Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HoboMama/~3/bBpiDRdWgao/calling-for-submissions-for-august.html
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Rakofsky Motion #10: Washington City Paper Moves to Dismiss
The Washington City Paper, a freebie delivered around the streets of our nation’s capitol, is also a defendant in the Joseph Rakofsky defamation case. They published this article on April 4th about the mistrial, written by Rend Smith. The paper is represented by the same attorneys as Jeanne O?Halleran, that being�James Rosenfeld and�Samuel Bayard of�Davis [...]
My Health Scare (or Why I Had To Write A Post Today)
There’s nothing like thinking you might die to get you thinking about all the things you’ve never said to your kids. This morning when I was having breakfast, I didn’t feel like I had the same motor control over my mouth as usual. It was harder to chew and to swallow and difficult to suck [...]
Related posts:
Related posts:
- Taking A Mental Health Day
- We Interrupt This Breastfeeding Post…
- Guest Post: Identifying Plants With Young Children
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BreastfeedingMomsUnite/~3/vaT4NEpQboQ/
Saturday, July 30, 2011
40 things I've enjoyed on the way to 40: Part 1
Yes, I was a child of the '70s and '80s and as I will be celebrating the ripe old age of FORTY in a couple of weeks, I thought I would become a bit nostalgic and rummage through my decaying brain cells for some gems from my misspent youth. So, here are the first 20 things I have enjoyed immensely on the way to being 40. Any young 'uns reading this won't have a clue what half of the below means (and I offer no apology for that whatsoever!), but for anyone reaching their middle-age years, I hope this brings back fond memories! 1. Midget gems, especially the white and red ones, Wham Bars, Space dust (aka popping candy) and the strictly forbidden candy cigarettes.
2. Lilt, Monster Munch and potted meat sandwiches on school trips.
3. The Dooleys - my first childhood crush on some odd man with alarmlingly feminine hair
4. Sticks of rhubarb straight out of the garden, dipped into bowls of sugar
5. Miss World and Eurovision Song Contests - oh, the excitement, the excitement!
6. The Incredible Hulk on Friday night telly
7. The Dukes of Hazzard on a Saturday teatime
8. Swap Shop
9. Jim'll Fix It
10. Grange Hill
11. Babycham, Asti Supmante, Blue Nun, Mateus Rose and Black Tower wine
12. Making perfume out of rose petals from the garden
13. Mr Benn, Bagpuss, Barbapapa, Ivor The Engine, The Clangers....the list is endless.
14. Sindy dolls
15. Look In, Smash Hits and Just 17 magazines
16. 'Frankie Says Relax' t.shirts
17. Pedal pushers, ra-ra skirts, pixie boots, Batwing jumpers, satin dungarees (or maybe they were my sisters - not quite sure)
18. My Raleigh Wisp bike and wooden Maxply McEnroe tennis racquet birthday presents
19. Seeing Abba live at Wembley Arena
20. Athena posters
Ahhh, the memories! More next week.
Source: http://hotcrossmum.blogspot.com/2011/05/40-things-ive-enjoyed-on-way-to-40-part.html
3:41 pm: In my best friend's cooler
It's how mommies roll, am I right?
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThisIsWorthwhile/~3/AUEy16BKMnE/341-pm-in-my-best-friends-cooler.html
Friday, July 29, 2011
Q&A: What?s your opinion on ?kid-free? zones?
The hot topic on the Internet this week has been “kid-free” zones in certain places ?�essentially banning children from certain events and arenas. The buzz really got going when a Whole Foods Market in Missouri announced a new event: two hours of free babysitting while you go shopping, every Friday in August. Parents can drop [...]
CURRENT SPONSORS:
- Oak Meadow - discover the joy of learning at home.
- Plan to Eat - meal planning made simple.
- Designed for Wellness - healthy living for busy moms.
- Summer Survival Guide - summertime inspiration for family fun.
- Summer Survival Calendar - 90 budget-friendly activities for families.
� 2008-2011 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplelivingmedia.com to let us know. Thanks.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/simplemom/~3/IgSRrTmz-o0/
Rakofsky Motion #9: O?Halleran Motion to Dismiss
Yesterday we saw motion #8, the Washington Post‘s motion to dismiss the Joseph Rakofsky defamation case. Now today we see #9, regarding defendant Jeanne O’Halleran, a Georgia attorney, who was swept into this mess because she posted about this story on a local Georgia forum. She is represented by James Rosenfeld and Samuel Bayard of [...]
