Doctor

Hello my peeps. I'm taking Ella to the Doctor this morning - she has a cold in her chest and she can't stop coughing, poor kid. What an icky day to be sick and have to travel. It's the first day after the cold snap. I'll bundle her head to toe before we make the treck out to the pre warmed van and then the same when we go from the van to the docs.

Today is the last day of our insurance. Then we will float for a month with the option to pick up the old insurance at $1,000.00 for the month. On January 1st we'll be on the new insurance. So during the month of December, if our out of pocket cost is less than $1,000.00 we'll just pay it, if we need more than $1,000.00 medical treatment we'll get on the old insurance again. It feels precarious especially since we're facing possible ear aches with snot and coughing.

I just hope the new insurance includes our Pediatrician - we love her.

Hair History 1977 to 1990

Here it is... Something good.


Preschool - Not a care in the world, 70's bowl cut



















Kindergarten - Needed to have it long so I could have braids and pony tails and pretties



















1st Grade - Loved little house on the Prairie, had to keep it long



















2nd Grade - I'm pretty sure I cut my own bangs before this one



















3rd Grade - Refused to let anyone brush my hair and got a pixie cut. Kids in the neighborhood kept calling me 'hey boy' and I set to growing it out right away.



















4th Grade - I wanted to look just like Janet from Three's Company



















5th Grade - Feathered hair was just coming in and I had to have it.



















6th Grade - The beginning of my obsession with hair in my eyes



















7th Grade - Got a perm trying to emulate Madonna and it ended up too tight, I looked like a poodle. I hated my hair so much there are no pictures from 7th grade.

8th Grade - Feathered and big, I think I must've toned it down for picture day, or maybe I had swimming class before pictures. Notice the popped collar and the totally serious look on my face. That's because I was totally serious.




















9th Grade - Smirk check, Metallica shirt check, hair in my eyes check, ok take the picture



















10th Grade - Smirk check, black shirt check, hair in my eyes check, ok take the picture



















11th Grade - Smirk check, black shirt check, hair in my eyes check, extra gobs of eyeliner check ok take the picture




















What? No Senior Picture? No I didn't dig that far into the photo drawer. My Senior Picture was taken at the beginning of the "Grunge" look so I had just long curly hair and a nice dark red shirt on - pretty tame. I'll have to find one to show you all - but it'll just look like me only without the wrinkles - nothing crazy.

...um...

Instead of actually writing anything I sat and stared at this blank page for a good eight or nine minutes. It was nice to let my mind wander over things I might write and then just sip coffee. I will be back tomorrow with something good.

Finding a Minute

Oh busy busy day
Grant me time to breath and take a pee
Just five minutes meant for me
Lull my child into a nap
Put relaxation on the map
Oh busy buy day
I hardly have time
To finish this....

Black Friday

With coupons and fruit snacks in my purse, we made the big trip to the mall yesterday to do a little shopping and see Santa Clause. We talked about how it would be over breakfast:

“We’ll wait our turn. Then Santa Clause will put you on his lap and I will be right there too. He will ask you if you’ve been a good girl, what are you going to tell him?”

“Yes, I’m good one and I’ll tell him I want One Pony with a Brush for Christmas”

“Good! Remember you have to tell him loud in his ear like this… ‘SANTA CLAUSE, I WOULD LIKE A PONY PLEASE’ can you do that?”

“Yes, I will first tell him I am good and then I will tell him I would like a pony – looouud.”

After a forty minute drive we circled the parking lot for twenty minutes trolling for a space. Each barley missed spot was followed with “Crap!” and on the sixth or seventh exasperated turn of the wheel Ella started to whine she wanted out of her seat and the “Crap” turned into “Crappity crap crap!” and on the fourteenth or fifteenth circle for a spot I threw my hands up in the air and Ella asked me “Mom? Did you just crap?” and that was when I finally decided to park in the lot across the street.

