8 Random Things

Taking on another tag from my friend on the sofa here's 8 random things...

1. I love Friday afternoon. The whole weekend is still ahead. It is a wonderful thing to know that work is just about to go on temporary hold.
   
2. I would go to a movie at the movie theater every week if I possibly could. Before I had Zoë, I pretty much did. Renting movies is just not the same for me. I like the whole experience of sitting in the dark theater, the popcorn, the leaving everything else behind for 2 hours or so.
   
3. I had no idea how much having a baby would change my life and I'm glad I never stopped to think about it before I did because maybe I never would have.
4. I would be happy to eat only pizza and ice cream for the rest of my days and if I didn't worry about my weight that's probably about all I would eat. Seriously.
5. I recently got addicted to satellite radio (also known as "radio crack") and I love the station that is all New Wave hits from the 80's, but it was a scary moment when I realized that all that music is at least 20 years old! When I make Zoë listen to it in the car I am basically subjecting her to "oldies."
6. It is harder than it seems to come up with "8 Random Things" that are at all interesting. I actually started this post on Friday and as of this morning I still only had 5. I think this one is kind of cheating and maybe I should change the name of my post to "7 Random Things and One Cop Out."
7. If I shopped less I could probably go on more vacations, but then what would I wear?
8. Speaking of shopping, I sometimes wish I could empty out my house and start over. From sheets and towels to the sofa. It would be so fun to pick out all new stuff. I mean how often do you get to go shopping for furniture for an entire room?
   

Tis the Season for a Recital

Here's a picture from the previously mentioned recital starring my niece, Sophia. (The handsome guy with her is my brother.)


And here's a photo from Zoë's recital held last night. It was adorable.

Hey Jealousy

It is so interesting (and sometimes annoying) to witness the open jealousy of children. Zoe is not afraid to admit when she is jealous -- which is something I encourage in her because I think it is better for her to talk about it than to go around biting or something similarly violent or destructive. Most frequent bouts of jealousy occur when I am holding someone else's baby. There fore there was nothing surprising about yesterday's attack of the green-eyed monster except that it came up so late in the day. We went to see my niece's dance recital and Zoe sat quite well through the hour plus show. She only got fidgety in the last 15 minutes, but by that point I think everyone was feeling that way. She seemed genuinely excited to see her cousin perform as well as watch all the other performances. I was waiting for the jealousy to strike and was surprised when it didn't come.

After the performance we all went to lunch and that is when the attack came on suddenly. I was not expecting to look over at her and see she was crying -- apparently because she wasn't sitting next to me. At that point there was no way to move seats so she could be next to me -- rather than just across from me. My husband and my brother did their best to try and draw her out of it, but she would not budge from her pout. It wasn't until she got taken to sit in the car with my husband that she finally came out of it.

It was a divided moment for me. On one hand I felt for her, but on the other hand I was incredibly frustrated by her. I think it is important that she learn that it is not all about her all of the time, but I know that is a hard lesson.

Google humor

Go to Google, enter "New York to London", click maps. Look at step #21.

He does exist!

Fresh from Disney World...Zoe and "the real Eeyore."

Happy Mother's Day

It's kind of a funny day, isn't it? You're obligated to do something nice for your mother today. I think I'd prefer that sort of thing came naturally. Maybe it's just me, but even now that I am a mom myself, I still don't really get Mother's Day. I tend to think it is just a big ploy designed by the phone company and the florists. I'm not much for flowers or chats on the phone, I guess. Guilt does amazing things for capitalism.

Seriously, however, I do now appreciate what a difficult job it is to be a mother and I do feel that mothers everywhere deserve recognition and appreciation. Its just that I feel they deserve it on a daily basis rather than annually. And curmudgeon that I pretend I am, I must admit that it was nice to be together with my family today and enjoy time with my nieces and nephews especially. :-)

I don't want to go/I don't want to leave

Every weekday morning I drop Zoë off at school and she almost never wants to go. Her behavior ranges from putting on a brave face to the rare, but never-the-less traumatic mini-tantrum as I try to leave and go to work.

Every afternoon after work when I get to school to pick Zoë up she doesn't want to leave. Her reaction at seeing me ranges from excited, but distracted to out and out disappointment.

Bath time is the same routine. She will do nearly anything to get out of taking a bath, but then once she's in the nice warm bath and splashing around with all her toys, she doesn't want to get out.

What is that? Seriously.

My theory is that it is a kind of training for having a teenager, but then again maybe it is just a special torture that only 5 year olds know how to inflict.

The Bookish Meme

I am finally getting around to responding to my official "tagging" from my friend "Musing from the sofa."

What's more diverting than a little survey of sorts about books!?

Hb, trade pb, or mass market pb?
Frankly, I prefer mas market pb because I like the way they stack up on my book shelves. It is an edition that is harder and harder to come by in books I want to read, however.

Amazon or brick and mortar?
I am all about Amazon. My cart is my running list of books I want to buy. It makes for a very handy log. I also love buying used books through the "marketplace" for $1.00. It amuses me to pay more for shipping than I do for the actual book. I love being able go book shopping or browsing at any time of the day or night. That being said, I do enjoy a leisurely trip to Barnes and Noble -- especially the one in Union Square and most especially when I am there with my husband.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?
Barnes & Noble. When they built that massive 4-story B&N in Union Square and I was living walking distance from the place it was the beginning of a long love affair. I actually met one serious boyfriend there. (Keith, that's you if you're reading this.) I tend to think of all other B&N stores are good, but miniature imitations of that store and it brings back good memories. Even though I can currently walk to a Borders I find their organization a little confusing, but Zoë does love their children's section. That has saved many a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Bookmark or dogear?
Dogear?! Who would do such a thing? Please.

Alphabetize by author, title or random?
Random by general category (fiction, poetry, etc.) and then size. I alphabetized once, but then Zoë got to be about 14 months and started to enjoy pulling the books from the shelf and throwing them. It got too hard to always put them back in order. I've learned to live with a little more disorder in my life since having a child.

Keep, throw away, or sell?
Keep by default, but I have sold a few disappointments on the Amazon marketplace. Occasionally, I just give away when I am starting to run out of shelf space.

Keep dustjacket or toss it?
Keep, but remove while reading.

Short story or novel?
Both. I love short stories and in a way a good collection of short stories can feel like the experience of reading a novel. I'll take either.

Collection of short stories or anthology?
Collection, for sure. Especially for the reason expressed above -- I love a cohesive collection.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
Neither. I haven't read either and I have no plans to do so. Unless, of course, Zoë discovers one or both which I suppose is inevitable. Ask me again in 3 to 5 years.

Stop reading when tired or chapter breaks?
When tired. I usually give up when the book falls on my face because I have fallen asleep reading it. That is usually after several re-reads of the same two sentences. I have never been able to force my way through the tiredness no matter how much I wanted to keep reading.

"It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"
"Once upon a time." I'm not a big mystery fan. I find I either figure them out early on or miss the mystery all together because I wasn't paying enough attention while reading.

Buy or borrow?
Buy. I love to own the book. I don't mind lending, but I prefer to read my own copy of something. I am not a good library patron either.

New or used?
Either. I love buying new books, but there is something romantic and ecological feeling about getting a used book. I often wonder about who else read the same book.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?
Book reviews or browse. I don't know what it is about recommendations that frequently turn me off. It is a strange character flaw.

Morning, afternoon, or nighttime reading?
Anytime I get the chance, but my newest favorite time is in the morning when I just wake up and it isn't time to get out of bed yet. That is a very relaxing way to start the day.

Favourite series?
I can't say I really have one. I am not a big series reader. I can't even think of one that I liked right now besides the "Little House on the Prairie" books I read as a kid.

Favourite children's book?
As stated above the "Little House on the Prairie" books, "Bridge to Teribithia", "Madeline", "Click Clack Moo" and "The Giant Jam Sandwich."