Thursday, July 28, 2011
When Hot Cross Mum met Edith Bowman
Last week I had the absolute pleasure of spending an evening in the company of Edith Bowman in the fabulously swanky surroundings of the Soho Hotel in London. Just a regular Tuesday night, right? Well OK, not quite - although I could very easily get used to it!
Edith is one of the ambassadors behind the Proctor & Gamble 'Proud Sponsor of Mums' campaign in Ireland and the UK (have you seen the gorgeous TV ad yet - tear jerker or what?). Edith spoke to the press about the findings of Proctor & Gamble's report into 'The Changing Face of Motherhood', which highlights how the role of mothers has changed over the decades. The report was commissioned by P&G (the company behind brands such as Ariel, Fairy, Pampers and Olay) in the run up to Mother?s Day. I then scooped a private interview with Edith about her role as a busy working mum and her involvement in the P&G challenge to live as a 1930s housewife for a day. Here's what happened.
HCM: Hi Edith. Gosh, you're stunning. I'm a little bit starstruck. (why didn't anyone offer to do my hair and make-up? Hmm). Would you like to sip your champagne and munch on a mini burger while we chat?
Edith: Hi Hot Cross Mum. Oo, yes, that would be fab.
HCM: So, Edith, tell me about your challenge to live as a 1930s housewife? You certainly looked a lot more glamorous doing your challenges than I did!
Edith: The challenges were amazing, but I never want to see another washboard for as long as I live. It really shows you what hard work it was back then.
HCM: I agree. Did you see me trying to wash clothes with a washboard? Pathetic! So, what was the hardest part of the challenge for you?
Edith: Erm, everything! I basically wouldn't be able to work if I had to live like that now. I think we take for granted all the modern appliances and products we have now to make our lives easier - although we do fill up the time we have gained with other stuff. Life is very busy for mums now.
HCM: So you won't be trading in your dishwasher for carbolic soap and a wire scourer then?
Edith: (laughs) No!
HCM: Did I mention that your hair looks amazing? I did. Right, let's carry on then. So, Edith, you're clearly an extremely busy woman. What is your schedule and how do you manage to juggle your career with family life and your little boy Rudy?
Edith: (clearly melting at the mention of her little boy) - It's really tough. As a working mum I know how hard it is to juggle everything. I absolutely love my job and am very lucky to to do the job I love. I want to work to give Rudy the best I can, and for myself because I still have things I want to achieve. I leave the house at 6am for The Breakfast Show and am usually home by 11am. Rudy is in nursery 5 mornings - we try to keep his schedule as normal as possible. We don't have family living nearby and haven't had a nanny since last August so me and Tom (Edith's husband - the lead singer with The Editors) have to be very organised and juggle our schedules. I'm hugely appreciative of the support networks I have of my mum and friends who step in and help out. I had to put my mum on the sleeper train from Scotland so she could mind Rudy while I am here tonight.
HCM: So, you don't have a nanny? Is that through choice?
Edith: Yes. We made that decision because we want Rudy to have a normal, family life and be surrounded by family and people who are important to him; who will be there as a constant, whether that is me, Tom or his nana. It's hard work but we just have to be very organised.
HCM: How do you spend your free time with Rudy?
Edith: When I collect him from nursery I love taking him swimming, or we go to the cinema -just normal, everyday things really. Our time together is really, really important to me.
HCM: So, is Rudy into music? I guess he must be with such musical influences around him?
Edith: He is! He goes into the studio with Tom and bashes on the drums! He's into the Beatles at the moment - he calls John Lennon 'John Lemon' and likes singing 'Yellow Submarine'. He also thinks the Dizzee Rascal song 'Bonkers' is hilarious.
HCM: You clearly adore your son.
Edith: Rudy is amazing - I learn from him on a daily basis. He's the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. As a mum you just feel this massive sense of responsibility.
HCM: Ahhhhh -that's so lovely. You're so normal and down-to-earth. Please can I sit and chat to you all night? So are you doing any of the summer festivals?
Edith: Yes, I'm doing T in the Park in Scotland. Coldplay, The Arctic Monkeys and The Foo Fighters are headlining. It should be fantastic.
HCM: Excellent. So, you won't be wearing your 1930s headscarf to that event then? Well Edith, I know you want to sit and chat to me all night but I really must be fair and let some of the other people talk to you and take your photo. It has been an absolute pleasure meeting you. Please feel free to pop in for a cuppa if you're at the Oxygen festival in Ireland this year - I live just down the road.
Edith: My pleasure Hot Cross Mum (shakes my hand). Love your ring by the way.
And with that she drifts off into the waiting crowd. She liked my ring. That must make me cool, surely?
