mbutterfly's Blog

The Southwest Minnesota State University has sparked new interest in local activities with this beautiful field.  Daktronics score boards that have energy and playback features.  This was wonderful for the Parade of Excellence and a first when no one could find a place to park.  This weekend SMSU will host Wayne State on the field at 4 pm for homecoming.  Tuesday the Women's Volleyball team went head to head with Concordia the number 2 rated in NCIS.  Lets hope the kids in SW Minnesota enjoy playing games on the new decked out field.

Minnesota has followed many states in trying to find a more just way to support kids in our communities.  How much does it cost to raise a child?  When my husband and I divorced he paid support and was the first person I called for daycare.  We share the cost of christmas gifts so the kids don't get more from one parent than the other.  Kids should not be the weapons and parents who can't even let the father park on the drive way to pick up their children should ask what is wrong with this situation.  If a father pays large amounts of child support they should be able to claim the child.  It should not pertain to how many sports the mother can enroll the kids in and bill the father to pay.  My kids were in some sports but if we could not afford for the child to be in the activity they were not in the activity.  Both parents need to consider the lifestyle before demanding the other parent share the expense of a chess tournament.  If dad can't pay his rent do you need to bill him for a new pair of shoes for soccer?  I am confused that some dads have child support and half the bills for school clothes and events above their support.  I guess I was generous.  I felt the kids needed both parents in life.  The new law considers both parent incomes.  Is it more far or less?  I think state and federal governments need to split the deduction for kids in divorced families.  Reward the parent that pays support with a deduction on their taxes.  Its free money for the parent who receives support.  It does not affect their tax bracket.  If the father makes a lot of money, would he have spent that much money per month on the kid if they were together?   Its time that joint custody reins.......  or that both parents get equal deduction value on their taxes.A parent who believed my ex needed a good life.....  my kids love both of us

 We live in a country were most people take for granted the right to vote because it has never been taken away from us.  This is a presidential election year and I think your voice should be heard no matter who you vote for in this election.  Do not complain about who gets into office unless you voted.  Remember you can vote in absentee with certain forms.  Help your neighbors get to the poll not just to vote for who you want voted for but to make sure everyone's voice is heard.  I would like to hear your thoughts on why we should vote so that I may talk about it on my radio show from 6-9 on Fridays via Southwest State Universitys radio station KSSU......Elli Mae

It has been an unusual season for weather.  We have decided that turning the heat on one day and the air conditioner the next is the norm.  Tonight, we have had several tornado's spotted and touching down in Southwest Minnesota.   My friend Patty seems even more frighten of the tornados after seeing the photo's from last week.  The wind has been much stronger these last few weeks and has we were driving North on Hwy 23 from Pipestone,my husband commented that the corn was all washed out and done for the season in some fields unless the farmers could go back and replant.  With the cost of the fertilizer and diesel,I wonder if it will be practical.  

Brandon Swanson age 19 from Marshall and 2007 graduate of Lakeview School in Cottonwood has been missing since May 14.  Today a search on horseback and walking with dogs continues.  People who would like to help search for Brandon can get maps and directions from the West End Bar in Taunton, Minnesota.  Lakeview School has experienced a terrible pain this year.  Let us help them find closer by finding Brandon.  He had worked at Hy Vee in Marshall.  A foundation from the cities is helping to fund the search for Brandon.

