The Cosmetics Counter: Goatboy Soap

My mother-in-law actually discovered this. She has sever eczema and found that the mild soap and lotions produced by Goatboy Soaps really helped. Last year she bought me a few bars and I tried it and it is really great soap. It is especially excellent this time of year when skin gets so dry. My only complaint is that some of the scents are a bit overpowering. The scent doesn't transfer to your skin that strong, but the bar itself tends to be quite aromatic.

If you have very sensitive skin or any skin issue that soap usually irritates, I recommend you give this stuff a try.

Working Parent Magazine

I used to be a Parenting magazine subscriber, but I recently canceled my subscription because I find that more and more it is focussed only on stay-at-home moms. Somehow the magazine came up in conversation with my husband the other day and he was surprised when I told him that I had canceled and after I explained the reasons, he said I should start my own magazine and call it Working Mother. I told him there already was a magazine by that name.

Then he suggested I call it Working Parent. It really is a good idea. There is very little in the way of magazines and parenting resources that cater to the two working parent family. I would be really into something like that.

Unfortunately, I told my husband, I am too busy working to start a magazine!

I had to go all the way to Seattle to find this place!

In fact, I was in Seattle for a business trip and it turned out to be a great place to visit. I stayed at a terrific hotel -- the Hotel Monaco. If you ever have to go to Seattle, try and stay there. And make sure you request a goldfish for your room. It sounds silly, but they really are good company.

Pete the Magic Dragon

I'm sure everyone is familiar with Puff the Magic Dragon -- at the very least the song if not the cartoon movie as well. I think you have to have been a child in the late 70's to be familiar with that because it was released in 1978. Apparently Zoë's pre-school teacher has the actual movie on video and she brought it in for the kids to watch -- which is exactly what they did yesterday instead of going outside in the rain.

Today someone brought in the movie Pete's Dragon for the kids to watch. This is a Disney movie that is similar and was actually released in 1977 before "Puff" (which is not how I remembered it, but I was only 6 at the time so I am clearly not a reliable source.) Looks like people were capitalizing on (and improving on) Disney success even 30 years ago.

Anyway, the end results is that Zoë is now convinced that Puff and Pete's dragon, Elliot, are the same dragon and that Pete and Jackie Paper are the same boy. Somehow in her mind one story bled right into the next and there is absolutely no convincing her otherwise.

I find this appalling. Everyone knows that Puff is the one true dragon and Pete's dragon is simply a manifestation.

Two Worlds

Zoë recently remarked:

"Stuffed animals live in two worlds. They live here as stuffed animals and they're real in the other world."

The Cosmetics Counter: ChapStick

For my first Cosmetics Counter post of 2007 I think it is time for a little back-to-basics. There was an article in the NY Times today about skin care products and the thrust of the story was dermatologists saying all the expensive creams and potions (think La Mer) are really not worth it and all you really need is some mild soap to clean your face, moisturizer, and sunscreen. The only additional elements in my own skin care regimen are eye cream (I get terrible dark circles) and ChapStick (I get very chapped lips).

I could give up the eye cream, but never the ChapStick. I take ChapStick with me everywhere. And I mean ChapStick brand because the imitations are just not as good so keep your Blistex or Carmex or whatever else. Classic is the best, but Cherry is good too.

A little late, but still cute

Christmas morning picture of Zoë. The vanity was a hug hit -- good job Santa Claus!