On the hike through the parking lots we reviewed the Santa Claus visit. Ella agreed again she was ready to talk loud about the ponies and she would say ‘cheese’ at the end so I could take a picture. We fought our way through the first department store weaving in and out of lines twenty long sprouting from each register. When we finally reached the wide open span of the mall I bent down and took Ella’s coat off and asked her if she was getting excited to see Santa. She nodded and I hung our things off the back of the stroller. We strolled up to center court and surveyed the Santa Area. I bent down and asked Ella if she was ready, her eyes were wide as she nervously nodded. I circled the Santa Castle trying to stall while she found her nerve. When she seemed calm I unbuckled her stroller belt and held her hand as we entered the Santa Castle line.

The first turn had us waiting in front of a diorama of children all snug in their beds. “It’s ok to push the button if you want to.” I said and Ella toyed with the idea for a few minutes. I pretended I was entirely interested in what was on sale in the leather coat shop window while I proudly watched her through the corner of my eye find the courage to push the button. Sugar plumbs danced above the kids heads and Ella smiled and watched quietly soaking it all in. We rounded the corner fast and ended up waiting again in front of the third diorama this one of reindeer pulling a sleigh with Santa Claus in it. The little boy behind us clung to his Dad’s neck while the Dad tried to prod his son into pushing the button to make the reindeer legs gallop in the sky. Ella marched right over and pushed the button and when the father said to his son “See! She can push the button why can’t you?!” I winced a little in my head and leaned down to pick Ella up.

“We’re going to see Santa pretty soon. The baby in line in front of us is going to sit on Santa’s lap and…”

“Mom! It’s Santa CLAUSE” she said insisting I use his full name.

“Oh yeah. The baby will sit on Santa CLAUS’s lap and then we will see him, and when it’s your turn you can tell him you are a good girl and tell him what you would like for Christmas and tell him loud and then you will say cheese for the picture, ok?”

“I’m ready Mom!”

We waited and watched the baby take her turn. Ella confidently held my hand standing on her own two feet. We moved forward and watched the baby’s parents pay for two hundred and eighty two pictures of the baby and Santa and then it was Ella’s turn! I peeled her sweater off revealing her Christmas shirt. I turned to hang it on the stroller. I turned back around to find a crazed elf/lady of about 45 poking Ella in the ribs with an Elmo puppet trying to get her to cheer up before she sat on Santa’s lap. I quickly squatted next to Ella and put my arms around her. Ella pressed into me unsure of this new freaky element. The elf brought her face unusually close to Ella and gave her some fuzzy-wuzzy baby-waby talk about liking Santa “B‘cause him wuvs good widdow gews and bwoys and...” some other sappy drivel. At this point I think Ella tried to crawl into my shirt. I picked my horrified toddler up and exclaimed “Let’s get this show on the road.” while I skirted the elf and found our Santa Claus.

Santa Claus was smiling and ready with a twinkle in his eye and a wave for Ella, she climbed right up into his lap and leaned in. They talked about something briefly all quiet and close and I resisted the urge to lean in and eavesdrop by walking over to the camera and looking into the computer screen. I wanted that moment on film, Ella and Santa telling secrets to each other, “Let’s get a picture” I said to the elf. When she grabbed up that Elmo puppet and walked towards Ella I thought about tackling her to the floor and stuffing that stupid Elmo puppet down her gullet. Instead she poked Ella in the ribs with it and when Ella recoiled in horror she said “Did I find a ticklish spot?” and did it again. I rubbed my forehead and waited for the tears. Ella held it together pretty well and I paid for my $15.00 3x5 plus two sparkly key chains while Ella clung to my leg hiding from the dreaded elf with her hand up Elmo’s rear.

Here's hoping your Holiday Season starts off with a smile.

Economic Changes

Dinner Conversation from Yesterday:

Uncle Mark: What are you going to be when you grow up?

Me: Yeah Ella, what are you going to go to work and do when you’re big?

Ella: I’m going to be a mermaid and I’m going to go to work and build houses like Grandpa.

Dan: Yeah, you gotta have something that pays the bills

Uncle Mark: I understand the mermaid racket has really gone downhill since sonar and GPS and all. You know back in the day you could lure those boats out pretty easy and take ‘em down like that ~snap~ and then gather up all that booty, but now days you do all that work to bait them out and end up with an oil spill – shit, that’s hardly worth it. Those mermaids just aren’t in it for the money any more.

Ella: Yep.

