But tell me, when did this
become this?
DAMN!!
And by that I mean D-AAAAAAAA-MN!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Yeah...I'm Going To Hell...
...for having impure thoughts about Harry Potter.
But tell me, when did this
But tell me, when did this
Monday, January 29, 2007
Don't Be A Boob
Loved, loved, loved this article.
A guy's guide to breast-feeding: Don't be a boob
To look or not to look? How men should act around a nursing mom
A guy's guide to breast-feeding: Don't be a boob
To look or not to look? How men should act around a nursing mom
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Supply and Demand
After reading the posts at both Bombadee’s and I Blame the Patriarchy I decided to do some Googling to see what other “onesie’s” I could find out there. The selections below took mere minutes to accumulate and finally I had to stop looking.
I’ll let the picture below speak for itself, and just to avoid any conversation on gender discrimination or appropriateness please note you could purchase all of the selections below in either white, blue or pink.
Wow.
“For Sale By Owner”
“Boob Man”
“Playground Pimp”
“Lock Up Your Daughters”
“Boob-a-holic The First Step is Admitting It”
“Mommy Drinks Because I Cry”
“Breastfed Baby Stick Around for the Show”
“Pinch My Cheeks I’ll Kick Your @$$”
“I Get To Suck Tits All Day”
“Pullout Baby”
“My Name is Oops”
“It’s This Big”
I’ll let the picture below speak for itself, and just to avoid any conversation on gender discrimination or appropriateness please note you could purchase all of the selections below in either white, blue or pink.
Wow.
“For Sale By Owner”
“Boob Man”
“Playground Pimp”
“Lock Up Your Daughters”
“Boob-a-holic The First Step is Admitting It”
“Mommy Drinks Because I Cry”
“Breastfed Baby Stick Around for the Show”
“Pinch My Cheeks I’ll Kick Your @$$”
“I Get To Suck Tits All Day”
“Pullout Baby”
“My Name is Oops”
“It’s This Big”
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Calogero Vizzini, Al Capone, Luky Luciano & TaterTot
An article I read recently titled Baby makes 3: How kids rattle friendships had the section copied below, which I found hilarious:
Beware the 'mommy mafia'
Happily childfree by choice, Lisa Giassa, a 35-year-old public relations executive who lives in Bergen County, N.J., saw many of her friends get sucked into what she calls “the mommy mafia. All they do is talk — more like complain — about their kids, their husbands, dramas with teachers and other mommy mafia members,” says Giassa.
She has few friends left who have children and cherishes the ones she calls “me-first moms.” Me-first moms, she said, nurture friendships, while members of the mommy mafia are more likely to go months without calling. “It's as if they became incapable of doing anything that didn't fit their ideal of what a mommy should be and do. It just became too much effort and I began to ask what am I getting from these friendships? What am I giving? Then I realized we just grew apart. So it was time to find new friends.”
A dictionary of the Italian language describes mafia as: "A complex of small clandestine associations governed by a code of silence and being in control of some business activities and of party patronage in the administration of the Region of Sicily".
If our families or children are considered our “business” there are few days any of us would boast we felt in control, while my pal Jenny is Italian I don’t believe she’s Sicilian so that’s not applicable, and the phrase “code of silence” is laughable as we’re not silent about anything. Usually you can’t get us to shut-up.
I’m not sure if I would be considered a “Me-First-Mom” or a member of the “Mommy Mafia”. I would guess a bit of both. The majority of my friends and all of my closest friends are also mothers so it’s hard for me to gauge how we may come across to the childless. I will admit when I have gone out with a group of Mom’s in the past I know I have grown inpatient with story after story after story about what their kid may or may not have done since I saw them last. I can't imagine how much it may suck to someone without kids listening to an hour-long story about how my three-year old navigated potty training. While I like to brag up my kids as much as the next gal, it can get tiresome after a while even mother to mother. I have wondered if some women I know are able to define themselves outside of being a mother (there’s my judgemental side again).
If we are part of an underground Mommy Mafia, then I want to assign the following titles to my "family":
Bombadee as Capo Crimine - The head of the family, usually reigning as a dictator, sometimes called the "don", or "godfather”. Level headed and cool under pressue, but knows when it’s necessary to order a hit. Offering information on an as-needed basis, she trusts few and keeps her enemies under a watchful eye.
Mrs. BlahZeeBlah as Consigliere - Consigliere is an advisor to the family. They are often low profile gangsters that can be trusted. They are used as a mediator of disputes or representatives or aids in meetings with other Families. They often keep the Family looking as legitimate as possible. They usually do not have crew of their own, but still wield great power in the Family.
