OT: Re: happy birthday Josh

[Guest guest]

Hi Oliver,

Oh, that's funny Actually ... I'm very relieved that (unlike

his Dad) shows no real interest in the WWF. It caught his attention for

a few short weeks, after his school banned students from wearing

Wrestlemania-related T-shirts, but that was it. I've never enjoyed that

sort of sport. Boxing either. But I thought, hmmm ... If I try to

discourage him from watching it, he might go the other way and have his

interest piqued. So I waited it out and it seems to have worked. He

couldn't care less.

As far as Eminem ... how'd you know? I'm all for freedom of speech,

in all it's varied forms of expression. I just happen, also, to use and

want to promote my children's use, of a more neutral and less offensive

language and style of communication. So some of the new musical lyrics

did pose a challenge for me. The children and I discussed this in

length. The possible reasons why someone would choose to speak that way.

Or create music using that kind of language. And why people, usually

young people, flock to buy those kinds of records. I mean, when the

songs do get radio airplay ... so much of it gets bleeped out!

We came up with a compromise. Josh could buy and listen to his CDs if he

wanted to. Since it wasn't something I'd be interested in having, he'd

have to pay for them with his own money saved from allowance ... but I'd

chip in the couple extra dollars it costs to get the edited versions.

That stumped me. Why the heck it costs more money to get the clean cut

version of a CD. Why it has to be a special order instead of being

available alongside the others but it was worth it to me.

Many years ago, when I was a teenager, I faced a similar dilemna. I

loved listening to the Rolling Stones. Collected many of their records.

I'd play them over and over again, trying to decipher Mick Jagger's

drawl and learn all the words to each song. That was before we had a

rewind or replay button On one album there was a song called Star,

Star. I guess I had the volume up a bit too high. My father had a fit,

as he had actually listened closely enough to hear and understand the

lyrics. Blew his top and and forbade me to listen to the record. The

next time he caught me playing that song, he took away the album and

broke it in half. That's how he got his point across I'm trying be a

tad less authoritarian but still relay a similar message. So far, it

seems to be working

Hope Damien and all the rest of the family are doing well.

Aloha,

Georgina

Oliver Skudder wrote:

>

> Georgina,

>

> Damien is in hospital with his Mum at the moment (just a routine " 3000

> mile " overnight service I hope). Anyway, please send Josh belated 12th

> birthday wishes from us in England. My eldest, Carlo is 12 in September so

> I'll bet you're discouraging Josh from watching the WWF wrestling and

> listening to Eminem the same as I am with Carlo!

>

> Best wishes,

>

> Oliver