Surreal Morning

When you step outside on the porch the neighborhood smells like turkey already. Country folk out here have Thanksgiving at like noon. Dan parents always served later because we could never get there on time they'd have dinner at 1:00 - gasp. We’d be finished washing up the dishes and home with leftovers by 4:00. Not this year, my Dad is doing Thanksgiving this year for us, my brothers, my grandparents, all my cousins and uncles we'll eat about 6:00 or so and follow dinner with port wine and hot chocolates late into the evening over cards and maybe even a chess board. This is the better arrangement to me; it gives us time to watch The Knights Who Say ‘Ni’ sing “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” during the Macy’s parade before we even get a shower. Ella is enthralled by the knight’s tap dancing and is attempting it in her feety jammies and that’s top entertainment right there.

Give Thanks

I awoke this morning to more sunshine and the promise of temps in the 50s. This is good for a run to the city today to find a present for my Grandfather’s 80th birthday. Getting in and our of our warm car to shop with giant coats and hats and gloves and scarves for two is a project in itself and one I’m glad I won’t have to tackle yet. People will be on high today getting things ready for Thanksgiving and some may even be doing a little Christmas shopping. I expect to find crabby parents yelling at crying children in shopping carts and smiling old ladies winking in the direction of those children hoping to secretly convey some granny magic that will fix the mood in the cart. I’ll no doubt see gobs of teenagers dressed for August under the skimpiest of jackets standing around looking aloof and text messaging each other across the mall. I’ll see young mothers struggling with sticky toddlers in umbrella strollers and old mothers who will have every conceivable situation already prepared for in their designer diaper bags the two will judge each other through haughty sunglasses.

Ella will want to ride in the stroller and touch everything pretty and shiny, I will let her and in turn she will let me shop. She will want to ride the carousel at the food court and I will give her a dollar to ride while I get a smoothie. I will want to try on a new perfume at Macy’s and she will stare through the glass at the sparkly rings. We’ll stroll past Cinnabon and breath deep. When Ella hears another mother yelling for her child to “Shut up!” in the elevator she will cling tighter to me and whisper “She’s mean” in my ear while I nod. We’ll peek into Spencers at the gag gifts and gargoyles and the smoke rolling out the door, I’ll reminisce at Hot Topic, and Ella will play for a minute or two at the toy store. When we start to snap at each other it will be time to start home. Together we’ll sing during the long drive home and maybe Ella will fall asleep. I’ll carry her in to the couch sit down to read my e-mail. Today will be a good day. Thanks Milo.

Wrapped Around Her Finger

"Daddy, you and I will go and get that toy and we will bring it home and then you will open it for me and I will play with it and I will tell you 'Thank you very much Daddy'"

5 in the Morning

5 little things that are making my morning good

Instant Coffee
Enough sleep
Clean dishes
Sunshine
Wrens outside the window

Bettie and Clay

Clay and Bettie lived kitty-corner from us and every spring Clay would mix up a batch of blue cement paint and invite us over to help him paint the inside of his pool. Bettie would make bologna sandwiches and a few PB&J for Chris who was vegetarian and we’d have lunch afterwards. For the rest of the summer the pool would be open to us to use in thanks for helping. They were always good neighbors even when the rooster moved into their front hedge. Apparently a farmer had lent out an ornery rooster to another neighbor to keep a stray dog out of the front yard and the rooster decided he liked Clay and Bettie’s hedge better then his intended living quarters a few blocks away. Clay fed him corn for days until the police chief came down and chased him around the block and took him back to the farm he came from.

After they moved across town they always came to our front yard for the Memorial Day Parade and we came to reserve a table for them. We’d move our best lawn furniture to the front yard and I’d make a little sign for the top that read “Reserved for the Henneman’s” This tickled Bettie to no end and each year she’d look forward to those margaritas on my front lawn during the parade, where they'd be treated like the A-list celebrities of the party. The week after she’d thank me with a premium bottle of Tequila, I never had the heart to tell her we have 4 whole bottles of unopened Tequila in our bar. But I don’t think it wouldn’t have mattered, she’d have given them anyway, and that was Bettie. Always sending down pies, jelly or bottles of Tequila, she was a good neighbor even after they moved.





















