The Olympics...

Back again...and this time to talk about the Olympics. They are wrapping up tonite, the closing ceremonies is on NBC. I've watched quite a bit of the events this year, and they have made me quite proud to live in the good ole U.S. of A. First off...we've won the medal count. Yea yea...China beat us in gold medals, but we beat them in overall count. That may sound a little childish, but there were a lot of people saying that China was going to "sweep the medal count"...wrong!!

And of course, how could I write this without mentioning Michael Phelps? I mean...8 gold medals in one Olympics...a feat not easily accomplished. And from a man who was made fun of in school because of his looks and ADHD. Who has the last laugh now? Somehow I'm thinking that Michael will have lots of people wanting to be his "friend"...I'm also pretty sure they'll get shot down. Ha!

Michael isn't the only name I could name off. There is also: Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, the Men/Women Beach Volleyball team, the Men's basketball "redeemed team", and all the track and field people (don't know all their names), and those are just a few. The US sent over 600 athletes to the Olympics. My point is: be proud. Most of us will never meet the Olympians, but we should still have pride in them for representing our country. I was watching the Olympics a few days ago, and my niece was here and said how boring it was. I don't think so...now granted, there are some events I don't care to watch, but the people that participate in the sports deserve a ton of respect, even the synchronized swimmers (don't laugh...you try to do what they do). They give up their lives for months at a time and sleep, eat, and breathe whatever sport it is they are training for. Their families and life outside of training pays the prices, but they do it anyway, for the honor, respect, and pride they want to bring to the United States of America. How can we not feel a stirring in our hearts for these modern day Olympians?

There was even a few times during the games where I felt tears come to my eyes...I didn't cry but it definately made me feel something great. I love watching the medal ceremonies and singing the National Anthem (thank goodness no one else hears me). There were many athletes who went to the Games knowing they would not win a medal, but they go anyway to try and never give up. It should be a lesson we can all learn from.

So...what's my point, you ask? Be proud. You might think this is a corny blog, but I could care less. I'm hoping you take a little more pride in your country, even if you disagree with the politics and government things going on...forget about that for just a little bit and be proud to call yourself an American.

I was going to post some links to some of the races, from the Youtube website but Youtube can't post the actual races, and I'm too lazy to look anywhere else :) My personal favorite is the Men's Swimming 4x100m Relay match where Jason Lezak pulls off the race of the century. Have a stupendous, wondrous, glorious day!!

The more I think about this exchange student stuff...

the more it bothers me....I realize that Delight School needs to be saved and everything, but the people getting exchange students just for the money...well, that just irritates me to no great end. Charles and I have been doing this for 4 years now, and we've never done it to help out the school. I mean, I know that our exchange students count in the school count, but that's not why we do it, and never will be why we do it. Some people see to think that Charles and I have gotten things in return for hosting exchange students; that is not true, you can think what you want. In my opinion, you should get an exchange student because you want to, not for any other reason. And the company that has offered money...well, that is ridiculous. and for all of those who don't know...IT IS ILLEGAL TO PAY HOST FAMILIES. The way that the company, which is called AISE for those who don't know, is getting away with paying people is by finding a loophole in the rules, and that's the truth. There are people in Delight who have taken an exchange student, or more than one, just for the money. There are people who got them last year that didn't have any business getting one, and they are at it again. I mean, $1000 sounds pretty good...too bad that money doesn't last as long as the exchange student is living in their house. It's really not that much in the long run. Some of these poor kids are coming over here and living in houses that I wouldn't want my dog to live in. Would you want your child to go live with someone in a foreign country simply because that person was paid to take your child? I don't think you would.

And what's going to happen when getting all these exchange students still doesn't help the school to stay open? Will all those host families who only done it for the money decide to kick the kids out? Don't say it won't happen, because it will with some people. I've made some people mad with my opinions...and you know what....I really don't care. If someone wants to get an exchange student, that's one thing, but getting one for money is wrong, wrong, wrong. There are some people who have gotten 4...FOUR!!! That's four thousand dollars, even though the woman in charge said they wouldn't place more than two kids in a home...that's a big fat lie!! Me and Charles have really a three bedroom house, so maybe we should sign up to get 4 and we could put two in each bedroom...who cares if they like it or if they are comfortable or if they're happy, right? I mean, all to save the school, that should be all that matters....at least if you listen to what the people around here say. AISE isn't even going to the host family's house to see if it's a safe place to be...boy, I'd really want my child going thru a company like that to find a place for them to live in a foreign country. You could be sending your child to live in nasty roach infested house for all AISE knows.

So...now that I have "gently" told my thoughts on the exchange student thing..maybe I can make some enemies and see how I can stir it up...haha...

Let me know your thoughts on the subject, if you have any :) I might like this blog thing after all...

Hhhmm...what to say....

Hey!
Well, I am going to try out this blogging thing. Some of our exchange students have had one (Salla and Raz) so I thought I'd give it a whirl. It will be a work in progress cuz I don't really know what I'm doing or how long I'll write, since I get tired of things pretty quickly :)

What to write about first....hhhmm....let's see...today was a work day for me. It was pretty sucky cuz Ms. Janet was in a pissy mood. That seems to happen alot these days the closer we get to Opening Day of the preschool. The school is slowly coming together. It looks far better than it did a week ago. Open House is tomorrow so it's pretty much go time at Southside CDC (yea, I said it...Southside!!) We be the gangsta preschool at Prescott :P

We are settling into the exchange student life once again. It's been a little rocky so far...we've had to deal with a smoking issue. And if a certain person gives Raz cigarettes ever again, I will beat said person myself. I am usually pretty forgiving, but Sunday night and Monday I was pretty hot. I don't understand why our rules were broken when everyone around us knows how we feel about certain issues and how much trouble we had with our last boy exchange student. Now, I know you can't compare one to another, and I have tried not to. We just let the problems go on so long last time and I won't do it this year. It causes too much stress. So, I realize that some of my family thinks I'm a little harsh, but I don't think so. If all you do is give them a little pat on the hand, then they are going to assume they can get away with it again. That goes for all kinds, I think, not just exchange students..but that is a blog for another day :)
Anyway, we have done okay since then. The trouble he's in is only for two weeks, so he will live.
If all we have to deal with is the smoking disturbance, then we'll be good to go for the year.
Well enough of that...even though I think I'll write my opinion on all of these folks getting exchange students thru the $1000 Company, as I call it, on another blog pretty quickly. It should fire some people up, but...yeah...I don't think I care...hehehe...I like to cause a commotion.
As I wrap up my first ever blog, I just want to say that I hope to be honest when I write. I usually write stuff better than I can talk, when it comes down to it. Maybe I'm just not very brave face-to-face, I dunno. I'm trying to figure out how many people I will let know I'm writing a blog. Of course, maybe hardly anyone will care and nobody will read it anyway. Well, Charles would, just to be nosy :D I hope to write lots of stuff on here about all kinds of things. What I write is MY feelings, so keep that in mind. If you don't like what I write...then, don't read what I write cuz this is MY blog, not yours :)
That's all for now. Kinda boring for a first one, but I'll get into it more. I have ideas on stuff to write about so stay tuned.