Today I made a little bit of money. The first in 2 yrs and one week. It felt pretty good, until I came home and explained to my husband what it all entailed (without going into too much detail). Now I feel as though I might have participated in some moral wrong doing…

The gig was to participate in a discussion thing about some lawsuit and supposedly both sides were presented to everyone (some 30+ people) who were there. And then smaller groups were broken up and we had group discussions on the arguments we heard. Deliberations took place and then we came up with answers / opinions based on the presentations and evidences given by both sides.

We all had to sign waivers of this and that, confidentially papers and surveys and lots of other writing. We were told these lawyers who made the presentations represents respective defendants and plaintiffs in the case (the case is still ongoing). In our smaller group, I specifically asked whether these lawyers are actual lawyers representing who they said they were, the moderator’s answer was “yes.” I’m not sure why, but no one asked whether this was a legal thing they were doing or this was practiced in many lawsuits - to ask the average Joe to participate so they — whoever “they” are — to “gauge/anticipate” questions and answers. In hindsight, this could very well have been all orchestrated by only one side of the case to “test the water” so to speak in the hopes to gain a little extra upper hand in the lawsuit.

Everyone was paid for their time and participation.

Am I wrong to think this? Do these kind of ’surveys’ happen all the time, with both parties involved? Why not just wait until the real court case? Why would a survey thing (mock trial) be done to a case that is still ongoing? What purpose does it serve, and to who’s interest? Whoever paid for the entire event, right? I’m feeling anxious thinking what I might have aided unknowingly.

Seriously. Saying it in a Meredith Grey / Izzie sort of tone. This kinds of practice should be banned.

It’s just wrong. In every sense of any direction. It’s fine if you don’t agree with me. But honestly, I would not want my own mother to be 80 when I’m merely an adolescent. And she isn’t even my biological mother (DNA wise) not that that is an important issue or an issue at all, but worthy of mentioning nontheless.

Like one of the articles says, the woman is merely a surogate because both the egg and the sperm were donated. I realize this will sound awful, but if you must go that far to become a mother, why not do it earlier? Why not adopt? Why put the child/ren through “early orphaned”? WHY?! What is next? MEN getting pregnant? We already know sex-change operations can be done, will the doctors invent a way to “install” wombs too? OMG.

I’m perfectly fine with people using technology to achieve pregnancies and have babies. It’s the age part that does not sit well with me. Look at this one. I mean, for lack of better words, what the hell?!?! 47 years of marriage and no previous children, and now when they are 64 and 74 respectively, they do IVF. It’s.. I’m speechless.

There should be an age limit imposed on this. I will definitely cast my vote.

In this country, and many others I’m sure, there are age limitations on a lot of things such as drinking (alcohol), voting, driving, etc etc. They mandate a ‘minimum’ age limit. For the in-vitro and the likes there should be a ‘maximum’ age limit as well.

(1) Thanks to all those who commented and or asked questions. I apologize I haven’t gotten back to you yet, but I will soon. I promise. Things are kind of crazy here as of late, that, and I’m having a slight hangover from nablopomo. Kudos to all tho are doing the holidailies!

(2) If you are not “Ruby” then don’t read any further than this. OK.

So, Ruby, I KNOW you are reading me. How and WHY you found this blog… is not important. I also happen to know you are reading our family blog as well. What I don’t understand is, WHY you don’t ever ever comment, in either blog, and yet come to read almost daily?!?!?!

I’m flattered that you find my writing interesting and come so often, but it is CREEPY never saying anything and then still follow us so closely. It literally feels like you are stalking me/us, virtually of course, but still it feels that way. For instance, why couldn’t you just bring yourself to write the cheesiest “happy birthday” comment when I posted on my children’s birthdays?! Is that too much to ask? Also when I recently wrote about the days when we first came over here.. you didn’t have anything to say at all regarding that?! Things like that… Sigh.

Again, I’m honestly flattered that you are interested in reading about me and what’s happening in our lives. HOWEVER, I would really really like you to participate in the dialogue and commenting once in a while. I’m sure you are internet savvy enough to know how / where to write the comments. I would call you to talk about this, but that would be really awkward and I don’t know how to say it over the phone. Thanks for reading my rant, and I’m looking forward to have our relationship be a 2-way street again.

This is unbelievable. I can’t even imagine the pain the family must endure now, and forever. Policemen are supposed to protect, not harm. We’re paying their salaries, we put our trust in them to keep the streets safe, and we count on them to keep the bad guys locked up, not be the bad guys.

It’s almost 1 a.m. right now. More on this when I am less drowsy.

I’m not surprised by this at all. The Chinese g0vernment is well known for its stance on the death penalty, along with their lack of compassion and tolerance for criminals of any sort, plus their long standing human rights violations cited by other countries. I’m not sure how I feel about this personally, except to say that in China, money talks much louder than law sometimes, and that seems to be the rule more than the exception. Whereas in the US it tends be more of an exception than the rule.