Edith Bowman is the loveliest lady and clearly a doting mum who works hard to balance her career and family life just as the rest of us do - her 'me time' is as limited as the next person's. It's really refreshing to talk to a celebrity mum who isn't surrounded by nannies, but who faces a familiar struggle to schedule and organise and spend time with her child while holding down a job she loves. Cheers Edith - you rock! Follow Edith on Twitter @edibow
Source: http://hotcrossmum.blogspot.com/2011/04/when-hot-cross-mum-met-edith-bowman.html
The Secret of Success for Work-at-Home Moms
Written by organizing contributor Mandi Ehman of Life…Your Way. What if I told you that there was one principle that would have the biggest impact on whether or not you’re successful as a work-at-home mom? Hint: It’s not the industry or niche you choose. It’s not the structure of your business or what trade organizations [...]
CURRENT SPONSORS:
- Oak Meadow - discover the joy of learning at home.
- Plan to Eat - meal planning made simple.
- Designed for Wellness - healthy living for busy moms.
- Summer Survival Guide - summertime inspiration for family fun.
- Summer Survival Calendar - 90 budget-friendly activities for families.
� 2008-2011 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplelivingmedia.com to let us know. Thanks.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/simplemom/~3/MWj4gpiz8dI/
What is a displaced homemaker?
Displaced dog-lover.
This is a displaced homemaker:
A woman who was once dependent on another's income, but is no longer due to a change in marital status (divorce or death) or a sudden change in financial situation (partner loses his/her job), and is forced back into the workforce.
Apparently, officially speaking, I'm right on track with my loss of identity, confusion, and fear. As is my defensiveness and unspeakable desire to run away from it all. We displaced homemakers have a lot of bullshit going on (emphasis mine):
She must cope with the rigors of basic survival, provide for herself... and get on with the business of deciding what she will do with the rest of her life. These are no small tasks under the best of circumstances. Goal setting may appear to be an easy task, but for an individual whose entire life is in disarray, even setting the goal of picking up an employment application is a major activity. The displaced homemaker, at this point, is usually struggling to make it out of bed each morning, and often feels incapable of more formidable efforts.*
So... now I have another label. First it was small, like, College Graduate; then a little bigger, Owner of a Masters Degree; then huge, such as Wife and Mother (do they keep getting bigger in life??); and finally, Divorcee and Displaced Homemaker.
Ok, I'll take it. I'm a displaced homemaker, a mother, a woman, and struggling. Really fucking struggling.
I am thrilled at my freedom to be Me, but also deeply struck down by it. I don't entirely know who that is anymore. I am a mother without a son half the time, I am a wife without a husband, an ambitious woman with no job, an animal lover with no animals, a care-taker with no one to take care of, a lover with no one to love.
This separation/divorce thing is splitting me in ways I didn't even know were possible. Not only have I separated from my life partner, but I have been cracked away from ideas and identities that were integral to who I was as a human being. I had no idea I would be this shattered, this broken.
I feel dead inside every moment I am away from Hawk without exception. My heart is icy, downright black. I care about nothing. Getting out of bed, being industrious, holding conversations are all becoming feats in and of themselves. I do it all, every day, but I'll admit it's a struggle.
As I see myself slipping I understand that it's part of the process. I knew this was going to suck. -- What? Did I really think that everything would be peachy? No. I knew it was going to get dark, I just didn't know it'd also lose who I was in the process of discovering who that was in the first place.
I think, "If only I had a job. It'd keep me busy, give me something to do, someone to be..." But it's not that easy.
I had a conversation the other day I wish I hadn't. I can't tell you how many times people ask me about my job search and how it's going. I'm getting used to it. I know that people care about me, but it's like asking "So, how's the cancer thing going?" I don't really want to talk about it (it's painful and terrifying), but I do because I know friends and family are worried. But this particular chat struck me to the bone like the others hadn't. I was asked, "Why don't you just open a private practice while you look for other work? That's what so-and-so did."
The question is innocuous, I know, but the message I got was, "You're not doing it right. You're not doing enough. Look at this other woman, she did it right. You have no excuse to not be working."
This is a perfect example of my current state of mind, of how goddamned wounded I am. I don't really know if that's what this person thought about me by their "helpful suggestion," I just have no buffer because I am lost and I am mourning.