RTR is located in SW Minnesota.  The school recently consolidated and has been under fire for how many people from each town can be on the ballot.  My son graduates this year but will not be walking.  He is a special needs student and didn't attain all of his credits.  One of his classmates is in trouble for having a senior photo with his bow and arrow he uses for hunting.  Apparently that is a violation of the school weapons policy.  How is a photo of your sport a violation of weapons policies?  I wonder how a law that is going to force kids to stay in school until there 18 is going to work if students with special needs who are unable to obtain all their credits on time will always be ridiculed.  My sons name has often been forgotten on programs for track and choir.  RTR is not that big of a district to forget a child.  The first time it was understandable but to continue to do this is just sad.  I contacted Pacer and the State of Minnesota Department of Civil Rights.  I am not sure why they changed the policy to not walk kids who are short credits with unsigned diplomas but I guess perhaps who ever decided they should punish kids for being disabled could explain.  I never had problems in school and didn't have hearing impairments.  Now, I understand how those kids felt in my high school but they still walked with their class.  How does a school district make up for allowing a child to be picked on for years.  Used tampons thrown at them in the bus.  Bleach sprayed in their face.  The school forgetting his name on programs and his sisters.  I finally gave up attending events at the school.  Apparently in some areas you have to have the right last name to be a part of the school.  What can be done for those kids who fall through the cracks?  My son will be attending college this fall in Iowa.  I told him that college is different because people want to be there and I have had a wonderful experience there.  Do other people feel Schools should tell students what to wear in a graduation photo and how do people feel about students in special education walking with their class.

Yesterday, I heard the sirens going down the road near the Southwest Minnesota State University minutes after we sent our truck down the road with Mike.  I always fear that it will be a family member when I hear the sirens.  I do not know what words to say to those parents that lost loved ones yesterday.  My heart goes out to the workers from the hospital and fire department.  Rae Kruger for always being fast to arrive and being professional.  Another area that concerns me about HWY 23 is the road by the Marshall HIghschool and SMSU.  

I didn't think it was appropriate for the news to say something about the bus accident at RTR a few years ago.  My daughter was on that bus.  The bus service didn't appear to be at fault so I am not sure why their record was brought up in the accident.  My daughter Kari Tjaden did not want to ride the bus today.  She felt all schools should have had the day off because of the cold and that many of the kids in SW Minnesota know each other through sports, FFA, 4-H and Band.  Last year 6 kids at Marshall Highschool died and some from surrounding area's there is a play troop by wisconsin that does a play to help with loss of life.  I wish they would come to our area.  The play troop SOS is the name went to the BIg Mac Conference last year. 

It is a growing problem in Greater Minnesota.  The Meth Labs seem to be popping upin rental homes in small towns.  Once these homes have been used for labs they are un-fit for people to live in.  The ditches that kids walk for litter sometimes have these elements.Unclosed wells are now becoming a place to dispose of the waste products of the labs.Does our state have some kind of test to require sellers and landlords to perform on the houses before they are rented?  Today, 5 people were arrested for Meth labs in Jasper and Holland.I can't believe people would actually want to consume something made withdrain cleaner.

It was nice to have wonderful weather over the school holiday.  The first day of classes at SMSU started out with single digts.  My husband was looking at the upcoming week and said the single digits will continue into next week.  The one good thing about the cold spell is  the ice will finally be thick enough to ice fish.  I am very fortunate to go to a college where all the buildings are joined with underground tunnels.

We are moving into a new line of communication. Gone our the days of walking to a friends to talk. Kids race home now to log on. I use to stay at school in the gym for sports and walk down town to the malt shop in Luverne, Minnesota. I wonder if the loss of human contact will effect peoples ability to communicate in the future. Body Language often speaks louder than the words people type. In my rhetoric class last year we talked about internet safety and fraud. My thesis was: the internet in the hands of certain people is like giving a chainsaw to a five year old. What will our country due to help educate people on proper use of the internet?
Facebook has wonderful benifits. It connects groups that are for art, biology, military families,
and such. These sites have wonderful benefits but some people need to be monitered.
Will these sites need to start having fingerprints for sign on to verify the actual user?
Harrassment on the internet is becoming more common. I had a lady email me on 360 stating she was coming to get me for bothering her male friend. Her male friend went to college with my spouse and I. She never saw him on a daily basis nor did she ever meet me.
I am 41 so I can handle people who spout off over things like that but people who are 16 and under concern me. I have changed the privacy setting and erased her comments. I can't force her male friend to take my pictures of his site. They are nice photos of me however, I do not want to be connected with knowing him. He abused my family for our money and friendship.
His family is wonderful and I pray for them. The highschool kids with pictures on these sites should really go thru them with a parent or counselor at school and delete things that could affect them in the future. If they want to share their party pics... well, be prepared.