BETTIMARIE HENNEMAN, 85 MERRILL GARDENS, Calif. - Bettimarie Henneman, 85, Merrill Gardens, Calif., formerly of Pecatonica, died at 6:24 p.m., Friday, Nov. 3, 2006, in San Ramon Medical Center, San Ramon, Calif. Born July 24, 1921 in Alma, Neb., the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fay D. and Blanche (Jackson) Fuller. Lived 50-plus years in Pecatonica coming from Moorhead, Minn., before moving to California. Married Clarence Henneman in Bartlesville, Okla. on June 5, 1943. Bettie was employed as a secretary by K.C. Soil Service. Member of Pecatonica United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women's Group, PTA, active in Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts leader and neighborhood chairman, Methodist choir, vocalist and accompanist. Before moving to Pecatonica, she was a member of Fargo-Moorhead Women's Chorus, performing Handel's Messiah. Graduated from Dearborn High, Dearborn, Minn. Survivors include son, Craig (Carlotta) Henneman, Hayward, Calif.; daughter, Shelia Henneman, Anthem, Ariz.; son, Ladd (Carol) Henneman, Danville, Calif.; grandson, Christopher (Amanda) Harriosn, Pecatonica; granddaughters, Michelle and Nicole Henneman, Danville, Calif.; and Madison of Pecatonica. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter, Sherry Harrison; and brother, Frank Fuller. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, in McCorkle Funeral Home, 203 West Fifth St., Pecatonica. Burial in Twelve Mile Grove Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the Pecatonica Rotary Club, P.O. Box 151, Pecatonica, IL 61063.

Be Careful What You Ask For

Does anyone else beside me watch “Ghost Hunters”? For those of you who don’t it’s a show where these Roto Rooter Guys get calls about unusual happenings and then go chase the ghosts. They bring cameras and magnetic detectors and infrared cameras and they go to haunted places and do and “investigation” and to debunk the claims of the haunted. I think the reason I love this show so much is three out of four haunting get debunked. They figure out that if you walk in “this spot” the chandelier moves or the “orbs” everyone has been seeing are actually a headlight reflection off of a bucket on the second floor stairwell. Of course that leaves one of four that they can’t explain and even so they just commit these places as “unexplained” it’s not very common that the word “haunted” comes from their mouths.

This week they went to Ireland and provoked a well known ghost in a well known castle and got hurt. One of the investigators was calling out into the air “What are you a wussy? Come on show yourself!” which these fellas sometimes do while trying to provoke an anomaly. So this guy is goading the ghost when he very suddenly falls to the ground. It took a few minutes before he wanted to get up and then he wanted to go outside immediately, he didn’t want to play any more. He just really got what he was asking for. Sometimes, it’s just not so smart to keep provoking a thing that you know could slam you to the ground.

Good TV I say. I love these guys. They will keep investigating oversees for the next few shows and I will Tevo every second. The European Ghosts seem to be extra feisty. Perhaps it's because they are older or maybe they just have a different understanding of the afterlife. All I know is that so far one out of one places investigated overseas has been officially called "HAUNTED".

Exhale

Taking kiddo to the local indoor play ground today. I'm going to read and unwind while she plays.

Wash Day

The first thing Ella did every morning the past week was put her Cinderella dress on over her jammies. When things don’t quite go her way she performs a very stern “Bibbidy Bobbidy Bo!” on them to see if the situation changes and apparently it does scare monsters out of her bedroom and occasionally it makes the dog move. I will attempt to put Ella in tights and a dress today in an effort to thwart her constant requests to help her with her "pretty dress". Perhaps she will find her own dress worthy enough and forget about the silver sparkly frock with strawberry juice and kid grease on the front long enough for me to wash it today.

Crafty Tough Girl

I’ve been running my own little derby sweat shop from the house for the last three days. We decided as a team to get together and sew up our own skirts and then we picked this skirt:











It’s not the hardest thing to sew, but we are making eighteen of them. Folks are coming again today to hopefully finish up the first part and then we’ll do final fittings tonight at practice before we finish all the hems and zippers. Instead of costing $39.95 it’s going to run each girl about $15.00 for material.

