Inane

Puck1182 · December 2013

Oh, and the area where I live has a ton of biblically named towns. I went to high school in Bethlehem, I had a bunch of friends who lived in Nazareth, and once on my way home from the Allentown Fair I got lost in Egypt. :-p

Puck1182 · December 2013

CamMyMan said:

Drea926 said:

This demon instrument!

They were called "flutoophones" in my day. My day being 1996 when I was in
5th grade

Lies! I was in 5th grade in 1994 and we called them recorders. ;-)

penguingrrl · December 2013

TarheelMama202 said:

penguingrrl said:

My random: Prior to becoming a SAHM I spent 7 years working in a living history museum. It was similar to Williamsburg or Sturbridge, but far smaller and far less well funded. I was the costumed person. I miss it terribly but less than $9 won't cover daycare and that's all I was earning after 7 years, a BA in History and some graduate work (was en route to a PhD but changed my mind due to job prospects). I hope when the kids are older I can return to doing that because it was seriously the best job ever! And I may have pushed DH to apply to professor positions near Williamsburg (there are two listings within an hour of there) because my lifelong dream has been to work there.

Other random: I've never seen a gun in real life or met a gun owner.

Me neither! And I don't really have any desire to see one. I have met gun owners, but that's because I live in the South. The people love to hunt.

Glad I'm not alone. And I hope never to see one, I'd be terrified! Growing up in NJ it's not something people have, just not part of the culture unless you have it for work (police, military).

TarheelMama202 · December 2013

While we're on the random childhood facts game, I was one of the top ten readers in my elementary school in 1st grade. I read over a thousand books!

I also won two individual national cheerleading championships when I was a junior and senior in high school.

Lastly, I was in a bikini contest on MTV's Spring Break. Later, my picture was the icon you clicked on to view more footage on MTV.com.

)

draeray · December 2013

I agree that it must be a cultural thing. I am in Colorado and there are a ton of people here who hunt. I shot my first gun probably around 6 years old. Also there is a lot of people who live out on the plains on farms and guns just seem to be apart of everyday lives for a lot of us.
*I don't know how to get rid of this quote box.

Drea926 · December 2013

Puck1182 said:

I just realized that apart from chiming in with my whole Drake will always be Jimmy Brooks opinion, I didn't give a random fact about myself. So here it is: I (and/or my places of work) have been on TV multiple times for some fairly weird reason. I was in the national spelling bee in 1996, and I only made it a few rounds... BUT, I was also one if five contestants randomly selected to help Al Roker give the weather report while I was there. And I was accidentally on Teen Mom 2 because they were filming at the courthouse where I work. I thought they stopped filming so I ran really quickly between the crew and the teen mom (Kailyn, I think her name is?) and found out a few months later that they were in fact filming when my coworker came in with a picture of her tv with me on it! Also, the library where I work was part of a segment on The Daily Show, except it wasn't supposed to be our library, it was a story about a neighboring town whose library took away a kid's library card because he wasn't a resident and it caused a bunch of controversy.

Is it weird that I'm jealous of that? Maybe that should be my FFFC! ;-)

Drea926 · December 2013

penguingrrl said:

TarheelMama202 said:

penguingrrl said:

My random: Prior to becoming a SAHM I spent 7 years working in a living history museum. It was similar to Williamsburg or Sturbridge, but far smaller and far less well funded. I was the costumed person. I miss it terribly but less than $9 won't cover daycare and that's all I was earning after 7 years, a BA in History and some graduate work (was en route to a PhD but changed my mind due to job prospects). I hope when the kids are older I can return to doing that because it was seriously the best job ever! And I may have pushed DH to apply to professor positions near Williamsburg (there are two listings within an hour of there) because my lifelong dream has been to work there.

Other random: I've never seen a gun in real life or met a gun owner.

Me neither! And I don't really have any desire to see one. I have met gun owners, but that's because I live in the South. The people love to hunt.

Glad I'm not alone. And I hope never to see one, I'd be terrified! Growing up in NJ it's not something people have, just not part of the culture unless you have it for work (police, military).