TaterTot as Capo di Tutti Capi – “Boss of all Bosses” of course. After all, this is my blog and according to Bombadee I get to be the coolest person on my blog.
So what are you; a “Me-First-Mom” or member of the “Mommy Mafia”?
Beware the 'mommy mafia'
Happily childfree by choice, Lisa Giassa, a 35-year-old public relations executive who lives in Bergen County, N.J., saw many of her friends get sucked into what she calls “the mommy mafia. All they do is talk — more like complain — about their kids, their husbands, dramas with teachers and other mommy mafia members,” says Giassa.
She has few friends left who have children and cherishes the ones she calls “me-first moms.” Me-first moms, she said, nurture friendships, while members of the mommy mafia are more likely to go months without calling. “It's as if they became incapable of doing anything that didn't fit their ideal of what a mommy should be and do. It just became too much effort and I began to ask what am I getting from these friendships? What am I giving? Then I realized we just grew apart. So it was time to find new friends.”
A dictionary of the Italian language describes mafia as: "A complex of small clandestine associations governed by a code of silence and being in control of some business activities and of party patronage in the administration of the Region of Sicily".
If our families or children are considered our “business” there are few days any of us would boast we felt in control, while my pal Jenny is Italian I don’t believe she’s Sicilian so that’s not applicable, and the phrase “code of silence” is laughable as we’re not silent about anything. Usually you can’t get us to shut-up.
I’m not sure if I would be considered a “Me-First-Mom” or a member of the “Mommy Mafia”. I would guess a bit of both. The majority of my friends and all of my closest friends are also mothers so it’s hard for me to gauge how we may come across to the childless. I will admit when I have gone out with a group of Mom’s in the past I know I have grown inpatient with story after story after story about what their kid may or may not have done since I saw them last. I can't imagine how much it may suck to someone without kids listening to an hour-long story about how my three-year old navigated potty training. While I like to brag up my kids as much as the next gal, it can get tiresome after a while even mother to mother. I have wondered if some women I know are able to define themselves outside of being a mother (there’s my judgemental side again).
If we are part of an underground Mommy Mafia, then I want to assign the following titles to my "family":
Bombadee as Capo Crimine - The head of the family, usually reigning as a dictator, sometimes called the "don", or "godfather”. Level headed and cool under pressue, but knows when it’s necessary to order a hit. Offering information on an as-needed basis, she trusts few and keeps her enemies under a watchful eye.
Mrs. BlahZeeBlah as Consigliere - Consigliere is an advisor to the family. They are often low profile gangsters that can be trusted. They are used as a mediator of disputes or representatives or aids in meetings with other Families. They often keep the Family looking as legitimate as possible. They usually do not have crew of their own, but still wield great power in the Family.
TaterTot as Capo di Tutti Capi – “Boss of all Bosses” of course. After all, this is my blog and according to Bombadee I get to be the coolest person on my blog.
So what are you; a “Me-First-Mom” or member of the “Mommy Mafia”?
Friday, January 12, 2007
Baseball, Apple Pie and Judging Mothers...
Judgement: the forming of an opinion, estimate, notion, or conclusion, as from circumstances presented to the mind
I read a couple of interesting articles recently on Mommy’s in America and recently enjoyed Weeza’s post on her constant questioning/self-judgement of her own parenting abilities. One article focused on how judgemental mothers in America are of eachother:
What's the real measure of a ‘good mom’? Judging mothers has turned into a popular American pastime, many say
It hit a little closer to home for me than I would have liked. Looking at my own circle of friends, many of us parent our children differently and I have been known to make comments (mostly postitive, but some negative) on choices I see others make. Not that what they do is right or wrong, but more along the lines of saying I wouldn’t make the same choices. With the exception of verbal/physical abuse I would never tell a friend how they choose to raise their children is wrong. I give advice when asked for, but try to always throw in a disclaimer stating “this is what I would do, but you need to figure out what is best for you”. I will admit though I do make a judgement of someone based on how I see them raise/interact with their kids. I have always taught my kids that it is wrong to gauge someone’s value or make judgement based on something a person cannot change, i.e. skin color, handicap, sexual orientation, etc. Isn’t how we raise our children a choice? Is is wrong for me to make a judgement here? Are my friends not allowed to form an opinion of me based on my choices as a parent?
