I came across this fun article at Yahoo.com. Fortunate for me, I'm a Gemini, one of the safer driving signs, but my son is a Libra and my daughter an Aquarian, guess I'd better get them good insurance one day.
By Naomi KimThu Dec 14, 9:42 AM ET
Never mind how careful you are behind the wheel or how long you've been driving, the signs of the zodiac may be bigger factors behind your ability to avoid car crashes -- or why you have too many.
According to a study by InsuranceHotline.com, a Web site that quotes drivers on insurance rates, astrological signs are a significant factor in predicting car accidents.
The study, which looked at 100,000 North American drivers' records from the past six years, puts Libras (born September 23-October 22) followed by Aquarians (January 20-February 18) as the worst offenders for tickets and accidents
Leos (July 23-August 22) and then Geminis (May 21-June 20) were found to be the best overall.
Even age, another variable for determining insurance rates, is less of a consideration to Romanov. The cutoff line for being considered a higher risk driver is 24 years of age; 25-year-olds are considered not-high risk.
"I'd rather get into a car with a 24-year-old Leo than a 25-year-old Aries," Romanov said.
Leos, described along with the study results on InsuranceHotline.com/a10.html, are "generous, and comfortable in sharing the roadway."
Aries, on the other hand, "have a 'me first' childlike nature that drives Aries into trouble."
Friday, December 15, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Christmas Crafts
Some of my girlfriends and I do a yearly Christmas Ornament exchange, this is the 2006 one I made them, it's part of a series, the first was an N.
I made the wreath centerpiece from a piece of greenery I found on sale, and the pinecones I paid my daughter and her friend to find and paint for me, some cinnamon sticks I bought in Bali 6 years ago, and some berries from my (neighbor's--oops!!) yard.
The kids' contribution to this year's decor, we found clipart online and they followed the picture to pain these sleds we picked up at Joann's in Hemet.
I collected some sticks on a walk, glued and tied them together in a tree shape, and glued some berries from my (neighbor's--oops!!) yard. As you can see, I still need a few more berries. Oh, by the way, I LOVE glue guns!!
I have had the wood tree skeleton for about 5 years, and slowly worked on the ornaments from an Alma Lynn book I got from my Mom. I finally finished enough this year to make the tree!
I was going for a pinecone wreath, but it was too flimsy to hang on the wall (needs a wire backing or something) so it is now a table wreath to go around a large snow-globe we received as a present from Mina a few years ago.
Visiting with Windy
I have no clue what the kids are looking at, I think they're trying to coax Marylin to join them in the picture.
And here they are, Janina, Julia, Marylin, Trinity and Jason in the back!
Jason practicing his big brother techniques.
Chilling out in the back yard.
Trinity--hey gorgeous!
Helping get envelopes ready for my baby shower.
Our day at the pool--Windy's friend Melanie (whom we didn't get a picture of!) invited us to her complex to enjoy the water.
Marylin--you cool girl!
Check out the goggles! The kids won't swim without them, must be Japanese!
Windy's going to hate me for this one! She'll probably dig up something of me to post on her site just to get me back!
Goof!--We gave Marylin an extra pair of goggles.
A day at a local park near Windy's.
Check this out! The kids clicked with Uncle Mike, they all had their DSs out in no time at all!
The eyebrow thang! You gotta ask Marylin about it. It's a sign that she's accepted you into her world.
Ready for bed, sweet dreams and all that!
Now this is just plain weird, but Jason is like his father and his older siblings, it always freaks me out to see this!
Summer Fun at Big Bear
Mike and Windy generously invited us to go with them to Big Bear, along with Auty and Trinity, where we spent a really nice weekend together. It was great to get out of the Hemet heat, be up in the beautiful mountains, it was even a bit chilly up there!
Upon seeing the lake Jason asked me, "Mom, what would you do if a shark came up out of the water?" To which I replied, "Take a picture and sell it for thousands of dollars!" Hehe! But, unfortunately for us, there were no sharks! Oh well, better luck next time.
The kids checking something out by the edge of the lake. We didn't actually make it in for swimming, there weren't any real swimming spots available.
Our little mansion for the weekend, thank you Mike!!
We had a jacuzzi on the back porch, lucky us! This is as close as I got to water the whole weekend (besides the shower).
Marylin finally warmed up to Janina, and somehow became attached to her for the weekend.
Mike and Windy!
Auty being herself, as always!
Trinity, listening to the stories in the waves.
Upon seeing the lake Jason asked me, "Mom, what would you do if a shark came up out of the water?" To which I replied, "Take a picture and sell it for thousands of dollars!" Hehe! But, unfortunately for us, there were no sharks! Oh well, better luck next time.
The kids checking something out by the edge of the lake. We didn't actually make it in for swimming, there weren't any real swimming spots available.
Our little mansion for the weekend, thank you Mike!!
We had a jacuzzi on the back porch, lucky us! This is as close as I got to water the whole weekend (besides the shower).
Everyone (sans myself) for a great group shot on our first day there.