I never have either! I think it would freak me out a little!

wifeofadam · December 2013

Guns are a very normal part of life around here. Kids grow up around them because of the large hunting culture. My dad had rifles in his closet growing up and I saw them all the time, knew where they were stored (and not at all in a safe back then), but my Dad put the fear of God in me, so I knew that if I ever touched them and he found out I would be beat (that's also back when a butt-whooping was a BUTT-WHOOPING and people didn't call it abuse). So, I never touched them.

I fired a gun for the first time when I was 24 or so. DH takes my kids with him hunting already at ages almost 5 and 6. He let the boys fire the gun once and it scared them so much they have no desire to ever touch them again. We keep them in safes anyways, so it's not going to happen. But my boys AND girls will probably grow up hunting with Daddy - when you have this many mouths to feed there is nothing like free organic meat. It keeps food costs way down. I'm actually counting on my teenage kids to contribute to the family by bringing home some free meat every year!!

draeray · December 2013

Drea926 said:

penguingrrl said:

TarheelMama202 said:

penguingrrl said:

My random: Prior to becoming a SAHM I spent 7 years working in a living history museum. It was similar to Williamsburg or Sturbridge, but far smaller and far less well funded. I was the costumed person. I miss it terribly but less than $9 won't cover daycare and that's all I was earning after 7 years, a BA in History and some graduate work (was en route to a PhD but changed my mind due to job prospects). I hope when the kids are older I can return to doing that because it was seriously the best job ever! And I may have pushed DH to apply to professor positions near Williamsburg (there are two listings within an hour of there) because my lifelong dream has been to work there.

Other random: I've never seen a gun in real life or met a gun owner.

Me neither! And I don't really have any desire to see one. I have met gun owners, but that's because I live in the South. The people love to hunt.

Glad I'm not alone. And I hope never to see one, I'd be terrified! Growing up in NJ it's not something people have, just not part of the culture unless you have it for work (police, military).

I never have either! I think it would freak me out a little!

Really? I had no idea that there were that many people who have never seen a real gun! My husband has a concealed carry and has his Glock 23 with him every where we go. I don't really even think about it anymore. You would think that makes me a hard core Conservative, but nope. Registered Democrat here...although I believe in the 2nd amendment rights and a few other Right Winged subjects.

octobermama87 · December 2013

Puck1182 said:

Oh, and the area where I live has a ton of biblically named towns. I went to high school in Bethlehem, I had a bunch of friends who lived in Nazareth, and once on my way home from the Allentown Fair I got lost in Egypt. :-p

You must be pretty close to where I grew up then bc I know all the towns you just named. (Never been to them, but I know of them). I grew up near Grove City, Pa. Went to Franklin HS. Ringing a bell???

Puck1182 · December 2013

may10587@hotmail.com said:

Puck1182 said:

Oh, and the area where I live has a ton of biblically named towns. I went to high school in Bethlehem, I had a bunch of friends who lived in Nazareth, and once on my way home from the Allentown Fair I got lost in Egypt. :-p

You must be pretty close to where I grew up then bc I know all the towns you just named. (Never been to them, but I know of them). I grew up near Grove City, Pa. Went to Franklin HS. Ringing a bell???

Grove City *sounds* familiar, but I couldn't point it out on a map. Where in the state is it? I'm about an hour and change north of Philly, but I actually live in NJ.

elliespiral · December 2013

Puck1182 said:

Oh, and the area where I live has a ton of biblically named towns. I went to high school in Bethlehem, I had a bunch of friends who lived in Nazareth, and once on my way home from the Allentown Fair I got lost in Egypt. :-p

Freedom or Liberty??

ericalee27 · December 2013

Drea926 said:

Puck1182 said:

I just realized that apart from chiming in with my whole Drake will always be Jimmy Brooks opinion, I didn't give a random fact about myself. So here it is: I (and/or my places of work) have been on TV multiple times for some fairly weird reason. I was in the national spelling bee in 1996, and I only made it a few rounds... BUT, I was also one if five contestants randomly selected to help Al Roker give the weather report while I was there. And I was accidentally on Teen Mom 2 because they were filming at the courthouse where I work. I thought they stopped filming so I ran really quickly between the crew and the teen mom (Kailyn, I think her name is?) and found out a few months later that they were in fact filming when my coworker came in with a picture of her tv with me on it! Also, the library where I work was part of a segment on The Daily Show, except it wasn't supposed to be our library, it was a story about a neighboring town whose library took away a kid's library card because he wasn't a resident and it caused a bunch of controversy.

