenting. If it takes a threat to insult me, then my theory is proven true; as this is about me being immune to emotional attacks, not physical ones.
It’s fundamentally important to me in my everyday life that I do not allow myself to become easily provoked or quick to anger; from another driver pulling out in front of me only to drive under the speed limit, to a coworker who appears to deliberately try to embarrass me in front of others on a daily basis.
So I hereby invite the world to imply I am not good enough, not smart enough, not right enough, not funny enough, not interesting enough, not thin enough, not heavy enough, not strong enough, not intelligent enough, not good-looking enough, not well-balanced enough, or not normal enough.
I invite the universe to judge me and find me unworthy of their own standard. I predict I won’t be offended. I am fundamentally opposed to allowing other people to offend me. I am not a victim. I am a victor.
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