I am *so* in the minority here.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-religion26feb26,0,4582086.story
Monday, February 25, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Very clear
I have decided to remove this post about Maples. I received a nice email from someone in their marketing department (after a third inquiry) who has promised to assist.
The girls, together
So yesterday, for the first time all season (no clue why we waited this long), we took the girls out in the 9+" of snow we received from Friday night's snowstorm. Interestingly enough, Raya's snowsuit is already two sizes too small, but somehow, we managed.
Among other things (like throwing snow at the dogs, at her sister and at me) Petra insisted on building the world's smallest snowman, cried when Biko ate his head (after which we put on another one) and then stamped her feet and yelled until we allowed her to bring him inside to live in a bowl as a member of the family. He didn't make it very long.
Secant: I'm amazed at how well my children get along and how much they like spending time with each other. I'm so grateful. Really.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Doom-ungeous
I am not a huge fan of children's television programs, particularly those Nickelodeon shows I find of questionable intelligence and humor (e.g., Spongebob SquarePants, Jimmy Neutron, Fairly Odd Parents, etc.)
BUT
The other night Natche, Petra and I watched the Fairly Odd Baby special. While I knew Petra would love it, I was quite surprised to find myself laughing...out loud...throughout the entire show. It was friggen' hysterical, especially the parts that included character Jorgen von Strangle, an overly muscular, body-building fairy who does a great Arnold impression.
Great Jorgen lines:
Said after he ate too many burritos, "...but first, I must file a report with the great white round one."
Said after he told Timmy that a new fairy baby would be bad for the universe, "It would be so bad, I have to come up with a new word...it would be DOOM-UNGEOUS."
_______
I still don't love the regular Fairly Odd show, but the baby special was cute and I'm glad I didn't write it off before I saw it.
BUT
The other night Natche, Petra and I watched the Fairly Odd Baby special. While I knew Petra would love it, I was quite surprised to find myself laughing...out loud...throughout the entire show. It was friggen' hysterical, especially the parts that included character Jorgen von Strangle, an overly muscular, body-building fairy who does a great Arnold impression.
Great Jorgen lines:
Said after he ate too many burritos, "...but first, I must file a report with the great white round one."
Said after he told Timmy that a new fairy baby would be bad for the universe, "It would be so bad, I have to come up with a new word...it would be DOOM-UNGEOUS."
_______
I still don't love the regular Fairly Odd show, but the baby special was cute and I'm glad I didn't write it off before I saw it.
Friday, February 15, 2008
A letter to my children
Dear Petra and Raya,
I'm so sorry, but you're going to have to live the rest of your lives in a bubble attached to my hip. The world is a cruel, cold place and people can be awful. I'd like to spare you the trauma of watching your friends get mowed down by a lunatic gunman and I'd rather that you didn't turn into the disaster-du-jour known as Britney Spears.
No, I want you to grow up, be responsible and live long and healthy lives. But to do so, I'm afraid you'll need to live in a bubble and live close by (if not with me) forever. And yes, you can have friends come over to visit, if you like. As long as they pass through a metal detector and get by the drug-sniffing dogs.
It's a difficult world now, my children. And although you'll crave your independence, you'll come to realize how much better living with mommy and daddy really is.
And if you stay with us....we'll buy you a car.
Love,
Mommy
I'm so sorry, but you're going to have to live the rest of your lives in a bubble attached to my hip. The world is a cruel, cold place and people can be awful. I'd like to spare you the trauma of watching your friends get mowed down by a lunatic gunman and I'd rather that you didn't turn into the disaster-du-jour known as Britney Spears.
No, I want you to grow up, be responsible and live long and healthy lives. But to do so, I'm afraid you'll need to live in a bubble and live close by (if not with me) forever. And yes, you can have friends come over to visit, if you like. As long as they pass through a metal detector and get by the drug-sniffing dogs.
It's a difficult world now, my children. And although you'll crave your independence, you'll come to realize how much better living with mommy and daddy really is.
And if you stay with us....we'll buy you a car.
Love,
Mommy
I've been bad!
No, I haven't posted in days, but I've had a great reason: I've been tired. Seriously. Exhausted.
But I do feel the need to write about last night's harrowing driveway experience, so here I am...exhaustion notwithstanding.
