Thing's I Learned From my Night with a TV

My daughter's friend decided to ride her choo-choo train down the stairs. The result of this thrill-ride, was pain, I assume. Especially as she has spent much of the past few days in-and-out of the hospital, getting her little arm put back together again. I have been inspired to remove all "riding" toys away from staircases without baby gates.

My daughter is only friends with this little girl because I am friends with her parents. So, in actuality I should have said "My friend's daughter decided to. . . " They go to our small-group, which makes me thankful that I rather like their family. Because I am a good person I decided to offer my "babysitting" services tonight after my good friend/neighbor/family, Jill, has already babysat for them twice. Actually, I think it was more so because I was jealous that Jill would get all the credit for being a good person, and I none. If you read the Bible, you know that any such prideful motive results in no reward. Still, I didn't get nothing out of this.

I got to watch TV. The real thing. Not Hulu, my typical computer TV fare, or even watching a DVD on a TV. It was real TV where you lounge around and change channels and stuff. If you know me, you know I don't do this because we don't have a TV which is usable as a TV. If you know us well, you know that we don't want such a vile instrument of evil in our home. Or at minimum, we don't want to pay the money and are too lazy to get said vile instrument of evil working in our house. Whatever. In otherwords, don't watch TV much.

TV is a window to the world. Its a dab slower than the super-sonic internet (that we do have). Unlike the Internet, with the whole world at your fingertips, TV filters the world so you don't have overwhelming choices. You just sit there, fumble your fingers over a 'hookie' (i.e., remote control), and someone else chooses what you download into your brain. And this is what I learned from such a spectacular window on the boob-tube:

Samoa is actually a territory of the United States! Well, part of Samoa is. Recently, their economy was devastated thanks to SunKisk's corporate value system. Also, a few months ago they had an 8.1 earthquake, resulting in a small, but deadly tsunami. Poor Samoa, how did I not even know?! But they do have some good things going for them. 200 of their 500,000 people play at least division one football (which is really good, right?)! I am no mathematician, but there seems to be some major connection between football and Samoa. I got to watch a really cool haka war-dance they do for football practice warm-ups, similar to the haka I learned when in Fiji. Fjij and Samoa are relatively close, which is probably the only reason this caught my attention.

The Golden Globe Awards give awards for both TV shows, and movies. Watching them is like getting media review of the last year. After watching them I am officially current on my popular culture. I can tell you who had a funky dress, who cried, and what movies the rest of the planet considers worth seeing that maybe I should see (you know, just to keep from sounding like an idiot). I grew up in California, which is where the awards took place. Maybe this is the reason this caught my attention.

Did you know I like the name Penelope? Its so, well, confusingly fun to say. Penelope. Penelope! I think she is one of the most beautiful actresses, along with all the rest of them. Did you know Penelope Cruz is sometimes insecure? Of course! She is also very stubborn, thinks Tom Cruise is treated wrongly (we share an opinion) and grew up in the outskirts of Madrid! I was near where Penelope grew up when I was in Madrid, which is probably the reason she caught my attention.

Some dude thinks we should be happy that we can't control the weather, even though the people in Florida have frozen oranges. I too have been to Florida a really long time ago, which is probably the only reason this caught my attention. My brain is becoming a frozen orange popsicle.

Yet Haiti, Haiti caught my attention for a whole different reason, not because there was sometime I was nearby or some other frame of reference. My heart breaks for Haiti, just like I want it to for those few unheard of in Samoa who's lives were also ruined a few months ago, even if there are 1/100 of the amount of people. Although I keep up with the news, and have seen my fair-share of pictures of the disaster, I haven't really watched any TV clips of it until tonight. Watching doctors amputate appendages with saws they found and sterilized with vodka, and seeing bodies piled in the streets, being picked up by earth-movers is surreal. As always, I contemplate the horrors that others experience and cry for a thousand reasons. You might feel those reasons too, or surely we share at least one or two of the thoughts on the issue. My fear is not just that Haitians are dying without the help they need, but that those in less heard of crisis's around the globe will also suffer, as we will stop any assistance to others in need. Need is always great. There is no shortage of it.

My TV watching evening is over and I have gleaned some random knowledge, while relaxing a little and maintaining indifference to our own TV ownership (or lack thereof). Besides feeling like this is the time to proclaim my innocence, that I was not a bad babysitter as their daughter was sleeping the entire time of my stay- I should also note that in this life we can't protect ourselves forever. We try to live the good life, enjoying our TV shows, making money, havin' babies to watch TV other shows. There is nothing wrong with wanting comfort. But there is something wrong when we are so comfortable we forget to love God and love God by loving others. There is something wrong when we think we can keep ourselves from the bad things, and the unexpected things. We treat ourselves like overprotective parents, sitting in emotional and physical safety-nets while guarding our rights, our happiness, and our money (as if we deserve any of it). And maybe we do deserve it. We deserve the worst reward, comfort in this life alone. Instead, lets challenge ourselves to not just watch the world around us on our TV sets (or whatever characterizes your safety-net of comfort and relaxation). We must always be aware of the greater world around us, as lives never cease to be at stake.