Marylin finally warmed up to Janina, and somehow became attached to her for the weekend.
Mike and Windy!
Auty being herself, as always!
Trinity, listening to the stories in the waves.
Marylin having fun at our BBQ!
Mommy and her little girl! Gorgeous!
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
My family
And here is a VERY rare picture of the descendents from my father, minus a few, but the majority of us are here! I don't think we even have a picture of the entire group, it's hard to gather everyone from the 4 corners of the earth! But this was a pretty good collection. Guess that's what happens when you've got a ton of kids and grandkids.
Grandchildren
And here we are, the LaMattery clan grandchildren, not all of us, but a good majority! Included in the photo are our grandparents as well, Jerry and Elizabeth LaMattery.
(L-R back) John, Anique, Grandpa, Grandma Emily, Jimbo, Kimmy, Kevin, Jonas, CJ, Jerry
(Front) Erinn, Danny, Windy
(Missing) Autumn, Timmy, Aimi, Miriam, Kristy, Kerenina, Jeffrey, Josiah
I hope I got everyone!
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Great Grandchildren
These are almost all of the LaMattery great-grandchildren
(front) Trinity, Tony, Jason, Julia, Janina
(back) Marylin (with Mom), Christina, oops, Emma (with Mom)
(Not present: Selah, Gabby)
(front) Trinity, Tony, Jason, Julia, Janina
(back) Marylin (with Mom), Christina, oops, Emma (with Mom)
(Not present: Selah, Gabby)
Size Difference
Not the greatest picture in the world, but this is my (almost) 20 year old brother Tim, and me. I'm the oldest of 9 kids, he is number 7 in the ranks. Believe it or not, he is NOT standing on anything and I am NOT sitting on anything. He is the tallest in our family, I am, (fortunately or unfortunately??) the shortest.
Cousin Pictures
A very rare, actually, almost one of its kind, picture of all the cousins together.
SAN DIEGO
Tony, Jason, Tim (uncle), Janina
Julia, Trinity
(way back) Grandma, Johnny, China
Tony, Jason, Tim (uncle), Janina
Julia, Trinity
(way back) Grandma, Johnny, China
McDonalds in LA:Trinity, Julia, Janina, Jason
Julia, Trinity
HEMETJulia, Trinity
HEMET-Julia's Birthday Party
HEMET-Jason and Tony
Thursday, October 26, 2006
The Rising Problem of Bullying in Japan
Bullying has been a common problem in Japan for years and decades and probably longer. Ever since I got here I've heard about the problem of bullying. But it seems that now the government is going to try and take it more seriously, as they realize it's a problem they need to get involved in.
Why do children choose to bully another? As a parent I have to ask, don't parents at home teach their children good rules to live by? Or, is Japan really a society of 'survival of the fittest'?
Janina, now in Jr. High, where bullying can get pretty bad, had a difficult time for a few years in elementary school. She was by no means severely bullied, but she wasn't fitting in and was teased. It seems that about mid-5th grade things worked out and now she has no problems at all. She found her inner strength, she gained a confidence she didn't have, and she blossomed. I was happy that she had a really great teacher at school who poured a lot of confidence into her.
I talked to her about bullying at her school, and found out that there is one girl in her grade who is a subject of bullying. I asked Janina what could be done about it, but she said she didn't know. First off, if she befriends the girl, she's afraid she will also become the target. It also seems that she has tried to reach out to this girl a few times, only to be rebuffed. As a parent, I also don't know what to do. I don't want to see another child mistreated, do I report this to the school principal, do I demand that Janina bring the girl home and make friends with her?
In Japan there has been a small wave of children and young adolescents who have committed suicide over incidences of bullying by both other students and teachers. One thing I believe I have tried to instill in my children is a strength to know they should not be mistreated by anyone. When I hear about someone mistreating them, I become outraged and try to impart to the kids that they should be outraged at any mistreatment as well. Of course I try to balance it with the fact that you should never pick on someone else. I hope, I think, I cross my fingers, that they have gotten the point. It was something I learned from my Mom--don't take s**t from noone!
So, here's the article:
Education reform panel vows to address bullying
By AKEMI NAKAMURA
Staff writer
An advisory panel on educational reform said Wednesday it will come up with measures to stop school bullying following the suicide of a 13-year-old boy in Fukuoka Prefecture who complained of abuse at the hands of his classmates and a teacher.
Most of the 17 members of the Education Rebuilding Council emphasized the need to take measures to prevent bullying at school, said Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Eriko Yamatani, the special adviser who heads the panel, after the council's second meeting since it was set up earlier this month.
"Children (who are bullied) are crying out for help," she said. "We have to find out what measures are necessary."
Yamatani and Hiroyuki Yoshiie, a council member who also serves on the Yokohama municipal board of education, were scheduled to visit Chikuzen, Fukuoka Prefecture, later in the day to discuss the suicide with the boy's parents, officials at Miwa Junior High School, where the boy went, and members of the Chikuzen municipal board of education.