For those who don't live in New England, let me bring you up-to-speed: it's really cold and everything's pretty much frozen. Including my driveway. Natche had the 4Runner last night and was off to the gym so I took the kids home in the Outback. As we parted ways (at Pioneer Auto - don't ask), Natche reminded me to get some good speed going up the driveway or the Outback wouldn't make it.
And I didn't (heed his advice or make it up the driveway). Instead, I managed to wedge the Outback into a side snow bank about halfway up the driveway and was forced to abandon ship.
Okay, you're thinking, so you just walked the rest of the way up. Ha!, I'd say.
The driveway was a sheet of ice and Mt. O'Granite had a foot of snow on it with a nice ice layer on top. Petra and I pretty much fell and crawled our way to the top of the snow mountain...oh, and I was HOLDING THE BABY. It was horrible. Petra started crying and then Raya joined in and it was pitch black out and I skinned my knees bad and it was Not. Fun. BUT....
....we made it. And now Petra has an exciting adventure to share with her class today.
But I do feel the need to write about last night's harrowing driveway experience, so here I am...exhaustion notwithstanding.
For those who don't live in New England, let me bring you up-to-speed: it's really cold and everything's pretty much frozen. Including my driveway. Natche had the 4Runner last night and was off to the gym so I took the kids home in the Outback. As we parted ways (at Pioneer Auto - don't ask), Natche reminded me to get some good speed going up the driveway or the Outback wouldn't make it.
And I didn't (heed his advice or make it up the driveway). Instead, I managed to wedge the Outback into a side snow bank about halfway up the driveway and was forced to abandon ship.
Okay, you're thinking, so you just walked the rest of the way up. Ha!, I'd say.
The driveway was a sheet of ice and Mt. O'Granite had a foot of snow on it with a nice ice layer on top. Petra and I pretty much fell and crawled our way to the top of the snow mountain...oh, and I was HOLDING THE BABY. It was horrible. Petra started crying and then Raya joined in and it was pitch black out and I skinned my knees bad and it was Not. Fun. BUT....
....we made it. And now Petra has an exciting adventure to share with her class today.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Big Difference
Everyone says my children look a lot alike and I don't see it. I think they're very different - both in looks and temperament.
As evidence (at least of the looks part), below are photos of the girls at pretty much the same age (Raya first, then Petra). See for yourself. What do you think?
Direct Mail
My daughter, Raya, received a piece of mail last week. Not surprising, I mean, my family sends her stuff all the time, and most of it arrives addressed to her. But not this piece. This was from a large, very well-known office supply company (rhymes with Maples).
This very expensive mail piece was essentially a plastic postcard with some serious offers for Raya, including a $10 off coupon with $40 purchase. What's alarming about all of this is that the postcard identified Raya as an employee of a small business (which doesn't exist).
Um. The child is NINE MONTHS old. She can't even speak, much less order office supplies.
I've placed a call to Sta, er, Maples and asked them to provide me with the list provider's name (under the Commitment to Consumer Choice guidelines established by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the company must provide me with that information). So far, nada. We'll see what happens on Monday, but never fear, they'll get another call from me if I don't hear from them.
And yes, the irony of this whole thing isn't lost on me.
This very expensive mail piece was essentially a plastic postcard with some serious offers for Raya, including a $10 off coupon with $40 purchase. What's alarming about all of this is that the postcard identified Raya as an employee of a small business (which doesn't exist).
Um. The child is NINE MONTHS old. She can't even speak, much less order office supplies.
I've placed a call to Sta, er, Maples and asked them to provide me with the list provider's name (under the Commitment to Consumer Choice guidelines established by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the company must provide me with that information). So far, nada. We'll see what happens on Monday, but never fear, they'll get another call from me if I don't hear from them.
And yes, the irony of this whole thing isn't lost on me.
How sad is it...
...that I know the words to most of the songs written for the Disney Princess movies. Take CD 6, Track 2, or as we more affectionately call it, Mulan. I know every word, every nuance, every beat. And while it's actually a catchy tune, I am getting quite tired of it. Yet, every morning, the minute we get into the car (after listening to the traffic, of course), Petra requests CD 6, Track 2.
Speaking of Disney, Petra and I are watching The Little Mermaid 2, the story of Melody, Ariel's daughter. It's not bad, but the animation isn't nearly as strong as a the first and not a surprise either since it was just a straight-to-video release.
I can't believe I'm wasting this much time posting about Disney. That damn machine.