My face, neck and chest flooded with heat and I had to fight the tears as I took a deep breath and responded as non-defensively as humanly possible that a) I don't want to start a private practice right out of the gate after a 3.5 year absence from the field, b) I have zero capital to do so even if I wanted to, c) I don't want to be isolated as a new therapist from my colleagues and would prefer an agency setting or other cooperative, and d) I don't think it's as easy as this friend of a friend made it seem; I have friends whose private practices are only just now in the black after a year of work and they had monies in the cache to do so.
I was gently argued with on these points, then given a couple of concessions.
I felt somehow simultaneously vindicated and even more defeated when I walked away.
I'm treading water from technical skill alone, not strength. I only look normal: I bathe, put on makeup, laugh easily, socialize. I don't think people understand what's really happening to me; how sensitive I am. How hard I'm fighting to keep my walls up and remain protected from the outside world. What a big fucking deal this all is.
I have lost everything I knew and loved. Everything I thought I was. This isn't just some fucking bad mood. I'm not weak. I'm not making this a bigger deal than it really is. This is awful. And I don't give a fuck if someone else has it worse or it could get worse. Of course it could get worse. I'm not so self-absorbed or ridiculous that I don't know that, but really, what good does that line of thinking do other than make me feel stupid? It doesn't make my feelings go away. I appreciate some perspective, but I'd really rather skip over the idea that I'm not allowed to feel this way just because some other schmuck has it worse than me.
When I visit Hawk and his dad, Rooster, at my old house my heart clenches. I see the plants I painstakingly put in the ground, the wall colors I spent weeks debating on, the old friends from across the street, the hopes I had sunk into those four walls. When I look closer I see nail-holes from removed pictures, rearranged furniture, a masculine feel, a new smell; Rooster feels different. He doesn't need me. Hell, he doesn't want me. -- But of course! It's all (say it with me) part. of. the. process. The mother fucking process.
I feel like that house and its inhabitants are my ghost arm. I'm limbless and I can still imagine I feel it, but it's gone forever. What I had is gone.
...
sigh
...
And in case you were all wondering, I'm actually ok. I'm just hurting. An ok, hurting, displaced homemaker.
*I did a search for the psychological definition of "displaced homemaker" and stumbled across this paper written in 1981.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThisIsWorthwhile/~3/jZPIkEO-tJQ/what-is-displaced-homemaker.html
My Health Scare (or Why I Had To Write A Post Today)
There’s nothing like thinking you might die to get you thinking about all the things you’ve never said to your kids. This morning when I was having breakfast, I didn’t feel like I had the same motor control over my mouth as usual. It was harder to chew and to swallow and difficult to suck [...]
Related posts:
Related posts:
- Taking A Mental Health Day
- We Interrupt This Breastfeeding Post…
- Guest Post: Identifying Plants With Young Children
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BreastfeedingMomsUnite/~3/vaT4NEpQboQ/
3:41 pm: In my best friend's cooler
It's how mommies roll, am I right?
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThisIsWorthwhile/~3/AUEy16BKMnE/341-pm-in-my-best-friends-cooler.html
July 2nd: A Day to Celebrate Independence (And Celebrate Juries)
Each year I have used July 2nd as �jury celebration day, as this is the day that the Continental Congress voted to liberate the Colonies from the Crown. �John Adams thought that this was the day that would be ?solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shows, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one [...]
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
For you, Erica
Last week I went out for a night with some very lovely mother friends and we spontaneously talked about sex for well over an hour, before I even had a chance to bring up the Erica Jong article. Lots of discussion about masturbation and libido and physical changes after babies and scheduling sex and orgasms [...]
Source: http://bluemilk.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/for-you-erica/
Me v. The Trash Can
I'm 2 for 3. Take that, you tiny trash can 8 feet away!!
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThisIsWorthwhile/~3/GIefcFEcX94/me-v-trash-can.html
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Let's do this bitch
I've been feeling a lot better later. Lighter. More focused. I'm still jobless, but at least I don't feel like I'm slogging through waist-high mud anymore.
People have suggested meds for this bullshit, but it's situational, not quite yet chemically based. I know the difference. Not that I'm against meds -- oh, definitely not -- but a job-a-day will definitely get these blues to go away. That and signed paperwork and a big step f.o.r.w.a.r.d. So, yeah. No meds required... just yet.
Basically, I'd be a really bad lottery winner. I need shit to do and I'm rather bad at finding things when I'm paralyzed with fear and sadness. Funny how that works. But I'm managing. Applying to jobs as I find them; dreaming up an Etsy storefront (anyone want small paintings of random flowers by an amateur artist??); watching marathons of Murder, She Wrote; crying and laughing (way more laughing, by the way -- I'm too dead inside to cry); spending lots of time with Rooster and Hawk on off-weeks, savoring every second of my on-weeks.
