Tag: truth

Tiger Woods Drama: We Care Because We’re Nosy

Posted on by MommyQ

gossipIf you haven’t heard all of the D-R-A-M-A surrounding Tiger Woods and his recent little car accident you must be living under a very large rock. With very large soundproof headphones. Whether you Google “Tiger Woods” as web results, news results or blog results, the stories are swirling. In addition to the gossipmongers like TMZ and Perez Hilton, major news networks are weighing in. He’s wrong. He’s right. He’s entitled to his privacy. He should set the record straight. His “brand” is in jeopardy. The tree should press charges.

Is it our business? Of course not. What happened between him and his wife (and the tree) is totally NOT our business. Humans, being the flawed people we are by nature, want to know about it because we’re just plain nosy. We like to think ultra-rich, ridiculously famous people have problems in their lives just like we do.  It makes us feel better about ourselves. Yes, in some sick way maybe we’re all  looking for an interesting distraction that makes us go, “Hmmmm, maybe my life is peachy-keen just the way it is.

Even when people act like they’re too good to talk about Tiger’s situation – like certain talk show hosts did this morning – they’re still talking about it. They’re still taking part in spreading the story. Like me writing about it right now. Yes, I’m making it worse but I openly admit it. I’m jumping on the bandwagon for sure. I find the whole story interesting in a twisted, unbelievable way. To think even the gorgeous Elin – or Fergie or Gwyneth or a zillion other beautiful celebrities, for that matter – could possibly be cheated on is mind-boggling. You look at picture-perfect couples with fame and fortune and think they have it all. We may be reminded over and over and over again that they don’t have it all, yet we still look at them in awe. I find that slightly amusing in a pathetic sort of way.

Anyway, I’m sure the truth will emerge in the next few days and we’ll all forget about this by next week. If you want to see the most deplorable response to this whole ordeal, check out the article on Eonline, “Five Things You Need to Know About Tiger Woods’ Alleged Other Woman Rachel Uchitel.” This is the most appalling, faux-news, story out there at the moment.  That article is the epitome of throwing a bunch of useless facts together for the sole purpose of stirring the pot.

Whether the affair is true or not, my heart goes out to Tiger, his wife and family. Why? Because I’m a wife and a mother. This is horrible stuff to live with no matter what the real story may be. Remember, there is no “delete” button for stories published on the Internet that turn out to be wrong.

Liar! Liar! Are Your Pants On Fire?

Posted on by MommyQ

lying

Just like healthy eating and good manners, lying begins at home. According to a story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a new study suggests parents lie all of the time. Hey, at least we’re consistent.

Out of 127 parents, the “vast majority” says they lie to their kids, yet emphasize the importance of honesty. Although parents might have many different reasons for lying to their kids, the study focused on two motivations: to influence their behavior and to make the child feel better about something. We’re not talking about promoting fantasies like the existence of Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy. These are lies we tell our kids to make them act how we want. Like telling them they need to eat vegetables or a monster will grab them. I personally hate it when parents do stuff like that. It seems rather mean to scare a child into eating a carrot.

Not only are we liars, but we are also total hypocrites. Here’s why:

“At the same time that many parents tell lies to their children, they also try to drive home the message that lying is wrong. In fact, the study found, parents who were the most punitive about lying also were more likely to lie to their children.”

How much do we lie on a day-to-day basis? Is the truth really that difficult to tell? Are we rationalizing the act of lying to make our lives easier or to make the reality of our child’s world seem less scary? If a relative dies, is it really wrong to tell your child that person is now a star in heaven? What do you think?

Thank You, David Letterman

Posted on by MommyQ

Tonight I stayed up later than usual to see how David Letterman would handle his much publicized apology for the joke he made last night. I think it’s human nature to squirm a bit when we have to admit to doing something wrong.  No matter how small that something may be, it’s difficult to take the blame.

Letterman began his show as normal with a clever monologue. When the camera returned, he was seated at his desk and began his apology. He started off by talking about the joke without going into great details. He said that all comedians know if you have to explain a joke that means it wasn’t funny. He never blamed his writers or staff. He said the joke was entirely his responsibility and he was wrong for saying it. He apologized to both Palin daughters by name, as well as to Governor Palin and the rest of her family.

It is so refreshing to see someone exhibit such professionalism. Remember folks, this man is a star. He could’ve easily hid behind any number of people or just brushed off the entire situation without ever addressing it. This was not acting, nor was it done to save his job. David Letterman apologized because he is passionate about what he does and recognized he went too far. Yes, a man who makes snarky jokes for a living can make a mistake. I applaud him for being above excuses and facing the fire. Bravo, Letterman. You just gained a new fan in MommyQ.