Yes, yes I know that I promised I was back and then I dropped off again.

Sorry about that.

I actually read a blog post (I’m not linking to it) earlier this week about whether or not bloggers should obligate themselves to letting their readers know when and possibly why they are taking blog-vacations.  Well….that post PISSED ME THE HELL OFF.  Not the actual content to be exact (why should it?  It had a good point or two in there, not that I’m buying into any of it) but the TONE that the author used.  She actually wrote another post in which she was expressing a bit of irritation over a bad comment (not made by me! But I won’t begrudge a blogger a chance to complain about a negative comment. They suck!) on that post and she said something along the lines of,”Well if you don’t want to be considerate and giving, then fine!”

Fuck that lady.  I’m sure she’s nice in real life and a wonderful writer, but fuck that lady.

I have my reasons, my reasons are good, and although I really like all of you who come to read this blog, my personal life is my own.  My struggles are my own goddamned business.

And besides, my lovely readers, if you want to talk with me or ask why the hell I’m not writing, feel free to ask. I have a contact email, I have a Twitter account as well as a Facebook and Google+ account.  I’m not hard to find if you want to chastise me for being a lazy blogger.  Surely nobody is intimidated by me and my little ol’ blog.

A little ol’ blog that I still love dearly.

But enough of that.  Who wants to see pictures of my babies?  (You had better ALL raise your hands!)

I’ve had two birthdays, and trick-or-treating go on over here, so I’ve got some great pics!

Since Lukas’ actual birthday and his birthday party were on different days, he only got one toy on his actual birthday.  He was pretty happy with his toy leaf blower.  If only it were real.  Seriously, you should see my yard!

I love this picture of Lukas wearing his Angry Birds hat.  This was taken at his birthday party, and you bet your ass it was Spongebob themed!  Viva la Sponge!

This is my baby Ruegen on his first birthday.

He wasn’t as messy as his brother was with his first birthday cake, but I still got an epic picture!

Lukas actually picked out this costume.  He passed up all of the brand-name costumes so he could be a monster.  I was so freaking proud!

FUZZY BLUE DRAGON!  FUZZY BLUE DRAGON!  FUZZY BLUE DRAGON!

Fuzzy Blue Dragon waiting patiently while Swamp Monster gets his wardrobe malfunction fixed.

This is the best picture I got of Fuzzy Blue Dragon and Swamp Monster together.  All the others look like Swamp Monster is trying to eat Fuzzy Blue Dragon.

And now I will end this out-of-the-blue-not-so-pleasant-in-the-beginning post and go back to my hole.  I’d like to say I’ll post more often, but you know the song by now, don’t you?  Thanks for hanging around.

In my foray as an internet sailor, I have met some really cool and awesome people.  I’ve met people who were good enough to help me open my mind and to make sure that a stick is not always so far lodged up my ass.  These people have blessed me with perspective and understanding.  They have shown me how acceptance and the ability to mind my own goddamned business can make me a better and happier person.  I love those people and I hope that they know who they are.

On the other hand, there are the people who spend a lot of their time writing things that make me slam my face into my desk.  People who are snarky and judgmental towards other people.  People who are deceitful about their lives and their children so that they can come off as looking better than everyone else.  These people make me crazy.

Here’s the thing: we live in an age of information available to the masses.  There are many good things to come from this.  But, there are a lot of bad things that can come from this as well.  Misunderstanding, hysteria, denial, vindication for the wrong reasons…just to name a few.  But this information is also used by some as a way to be judgmental towards other people.

The thing that has my hackles up right now is this study which states that the cartoon Spongebob Squarepants is bad for 4-year olds.  I’d like to start by saying, “DUH!”  How many times in our lives have studies like this come out that in 10 years mean nothing?  I’ve got to say, I simply rolled my eyes at this and moved on.  What started getting on my nerves were all the parents posting things on social networks saying things like “THIS is why I don’t let my kids watch Spongebob!” or “To all my friends who let their kids watch Spongebob, READ THIS!”

OH MY GOD PEOPLE, REALLY???

CALM THE HELL DOWN.

FOR FUCK’S SAKE, IT’S A STUPID CARTOON!

This article pretty much sums up my perspective.  I’m pro-Spongebob, and I can’t believe I have to take a stance at all.  Here’s the thing: my son watches tv.  OMG!  He loves Spongebob.  OMG!  He also loves to play restaurant and play Fancy Waiter and serve me fancy food along with the occasional Krabby Patty.  He loves to play with cars and balloons and balls and play-doh and noisy annoying toys…..just like any other kid his age.  He’s not a zombie in front of the TV.