Is it weird that I'm jealous of that? Maybe that should be my FFFC! ;-)

Hahahah, no! I always joke that when we visit family/friends that we are going on a Teen Mom 2 tour; I have family in Chattanooga (Maci), Lehigh Valley (Kailyn), and Wilmington (Jenelle). The only one I've never been anywhere near is Amber....(!!!)

Puck1182 · December 2013

elliespiral said:
Puck1182 said:

Oh, and the area where I live has a ton of biblically named towns. I went to high school in Bethlehem, I had a bunch of friends who lived in Nazareth, and once on my way home from the Allentown Fair I got lost in Egypt. :-p

Freedom or Liberty??

Notre Dame, I was a Catholic schoolgirl. Couldn't wear plaid for YEARS because of it!

elliespiral · December 2013

I lived down the street as a kid--even was a cheerleader at ND with the bulldogs when I was 10!

Puck1182 · December 2013

elliespiral said:
I lived down the street as a kid--even was a cheerleader at ND with the bulldogs when I was 10!

Wait, now you've confused me. Are you talking about the elementary school on Casauqua Rd? 'cause I just went to the high school at ND and we were the Crusaders, so the 10 years old/Bulldogs thing is throwing me off! I did elementary school in NJ (but also went to parochial school there).

octobermama87 · December 2013

Puck1182 said:

Puck1182 said:

Oh, and the area where I live has a ton of biblically named towns. I went to high school in Bethlehem, I had a bunch of friends who lived in Nazareth, and once on my way home from the Allentown Fair I got lost in Egypt. :-p

You must be pretty close to where I grew up then bc I know all the towns you just named. (Never been to them, but I know of them). I grew up near Grove City, Pa. Went to Franklin HS. Ringing a bell???
Grove City *sounds* familiar, but I couldn't point it out on a map. Where in the state is it? I'm about an hour and change north of Philly, but I actually live in NJ.

:-?? Grove City is about an hour north of Pittsburgh. I live in Pittsburgh now though. I thought you'd be closer than you are. Oh well.

Puck1182 · December 2013

may10587@hotmail.com said:

Puck1182 said:

may10587@hotmail.com said:

Puck1182 said:

Oh, and the area where I live has a ton of biblically named towns. I went to high school in Bethlehem, I had a bunch of friends who lived in Nazareth, and once on my way home from the Allentown Fair I got lost in Egypt. :-p

You must be pretty close to where I grew up then bc I know all the towns you just named. (Never been to them, but I know of them). I grew up near Grove City, Pa. Went to Franklin HS. Ringing a bell???
Grove City *sounds* familiar, but I couldn't point it out on a map. Where in the state is it? I'm about an hour and change north of Philly, but I actually live in NJ.

:-??
Grove City is about an hour north of Pittsburgh. I live in Pittsburgh now though. I thought you'd be closer than you are. Oh well.

Aww, bummer. :-(

ETA: I just remembered, I think there's another Bethlehem that's more toward the western part of PA, maybe that's the one you were thinking of!

DublinMama · December 2013

PeanutR1 said:

penguingrrl said:

TarheelMama202 said:

penguingrrl said:

My random: Prior to becoming a SAHM I spent 7 years working in a living history museum. It was similar to Williamsburg or Sturbridge, but far smaller and far less well funded. I was the costumed person. I miss it terribly but less than $9 won't cover daycare and that's all I was earning after 7 years, a BA in History and some graduate work (was en route to a PhD but changed my mind due to job prospects). I hope when the kids are older I can return to doing that because it was seriously the best job ever! And I may have pushed DH to apply to professor positions near Williamsburg (there are two listings within an hour of there) because my lifelong dream has been to work there.

Other random: I've never seen a gun in real life or met a gun owner.

Me neither! And I don't really have any desire to see one. I have met gun owners, but that's because I live in the South. The people love to hunt.

Glad I'm not alone. And I hope never to see one, I'd be terrified! Growing up in NJ it's not something people have, just not part of the culture unless you have it for work (police, military).

draeray said:

Drea926 said:

penguingrrl said:

TarheelMama202 said:

penguingrrl said:

My random: Prior to becoming a SAHM I spent 7 years working in a living history museum. It was similar to Williamsburg or Sturbridge, but far smaller and far less well funded. I was the costumed person. I miss it terribly but less than $9 won't cover daycare and that's all I was earning after 7 years, a BA in History and some graduate work (was en route to a PhD but changed my mind due to job prospects). I hope when the kids are older I can return to doing that because it was seriously the best job ever! And I may have pushed DH to apply to professor positions near Williamsburg (there are two listings within an hour of there) because my lifelong dream has been to work there.

