Democracy a la Lewis

I am finishing up the Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis.

Wow.

There were several times whilst reading that I gulped, and felt very convicted of some bad habits, thoughts and beliefs I've had. It's a powerful book, wielding the almighty weapon of mockery. Lewis employs the voice of a senior demon (Screwtape) advising and admonishing a junior tempter (Wormwood) in his quest to capture a human soul.

The piece of advice I found most intriguing, considering my political studies, the state of the world, and the year this book was published (1942), was Lewis's, I mean Screwtape's, counsel to future tempters:

"Democracy is the word with which you must lead them by the nose. The good work which our philological experts have already done in the corruption of human language makes it unnecessary to warn you that they should never be allowed to give this word a clear and definable meaning. They won't. It will never occur to them that Democracy is properly the name of a political system, even a system of voting, and that this has only the most remote and tenuous connection with what you are trying to sell them...

You are to use the word purely as an incantation; if you like, purely for its selling power. It is a name they venerate. And of course it is connected with the political ideal that men should be equally treated. You then make a stealthy transition in their minds from this political ideal to a factual belief that all men are equal."

It was refreshing to read a Christian author who forewarned what has come to pass (how many people really understand the meaning of democracy?) I hear politicians (all presidents included) and the media consistently bandying about the term Democracy in a way that makes no sense.

I've often wondered if the term itself has effectively changed away from meaning a system of government wherein the power is distributed as widely as possible so that the majority rules.

But what does it mean now? Just getting to vote?

Fun on the 4th

Independence Day, 2009.

We headed down to the farmers market this morning and managed to get a pound of english peas and about 6 pluots and plums for $3. Pretty good, huh? I think the fruit guy likes my girls.

Then my girls begged and dragged me to the Half Moon Bay 4th of July parade. Woopee! We sat on the street curb in the sun and watched lots of fire trucks, plain ole trucks, cars, horses, people on horses, and plain ole people parade along Main St. It is everything you would think a small town parade would be.

The Mexican dancing horses were way cool. There were about five or six guys gussied up with fancy spanish rancher outfits (or whatever they are) on horses. Right behind them was a walking Mexican marching band (not mariachi, and no costumes). Whenever the band busted out into song, the horses would trot around in tight circles, or weave back and forth, back and forth. I enjoyed it.

I discovered the real reason my Rosie so desperately wanted to go to the parade: CANDY. I keep forgetting that in a nine year old mind, candy still ranks up there with....well, candy is probably still at the top of her list. And she was indulged to the max today. Every group that marched by threw pounds of candy out to the crowd. My girls went crazy scavenging sweets of the street. I had to have a "talk" with them about not grabbing everything they could reach, because a sweet little toddler next to us just couldn't compete.

On the way home I told the girls they could only have one piece of candy and the rest was going to church. MiniMe retorted, "Then your a mean Mom". Yep. That's me. My MiniMe (shudders) is a tough one.

Hubby told me last night I should go to the parade. "How many times will you get to go with young kids?" He makes sense. Though I don't particularly relish it now, I suppose I'll miss it when my kids are old and not interested.

Tonight we're off the church for another "parade" of decorated scooters and bikes. Oh the excitement is killing me! My girls' bikes are mildly decorated with ribbons and heart stickers. I'm not holding out hope for first prize.

The only thing I'm wondering, should I decorate the dog?

Out of sorts

When Hubby is out of town, I am out of sorts. I get a tad anxious. I don't know why. Seems like he is a stabilizing or normalizing force in my world which I appreciate, but miss when it's gone.

The boys are off to Dallas for Summer Nationals. They had major mishaps getting there (flights cancelled, new routes, new stops...etc.). They were not able to get to the venue in time to purchase the equipment ARG needs for his event tomorrow. Oh, by the way, the event starts at 8:00am. And the vendors get there.....I'm praying they open at 7:00am. After they buy it they have to get the gear approved. And be ready to fence at 8:00am. Dallas time. 6am CA time. I'm trying to ignore the low grade anxiety I feel for ARG and his fencing.

Then, this afternoon I send Rosie out for a walk with Lucy (who was a naughty, naughty dog today). Usually she walks around the block and comes back in 15 minutes. After 40 minutes I started getting nervous. I called for her outside. Nothing. I decided to get in the car with MiniMe and drive around the neighborhood looking for her. Nada. I ran back into the house hollering for her. Not there.

I think all moms (and perhaps all parents, though I don't know about dads) know the sinking, panicky feeling when you can't find your kid. It is one of the worst feelings in the world.