He has showed you, O man, what is good.

And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8 (New International Version)

Going Cloth

I have been obsessively reading about cloth diapers of late. I know, I know. It is such a time waster. And I know, I know, cloth diapers are "gross." Still, all that time wasted has convinced me that I want to use them. I already considered using them with Avilynne, but I just never got far enough to go for it. I tried gDiapers for awhile (part cloth, part disposable), but it took more time as I had to separate the washing parts from the disposable parts. And, the disposable parts clogged the toilet. It wasn't convenient. And, it would have ended up being slightly more expensive.

Yet, here I am at playing babies round two. I have a fresh chance to try them out again. Although cloth diapers has a starting out cost, it pays for itself within six months. I would save at least $1000, if not closer to $1500 with my son, if I don't use disposables. And, if they wear well, I can reuse them with other children. In that case, saving about $2000 (more or less) in the future per child as long as the diapers last. Of course, they aren't going to last forever, and who knows how many more kids we will have, anyways. But, it COULD not just save us money with Baby #2, but sequential children from here on out.
After all, It is amazingly better for the environment. Economic. Environmentally kind. And they have fun colors and designs! Really! Why wouldn't I want to do cloth diapers?!!

Well, there are the obvious reasons. Can it really be convenient? Can other people besides me handle cloth diapers? Isn't it more messy, nasty, and Stinky? Isn't it EXTREMELY anti-American!? Its counter-cultural! After all, It doesn't help the big market companies out, and gives into the planet-saving cult of money-making-organic-swooning-opportunists! Then there are the deeper issues: Will my friends and family reject me because of my odd decision to "go cloth?"

As I have been wrestling with these questions, I am becoming convinced that the pros still outweigh the cons. For example, they are much more convenient than they used to be. You don't have to fold them. You don't have to pin them. Heck, you don't even have to use "fitteds" with diaper covers! You can just use one piece, just like a normal disposable. Use a cloth wipe, so you don't have to separate the "throw away" from the keepable pile. Instead of throwing the dirty lump into the diaper genie, you throw it in the diaper pail. Instead of emptying the stinking diaper genie 1-2 times a week (gagging in the process), and going out to the trash with it . . . you just dump the contents of the pail in the washer every couple days. Of course, your probably still gagging : ) But, this makes cloth sound so smooth and ideal! Of course, it won't be. When is anything ideal? I have no doubt that it will be a learning curve until we get the swing of it. Then it will be ideal!

There is also the process of hoping the cloth diapers you have chosen are the best ones for your kid. Because, if not, there are consequences. Not all cloth diapers are equal, and some are better at different stages. After all, sometimes Pampers worked better for Avi. Then other times Huggies did. Sometimes the cheap brand, Loves, did also. But I never had a storebrand which worked well with her. But some people I knew could use kirland's or walmart's with no problems. So, although disposables have the same issue, if I realized she was blowing out all the time, I could always buy a new box of diapers. I might lose a good $5, $10, or even $20. But as the expense of disposables is gradual, it wasn't that big of a deal. Whereas, if I buy the wrong cloth diapers, that would be a lot more of a problem.

Hence, my plan is as follows: We will start, as a newborn, in disposables. They are in them for just a few weeks anyways, and if I used cloth for a newborn I'd have to buy a ton of them for that time period. Besides, I need to "move into" cloth. Not starting cold turkey. After the first month or so I will transition. I am collecting an assortment of the best-reviewed cloth AIO diapers and one-size Pocket diapers to have on hand. I plan of not buying enough of these, so that I can choose what works the best on him and then buy more of that brand/style. Still, I will only have a portion of those being the ones I particularly think are perfect, as I am getting quite a few now to try out. And I still plan on using all of these, whether they are the "best" for my kid or not. Besides, what might be best at the beginning will probably not be best later on.

There are two styles I am planning on using. One is the "AIO," which is an all-in-one diaper (breathable waterproof on the outside, while soaking up on the inside nice and softly). These are just great. They are convenient; they are no different than disposables. Well, except you don't trash them, obviously. Even though they are all-in-one, if all else fails and they don't soak up enough and leak, there is a place where you can add an extra liner to take care of these problems just in case. The only draw-back is that you have to buy these in multiple sizes, throughout the kids diaper-career. I.e., they will cost more. Still, as I won't be using extra small, and by toddlerhood I'll be working on potty training, I might only need two sizes. But, this is still a drawback for me.