Dream Job

Big changes around here! Well really only one big change, starting on Wednesday Dan will be working from home. He took a great new job doing the same thing he does now plus and he get’s to have a home office. I am thrilled to see more Dan around here. Between skating and meetings and practice and fund raisers I was missing him.

This all started back when we took the trip in September. Dan passed up a wonderful job offer in Las Vegas. When I say wonderful I mean REALLY WONDERFUL! We made a list of pros and cons and still couldn’t agree on a plan of action. Then Dan made a list of qualities his dream job would offer and it turns out the Las Vegas job met a lot of those qualities but left out some very important pieces. So, we decided that money isn’t everything and family and friends and small town living was a priority for us. Then one day, not long after, the “dream job” called the house asking for Dan. He’s in Peoria today and tomorrow meeting his coworkers. He’ll be home on Wednesday to work.

We are so very proud of him. He is our hero.


The Tater Tots have a man at their house with a new job today too. Good Luck Mr. Tot!

Big Hair and Leg Warmers

The Rage did a fund raiser last night at a local pub. They threw an 80s party and I spent the first half of the evening laughing about the songs they played and finding out exactly what my younger teammates thought eighties garb looked like and I spent the second half of my night (after a few beers) Rockin’ the Casbah. This morning I feel like I smoked a pack of cigarettes and my feet hurt.

The Family Toboggan

When I was a kid we lived up the street from the greatest sled hill for two miles around. I say two miles because just two miles away was “Twin Sisters” sound scary? - It was, but I digress. We lived just two blocks from the greatest sled hill around it had a 45 degree angle for a good 8 second sled ride and ended on a baseball field so you were never in danger of smacking into the fence or trying to stop before you get to the slushy creek. My parents were serious about their down hills sports. As long as I can remember the family owner a toboggan and every November when the wind got cold and the air dry Dad would lay the toboggan out on the coffee table or the dining room table and get the bees wax ready. Our little hands would take the great hunks of buttery yellow wax bricks to the bottom of the toboggan until every dowel-hole, every miniscule crack and every crevice filled with wax smooth and shiny. It was like the Midwest version of a surfboard. Then we’d wait the long wait for snow.

When the snow finally came we’d pull on layers of winter clothes. First long underwear, then turtle neck, then knee socks with the long underwear tucked into them, then a sweater, and jeans and over those jeans another pair of jeans or sweat pants, a second pair of socks the outer ones wool, socks on your hands, winder coats, hats, mittens over the socks on your hands, and then mom would wind a great scarf over your face and you’d better be on your way out already or you’d be sweating. We’d drag the toboggan up the street through people s’ yards careful to pick it up were people had shoveled the snow so it wouldn’t drag on the sidewalk.

Upon arrival the hill was always a hodge-podge of downhill equipment. There would be a few good old fashioned sleds with runners; and you have to watch out for those I once heard about a kid who got his ear sliced off by getting himself run over by one, so we’d identify those right away and vow to stay far away from the front of them. There would be the kids who didn’t have anything but a piece of cardboard or a garbage bag they found, but those kids sometimes went the fastest. There would be the kids with the coveted red plastic saucers, we wanted saucers so bad. They were so sleek and plastic and shiny and red and didn’t require any prep and you could spin around on the way down on them. There would be a few plastic sleds with breaks on either side and there would be us and our Family Toboggan.

The hill would be great; we’d sled for an hour or so until you couldn’t feel your chin and your thighs would be getting wet from the snow finally melting through all your layers. The nice part about a toboggan is it was always your turn, it was always everyone’s turn and sometimes you could even fit on some of the kids who couldn’t get their garbage bag going, on the back with everyone else. I think you could fit about eight kids on ours. You just had to make sure you weren’t in between the legs of someone who might pee on you. You gotta put the pee-kid in front.

Finally with snot and sweat dripping down your face we’d argue with Dad about taking our hats off and then it’s be time to go, but not before the piece de resistance, Dad would surf down the hill standing on the toboggan. We’d gather up as he’d scope out where the cleanest snow was far away from the jumps and ice runs us kids adored. He’d put the toboggan reigns in his hands and stand sideways and we’d “Oooh” and “Ahhh” as he’d artfully surf his way down. Then we’d all clap and hoot and holler and start the slog home while rehashing every run, deciding wich was the best. At home we’d peel all the wet clothes off and sit in front of the wood burner in our long underwear sipping the hot chocolate Mom made. I don’t think I’ve had a hot chocolate like that since, but I’m going to give it a try this year. We have a great sledding hill just four blocks away.