Favourite books read last year?
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Jane Eyre (re-read)
Pride and Prejudice (re-read)
Wicked

Least favourite book finished last year?
My Name Is Red

What are you reading now?
All the King's Men. I cannot wait for it to be over. I would give up, but it is for book club. Talk about verbose!

What are you reading next?
Not sure. Probably some chick lit as antidote to the above selection.

My Little Pony vs. Superman

The other night we were at the supermarket which happens to have a toy/kid's books and movies aisle. (How come our local Grand Union didn't have that when I was a kid???) Zoë asked if she could get "something" -- her desired "something" being a book. Pleeeease.

She's been into those $3.95 "My Little Pony" books lately and they had a few that she was looking at until she saw the Spiderman book.

She clutched the book to herself, she turned to me, "Mom, can I please, please, please get this Spiderman book?" she begged. Of course, I said yes. It's an incredibly watered down version of the plot of the new Spiderman 3 movie that is coming out.

Looks like Spidey trumps Rarity and the gang in Zoë's book and it's just one of the many, many things I love about her.

Website of the Week (or there abouts): True Mom Confessions

True Mom Confessions

It's like a real life version of taxi-cab confessions. Some of them are hilarious, some of them I can click the "me too" button for and some are kind of sad, but they're all interesting to read.

What's your confession?

M.O.

M.O. also known as Mommy Only.

Seems like most kids go through it a few times at different ages. M.O. is when the only person in the world who can do whatever is required, who can possibly soothe or feed or read to is, of course, Mommy. M.O. means lots of crying, clinging, separation anxiety and "no Daddy." It can truly be exhausting.

But secretly, deep down (really, way down) most Moms will admit that M.O. is also the ultimate confirmation that Mom really does know best.

5 years/50,000 miles

Zoë had her 5 year-old check up today. She is, as expected, the picture of health. Not short, not tall; not skinny, not fat; can hear and see, no curvature of the spine -- all that good stuff.

I actually came to the appointment prepared with a list of questions:
Q - Are the night time leg pains growing pains? Is there such a thing?
A - Yes, they are growing pains.

Q - She writes some letters backwards, but inconsistently. Should I be concerned?
A - No. That's normal -- especially for letters like "S."

Q - Should she take vitamins?
A - Only if you think so because she doesn't eat enough fruits and vegetables. (Can someone introduce me to the kid who does?)

Q - Is she ready for kindergarten?
A - She's so ready she will be the mayor of the school.

Gotta love that last answer -- especially coming from Zoë's doctor. He's more than a doctor and its hard to explain what I mean unless you've brought your very sick baby to someone and they have both helped you and her feel better.

O.K. I promise to move on to acceptance, but let me just say one last time that I can't believe Zoë is 5 already.

From this...


To this...


In only 5 years!

The effect was slight

Certainly the spin on this story in today's NY Times will not be using this quote from the second paragraph:

The effect was slight, and well within the normal range for healthy children, the researchers found. And as expected, parents’ guidance and their genes had by far the strongest influence on how children behaved.

I find it infuriating that the rest of the article goes on in a very biased manner to say that children who go to daycare are simply poorly behaved. The level of that misbehavior is barely described and the actual affect on the classroom is not even mentioned.

Daycare is a fact of life. And as far as I am concerned, some amount of preschool should be mandatory. My reaction to this is that teachers need to develop modern strategies to deal with the behaviors instead of relying on 60 year-old concepts where kids were largely coming from no previous experience with a school setting.

What were you doing five years ago?

Zoë's birthday was yesterday. She's five years old now. Five! Damn time flies.

I got a well-timed email from a friend yesterday who said, "Trivia question: What were you doing five years ago today?"

Ouch! Did that ever bring back some painful memories. Zoë was born at 3:42 PM and the time stamp on the email was 12: 37 PM. That meant that five years ago at that moment I was just about to start 3 hours of pushing. Yes, 3 hours. That was definitely not the fun part -- especially when they turned off the magic epidural.

---

On a lighter note...I am getting great amusement out of Zoë's list of birthday presents. They are:

1. Fisher Price Mega T-Rex
   (this was a specific request)
2. Make-up (for kids)
3. An electric pencil sharpener
4. A flashlight that you have to shake (no batteries)
5. Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera
6. A book on reptiles
7. A compass
8. A purse with butterflies embroidered on it
9. Rubber snakes (which promptly found a home in the above purse)

She has quite diverse tastes, huh?

Does it suck?

Wondering if that new cell phone you're thinking about is cool or not? Thinking about going to a movie, but aren't sure if its any good? Well, then this new site is for you! It is sucks/rocks.

When you enter a search term, sucks/rocks searches the web for several positive and negative phrases using that term. The score is the fraction of positive results to the sum of positive and negative results, normalized to 10. You can stack up results next to each other so if you wanted to decide what movie to see you can enter the titles of 4 or 5 movies and see which one got more positive ratings.

I'm not sure how scientific it really is, but it is cool none-the-less.

Congratulations R.E.M.

Anyone who knew me in th 80's and early 90's knows what a huge R.E.M. fan I am. I own every CD they have ever issued. That is why I am happy to say congratulations to them tonight as they are being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

Also included in this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class are:
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five -- tell me you don't remember dancing to "White Lines"???)
The Ronettes
Patti Smith
Van Halen (with Sammy or David, I wonder?).

And if you're ever in Cleveland be sure to check out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum. It is a great time.

Disney Dreams

The other day at school Zoë had to create a little book about her dream. Her teacher showed me her book and told me what an amazing job she had done. I was proud before I even saw the book, but after I saw it I felt a little like Mom of the year.

Zoë's dream book was about Disney World. The first page of the book had Mickey Mouse standing on top of a rainbow, the next page was a drawing of an airplane and the last page was some kind of ride.

Do you think Zoë is excited about our upcoming trip to Disney, or what?

Questions: Anyone out there have suggestions or hints about what we should be sure to do for Zoe's first visit?

American Idol Review 2

It's definitely going to be a woman idol this year. They are soooo much stronger than the men! A league above! I also feel that I could be the 4th judge on the show. I take notes while watching ( I know a little obsessive) & as the contestants sing, I write down my thoughts on the song choice, the actual performance, etc. On most, I could read the judges words almost verbatim. Funny. I'll keep waiting for the fourth judge position to become available.

OK, down to business. The men were in a word, boring, last night. The 3 that I liked were the following: Blake, Sundance, & Chris S. Not all perfect performances, but somewhat memorable. Blake chose the correct song for his style, despite some of the off-key parts. I still thought he was true to himself & showed a younger style. (I was also proud of myself when Randy said he didn't know who or what that song was & I shouted to the TV, "It's 3-11!" It made me feel just a little more with it.)
I think Sundance chose a good song, but it wasn't perfect. I hope he'll be in the top 12. I'm sure with a little direction he will really shine. Chris Sligh was the best of the night. He just did a great job with his song. I didn't know what song it was, but I really liked it.
The rest were OK. Sanjaya...I'm going to die of boredom watching him. Don't even get me started on the fact he should not be here this week.... Jared is good, but it's so hard to pick a Stevie Wonder song. Leave Stevie out of it!
I think that Sanjaya and Brandon will go home tomorrow.


A lot more to say about the women. My favorites, and not necessarily in this order, are Stephanie, LaKisha, Gina, and Melinda. Stephanie picked a great song. That is absolutely one of my favorites, whether Chaka Khan or Mary J. sings it. It's just such a great song. Stephanie did a great job putting some of her own touches into it, so I didn't totally agree with the judges on that. I keep forgetting that she is so young with her great stage presence. What do I need to say about LaKisha? She brought tears to my eyes. She has permission to take on Whitney!! Gina was great tonight, I thought. She's very powerful and I really just like her personality. I think she chose a great song tonight. Melinda was truly the best of the night. She has an amazing voice & when she gets on stage, it's like she's playing a role. I just think she's wonderful. I predict her to be one of the top 2, if not the winner.
The rest of the women were pretty good. I just felt that most of them were nothing special, as Randy said, they didn't have the "Yo!" Admittedly, Antonella did better tonight; she definitely picked a better song than previous weeks. Again, how is she still here? She cannot compare to the other strong perfomers. Haley's song was cheesy & not a stand out at all. She strikes me as a Disney World singer or something. Can't you just see her performing as Cinderella or Snow White? She has a good voice, but she is not the American Idol. That will be due to poor song choice. I think that Antonella & Haley will go home tomorrow.

