Dear Lil Wayne,
My name is Leticia and I’ve been listening to your music since your very first mix tape. I’ve loved the color red because of your love of red since forever and a day. Everything that I own is red. I even have a red tattoo. Red is the color of gangstas. I have bought almost every album you have ever made. I’ve jammed to your music with my windows down and the wind just blowing through my hair. I’ve rode around in the hood with your music blasting through my speakers feeling alive. Hell, I’ve danced on speakers to your music. I do believe you are the best rapper alive. I love your music so much that my oldest son loves your music almost as much as I do. When he found out you started skating he was so happy to have something in common with you. He bought your skate...
Lifestyle
Dear ma’am:
It is not typically in the good interest of a business to run things the way you do. Firstly, it isn’t considered a good thing to be the one thing people mention in the “but” section when explaining why they like working at the XXXX. As in, “I love working at the XXXX, but the Education Director is a terror to work for.” But even after hearing that from 5 different people, I still applied for a job for Summer Fun. Because I was assured that Summer Fun wasn’t directly under you. I had my first interview, with a lovely lady who actually runs Summer Fun, and it went really well. So, we scheduled an appointment for an interview with you and her. I left school early, prepared for the interview, and got myself all nervous. And then you didn’t show up. Very professional, may I say....
2,175
Dear Steph,
Saturday morning I noticed what I thought was a gigantic plastic bag plastered to the end of my driveway. I didn’t think much of it at first, other than to say to myself, well, there’s another piece of trash that has found its way to my yard, I guess I’ll be the one who has to pick it up.
Which I did not do. Not at first.
So it sat there in the rain for a while.
In the afternoon the rain slacked off, and during one of my treks from the front door to the car, headed off to shuttle my daughters to their various activities, I saw it again. I thought again about how it had become one more chore on my to-do list.
Then I noticed it had writing on it.
When I came closer I saw that it wasn’t plastic at all, it was thin, wax-coated paper, tangled with a bit of twisted wire. You...
2,286
Dear Mr Hockey,
I am going to do my best to write to you in an apolitical manner. I am going to write to you as a mother of three children, and as a parent yourself you will understand that being a parent is more than love and physical protection. It is a giving of the soul, a deep empathy that knows no equal, that gives you courage to try to fly and the tears to fill a river when you fail and fall.
I am also going to talk to you about seven dollars.
When my children were 2, 6 and 4 my marriage broke down. My then-husband left us in a half-renovated home where there was no plaster on the walls. We had a mortgage to the Commonwealth Bank, I was working ten hours a week and as my husband was not working I was not in receipt of child support. His business had failed, there were...
2,444
Hi Kindergarten Parents!
I have been hearing from some of you about the new and exciting days of Kindergarten. My wife, Tori, and I got to experience being Kindergarten parents for the first time last year with our daughter Zoe. It was exciting, sad, wonderful and so very difficult all at the same time!
Just a few short weeks ago, you were buying new clothes, backpacks and all the necessary supplies for that all-important, first day of school! Many of you woke up early for a special breakfast; maybe there was a banner or cards from grandparents, even a gift or two. For us, we took pictures by the front door and then in the car, some more on the sidewalk at the school and even a few with our new teacher. As we left with tear-filled eyes, we couldn’t wait until the end of the day to hear...
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Dear David,
Thank you for your email. While the restriction of mortgage interest tax relief has never been a priority for Shelter we do support the change that the Chancellor announced in the Summer Budget. This is for a number of reasons.
In the first place, this change will help to level the playing field between landlords who pay the higher rate of tax and first time buyers when they’re trying to buy a property. The tax relief currently makes borrowing cheaper for landlords than for owner occupiers, giving landlords a competitive advantage over prospective first time buyers. This is part of the reason that the share of new mortgages going to buy-to-let is at an all-time high.
Given the preference of the overwhelming majority to own a home rather than to rent, we think that...
2,311
Dear Doc,
Recently, I took my kids to visit you for their annual wellness check up and I was given some information that disturbed me. While we waited for you to meet with us and in an effort to calm down my kids, I began to read aloud your medical group’s handout on suggested food items. I thought this would be a good moment to educate my kids and share with them what your office believed to be a list of good and bad food suggestions. Boy, was I wrong. The list was divided into three parts; GO Foods, SLOW Foods and WHOA Foods. GO Foods were items that were suggested we eat often, SLOW Foods sometimes, and WHOA Foods, rarely. Houston, we have a problem. As I read said items, I began to feel my blood pressure rise. Why is this dated list of boxed crap being distributed? People are...
2,566
Dear Neighbor,
My family and I have moved everything out of our house on Cedar Street to embark on a new adventure halfway around the world. We’re moving to Scotland for three years where Taido plans to get a PhD at the University of Aberdeen.
As we have packed up and let go of so many things this summer, I have asked God for the strength to leave a place we love so dearly, and a place where we have been so dearly loved.
Since I don’t know when I will have the opportunity again, I want to thank you.
Thank you for your gracious understanding as cars lined the street and people poured in and out of our house. Thank you for being a part of a safe place for our kids to play outside, to walk to and from school and church. Thank you for slowing down when our little ones were...
2,884
Dear Coupon Goddess Children,
Bless your little hearts that you all want to give me something special for Mother’s Day! I know that you want to shop for me, but you really don’t need to. I want something that money can’t buy. And because I’m all about teachable moments, I’ll explain it to you…..
Nice stuff is fun and all, but there are a few things around the house that you could do for me that would truly be considered a gift. Let’s start in the bathroom because that’s where most of my anger and frustration stems from. Shall we talk toilet paper? Indeed we shall….
Why is it when I have to use the bathroom there is never, ever a square to spare? Don’t you realize that when I finally get to the bathroom in the morning after I’ve shuffled you all off to school that there is no one to...
5,453
Son,
I try to be a good influence on you. There are times that I know I’m not that great of a dad. For that, I am sorry. I am working on being the best dad that I can be. There are times like when I lost your trust that makes me feel like an awful father. Or the days where I can teach you that listening to your mother is a good thing. Then there are days where you do not want me to go to work and just hug my leg until I have to go. It is not easy being a father, but I learned from the best.
Father's Day - The Rookie Dad
You might not realize yet, but your dad also had a dad who was a great influence in his life. That is right, Grandpa! The person that you usually see through the phone on a Face time call. The man that you are so excited to see, who drives 8 hours to come see you...
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