A little follow up…



On Oct 17th, following the TEA Party, one of our speakers, Sue Jeffers, discussed the event on her program. Listen here.


Then, this past weekend, I was asked to speak on her program about the TEA Party and my letter to Commie Channel 5 (of which, I've still recieved no reply...). You can listen here.


Give a listen if you’d like.


Thanks!

Oct 17 OC TEA Party

Ok, so yesterday was the much anticipated OC TEA Party in Hudson. We were so excited. We planned so hard. We worked so hard. We were just stoked. Or as my 20 year old sister would say, "jazzed".

We loaded up and left the farm around 8 and headed to a Pancake Breakfast fundraiser at the Hudson Rod, Gun & Archery Club. They’re great friends and supporters.

Then we went to the park to set up. It went well and people began showing up early, with enthusiasm and questions. Did we need help? What time was it all going to start? Etc. We were in a great flow and everything went off without a hitch. Well, we did temporarily pop a breaker and the coffee took a little longer to brew than planned, but no major catastrophies.

The speakers spoke; they were great. We had lots of people coming through our line to sign the guest book. Nearly all with comments of appreciation for the event and thanks for organizing it.

About a quarter of the way into the program, some people started yelling from the top of the hill. They were anti’s who didn’t want us there. They were biligerent and few in number. There were around 600 of attendees at the TEA Party. All of us peaceful and social-able amongst one another. A few attendees moved towards the protesters. We hoped that should this have happened, the protesters would have just been ignored. They just want to start crap; stir up trouble and then spin it against us. Anyhow, only the protesters were yelling. The attendees who moved towards them kept level voices and soon enough, the protesters left. The event proceeded without any other drama.

Pastor David King was one of our speakers. He is quickly becoming one of my favorite people. He is running for Secretary of State in our great state of Wisconsin. He had done some amazing things in his home area of Milwaukee. He said when the police put him in place with their troubled youth in Milwaukee, crimes dropped 75%! Can you believe that! Amazing what God’s work can do. He’s truly a blessing and we were so blessed to have him speak at our event. Check him out, if you would, please at: http://www.milwaukeegodsquad.com/ or find him on Facebook “Apostle David King”.

We had wonderful weather, a wonderful day, met some amazing people, and for that we are blessed.

At the end of the day, while we were cleaning up, a wedding party was passing nearby. One of our honored guests has a tractor painted up in honor of the troops. The wedding party loved it and asked to get some wedding photos taken on it. It was really cute. The bride and groom in the seat and the wedding party around it. It was an awesome end to an amazing day.

Then came this lame report by Channel 5 news from the Twin Cities.

http://kstp.com/news/stories/S1197061.shtml?cat=1

They chose to show none of the wonderful-ness that the day held. It prompted me to send them this email.

To the Channel 5 News Team;

I'd like to start by introducing myself. I'm Mellissa Vircks, the oldest daughter of Dave & Annette Olson, and a co-organizer of the Hudson TEA Party Event that took place on Saturday, Oct 17, 2009. We worked very hard to prepare for that event and make it a safe, informative event for all those who chose to attend.

I'm very upset by the way you chose to depict the event. There were so many positive things that took place that day, and you chose to focus on the one and only brief negative portion.

We had many soldiers in attendance, on their own free will, one of whom I noticed won a Purple Heart. You interviewed him. However, you didn't thank him for his service that protects your ability to broadcast your slander like you did. What you did instead, was showed people making statements saying that events like these "spew more hate". The few protesters (versus the nearly 600 TEA Party attendees) were the only ones yelling and being angry. Yet, we are continuously labeled as angry hate mongers. If you'd have captured the rest of the crowd, you would have seen a positive, cohesive group, who were united to try to work together to create a better country for our future. A better future for the children of ours that were present. But you didn't show them either.

You interviewed my dad for close to a half an hour. Yet, none of his passion for why we organized this second event made it on your broadcast, either.

You came over to the table where we were selling items and asked to see the information about where the proceeds go. In case you forgot, which I'd hope you didn't, since you filmed it, the group we send donations to and work with is called Soldier's Angels (http://www.soldiersangels.org/) They are an amazing group who do so much for our troops. But you didn't show any of that either.

