Starbucks and Katie Moore ... or "How To Raise Your Adults" ~ By Auntie Ocho

On Friday evening, as I cruised the channels checking out the entertainment; I ran across 20/20. I thoroughly enjoy 20/20 just as I do every other news program ... 60 Minutes, 48 Hours, Dateline and any others I happen to stumble across.

On this particular Friday evening I settled into an episode of 20/20 that was to feature a story on the "Alarmingly High' Number of Teens who Claim Sexual Harassment at Work. I couldn't imagine what had caused this recent spike they were speaking of, so I decided to suit up in my most favorite turquoise flannel - pink flamingo and airstream trailer pajamas, settle in and check it out.

If you wish to see the whole extravaganza of blaming others for one's own decisions; you can certainly "Google" "ABC" "20/20" "Starbucks" and find a wealth of information.

It seems that 16 year-old, Kati Moore of Orange County, CA felt as if she had been forced to have sex, do illegal drugs and illegally consume alcohol at the prodding of her 24 year old Starbucks manager. It IS a travesty for a 16 year old to feel as if they don't have a choice in a matter. At that age, a youth has not yet developed the decision making skill and certainty of one's own ethics and way of life.

It's a sad situation indeed for 24 year old Tim Horton to have taken advantage of Ms. Moore's lack of good judgment; however I find it even more sad that Ms. Moore's mother has decided that the efficient way to handle the situation is to sue Starbucks and claim that her daughter was victimized.

I find Mrs. Moore's outlook on the situation to be devastatingly crippling to her daughter. I'm sure that she believes everything her daughter has told her and I'm certain that she feels she's doing the right thing by protecting her daughter and helping her to try and save her reputation. However, I am even more certain that Mrs. Moore is without a doubt teaching her daughter to blame others for her actions and that is a very irresponsible way to live.

As time goes on, portions of the older generations tend to complain about younger generations. As I grow older I find myself criticizing things that just "aren't what they used to be".

The answer to this, I feel; is to stop enabling the children who will handle our world tomorrow to blame others for their actions, stop teaching them that they are entitled and stop teaching them that life is a big basket of roses and sunshine because that's not always the case.

In my opinion, there's a large misconception among many parents in today's society. It can be cleared up by simply this .....

It's not the job of parents to "raise children", it's the job of parents to "raise adults". ~Kim Jackson

(*Yes, that's my own person quote ... feel free to use it and LIVE IT!*)

They're only children when you first receive them, you see. What you want to turn out of your little factory called a household is a strong and confident young adult; one who has goals of their own and passions that they want to pursue. One who is equipped with the skills to propel themselves forward into greater and grander things.

It's sad to say, but I'm afraid the young Ms. Moore has quite a long road ahead of her. As I watched her defend herself to the ABC interviewer; every sentence was laced with spider webs of blame that she cast out into her life. Let those webs capture anyone but her.

Ms. Moore has thrown under the bus what appears to be a completely average twenty-four year old man. While he may be a manipulative slime .. he appears in fact to be a quite normal twenty-four old man who was using his position to 'bag' a young, naive girl. When confronted with her own texts and correspondence with her former boss, she was left to shrink into an oblivion of sobs. The records of her correspondence with him clearly stated that she had told him that she wanted to "f*ck him". She had obviously not been actively discouraging her 'relationship' with Mr. Horton.

I'm interested in how this case plays out. I'll be terribly discouraged if Ms. Moore is left to come out on top of this. It seems to be a clear case of a teenage child being caught in the act of doing something they shouldn't be doing.

To the mother of Katie Moore ... I have a bridge or two I'd like to sell you ...



::A link to the story::
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9632469

Manifesting Spa Accoutrements 101

Manifesting ... the idea of manifesting was actually brought to us in this country from the East. Now I'm sure that makes some of you want to run screaming for the hills. No worries!!! No one's going to try and turn you into Buddha or put a gun to your head and make you change.

My experience with manifesting had not been a large one. I'd heard of it on numerous occasions and I'd had several of my more

open minded friends tell me that I should learn about manifesting; but that was about the extent of it.