At this point, I'm looking ahead to the top 12 so I can see who will be singing on tour this summer. Hopefully, all my favorites. Until tomorrow night, Samantha's Mom....out. :)

The Care Crisis

Having just lived through the Plague of 2007, this article "The Care Crisis", really hit home. I highly recommend reading the entire piece.

The thing I find so frustrating is that this is not just a women's issue -- it is an issue for everyone and yet it seems to fall on the shoulders of women alone. Once in awhile when my defences are way down I allow myself to wonder...What would I do if Zoe were really sick? How would I be able to take care of her without it affecting my job or income? There are no easy answers and that is the part that scares me.

American Idol Review

OK, I thought I would wait until both the boys & girls competed before I had any comments. So, let's start with the boys.

This week, the front runners in my opinion are Chris Sligh, Blake, & Sundance. I thought Chris Sligh did an awesome job. He just really showed his voice off well. I thought Blake chose the perfect song. Jamiroqui is perfect for his personality & voice (and yes, I know who he is, Randy!!!) Finally Sundance!!!! Strong voice, good song choice. It's about time that he showed his true colors.
Speaking of "True Colors", I was disappointed with Brandon because he is really good. That song was so wimpy sounding. He either should have really belted it out or chose a different song. I really want to like Phil, but there is just something cheesy about him. I can't quite put my finger on it. I also really want to like Nick, but he didn't "wow" me. Sanjaya, Sanjaya, Sanjaya....where to begin. I think I will just say, YOU'RE 17!!!! Enough said.

For the girls, I love Gina, Melinda, Jordan, Stephanie, LaKisha, & Sabrina. I think it's fair to say this could be a girl-heavy top 12. Gina chose the right song & I've liked her from the start. I think Simon is a little too hard on her. Melinda was absolutely the best tonight. She is exactly what Simon says, humble & sweet, but super talented. (OK, so he didn't say it quite like that.) Jordan is incredible for 17 or any age for that matter. Her voice reminds me a little of Lisa Tucker from last season. Stephanie was really great, but I'm not familiar with that Beyonce song, so I wasn't catching the similarity to the original. (I guess I'm getting old.) LaKisha did a great job this week. I thought that she made the "Midnight Train to Georgia" her own without going too far. It's pretty hard to not copy a song as well known and to take on Gladys Knight. LaKisha is about the only one that can do it. I think it was hard to top her performance last week. Sabrina definitely has a voice. It will be interesting to see how far she goes.

OK, along with the good must come the bad....Need I say anything about Antonella??? She is going home this week. In her little chat with Ryan before her performance she said this song fit her better. Was she kidding??? A young girl should never sing Celine Dion. Never! Not to mention how off it was. To quote Randy, "It was a little pitchy."

Another thought, white girls should never scat sing. Let's leave that to jazz singers...real jazz singers, like from the 1940's or so. Next, comes poor Alaina. She was just all over the place. She just can't hold her own with Melinda & LaKisha. I feel a little sorry for her. I can't even remember what she sang tonight. It just wasn't that great. I can remember that it was all off key.

Last but not least, Haley. What happened to her saying last week, "I'm going to stick with songs that I think fit me."? She totally took Simon's advice of changing that image & went off the deep end. I think her arrogance last week just put a sour taste in my mouth. She doesn't have a bad voice, just bad song choice.

Advice to the girls: DON'T CHOOSE ANY SONGS BY WHITNEY, CELINE, OR CHRISTINA! I'm sure there are others, but they are escaping me. So, the women I think are going to go home this week are Antonella & Alaina. We'll see. I thought Antonella was going last week & was wrong. Samantha's Mom...out.

American Idol Update

AI Update contributed by SamanthasMom:

Do not read if you have not watched the 2/22 results show.

Who doesn't like LaKisha? She is just awesome.

I really like Gina & have from the start.

Just so everyone knows, Celine Dion did not sing that song "All by Myself" first. I believe it was Melissa Manchester or someone like that. Gina definitely sang it better than her.

Antonella should have gone home. Her performance was awful.

I thought Alaina (the girl who sang "Brass in My Pocket") I think that was her name, should go. Basically, all the scrawny white girls need to go. Amy & Nicole were interchangeable with how they looked. Nicole's choice of song was what made her go home. I think she actually has a good voice. You know what they say..."song choice, song choice, song choice"!

I really don't love the girl from San Antonio, Haley. I hate that Celine song that she sang. It's so over the top & oversung. (If that's a word.) What put me over the edge was how snotty she was to the constructive criticism. I thought Simon was right on target. The song made her seem too old.

For the guys, I thought that Paul Kim shouldn't have gone. He, I think, would have done well in the coming weeks.

Chris R. (bald, not curly hair) was pretty non-descript & should have gone.

Jared sounded so nasally.

I really want Sundance to do well, since he did well in the beginning. He needs to shed the beard, though.

I really like Blake (beat box guy). I thought he had a little "Sting" sound going.

I also like Brandon, the back up singer.

MomsRising

There is a great article in the NYTimes about MomsRising.org.

From the website:

MomsRising has a goal of bringing millions of people, who all share a common concern about the need to build a more family-friendly America, together as a non-partisan force for 2008 and beyond. This grassroots, online effort is mobilizing mothers, and all who have mothers, across America as a cohesive force for change. Started this May 2006, MomsRising already has over 50,000 citizen members, as well as more than fifty (and growing) aligned national organizations, working together to create positive solutions for the future.

The Last Number

Zoe and I often have this conversation:

Me: I love you.
Zoë: I love you too.
Me: I love you three.
Zoë: I love you ten.
Me: I love you fifty.

And on and on with escalating numbers including multiple googols and petabytes.

But I think Zoë trumped me once and for all the other day when she said:

I love you the last number.

They say that February is the shortest month...

Time for my annual February post...

(from Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins)


They say that February is the shortest month, but you know they could be wrong.

Compared, calendar page against calendar page, it looks to be the shortest, all right. Spread between January and March like lard on bread, it fails to reach the crust on either slice. In its galoshes it's a full head shorter than December, although in leap years, when it has growth spurts, it comes up to April's nose.

However more abbreviated than it's cousins it may look, February feels longer than any of them. It is the meanest moon of winter, all the more cruel because it will masquerade as spring, occasionally for hours at a time, only to rip off it's mask with a sadistic laugh and spit icicles into every gullible face, behavior that grows quickly old.

Febuary is pitiless, and it's boring. That parade of red numerals on its page adds up to zero: birthdays of politicians, a holiday reserved for rodents, what kind of celebrations are those? The only bubble in the flat champagne of February is Valentine's Day. It was no acident that our ancestors pinned Valentine's day on February's shirt: he or she lucky enough to have a lover in frigid, antsy February has cause for celebration, indeed.

Except to the extent that it "tints the buds and swells the leaves within" February is as useless as the extra r in it's name. It behaves like an obstacle, a wedge of slush and mud and ennui holding both progress and contentment at bay.

If February is the color of lard on rye, its aroma is that of wet wool trousers. As for sound, it is an abstract melody played on a squeaky violin, the petty whine of a shrew with cabin fever. O February, you may be little but you're small! Where you twice your tiresome length, few of us would survive to greet the merry month of May.

Helpdesk: the early days

This is too funny not to share:

I'm not the overprotective one

This weekend I realized something that came as quite a surprise to me. Between my husband and I, I am not the overprotective one. I don't know why I just assumed that role would be filled by me, but now I see clearly that it is not me at all and it is all my husband. Happily, he now owns up to it as well.

