Sometimes I Really Wonder

As most of you know, we (as a family) have been having problems with our phantom emailer. But, as a family, we have decided we won't drag the rest of you in the middle of what is so plainly a squabble between two parties when neither party is willing to communicate properly (ie: without taunts/threats/snide comments). Therefore, we will endeavor to remain free of personal taunts from now on.

Onto to the major topic of the blog for today.

Being an ex-teacher, I keep getting asked about really good books I've read. I mean, sure, I'm more likely than a lot of my friends to be able to rattle off some really good books I've read. But, darn! It isn't like being a teacher gives me the end all of end alls to book reviewing. It's just my option, after all. If you read my book choice and really hate it, please don't tell me what an idiot I am. I can like something you don't. I mean, my husband and I don't agree on good food all the time (I love Mongolian Grill... HE adores TGI Fridays). Why would everyone agree with my book choices. Anyways... I promised a couple of my friends (I'll get you all back for this... I PROMISE) that I would post my current books selections and explain why I have chosen these out of all the books I read. I will separate them by age range... since I read a lot of books. (I mean, what else do I have to do but waste my time reading books.)

Children's Books: I personally love anything that was up for or won the Caldecott - just something I get for being a Central Ohio native, I guess. My current favorites are Snowflake Bentley (Caldecott for 1999) and Lon PoPo (from 1990). Another one of my favorites was one I discovered while teaching 4th grade. Laura Simms, with the Illustrator David Catrow (whom was a guest speaker in my classroom), wrote a wonderful book called Rotten Teeth. I love how it shows that everyone has something special to share. In the book, the main character needs to find something for show and tell and "borrows" from her father (a dentist) a bottle of rotten teeth he's pulled out. Talk about demonstrating what happens if you don't take care of your teeth. And, it is also fun to watch her grow from shy to being an instant success. Plus, David's illustrations really are great. And, my last one in this category is called The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown (Yes... Goodnight Moon lady). The Important Book is that the book goes on long after it is closed. What is most important about many familiar things -- like rain and wind, apples and daisies -- is suggested in rhythmic words and vivid pictures. Like Goodnight Moon, it is a perfect book . . . the text establishes a word game which children will accept and can memorize.

Juv. Fiction: Right now, I only have a couple picks. For those who enjoyed Harry Potter, make sure you don't miss the Jenny Nimmo Charlie Bones books. I found these books while flying back and forth from Baltimore in 2004. And, I've been addicted to them since. Charlie is endowed with "special powers" and goes to a "special school". It is how he solves problems in his life and how he handles a family who much rather he not be who he really is. My next pick is Gossamer by Lois Lowry. I honestly recommended this to anyone who reads. I loved the idea of little people who affect our dream state. Although, as my mother in law found out, it is a bit of a tear jerker, too. What also suggest it is a decent book is it was named Blackeyed Susan choice for 2006-2007. It didn't win, but I still absolutely loved it.

Adult: I have read some pretty odd, yet cool books in the last year. Jeanette Walls (MSNBC commentator) wrote a book about her childhood called The Glass Castle. Both my mother in law and I read it... and all I can say is that she had one very messed up childhood. But, it is the kind of book that keeps you reading... kinda like Running With Scissor (Augusten Burroughs). I've also finished Wicked and Son of A Witch (Gregory Maguire). I liked the latter more than the former. But, the change of views makes me think a lot of the children's book The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (as told by the Big Bad Wolf) - from the man who brought us The Stinky Cheese Man (Jon Scieszka). Different perspectives change everything!

What are you all reading. Share!!! :)

When In Cambodia.... ( Another side note to anon.) and EASTER

In using Cambodian Etiquette, when walking in front of or passing an elder, a younger individual should bow to show respect. Hence, I bow to my elder. You did identify yourself as such. And, my parents would be totally ashamed should I failed to demonstrate proper respect. With this said, I go back to my post from a few days ago. I worry that your anger management issues are causing you unhealthy feelings concerning my mother in law and myself. I urge you to make use of the internet to make contact with the right organizations so that this anger does not cause you any unnecessary bodily harm. You also may want to think about discontinuing this back and forth banter. It doesn't seem to bother us... but seems to put you on edge. We worry about your safety. I'm sure your mother would agree your health is paramount... and far more important than whether or not a whelp like myself is showing you the respect and honor you are due.

Moving on to the others who read this blog, the family had a very nice dinner together yesterday. We enjoyed being in each others company and look forward to future family gatherings. I think that my husband will be on a slight sugar high for a few more days... but we are all recovering nicely from the great food and wonderful company.

