Rodeo Queen Blues

Thing 1 had her heart broken, again. She was set for a run at Miss Rodeo Frozen Tundra, had all the appropriate pictures, paper work, blood sweat and tears in place, then found out she was the only one who had done things on time. The coordinator decided to wait 7 more months "to see if anyone else would come forward to participate." The timing of the pagent in September worked ok for Thing 1. It might mean giving up the chance to march in the Rose Bowl Parade, but that was ok. Trade one "once in a lifetime opportunity" for another. The April coronation brought up a whole different issue. In order to participate in the April pagent, Thing 1 would have to give up a semester of French Horn playing. And she's finally in the position to be playing first chair. The music in her heart won out, so maybe her heart isn't broken after all. Maybe it just needed to be heard. Besides, Miss Rodeo College Sweetheart is coming up and that doesn't conflict with anything - except maybe the cowboy who is her sweetheart. He'll just have to get used to the tiara on the kitchen table.

Yo - Ho, Yo - Ho, Me Heartys

'Tis a Pirates life for Thing 2. Always an avid fan of pirates, Thing 2 was ecstatic when the Pirates of the Caribbean series came out. She says she initially went to see Orlando Bloom, who had just finished a run as Legolas in Lord of the Rings. When Captain Jack made his entrance on the sinking boat (try calling that a ship), she was forevermore a Johnny Depp fan. Thing 2's love interest is convinced she has a crush/obsession with Johnny Depp. He just doesn't get it! Thing 2 was born a pirate. An anti-establishment rock star in her own mind when she hit the ground. Just as Thing 1 emerged kicking and screaming, Thing 2 has been dancing to the music in her head and I'm pretty sure the song goes something like,"yo-ho,yo-ho, a pirate's life for me."

We played hookie on May 25 to see a daytime screening of Pirates 3. Papa Bear was not amused,but we sure had fun. I explained to Thing 2 that when I was, well, younger, my mom would let me skip a day of school, she would take a day off work and we would go downtown for shopping, lunch and the 4 hour epic "Gone With the Wind". Mom and I always cried our way through the film, the went home refreshed and sure that we would never hungry again. Maybe that's why I was ok with Thing 2 convincing me to take a day and play.

I won't give away any of the movie, other than if you are a pirate history buff, Bruckheimer, et al. got it right.

My Country 'Tis of Thee

I guess I have always known the rodeo arena was extremely, blatantly, overly patriotic. So are the schools in this district. I have always thought myself to be a fairly patriotic person, it's just how I was raised. It's how I raised the Things. I was also taught to use my own mind and my own judgement and not blindly follow what my government said. The government, after all, is a group of people with agendas and sometimes with obligations to financial supporters. I have explained this concept to the Things, and they also tend to be "free thinkers".

Thing One is in a potential predicament with her free thinking style. In about third grade, she decided that she would not pledge allegiance to a flag. It is after all, a piece of fabric. Allegiance to her country, to a group of people, to a concept, a belief, all of that was just fine. To a flag? Not.

Thing Two, who is still in high school, has learned to enjoy her history and civics classes. When she first started high school, she was convinced the teachers all hated her because of her outspokenness. What she, and I, learned, was that the last time many of these teachers had someone so willing to jump into the political verbal fray was when Thing One went through. And she was far more polite about it. The teachers now appreciate Thing Two's willingness and how it opens so many doors to so many different subjects. It just makes it hard to follow the lesson plan.

Things Three and Four were a little more indoctrinated by an organization they belonged to. The both know all the words to the National Anthem and several other patriotic songs. They both have the respect to remove their hats during the pledge, but I've noticed lately that Thing Three really isn't saying much when it gets to the allegiance to the flag part.

Thing One, in her quest for rodeo queendom, is going to have to move her lips to the anthem and if she wins, will carry the flag while mounted on a horse, potentially moving at a high rate of speed. She knows all the etiquette of handling the symbol of our nation and she is known to be respectful. I just wonder what her answer will be when questioned about patriotism. Just don't get us started on religion.

Kicking and Screaming

When Thing One was born, she came into the world kicking and screaming. Things haven't changed much in 20+ years. She's the one dragging me into the rodeo queen world. I never intended to become the dreaded "pageant mother" who follows her child with a camera in one hand and the can of cement quality hairspray in the other. Nevertheless, that is the role I have been drawn, kicking and screaming, into performing. Granted, Thing One is the one who makes all the calls, does the majority of the paperwork (I just have to proofread and create new words and sentence structures) and who has to be nice to everyone she meets, because she is, after all, a rodeo queen contestant. It's just that I feel really sorry of the other three Things. They get to see Thing One with her hair down, literally. She doesn't have to be nice to them because she doesn't go much of anywhere publicly with them and avoids them like the plague when they are all within the same domicile. I think they actually do care for one another, in there own maligned ways. If I do have to spend much time with all of them, I'll be the one that gets taken away, kicking and screaming.

Here goes

I'v decided it's time to join the 20th century at least and get over my fear of pushing the wrong button. When I realized my mother is more computer literate than I, well, it was time to grab the bull by the horns and wrestle him down. My family is tired of being preached to because they are, after all, the choir. It only seemed right to expand my horizons and share my rants. Bear with me, especially as I attempt the additions of photographs and other graphics...it's a whole new world!