On Friday Zoë came down with a fever. Of course, she did not have a fever when I dropped her off at daycare, but her teacher called by 10 AM saying I had to come pick her up which I did promptly. It was out of the blue and it was 102.8 for most of the day despite Tylenol. On the way home I called my husband who was quite alarmed and was ready to call the pediatrician. I said I really didn't think it was necessary at this point especially since she had no other symptoms, but he wanted to. "So call," I told him. He did and the nurse explained that we didn't need to bring her in yet, but we should watch her. I resisted saying "I told you so."

She still had a fever Saturday night and early Sunday morning, but by around 7:30 AM her temperature was normal and when that continued despite being awake and running around the house I saw that she was on the mend. My husband, on the other hand, insisted on taking her to the pediatrician. He would not hear that she had no fever and she was looking a lot better. So off the doctor we went. (I considered staying home, but worried what a terrible mother I would be if it turned out something serious was wrong.) In the waiting room we watched as she played with every available toy with her usual abundant energy. My husband turned to me and said, "Who's sick?" and I said, "Not her." He sighed and said something about being glad we came anyway.

After waiting for our turn and the doctor's prognosis declaring her to be getting over a virus -- nothing to worry about, my husband bravely said to our doctor, "For the record, I am the one who wanted to come."

Get a life

Back in November I wrote an entry about Second Life and just recently someone sent me this link: http://www.getafirstlife.com/

My favorite is "Find out where you actually live."

Website of the Week: LibraryThing

Do you like to read? Are you slightly OCD? Yes? Then boy do I have a site for you...LibraryThing!

LibraryThing lets you create a library type catalog of your books. There is the ubiquitous tagging, connecting with other users through the many, many groups and recommendations. Recommendations are based on several different criteria so you can pick the one that works for you. The service even includes a blog widget which you will see I have started using if you look to the right ----->

I am thinking of starting a separate account for Zoë. The kids' lists are not nearly as expansive as the adult lists, but it might be fun anyway and it might help drive expansion in that area. I am always looking for new kids' books for Zoë and to give as gifts.

Change is good

I decided it was time for a new look.

Still working out the kinks/deciding if I like all the pink...

A great baby gift

If you're looking for a great baby gift, I have just the thing...Pampers gift certificates! I was given these when Zoe was born, I've given this gift a couple of times now and I am just about to give it again. It is always well received. I know I loved it. No, it's not the most personal or sentimental gift, but it is incredibly useful and helpful.

The gift certificates are good for any kind of Pampers and are available in 1 month supply to 2 year supply. A 1 month supply equals 4 packs of diapers. Believe me with all the expenses of a new baby, even a one month supply is really nice to have. The recipient gets a booklet of coupons that can be used anywhere diapers are sold. You simply bring the diapers and the coupon to the register and the entire price of the diapers is taken off your bill.

The Plank

OK I am into going to the gym, but Yoga has never really been my thing. However, I might just be changing my mind. A friend of mine showed me the "plank pose" the other day recommending it as a good ab work out. Not only is it an excellent ab work out, it is also great for the arms. It is a killer pose and I can only hold it for 15 to 30 seconds at a time.

So there I am on the floor this morning doing my plank pose and in walks Zoë. She immediately gets on the floor and assumes the same pose and proceeds to hold the pose for a good 3 or 4 minutes effortlessly. Amazing!

One of Zoë's teachers has started teaching them yoga lately and Zoë just loves it. She is, like most kids, incredibly flexible so it comes pretty easily and she just loves any kind of physical activity. What I would love to find is a parent child yoga class because I think doing it with Zoë would be really fun (although I am sure a little frustrating when we're comparing flexibility and strength!). I wonder if any such class exists? Or maybe a DVD?

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!

The One True Santa

About a week ago I took Zoë to a Christmas party at the school where my mother teaches. One of her fellow teachers agreed to dress up as Santa and distribute gifts to all the kids. It was a very nice party and Zoë was thrilled to see Santa up close and personal. You could tell she believed that was Santa Claus.

This past weekend we went to get our Christmas Tree at Jones Tree Farm in Shelton, CT. We cut our own and this year we got a really nice Douglas Fir. After we chose our tree we went to the gift shop area and guess who was there? Santa, of course. Zoë wanted to go see him, but when she got up to him she wouldn't even speak. I snapped this picture and as we walked away I asked her what was wrong.

"Mom, that's not Santa," she whispered. "He's not the same."
"Uh, well," I stammered and stalled for a few minutes until I came up with this one. "That's not the real Santa that we saw the other day. That's one of Santa's elves dressed up like Santa."
"An elf?" Zoë looked very disbelieving.
"Yes, elves help Santa with visits this time of year because there is so much to do getting ready for Christmas Eve."

After a bit more convincing and some help from Zoë's wonderful Aunt Brenda, she seemed to believe us. A little later we went back over to where Santa was and saw a little girl going up to see Santa. Zoë promptly announced, "That's not the real Santa!" I quickly hushed her and tried to explain that not everyone knew that.

I wonder how long it will be before she puts all the pieces together?

The Birthday Party Diaries

It seems like just about every other weekend Zoë has a birthday party to go to. Between all the gifts and the mandatory pizza and cake one could seriously go broke and get fat in a big hurry. I don't actually mind going to the parties because it is nice to get a chance to chat with other working moms and because Zoë almost always has a really good time. Actually all the kids seem to love the parties which is kind of funny to me because it is a bit like a busman's holiday when you think about it. It's just like daycare in a new setting.

If the party is held at some kind of party place Zoe usually asks if her birthday party can be at that place too. So far in the last month she has changed her mind 3 times. Today's party was at The Little Gym and that is now the desired location of her "five birthday." Not including her first birthday, I have yet to throw Zoe a "proper party" with all her daycare friends and all the regular birthday accoutrements. We have just celebrated at the house with a couple of kids, some cake and a few goody bags. The writing is on the wall: I am not going to get away with that this year.

I do not want 20 4- and 5-year-olds in my house so we will definitely be going to one of those party places. They are a good racket, that is for sure. They are not cheap, but having now been to a lot of them, I see that they are worth it. Even if it is just for the no 20 kids with noisemakers in my house factor.

Website of the Week: Enlighten Holiday Party Excuse Generator

'Tis the Season for all kinds of festivities. Anyone who knows anyone has no doubt been invited to at least a party or two. But some parties are more appealing than others, right? So, Enlighten Holiday Party Excuse Generator is here to help! All you have to do is answer a few simple questions about the upcoming event and the perfect little excuse note is generated for you.

You've just got to try it for yourself!

A wish for a Christmas tree

I'm not sure when it was that Zoë got it into her head that she wanted her own Christmas tree in her room, but she has been voicing this request for awhile. So, the other day when I was at Target (you can always count on Target), I happened to see the perfect little tree. It is about 2 feet tall, comes in a little red pot and has lights already strung around it. (It is fake, of course.) I bought it and after building up that I had a surprise for her, I finally gave it to her on Sunday night. She was thrilled!

Last night when we got home from work and school she went up to her room and proceeded to decorate the tree. She used ribbon from a gift bow and her play money. We all had the same reaction -- "It's a money tree!" I will have to post a picture because it was quite creatively done. For the past two nights she has slept with the tree plugged in and lit right next to her bed.

Not sure, but I think she expects Santa to deliver her gifts to her very own tree.

Website of the Week: Pacific Whale

Can I still call this "Website of the Week" even if I don't update it exactly weekly? Well, it is my blog so I guess I can! Besides, I like the alliteration.

OK, now on to the website. Pacific Whale (pacificwhale.org) is a site dedicated to protecting the whales and dolphins of the Pacific Ocean. They have all kinds of educational information including kids' camps and ocean cruises and other eco-tours (of course, you have to be in Australia, Hawaii, or California to participate).

Plus, if you are looking for a holiday gift for the person in your life who is somewhat ecologically minded or even a child who is into sea life, you can adopt a whale or a dolphin. Adoption packages start at $35 and you get an adoption certificate for a named whale or dolphin.

