A Line Needs to be Drawn

So there's an upheavel in the news here about a woman who was caught sleeping in her car on her lunch break. The picture went 'viral' and the community is outraged because this woman is a police officer and her car was unlocked at the time. You can read about it here:

http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2012/06/18/police-officer-photographed-snoozing-in-cruiser

I read the article and my first thought was, "Oh this poor woman". After looking at the Reader's Comments, it turns out not so many people shared the same sentiment. Most are screaming 'fire her'. I believe that being a critical consumer of information is vital in today's world of social media overload. Some people don't seem to know the difference between fact and opinion anymore! With this being said, I am not interested in discussing whether she was right or wrong, whether or not she should be fired or disciplined, whether or not she was indeed taking a nap. It is not my place to decide because I don't have all of the information. And I've never been a cop. As a teacher though, I am aware of how incredibly quick the public is to judge. And they do so without all of the facts (I will take a moment to remind you all that NO, TEACHERS DO NOT GET PAID IN THE SUMMER AND NO, THEY CANNOT COLLECT UNEMPLOYMENT). Take a moment to think. With your brain. For more than the length of a commercial.

I personally don't think this picture should be allowed to circulate through the media the way it has. I understand she is a police officer and is thus a public servant, however, she is still a person. She has feelings. Family. Circumstances we do not know about. Shoes we have not filled. Who are we to make judgements on her character and professional pedigree based on a picture? A line needs to be drawn. One commenter made an excellent point, that if the group who posted the picture was only interested in just cause, then they should have sent it to the officials who needed to see it, not give it to the local papers and post it on Facebook and Twitter. Counter arguments to this statement were of course made by the people in the Canada Court Watch group as to why they chose the route they did. I was irritated.

Then it got worse. And I became infuriated when I read the first Reader's Comment:

Brianne Billet stated:

"You know, I'm sure that she was tired from her long "12 hour shifts" but has anyone ever looked at the "real" citizens that work 12 hour shifts on a daily basis to bring enough money home to support their families, then go out with their children and finish off the evening, then back to work for another 12 hours the next day? I'm so incredibly dissapointed with the NRP and its officers, there should be no reason what-so-ever for this woman to be sleeping in a patrol car, its just another reason why men are more apt for certain jobs as they can carry their exhaustion better. There is NEVER an excuse for behaviour like this. If she was that exhausted, she should have gone home for the day as she would be putting other civilians and officers in jeopardy during any calls due to the fact that she is that "exhausted" from her "12-hour shifts" that she has to sleep during her lunch break.

Lunch breaks are just for that... Lunch.

I am a Woman from St.Catharines who firmly believes that if a Woman cannot pull the same hours and the same dedication to the jobs that men have for so many years been dedicated to with their lives, then I urge the City staffers as well as the Officials to begin regulating again which jobs should and should not be able to accept female applicants. Ladies, if you cannot give the dedication you need to, go home and raise children, make a beautiful garden and take care of your husbands the way you all should all be doing."

I support freedom of speech, differing opinions, opposite beliefs. We all choose political parties and religion. Each are a major component of our society, but jeez, be respectful. Make your point but don't push your beliefs on others unless your opinion or advice is asked for. After several responses Brianne Billet went on to say:

"I have been fotunate to become blessed with 3 pregnancies, 5 children and 1 beautiful surviving girl who is exceptionally bright, I pride myself in being a stay at home mother.
To be able to be there for my child whenever or for whatever she needs from me is the most rewarding and fulfilling job that I could ever ask for.
I'm very well aware that not all women feel like I do and that's fine. But in this day in age, so many women are accused of being feminists and so on and so forth.

I'd like to know why I have to feel ashamed about my morals, and my beliefs? I firmly believe such jobs as firefighting, policing, construction work etc. would be better served by hiring male applicants only.

Over the years, I've noticed something... How many of our Grandparents, or Great-Grandparents had ever been divorced? how many of our parents had dto live in single parent homes? not many. Women in that time of our past were more docile, and content to stay at home and take care of their families, instead of "wanting more"

If you "wanted more" you shouldnt have spread your legs to procreate another life, whose independance and intellect depend on the parenting and the involvement of who else?.... their mothers; from the start of life on.

NF 2012;
I am proud of my morals, and where I keep my values and beliefs, and I will not be forced to change them just for the idea of keeping another feminist "comfortable"."

I did take a deep breath (actually about 10) and considered that it is possible that Brianne Billet may not exist. That it might not be her in the picture. Those comments could have been made by anyone. A man. A woman. An interested party who wants to stir up controversy. Who really knows. Regardless, I don't even know where to go with these statements! They are derogatory and irrelevant to the actual issue trying to be brought to light by the activists, which is likely making it 10x worse for the cop. Despite the fact that her ideals are somewhat connected to the picture, come on, really...Brianne is opening up a whole different can of worms. Feminism and woman's rights vs. a sleeping on-duty cop. Oi!

