Image from poppyproject.coach

So, have you seen the http://poppyproject.coach.com poppy trails all over your favorite blogs?  It’s a cool concept and from a  marketing perspective I think it’s a great, fresh idea.  The viral marketing plan is “popping up” all over the place.  And I sure wouldn’t mind winning one of the “surprises” if I see a Poppy Coach bag on any of the blogs.  I love the new line and Coach was my go-to brand when I was working.  Now that I am not, I do not foresee a new Coach bag in my near future.  Even when my student teaching is over and I have my teaching certificate, the salary of a first year teacher simply doesn’t scream “Coach”!

Many of the blogs I read have embraced the Poppy Project and have Poppies growing all across the headers and along the sides.  The problem I see with this, from an advertiser’s standpoint, is that as the poppy trail grows, it covers up other advertisements.  Maybe I’m being picky but if it were my ad dollars (although much less, unfortunately, than other mediums) paying to be on select blog sites, I’d be a bit unhappy with this free, virtual, viral campaign.  Wonder if any of the bloggers or their media representation are getting any pushback?

Image from www.poppyproject.coach.com

Can you fight City Hall?  We’re sure going to try, or to be more specific, fight the police department.  Sam received a $50 parking ticket for parking directly in front of our house.  No, it wasn’t street sweeping day.  The ticket reads for “parking within 10 feet of the centerline of the driveway”.  What?

He has a big Ford Econoline van, which is a 15 seater; which is neither here nor there.  It was parked directly in front of our house, not blocking either our driveway or our neighbors.  What the heck is this 10 feet from the centerline of the driveway ordinance?  I have never heard of such a thing.  If that’s the case, I wonder if you can ever even park there when you go out 10 feet from my centerline and 10 feet from my neighbors centerline.  I’m going to measure tomorrow.

We have parked there for the 8 years we have lived here.  Never once id we get a warning or a ticket for this.  We have however, been sideswiped twice, had mirrors broken off and had a full on other vehicle back into my car while it was parked in front of my house.  All hit and runs.  Where were the police then?

This is absolutely ridiculous.  I wonder what quota the officer was trying to reach when he issued this citation.  I am so glad my tax dollars are being put to such good use here.  I will call tomorrow morning to complain, let’s see if I get any where.

When I was younger I used to love reading Archie comic books.  I used to walk with my dad to Clara’s - a little mom and pop store that was a lot like a little convenience store.  Every Saturday night in nice weather when we lived in the city, we would walk to Clara’s on Augusta Blvd. for the Sunday newspaper.  I knew that if I went with my dad, I could convince him to buy me an Archie comic book and maybe some penny candy. 

I even loved the Archies, and their one hit wonder “sugar, sugar’!  When I had girls of my own, I also bought them Archie comics.  I don’t think they were into them as much as I was but I was happy to be able to pass something of my childhood on to them and I always supported their reading, whether classics or comics!  I sure do wish I had kept those books from my childhood to pass on to them.  I always loved the romantic triangle of Archie, Betty and Veronica.  Even as a child, I thought Betty was a bit of a doormat and Veronica was a spoiled brat but I always rooted for the nice girl to get her boy.

Today I see this on the internet.

I’m crushed.  First Barbie and Ken break up and now this.  You know, I’m okay with Tatoo Barbie and can live with the fact that my little ones now will never know the Banana Splits (and I’m not talking the ice cream dish).  But this.  This is just wrong.

I dislike backhanded compliments.  I dislike ambiguous comments even more.  Francesca and I were at her gymnastics class recently.  It was the first class and we were early.  She ran around a lot while we were waiting to get into the room.  No biggie - she didn’t bother anyone or act destructively, she acted…well she acted like a 2 year old.

Inside the gymnastics room we introduced ourselves and then waited again for the instructors to set up all the pads and pieces to an obstacle course.  All the children were sitting on the sides with their moms (not a sexist comment - just noting that there were no men in the room - just women - I’m guessing some nannies and a grandmother or two) some were sitting better than others.  Francesca does not sit well.  She was wiggling and squirming and was vocal about the fact that she did not like waiting and sitting.  Mercifully, the obstacle course was quickly set up.  As we were waiting our turn, one of the moms turned to me and said “I know you.  We saw you in church on Easter.  I thought it was interesting how you just watcher her.” 