The Cosmetics Counter: CoverGirl Lipslicks Lipgloss

I'm not usually one for CoverGirl or really most make-up that can purchased at CVS, but I have to admit I am a fan of this one particular product. CoverGirl Lipslick Lipgloss is really sheer and light. My two favorite shades are Hipster and Demure (admittedly they are the only two I have tried). It is the kind of lipstick that can be applied anywhere -- I mean, it should go on your lips, but you don't need to be in front of a mirror. I keep a tube in my office desk drawer and it is perfect for a quick application just before a meeting or whatever. Plus, it is really cheap -- at around $4 a tube so you can afford to have a few.

Stuffing

Actual conversation had with Zoë on Thanksgiving day:

Me: So, are you going to try the turkey?
Zoë: No.
Me: What are you going to eat? How about mashed potatoes?
Zoë: No. I want to try the cranberry sauce.
Me: Cranberry sauce is good.
Zoë: And stuffing.
Me: Stuffing is delicious. I am sure you are going to like it.
Zoë: I know I am going to like it. (pause) Mom? What's stuffing made of? Is it made of stuffed animals?
Me: Stuffed animals?
Zoë: Yeah. Is it the stuffing from stuffed animals?
Me: I don't think so.
Zoë: I do.
Me: And you still want to eat it?
Zoë: Yes.
Me: OK

Website of the Week: Go Fug Yourself

Go Fug Yourself. I've actually been a fan of this site for quite some time. It's one of my favorites for the morning or afternoon coffee break. If you enjoy fashion and especially the worst-dressed list, this site is for you. To be fair, they do give credit where credit is due.

In case you're not sure what "Fug" mean, be sure to check out their FAQ page.

The heart of a stuffed animal

I was talking with Zoë tonight and she told me the following facts about stuffed animals:

1. They can grow up.
2. They have hearts, but their hearts are a different color than ours -- they are white.
3. The white hearts make white blood.
4. The white blood is called stuffing.

In case you were wondering, now you know from an expert.

A face in the bubbles

Why are pictures of kids in the bath so cute? I love this one, but don't tell her ENT doctor because she doesn't have her earplugs in.

The Momtini?

I find it amusing that this story is actually news -- as in it is some kind of new development. I would guess that mom and drinking have gone together a lot longer than mom and apple pie.

And if you want to laugh some more definitely check out the blog mentioned in the article: Suburban Bliss. I've never met this woman, but I can tell I would like her.

The Cosmetics Counter: OH...To Be 25 Again!

Of course, we would all like to be 25 again, right? Well don't get your hopes up, this product is not a fountain of youth. Instead it is a terrific new shade of nail polish created by OPI as part of the 25th anniversary line.

According to all the fashionistas out there short, dark nails are the thing to have this year and this is the perfect shade for achieving just the right look. OH...To Be 25 Again is a rich dark brown -- just dark enough to be trendy, but not so dark it looks goth.

The look, and especially this color have completely revived my love of a good manicure. It makes for a nice pedicure too.

Website of the Week: Second Life

I suspect I am the last person to hear about this site, but just in case there are few people out there who might happen upon the this blog and also have not heard of this site, here is your chance to get in the know.

Second Life is basically like one of the Sims games only you're not the only one playing in this world. Over a million other people are too.

From the site itself:

Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by a total of 1,243,436 people from around the globe.

This looks so really cool and absorbing and I did spend about an hour exploring the other day, but I came to the sad conclusion that I don't have nearly enough time these days to spend any significant time on this site. And you definitely need time to make this work well for you.

This is kind of a strange recommendation, right? Do as I say, not as I do. However, if you're into these kinds of games and you make time in your life for them already and as mentioned above you are among the microcosm of people who haven't yet heard of the site, all I'm saying is it might be worth your while to check this out. At the very least you will now know what the heck people are talking about.

The Cosmetics Counter: bareMinerals

A good friend recently turned me on to bareMinerals line and I admit I was skeptical, but the products actually work quite well. I don't like to wear liquid foundation because I don't need much coverage, but traditional powder compacts tend to wear off so quickly. bareMinerals foundation is a happy medium and you can put it on lightly or add more layers as you like. Plus, I don't know how, but it is SPF15 which is always a good thing.

I bought the starter kit and it comes with 2 shades of foundation, something called Mineral Veil which is a finishing powder, 3 different application brushes, warmth face color and glee face color (which I really love!). I have mostly used the foundation shade that is best for me and the glee face color which is a really nice kind of blush. The starter kit cost me $60 at the store where I bought it. On the bareMinerals website it is a little pricier, but you can find it for less at other sites like ulta.com.

The starter kit comes with an instructional DVD and I know it sounds silly, but it is quite helpful. I watched the entire thing and I am glad I did.

My only complaint with these products is that they don't go on in a hurry. On those morning when I literally only have 5 minutes, I can't spend the time on it or I'll never even get to the mascara before I have to run.

Happy Halloween!

Guess what

Somehow the phrase "Guess what" has made it into Zoë's vocabulary and the usage is heavy to the point of abusive these days. She will tell a story and it will go something like this:

Zoë: Guess what Michael did today.
Me: What?
Zoë: He stuck his tongue out at Miss Jen and guess what.
Me: What?
Zoë: Miss Jen gave him a time out, but guess what.
Me: What?
Zoë: He kept sticking his tongue out from time out so guess what.
Me: What?
Zoë: He had to go to the office and guess what.
Me: What?
Zoë: He was crying.

That has been my entire weekend.

Website of the Week: Grey Matter

I admit it. Like millions of others I am a huge Grey's Anatomy fan. Therefore I probably don't even need to tell you how disappointed I was to realize that there is not a new episode on tonight. Ugh! I was so looking forward to getting into bed and firing up the Tivo.

For nights like tonight and any other moment I am having a Grey's Anatomy jones, I have discovered a great site, really it's a blog, from the writers of the show. It's called Grey Matter. The writer of that week's episode posts so there is one posting per week. They don't give away plot details, but there are lots of nice insights into the show's development. And if you're into it, there are about 500 to 700 comments per post.

So, go get your fix because 7 days can be a long, long time.

Costume craziness

Every year without fail Zoë has a last minute change of heart when it comes to what she wants to be for Halloween. Not inlcuding the first one when she couldn't talk or walk -- ah the good old days! It doesn't matter if she picked out the costume herself or if I bought it for her. She did not disappoint this year.

This past Spring we took her to the huge Toys R Us in Times Square. She had received a $50 gift card for her birthday and we were there to spend it. Among other things, she picked out a Snow White dress and declared that she would wear it for Halloween, despite the fact that Halloween was 6 months away. I wasn't counting on her sticking with being Snow White and when the first costume catalogs began to arrive I asked her if wanted to look through them to pick out a costume. She insisted she was going to be Snow White.

Finally, about a month ago, I gave up and decided she absolutely would be Snow White. And then this past weekend it happened.

"Mom, I changed my mind. I don't want to be Snow White. I want to be a cheerleader," she whined to me.

I know what Party City is like in the weeks before Halloween and I didn't want to experience it again this year so I firmly put my foot down and told her it was too late to change her mind. "Besides, Snow White is way cooler than a cheerleader," I added to my firm "absolutely not."

She seems to have accepted that she is stuck with Snow White. Quite a nice Snow White costume, I should add.

The Cosmetics Counter

First of all, I apologize for my prolonged absence and complete lack of posts. I was traveling first for business, then for pleasure. It has taken me an additional 4 days to catch up with my life. However, I did put my quiet time to good use -- I thought of another feature for the blog. Starting today, I will be celebrating my love for make-up, nail polish, perfume, soaps, etc. I am calling this feature "The Cosmetics Counter" and each week I will discuss a new product that I have tried.

This week's product is Clinique In the Pink lipstick $14.00.