Other random: I've never seen a gun in real life or met a gun owner.

Me neither! And I don't really have any desire to see one. I have met gun owners, but that's because I live in the South. The people love to hunt.

Glad I'm not alone. And I hope never to see one, I'd be terrified! Growing up in NJ it's not something people have, just not part of the culture unless you have it for work (police, military).

I never have either! I think it would freak me out a little!

Really? I had no idea that there were that many people who have never seen a real gun! My husband has a concealed carry and has his Glock 23 with him every where we go. I don't really even think about it anymore. You would think that makes me a hard core Conservative, but nope. Registered Democrat here...although I believe in the 2nd amendment rights and a few other Right Winged subjects.

Everyone who says they have never met a gun owner - I'm sure you have, you just don't know it. Even in NJ, where my FIL and all of his friends have hunting rifles. I grew up in a house where my dad had hunting guns, but never kept ammunition. We had same rules as adamwife. And that was in suburban CT. Again, nobody would know he was a gun owner. Then there's my brother in VA (suburban DC) who has a nagging in his nightstand... Anyway, you get the idea. Not all gun owners walk around brandishing it. I am jealous of kleigh, that you can even get a conceal carry. It's not allowed in my state. Every time I hear of an armed robbery or carjacking in my area, it makes me want one even more.

Yay!!! @peanutr1 So glad to see you!!

kleigh926 · December 2013

We are watching Elf this week and I can't wait! It's my favorite Christmas movie!

Drea926 · December 2013

kleigh926 said:

We are watching Elf this week and I can't wait! It's my favorite Christmas movie!

musicalmama5 · December 2013

Ack, I hate guns. I actually kind of have an irrational fear of them. Never had a bad experience or anything, they just totally freak me out. BIL carries a concealed weapon (he's a cop) and it messes with my mind when I think about it. So I just don't think about it.

@PeanutR1 Glad you're back too!

penguingrrl · December 2013

PeanutR1 said:

musicalmama5 said:

Ack, I hate guns. I actually kind of have an irrational fear of them. Never had a bad experience or anything, they just totally freak me out. BIL carries a concealed weapon (he's a cop) and it messes with my mind when I think about it. So I just don't think about it.

@PeanutR1 Glad you're back too!

I don't want to put down your feelings, they are valid. I think that many people feel the same way as a product of the way guns have been portrayed through the media to people who have never seen or handled one. I am all for in depth education about guns for anyone who wants to own one, and think that it's unfortunate that you only hear about the nut jobs who want to do harm. I think it would serve society better if everyone could experience shooting a gun so that it's not as...scary's not the right word. Foreign, maybe? Guns don't just go off when you touch them, so if you know what you are doing, there's no reason to be scared. Any responsible gun owner will tell you they were taught the first thing ever said to me when handed a loaded gun (at the age of 27): "Loaded or unloaded, you NEVER point a gun in the direction of anything you don't intend to kill"

I've always heard that. What scares me is not criminals but negligent parents. Those who leave loaded guns around with kids who "won't touch them" then do and kill themself or their sibling or friend. Or those whose teens "know better" then take their guns anyway. In those situations (one of which happened this year less than an hour from me) the parents were "responsible gun owners who slipped once."

I would love to see stricter controls put on ownership. Not necessarily on who owns since the underground market is clearly thriving. But mandatory training before you can purchase or own. Requirements about how it must be secured if there's a child in the house. Rules about who may use it.

Puck1182 · December 2013

PeanutR1 said:

musicalmama5 said:

Ack, I hate guns. I actually kind of have an irrational fear of them. Never had a bad experience or anything, they just totally freak me out. BIL carries a concealed weapon (he's a cop) and it messes with my mind when I think about it. So I just don't think about it.

@PeanutR1 Glad you're back too!