Speaking of Rooster, we went to Hawk's first-ever parent-teacher conference the other day. Here are some highlights as told by Hawk himself (well, not really himself, but you get the gist):
Yesterday my sister told me she thinks I should start "hustling." I wish it meant getting dates, because that'd be awesome. But alas, she meant jobs. However, I've decided that I'm somewhat reliving my 20s, but in a much smarter way. I mean, just look at this picture of me and my BFF. Don't I look super smart? The cigarette really proves it. Can I get a job from being colossally cool on a Saturday night?
So, my next big project is to update this site. It needs a new look and definitely a new tag line (I came up with that one during a crying jag - so lame). Man, I gotta update my BlogHer profile and my FB one, too, now that I think of it.
Also, this blog is going to see more of me. As in ME. Not Mommy Jessica or Feminist Jessica or Natural Parent Jessica. I mean, they're all in there, but I've decided to let more of the ribald, crass, grown-up in me come out, too. It'll be like a French braid of feminism, parenting, pscyhotherapeutic rhetoric, and cussing. I hope you'll like it. I wish I could somehow make this site into a sex column and answer everyone's sex and relationship questions, though. Non-sequitur you say? Nah, not really. I'm surprisingly good at that kind of stuff and I think it goes with everything else seamlessly.
Ok! Coffee's kicking in. Time to dress and tackle the day, my couch, my life, and the world!
People have suggested meds for this bullshit, but it's situational, not quite yet chemically based. I know the difference. Not that I'm against meds -- oh, definitely not -- but a job-a-day will definitely get these blues to go away. That and signed paperwork and a big step f.o.r.w.a.r.d. So, yeah. No meds required... just yet.
Basically, I'd be a really bad lottery winner. I need shit to do and I'm rather bad at finding things when I'm paralyzed with fear and sadness. Funny how that works. But I'm managing. Applying to jobs as I find them; dreaming up an Etsy storefront (anyone want small paintings of random flowers by an amateur artist??); watching marathons of Murder, She Wrote; crying and laughing (way more laughing, by the way -- I'm too dead inside to cry); spending lots of time with Rooster and Hawk on off-weeks, savoring every second of my on-weeks.
Season 3, ep. 8: "Magnum on Ice."
Speaking of Rooster, we went to Hawk's first-ever parent-teacher conference the other day. Here are some highlights as told by Hawk himself (well, not really himself, but you get the gist):
- I eat at just about any opportunity (both snack times and lunch) and I eat each piece of my lunch separately (chips, then sandwich, then fruit, but never a little of each all at once)
- I have forgone the pre-nap hug-n-kiss instead preferring to just go to my mat with a book
- I get along with all the kids and have begun sticking up for myself when someone snags a toy (?Hey! That?s mine! I was playing that!) whereas I used to just stand there bewildered
- Fleur and I will often have to be separated at nap time because we like to just stare at each other while holding hands instead of sleeping
- I frequently compliment the female teachers on their outfits to great appreciation of my observations
- I always like to help a teacher out and answer, ?Of course!? when asked
- I usually nap, but Hannah can?t figure out what the combination is that makes it so
- I love the ?Jump Up!? song
- I am particularly good at the ?Guess What Animal This Is? game and it?s also my favorite
- If Hannah can?t find me, I?m usually in the sand pile
- Once, when Keenan kept hitting me and I finally hit him back, I got upset and Hannah had to reassure me that I wasn?t in trouble (though, hitting is never encouraged)
- I don?t share my food (as a rule), but I will occasionally ask someone else to share and then I?ll give something back in exchange
- I really take eating seriously: no funny business. Just sitting and eating. No playing and running around
- Hannah can always count on me to be mellow and stable. I?m sometimes the only kid in Dungeon room who goes quietly to his mat before nap time.
- I also just use the ba�o. I don?t play in it
We also went to the Houston Space Station (or whatever it's called). Oh. my. god. I don't even care about space except that it's beautiful and fun to look at and imagine about, but I was still awed by some shit. Especially that Saturn V rocket thing. Wow. I mean, as a kid I liked the planets mostly because they were pretty -- not because of the science -- but building something that massive that flies to outer space?? Pretty fucking cool. Even for this artsy, loved-English-assignments kid.
Did you know they put Model Ts on the moon? Either that or this is just a bad Grapes of Wrath re-enactment.
Space shuttle landing, natch.
Really. Who looks more excited to be here? He might have said something about how he's been "waiting my whole life for this moment!"
Saturn V engines.