And just wait until I show off the new Disney Princess fashion designs my mother made for Petra's dolls.
Speaking of Disney, Petra and I are watching The Little Mermaid 2, the story of Melody, Ariel's daughter. It's not bad, but the animation isn't nearly as strong as a the first and not a surprise either since it was just a straight-to-video release.
I can't believe I'm wasting this much time posting about Disney. That damn machine.
And just wait until I show off the new Disney Princess fashion designs my mother made for Petra's dolls.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
HOLY CRAP!
Yes, "Holy Crap" tends to be my favorite title, but after reading this story, you'll know why I used it.
Before you click though, let me just say this, tornadoes? EVIL. Probably the worst type of natural disaster around. And speaking of that, I think I need to do a ranking. So below you'll find a listing of the various types of natural disasters ranked from "bad - 10" to "most evil - 1" using a very scientific methodology (NOT) that takes into account magnitude of danger, destructive capability and death counts.
Before you click though, let me just say this, tornadoes? EVIL. Probably the worst type of natural disaster around. And speaking of that, I think I need to do a ranking. So below you'll find a listing of the various types of natural disasters ranked from "bad - 10" to "most evil - 1" using a very scientific methodology (NOT) that takes into account magnitude of danger, destructive capability and death counts.
10. Blizzards. Really, not so bad. And generally, you get a heads-up so you can run to the store like every other drone and stock up on supplies. BUT...
9. Avalanches. Whole. Nuther. Ballgame. Yes, they involve snow, but are far more destructive and you have less warning. I mean, entire towns have been wiped away by these things!
8. Wild Fires. These are especially heinous if set. But, generally, folks have time to grab some stuff and get the heck out of town.
7. Volcanoes. Yeah, the only reason this one didn't rank higher on my list of evil natural disasters is because although there are many "active" volcanoes in the world, few have erupted a la Mount Vesuvius. And in this country Mt. St. Helens is only at Alert Level ORANGE. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), most volcanoes in the region are at normal levels of seismic activity. If you want to watch a good disaster flick on the topic, catch Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche in Volcano. There is an especially gruesome scene where a guy melts as he rescues a co-worker.
6. Landslides. I'm sorry, but this deserves a decently high ranking. I mean, a landslide is essentially an avalanche of mud. Ick. And scary.
5. Hurricanes. While predictable, especially for us folks in the Northeast (we see them coming up the corridor) these are nonetheless devastating events. And are most deadly to boaters. I throw out the Perfect Storm as evidence. Speaking of, don't you just love William Fichtner?
4. Typhoons. The name even sounds evil, doesn't it? Even though typhoons are essentially hurricanes, they get a higher ranking because of the name. FYI, both hurricanes and typhoons are technically tropical cyclones. To learn more, visit the Wikipedia page.
3. Earthquakes. The earth should not quake. It's just wrong. Kim Delaney starred in a TV movie (sci fi, I think) called 10.5. The tagline was, The Greatest Quake in Human History Threatens to Rock the World!
I. kid. you. not. It also starred Fred Ward.
2. Tsunamis. December 26, 2004 ring a bell, anyone?
1. Tornadoes. For obvious reasons, folks. They strike without warning and eat everything in their path, growing stronger as they do. They strike in areas where most people don't have the means to take the sort of shelter they should (i.e., underground, basements) and seem to really love trailor parks. Even with all of the tracking technology available, it seems these things strike without warning. Ask any victim. "How much time did you have once you heard the sirens?" The answer is always, "none". And the best movie on the subject is Twister, without a doubt. Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt are ex-partners who hunt tornadoes in Oklahoma (which as you know is right there in the alley). It's especially worthwhile to watch Phillip Seymour Hoffman's performance as a laid-back, frat bro-type sidekick.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Governor of Grammar
I met the governor of grammar today, and I'm not sure she likes me. I made a few minor changes to some copy she had written, mostly for word choice and sentence structure, but a few for grammar.
Don't you know she was all over me for an extraneous hyphen I inserted into an edit? I mean, she could've ignored the hyphen (I had forgotten the "easily remembered" rule) and not made a big deal of it, but instead she sent me an email WITH THE RULE EMBEDDED to make her point. Necessary?
Sigh. I know she wasn't happy I had edited the text in the first place, but really...
