I know, I have been slack on my job, but how many couch pics can you find?

But since I am having a shitty day and frankly I could really use the pick me up. Here is for WRYBREAD’s viewing pleasure…a hot stud on a couch.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/2sidesoftheLAW/EROTIC-SLASH/Couch/all20american20gus202.jpg

not to sound to ignorant but they really do that?? i thought that was just on TV…learn somthing new everyday!

Civil War re-enactments are big in the area in which I live. People get an authentic tent, wear the clothes, cook food the old-fashioned way, use the utensils, even have dances and sometimes weddings. It’s camping, deepened with American history.

Some people even practice the old cavalry manoeuvres, and there are re-enactments of battles. At one of our local festivals there’s nearly always a staged skirmish so people can see the cannons and stuff in action, and people are invited to visit the camps and talk with the reenactors about history. Women have socials and bees so their side of Civil War life can be seen and there are lectures on different topics. We have an Abraham Lincoln enactor and a woman who portrays Stonewall Jackson’s sister. These people are very knowledgeable.

If my health were better, I’d be there with them — as a bloomer dress reformer.

They do it for the Revolutionary War and the Mountaineer eras, too.

But would you really? I mean, could you get involved? Would you step in and do something?

Yes, I would – gleefully, joyfully, gladly, happily, certainly, and ALWAYS!!!

I think I posted about it in Rowan’s thread, but anyway, here is the short version.

I was 14-15 years old, out with a friend, when a woman came out of the store dragging her 5-6 year old son by the arm, she threw him in the car and back-fisted him twice before I could get out of the car I was in. I drug her out and pounded her in the parking lot until the people from the store got me off of her. I can’t remember it, but according to my friend and store personnel – I kept hitting her and screaming “how does it feel, bitch?”

The cops had already been called, she wanted to charge me with assault. My basic response was, “…..no problem, I’ll be happy to explain to the judge just “why” I beat your ass. And you can try and explain why you were back-fisting your little kid.” Now, as for the little deputy dog that came to this call, I don’t know if he did his job, as a cop, and called DFS or if he did anything.

I, at that age, did not do the right thing and follow up with a call to DFS. I felt quite pleased with the ass-kicking I had just dished out and called it even. But, looking at it now, I wonder what happened to that little boy when he got home and the rest of his life. I never knew who either of them were. I should have found out and done more for him.

I was 14-15 and did not have a child, yet, so I didn’t call. I should have.

We have Civil War reenactors where I live.

not to sound to ignorant but they really do that?? i thought that was just on TV…learn somthing new everyday!

When you add into the mix things like dire financial straits, drug or alcohol addiction, or lack of education, I can imagine how it can become too much for some people. I really can see how the line gets crossed. The question for me is, what can we, as a society, do to better prepare people for the adventure of parenthood? What can we do to offer better access to and counseling about birth control and adoption? What counseling and support services could we be offering to new moms — particularly in at-risk communities?

I’d love see someone come up with a substitute for the communities that took a generation or two to develop. But what could that be?

Here’s one thing that surprised me. We have Civil War reenactors where I live. They had a Civil War dance that I attended. It was so refreshing and unusual to see several families, people of all ages, having fun together and enjoying each other. The children and teens of reenactors say that they learn to appreciate their families because they have time away from the tv and the mall.

Maybe the tv and the mall are part of the problem. I don’t know.

I don’t get it — do you all have any insight? Not being a parent, I don’t want to essay theories, and would appreciate some feedback on this. I see it all the time. It’s as if the parents have written off the kids’ personalities and abilities. But I know they love their kids, so what’s at work here?

Sometimes it’s overcompensation. Nothing I hate more than doting parents droning on and on about the accomplishments of their little pookie-pie who just did something phenomenally superior like pooping in his diaper or something. Seriously. I so hate parents who think everyone wants to know every detail of their little darlin’s day that I think I swing the other way. If someone actually asks my kid to tell about herself, I only let it go on for a couple of moments before I am jumping in to “save” the person from my kid. LOL. I am definitely not trying to shame my children, but I can see how I maybe jump in too soon in an effort to not inconvenience anyone. Sigh….more to work on.