Here is the latest article:

http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2012/06/19/nrp-reviewing-sleeping-cop-case

With that, I will leave you to develop your own opinions if you so chose. I just hope that they are formed with a critical mind and that if you are so inclined to share them, that you do so respectfully. Otherwise I will have to continue to be concerned for the society that Brennan will be growing up in.

A Top 10 From Brennan

Top 10 Reasons Why I Love My Daddy

(a wee bit late for Father's Day)

10. He makes yummy grilled cheeses.

 9. He lets me have sugar when Mommy isn't looking.

 8. He makes fantastic forts out of couch cushions and blankets.

 7. He's silly and makes me laugh every day.

 6. He gives good hugs and kisses.

 5. He painted my room with hand-drawn balloons and clouds.

 4. He's tall enough to make me touch the sky when I fly like Superman.

 3. He buys me fancy shoes because he has expensive taste (especially for a

    toddler Mommy says).  

 2. He lets me help him do 'work' around the house with my tools.

 1. He loves me. Even during my temper tantrums :) 

When I was just born Oct. 25, 2009.

Father's Day 2010

***Uh oh...Mommy missed pictures on Father's Day 2011***

Father's Day 2012


I LOVE YOU DADDY!

Love Brennan

The Power of Choice and Chocolate

5 weeks ago tonight I read a blog post about sugar. More specifically about not eating sugar. For 5 weeks. Straight. I decided it was good motivation to kick my quickly growing crack sugar addiction. I don't do well with limiting eating by myself, I need someone who I might let down if I fail (apparently I am not good enough to be that person).

The first few days were easy with my stronger-than-steel willpower. Then it got harder. Comparable-to-pregnancy type cravings started popping up on what seemed like an hourly basis. But with each time I refused to give in, it got a little easier to 'just say no'.

I was not entering the challenge with the goal of being 100% sugar-free. I am aware of my limits. I allowed myself wine, the syrup in my morning latte, sugar cane within items such as my new-found organic, gluten-free, non-GMO cereal (try saying that 3 times fast), and a square of my 78% cocoa chocolate bar. Naturally occurring sugar in fruit and a small amount of orange juice were also given approval.

I decided to continue working on eliminating dairy, gluten, and fast foods....but these were not my main focus.

Every day I wrote I DID IT! on my calendar before going to bed and I filled my students in on my progress to ensure I was being held accountable. All-in-all I did well. On 2 occasions I had something sweet BUT it was by choice, not by giving in to a craving or eating just because it was there. I had a cupcake on my Aunt's birthday (gluten-free...oh la la) and something on the Friday night of the long weekend. It was clearly not so great because I don't remember what it was.

I discovered a few things along the way:

1. I have been feeling terrible for months not knowing why. I've tried massage, chiropractor, naturopathic remedies, acupuncture, etc. to no avail. It turns out I'm sensitive to dairy which caused bloating and pain. I don't drink enough water which gave me headaches and muscle tension. And I was eating too much sugar equaling blood sugar plummets that made me feel lightheaded and exhausted. All self-diagnosed, feel free to book an appointment with my secretary.

2. The saying, 'You are what you eat' is pretty accurate. When I eat junk now, I feel awful afterward. I don't feel guilty, but I feel physically horrible. I pay for bad eating choices anywhere from a few hours to a full day. I had no idea what I was doing to myself. I thought what I felt was normal. After removing the junk from my body I now know what healthy feels like and when I want to eat pizza I have to make a choice - do I want to be bloated and gassy and in pain for the next day or should I have something else? I read about the toll this food takes on our organs when they are trying to filter it from our bodies. It was quite a disturbing description.

3. The literature on the food industry, be it meat, fast food, and even vegetables is...well you have to read it for yourself. Being a critical consumer is important but when book after book reports the same information by different authors, each with their own goal in sharing their findings...in my mind, their messages are clear and substantiated. Many books have footnotes and endnotes with full reference lists. It should be illegal what we're exposed to, what the industry gets away with with labelling, and I am appalled at the low standards given to the food we consume. I will sit down one day and write out my favourite shocking facts from the books I am reading. I am interested in finding one with Canadian regulations, know of any?

4. I have more energy.

5. I started to remember things without writing them down!

6. I am generally in a better mood.

7. I am more aware of what I am feeding Brennan. This does not go over well with all people. I get a lot of those, "Oh you're one of THOSE Moms" looks when I say Brennan is not allowed to eat certain foods.

8. I am much better at reading labels. Doing so has lead to grocery shopping totals being at least $200 higher each month but I've realized I spend money on much more frivolous things than my health. I also have more room in my cupboards because I'm not buying as many pre-packaged items.

9. It is near impossible to eat at a restaurant when looking for dairy and gluten-free foods. This is also difficult when going to someone else's house for dinner. Do you bring your own food? Mary's Crackers and hummus anyone?

