Oh, what an excellent day for this. The only problem is most of the things I want to bitch about, I can’t talk about. Sigh. And I just did that whole ranting post the other day about how I’m tired of being sick, so yeah, maybe I was two days early with that one.
Ah, but I do have something I can bitch about: kids’ clothes. I hate that t-shirts for my son are impossible to find without either tons of crappy advertising on them or stupid slogans. I’m sorry, but I don’t want my son running around with “Lock up your daughters” scrawled across his chest. I also don’t want him to be a product advertisement for Mario Brothers. He has a couple of character shirts (Cars and Toy Story), but the majority of his t-shirts are plain WalMart t-shirts because at least they don’t have slogans on them.
I hate that clothes for my FIFTEEN MONTH old daughter have things like “diva,” “princess,” “spoiled” etc., scrawled across various parts of her anatomy. She’s a sweet little girl with a great temperament, but even if she wasn’t I would not want her to have that stuff written on her. It’s easier, though, to find little girl clothes that aren’t as obnoxious, but you have to pay serious money for them. As if good taste is something you can only have if you have money.
What is WRONG with people?
I’m beyond mad about the health care reform situation. I do not understand how it can be so hard for people to understand that something has to happen and that the Republican “option” isn’t truly an option, it’s NOTHING. They’ve got NOTHING. All they have is the ability to say, I don’t think X or Y or Z is a good idea. And if that’s all you’ve got, then you’re not bringing ideas and you should probably shut. it. Simultaneously, I do not understand Democrats at all. They have the majority and they act like they’re still in the minority. The Republicans never had the mythical 60, and yet they managed to get things passed all the time. What is the hold up here? I understand they want to be bipartisan, but that requires the other team to be willing to play. They’re not suiting up, they’re not getting on the field, they’re not playing ball, so take the ball and SCORE with it. Why is this so hard? They’re not going to like you because you’re trying to get them to play, so stop trying to be liked and do the job you were “hired” for.
And don’t get me started on homeschooling in the state of Florida. I’m seriously considering buying a boxed curriculum just to be able to show checked off lists of stuff that he’s learned. Trying to do this on my own is making me crazy. Crazier. I can’t actually teach like that, but I could try, I guess. I don’t know. I’m utterly not sure what to do.
Oh, and I hate how women’s clothes are sized. I’m a bunch of different sizes depending on which store I’m in and which manufacturer I’m dealing with. Why can’t there be a consistent form of measurement. I’m also sick of return policies that don’t make sense or that make me jump through a half-dozen or more hoops in order to return something.
I’m stressed, I’m tired, and I just don’t want to think about all the participation I have to grade. My final point that I bitch about on a regular basis. I hate grading. I love to teach. I love to help students develop their ideas and gain skills, but I HATE grading them on those skills. I hate having to evaluate participation in particular because it’s just a pain. I mean, if you participate, that’s great, but if you don’t spell check and you don’t do all the other things that are required, you shouldn’t be surprised if you don’t get full points for your post, and yet so many are. Very irritating.
I really get tired of the notion that if you made an attempt you should get full credit. My son gets “credit” for trying, but he doesn’t get total adulation for trying UNLESS he also does it right. (whatever it is).
Man, I am so glad I didn’t give up complaining for Lent, you know?
Now, if you want to know what ticks off other people go check out: Girl Talk Thursday, you’ll get a laugh at the very least.
Adjunctmom's Blog 
Kids clothes drives me nuts too, for exactly the same reason. And we, like you, end up buying boring plain shit at Target because I hate cartoon characters. And Disney. And weird catch phrases with sexual entendres created for toddlers. WTF. I also hate grading. That’s why I became an instructional coach!
I don’t hate Disney (I mean, it would be immensely hypocritical since I have Tinkerbell shirts for myself), but I’m not keen on dressing my kids in nothing but Disney wear. The occasional Winnie the Pooh thing for Katie, sure. A Cars t-shirt for Ben (since he’s obsessed anyway), no problem, but no wall to wall Disney. I can’t handle it.
A what now?
