Why not to let your sarcasm run free

What could someone be searching for when they google "poo filled diaper". I'm always amazed by how many of the searches that reach me have something to do with poo. Once someone searched for "taking a poo on the toilet", and found me. You know you're profound when the poo searchers are hitting your site. But really, what are they trying to research? Which reminds me that once I got a couple of comments from a highschooler who was trying to research amoebas and reached my post "the amoebas are lovely under here", only to find that it wasn't about amoebas, and use three different names to comment that I should have posted about amoebas. I thought it was pretty funny.

Oh, and by the way, if you are ever in doubt about whether racism is alive and well today, just check out the comments on any Youtube video about any racially potent topic. Good GOLLY, people say some wack stuff. I get so used to the respect that commenters have in our blogging community that I am always shocked by the comments on a lot of news sites or Youtube. One time I tried to enter the fray because I was all riled up, only this was about child-hating, not racism, and against my husband's advice I entered a conversation with some really hurtful people. DID NOT WORK. I saw right away that I should have taken his advice. And I was mad, so my comment was sarcastic, but basically some people were making very rude statements to the effect that parents shouldn't take their kids out based on their inconvenience to other people. I think they used words like "snotty-nosed brats", and "little animals". So I just sort of made the point that maybe we should start a society where we remove all inconveniences, like those bratty little kids who can't keep their annoying voices down, and yeah, while we're at it, elderly people can't seem to pull their own weight, either. And what about those disabled people? If we get rid of all of them, we'll have a great time! No one to inconvenience us.

Yes, I realize that my comment was slightly inflammatory. And it made not a whit of difference to people who already had their minds made up. And the ringleader of the mean people said that I called him a nazi. Which I guess I did, in a way. But he was talking like a nazi! You can't call children little animals that should be kept in cages and insinuate that mothers should stay inside with their children for the first five years of their lives without running the risk of being called a nazi! Thus, my first and only foray into a comment beat-down.

But isn't it true? There is a bell curve in the village that is society. In the middle are those who have grown up, who can keep their noses clean and make their own beds and grow food for all of us to eat. On either end are those who take more care, who need help and nurture. On the beginning end are those who are being raised, who will one day turn into the food growers. And on the other end are those who should be reaping the rewards for their years of labor, who deserve to have their bed made for them and even to be tucked in between clean, fragrant sheets. I think that as long as our culture is youth-driven and self-serving, these people in our village will be disrespected.

The conversation I was part of was about the child-free movement. I don't personally have a problem with people getting together with other people like them. If there is anything that I've learned from community, it's that it's hard for single people to live with us, these big crazy families with all the poo. But we've seen that it IS possible, that you can live together in love. And I DO have a problem with hurtful attitudes towards the ones who should be cherished and protected in a society.

Chinua and I take great care to cultivate our kids' respect of adults and behavior in public places, and I totally understand that it is really hard to be around little energetic beings who have no governor on their emotions. But I think that all it takes is a little bit of teaching and a little bit of grace. Wait, make that a LOT of teaching and a LOT of grace, I'm sorry, I forgot what I was talking about for a minute.

And wow. Rabbit trail. I love coming here and just letting my mind run.

***

I realize that I kind of left you hanging with the whole Turkey thing. I was left hanging there for a minute, wondering whether I would be able to go or not. And, unfortunately, this time it's not. I will continue to hope for the future, though, that Chinua and I will once again be able to run around the world together. He is flying out tomorrow, leaving from here today, and he'll be gone for two weeks. Oh, my Superstar Husband. I will miss him.

I'm heading up to Canada to visit my family within the next few days. I'm driving by myself with the kids, which many people have expressed shock over, but we'll take it in two chunks with a long stop in between, and have you ever tried to make it through airline security with three little ones? Plus, I love driving, love the stretches of field, the road long and wide. The kids do really well, too. It feels like an adventure.

(You know what doesn't feel like an adventure? Packing. Groan.)