So, my next big project is to update this site. It needs a new look and definitely a new tag line (I came up with that one during a crying jag - so lame). Man, I gotta update my BlogHer profile and my FB one, too, now that I think of it.
Also, this blog is going to see more of me. As in ME. Not Mommy Jessica or Feminist Jessica or Natural Parent Jessica. I mean, they're all in there, but I've decided to let more of the ribald, crass, grown-up in me come out, too. It'll be like a French braid of feminism, parenting, pscyhotherapeutic rhetoric, and cussing. I hope you'll like it. I wish I could somehow make this site into a sex column and answer everyone's sex and relationship questions, though. Non-sequitur you say? Nah, not really. I'm surprisingly good at that kind of stuff and I think it goes with everything else seamlessly.
Ok! Coffee's kicking in. Time to dress and tackle the day, my couch, my life, and the world!
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThisIsWorthwhile/~3/91W2Nnqm5Pc/lets-do-this-helloooooo-jessica.html
No air
After two and a half hours of laborious attention to detail there is a heavy silence in the room. The voices have stilled.
I have just agreed to the final stipulation.
It is a heavy, vibrating space. My mind blank and rustling in the breeze of the previous emotion; a shivering leaf in the moment before the heavens bear down.
My lawyer looks at me. "Are you ok?"
"Yes," I answer with stolen breath.
She looks at Rooster. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah," he says.
"Ok," her mouth moves. And in a moment that lasts an eternity later I hear:
"It's done."
A giant, silent gavel slams down with thunderous finality sucking the oxygen out of the well-lit and sparsely decorated room. Like a vacuum on the cavity of my body all breath is whipped from me; snatched like a baby in harm's way.
"It's done" echos through the remains; rattles in the cage of my heart; tells me to fuck off.
I can't breathe. I fight tears. Her face is kind, sorrow-filled. Rooster is calm, enviously still.
I struggle to compose myself, busy myself with papers, a drink of water. They begin to talk. My eyes fill with salty tears. I lose one down my hot cheek. Perhaps two.
I focus on their voices, the timbres, the syllables. One, two, two, three, pause, etc. Lilting noise keeps me anchored lest I fly away in a swirl of regret and pain and bullshit.
I can do this: I will not feel.
I will not.
Later.
Maybe.
maybe.
I have just agreed to the final stipulation.
It is a heavy, vibrating space. My mind blank and rustling in the breeze of the previous emotion; a shivering leaf in the moment before the heavens bear down.
My lawyer looks at me. "Are you ok?"
"Yes," I answer with stolen breath.
She looks at Rooster. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah," he says.
"Ok," her mouth moves. And in a moment that lasts an eternity later I hear:
"It's done."
A giant, silent gavel slams down with thunderous finality sucking the oxygen out of the well-lit and sparsely decorated room. Like a vacuum on the cavity of my body all breath is whipped from me; snatched like a baby in harm's way.
"It's done" echos through the remains; rattles in the cage of my heart; tells me to fuck off.
I can't breathe. I fight tears. Her face is kind, sorrow-filled. Rooster is calm, enviously still.
I struggle to compose myself, busy myself with papers, a drink of water. They begin to talk. My eyes fill with salty tears. I lose one down my hot cheek. Perhaps two.
I focus on their voices, the timbres, the syllables. One, two, two, three, pause, etc. Lilting noise keeps me anchored lest I fly away in a swirl of regret and pain and bullshit.
I can do this: I will not feel.
I will not.
Later.
Maybe.
maybe.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThisIsWorthwhile/~3/CeVVw7A4cHk/no-air.html
Giveaway: What Not to Say $12 ARV {8/23 US/CAN}
This is a joint giveaway with Code Name: Mama and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked “Win it!” for the mandatory main entry and optional bonus entries. Have You Ever Heard One of These Phrases Come Out of Your Mouth? “Because...
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CodeNameMama/~3/eOedC6c40Lc/
Monday, July 25, 2011
Keep calm
I hate to be a cold-hearted bitch to you, dear reader, but this is how I spent today. I took Cormac for a long walk along the beach and then we went home and had a nap on the couch.
Dads Rock
Anyhoo, Dad's are officially cool so I, for one, will be encouraging the boys to draw a fabulous picture for him and make him something dramatic with their Lego as a present because, erm, well, what *do* you get Dads for Father's Day?
My own Dad gets a paltry selection of stuff like Rod Stewart CDs and books about Geoff Hurst and the occasional carved, wooden thing and a card with a Kingfisher on it and things like that, but I don't think a Dad who hasn't yet hit his forties would really be that pleased with such tasteful fare. So, I'm just going to stick with the Lego I think - it probably counts as 're-gifting' - making something with the Lego which Santa got the boys for Christmas, so that's got to be good for the environment hasn't it?