I so agree about the clothing – both the kids’ clothes and the women’s sizing. Men have it so EASY. If they know their size, they can go anywhere and buy their clothes without having to try them on. And yes, the healthcare situation (aka nothing getting done) is ridiculous. I’m so irritated with both sides of the aisle. Sigh.
Oh, I know. I’m so mad at both the Democrats and the Republicans at this point I could spit. Hell, if it weren’t for the fact that I have no money and I’m terrified of speaking in public, I’d run for office myself.
I so appreciate all of your rant, but especially the part about kids’ clothing. Why the hell are they making low-rise boot-cut jeans for 16 mo old girls? Honestly?? I can’t fit the damn things over her diaper butt, nor can I button them around her pudgy little belly, and also, I don’t want to dress her like a teeny bopper!!
I do not know why they do, nor do I know why they put pockets on their clothes or why they make halter tops for babies under two (well, really for anybody, but for little tiny ones). Or bikinis? Why would I put my daughter in a bikini before she’s two? WHY?
Oooh, I totally agree with both clothing issues! I hate that I am anywhere from an 8-12. (and trust me, an 8 is not right!) Vanity sizing, bah!
Oh, no, the best part is that I’m a different bra size at different places. That? Makes me frigging insane.
OK, I’m totally chiming in on the teacher rants – AMEN. I hate grading, too! What’s funny is that when I was a kid, I thought it would be so cool to grade all those papers. Little did I know….
And see, I knew better. My dad was a math teacher at a rival high school. I was part of the test assembly crew and the multiple guess checker :). I knew what I was getting into, sort of, had no idea that English papers are so much worse.
Oh, I think I have a new girl-crush … on YOU. I have girls’ clothes issues too, albeit mine involve gender stereotypes. I won’t go off about it here.
Ditto on health care, teaching, and bitching in general. I ❤ you. Thanks for bitching … errrr … sharing.
Oh, I know. I totally know. Do not get me started the “pink” aisle at Toys-r-Us. I also hate that finding “dress up” clothes for my son (in either variety) is impossible, but I can get my daughter any princess dress I’d like, plus heels, etc., etc., etc.
Makes me insane. Plus the color choices for girls — ick. Just ick.
Perhaps I should be a feminist ranter :).
Amen to this!
The ways toys and clothes are “made for girls” now makes me glad I have ONLY boys. Remember when the colorful Legos were for ALL kids and there didn’t have to be special pink ones? Sexualized clothing for little girls is just plain creepy. I can’t understand why they are everywhere now!
Women’s clothes too! A male friend once commented to me on how long it takes women to buy a pair of pants. I tried to explain that if we don’t try them on, we don’t know what we are getting. I have encountered the cup issue on bras before (bah ~ do I want to spill out or have wrinkled fabric there?!) but I have only just now encountered the bra issue on RIB size! When did THAT start? I mean, how can 36″ be anything else?
I can’t comment on home schooling or grading papers, but I am having an warm comforting beverage for us both right now! (Actually, it’s because I am, for the first time, alone ALL DAY with the 6 week old and the 20 month old ~ half way through and we are all still alive but that’s about all I can claim).
Agree with the Dem/Republican comments too. I think you got this out for many of us today!
But it’s not easy the other way either. Ben desperately wanted a kitchen. They’re all freaking pink.
We finally found one that was white with purple accents that didn’t make us cringe. And not because I don’t want my son playing with pink things. I honestly don’t care, but because the pink horribly clashed with my house :).
Indeed! We had a kitchen love time too ~ luckilywe had a friend we could go over and play with (the one she has for her daughters is white and red and blue, but she probably got it a thrift store, so that’s no help if someone wants one).
I think my husband is allergic to pink (I told him that it’s just a color; it can’t hurt him:). Fortunately, Miles is now old enough to play w/ me in the real kitchen. We’ll see what happens w/ his little brothers.
I hate grading, too. Love teaching, hate grading. Kids clothes just piss me off.
As for homeschooling, are you using a software to keep track of things? One that’s helping me enormously is Homeschool Tracker. For my high schooler, I’m finally able to keep things orderly and I can print off reports super easily.