I don't want to put down your feelings, they are valid. I think that many people feel the same way as a product of the way guns have been portrayed through the media to people who have never seen or handled one. I am all for in depth education about guns for anyone who wants to own one, and think that it's unfortunate that you only hear about the nut jobs who want to do harm. I think it would serve society better if everyone could experience shooting a gun so that it's not as...scary's not the right word. Foreign, maybe? Guns don't just go off when you touch them, so if you know what you are doing, there's no reason to be scared. Any responsible gun owner will tell you they were taught the first thing ever said to me when handed a loaded gun (at the age of 27): "Loaded or unloaded, you NEVER point a gun in the direction of anything you don't intend to kill"

See now, I am such a colossal spaz that I would probably find a way to make a gun go off just by touching it. Seriously. I wish I was kidding about that, but given the way that I am constantly finding ways to injure myself without realizing it til well after the fact and have a habit of sending sharp knives flying through the air completely by accident... I long ago decided I am never allowed to touch a gun. It would not end well. :-P

Doesn't mean I begrudge other people's right to carry a gun provided they can pass a background check and have completed some sort of gun safety training, it's just so not for me. I'm actually very much in favor of people hunting for food, I think it's more humane than factory farms, I just can't get behind hunting purely for sport. Or, you know, murdering people. I frown on that too. ;-)

penguingrrl · December 2013

Puck1182 said:

PeanutR1 said:

musicalmama5 said:

Ack, I hate guns. I actually kind of have an irrational fear of them. Never had a bad experience or anything, they just totally freak me out. BIL carries a concealed weapon (he's a cop) and it messes with my mind when I think about it. So I just don't think about it.

@PeanutR1 Glad you're back too!

I don't want to put down your feelings, they are valid. I think that many people feel the same way as a product of the way guns have been portrayed through the media to people who have never seen or handled one. I am all for in depth education about guns for anyone who wants to own one, and think that it's unfortunate that you only hear about the nut jobs who want to do harm. I think it would serve society better if everyone could experience shooting a gun so that it's not as...scary's not the right word. Foreign, maybe? Guns don't just go off when you touch them, so if you know what you are doing, there's no reason to be scared. Any responsible gun owner will tell you they were taught the first thing ever said to me when handed a loaded gun (at the age of 27): "Loaded or unloaded, you NEVER point a gun in the direction of anything you don't intend to kill"

See now, I am such a colossal spaz that I would probably find a way to make a gun go off just by touching it. Seriously. I wish I was kidding about that, but given the way that I am constantly finding ways to injure myself without realizing it til well after the fact and have a habit of sending sharp knives flying through the air completely by accident... I long ago decided I am never allowed to touch a gun. It would not end well. :-P

Doesn't mean I begrudge other people's right to carry a gun provided they can pass a background check and have completed some sort of gun safety training, it's just so not for me. I'm actually very much in favor of people hunting for food, I think it's more humane than factory farms, I just can't get behind hunting purely for sport. Or, you know, murdering people. I frown on that too. ;-)

Yeah, my hand eye coordination is not good enough to ever trust myself with a gun! I'm lousy at video games, can't hit a baseball and when I played as catcher in softball growing up my ball always ended up with the 1st baseman or 3rd baseman instead of the pitcher despite honest true efforts. Nobody ever wants me touching a gun!

Drea926 · December 2013

Speaking of recorders... I may have a flute player on my hands...

TarheelMama202 · December 2013

Drea926 said:

Speaking of recorders... I may have a flute player on my hands...

YESSSSS! I love this! Soon he will be playing "Candle in the Wind"....

wifeofadam · December 2013

I think people who have never shot a gun think they are so easy to fire, like a toy gun, that you can just barely touch the trigger and it will go off. That's not how it is. You have to squeeze the trigger pretty hard to get it to fire. In fact, the first time I fired a gun I was amazed at how hard I had to squeeze it. Even cocking my revolver takes a lot of strength. I'm sure if my gun were used regularly it would loosen up, but I don't think any of my kids could cock the hammer on my revolver as it is right now.

And I really don't see how requirements for users that have children would work in reality? Are police going to do checks on a regular basis, as in search the gun owners' homes, in order to make sure they are locked up properly? And then should we start requiring the same things of all dangerous objects that children could come in contact with? Regular police checks to make sure all of the poisonous chemicals are in a locked cupboard?