Don't you know she was all over me for an extraneous hyphen I inserted into an edit? I mean, she could've ignored the hyphen (I had forgotten the "easily remembered" rule) and not made a big deal of it, but instead she sent me an email WITH THE RULE EMBEDDED to make her point. Necessary?
Sigh. I know she wasn't happy I had edited the text in the first place, but really...
Out of the mouths of babes...
As so eloquently put by my four-year-old:
"Bubbie, I'll give you a buzz later"
"Rae Rae, you're sugar muffins."
"I touched Karina on the arm, but Ms. Karen says we're supposed to keep our hands on our own bodies."
"Mommy, you look fantastic.".
I love my child.
"Bubbie, I'll give you a buzz later"
"Rae Rae, you're sugar muffins."
"I touched Karina on the arm, but Ms. Karen says we're supposed to keep our hands on our own bodies."
"Mommy, you look fantastic.".
I love my child.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video
Have you seen this video created by Obama supporters? Some decent star power, including my Lost love, Harold Perrineau. Worth viewing.
The bugs are back!
School has notices up all over the place. Yep, the bugs have made a return visit to the classroom next door to Petra's. Damn friggen, nasty lice!
I can deal with almost any childhood ailment, save this one. Lice truly scare me to my core. And you know why: if Pet gets the bugs, mommy gets the bugs. It's just that simple.
Granted, we haven't had a sighting on the child yet, but I stress YET. It's only a matter of time.
If for some reason we end up dealing with this nightmare, I'm calling this woman. Apparently she's very effective and discreet. I don't care that she's more expensive per hour than daycare is. The point is, she GETS RID OF BUGS. And in my book, it would be the most worthwhile $300 bucks (give or take) ever spent.
I can deal with almost any childhood ailment, save this one. Lice truly scare me to my core. And you know why: if Pet gets the bugs, mommy gets the bugs. It's just that simple.
Granted, we haven't had a sighting on the child yet, but I stress YET. It's only a matter of time.
If for some reason we end up dealing with this nightmare, I'm calling this woman. Apparently she's very effective and discreet. I don't care that she's more expensive per hour than daycare is. The point is, she GETS RID OF BUGS. And in my book, it would be the most worthwhile $300 bucks (give or take) ever spent.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Thowl-ates
Nothing makes you feel better as a parent than knowing you've been putting harsh, potentially harmful chemicals, those used to make PLASTIC MORE FLEXIBLE, onto your infant child. NOTHING.
For those who haven't read the story on phthalates, click here. For those who have and can recommend some phthalate-free baby products, please note in the comments section.
Rae Rae and I greatly appreciate your help.
For those who haven't read the story on phthalates, click here. For those who have and can recommend some phthalate-free baby products, please note in the comments section.
Rae Rae and I greatly appreciate your help.
Still here
At the doctor's office. Once again, waiting. This time for results because they refuse to call you...no you have to sit here and wait for someone to read the damn scans.
So much for my 9am meeting...
So much for my 9am meeting...
Tick Tock
I am once again in the waiting room at the nearby doctor's office/hospital waiting for a damn diagnostic test. AGAIN.
I got here at 7:30am purposefully so I wouldn't have to wait 1 1/2 hours like I did on friday. And yet, it's already been 25 minutes and there is no sign of me being called soon.
I'm not sure these people *get* that I actually work for a living and cannot sit in a waiting room all day.
Lord, when did I get to be this bitchy?
I got here at 7:30am purposefully so I wouldn't have to wait 1 1/2 hours like I did on friday. And yet, it's already been 25 minutes and there is no sign of me being called soon.
I'm not sure these people *get* that I actually work for a living and cannot sit in a waiting room all day.
Lord, when did I get to be this bitchy?
Ouch
I have this horrid pain. It's sharp and debilitating, and it's all I can think about. I went to sleep with it, hoping it would abate, but it seemed so much worse when I awoke. Nothing I take makes it go away and I'm afraid I might just have to live with it.
This pain is excruciating and I have the damn New England Patriots to blame.
Would it have been asking too much for them to win this one game? No one will remember this 18-1 season except to say the Pats choked in the game that mattered.
Ouch! There it is again.
This pain is excruciating and I have the damn New England Patriots to blame.
Would it have been asking too much for them to win this one game? No one will remember this 18-1 season except to say the Pats choked in the game that mattered.
Ouch! There it is again.
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