First of all $10.00 from your purchase helps support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s quest to find a cure. Besides my never ending love of lipsticks that was the primary motivation for purchasing this product. I am happy to report that it is a really nice shade of pink and the lipstick itself feels really good on your lips. It is very smooth and the look is slightly glossy. And one of my favorite things about Clinique lipsticks is that there is no odor to them. Because it is also relatively sheer, this is a flattering shade for anyone who can wear pink lipsticks.

I Sad

I have been away on a business trip since Wendesday morning. Just before I left home, I left a note for a still sleeping Zoë on her chalkboard/easel. It said "I love you. See you soon! Mommy."

Wednesday night, all on her own, Zoë: wrote on the chalkboard "I sad Mommy miss." She's only 4! I am now completely convinced of my daughter's genius. She managed to impress me with her intelligence as well as make me feel guilty for being away in one swoop!

Amazing.

Website of the Week: Picasa

At home I am a Mac user, but at work I am forced to use a PC. So, here's one for all you PC users who don't have iPhoto...Picasa!

Picasa (brought to you by Google, of course) is software that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC. Every time you open Picasa, it automatically locates all your pictures (even ones you forgot you had) and sorts them into visual albums organized by date with folder names you will recognize. Picasa also makes advanced editing simple by putting one-click fixes and powerful effects at your fingertips.

Picasa also makes it a snap to share your pictures – you can email, print photos at home, and make gift CDs. And with the new Web Albums feature, you can upload your photos to the web very easily. It syncs amazingly well with popular web albums like Kodak's (formerly Ofoto). And it even lets you publish directly to popular blog sites like the one I use. The photo of Zoë in the previous post was published through Picasa in about 10 seconds.

It really is incredibly easy to use and is almost as good as having iPhoto on a PC.

Zoe Sharapova?

  

Motor Mouth

There are some days that go by when I feel like Zoë has not stopped talking the entire day. And even though I was not with her for 8 hours of the day while I was at work, this definitely feels like one of those days. It has been and endless barrage of "How come?" and "Watch this!" and "I want" and a lot of other non-sensical stuff.

Jeez I have a headache!

Of course, on the days that she is quiet I worry that she is sick or upset and try to get her to talk. Can I never be satisfied?

Website of the Week: eBeanstalk

eBeanstalk.com is the gift that keeps on giving for babies and kids. As a matter of fact every 3 months a new gift arrives for the kid of your choice. Place your order by age and and every three months they’ll send a new toy — every one chosen by development experts and moms to correspond to the child's age.

For Birthdays and Births simply click on the appropriate age category and you will be taken to a page where you can select one of the recommended gift series, or customize your own. Their reccommended series are great and keeps the need to think for yourself down to a real minimum.

For non Birthdays you can click the 'shop by age' button. And deliveries include instructions explaining why the toy is so perfect, which skills it will help develop, and the best ways to play with it together.

The only bad thing is that for kids older than 5 you're on your own. Their age ranges end at 4 to 5.

I Heart Weird Al

Here's why...

The Cost of War

This price tag is simply staggering -- especially when you look at in light of what the same money could have bought.

This number is based on an analysis of the legislation in which Congress has allocated money for war so far and research by the Congressional Research Service (latest report) which has access to Department of Defense financial reports. Read more about how it is calculated.

This cannot be the answer.

One Singular Sensation Indeed!

Some might remember my post of June 8
when I excitedly reported on my purchase of tickets to the revival of A Chorus Line. Well, last night was the night. I went with my mom who was perfect company and I have to say it was everything I'd hoped for and a bit more. The show was excellent. It is still officially in previews so no "real" reviews have come out yet so let mine be among the first.

The revival was complete to the last sequin on the gold costumes in the last number. The set, the costumes, the lighting, the dancing and the singing were all faithfully revived, but it was not just a cold carbon copy. It was vital and very relevant. At first I was thinking it would be nice to see a modern day version of the show, but ultimately I am very glad they decided to keep the show set in the 1970's. In a way this was the very first "reality show" giving people a look into the world of auditions and a window into the souls of all the chorus dancers (and the like) out there who will never be stars. It is their fifteen minutes of fame. Undoubtedly some of the "secrets" that are revealed are somewhat less shocking to the general audience now than they were 20 or 30 years ago, but they still have bite. Standout performers were Deidre Goodwin as Sheila Ken Alan as Bobby and Natalie Cortez as Morales, but it is important to note that there were no weak links on the line. There was a lot of applause throughout the show and many opportunities to express enthusiasm in the form of clapping and cheering, however my only disappointment was that there was no real curtain call and therefore no real chance to give a standing ovation. I imagine, but can't remember that this was part of the original production, but I still hope the director will reconsider because it was a little bit unsatisfactory to not get to clap until your hands hurt. All-in-all I would say that Michael Bennett would be proud. Thank you so much to the cast and crew for an incredible night that made me remember what I love so much about the theater.

Happy Half Birthday

Today is Zoë's half birthday -- she is exactly 4 and a half.

It is astounding to me to think that in 6 months she will be 5 and in a year from now she will have started school.

You know how everyone tells you it goes so fast -- turns out they're right!

A theory on energy

How many times have you watched your kids run laps around the house, jump up and down, climb the sofa like it was Mt. Everest and asked yourself "where do they get the energy?" And how many times have you had to carry your oh-so-tired 40 pound kid out of the Christmas Tree farm, the museum, shopping mall, etc. because they just couldn't walk another step themselves? (While silently cursing yourself for not bringing the stroller, of course.)

It makes me wonder just how that energy comes and goes and I've come to the conclusion that it is parentally driven and it counter-corresponds directly to the amount of energy you want your child to have and expend at any given moment.

For example, if you want your daughter to sit down and have dinner, she will be running up and down the stairs faster and faster. However, if you are at and apple picking farm all the way down at the bottom of a big hill and carrying a bag filled with apples, at the farthest possible point from your car, that same daughter will be too tired and ask to be carried.

It's one possible theory.

Website of the Week: Ideal Bite

Everyone knows it's not easy being green, but this site makes it just a little bit easier. Ideal Bite is basically an email newsletter sign up. The newsletter is emailed daily and contains simple tips and suggestions for leading a more planet-friendly "green" existence. The site itself also contains a tip library of past mailings.

The tips themselves are, for the most part, realistic and relatively simple changes to your activities of daily living. Plus you are given the facts, helpful resources and good suggestions for carrying out the changes.

Go for it and maybe green will be the new black.

The Famous Gorilla

On the way into school this morning Zoë requested that I tell her a story about "the famous gorilla from Dusseldorf who took all his dog bones to Jupiter."

That is an exact quote.

Did she just channel some message from outer space?

Or is it from some TV show? She claims it is from Higglytown Heroes, but I'm not so sure.

Website of the Week: NameVoyager

This week's site is a cool tool that is part of babynamewizard.com. It is the NameVoyager. Very useful for soon-to-be-parents, but the site is fun for everyone. See how popular your own name is. NameVoyager presents the info in a cool, fun-to-use graphical interface.

For the record the name "Zoe" hit an all time high as the 54th most popular name. In 2005 it was down to 59th. The name "Emily" was the most popular in 2002, the year my Zoe was born, but that was recently usurped by the name "Emma."

Go see this movie!

Yesterday I saw Little Miss Sunshine and it is a fantastic movie and I think everyone should see it.

The basic plot is: A dysfunctional family travel across country to get their daughter to the finals of a beauty pageant.

But the story is about so much more than that. It is about the beautiful innocence of children and the fragility of human life and the ridiculous pursuits people dedicate themselves to. It will make you laugh out loud one minute and cry the next. Greg Kinnear, Toni Collete, and Alan Arkin star, but Abigail Breslin steals the show.

I can't say enough good things about this movie.

Website of the Week: NY Times US Open Blog

OK, it is really a just a blog and not an entire site, but it is really good. NY Times US Open Blog is about as close as it comes to actually being there when you can't watch TV. In fact sometimes its better than watching on TV because it sums up the heart of each match really nicely. It kind of reminds me of the inning wrap-ups you can get for Major League Baseball games as ESPN.com. The coverage is insightful as well as enthusiastic.