Also, I’m stunned that someone saw fit to do a study on Spongebob.  I know it’s annoying and I would love to be free of it, but REALLY?  Can you researchers think of nothing better to study?

(Add-on: While discussing the hilarity that anyone even had the thought to do a Spongebob study, my darling friend had this little rant for me.  This is copy/paste from her direct rant on Google+:  “I heard that story last week and just about fell off my chair laughing. I’m totally w you about WHO does these researches? Do they sit around one night, hitting a bong, flipping through TV channels, come to Nickelodeon, and think, “Damn that SpongeBob! He has to be bad for 4 year olds!”
My thought-what about fucking Wonder Pets w speech impediments? I like Wonder Pets, but that seems more harmful to me! And the missing parents on the rabbit show-wth? I need to smoke up and just start writing down frivolous garbage and call it research, lol.“  She’s awesome.)

But here’s the real thing, it’s a TV show.  That’s all.  It’s not a reason for you to feel that you can stand over other people simply because you don’t allow your children to watch it.  I applaud the foresight of banning it because once it’s in it never gets out, but SHUT UP.  Please.

I could give you explanations as to why I let my son watch Spongebob, or even TV at all.  But I’m not going to.  Know why?  Because I don’t owe ANYBODY an explanation.  He’s MY son and as his mother I know best.  I am the first and last stop in the authority on how to raise that little boy and it’s nobody’s business how I choose to do that as long as he is healthy and happy, which he is.  It should be that way for everybody.  You don’t owe the world an explanation about your parenting decisions as long as those little ones are smiling and thriving.  End of story.

Every parenting situation is different and as long as you are doing your best by those kids and you love them and they are fine, you are a good parent.  That is all there is to it.  Even those of you who feel the need to judge.  Calm down and enjoy your kids and stop worrying about what other people do.  Please.  Before I finally break my head open on this hard desk.  Thanks.

(NOTE: This “judgmental” thing I keep referring to doesn’t pertain to judging people for horrendous things towards their children.  Although I don’t care for busy-bodies in general, you have the Merry Wife of Canon’s blessing if you choose to judge people who harm or are mean to children.)

If I have not yet made it abundantly clear on here before that I am a HUGE Alice in Chains fan…well, go back and reread what has already been written.  Go ahead.

Seriously my favorite band.

When we lived in Seattle, I almost got to see them in concert AND get to meet them backstage.

The company that Jessie worked for out there was a small start-up at the time and I worked there for a short time getting some things organized (poorly) and just helping with getting things started.  In this time, I’m sure I mentioned to the owner of the company at least 100 times that I am a huge fan of AIC.  A little over a year after we moved out there, the company offered to be one of the sponsors for a charitable concert.  I was told that the reason was not only for marketing reasons, but because AIC was going to be playing at this concert.  I had a ticket and a pass to go backstage and meet the guys.

But wait a motha-fuckin’ minute!  That concert was going to be happening VERY shortly after I gave birth to my first baby and I didn’t know anybody in Washington who could babysit.

The way things worked out with having to have a c-section and all, I wasn’t able to go.  I was pretty sour about the whole situation.

When we moved back East to PA, lucky me, the band had just released a new album and was touring to promote it.  They were coming to Philly and I could go see them because we are close to my mom and she could have watched Lukas!  YES!

Wait…I was pregnant again and the concert date was very close to when my baby was due.

Due to ANOTHER EFFING C-section and complications stemming from that, I wasn’t able to make the concert.

Damn my baby-making timing!

I’ve been to a couple of concerts in my life and have actually HATED them.  Pushy pre-teens who get all punch-drunk, hippies screwing under an old blanket, being bored to tears because it was TOBY KEITH singing….not good.

I’m not sure I’d be up for going to an AIC concert if I really thought about it.  I mean, do I want to be around a bunch of horny middle aged women and teenagers who are flashing their boobs at Jerry?  Do I want to be standing beside some large bald guy singing along with the music as loud as he can out-of-tune?

As easily annoyed as I am, would I really want to do that?

Maybe.  If I got a backstage pass and could stand around being uncomfortable and not kn0wing what to say to anybody.  Because, you know, I’m smooth like that and not at all awkward around guys I used to have raging horny crushes on as a younger gal.
Who’s your favorite band/musician and have you ever missed an opportunity to see them?