My mother-in-law always asks this question anytime any one of us talks to her.  It is expected that you better tell her something you’ve learned since the last time you’ve spoken with her.  I love it, and thought it would be a decent blog post idea.  So, I’m going to tell you all some stuff I know, and I expect maybe a few of you will tell me what YOU know.  Because learning something new is always important.  I’ve been busy the past few days, learning a ton of stuff.  For instance, I learned that I love doing fraction homework with my ten year old, because he knows it well and its fun to see him finally master some math. 

I learned that AMC Theatres are really earning my respect by coming up with a program called AMC Sensory Friendly Films, which invites Autistic viewers and their families a chance to go to the movies without facing judgment.  For those of you who do not know this, I have a stepchild with Aspergers, which can be very challenging at times for all of us.  I can’t imagine what parents with children who have more severe forms of Autism go through, especially at the movies.  When our child was younger, he’d do things like clap his hands and yell yeah to the screen.  (I personally enjoyed this, because if you took one look at this adorable kid, who loves movies so much, just ENJOYING himself. you would just die from his cuteness!)  I’ve seen him wave to the screen.  The boy loves movies, and by age six he asked for a calender so he could know exactly when all the release dates for his films were going to be.  So, needless to say, he’s gotten over the hump of movie going.  But a lot of kids who have Autism haven’t, or just can’t, and it makes me sad, because ever since I saw Bambi, I have been hooked on going to the movies. This program recognizes that Autistic children have sensory issues, so they use dim lighting during the film so kids won’t get frightened, and they turn down the sound so that it isn’t so loud.  They allow talking and movement during the film so that these kids and their parents won’t get the evil eye and all of this started because a woman simply asked the chain to come up with an idea that would allow her child to go to the movies, because they had been kicked out of the film because he child had been roaming the auditorium of another theatre.  I LOVE that this parent had an idea, and that a huge chain acted upon it.  It is simply fantastic.  Find out more here:

http://www.amctheatres.com/community/index.html

I also learned that I am not the only person in the planet who loves learning.  Well, of course I know that already, but I just read this fantastic book about a man (Who, coincidently, I used to read his work at EW Magazine) who decided he wanted to read the entire set of Encyclopedia Britannica.    The book is written by A.J. Jacobs and its called The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World.  I loved this book and it kept me going through countless hours sitting at in waiting rooms and Mayo Clinic.  Mr. Jacobs has a great sense of humor and has a mind full of pop culture knowledge meshed with years of actual education.  I just finished it about two hours ago, and I’m sad it’s over.  Not only did I get to learn tons of cool facts, like the White House was originally going to be called The Presidential Palace, or that Casanova died as a librarian?  I also learned all about his personal life along the way, such as when he appeared on Who Wants to be a Millionaire.  Anyone interested in learning or who just loves to read books about funny smart Jewish New Yorker needs to go buy this book ASAP.  Just go to his website and you can see how brilliant he is:

http://www.ajjacobs.com/content/home.asp

I’ve also learned more bad news about me.  I thought I was done hearing bad news, but oh no, the gods are not letting me rest.  I have to get a hysterectomy next month because I have a conditions called Adenomyosis, and the only cure is this surgery.  I’ve had four other surgeries to avoid this.  I also have been told by other woman that I may gain 20-30 pounds after the surgery, and I’ll be able to feel all of my organs slip down into the empty spot in my body.  I am horrified by both of these possibilities. 

But, even worse than learning that I have to have surgery is when I learned this week that someone at my work is going to get laid off.  Not a part timer, like last time, but a full timer.  I’ve been at my job a long long time, but have low senoirity.  I’m about 95% convinced its going to be me, and all we know is that its going to happen sometime this summer.  I bet it’ll happen just before I go out on medical leave, and of course I am not happy about it.  But I live in Michigan and people are losing jobs left and right.  I hear a rumor that our unemployment rate is near thirteen percent.  It’s all the auto industries fault, and I don’t like this one bit.  I’m a casualty, because I don’t even work in that industry at all.  I’m not alone, but I am still mad as hell about it, because I work my ass off, and I assure you, I’m probably the hardest worker at my job.  Seriously, I’m not even exaggerating about this.  I think that I’m tired of hearing about all these programs for laid off auto workers, because it’s now affecting the other industries, like mine, i.e. civil service.  I’m so pissed off that I have to worry about this on top of my health.  Of course I am wondering if our state can’t afford to pay and keep its workers so that our government can function, then what else is going to happen here in Michigan?  Frak.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/19477910/detail.html

So, why not distract my mind and tell me what you know.