Girls Write Out
Thursday, March 15, 2007

I See the Future!
You know, I am the same person I was at 7. Really. If that doesn't scare you as a parent, it really should. My mother claims that most of the stuff I remember happening in my childhood, never happened. Of course, she remembers all the happy stuff. I remember what I like to call, reality.

One of the traits I had as a child, that I still have is that if there isn't a reason for a rule? It's a stupid rule and I don't have to follow it. Yes, this got me in trouble then, and quite frankly, still does. Rules for rules' sake, are stupid.

In high school, we had a rule that we couldn't wear shorts, shorter than our knees. All well and good except my cheerleading skirt barely covered my behind! So one day to protest the stupid rule, I wore my cheerleading skirt over a pair of shorts that hit about two inches above the knee. Need I mention the principal and I were on a first-name basis? Probably not.

Fast forward: We had to put in an automatic-shut-off-valve for the gas in our new house. Our insurance required it. The bank couldn't fund the loan for the house until the insurance was provided. The insurance couldn't cover us until the work was done. But we couldn't do the work on the gas line until we OWNED the house. See? Stupid rule. The insurance company has no grace period. It has to be done and inspected BEFORE you take ownership. Of course, you'll never get ownership because you will never get funding without insurance.

So I wore my shorts under my skirt. We found an insurance company that would cover us without the work -- and got the grace period we should have had all along. I blame it on them making me read Joseph Heller in high school. (Catch 22) Kristin
Kristin  
posted at 11:26 PM  
  Comments (8)
 
 
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8 Comments:
At 12:50 AM, Blogger allen etter said...

Try out some of the rules in education...I have a master's degree in art...I tried to get my teaching certificate some time ago and I was told that I would need to student teach. Now, keep in mind that I was teaching ART ED. at IPFW. I was teaching non art teachers how to teach art to elementary kids. I was also teaching at a local private elementary. I had many years of teaching experience and a BA and MASTER'S degree in fine art. IPFW told me I needed to quit my teaching job and 'student teach'. I asked the man in charge if he was serious...I asked him if he really thought that I should teach under someone who might have a lesser degree and less experience than me in teaching...he said (with a straight face) "Yes. You need to do this to qualify as a teacher." The fact that he is still breathing is a testament to my Christian upbringing because I REALLY wanted to pull a Sampson on him at that moment.

ps. Love CATCH 22! As a college teacher I LIVE IT DAILY!

 
At 1:12 AM, Blogger Mazzuca Maddness said...

Way to work around the system. Rules aren't there to be broken. Just to twist, turn, and bend until we get what we want. It think it's in the Bible somewhere. Maybe in 1st Leviteronomy?

 
At 3:14 AM, Blogger Pam Sanderlin said...

Our daughter was a stateless person when we adopted her through the Turkish courts. She didn't have citizenship from ANY country. (It's too long and complicated a story to relate here.) So, when we finally got a visa to the States (so that we could go and get her US citizenship and a passport from INS), we were prevented from leaving Turkey. Why? Because she didn't have a passport. It took us five weeks of daily explaining, arguing, and convincing before any Turkish official would see that we were in a "Catch 22." The local consulate couldn't help us on this one, either. Their comment was, "If you cannot solve this in the six weeks we've given you, you won't get another visa to the States. Sorry. That's our rule." Finally, miraculously, the head of the Istanbul "foreigner police / immigration office" pulled the necessary strings. (Bless her! We never would have succeeded without her intervention.) We were able to get on the plane and go to the USA. (Never mind the rest of the story. It is also too long and complicated to tell here. In route we had several other "Catch 22" situations.)

Our daughter has now had an American passport for 10 years. Actually, in our case, the only way to get around our "Catch 22" was God and Mrs. Serpil (the police chief). :0)

 
At 10:39 AM, Blogger Kristin said...

Oh my gosh, you guys, your stories are wayyy more dramatic than mine. Allen,don't get me started on the teaching red tape. In CA, they miss out on so many great teachers with that!

Pam, I can't imagine what it felt like when going through that! God is good, but the little red tape stuff sure does get to you and make you have to fight for simple things that should be yours! GRRR.

 
At 12:09 PM, Blogger Rachel Hauck said...

Too funny! I love the shorts and cheerleader skirt! I would've thought it, but maybe not done it. You're my hero!

hehe, Rachel

 
At 4:00 PM, Blogger Southern-fried Fiction said...

Unless it's covered under the Ten Commandments, I figure it's moot. ;o)

 
At 12:12 PM, Blogger eileen said...

So moving in my house BEFORE we closed (because the realtor gave me the code to that little box where I could get the key) qualifies me for Kristin's SRBgroup? Yea!! I'm too 'practical' to listen sometimes and it's caused some to roll their eyes more than once.
No police yet!

 
At 2:53 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

You, the insurer, and the bank really got all mixed up right there.

My favorite author said, "If you want to play the game, you've got to know the rules." I don't exactly know if it applies to your situation. And good thing you were able to find a no-fuss insurance.

As for me, guess I still have to read all the fine print of my Indianapolis life insurance. Y'know, just in case something like this comes up. I need not to worry though, 'coz I was able to get the best life insurance Indianapolis companies could possibly offer.

 

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The Authors
Kristin Billerbeck
Kristin Billerbeck is a proud Californian, wife, mother of four, and connoisseur of the irrelevant. She writes Christian Chick Lit; where she finds need for most of the useless facts lulling about in her head.

www.KristinBillerbeck.com

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.

www.ColleenCoble.com

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.

www.DeniseHunterBooks.com

Diann Hunt

Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.

www.DiannHunt.com

Hannah Alexander

Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.

www.HannahAlexander.com

 
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