I was wondering if someone could clarify proper funeral procession procedures.
Today, on my way home from work on Hwy 23 there was a 3 mile long processional.
The cars had their lights on. However, people continued to pass them. It is a two lane
that turns into a one lane. I stopped on the side of the road and let the processional pass.
This was a long line of cars. This is another problem with our roads being so narrow.
The shoulders are not always wide enough to park on when the snow has arrived.
Thanks for helping clear up this subject. I always remembered my father pulling over
to the side of the road. I am just wondring if this is still common practice.

Today, I remember why I have not forgotton. However that song I heard at the Rascall Flatts concert about the man dying and his wife finding someone new rings through my ears.
Have we forgotten? The pakistan border has been taking heavy hits since the death of Bhutto.
I almost lost my brother today. It makes me very sad. Had he been sitting were he normally sat in the humvee, I would be in Germany with family. This news is so hard to take.
I ask you all to pray for those who have died. The suicides from people returning also need to be looked at but forcing people into counseling.... NO WAY>>>>>>>
The problem is they can not get in to counselors. To force a person into counseling can make the counseling less affective....
My brother asks that we pray for those lost in his unit.
Pray for those in Germany headed to San Antonio unit for recovery.
We will hold the memorial service here at Camp Clark on January 6th at 1300. As you proceed to church this weekend I ask that you make a special effort to ask the priest or minister of your service to pray for the family members of Sergeant Hill and Lieutenant Colonel Berrettini and Sergeant Bowen. I want to thank my wife Pam and Daughter Bridget for tracking the music and other data that I tasked them with from around the world so that we can provide a fitting and very well done memorial service for Sergeant Hill. With out their help the service would have been good but now it will be as good as it gets.

I opened the paper to see concerns about HWY 14.  It is about time that they looked at that road but also HWY 23 and HWY 75.  These are all roads in Greater Minnesota.  The Schwan's plant is located in Marshall and many people drive HWY 14.  The road has many 4 way stop signs that people forget and run through.  In 1989 my husband was hit on HWY 14 by a driver on HWY 59 who ran the stop sign.  He broke his neck.   This area does not even have flashing red signs above the 4 way.  The roads are too thin for passing in many areas with steep inclines in the ditches. 

I hope that MNDOT will take a look at this situation.  I do not think we need a round about in Marshall by the National Guard as much as we need wider roads with the new wind mill expansions in the area. 

 

The joy of life happens when you watch a man who has no vision pour hot
metal into a sculpture. It even makes you smile to know him.
He taught German at SMSU for several years and donated all of his books
to the Library of Congrass. They are in Braille. He has been an inspiration to watch.

This has been a long semester at SMSU. I learned that a friend was abusing the system and feel lousy about it. I am hoping that by blogging about the problem it can help our government become more aware of ways to correct problems. My friend gets social security,
food stamps, low income housing, and does not think it is wrong to have season tickets to the Vikings, use the family business gas card, and abuse vocational rehabilition.
It seems to me that people who abuse a system should have to do some community service.
Anyway, I can't change them. But, I feel for people that can't get assistance. My daughter babysat for a lady in town who uses a space heater to heat her trailor. The young lady does not own a car so she walks to work. We live in Rural Minnesota. It would be nice if some form of public transportation hit our area. Does anyone have recommendations on how to deal with a people who are abusive?? I have been doing lots of art and sculpture.
I am hoping that it will help. Today, I made two bronze sculptures and tommorrow I work all day. We are in finals week. I love photography and hope someday to take pictures for a profession. I want to give back to the world that has given me so much.