Tomorrow: Beware of the “Mommy Mafia”
I read a couple of interesting articles recently on Mommy’s in America and recently enjoyed Weeza’s post on her constant questioning/self-judgement of her own parenting abilities. One article focused on how judgemental mothers in America are of eachother:
What's the real measure of a ‘good mom’? Judging mothers has turned into a popular American pastime, many say
It hit a little closer to home for me than I would have liked. Looking at my own circle of friends, many of us parent our children differently and I have been known to make comments (mostly postitive, but some negative) on choices I see others make. Not that what they do is right or wrong, but more along the lines of saying I wouldn’t make the same choices. With the exception of verbal/physical abuse I would never tell a friend how they choose to raise their children is wrong. I give advice when asked for, but try to always throw in a disclaimer stating “this is what I would do, but you need to figure out what is best for you”. I will admit though I do make a judgement of someone based on how I see them raise/interact with their kids. I have always taught my kids that it is wrong to gauge someone’s value or make judgement based on something a person cannot change, i.e. skin color, handicap, sexual orientation, etc. Isn’t how we raise our children a choice? Is is wrong for me to make a judgement here? Are my friends not allowed to form an opinion of me based on my choices as a parent?
Tomorrow: Beware of the “Mommy Mafia”
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
What's the Point?
Blogs, blogs, blogs.
Why do we post?
Who are we posting for?
How often should one post?
Do we check our site meters to see who is reading and how often?
Is that the point?
Are people honest?
Do we omit what we really want to say because we know who may be reading it?
Is not including something important going on in your life a lie by omission or just a choice?
Is a blog supposed to be an online diary of my thoughts and point of view or a family album full of kid pictures and announcements of growing pains?
Are pictures of my Vegas vacations and drunken adventures with my girlfriends as funny to everyone else as they are to me?
I’ve read some really balls out arguments surrounding such topics as politics, abortion, and breastfeeding; is any subject open for discussion?
Are friendships strong enough to handle disagreement or do we hold back for fear of alienating those closest to us?
Could a total stranger change my lifelong belief on a subject with a two paragraph comment?
Do I really think I could change someone else’s with mine?
One of my favorite blogs, Messy Beautiful, is closing down. She is looking for some anonymity and I have to admit the idea is appealing. I don’t post things here I would like to for fear of hurting a friend’s feelings or being dooced. When I started this blog, I was careful about who from my “real life” I gave the address to so I could write freely without worry. I now realize that concept is out the window, as I purposefully withhold things knowing who reads. These day’s I feel I can’t even post what my social plans are for fear of hurting someone’s feelings. The restraints I have put on myself have led me to post less and less often.
We all hold things back from our blogs, including only bits and pieces carefully re-read for hidden meanings and spell-checked before hitting the “Publish” button. Well, I should say most of us spell-check (~wink to you know who~).
One blog I read makes no mention of the fact their spouse is in politics or an argument I know they may have had three weeks ago. I post about how wonderful my husband is but exclude the fact that he pisses me off sometimes and we argue. Is the picture I’m presenting on by blog what IS or what I want it to BE?
Another blog I used to read is authored by the most self-centered person I thought I have ever met. She would gleefully announce every single woe in her life and share incredibly personal details about her physical and mental health, but when she found herself unexpectedly pregnant and then later miscarried it was only referred to cryptically on her website. She was flooded with fellow blogger declarations to “be there” for her even though they had never even met and they had no idea what she was even going through. What the hell does that mean? Why was this subject not honestly posted for comment like everything else; nothing seemed off limits before. It truly made me consider the notion that the entire thing was concocted to hold onto a man who wanted nothing to do with her. I don’t think that is what really happened, but the thought did creep into my brain just because she didn’t blog about it. Are some things too personal to post and we should respect that? I found myself judging her not only on what she did post, but on what she didn’t. That isn’t very fair of me, is it?
I was recently referred back to this same persons blog to read a post about the day a friend of hers “saved her life”, but she left out the part about how she blasted this person in the weeks to follow as she and her pseudo-friends said nasty things about her on the Internet and they aren’t speaking anymore. I was dying to comment that if her treatment of Jenny is what a friend gets for saving your life, then I would advise everyone in the future not to. What was the point of her post? To thank Jenny or bait us into commenting so her friends could rally again? Neither, I guess since neither occurred. Maybe, just maybe, the post wasn’t about Jenny or I. Maybe the world doesn’t revolve around me. New concept. Who’s the self-centered person now?
Maybe we miss the point of posts all together. Bombadee posted yesterday how Ella is having a hard time with the concept of being “big” and I wrote a four paragraph comment giving her advice and announcing how I handled the same hurdles. Was she asking for advice? No. But before I knew it I was typing up my two cents and checking back for her reply. Maybe my opinion on her toddlers transition from diapers to underwear wasn’t the intention of her post. Maybe the world doesn’t revolve around me. New concept. I’m seeing a pattern here.
When I would go out socially with a friend whose blog I used to read, she often declared at a table full of people that I was in her “stalker stats” and I would be so embarrassed. She would constantly check who was on her site, how long there were there, what they clicked on; it made me so self-conscious that I found myself thinking about it when I would read her blog and it took all of the enjoyment out of it for me. Then if someone was put on the disavowed list in her life, she would gleefully announce how she could “block the bitch” from her site. It seemed to be a power trip to her. It that what blogs are all about? The numbers on your site meter?
