worst training ever

in order to renew my teaching license i have to undergo and complete 'mandatory reporter training'. which basically means that i have been spending up to 3 or 4 hours a day for the past week reading about child abuse.

it's awful. child abuse is disgusting. and yet, i would reccommend everyone to be educated about it. i strongly believe awareness is the first step in creating change.


*according to the IDHS, 15,600 children in IA suffered abuse in 2005 (in 2000, there were 10,822 confirmed victims)
*most cases of child abuse involve neglect
*in 2005, 48.2% of victims were five years or younger and 52.8% were between 16 and 17 years old.
*estimated 1,490 children died due to abuse or neglect (2004). more than 80% of killed children were younger than 4 years.
*78.5% of abusers are parents, 57.8% are female, 42.2% are male (2004)

raikhamshigtai

that's mongolian for "amazing"...

on a walk this morning with a good friend we came upon an older gentleman walking his dog. i will try to describe this animal in all its raikhamshigtai-ness:

about the size of a piglet and absurdly chubby, hippety-hopping along on chop-stick-like legs. it was wearing a blue, semi-puffy jacket with hood and sleeves - faintly reminiscent of something you'd have your baby wear.

we found out it was a french bull dog and the jacket was actually specially made for it.

my friend smartly observed, "even if everything were to go completely wrong today, seeing a french bull dog wearing a blue coat will make it all worthwhile"