The other type is a one-size diaper. These are awesome because you only need one set of these for the whole time your child is in diapers. They have all these snaps and adjustments to go from a 5lb. baby to a 35lb. child. Kinda like a car-seat : ) Of course, they will fit better sometimes more than other times. On a newborn, they would be extremely bulky. But hey, they are convenient if you have two kids in different size diapers wearing them (I plan on experimenting with them on Avi for my own entertainment). They bring the cost down in the long-run, and keep you from having to try to find what diaper fits today and which one doesn't. You just adjust the snaps or Velcro until it fits, because, it will (It Better!). They make these very nicely, and are almost as easy as AIOs. But they aren't as easy, though, as they are generally pocket diapers. A pocket diaper is the second most convenient type of cloth diapers. They have the whole diaper together (waterproof, and soft soaking layer) just like the AIOs. Yet, the AIOs only use inserts if you really need them. Pocket diapers need to have inserts put in them or you'll regret it. The main reason they keep them separate is that they dry much sooner when they are separated, and another reason is....I have no clue. Surely there is another reason. They wash better? They have longer lives that way? You can adjust how much wetness they hold? True, but you can already do that with an AIO. For all I know, they might be just as easy to use as an AIO, at least putting them on they would be. But I am more confused how this works when you take them off, do you actually have to take out the liner then, separating the parts to wash? Or can you just keep the liner in when you wash it? I don't know. But I do know that I will be trying these two types of diapers as I think they are the best type of cloth diapers.

Generally, I have confidence that the styles I am getting are the best after doing a ton of research. After all, their reviews are great, and are acclaimed as easiest. At least they will work if not be best, right? As of now I think I will like the BumGenius ones the best, although Thristies, Fuzzi Bunz, Kushies, and Happy Heines (among others) are some of the types I am trying. If I like a certain brand, I'll probably try just using the homemade copies from ebay of the more expensive brand names. If any of you are cloth diaper users, I would appreciate your thoughts and feedback. As I am ambitiously striving to go cloth, and become part of your cult, I need that wisdom! Afterall, I live in one of the richest counties in one of the richest countries in the twenty-first century! I am too privileged to know how to move forwards by going 'backwards' by using what is normal to the majority of other countries and thousands of years of generations. Go cloth!

(Note: If I regret this decision in the future, kindly try to not rub it in my face violently)

RE: Politics and the well-trodden path in my mind a discussion on politics always takes me down....

(This was written in response to comments in a political forum (in essence) some of my friends and I have)

I still think:

1. It would be really interesting to have all 4 people be together as co-presidents and co-vice presidents. Either that or make it into an Obama-Palin combo or McCain-Biden combo. I know, I know, that couldn't really ever happen and no one would ever agree. But can't I think the unrealistic would be exciting? Not saying I would "like it" exciting, but more so "interesting" exciting. I guess my creativity just can't help playing out in politics, also. The opportunities to mix the characters together is just irresistible, its like creating flower (or weed) bouquets. I guess its easy for me to say that as I don't particularly love any proper set of these guys, as you all probably know.
2. I still think I should make "Pro- Whatever I Believe" Buttons and sell them. Saying I had the resources to make, distribute, and effectively sell these buttons, how much do you think I could make by November if I copywrite this slogan? If anyone has a cheesy button machine I want to borrow it.....Seriously!
3. I still believe that someday the economy of the U.S.A. will REALLY actually crash. I read a great quote the other day in some big newspaper; I read it in the Times or the Post. It said something such as "You should financially start worrying when people stop trusting eachother." Of course, it was more beautifully written, but I thought it made a lot of sense. As soon as people stop thinking there is money (which would be a logical thing to think, as most people live off of credit, and as there is no actual "gold" or resource backing our money) and therefore stop trusting eachother with lending, banking, buying, etc.....we are screwed. That trust in our credit cards and loans is what keeps our economy going. Anyways, I could rant and rave about the economy again like Carrie, as I agree with her, but there is no need. I just believe we have a responsibility to God to manage our finances wisely, not to make us richer, but to pour it into building His kingdom while we actually have money we can pour into His kingdom. And trust me, we all have money we can pour into Jesus' concerns. Or even if you don't care about Jesus, you probably still think its good to care about some of His concerns.....the poor, hungry, thirsty, and sick: they still exist. They do along with all those oppressed in slavery, by governments and war, and those unjustly imprisoned. We are not assured of money in ten years, one year, or even tomorrow. But today while we have I think we should care. Wisely investing our money is not really investing into our economy, wisely investing in money is investing in people's lives. Okay, and there was that well-trodden path in my mind politics often brings me to. So don't be surprised if you hear it again *smile*