Maybe We Should've Named Her Smart Alec

Conversation at the ice cream station yesterday

Codger: Is your name Billy? Hi Billy.

Ella: No my name is Ella!

Codger: Oh! I thought you were Billy.

Ella: No I’m just Ella…. Mom?

Me: You can tell him to stop teasing you.

Ella: Stop teasing me.

Duffer: Well, I thought you were Billy too; you say it’s Ella huh?

Ella: YES! I’m a little girl of Ella and my names is Ella.

Duffer: Well, how is that spelled, maybe if you spell it for me I could remember it

Codger: Yeah, how DO you spell “Ella”?

Ella: With letters!

Illinois (D)

It’s a good day to be a Democrat in IL.
We kept the Governor’s Mansion, the Attorney General’s office, Secretary of State’s office and Comptroller’s office and took the Treasurer’s office. Our own county picked up at least one board seat and retained our Sheriff with 67%. We have two great Senators here, you may have heard of them – Barack Obama and Dick Durbin. Oh, did I mention the sun is shining today and it’s going to be 70°.

jokester won’t be expelled

Here's the follow up article to the story I worote about on Saturday. It looks like the school has calmed down but the Winnebago County state’s attorney’s office is still deciding what to do if anything. Go ahead drop Paul Logli a line statesattorney@co.winnebago.il.us

Local News: SchoolsBomb jokester won’t be expelled
By Sadie Gurman
ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR

"ROCKTON — A Hononegah High School junior who joked in an online conversation that another student looked “weird enough to bring a bomb the school” no longer faces expulsion, the student’s grandfather, Jim Boyer, said Monday.Noah Boyer, 16, was arrested for disorderly conduct for the Oct. 24 conversation with a friend, which took place over AOL Instant Messenger. An expulsion hearing was slated for 1 p.m. Monday but was canceled Monday morning when a group of school administrators, teachers and staff decided it should not be held, Jim Boyer said.Noah Boyer, who declined to comment, will return to school today after nine days of suspension, Jim Boyer said.

...School officials decided not to expel Noah after his teachers rallied around him, he said.“The teachers really went to bat for him,” Jim Boyer said. “They were all in support of him and his work this year. I think that helped.”

...Rockton police learned of the Internet chat as it was unfolding, and arrested Noah Boyer for disorderly conduct. He still faces a criminal charge, as the Winnebago County state’s attorney’s office decides whether Boyer’s case deserves a formal court trial, assistant state’s attorney Pamela Wells said. Alternatives to a formal trial could include public service, probation, counseling or a number of other services, Wells said. "

Quick Monday

Hello bloggies, I've got to be quick this morning, so much to do this week and today is full.

Practice was wonderful last night though I'm a little stiff in the lower back this morning. Two women went down pretty hard during jams, I think they'll be ok but ice was needed. Though we are thankful for a practice place it kinda stinks that it's cement. It's extra slidey and so you have to temper your speed while fending off hips and shoulders from all directions. I haven't taken a good hard fall yet but I have been swung into the bingo tables that line the room. Not quite as bad as Bubbles the Brawler slidding into the bingo machine sending balls flying accross the floor but equally scary.

Thought Police in Illinois

Imagine you are sitting in class and you lean over to your friend and say “Wow, that guy looks weird... Weird enough to bomb the school.” And your friend says “You should tell someone about that guy?” and you reply “It’s a joke dude, he just looked weird”. Perhaps a teacher overhears part of the conversation, takes it seriously enough to call the police and make a big deal. Should you be suspended from school? Should you be arrested for initiating of a false bomb threat? Who is at fault? Does blame need to actually be placed?

Now imagine the conversation takes place via IM from your own home while playing Halo with your pal and your pal mentions it to her mom who freaks out and calls the police. The police come to your home, seize your computer, the school is called, and a big deal made. Should you be suspended from school? How about expelled? Or arrested for initiating of a false bomb threat, disorderly conduct? Who is at fault? Is there any blame or is it just a simple misunderstanding?