Once again, it all comes back to your view of personal liberty. I will never be cool with the government being allowed to intrude on my personal property in that manner. If I want to keep a loaded gun in a fingerprint safe by my bed, that's my right as a law-abiding citizen under the second amendment. I honestly feel like my kids are safer with a loaded gun by my side than they are without.

I'm a pacifist until you mess with my cubs. An intruder does not want to see my mama bear side...

tamarar5 · December 2013

My useless factoid is that I have a super awesome, special talent.

I can make my sister snort any and all beverages out her nose. At any time I want.

Bwahahaha!

penguingrrl · December 2013

+adamwife+ said:

I think people who have never shot a gun think they are so easy to fire, like a toy gun, that you can just barely touch the trigger and it will go off. That's not how it is. You have to squeeze the trigger pretty hard to get it to fire. In fact, the first time I fired a gun I was amazed at how hard I had to squeeze it. Even cocking my revolver takes a lot of strength. I'm sure if my gun were used regularly it would loosen up, but I don't think any of my kids could cock the hammer on my revolver as it is right now.

And I really don't see how requirements for users that have children would work in reality? Are police going to do checks on a regular basis, as in search the gun owners' homes, in order to make sure they are locked up properly? And then should we start requiring the same things of all dangerous objects that children could come in contact with? Regular police checks to make sure all of the poisonous chemicals are in a locked cupboard?

Once again, it all comes back to your view of personal liberty. I will never be cool with the government being allowed to intrude on my personal property in that manner. If I want to keep a loaded gun in a fingerprint safe by my bed, that's my right as a law-abiding citizen under the second amendment. I honestly feel like my kids are safer with a loaded gun by my side than they are without.

I'm a pacifist until you mess with my cubs. An intruder does not want to see my mama bear side...

And I could never sleep at night if my kids were in a home with a gun. Different strokes.

I personally feel personal liberties end when they start to affect the population at large. Many children are dying because it's too easy for them to get their hands on guns, so we need a solution. It again goes back to whether you trust people to do the right thing of their own accord. I wish I did, but I don't.

musicalmama5 · December 2013

@DublinMama I guess we're feeling a little too feisty these days (full moon maybe?). Your attempts at a non-political thread seem to have been thwarted...

jbatch · December 2013

@+adamwife+ and @peanutR1 you guys completely said what I was thinking! Love it. I've got a revolver that stays by my bed. I think if your responsible there is no issue.

TarheelMama202 · December 2013

musicalmama5 said:
@DublinMama I guess we're feeling a little too feisty these days (full moon maybe?). Your attempts at a non-political thread seem to have been thwarted...

Ha, I thought the same thing! Things were all fun and games...then we started talking gun control.

musicalmama5 · December 2013

jbatch said:

@+adamwife+ and @peanutR1 you guys completely said what I was thinking! Love it. I've got a revolver that stays by my bed. I think if your responsible there is no issue.

OMG I'm seriously getting stressed out just thinking about having a revolver by my bed.

ETA: No judgement whatsoever, and I'm sure you're very responsible with yours! I just cannot imagine that for myself. And I live in the murder capital of the world.

wifeofadam · December 2013

Would it scare you guys less if the revolver is in a locked fingerprint safe? That means no one but you can open it and get to the loaded gun.

I wouldn't feel safe with a loaded gun by my bed either if it wasn't locked up. My son keeps his violin under my bed so it is away from the babies and I've caught DD1 in there twice strumming away at it. An unlocked loaded gun would not be smart here.

penguin's right - different strokes. The thought of being home alone in a house with all of my babies and not having a gun to protect us from intruders seriously stresses me out. What if someone with a gun comes into our home? How am I going to defend my children against that? I'll have nightmares tonight thinking about it.

PhieryBFly · December 2013

I've been target shooting several times but I'm a terrible shot. On the flip side, I'm darn good with my recurve (bow) so I guess I'll just stick to that! I don't go deaf with the bow either... ;-)

octobermama87 · December 2013

I do own a gun. I do have a permit to carry. I do believe it's my constitutional right to own and carry it and I do keep it right next to my bed. I also believe that even if the government would try to control this then reasonable people, law abiding people would obey the law and law- breakers would still break the law! Then where does that leave us? In a state where the bad guys have guns and the good people can't protect themselves. What sense does that make? NONE!

musicalmama5 · December 2013

+adamwife+ said:
Would it scare you guys less if the revolver is in a locked fingerprint safe? That means no one but you can open it and get to the loaded gun.