I headed out again and drove a wider loop. After a few minutes I found her. RELIEF! A little cry. And a commitment to making agreements with Rosie about how long and far she should walk.

Now we're all locked and double locked up and settling down to watch a movie.

I miss Hubby.

Candide

OK - onto the next contestant for ARG's high school reading list. I'm picking the short ones right now.

Candide is a book one can read in a day. It's a fanciful story of an innocent youth losing his innocence through exposure to a corrupt, ugly, deceitful, disloyal world. Voltaire. Sounds impressive, "the embodiment of the eighteenth-century Enlightenment" and all that.

It was slightly entertaining. Slightly comical. A few good jabs at the hubris of aristocracy, corruption of men in power, and the Inquisition. The gist of it was (at least I think) that the world is not a pretty place, and the best way to deal with it is to work hard (farming especially) and try to be happy.

OK. I can deal with that.

The plot is fantastical. The characters shallow. The satire, pretty funny. It must've been especially biting when it was written.

Since it's so short, I think it's worth a read.

Cuckoo

I loved reading in high school. Some of my favorite books then are still in my top ten: Gone With The Wind, 1984, Watership Down. I have forgotten most of the books that were assigned reading (1984 is the exception). Does that mean those books weren't as good? Or did I dislike dissecting them so much that I blanked them out of my mind?

I've been thinking about high school reading for ARG. Looking at lists and considering what he should read. Another question is whether I will make him write about what he reads. I thought I would, at first. But I just read an article in the NYTimes about how kids end up hating the classics because they are forced to write inane essays about themes, metaphors, writing styles...etc. So the jury is out on the writing for me.

But I am positive I want to encourage (if not insist) that he read a certain set of books. I also know that if I want him to get anything from them, I'll need to discuss them with him (unless a brilliant high school book club falls in our laps magically).

So, I've started checking books out from the library. I'll never make it through them all before they are due (I always check out too many!), but I have started. I picked an easy one to start: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Who can forget Jack Nickelson in the movie? I remembered liking the book in high school.

I was not prepared for what a page turner it is! I couldn't put it down. Kesey tells a fine tale that wraps you up and holds you and then doesn't really let you go at the end. Some of the things that I would want to discuss are:

- Why did he do it? Why did MacMurphy decide to continue his war against nurse Ratchett when he knew where it would lead? Was he some sort of sacrificial lamb? To show the guys that it was possible to defy her? Kesey never explains why MacMurphy changes his tune from self interested gambler to heroic leader. At least I didn't catch it.

- What exactly does MacMurphy represent? Freedom? And nurse Ratchett? Institutionalism?

- How does Kesey manage to rope us in so completely? How does he make us care about a bunch of loons, a renegade and a control freak?

- I wonder what happens to Chief after the story ends.....

Those are the kinds of things I'd like to discuss. Maybe I'll look up some literary sites and see if there are other "important" questions that we need to discuss.

Bragging Moment

For all of the garbage and nonsense I put up with being a mom, I think I get the right to brag and take pride in my kids when they do something awesome. It's like a payment for all that hard work and sacrifice. (prepare for braggage)

My son is ranked 4th IN THE NATION !!! in his age group for mens' saber!!!

How awesome is that? Who would've thunk I'd have a kid ranked anything anywhere? Not me.

The rankings are based on rolling points (I dare you to try to figure out how points are awarded, I sure haven't yet). I only know points are awarded at national tournaments. So you want to go to a lot of nationals, and/or do really well when you do go. ARG has been to a few, but many have been to a lot more. It's a money thing.

Anyways, I think it is way cool. And I want to brag. I'm a proud mama.

Summer nationals are next week. I don't care how ARG fences, he ROCKS the fencing world in my book.

Poopy Tales

There has got to be some unwritten universal law about (my) dog's poops.

I can walk little Lucy for an hour and see a handful of cars in our neighborhood. But when she decides it's time to do the dirty deed? Always. ALWAYS. A car drives by right then.

I'm standing there pretending nothing is happening, "Heh, heh...."
(Yes! I carry a plastic bag)

Today she decided to go in front of someone's house (where I live there are no sidewalks and lots of grassy/weedy spaces). Can you guess what happened. The OWNER of the house pulled up right as she is plopping. I mean, what are the odds?

Then there are all the lovely times when Lucy decides pooping in the middle of the street is the thing to do. Ah yes, I'm the proud owner..... (cringe).

I don't even have the energy to get into how much Lucy barks. Let's just say my pride has taken a hit recently. I used to mock them. Now I OWN one. Sadly, Lucy can be qualified as a yap dog.