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Showing posts from 2011

Black Friday bites

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I have never been much of a shopper. Too many choices, crowds and my indecisive habit of returning things often leads to a stressful Mommy meltdown. So what possessed me to venture out with the masses at midnight on Black Friday remains a mystery. Maybe it was the consumer spirit and the dangling possibility that I could save $50 on a Kindle. Or the idea that my kids and I could do some bonding while buying. Then again, it was probably just the thrill of being part of consumer madness and the novelty of it all. Whatever the reason...it was a terrible choice and one I will not soon repeat or forget. While there were no pepper spray or shootings, there was: Honkin' long lines that truly did wrap around the perimeters of buildings Lack of sleep (it was midnight after all) Limited parking Rain Two cash poor children whose idea of Black Friday turned out to be shopping for themselves and wanting Mom to pay for part of an "early Christmas" Long lines in the stores

And then they grow up

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 I still remember the labor of both my kids. Hal took his own sweet time, starting to warn me around 6 p.m. the night before but not finally emerging until my doctor with her Popeye post-spinach arms yanked him out with a suction cup on his head until almost noon the next morning (sadly I would have to look up the exact time, as well as height and weight). Anna on the other hand didn't give us much warning at all. We pratically had to throw Hal out of the car at our sitter's house on the way to the hospital so I would not deliver in the car.  I think it was all of several hours before a deceptively demure baby arrived, sleeping most of the first couple days before the crying began. Maybe she needed to bake a little more but the colic was probably why there are only two wonderful children now and not three. Their different labors were probably a sign of how different they would be. Hal is bookish, analytical and has always been more comfortable with adults than peers his own

Sleep is the word

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4:04 a.m. I know my body will punish me around 4:04 p.m. today for not getting enough sleep. What it doesn't understand is that I would LOVE to get more sleep, but lately my sleep clock is off and I find myself waking up around 3:30 a.m. just for fun! Since my family is sleeping I can't do anything uberproductive like mop the floors or walk the dog or clean out my messy cabinets. Nope, just gotta tiptoe around and either a) work...which I already did until about 9:30 p.m. last night or b) read, which my mind is not quite awake enough to do and my books are back in my room and I don't want to wake my husband or c) write on my blog which includes five followers. I recently read a book all called "The HappinessProject"by Gretchen Rubin. She basically spends a year trying to get happy and devotes an entire chapter to the importance of sleep  to getting "happy." I do not disagree but despite her tips like "hide the clock," "put socks on your

Baby, Baby Bieber

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There is a young man living in my daughter's bedroom. His presence is so pervasive that I've come to think of him like one of family. He's quite charming actually, with a sweet voice, and -- until recently -- this floppy signature bangs-in-the-face style that drives tweens wild when flipped just right (no wonder he sold a lock of it on E-bay for $40,000 to charity). All this going for him and he's still stayed away from drug addiction, petty theft and (that I know of) sexual scandals. His name is Justin Bieber. That's BEE-ber, which rhymes with fever, which is why they call the international phenomenon and crazy following around this boy "Bieber Fever." This winky young Canadian crooner was discovered on YouTube at age 12 by a manager/producer who new a teen angel and originality when he saw it. Justin rose quickly to worldwide fame on YouTube before he was signed by rap star/producer Usher. J.B. went on to sell more than 4 million albums in 2010. He i

Born this way

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When I was a little girl, I liked to play with dolls but preferred pants to dresses. As I got older I cut my hair short and prefered to play Star Wars or run around with they boys on the playground. I found myself attracted to boys in general but thought Marilyn Monroe was amazing. I share these things, not to reveal that I secretly wanted to be a boy (though at a certain time of the month it would have its advantages), but to point out how fluid and blurry gender lines can be. The recent brutal beating of a transgender woman at a Baltimore McDonald's reminded me that sadly, our society has a long way to go in recognizing that some people are born with a body or biological gender that just feels alien to them. To most of the world, unfortunately, these people seem alien in a world of blue and pink. What society forgets, however, is that gender is more than just anatomy. It's an identity that is often chosen for us from day one when the hospital puts a certain color cap on o

Where have all the girlfriends gone???

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I remember not so long ago when my mother told me how hard it was to stay in touch with her girlfriends. "Oh not me," I quipped. "They are a priority...and help me keep it real." Then something happened...I started losing touch. Weekly lunch dates were downsized to maybe birthdays and Christmas. Wine tasting...can't remember the last time. And phone calls...I'm lucky to get the occasional text and then if I reply I usually misspell things. Book club was hopeful. Once a month with a circle of intelligent women who may or may not have read the book but always had a good time. Then they started meeting on Thursdays and I was doomed to admire them virtually from afar as that is the crazy night spent shuttling to piano-dance-karate (that's even with my husband doing part of the driving). My husband tells me to give myself a break, but the break would be a regular night out with my girlfriends. That said, my job is demanding including weeknight meeting

GLEEK OUT!

