I’m happy to say that I have started watching MTV once again. They have finally come up with some interesting and entertaining shows that I’m getting into watching, when I can. The first show that got me back in good graces with them was Teen Mom, for some reason I’m fascinated with watching these babies that are giving birth and trying to raise their own babies. It’s a great show for young people to watch to try and encourage them from not making the same mistakes that effect so many people that involved in each case.

Anyways, the most recent show that I’ve been watching from time to time on MTV is called “True Life” which provides a window into the struggles, dreams and hopes of young people. Each episode documents the unusual circumstances of these real life young folks and gives them the opportunity to directly tell their own story in a powerful way that reflects the experiences and the cultures of today’s generation. And believe me that have some unique and eye opening stories to tell. If you get a chance please check it out, you might learn something along the way.

Anyway I have stumbled onto a pretty cool Fitness Directory – Health Directory at the-health-directory.net. When I find a good thing I like to pass it on and here on my blog has become a good way for me to fulfil my need to do just that on occasion. This website is still growing but I like the direction that it is going, so take a look see and you might learn something that will save your butt or someone else’s that you care about. Knowledge is power, to be sure.

My cousin Sharon and I have been close as sisters for as long as I can remember. I never thought that my life would not include her as it has all my life. But she met a man online from Australia and she has decided to up and take the plunge and move in with the guy, just like that. I’m shocked and very upset for numerous reasons, but I wish her all the luck in the world.

They have a lot in common, both want to become a personal trainer and both are totally into the fitness courses that are readily available to everyone virtually everywhere. Even in “The Land Down Under” fitness is a big to do and they desperately want a piece of the fitness action and they have high hopes in this relationship working out and a successful fitness training partnership in the makes.

Thank goodness she will have Internet access so that we can IM and email when ever we want to. Who knows one day I might be able to afford a trip somewhere and you can bet my first choice will be Australia.

Did you watch Romper Room as a child? I remember many mornings that my mother had us watch Romper Room with Miss Connie. I still remember the song,

I always do everything right
I never do anything wrong

I’m a Romper Room Do-Bee,
A Do-Bee all day long!

So when my sister asked me to take in her twelve year old daughter for this coming summer, I was at a loss for words.  How in the world am I going to even relate to a girl?  My neighbor Jane suggested that I check out the Disney Movie Club for some Teenage Films that my niece might enjoy watching in the evenings. Since I live way out in the boonies and there is not a lot of local excitement going on here, I think that just might be a good thing to do.  With a little bit of luck, it won’t take much effort to turn her into a Disney Tween!  And I guess I’ll be checking out the summer programs at the library and local recreation department as well!  This just might turn into a very enlightening summer!

He thought that he could find a decent job with just his High School diploma, but as we all know, there aren’t many jobs available right now so he has decided to check into some of the Online Schools that offer online degree programs in game design. He is hoping that by taking courses online will be a better option for him versus the traditional classroom setting that he has so much trouble with. So this is something that we all think he would be good at, so we are trying to encourage him and help in any way that we can.

I have come up with a few links that I thought might be of interest to him. He is looking for some type of Student Aid and his first step is to go to the http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ website and fill out their form to see how much Student Aid he qualifies for.

With a large family, such as what we have, he receiving all kinds of emails and phone calls with advice and options that we are all trying to provide him with. Hopefully he will listen and take advantage of all this information and encouragement that he is being bombarded with and do the right thing, because he has to do something pretty soon, his folks will not be letting him just sit around the house doing nothing, as he has been doing for almost a year now.

Now, of course, all the kids are required to bring a backpack to school every day and even kindergarteners have homework every night. The elementary school has lockers for kids so the little ones can keep a change of clothes, a jacket and a nap mat in a safe place.

To be perfectly frank, I don’t think children should have to take a nap at school. If they are that young to need naps, they should be sent home for the nap. We had no need for kids lockers until junior high and we turned out fine. We didn’t need a change of clothes to be kept at school, either. If a child had an issue with their clothes, spilled food or a bad tear, there were a few outfits kept in the Principal’s office that any child could borrow for the day. Their mother would wash the borrowed items and send them back to the school the next morning.

I think childrens lockers are a sign that we expect a lot more out of our children and the parents in today’s world. I’m not sure that today’s standards are right for the youngest kids. Perhaps there should be a comparative study to see if by forcing all this extra schooling requirement we are robbing our children of being kids at the expense of their overall well being?

The more I think about it, I’m thinking that maybe it came from the Jerry Seinfeld show. I just might have to investigate this a bit online when I have some time with nothing else to do. Not sure where to start, but I’m up to for a challenge.

I’m not sure how and when I ran across MTV’s new hit show “Silent Library”  it must have been in the middle of the night, I have to sleep with the TV on and sometimes I wake up and end up surfing channels to find something to put me back to sleep. There is a lot of off the wall stuff on the bube tube in the wee hours of the night. Silent Library is one such wacky game show that has 6 young adults as contestents that takes place in a library. Since libraries are quiet the 6 kids that are playing need to be quiet as well, which they are rewarded with cash if they can do certain wacky tasks and keep the noise level under a certain decimal.

It’s a fun show to watch. Some of the tasks are totally off the wall and I couldn’t imagine doing them for any amount money. Thanks MTV, I’ll keep checking you out.

So, I should not have been surprised when she announced that she wants to attend summer camp in Israel. She read about it online and is totally set on going to the Holy Land to see things for herself.

I have to admit, until now I have not known anything about summer camps in Israel, but I find the idea fascinating. I wonder if there is a way that both of us could go this summer? A mother-daughter discovery voyage. It could be an experience of a lifetime.

The ecamp in Israel is for kids 8 years old through 18 years old. Although I cannot imagine sending an 8 year old overseas on her own, I can see sending a 14 year old. If this is not just a phase and she loses interest in a month, I would be willing to sign up for this camp experience and give her the opportunity to learn everything about Israel and the good people who live there.