As for the rest….I am with Wrybread in that I am not a natural mother and am definitely not cut out for it. I also never really babysat and had no younger siblings or nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. The upshot being that I had almost no close exposure to small children until I had mine. Despite the fact that I had my kids when I was 38 and 40, and thought I was all-growed-up and ready to take it on, I have to say that the reality has been difficult for me to come to terms with. I don’t think I was quite prepared for how INCESSANT they are. It can try the most devoted and loving parent.

When you add into the mix things like dire financial straits, drug or alcohol addiction, or lack of education, I can imagine how it can become too much for some people. I really can see how the line gets crossed. The question for me is, what can we, as a society, do to better prepare people for the adventure of parenthood? What can we do to offer better access to and counseling about birth control and adoption? What counseling and support services could we be offering to new moms — particularly in at-risk communities?

We aren’t a nation of neighborhoods and small, tight-knit communities, anymore, and intervention seems to not get handled organically as we all would hope it would. So….is this something that can (or should) be legislated? I don’t really think so, but am open to hear what you all think. I think there are limits to what we can, and should, expect government or law enforcement to be responsible for. But when we’ve got 16-year-olds on the street with babies, or meth-heads popping out children and refusing treatment, trouble is bound to follow….sometimes sooner, sometimes later….but trouble is a-coming.

What should be done?

I don’t get it — do you all have any insight? Not being a parent, I don’t want to essay theories, and would appreciate some feedback on this. I see it all the time. It’s as if the parents have written off the kids’ personalities and abilities. But I know they love their kids, so what’s at work here?

I think for us its the appropriateness of the subject and the person. My son will tell anyone anything, and we’re working on that. I’m sure people think I’m a bitch, but I told him to be super good in the mall. He starts telling the Burger King guy stuff about a video game, and we’re not in BK’s line. Kid, not the time for that-people don’t want to know you have every single mario game EV-ER…. leaving church and telling the Pastor it was his baptism anniversary.. eh, that’s okay.

Not me. My twins are 16 months old and I think everything they do is so adorable, no kid has ever done it so well before. In fact I am surprised whenever people don’t tell me how beautiful and wonderful my children are.

and the fact that you even care enough to think about if you are a good enough parent makes you a wonderful one…
IMHO

Not me. My twins are 16 months old and I think everything they do is so adorable, no kid has ever done it so well before. In fact I am surprised whenever people don’t tell me how beautiful and wonderful my children are.

See? What lucky kids they are!

I am all man. In fact, I am so manly, I exude such high levels of testosterone that when I walk by females, they instantaneously grow testicles, and they drop at the same time. It’s a medical fact.

My gosh, my dream has come true! I can be a Dad instead of a Mom! Thank you, DD!

The other day I was in an office and a mother and child came to visit. The girl wanted to show me her report on jaguars. So I read it and looked at the pictures. It was a child’s effort, but I could tell she had worked very hard on it and was proud.

Suddenly, her mother said loudly, “You are talking that lady’s ear off! She’s going to be so glad that you’re leaving.” The hurt and suprised look on the little girl’s face made me feel terrible. Luckily, when the girl looked at me she saw that I was not nodding “yes” and her face cleared.

I said to her mother, “I thought jaguars were in Africa, but they are in the Americas. And they can have up to four babies. Wouldn’t that be cute to see?” And the mother just stared at her daughter as if perplexed that something she did was of interest to anyone.

I don’t get it — do you all have any insight? Not being a parent, I don’t want to essay theories, and would appreciate some feedback on this. I see it all the time. It’s as if the parents have written off the kids’ personalities and abilities. But I know they love their kids, so what’s at work here?