While cleaning out the linen closet in my bathroom a few weeks ago, I decided that I would make a few very conscious storage decisions and see if there were any noticeable changes.

My first thought as I perched myself atop the bathroom counter top with a ciggie and "my book" was that I needed to shuffle the "triage department" so that it wouldn't be at eye level when getting items out of the linen closet each day. I swapped the "triage department" with my favorite foot spa, paraffin dip and other spa-time accoutrements.

As I again perched myself on the bathroom counter with a ciggie and my book, I pondered on what a wonderful and delightful shift these changes could make. It seemed perfectly logical that with my "triage department" removed from my immediate line of vision; I wouldn't stop and ask myself if I "have pain". It also seemed perfectly logical that if my spa accoutrements were in my immediate line of vision that it would cause me to take more spa-time!
Changes made, I went about my life.

A few days later as I enjoyed my New Year's morning java, I realized something that no smoker wants to realize on a winter morning while enjoying java in delicious coziness ... I was out of ciggies!!

I bundled myself up, hat and scarf, very little makeup ... hopefully incognito ... and took off for Walgreen's. It had come to my attention on my way that I had a terrible head ache brewing and I was out of Excedrin, I took a hard right as I entered the door in search of the headache remedy.

As I zipped down the make-up aisle I couldn't help but notice a row of clearance tags along the bottom row. I slowed drastically to see if I was on the verge of missing anything that I couldn't live without. At the very end, I spied a row of tags beneath the spa section ... in utter delight I rushed ahead. Low and behold, all sorts of creams, lotions, loofahs and other "Spa-Day" accoutrements for between $1.50 and $1.79 each!!

I hadn't grabbed a basket on the way in because my only intention was to grab some Excedrin and ciggies; but I dipped myself to the ground and began to gather spa accoutrements into my arms as if I were a starving refugee gathering berries and leaves on the banks of a river.

Comfy with my selection and with the realization that I couldn't possibly hold another spa accoutrement, I began to slowly raise myself up; praying to God and channeling every other power in the Universe I've ever looked to for guidance that I did not hang the heel of my boot in my "long sweater fetish" of late and go toppling to the ground sending spa accoutrements flying in every direction.

With a slide around the corner, I made it to the Excedrin aisle and managed to pick up the "migraine" version and the "tension headache" version so that I could read the labels and compare. That's another blog within it's self ... anywho, having made my decision ... which was by the way Excedrin Tension Head Ache; I shuffled to the cosmetics counter.

Collapsing at the counter I realized I'd yet to get my ciggies. I asked the clerk if she could give me a moment to run up front and get my ciggies and she delightedly came from behind the counter and went after them; remembering to ask me not only if I wanted longs or shorts; but if I wanted box or soft pack. Complete delight!

As I made my way home I remembered I had mentioned to a friend that I would stop by if I happened to leave my comfy cocoon of The Ocho, I stopped by for a quick visit. As I began to leave, I mentioned to my friend that I had saved more than I spent at Walgreen's and had loaded up on all sorts of spa goodies.

At that very moment, she remembered that she'd gotten an over flowing basket of spa goodies, some of which created excess for her "Spa Accoutrement area" and knowing how I love spa accoutrements; she'd been saving them for me!! I thanked her profusely and drove toward the Ocho.

I swung open the door to the linen closet, totally having forgotten at this point that I'd rearranged things. As I went to toss the spa delights into the closet, I realized that the space for them was newly tidied up and right at eye level.

I manifested a spa-sale at Walgreen's and the re-gifting of spa-goodies by a friend .... by making room for it to happen. Pretty groovy if I do say so myself!!

For more on "manifesting", GOOGLE!

The Simple Woman's Day Book - January 10, 2010

The Simple Woman's Day Book is a writing project that my mother recently turned me on to ....

FOR TODAY January 10, 2010

Outside My Window... The sun is shining. I'm sure it's not as warm as it would have me think...


I am thinking...that I'm anxious to get on with my projects today. I can't believe it's already Sunday and I'm not as far along

with things as I'd anticipated; but I'm anxious to get a fire under my behind and get going!!

I am thankful for...family and friends who love me no matter what, being me and good java.