One bit of advice -- catch the blog this week before it's gone -- at least until next year!

School Supplies

If there was ever any doubt that Zoë and I share genetic code (which I don't think there was) it has now officially been proven that she is my daughter through the love of school supplies.

The other day we got a letter home from daycare about the official start of the pre-K year. Contained in the letter was a list of supplies -- pencils, crayons, markers, scissors and glue plus a box to put it all in. As it turned out due to a recent Staples shopping binge, we already had most of the supplies on hand so I packed up her orange plastic box with all her supplies and put it into her backpack that night. The next morning when I told Zoë about her new box of supplies, she was simply ecstatic. She had to open the box and carefully inspect each item. She determined she would like some different pencils, but otherwise everything was heavenly. Now each morning she checks her backpack to make sure her supplies are all there. I love it!

Website of the Week: labelitorloseit

Someone I used to work with turned me on to this website when I was complaining about having to constantly write Zoë's name on all her sippy cups and tupperware for lunch and snacks at daycare.

The good people at labelitorloseit.com make waterproof stick-on labels. You can have your child's name or anything else you want printed on them plus you can pick a little icon to add some pizazz. They are essentially an amazing sticker. The best part about these labels is they survive many, many trips through the dishwasher and the microwave, but when you want to remove the label, they come off easily and don't leave any sticky mess behind. You get a set of 60 labels for $13.95. 60 labels could last you for years so it is definitely money well spent.

I haven't tried the iron-on labels yet, but if they are half as good as the stick-on kind, I am sure they are excellent.

A Galactic Goodnight

Just the other day Zoë was telling me about how there are 9 planets in our solar system. She was singing about it as well. Where did she get this information, you ask? From Disney's new kids show Little Einsteins, of course. The episode is called "A Galactic Goodnight" and in it the Little Einsteins take a tour of the solar system. It's the kind of thing you hope for when you let your kids watch TV, right?

However, I hope they plan to make a part 2 where the Little Einsteins explain that Pluto is no longer a planet because I know Zoë is not going to believe it when it comes from me.

Utopia

I love the fact that Zoë's view of the world is quite utopian. Whenever we have any kind of race or contest (as in: who can get upstairs the fastest) in her view we all always win. It's so sweet that she would rather not declare herself the winner over anyone.

Today I had the good fortune to attend the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament being held in New Haven and I was telling Zoë about it when I got home. I told her that the winner gets a trophy and she wanted to know why only the winner gets it. I tried to explain. Then she said, "Mommy, if I never win a trophy, will you make me one?"

What do you think?

Rockstar: Supernova

Out of total desperation because I just cannot watch another episode of Law and Order and there is nothing else on I have been watching Rockstar: Supernova tonight.

Is it just me or is the best part of this show watching Tommy Lee and Dave Navarro lounging on their Rockstar thrones and jamming along to the performances?

Unless you're a straight male -- then the best part is Brook Burke.

Website of the Week: jacksonpollock.org

Bring out your inner artist with this fun and addictive site -- jacksonpollock.org You can create your very own Pollock-esque art with a few clicks and strokes of the mouse. When you're done, just print it out and voila!

First chocolate and now...

COFFEE! The NYTimes has an article about health benefits from drinking 1 to 6 cups a coffee per day. Hooray! To think I've been limiting myself to only 2 to 3 cups. Dunkin Donuts, here I come!

So You Think You Won't Have Anything to Watch

Last night's finale of So You Think You Can Dance was quite bittersweet for me. It was a great 2 hours filled with incredible dancing and my almost favorite dancer won. (I really thought Heidi was the best, but I would have bet money on Benji.) But is it just me, or were you also incredibly taken off guard when she performed her solo and then was suddenly told she was not the winner? It almost seemed like they were going to end up announcing the winner by default. I hope they re-think that for next year's finale.

Although I haven't been a big fan of the musical guests throughout the season, I thought Fergie rocked the house. Ciara's lip-syncing was disappointing even though her dancing was great. Chris Brown was by far the best of all the guests they had.

OK, so now that this show is wrapped up for the summer, what am I going to watch? It is at least another month before the regular season starts up and being somewhat Ticketmaster inept I didn't even manage to get tickets for the tour. The New York performance was sold out in 11 minutes! So unfair.

Celebrity Duets here I come...

Corn on the Cape

We've just returned from a long weekend of beautiful weather and relaxation on the Cape. We try to go for at least a weekend every year and last year when we went Zoë insisted that we were going to "Cape Calm." There was no convincing her otherwise.

On Saturday morning I jokingly said "we're off to Cape Calm!" She immediately corrected me. I then told her that Daddy was looking forward to eating some cod when get there. Surprisingly, she said she was too so I asked her if she knew what a cod was and she said, "Yes, cod, like corn on the cod."

We could not correct her because we were laughing too hard.

This conversation was bookended on they way home when I tried to explain that the word "cape" is what Superman wears, but it is also a piece of land that sticks out into the ocean. I'm not sure I ever got that across so I believe Zoë now thinks of Cape Cod as a place for eating corn and wearing Superman capes.

Get a Bangalogue out of life

My smart and talented brother has somehow been shanghaied to Bangalore, India. Read his blog to find out more about it. Especially if you're a Star Wars fan.

Of course, given the news in the last day or so, I mostly look forward to his safe return (with souvenirs).

Hats off to Single Parents

For the past several weeks my husband has been leaving for work at 6 AM and very often getting home after 9 PM or later. While I'm not complaining about the additional income this is bringing in, this means that I am in charge of all things Zoë. I get her up, make sure she gets dressed, brushes teeth and hair, and feed her breakfast before I drop her off at daycare. Then I go to work all day. At the end of the day I pick her up from daycare, spend some time playing with her when we get home, make her dinner (admittedly nothing elaborate), get her into pajamas, brush teeth, read stories, and then bedtime. After she's in bed I pack up her bag for the next day of daycare. By the time I actually sat down last night it was almost 9:30 PM.

It is an exhausting schedule. And I haven't even mentioned all the other things that need doing in a day or a week like going to the supermarket and laundry plus I try to get in gym visits.

I imagine this is how single parents live every day of every week of every year, therefore my hat is off to all of them. Especially the ones who don't have any and can't afford to hire any extra help.

Website of the Week: Monk-e-mail

Are you looking for just the right way to send that special message or party invitation? Or perhaps you just want to give a friend a giggle? Then check out Monk-e-Mail.

I received my first Monk-e-mail the other day from my good friend Heather and I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. Thank you Heather!

Here's how it works: You are given a selection of chimps to choose from. After that choice is made you make all sorts of selections about what the chimp is wearing, accessorized with and where he/she is. Finally you choose a voice -- there are pre-recorded messages, you can enter text that is converted to speech, or you can record your own. Then you send the message off to all your loved ones.

I really think I am going to have to use this for my next party invites.

Check, please

Why don't waiters find it necessary to write down your order anymore? Is it some code among wait staff across the country that if you have to write it down, you're not a professional or you're not cool?

Well, if any waiters out there are reading (especially my waiter from Joe's American tonight) -- restaurant patrons are far more impressed when you get their order right and offer good service than when you take an order without writing anything down. I'd actually prefer that you wrote down that I want my dressing on the side -- or whatever other special requests I have -- because that will save me the trouble and embarrassment of having to send it back later. Please, there is nothing wrong with doing things the old fashioned way and writing it down.

Dear Nigel,

I know I am a day late on this letter, but I was out on Wednesday night so I didn't catch up with my TiVo until last night. You are, I am sure, happy to know that So You Think You Can Dance is currently my number one season pass.

I was delighted by more fabulous dancing and I was not disappointed by the judging or the voting results. These dancers really look professional. The show is as sleek as it ever has been and it seems you've finally hired directors who know good camera angles for filming dance. I love the show and think you're a fabulous executive producer, but there's just one thing...