You didn't comment on any of the wonderful speakers, who donated their time gladly, to speak to the group and help educate.

You didn't show the laws we had posted in the center of the group, that was also to help educate people, and help dispel fears about firearms.

You could have told your viewers, though, about all of their legislators and representatives who were invited, but either ignored us all together, blew us off, or backed out later. They obviously don't care about their constituents, since they refuse to make public appearances and talk to the people.

I know this email is an exercise in futility, since all you and other media outlets care about is sensationalism. However, I hope that it somehow opens your eyes for the next event you attend. Try to show something positive that is going on around us. There is so much going on, and all the media wants to show is the bad.

If you would like to discuss this matter further, I can be reaced at email.com or by phone at number.

Thanks,
Mellissa Vircks

Hopefully, we'll have more pictures and maybe some video up on the website.  Check the site out if you want:  http://www.donotinfringe.org/.

With that, I think I’m done with this post for now. As usual, I just needed to rant.

awkward

So. I’m still kinda new to this blogging thing, so forgive the awkwardness. I’m treating it much the same as how I used to journal. I need a verbal release for my frustrations and this is currently the best outlet I have. I have found I can often solve things pretty well if I can just “talk them out”. More than one conversation has taken place between my mom and I that goes something like this:


Mom: hello?


Me: Hi. Ok, so, ugh!


Mom: yes?


Me: …[fill in huge long rant about current frustration that takes anywhere from 5 – 60 min, for example]… [big sigh]… ok, thanks Ma, I think that’s all I needed. Love you, bye.


Mom [used to my rants by now]: yup, no problem. Love you, bye.

So, no new developments in the schooling issue. In fact, even more frustrated than ever. But, currently waiting out a possible option.

Today’s rant? Nothing major, I guess. Just a minor self-annoyance. New job. Well, not really. Same company, same title, just a new rotation within my Project Manager’s Development Training Program. Just started the “Scheduling” department. Using a software called Primavera. I like it. However, I’m feeling very stupid. The concepts of scheduling make sense to me. The software even isn’t hard to use. Its just that there are SOOOOOOOOO many tiny nuances and adaptations from one project’s schedule to the next that could be different, that I feel like I’m flailing.

I have yet to complete one task on my own without asking my boss for help.

That makes me feel very inept. I don’t like it. She has said I’m doing fine. I prolly am doing “fine”. I’m just frustrated. I don’t like being “fine”.

Like I said, nothing big. Just annoyed.

*tap tap* is this thing on?

So, today, my 1st born turned 8.


I know I have no control over this, time marches on, however, I’m still sad.

I made his 8th birthday start off horribly. I feel like the worst mom ever.

We were supposed to make cookies for his class birthday treat last night so he could take them to school today. I forgot. I forgot until this morning, when I was helping him pack up his stuff before he headed out the door, and the lightbulb came on. And I nearly started crying. I hugged him and apologized profusely, to my now-crying 8 year old little man. I say that because he is more noble and compassionate and respectable than most grown men I know.

And I screwed up his birthday.

I know, I know. Its just cookies, right? To you or any other kid, maybe. To me, it was one more thing that I forgot to do. Added to that, he has had a rough time in school since a certain 1st grade teacher started the downward spiral we are now in. He is an amazing kid. Super bright, beyond most of his peers in academics. He’s an outgoing, knowledge-hungry kid. He is a demanding student. He wants to be challenged. Craves more and more and more. Most teachers don’t want this. Then they have to work harder. Most teachers want little zombies who sit quietly in their desks and complete dumbed-down task after task after task from start of the day til end of the day. Hence, he’s an outcast.

So, the gist of this? I don’t know. I’m feeling horrible because this is year three of crappy teachers who would rather scold him, label him, and ridicule him publicly than take the time to work with me and help get him tested into an appropriate level of academia that he needs. I’m feeling lost and at wit’s end as to what I can do about it. I’m feeling like I have no control over my child’s academic and emotional well-being.
And I forgot his cookies.