Not a response to the post with link above.
I’m…sad? ashamed? embarrassed? angry?..that now, after yet another horrific school shooting, there isn’t even a separate new thread here on CC to discuss. And my emotions stem not necessarily from the absence of the thread, but from the fact that 1) it’s the same fruitless discussion every time, 2) met with the same responses every time, and 3) that there is an “every time”.
I’m just sad.
Moved to Nashville last summer from Western KY where I have experienced two school shootings since 1997, Heath & Marshall County. Multiple connections to Heath situation, including shooter having been in kindergarten class and on soccer team with S before shooter transferred to county school system. A teaching colleague in my office area had child in close proximity to shooting at Marshall County 20 years later and colleagues and I were in conversation with her when she got call from that child.
Today I find myself devastated once more, but for a new community. Local news asking why this has happened in Nashville and I find myself talking to television about need to reinstitute assault weapons ban (shooter had 2 with her). I would never personally own a gun, but understand there are those who want them for protection and/or hunting. However, no one will ever convince me that anyone besides military personnel or police have any need for an assault weapon.
I guess I can say it elsewhere, but when will it make a difference?
'Cos tonight
We can be as one, tonight.
Please?
Terrorism takes MANY forms:
Proud of my kid. Passed the US History I practice CLEP exam today on www.modernstates.org and requested her CLEP exam voucher. Minor/almost major victory. very much needed given the rough week she had last week.
And to you, Butthead Betty, well, I have no nice things to say to you right now. So you and your parents can act all high and mighty right now if you want. I hope you get the results next year that you are hoping for. But you need to remember that you are far more than where you went to college. It’s one part of your life. It’s not your entire life. But you don’t know that yet. That’s ok. Many decades down the road when somebody is writing your obituary after you’ve lived a long and fruitful life, they won’t spend the entire time talking about how you went to Tippy Top U. They’ll talk about what kind of person you were, whether you were kind to others even when nobody else was looking, if you tried to help out your fellow humans, make them feel included, tried to make the world around you a slightly better place just because you were in it.
Where you went to college will be just a passing side note.
So just try to remember that the next time you decide to go off in front of the whole 11th grade class, complaining that So-and-So is going to get into an Ivy League college because “he’s poor and black, so he’s in for sure.” 
You may have way better grades and way better test scores than my kid, but when you talk like that, you sound like a rude, ignorant horse’s butt.
THAT is what your classmates will remember about you from high school…the racist girl who talked smack about the black kid who had less money than you.
You really need to learn how to think before you speak. I kind of hope you end up at a really really liberal college and that you encounter some social justice warrior kids who give you a verbal smack down to stuff like that.
</end rant>
Last night was a great night to spend with Bruce. For a few hours I just felt happy and it was needed.
Words I thought I’d never hear from H…
“Turn on the women’s (basketball) game.” Followed a couple of hours later by a middle of the night (or middle of the night for me!) text from younger S letting us know that they won and made the Final Four. GO HOKIES!
I haven’t been a student in over 40 years, so why did I have a dream last night about failing all my classes?
I think I need to shop for a new local news source. All this afternoon the message has been that we are beginning to heal by having community members, from children to senior citizens at nearby assisted living facilities, come to shooting site to lay flowers and pray. News anchor’s comment is how we are so helpless, but what we can do is buy flowers and pray. My head is about to explode. Why do they think we are so helpless? We can express our view that gun violence is unacceptable in many ways beyond purchasing flowers and praying (not that those are unacceptable outlets). We must do better!
A minister I had the privilege of knowing passed away at the age of 90. He wanted no funeral service or memorial, so I’ll take a moment to remember him here. He lived what he believed. His was not a hellfire and brimstone approach, but rather one of encouraging compassion and service. He didn’t just talk about loving one another, he actively worked for social justice and nonviolence. He inspired many to do the same. Reverend B, you were a good and faithful servant.
Don’t bother, it’s too predictable and I won’t see it anyway.
Neighbor, you just confirmed my initial impressions. The norm in this little neighborhood has been for fences to be placed on the property line with neighbors sharing all costs. Instead, we said we’d pay 100% to install a new fence that was needed between our properties because you weren’t ready to do anything. After years of neglect (before we moved here) the old fence had fallen apart. At the time, you said you’d cover staining your side. Now you assume we’re paying for that, too, and you’re worried that our painter is going to somehow take advantage of you if he stains the rest of your fence.
I’ve already told the painter we’ll pay him to stain both sides of the new fence just to get it done. I’m tempted to suggest that he would be better off devoting time to other projects and find that he’s too busy for you. He deserves to be treated with respect and I don’t think that would happen if he does business with you.
My big brother would have been 66 today. He passed away 5 years ago after a brain bleed. I was incredibly fortunate to have been there for the several weeks after it happened and then through his transition. He had a really difficult life. I just felt the need to acknowledge him today. He mattered, even if he didn’t think that he did.
One more time… a raw, unpeeled potato that has been on the floor does not need to be tossed because it’s dirty. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been on the floor. It grows in the DIRT before you get it. It just needs to be washed. Heck, I’d just wash off a peeled one if it hit the floor before cooking… same as many other things.
me going through the college admissions offices I follow on Instagram…
UNFOLLOW
UNFOLLOW
UNFOLLOW
…
(try it, it feels pretty good!)
Can’t is not the same as won’t.
Why or why did I listen to Megan Trainor’s new song?!! Can’t. Get. That. Earworm. Our. Of. My. Head! 
I do not want to go the funeral. I am just too sad and cannot bear to see another mom devastated. “What to Expect…” did not prepare moms to bury their children.
Taking out loans for college is NOT the end of the world. And you telling us it is does not help. No, Suzy, my child does not want to go to community college for 2 years to save money. Buzz off.
I feel so good! Amazing to feel this way!