Why are you still making the dancers wear costumes that look like they came from Party City or last year's recital at the local ballet school? Donyelle's flapper style dress in her Swinging Broadway number with Benji was incredibly unflattering and it got in the way. You couldn't really see how she was moving because that darn dress was all over her. And while Donyelle's dress made her look heavier, all white on Benji made him look even more like toothpick. Their hip hop costumes weren't any better -- they were also totally unflattering and completely lacking in cool. Shane Sparks at least deserves better than that.

I can't comment on the contemporary/lyrical pajama dance outfits because I never like those, but definitely worst of all was the dress Heidi wore for her waltz. The girl has a perfect 10 body and she was covered her up in grandma's formal dress from her cruise.

So, dear Nigel, I am pleading with you to please hire a really good costume designer for next year's show (which I was thrilled to hear has already been picked up). I'm sure there are tons of really talented people out there that would kill for the job and given all your success with this show and American Idol, I think you can afford it.

Sincerely,
Zoesmom

Have the driver bring the car around

My brother is traveling to Bangalore, India even as I type. In his last email to me he told me that the when you rent a car at Hertz in Bangalore the car comes with a driver. That got me wondering how exactly that works. Is it the same driver the entire time you have the car? What if you want to go somewhere at 2 AM -- will the driver be available 24/7? And what exactly does it cost to rent a car and driver?

I visited Hertz.com in the hopes of finding some more information, but the only facts I could ascertain are that there is, in fact, a Hertz outlet at the airport in Bangalore and that renting a mid-size car with air conditioning costs 3,135 INR per day. They don't mention anywhere that the car comes with a driver.

3,135 INR (Rupees) is about 67.40 US dollars per day.

Can you imagine being able to rent a car and a driver for $67.40 per day? Around where I live it costs at least $150 for a ride to the airport which is only about an hour away. From the little bit of googling I did on the subject, it looks like it costs upwards or $65/hour to rent a limo in NYC.

I am anxiously awaiting more details from my brother and will be sure to post an update as soon as possible. In the meantime I must share this video that my brother sent of traffic in Bangalore which clearly explains why you absolutely do need a driver.

Is it Okay to Spank?

There is an article in this month's issue of Parenting titled "Is it Okay to Spank?" The very first sentence says:

94% of 3- and 4-year-olds have been spanked at least once during the past
year, according to one study.

Really??? It goes on to say that a majority of parents say they spank their kids. I was really surprised by this. Shocked, actually.

I only know of one friend who openly admits to spanking their child and while I prefer not to judge other people (well, maybe just their clothes and shoes) I really can't believe spanking is ever a good idea. When I say spanking, I'm talking about deliberately smacking a child's bottom (or whatever) as a form of punishment for some wrong-doing or misbehavior on their part.

I was spanked as a child and those are my most terrifying and vivid childhood memories. Don't get me wrong, I don't hold a grudge -- I have a great relationship with both my parents and I honestly believe they were doing what they thought was right. But now there has been a lot of research and many studies about the affects of spanking and I haven't heard of one that says spanking is a good thing.

I admit there have been moments of incredible frustration with my daughter where I was more than a little tempted to spank her or inflict some other kind of physical pain like a good pinch (something my first grade teacher was good at), but I held back because I am an adult and ultimately in control of and responsible for my actions. Just as I could never hit my husband or my friends, or really anyone unless it was self-defense, I could never hit my child. But I can see how it could happen by mistake and I think in those cases an apology to the child is warranted after the storm passes. An apology and an explanation.

However, most of my disciplining moments are fairly calm and rational. I think about the punishment I want to hand out and I simply cannot imagine deliberately spanking my child in one of those moments.

According to Parenting I am in the minority. To be fair, the article ultimately answers it's own question with a resounding "no."

The question of whether spanking works, or is safe, is beside the point.
Maybe the question should be "Is it really, absolutely necessary?" And, given
the moral Pandora's box that it unlocks, the less fraught options at your
disposal for addressing childish misbehavior, and the fact that your child is
watching, waiting, and learning from your decision, the answer seems clearly to
just be no.

Website of the Week: mentalfloss.com

I haven't been very prolific with the posts lately, but I do have a new website of the week to share: mentalfloss.com.

This site is the online home of Mental Floss, the magazine. Even if you haven't heard of the magazine this site is worth checking out -- especially the blog which is full of incredibly witty and trivia laden info that you never knew you needed to know.

Blog entry authors include one of my favorites, David Israel who's novel Behind Everyman I wrote about here last year.

So You Think You Can Tour!

I'm so excited because there really is going to be a tour of the top ten dancers from So You Think You Can Dance. Preliminary dates are here.

The show just keeps getting better. Last night had some amazing performances. I loved the hip hop routine that Donyelle and Travis did and didn't agree with the criticism of the masks. Shane Sparks is amazing. No less so in the routine he choreographed for Allison and Ivan which was also one of my favorites. The judges seemed to think that Heidi and Benji came out on top, but I'm not sure I completely agree although they were excellent. Overall I think the women outshine the men this year. Heidi, Allison and Donyelle are my favorites. I think Ryan will go home tonight, but I can't guess which woman it will be. Maybe Natalie....?

You can read a complete recap of last night's show here.

Website of the Week

I've decided to start a new feature (technically the first feature) at ZoesMom and that is Website of the Week.

This week's site is: Fontifier.

Stealing the description right from their own site:

Fontifier lets you use your own handwriting for the text you write on your computer.
It turns a scanned sample of your handwriting into a handwriting font that you can use
in your word processor or graphics program, just like regular fonts such as Helvetica.

For anyone who is a little turned on by fonts, this is just so cool. I've had mine done (of course) and I am using it for a scrap book I am creating for Zoë. It is so cool! And it is cheap -- only $9 for a completely customized and personal font.

Bert & Ernie & Zoe!

photo courtesy of Ashton Smith
©2006 Ashton Smith

As a side note...

How great does My Super Ex-Girlfriend look?!

The tagline: He broke her heart. She broke his everything.

Where have I been???

On vacation, of course. I banned myself from the computer for a week while I was off from work and my friends were visiting and it was terrific. I mean, I am addicted to the internet and my email as anyone, but sometimes you just have to take a break from being "connected."

But, now I am back and vacation pictures will be coming soon. We made our annual pilgrimage to Sesame Place and it was another huge success. It was our 4th visit and Zoe is still completely convinced that the characters are real. We had a ball.

So You Think You Can Costume? addendum

I can't believe I forgot to mention those fringed pants! Those were just awful. I couldn't even watch the dancing, I just kept thinking about what a poor idea those pants were. They looked like something David Lee Roth should have been wearing back in 1987. Allison, you desesrve so much better!

So You Think You Can Costume?

I just finished watching tonight's installment of So You Think You Can Dance and while I think the choreography and the dancing on that show are fantastic, the costuming leaves something to be desired. Tonight was the worst yet. The costumes made the dancers look bad -- we're talking dancers with incredible dancer bodies. Worst offenders had to be:

Dmitry -- I don't care how cut his upper body is, sometimes a buttoned shirt with sleeves is more appropriate.
Natalie -- This girl is gorgeous and her dress made her look like a Christmas tree.

Many is the time I spout off about things I know little to nothing about, but anyone who knows me, knows I know what I am talking about here.

The last thing I want to do...

...after a sun-filled 4-day weekend spent mostly in the pool or at the movies is go back to work. Ugh!

I really, really miss having summer vacations.

Wordplay

Just got back from seeing the movie, "Wordplay." Whether or not you like crossword puzzles, this is a good movie. When it was over, I wanted to watch it all over again. If you've ever attempted a crossword puzzle, you will be impressed by the abilities of some of these people and there is no doubt that Will Shortz is enthusiastic about his job.

The only drawback in my mind was the fact that they didn't even mention Eugene T. Maleska, the editor of the NY Times puzzle from 1977 to 1993. There must be some bad blood between Will Shortz and him, but even so, I think it was unfair to not even mention him.