Failing that, if you're stuck for ideas, how about doing something totally radical and sending him something from Interflora - they don't just do flowers you know, they have hampers and a whole range of father's day gifts. Interflora also do a same day flower delivery, so you could always accidentally order yourself a lovely bunch of summer flowers at the same time. Well, he didn't send you any for Mother's Day did he, so why not? (stamps foot).
If hampers or flowers aren't his thing, how about an instruction manual? Dad's like them don't they? Tim Atkinson, the man, the dad, the genius behind the incredibly successful blog 'Bringing up Charlie' has poured all his hard years of research and experience in the matter of Fatherhood into his very own book 'Fatherhood: The Essential Guide'. Essential reading for all new dads - and some of the not so new dads too (ahem). This is an excellent book which I would highly recommend.
So now you have no excuses: Hampers, Flowers, Books or, failing all else, Lego spaceships.
Dads. Rock.
That is a picture of Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters, by the way. He is a dad. And he rocks.
Source: http://hotcrossmum.blogspot.com/2011/06/dads-rock.html
10 things we enjoy least about Cormac, aged 2 years and one quarter
See here for previous lists. Mine. The way you have started doing this freak-out panic shit whenever I move around the house to get stuff done. Just like your sister, what is with you two? When have I ever abandoned you? The shit hole you have turned our house into. Granted, it’s not entirely your [...]
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Rakofsky Motion #7 ? Doudna Moves to Dismiss and for Sanctions
The seventh motion in the Joseph Rakofsky defamation case against 81 defendants is now being served. (Background on the case here). This motion is by defendant Michael Doudna, a California criminal defense lawyer. He is represented by Thomas Catalano of Lester Schwab Katz & Dwyer here in New York. The motion seeks two types of [...]
When Hot Cross Mum met Edith Bowman
Last week I had the absolute pleasure of spending an evening in the company of Edith Bowman in the fabulously swanky surroundings of the Soho Hotel in London. Just a regular Tuesday night, right? Well OK, not quite - although I could very easily get used to it!
Edith is one of the ambassadors behind the Proctor & Gamble 'Proud Sponsor of Mums' campaign in Ireland and the UK (have you seen the gorgeous TV ad yet - tear jerker or what?). Edith spoke to the press about the findings of Proctor & Gamble's report into 'The Changing Face of Motherhood', which highlights how the role of mothers has changed over the decades. The report was commissioned by P&G (the company behind brands such as Ariel, Fairy, Pampers and Olay) in the run up to Mother?s Day. I then scooped a private interview with Edith about her role as a busy working mum and her involvement in the P&G challenge to live as a 1930s housewife for a day. Here's what happened.
HCM: Hi Edith. Gosh, you're stunning. I'm a little bit starstruck. (why didn't anyone offer to do my hair and make-up? Hmm). Would you like to sip your champagne and munch on a mini burger while we chat?
Edith: Hi Hot Cross Mum. Oo, yes, that would be fab.
HCM: So, Edith, tell me about your challenge to live as a 1930s housewife? You certainly looked a lot more glamorous doing your challenges than I did!
Edith: The challenges were amazing, but I never want to see another washboard for as long as I live. It really shows you what hard work it was back then.
HCM: I agree. Did you see me trying to wash clothes with a washboard? Pathetic! So, what was the hardest part of the challenge for you?
Edith: Erm, everything! I basically wouldn't be able to work if I had to live like that now. I think we take for granted all the modern appliances and products we have now to make our lives easier - although we do fill up the time we have gained with other stuff. Life is very busy for mums now.
HCM: So you won't be trading in your dishwasher for carbolic soap and a wire scourer then?
Edith: (laughs) No!
HCM: Did I mention that your hair looks amazing? I did. Right, let's carry on then. So, Edith, you're clearly an extremely busy woman. What is your schedule and how do you manage to juggle your career with family life and your little boy Rudy?
Edith: (clearly melting at the mention of her little boy) - It's really tough. As a working mum I know how hard it is to juggle everything. I absolutely love my job and am very lucky to to do the job I love. I want to work to give Rudy the best I can, and for myself because I still have things I want to achieve. I leave the house at 6am for The Breakfast Show and am usually home by 11am. Rudy is in nursery 5 mornings - we try to keep his schedule as normal as possible. We don't have family living nearby and haven't had a nanny since last August so me and Tom (Edith's husband - the lead singer with The Editors) have to be very organised and juggle our schedules. I'm hugely appreciative of the support networks I have of my mum and friends who step in and help out. I had to put my mum on the sleeper train from Scotland so she could mind Rudy while I am here tonight.