I wouldn't feel safe with a loaded gun by my bed either if it wasn't locked up. My son keeps his violin under my bed so it is away from the babies and I've caught DD1 in there twice strumming away at it. An unlocked loaded gun would not be smart here.

penguin's right - different strokes. The thought of being home alone in a house with all of my babies and not having a gun to protect us from intruders seriously stresses me out. What if someone with a gun comes into our home? How am I going to defend my children against that? I'll have nightmares tonight thinking about it.

Like I first said, it's kind of an irrational fear. I'm not sure where it came from honestly.

But I have a question about the safe. And this is an honest question, not snark. If an intruder came into your house with a gun, would you be able to get to your gun quickly enough to defend yourself and your kids?

brachysira · December 2013

I first saw a gun with I was about 6 and I was at my rural friend's house--she was 5. I remember at the visit she still went to the bathroom at home with the door open and I told her I wanted it closed and she was like, why...so we were very young. Anyway, we went on what seemed to be a very long hike and ended up in a barn that I think was theirs. On the seat of the tractor there was a handgun. We disagreed about what to do. I am not sure, but I think I wanted to just leave it and do whatever we were planning to do because it was a long hike to the barn and she said, no, we have to tell my mom immediately. I am not sure tho--I did not know much about guns and I might have said something like, who's is this? We should ask your 8 year-old brother about it, or something like that. She had been told about guns tho and was very worried about it, so we did what she said. Apparently someone had left it out and her mom was mad, but not super mad...so not everyone is super careful.

Another memory from childhood around that time was that my brother, who is 10 years older, had once gotten a bb gun from someone as a gift and it was long forgotten and stored in a very high cabinet in the garage. I never knew about it, but some poorly-parented neighborhood kids I played with all the time decided to go through our garage without my knowledge that they were even around and found it and my dad found them pointing it at each other.

If we had guns, which my husband would like, we would have a safe. My fear is that nothing is really that secret from your kids. So when they are teens, they will probably know how to get into the safe. He says that is fine because his kids will know about gun safety. But I worry that one day, maybe, even if it's not that likely, one might decide it is fun to show someone they want to impress. Or one is feeling very bad one day and contemplates suicide. Or somehow, in some messed up kid way, it seems like it would be fun to take it and show it around at school. I don't want it to be my fault that my kid had access to a gun. They just don't think logically or have self control when they're growing up.

As a side, I didn't know about any of this when we were dating, but the gun enthusiasm of his family is more apparent now...hmm...

kelly321 · December 2013

+adamwife+ said:

And I really don't see how requirements for users that have children would work in reality? Are police going to do checks on a regular basis, as in search the gun owners' homes, in order to make sure they are locked up properly? And then should we start requiring the same things of all dangerous objects that children could come in contact with? Regular police checks to make sure all of the poisonous chemicals are in a locked cupboard?

In Germany there are laws about how gun owners are allowed to store them. The guns have to be kept in a locked safe/cabinet/whatever, and the ammunition must be stored separately. The guns must be unloaded.

In reality, police will never come to do a random check. I don't even think they're allowed to (although I'm not sure on that). But if they're on a domestic violence call, for example, and see that the guns aren't stored properly, then they can use that to charge the owner with something. Also, in the school shootings that have happened in Germany, when in at least one case it was proven that the parents didn't store their weapons properly, the parents were charged with that.

On the point about "well we can't take away cars and they're more dangerous, so why restrict guns?" -- I would argue it's about intended use and purpose. Hunting firearms are an exception, but the purpose of all other guns is to scare or hurt people. That's their purpose. That's what they are made for. Cars, kitchen knives, even poisons (since I assume you were referring to cleaning products or rat poison or the like) are made with another purpose. If they are misused, they can and do hurt people. That's why for me, the car analogy doesn't hold. If all cars were to magically disappear from the world, people would have a lot of problems getting to work, visiting relatives, getting groceries, etc. If all guns were to magically disappear from the world... well... yay! I'm sure those of you who own guns would not argue with that thought, and the argument I assume is that all guns will not magically disappear from the world, so you want your gun to feel safe against all the other people with guns.
My point is just that the car argument isn't valid because of the intended purpose.

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