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My old friend Kelly used to watch American Idol before it was fashionable. I was baffled by her devotion to a TV show until I discovered GLEE!If you are unfamiliar with this Emmy-winning phenomenon, this weekly high school musical comedy with a message is not for the judgemental or close-minded. The main characters are a group of misfit, while sometimes stereotypical, teens who are in their school Glee Club at McKinley High somewhere in Ohio. http://www.fox.com/glee/about/ . There is so much to love about the show even if the second season just quite doesn't have the authenticity of the first. After all, they are famous now...on I-tunes, on You Tube, on magazines everywhere and of course, the Emmys. What I truly love best about the show though is that both adults and kids can relate to it. Granted some of the themes are mature, but it has given me a golden opportunity to talk about things with my kids in a non-threatening environment (Oh NO! Here goes Mom again trying to talk about

I'm sorry Oprah

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Getting a smart phone was not very smart...or so I'm learning. Choosing the Droid over an I-phone was stressful enough but more so is the constant nagging I have to check my email (work and personal), or my Facebook, or my texts many, MANY times a day. My family makes fun of my texts as they are often in another language. Example: "On my way home" could come out like "I am a gnome." Or something. My husband feels I'm becoming way to intimate with Mr. Blue. I think he's more annoyed with the song I put on for his calls: the sticky sweet addictive country hit, "Stuck on You" by Sugarland. So this week I am vowing to put the phone aside more even though it is sort of my lifeline to my kids, my peeps and co-workers. The reason it has finally hit home is that I have caught myself texting while operating a motor vehicle which in my state is now illegal and well, just plain stupid. Oprah even says so and has a contract for folks to sign called &

Still the one

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"Which one do you like?" asked my husband of nearly 20 years as we surveyed the options before us. I glanced over at him then paused, admiringly, flashing back to when we met during a summer internship in Ohio. His blonde hair was longer back then in his pre-engineering days. He was the carefree Californian guy who took me on my first camping trip and introduced me to Rush (and tolerated my Richard Marx and Madonna). Back then, we were still young, carefree -- and poor. When he proposed on the lakefront at Northwestern the following summer, he didn't even have a ring (and I didn't care). Later, he sold one of his many beloved guitars to buy my small but shiny diamond engagement ring which up until now I have refused to trade up because it reminds me of where we came from when we first fell in love in the foothills of Kentucky. And I like taking trips abroad more than big rings. Back to the question at hand, "Which one did I like?" I tried to focus. There w

Happiness is...

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Practice on the 6 word happiness model: Husband making vegetable curry for family Having dental insurance to fill cavity Two parents alive and well to call A job, a paycheck, and car Two amazing children who love me A dog who needs only love A sister who makes me laugh Friends who stand by me always People who truly care about kids A boss who understands family needs Dancing with the Stars and daughter A comfy bed which calls me... Night! Clipart credit: Image by <a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/assortment-with-happy-emotion_12558310.htm#query=happy&position=1&from_view=keyword&track=sph">Freepik</a>

Crying...over what exactly?

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So imagine this... You are in a public meeting of your peers, boss and strangers. Afterwards, instead of leaving gracefully with a smile and Queen Elizabeth wave, you decide, stupidly, "this is the moment to confront a colleague about a superficial but nagging issue." Suddenly, Madame pre-Menopause, full moon, PMS crazy karma-pathetic-child-within-alter-ego decides it is time to cry...and cry and cry (Did I say this peer is a man and you are a woman? Should not matter, but GDI in our society we know it does). Poor, poor bewildered colleague. "WTF?" he thinks, while nodding and trying to slowly back away gracefully. Others approach meanwhile and suddenly back off like they touched a hot stove. "Oh, I see.." they acknowledge. Eventually you excuse yourself and splash your face in the thankfully empty bathroom and take three deep breaths (thanks Mom, but it does not really work) and sneek out to your car, passing concerned faces on the way. You breath-

Butt Glue

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Dear Lord...I know I'm getting old when I forget the name of my own blog. Second blog mind you. Though I have now re-lost mytaste for pork again (unclear, read my other blog) Just completed Lacey Loves to Read 2011. Kirby Larson was our guest author and an amazing human being at that. Got to shuttle her around for two days in my little red Candy but really she did me the service. Honestly, I'm tired about dreaming of being a writer. I mean, I am by training and maybe by title but for goodness sake I need to stop talking and start writing. I have a great book sitting around and it's not going to get published by sitting on a hard drive. Kirby talked about having some butt glue to get a writer to stay in her chair and get the job done. This weekend I'm going to open that draft and start figuring out next steps. Pearl deserves to have her story told...

New Year, New Me

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It started with a journalist. Nicole Broder from the Seattle Times wrote a column about "Dry January." No alcohol for a whole month. Yes, a whole month. And there was an online Facebook support group to help you on your journey. This is a habit I'd been wanting to break for awhile and 2011 sounded like a good time to start. I decided to raise the bar and add the long procrastinated yoga classes with it. It was time to stop complaining about how stressed I was, how tired I was and start doing something about it. I was not getting any younger. My job was secure, though demanding. Sure, the first week was hard. I enjoy my nightly glass of wine but had begun to look forward to it and rely on it a bit too much. Soon, however, I was sleeping better, had more energy at work and really didn't miss it much. As for yoga, well it was long overdue. I learned to breathe. Listen to my body and discover child's pose. I could stay in that one forever. I made time at work m