HCM: So, you don't have a nanny? Is that through choice?
Edith: Yes. We made that decision because we want Rudy to have a normal, family life and be surrounded by family and people who are important to him; who will be there as a constant, whether that is me, Tom or his nana. It's hard work but we just have to be very organised.
HCM: How do you spend your free time with Rudy?
Edith: When I collect him from nursery I love taking him swimming, or we go to the cinema -just normal, everyday things really. Our time together is really, really important to me.
HCM: So, is Rudy into music? I guess he must be with such musical influences around him?
Edith: He is! He goes into the studio with Tom and bashes on the drums! He's into the Beatles at the moment - he calls John Lennon 'John Lemon' and likes singing 'Yellow Submarine'. He also thinks the Dizzee Rascal song 'Bonkers' is hilarious.
HCM: You clearly adore your son.
Edith: Rudy is amazing - I learn from him on a daily basis. He's the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. As a mum you just feel this massive sense of responsibility.
HCM: Ahhhhh -that's so lovely. You're so normal and down-to-earth. Please can I sit and chat to you all night? So are you doing any of the summer festivals?
Edith: Yes, I'm doing T in the Park in Scotland. Coldplay, The Arctic Monkeys and The Foo Fighters are headlining. It should be fantastic.
HCM: Excellent. So, you won't be wearing your 1930s headscarf to that event then? Well Edith, I know you want to sit and chat to me all night but I really must be fair and let some of the other people talk to you and take your photo. It has been an absolute pleasure meeting you. Please feel free to pop in for a cuppa if you're at the Oxygen festival in Ireland this year - I live just down the road.
Edith: My pleasure Hot Cross Mum (shakes my hand). Love your ring by the way.
And with that she drifts off into the waiting crowd. She liked my ring. That must make me cool, surely?
Edith Bowman is the loveliest lady and clearly a doting mum who works hard to balance her career and family life just as the rest of us do - her 'me time' is as limited as the next person's. It's really refreshing to talk to a celebrity mum who isn't surrounded by nannies, but who faces a familiar struggle to schedule and organise and spend time with her child while holding down a job she loves. Cheers Edith - you rock! Follow Edith on Twitter @edibow
Source: http://hotcrossmum.blogspot.com/2011/04/when-hot-cross-mum-met-edith-bowman.html
40 things I've enjoyed on the way to 40: Part 1
Yes, I was a child of the '70s and '80s and as I will be celebrating the ripe old age of FORTY in a couple of weeks, I thought I would become a bit nostalgic and rummage through my decaying brain cells for some gems from my misspent youth. So, here are the first 20 things I have enjoyed immensely on the way to being 40. Any young 'uns reading this won't have a clue what half of the below means (and I offer no apology for that whatsoever!), but for anyone reaching their middle-age years, I hope this brings back fond memories! 1. Midget gems, especially the white and red ones, Wham Bars, Space dust (aka popping candy) and the strictly forbidden candy cigarettes.
2. Lilt, Monster Munch and potted meat sandwiches on school trips.
3. The Dooleys - my first childhood crush on some odd man with alarmlingly feminine hair
4. Sticks of rhubarb straight out of the garden, dipped into bowls of sugar
5. Miss World and Eurovision Song Contests - oh, the excitement, the excitement!
6. The Incredible Hulk on Friday night telly
7. The Dukes of Hazzard on a Saturday teatime
8. Swap Shop
9. Jim'll Fix It
10. Grange Hill
11. Babycham, Asti Supmante, Blue Nun, Mateus Rose and Black Tower wine
12. Making perfume out of rose petals from the garden
13. Mr Benn, Bagpuss, Barbapapa, Ivor The Engine, The Clangers....the list is endless.
14. Sindy dolls
15. Look In, Smash Hits and Just 17 magazines
16. 'Frankie Says Relax' t.shirts
17. Pedal pushers, ra-ra skirts, pixie boots, Batwing jumpers, satin dungarees (or maybe they were my sisters - not quite sure)
18. My Raleigh Wisp bike and wooden Maxply McEnroe tennis racquet birthday presents
19. Seeing Abba live at Wembley Arena
20. Athena posters
Ahhh, the memories! More next week.
Source: http://hotcrossmum.blogspot.com/2011/05/40-things-ive-enjoyed-on-way-to-40-part.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)