Green Day takes over the earth. And why it is a good thing.

I saw Green Day last night and I'm born again. I was a big fan of theirs before I saw them live, and I admit I was entranced when I saw them perform on last year's VMA's, but until I saw them last night live, I wasn't truly aware of their awesome talent, energy and skill.

One of my favorite bands to emerge since my college days, they have risen above the one hit wonder bands of the early 90s and created their own earned space in music history as one of the most talented bands out there. I am in awe of them and I hope that they continue to give us what we want and need - music that not only provokes me to move, but also moves me to feel and think. You guys rock. Thanks for the memories in college, and for giving me therapeutic relief last night from my real life. I look forward to many more fun times moving ahead.

My daughter was doing the air drums with me just today in the car to the amazing American Idiot album. I am already educating my next generation on music that rocks and has true value. I love you Billie Joe! Keep on rocking in the free world!

Technology moment #452 happened at the concert last night - there was a glow during the ballad for September and I was like, cool, where did everyone get the glow sticks? Wrong. The kids are using their cell phones now in place of old school lighters. I'm officially old. Fortunately, my pal Leslie had an old school lighter so we represented our generation in full force. :) Do you have the time to listen to me wine...

http://www.greenday.com/greenday.html

http://www.mtv.com/onair/vma/2005/index.jhtml#/onair/vma/2005/nominees/category.jhtml?cat=528 Vote for Green Day for the VMAs!

http://www.greenday.net/

http://www.echoica.net/brainstew/

http://www.greendayauthority.com/index.shtml

http://www.mtv.com/bands/az/green_day/artist.jhtml

http://www.greendaymusic.com/

http://www.greendayvideos.com/

State of child care in the US Where is our money going?

After deep consideration and concern, I am currently in the process of moving my daughter from one daycare to another. Due to high turnover and lack of proper management among other things, my current daycare facility has totally changed in a year and a half and is no longer an acceptable and safe establishment to keep her in.

And as working parents, we are paying pretty hefty fees to have our kids in daycare. My friends and family are also having similar issues with their childcare centers and we have all learned that you have to manage the daycare center and stay on top of things. this is our child! There are babysitters there not even paying attention to the kids in the room when we pick her up. They are talking to each other through the door. They are not putting sunscreen on our kids when they go outside although we signed a form specifying that they do it. I could go on. My friend's son had bruises on his head two days in a row with no report or knowledge of what happened. It's scary.

Why can't the owners pay benefits for the teachers? It is one of the hardest jobs on earth. I don't know if I could do it. Also, why can't they pay them more to keep them? Her best teachers have come and gone to better places. I do feel bad leaving one daycare to another but why am I feeling bad? They are the ones who couldn't keep their commitment as a respectable daycare center. They are the ones losing multitudes of families due to lack of responsibility and proper management. Then why do I feel guilty? Because it is a relationship and these people are my daughter's caretakers when I'm not there. But I am starting her on Monday at a new school with more structure and a better learning environment.

I tried to research these centers on the Internet and was surprised that parents basically cannot find out if complaints are made on a center unless a formal report is written, meaning it has to be a really bad injury or negligence before a center's record is marked. Parents have a right to know what is going on, good or bad, in their center. Owners owe it to everyone to communicate and build a relationship with their community. Parents talk. Rumors can be worse that the truth. Oh well. I am done venting. Onward and upward I say.

To moms out there looking for resources, check out your state division for licensed daycare - they do have reports from site monitoring visits. Know that daycare centers are franchised, so one can be excellent and the other sub-par but have the same brand name. But also please talk to parent with kids at the school, talk to others in the community and do as much homework as you can. And even if everything looks good, things can change quickly, so stay on top of your center and be sure to get involved so you know your child is in the best care he/she can be. Follow your instincts and if you don't feel right about leaving your child there anymore, then don't.

http://www.decal.state.ga.us/ Child care licensing reports in Georgia

http://www.daycare.com/georgia/ Georgia licensing standards for day care centers

http://nrc.uchsc.edu/ National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care

Georgia

Tommy Lee has a new single...and I like it. Yikes!

Yes, I liked the Crue in the 80s in high school. Anyone with any knowledge of piano keys had to know how to play home sweet home to get any cred in my age group. I was driving home from work today and I heard a neat summer - sounding new single on a top-40 Atlanta radio station. I even listed to find out who it was, so I know I liked it in retrospect.

Well crap. I heard the artist and almost drove off the road. Good Times by Tommy Lee. What???? Who?????It's Tommy frickin' Lee's new single on his album! I didn't even know he sang. It is really pretty catchy. I don't know why I'm more upset. That I feel duked that Tommy made a song that I like because I think he's not a singer, just a drummer plus the fact of his tabloid past, Pam, tattoos, the video, etc. I could go on. But then I have to remind myself that Dave Grohl was iin the background in Nirvana and he emerged in the music scene as a lead singer and is really talented.

Although I don't think Tommy is as talented as cool Dave, he just earned some respect on my part! Maybe I'm partly shocked but happily surprised. Mr. Tattoo drummer upside-down has some talent! Rock on. Crue out. you surprise me, mr. lee!

http://www.tommylee.tv/

http://www.joysmayhem.com/

http://umusic.ca/tommylee/index.php

http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/lee_tommy/artist.jhtml

http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/lee_tommy/artist.jhtml No Wedding Bells for pam and tommy

http://www.foofighters.com/

http://www.mtv.com/bands/az/foo_fighters/artist.jhtml

http://members.tripod.com/~ultim8_foof/

Reasons Why Cousins Rule

What an appropriate weekend to have my sister and her kids over for a weekend visit. It's the opening of the Dukes of Hazzard movie remake! Not that we compare directly with it, we are northerners, they are southerners. We know the war was won, they don't. Haa haa.

Other than that, the neat comparison for pop culture is that family and cousins rule. It is so neat seeing my daughter play with her cousins. As a current only child, she absolutely adores her cousins and cannot wait to see them so she can play with them and they can run through the kitchen with reckloss abandon. Now if that isn't a literary term, I don't know what is. Anyhoo, I just wanted to put a note in my blog about how cool it is to have close family nearby for fun visits to bring out the childlike wonder in all of us.

My nephew absolutely had a fab time with kayaking, jet skiing, boating and riding on a ski biscuit. It has been so neat to watch him grow up and experience the lake life. Although he has few words, I know he is so excited and happy to be here. And my niece and daughter visited and chatted away like long lost friends. It is good to see my sister and I know I need to visit her more as it seems she visits us here more. She is such a good mom and works so hard. We need to visit them next.

Well I must run. Here are some neat family links for keeping in touch.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Welcome.jsp Post Albums free and email to your friends

http://www2.warnerbros.com/dukesofhazzard/ Official Movie site

http://www.dukesonline.com/

http://www.cootersplace.com/

Peek into the world of Pop Culture Gossip Blogs

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There are also some great small business and marketing, advertising and PR links as well.

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