The wurster, the better

Taxes are part of our lives. Doing income taxes is also a necessary evil. I have not yet started and that is the problem. Every year I say I’m going to do this right after the new year. And every year, I don’t. Too overwhelmed with other things. And this year, a little more depression brings me down.

My mind goes so fast with so many ideas I want to accomplish that I usually wind up doing nothing. I have work which is not challenging enough. I have my outside web development interests which do help me keep focused and keep my skills somewhat up-to-date. I have various groups I belong to and try to attend their meetings (RefreshDelval, Crum Creek Sustainable Community, GreenSpeak, Sustainable Delco, Sierra Club, GreenDrinks, Concord Village and others). I also tend to volunteer a lot trying to escape the reality of home life while helping others and myself.

My family, our daughters, and our extended family. No one has a perfect family anywhere. We all have our baggage and skeletons in the closet. Yet we must go on. And it is hard. Now, we are in the process of setting up a Special Needs Trust for our daughter Alicia and all the other legal stuff that goes along with it. It is something we should have done 3 years ago but our depression and feeling of being overwhelmed stopped us in our tracks.

Answers and help, always searching and not usually finding them. A very trying and overwhelming job. But one that we parents must do for our children, especially one who is so needy. And then, at what expense to our other daughter Tabitha, who is bright and caring and has everything in the world to look forward to. We have neglected her and she has pushed us away in her search for a way to cope with our family situation. I don’t blame her and would like to have been able to do that. But as a parent, I cannot. I hope we haven’t failed her. I hope she knows we are always there for her, with all of our foibles and issues. We try and that’s all we can do.

Easter is supposed to be a time of renewal but it feels like the end for me. Well, not the end but rather like being in a pit that I can’t get out. We all have this problem and I feel for all my family members who are suffering. I wish I could help but I can’t even help myself.

Don’t know why I got off on this kind of post but I guess I needed to get it out and express my thoughts.

Doesn’t this advertising strike you funny? What are people thinking? When we parents are trying to protect our kids and keep them safe, we are countered at every opportunity it would seem by the business world (at least).

On the surface, a dance club for young people would seem to be a good idea. But, come on, when you add drinking and mixing young adults with older adults, what are we really expecting to happen? Doesn’t this seem like a good opportunity for predators to take advantage of our children? What parent would let their child go to such a club?

Our children can (and do) make themselves look older. They want to be older. Why? I don’t know. I am old(er) and want to be younger. But advertising is geared towards the young and it shows them how. It is pretty hard to figure out someone’s chronological age nowadays.

We got trouble, my friends, right here in River City.

People ask you this all the time. It’s a good conversation opener or something to say when you see someone just passing by. All too often, all we say in reply is “okay”. Why? Because people really don’t want to know how we are really feeling.

I am feeling unsure of myself. This makes me feel sad. I felt very sad on Sunday when I heard my daughter crying in her room. I held her and tried to comfort her. And this helped a little, I think. But do I know why she was crying. No. Because she can’t tell us. When I heard about the school shooting in a local high school yesterday, I thought I should be honest with myself. That was what happened (I think) with this young boy. I don’t think we really understand our children and ourselves. We’re not honest about things. We hide them under other things we do. we make ourselves busy so that we don’t have to face the reality. It’s time that we parents really tried to help our children.

At work I feel unproductive and unsure of what I am doing because it impacts others and they see me in a certain way. I have been trying to slow down and really listen and pay attention to detail. However, I feel others don’t appreciate this even though it is what we agreed to. When you are pressured to do something, all the rules go out the window. I will continue to try. I hope that others will try, too.

To whom it may concern,

We have a daughter who is mentally challenged and another daughter who is very gifted. We are continually worried about their education and how they will fit into society and be a productive member. It is very hard to look after the well-being of our entire family. And it becomes even more difficult when we spend time worrying about the direction of the country. That’s why I need to feel comfortable with the men and women who are running our nation and those who will be running it.

I recently heard that Joe Sestak and Senator Chris Dodd discussed the importance of looking after our children and helping them become functional members of society. I believe that our current representation has overlooked the importance of providing a supportive environment in which kids, all kids, can learn and grow. Curt Weldon has voted to cap the amount of spending on Head Start. Considering the effect of inflation, this means that the amount of money going to the program in real terms is actually declining. I volunteer through my employer PNC Bank for project Head Start. My employer knows that this is a worthwhile program because PNC allows each of its employees to volunteer 40 hours each year to programs like this. The business community knows it is very important and is committed to helping it grow and be successful. All parents want to look after their children, but some need help. If Mr. Weldon isn’t doing his part, then the voters have to do their part by finding someone who will stand up for our kids when it counts. That is Joe Sestak.

I sent this letter to the editor of several local newspapers. It was supposed to be published in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Well, it has been a while since we last heard from CBHTF (Children’s Behavioral Health Task Force). Because of my disorganization, as well as my swinging into depressive/not-caring moods, I thought I missed an opportunity to comment upon the first draft of the report I worked on for the DPW (PA Department of Public Welfare). Why do I say this? Well, I received the draft on April 26 with a note to respond with any comments by May 1. Then the other day, I received the report that was sent to a bunch of people in the PA state department and appropriate organizations.

Any way, I decided to start reading the 91-page document yesterday and sent in some comments, even though they were late. I still feel that I am a part of this task force and will until the ideas and suggestions by us are accomplished by the state of Pennsylvania.

I will continue reading the massive document and submit additional comments where appropriate.