So what is the point? Is it all about me, me me? Are most bloggers incredibly narcissistic people or just me?
(Noticed how I had the word “me” in that sentence? Yep, it’s all about me.)
Why do we post?
Who are we posting for?
How often should one post?
Do we check our site meters to see who is reading and how often?
Is that the point?
Are people honest?
Do we omit what we really want to say because we know who may be reading it?
Is not including something important going on in your life a lie by omission or just a choice?
Is a blog supposed to be an online diary of my thoughts and point of view or a family album full of kid pictures and announcements of growing pains?
Are pictures of my Vegas vacations and drunken adventures with my girlfriends as funny to everyone else as they are to me?
I’ve read some really balls out arguments surrounding such topics as politics, abortion, and breastfeeding; is any subject open for discussion?
Are friendships strong enough to handle disagreement or do we hold back for fear of alienating those closest to us?
Could a total stranger change my lifelong belief on a subject with a two paragraph comment?
Do I really think I could change someone else’s with mine?
One of my favorite blogs, Messy Beautiful, is closing down. She is looking for some anonymity and I have to admit the idea is appealing. I don’t post things here I would like to for fear of hurting a friend’s feelings or being dooced. When I started this blog, I was careful about who from my “real life” I gave the address to so I could write freely without worry. I now realize that concept is out the window, as I purposefully withhold things knowing who reads. These day’s I feel I can’t even post what my social plans are for fear of hurting someone’s feelings. The restraints I have put on myself have led me to post less and less often.
We all hold things back from our blogs, including only bits and pieces carefully re-read for hidden meanings and spell-checked before hitting the “Publish” button. Well, I should say most of us spell-check (~wink to you know who~).
One blog I read makes no mention of the fact their spouse is in politics or an argument I know they may have had three weeks ago. I post about how wonderful my husband is but exclude the fact that he pisses me off sometimes and we argue. Is the picture I’m presenting on by blog what IS or what I want it to BE?
Another blog I used to read is authored by the most self-centered person I thought I have ever met. She would gleefully announce every single woe in her life and share incredibly personal details about her physical and mental health, but when she found herself unexpectedly pregnant and then later miscarried it was only referred to cryptically on her website. She was flooded with fellow blogger declarations to “be there” for her even though they had never even met and they had no idea what she was even going through. What the hell does that mean? Why was this subject not honestly posted for comment like everything else; nothing seemed off limits before. It truly made me consider the notion that the entire thing was concocted to hold onto a man who wanted nothing to do with her. I don’t think that is what really happened, but the thought did creep into my brain just because she didn’t blog about it. Are some things too personal to post and we should respect that? I found myself judging her not only on what she did post, but on what she didn’t. That isn’t very fair of me, is it?
I was recently referred back to this same persons blog to read a post about the day a friend of hers “saved her life”, but she left out the part about how she blasted this person in the weeks to follow as she and her pseudo-friends said nasty things about her on the Internet and they aren’t speaking anymore. I was dying to comment that if her treatment of Jenny is what a friend gets for saving your life, then I would advise everyone in the future not to. What was the point of her post? To thank Jenny or bait us into commenting so her friends could rally again? Neither, I guess since neither occurred. Maybe, just maybe, the post wasn’t about Jenny or I. Maybe the world doesn’t revolve around me. New concept. Who’s the self-centered person now?
Maybe we miss the point of posts all together. Bombadee posted yesterday how Ella is having a hard time with the concept of being “big” and I wrote a four paragraph comment giving her advice and announcing how I handled the same hurdles. Was she asking for advice? No. But before I knew it I was typing up my two cents and checking back for her reply. Maybe my opinion on her toddlers transition from diapers to underwear wasn’t the intention of her post. Maybe the world doesn’t revolve around me. New concept. I’m seeing a pattern here.
When I would go out socially with a friend whose blog I used to read, she often declared at a table full of people that I was in her “stalker stats” and I would be so embarrassed. She would constantly check who was on her site, how long there were there, what they clicked on; it made me so self-conscious that I found myself thinking about it when I would read her blog and it took all of the enjoyment out of it for me. Then if someone was put on the disavowed list in her life, she would gleefully announce how she could “block the bitch” from her site. It seemed to be a power trip to her. It that what blogs are all about? The numbers on your site meter?
So what is the point? Is it all about me, me me? Are most bloggers incredibly narcissistic people or just me?
(Noticed how I had the word “me” in that sentence? Yep, it’s all about me.)
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