Gulp.  How do you respond to this?  Easter Mass was not one of my fondest memories.  We typically attend “lower mass” on Sundays which is basically the basement of the church.  The upper church, the actual church where there are pews and the alter are no place for children who do not sit well.  I learned that lesson early when Ross was a baby and upon finishing his bottle threw it and it landed in the pew ahead of us.  A man who was less than thrilled with this occurrence turned to hand the bottle to me with a glare you would not believe.  I know it was inappropriate to throw the bottle, but heck he was under a year old.  Doesn’t this man remember what it’s like to have children?  Little children?  Needless to say since that day we have attended lower mass, a family friendly area in which no one thinks twice if little ones run around, the church even has books for the kids to read and a Church Bulletin made specifically for kids with games and pictures to color.  They even have the children come up and sing “The Lord’s Prayer”.  It’s Catholic Mass lite. 

So Easter Sunday, we ended up at the 10:30 Mass apparently a very popular choice as the upper church and lower church were filled to capacity and we were directed to the school Gymnasium otherwise known as the Parish Life Center.  People sat on the bleachers and in folding chairs.  We stood on the side, by choice.  Multiple times ushers directed us to open seats to which I declined.  Ross would sit, Francesca is just too young.  Now I must point out that we were not the only ones standing on the side.

During mass, Francesca proceeded to spin, she spins and spins until she gets dizzy.  I would stop her before she did, and she was right by me and causing no harm.  Then the dressy patent leathers came off.  I tried to get them back on but she started to scream “no shoes”.  So there she was in tights on the floor.  Again, with 4 kids, you just don’t sweat the small stuff.  Towards the end she started to walk down the corridor.  I watched her, knowing if I tried to keep her still she would cry and scream.  She didn’t go far, always turning back.  When she did get a little further I would then go and retrieve her.  The other mothers comments made at gymnastics took me right back to the moment.

Most mothers can empathize with other mothers.  We have all experienced those moments when your child will not behave.  It would have been easier to just stay home from church.  But putting our children in social situations helps to teach them how to behave appropriately.  It’s not that I didn’t try, I did.  But she didn’t listen.  I did reinforce to her that she misbehaved, there in church and then again later as we talked.  As she gets older she will get it.  I don’t think that mom will.

In the end, I decided to shake it off.  I responded that “watching her was the appropriate thing to do in that moment”.  It was a civil response.  Because really, I wanted to say how I found it “interesting that she had an opinion on my parenting”.

Tomorrow is Election Day.  Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, you can not deny that this is a historic time in politics.  For the first time ever we will have either an African American President or a female Vice President.  “Times, they are a changing” and it’s good to know that our country is finally ready to vote for the team they feel is most qualified, regardless or race or gender.

One thing I will be happy about come tomorrow, is that the barrage of political automated phone calls will cease.  Am I the only one who finds it odd that when it comes to localized politics; folks running for state positions, that the automated message calls come from other states?   

Maryland, California and Louisianna, to name a few, are just some of the states that have shown up on my caller ID and are the states where the calls were initiated from.  All very fine states, and I’m all for interstate commerce, but when the political platform is state-based and talking about  bringing and keeping jobs in our state it strikes me as funny.  Not funny “Ha Ha” but funny “odd”.

Now to be fair, perhaps there are no automatic dialer type companies here in Illinois.  Our City here has just instituded an emergency automated call program and those calls are from out of state as well.  I’m just thinking that if you are running for office and are talking about keeping and bringing jobs in said state that perhaps the calls should come from the same state or at least show up as “Political Message” on the caller ID (as one of the messges did).

Again, I know we are the United States of America and I have NOTHING against ANY of our states, but having had my position eliminated to even more centralization as a result of our company being a division of a larger, nationwide company, I’m just sayin. 

Ok, enough said.  Now get your rest.  Tomorrow is a big day.  So many times, when discussing politics people inevitabley complain about who is in office.  Many of those same people did not vote in the Presidential election and therefore, in MY Opinion should not be able to complain.  We live in a country that is blessed to be a democracy.  Many brave folks have fought for our freedoms in wars past (and have fought for other agendas - agreed).  Make YOUR vote count.   Get out there and VOTE tomorrow.  The future is in OUR hands. 

I am now stepping off my soapbox, removing it and putting it away.  Peace out.