Kristie's Craziness

All the random things in life that I think we should talk about.

Recent Posts

  • The Street Children of Dickens’s London

    The Street Children of Dickens’s London

    Now that I am working full time, I’ve become very particular about how I spend my leisure time. I used to read any book I picked up, and would even force myself to finish it whether I was enjoying it or not. Now I have a cultivated list of books to read based on something I want to learn or characters I have grown to love.

    I have always been intrigued by Victorian London. The stories of Charles Dickens paint a vivid picture, but I am afraid that the conditions of the poor in industrialized London are about to repeat themselves in the cities of America.

    The introduction of The Street Children of Dickens’s London quotes Sybil, stating that between the rich and the poor “there was no intercourse and no sympathy between them; and that they were as ignorant, each other’s habits, thoughts, and feelings, as if they were inhabitants of different planets; who are formed by different breeding, fed by different food; ordered by different manners and governed by different laws.” This is similar to how our government looks at the poor getting poorer while helping the rich get richer, as well as how little concern we have for undocumented immigrants and their children.

    The Street Children of Dickens’s London is divided into two sections. The first section, 1837-1870, describes the different types of children who were living on the streets. Some were innocent and just trying to help their families by begging, selling fruits or shining shoes. Others were orphans, immigrants and runaways with no other options than to steal, cheat or find shady means to survive. I was most disturbed by the stories of the young sex workers. At that time prostitution was not illegal and the age of consent was only twelve, but somehow it was an actual crime to keep a disorderly house. 🤔

    The prevalence of children on the streets of London was alleviated by the introduction of public schools and truancy officers forcing compliance. The point of these schools was to train the children for jobs that suited their station in life. It sounds a lot like American schools now. What is standardized testing other than forced memorization? We aren’t teaching kids to think, to explore or invent when the focus is to pass on specific test.

    It’s funny how a book about the past makes you look for similarities in your own world. It’s like a warning not to make the same mistakes. I wonder if society will listen.

    Kristie

  • Travel thru TIME: Mustafa Kemal Pasha, March 24, 1923

    Travel thru TIME: Mustafa Kemal Pasha, March 24, 1923

    I have once again come across a TIME magazine cover featuring a person I know nothing about. I at first had one of those, “This is what people are talking about” moments where I was blaming schools for only teaching white history. Then as I researched and read about the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the creation of the country Turkey, I remembered bits of my 8th grade history class. I also remembered a dinner table discussion with my dad where I told him learning history was pointless because you can’t change the past and we need to focus on the now. So maybe it’s partly that we are taught a skewed, minimal version of non-white history, but the problem is also teenagers who think they know everything and teachers who fail to engage their students.

    This is Mustapha Kemal Pashia, also known as the founding father of Turkey. He was born in the Ottoman Empire in the area we now consider Greece. His father died when he was a child, and living with his mother’s family on a farm wasn’t for him. He chose to attend military school, where he excelled.

    He graduated in 1902 as a junior staff officer. In 1906, he helped establish a secret society known as Vatan ve Hurriyet or Motherland Society. This was just one of the many revolutionary cells found in the ranks of young Turkish officers. Mustafa Kemal continued his military career, suffering an eye injury during the war with Italy in 1912.

    He assisted in defending the Ottoman Empire from the Allies. He was able to hold them back for a while, but eventually the empire had to admit defeat. While the Allies rallied behind the grand vizier, Mustafa Kamal brought together a nationalist group to fight for a free republic of Turkey. His followers nicknamed him the father of Turkey, which is how he ended up on the cover of TIME magazine.

    On October 28, 1923, the Republic of Turkey was recognized a country. The government was now ruled by the people instead of religion or the Monarchy.

    My research for this post came from the book, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and the Republic of Turkey. It’s short but informative.

    Happy history.

    Kristie

  • Must Read Fantasy Books: Arabian Nights

    Must Read Fantasy Books: Arabian Nights

    I was walking through target the other day and randomly picked up a magazine. It was the best fantasy books. That means new goal; time to start reading.

    The first book on the list was Arabian Nights. I’ve known about this book forever but have never read it before. While reading it, I couldn’t help but think, “I don’t remember this part in the Bugs Bunny version.”

    I liked the fairy tales, filled with Genies and Magic. I was a bit confused though. I thought all the short stories were supposed to be connected to Scheherazade telling the stories to Sultan Schahriar. I expected little snippets after every couple stories of the two becoming friends so that at the end of the book the Sultan believes in love again and we get our happily ever after. Instead, the book suddenly ends, making me wonder if the Sultan finally has this bride executed and then continued killing a bride a night until his death.

    Definitely not something I’ll be adding to me favorite list, but definitely an interesting read and a nice glimpse into a culture I know little about.

    Rating; 4/5 stars

  • Weekly Catch-Up for July 6th-12th

    Weekly Catch-Up for July 6th-12th

    It’s was a pretty chill week for us, which we greatly needed.

    We watched a deer in the back yard while having coffee.

    We got ice cream from Red Egg Creamery. They have goats that you can feed while you eat. The babies were out this week. I want to bring them all home.

    Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires was released on Disney+ Friday. These 2 lovely ladies have been counting down for months. They celebrated with green face masks, a sleepover and zombie popcorn, popcorn with melted green marshmallows in it.

    Rob set out cameras in the back of the property to see what is crossing. He caught a buck party the other morning. Looks like he may get something good from the property this year.

    We ended the week getting lost. That’s what we call driving aimlessly and finding new places. We discovered the location of the newest Scooby Doo mystery. Looks like the Mystery Inc kids are in trouble.

    We ended up in Battle Creek. We had dinner and found the coolest food store. I will have to do an entire post the next time I go there.

    Have a great week.

    Kristie

  • The week of June 29th to July 5th

    The week of June 29th to July 5th

    Hello Lovelies. I have stink at blogging and telling you about daily life as of late. I thought maybe I would post weekly recaps to fill you all in.

    It has been a rough month. My mom fell the end of May, and broke her foot and her tibia. She also dislocated both of her knees, tore her patellar tendons and her MCL. She had surgery 2 weeks ago, but can’t bend her knees yet and has braces from ankle to hip on both legs. It’s been a long road, but she’s making progress and can now walk from the bedroom to the living room.

    Mr Cinnamon runs into the pantry every time the door opens. Monday he decided that he was the prize in the cereal box.

    Hannah had her bestie stay with us for 3 days. They had Stitch face masks that they cut up into super hero designs.

    Hannah got her very first sunburn and was not excited. We covered her in cold compresses, gave her ibuprofen and put Benadryl cream on her legs and shoulders. Thankfully she didn’t blister or peel.

    The girls went full out for Independence Day. They wore red, white and blue. They added blue and red chalk highlights to their hair. Hannah even decorated everyone with Eagle tattoos and stars.

    We saw a mama turkey and her babies on the way to watch the fireworks.

    Eaton Rapids did a great job. We will head there earlier next year so we have time to hit the food trucks.

    Our week ended with a lazy day of cleaning the house and hanging out with our pets. My beagle babies are getting along and sharing the couch. Meanwhile the cats have decided that clean towels in the linen closet make the best bed.

    I’m exhausted but content. For every roadblock in my way, there is a rainbow and a blessing on the other side.

    I hope you find the joy in your struggles as well.

    Kristie