Thanks to All

As the head blogger of the family, I thank all of you for your calls of concern about the past couple blog entries. This phantom emailer keeps sending us those odd comments. We promise, from now on, we will keep the Anon. msg to a minimum. Good to hear from some of you, though. Jane/Stephen/Bill/and I really enjoy knowing that we are in the thoughts of those who check up on us! :)

Replying to Anonymous Again

Well... this seems to be the day to reply to comments on the blog. In our last entry, we asked Anon. to "speak using his/her own words". Well, the reply used quotes from Am I Angry (www.amiangry.com). This is causing us to really worry about your well-being, Anon.! We cannot be of assistance to you in solving this disagreement with us if we don't what we are doing to you. Although, the use of tincture dates you. Please, Anon. Use your own voice and contact us. You could even call us collect... I have no doubt you have the number... hasn't changed in over 20 years. This anger is unbecoming a person of your linguistic and verbal abilities. You cannot wound us. We are a family.

Reply to anonymous - Part 2!

Dear Anonymous:

Once again, we are interested in your response. However, we feel that you may be misinformed about the "quotes" you are using. Both Micah and Luke were not speaking of families being against each other in times of normality. These were in times of strife, times of famine, and times of great civil unrest. And, it was not to be taken as literally as you use them to quote. These quotes are literally taken way out of context. The actual Micah and Luke passages are as follows:
Luke 12: 49-53
49"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! 51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

Micah 7: 1-7
7:1 Woe is me! For I have become
as when the summer fruit has been gathered,
as when the grapes have been gleaned:
there is no cluster to eat,
no first-ripe fig that my soul desires.
2 The godly has perished from the earth,
and there is no one upright among mankind;
they all lie in wait for blood,
and each hunts the other with a net.
3 Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well;
the prince and the judge ask for a bribe,
and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul;
thus they weave it together.
4 The best of them is like a brier,
the most upright of them a thorn hedge.
The day of your watchmen, of your punishment, has come;
now their confusion is at hand.
5 Put no trust in a neighbor;
have no confidence in a friend;
guard the doors of your mouth
from her who lies in your arms; [1]
6 for the son treats the father with contempt,
the daughter rises up against her mother,
the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
a man's enemies are the men of his own house.
7 But as for me, I will look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me.

We would love to hear from you, in your own words, so that we may communicate without hiding behind quotes or hidden meanings. In order to heal this problem, as a family, we need to be able to communicate needs and wants. Your meaning is not clear and, without hearing you in your own words, we cannot help you until you allow us to.

Note: To Anonymous, From the Wenzel Family

Dear Anonymous:

Your message, dated March 20 at approximately 6:30 pm., gained our attention. We have been receiving your emails to us and we must say that we are glad to finally have a way to respond to your emails. As a family, we are very sorry that you are so angry with us. But, we have discovered that, as more emails appear, we grow more close knit as a family. You have to see, the more you show your anger, the more we support one another. That is what a family does... show support for those members in which it belongs. With that said, we, as a family, want to extend our forgiveness to you. We understand that, to try to hurt us (unsucessfully, I might add), you must be in a lot of pain and need some help in dealing with your anger. If you post again, we can direct you towards some really good self help sites. I personally, from experience, can tell you that the Samaritans really do write wonderful responses back and will listen to you and help you with all this anger. Family is family. You can threaten, cajole, or belittle us. You cannot break us, though. If we can help you... please stop pretending to be anonymous.

The Wenzel Family

Ack! You Missed A Special Holiday!

When I woke up on Sunday morning, I realized it was the the second Sunday after the first full week in March (A-whatsit-in-the-whatnow?). For a lot of people, that wouldn't mean a thing. But, to me, it is a very special holiday. It is Substitute Parents Day. Think of Mother's Day/Father's Day for people that act in the In Loco Parentis - ie: Teachers, Caregivers, Special Neighbors, Family Friends.... YOU get the point. Well, in high school, I always honored those teachers who made a difference in my life. And, before I married my husband, I honored his mother on this day (since Mother's Day didn't seem like the right day and I didn't like the Mother In Law's Day cards in October). For the last 3 years, I have honored my MIL on this very special of days. But, you know what? I didn't this year. You want to know why, right? Well, sad as it may seem, it didn't seem special enough this year. I felt like she deserved better. I mean, yes, a plant and a card are a nice gift. But, she really deserved something nice. And, I didn't know how to do that. I could have made dinner... but she is on a diet that seems to consist of potatoes and soup. This seems to also be the case for trying to make a dessert... who wants to eat a dessert when they are on a diet?

I thought maybe a nice note would work. I sat down and wrote about 3 drafts. None of them seemed to say what I wanted them to say... which is thank you for being such a great person who I seem to learn new stuff from daily (GAG me... that even sounds lame now). So, no note. Well, cleaning up seemed like a good thing... but I do that weekly anyways. That isn't special to just this week. I figure that maybe the best way to demonstrate I care is to tackle this issue again in October. Maybe there will be better cards this year!