10. I am starving ALL the time. Not eating so much sugar, simple carbohydrates, and fat makes an incredible difference. Based on what I've read, I am digesting my food faster so I need smaller snacks or meals throughout the day. Some days it feels like every hour.

My favourite part of it all...I inspired one of my students to try to not eat candy! Red dye and sugar are terrible for my students and I am super proud of him for recognizing that. I am impressed at how much my students are learning about food - they can now tell the difference between healthy and unhealthy food and look for the healthiest item in their lunch at the morning break.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have not lost a large amount of weight. I actually don't weigh myself but go by how my clothes fit. They are too big in the morning and depending on what I eat, fit just right during the day but are usually tight at night. I'm still working on finding bloating triggers.

My next adventure will be reducing the amount of meat I eat. I've already said no more chicken wings (I may be singing a different tune when football starts) and I just ate the last rack of Steve's delicious ribs last weekend. I will have one more steak, one more pork chop, etc until I am down to chicken and turkey. Then I will work on those. I don't know for how long. I am curious how not eating meat will make me feel.

I will also be doing a 2 week liver cleanse. Not a huge detox program, but a few naturopathic remedies, clean eating, alongside...dare I say it...no drinking...no lattes...no junk at all (ah!) to give my liver a break from working so hard. It deserves a vacation too right? Don't worry, I will be waiting until the end of school for this one.

I know it won't be hard to do because I'm CHOOSING to do it versus being told to do it or feeling that I should be doing it. That choice is incredibly powerful. It's not about not being allowed to eat my Jelly Bellies; rather, it's that I am choosing not to because I respect my body and health enough to not eat a massive Costco-size bag of them in a week (insert hanging head in shame).

Now that is food for thought.

P.S. I will be going to 12 Tin Cupcakery to celebrate being done. I am going to choose to have one of their new chocolate chip sangwiches with icing in the middle. I doubt I'll be able to stomach a full one, but I sure will have a big bite!

A Dash of This and That

I am nearly bursting at the seams with ideas right now. I haven't written in a while because I have been engrossed in reading these:

     

I am learning about food, chemicals, pesticides, factory farming, organic food, fast food, meat, dairy, gluten, and as every woman seems to know by now...how to write up an S&M contract.

I was inspired by this blog post to join Julie on a 5-week sugar-free challenge. We have a week to go. Here is where she is now. I will write where I end up next Thursday when we are finished. Report cards are due on Friday so I'm sure I will need an excuse to avoid them.

I also stumbled across this blog about being mindful as a human being, putting down technology and being present with your children or partner or friends or family or nature or dare I say, with yourself. I started to notice that whenever Brennan saw my cellphone sitting on a table he would bring it to me. He would tell me to turn the iPad off at night and to not 'do work' and to 'lie down' with him so we could hold hands. I realized what I was becoming. So I started to put the phone down. And the iPad. And my 'work'. And I made sure my play with Brennan was more mindful. I was present and really paid attention to our conversations, his discoveries, and how much fun we had when I wasn't stealing a precious moment to write a text message. Brennan is becoming a little boy in front of our eyes and he gets funnier and sweeter every day.

- - - - -

Yesterday I participated in my first Cycle for Autism. Two of my students walked/rode and I saw other people I knew there with their kids. Here is me on Team Owen and Ben.

The rain held off and the path was a tranquil trail through a forest near the water. The best part of the day was seeing a wide range of children and adults with Autism, all over 'The Spectrum' just being. There was stimming and spinning and crying. There were smiles and laughter and cheers. Family and friends all gathered together to bring awareness to Autism. No strange looks, no whispers, no staring. Just acceptance. And one huge-ass amount of love and respect and understanding. It was one of the greatest events I have participated in. And little Owen...he rocked that 5K walk, practically running the whole way with all those strangers around him in a new environment. Then he played on the playground and had a blast. Just like EVERY OTHER KID there. Because no one was judging. No one was being left out. It was one big family. Now THAT is the way the world should be.

Our world should not be about random shootings in a mall food court.

Or how many pins you have on Pinterest.

Or keeping the house immaculate.

Our bodies should not be filled with easy, cheap, cholesterol-filled food.

Instead:

I can't tell you how great I feel having learned to LET GO. If only I could have done it years ago...I wonder how life would have changed? The power of choice is immense and fulfilling.

This week I chose...

1. a long nap with Brennan
2. finishing a book when I woke up before he did
3. to not eat the cookies or ice-cream sandwiches Steve thoughtfully brought home
4. to write this blog post
5. to not look at my To-Do list
6. to hand in Brennan's application and deposit for Montessori School
7. to laugh when I normally would have been irate
8. to buy expensive organic, gluten-free pancake mix
9. to listen to the rain and the birds instead of music
10. to blow-dry my hair for the first time in weeks. And put on a little lipgloss :)

See you Thursday, have a great week :)