The boy was found hanged Oct. 11 at his home. He left four suicide notes in which he complained he could not go on living because of the bullying. A teacher at his junior high school reportedly instigated the bullying by his classmates.
Based on the interviews, the 17 members of the council, which will be divided into three working groups, will discuss how to improve teachers, support children who are being bullied and come up with concrete measures to prevent abuse, Yamatani said.
The Japan Times
(C) All rights reserved
Why do children choose to bully another? As a parent I have to ask, don't parents at home teach their children good rules to live by? Or, is Japan really a society of 'survival of the fittest'?
Janina, now in Jr. High, where bullying can get pretty bad, had a difficult time for a few years in elementary school. She was by no means severely bullied, but she wasn't fitting in and was teased. It seems that about mid-5th grade things worked out and now she has no problems at all. She found her inner strength, she gained a confidence she didn't have, and she blossomed. I was happy that she had a really great teacher at school who poured a lot of confidence into her.
I talked to her about bullying at her school, and found out that there is one girl in her grade who is a subject of bullying. I asked Janina what could be done about it, but she said she didn't know. First off, if she befriends the girl, she's afraid she will also become the target. It also seems that she has tried to reach out to this girl a few times, only to be rebuffed. As a parent, I also don't know what to do. I don't want to see another child mistreated, do I report this to the school principal, do I demand that Janina bring the girl home and make friends with her?
In Japan there has been a small wave of children and young adolescents who have committed suicide over incidences of bullying by both other students and teachers. One thing I believe I have tried to instill in my children is a strength to know they should not be mistreated by anyone. When I hear about someone mistreating them, I become outraged and try to impart to the kids that they should be outraged at any mistreatment as well. Of course I try to balance it with the fact that you should never pick on someone else. I hope, I think, I cross my fingers, that they have gotten the point. It was something I learned from my Mom--don't take s**t from noone!
So, here's the article:
Education reform panel vows to address bullying
By AKEMI NAKAMURA
Staff writer
An advisory panel on educational reform said Wednesday it will come up with measures to stop school bullying following the suicide of a 13-year-old boy in Fukuoka Prefecture who complained of abuse at the hands of his classmates and a teacher.
Most of the 17 members of the Education Rebuilding Council emphasized the need to take measures to prevent bullying at school, said Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Eriko Yamatani, the special adviser who heads the panel, after the council's second meeting since it was set up earlier this month.
"Children (who are bullied) are crying out for help," she said. "We have to find out what measures are necessary."
Yamatani and Hiroyuki Yoshiie, a council member who also serves on the Yokohama municipal board of education, were scheduled to visit Chikuzen, Fukuoka Prefecture, later in the day to discuss the suicide with the boy's parents, officials at Miwa Junior High School, where the boy went, and members of the Chikuzen municipal board of education.
The boy was found hanged Oct. 11 at his home. He left four suicide notes in which he complained he could not go on living because of the bullying. A teacher at his junior high school reportedly instigated the bullying by his classmates.
Based on the interviews, the 17 members of the council, which will be divided into three working groups, will discuss how to improve teachers, support children who are being bullied and come up with concrete measures to prevent abuse, Yamatani said.
The Japan Times
(C) All rights reserved
Bye Bye Birdie
This story started on a sunny day, when Janina and a friend managed to somehow knock a baby bird out of its nest. The baby was old enough to flap around and fly a bit, not far, but a bit. We found a cardboard box and I informed Janni she was responsible to feed and care for the little thing.
Being a mother with more than 30 years of experience with rescuing poor animals, I give them about a week to live, more if they're strong or older, less if they're are newborns.
Sure enough, about a week later the little thing died, and our heartbroken kids along with Papa Dave held a funeral in the backyard, dug a little hole, made a little cross and said a little word of goodbye.
Of all the kids most affected was Jason, the tenderheart. He has a very soft spot when it comes to things like dying animals, maybe it's a guy thing, I don't know, but us women realize this is how it goes, death, life, life, death, it's a cycle, but guys, they seem to be a bit more sensitive.
Being a mother with more than 30 years of experience with rescuing poor animals, I give them about a week to live, more if they're strong or older, less if they're are newborns.
Sure enough, about a week later the little thing died, and our heartbroken kids along with Papa Dave held a funeral in the backyard, dug a little hole, made a little cross and said a little word of goodbye.
Of all the kids most affected was Jason, the tenderheart. He has a very soft spot when it comes to things like dying animals, maybe it's a guy thing, I don't know, but us women realize this is how it goes, death, life, life, death, it's a cycle, but guys, they seem to be a bit more sensitive.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Jason is Eleven!
Happy Birthday to my dearest Sonny-boy, who turned 11 this year! And thank you to everyone who sent gifts, called and joined in making the event special for him!
Here's the birthday cake, Spiderman theme.
Getting ready to blow out the candles, this year I got the number right!
Here's the birthday cake, Spiderman theme.
Getting ready to blow out the candles, this year I got the number right!
And finally, blowing them out!
And here he is at the park doing his favorite activity--playing games.
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