Interesting research
Apr 7, 2003 Writing
I’m working on an article on cord blood banking and it’s been very interesting. This was something that they were just starting to talk about when we had Noah so I didn’t know much about it. I got a bunch of packets from private banks and when I read their info and watched their cute little CD-Roms, I completely bought into it. I was ready to sign and send a check right there and I won’t even have access to our next baby’s cord blood! Just goes to show you how convincing their spiels can be.
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Tags: Noah
I heart Alan Cumming (sigh)
Apr 7, 2003 Read/heard/seen
From his official website:
Alan has also completed the second in his series of specials for the Oxygen network, entitled Eavesdropping with Alan Cumming. “It’s not really a talk show because there are no sofas and we are moslty walking about outside, but there is a lot of talking,” he says. “I think of it as a conversation rather than an interview.”The first Eavesdropping saw Alan chat to Gwenyth Paltrow about her strict macrobiotic diet, but by the end of the show she was eating a turkey sandwich and french fries! In the second show, which will air in early 2003, Alan talks about the pressures of looking good in Hollywood with Halle Berry, and they end up eating hot chicken wings and tuna melts.
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Tags: Alan Cumming
The question of school
Apr 6, 2003 Homeschooling
My mom asked how Brett and I were going to handle Noah’s education next year since I’ll be working more. It’s not the time spent “teaching” that worries me, it’s the prep time. I keep scheduling the same four hour block. You know, “When Brett gets home from work, I’ll get on the computer.” “When Brett gets home from work, I’ll go running.” “When Brett gets home from work, I’ll plan for homeschooling.” etc. etc. At some point, I realized that I couldn’t do three or four things at once and I better start making some more realiastic plans.
I’m going to have to work in the evenings. There done. Scheduled. Now I have to fit the rest of my life in.
Well, I’ll run when I can. Wednesdays, maybe, during our weekly playdate and once a weekend. I can give up one hour in an evening to it, too. There, it’s scheduled. Next?
Homeschool prep. Sheesh. That’s a toughie. Hmmm. Aha! Curriculum! Yes, that’s it! In theory I’m against curriculum. In theory I’m all about unschooling. Now back to practical reality, I’m in the market for a curriculum. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Brett, homeschool, Homeschooling, my mom, Noah, unschool, unschooling
Day late and a dollar short
Apr 5, 2003 The Story of My Life
I’ve never done one before but here it goes: My first friday five:
1. How many houses/apartments have you lived in throughout your life?
A lot. I was born in California, moved to Virginia, then to Massachusetts, back to California, then to Chicago then to Ohio by the time I was 8. (No, my dad wasn’t in the army; we moved whenever he got promoted.) When I was 17 my mom bought a condo and we moved there and a year later I moved out to live with some friends. Stayed there a year and got my own apartment. A year after that, I moved in with Crazy Tracy then kicked her out and moved my brother in, then he left (sorry Mart) and Brett moved in. Then Brett and I moved to a suburb outside of Portland then we moved to a high-rise in Portland then to a dump on the edge of the city, then to a one bedroom across the way from the dump. Then we moved a little further out and then we moved back to Ohio and lived with my mom. Wait. I’m not done. Then we moved to a townhouse in Columbus, then we moved to a townhouse in a suburb of Columbus and then we moved here, to the house we’re in now.
2. Which was your favorite and why?
The house we moved to when I was 8 is my favorite because it’s the one I consider my childhood home. When I have dreams, they generally take place there.
3. Do you find moving house more exciting or stressful? Why?
Exciting. Probably because I moved so much when I was a kid.
4. What’s more important, location or price?
Location is important to me but because of the limits of the price we can offer, our location is not of my first choosing.
5. What features does your dream house have (pool, spa bath, big yard, etc.)?Lots of light, lots of greenery, lots of built in bookshelves.
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Changing my self-perception
Apr 5, 2003 Writing
I’ve always defined myself by my work roles and for the past six years I’ve been strictly a stay-at-home mom; it’s a huge part of my identity. We’ve made a lot (tons) of financial sacrifices to keep me at home and at the beginning, when I felt incredibly guilty for staying home and courting financial disaster, I was fierce about defending that choice. Not to Brett (Brett is very supportive and the commitment to having me home is one we share) but to any one who even raised an eyebrow at our sad and scary budget.
As time went on and we got better at living on less, I quit feeling so defensive and let myself relax into the role. I have a great community of fellow stay-at-home mom friends and our life is nicely arranged to suit the three of us. We have our couple friends, I have my mom friends, Noah has his kid friends. We have regular social outings, with Wednesdays being a high-light. My friend has an open house and all of our kids play while we mothers talk the afternoon away.
Some weeks I have a lot of work and then I call on “my village” (to use my friend’s term) to help me with Noah while I scramble to get stuff done. I celebrate by meeting my friends for coffee without the kids or we have a potluck at someone’s house and stay ’til 2am.
But now I have this job. Read the rest of this entry »