***

Published: November 3, 2006
Bomb joke may bring expulsion
A Hononegah junior also faces a criminal charge in the incident.
By Sadie Gurman
ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR

"During an Oct. 24 online conversation, Boyer, a junior at Hononegah High School, joked to a friend that another student looked “weird enough to bomb the school.”...

...The transcript of one conversation, provided to the Register Star by Boyer, reads “there is no bomb.” The chat took place over the networking program AOL Instant Messenger. “i was messing around.”...

Friend: anywho, did you tell someone about that guy?
Boyer: lol no
Friend: ... do it
Friend: whats his name?
Friend: Noah
Friend: whats his name?
Boyer: nvm it a joke dude he looked weird

…“I didn’t really do anything,” Boyer, 16, said. “I didn’t threaten the school. I didn’t purposefully try to scare anyone.”

The incident marks a new frontier in school safety, one in which school officials take any suspicious comment — even a joke made over the Internet — seriously, Rockton Police Chief Stephen Dickson said.

Boyer said his expulsion hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday. Hononegah administrators said they could not confirm the hearing and declined to comment on the incident. “It’s a student matter, and we cannot discuss it in public at all,” Associate Principal Ehren Jarrett said Thursday. “It’s a student privacy issue.”

Boyer was arrested for disorderly conduct, which happens whenever “a person does any act in such an unreasonable manner that they alarm or disturb another and provoke a breach of the peace,” said Pamela Wells, assistant state’s attorney for Winnebago County..."

***

What is happening here? Am I the only one who thinks the person that made the call to the police is at fault? If I say “Johnny Depp is good enough to eat” and you call the police and say I play to murder him then you are the dangerous idiot not me. While I believe any and all threats made at school should be taken seriously, the kid didn’t shout “He’s got a bomb!” in the middle of an assembly; he cracked a smart ass joke on the internet followed by “Dude I was just kidding.” It’s an outrage that the kid faces a conviction and possible expulsion, an absolute outrage. I find the measures taken by the authorities to be a gross overreaction and I feel it directly encroaches on all our civil rights.

***

Stephen Dickson (Chief of Rockton Police) - chief@rockton.ws
Hononegah School Board:
David Kurlinkus (President) (Term expires 2007) - DKurlinkus@aol.com
Kerwood Watts (Vice-President) (Term expires 2007) - watts@firstrockford.com
Tana Vettore (Secretary) (term expires 2009) - napactr@charter.net
Sandy Fordell (term expires 2009) - fordrock5@charter.net
Diane LaForge (term expires 2009) - d2jj@hotmail.com
Scott Moyer (term expires 2009) - scott.moyer@hs.utc.com
Bob Zoeller (Term expires 2007) bob.zoeller@charter.net

Planarity

I am soo addicted to this game. I made it to level 11 the other night and worked on it for far too long. It's like untying knotted shoe laces only more so. It's so simple and so addictive.

www.planarity.net

A Present

Ella puts her hand out towards me in an effort to hand me something. I reach for it and she says "I have a booger, my nose spit it out. Here."

Slush

Thus begins the long slog through winter. We’ll have days and days of rain and slush from the sky and perhaps even a little snow that may stick before the New Year. The span above will turn a permanent grey and we will scrunch up and scowl every time we step outside in an effort to keep warm. My knuckles will chap after doing dishes and Ella’s cheeks will turn bright red with dryness and she will cry when I try to smear coco butter across her face. We’ll turn the heat down to 68° we’ll wear itchy wool sweaters and turn on the space heater before each bath. The dog will refuse to go out a pee on really cold slushy days and just do it on the deck creating little yellow ice patches close to the corner that I will want to hose off - but wont (gross). Can you tell this is by far not my favorite part of the year? I’d much prefer lying on the sandy beach at Pearl Lake sipping beer while Ella splashes spring water on her knees. So, I feel a list is needed.

Things I am looking forward to:

1. Turkey and stuffing
2. My first roller derby bout
3. Winter Solstice
4. The holidays
5. Ella’s birthday
6. Valentines Day
7. Another trip to Vegas?
8. Art gala/benefit for the library
9. St. Patrick’s Day
10. SPRING