Archive for June, 2007:
We’re a Fun Family!
An exchange in my house this evening…
Me: *knocking on kitchen window*
Daughter: *from another room* What’s that knocking sound?
Me: It was me knocking on the window. I was trying to scare off that tomcat with the big dangling balls.
Husband: You just know this is gonna be a fun family to grow up in when your mom says stuff like “big dangling balls”
Little Cavemen
On many occasions both before my son was born and when he was a baby, I mused aloud about how twisted it is that we give children, frequently boys, toy guns and other toys weapons to PLAY with.
And of course, other mothers have consistently assured me that even when you shield your little boys from violence and guns etc. they will still find a way to turn normally benign items into weapons.
It’s just in their nature, they would say.
I would politely nod my head but on the inside, I was rolling my eyes at the stereotype.
Well, today I’m here to say that my son P, who just had his second birthday on Sunday, may be living up to said stereotype.
See, when on numerous occasions he has taken long stick-like objects like a toy broom or a roll of wrapping paper and gone around the house whacking everything in sight, I pshawed and continued to scoff at those moms.
When he took the padded Wacky Stick and bonked the cat, I scolded him appropriately and took it away, chalking it up to his age.
But when he playfully pointed a can of hair mousse at me this morning like it was some kind of ray gun and went “Psssssssssshhhhh! Psssssssshhhhhh!” I had to humbly concede.
Does he actually intend us harm? Of course not. Is he a mean child? Not at all. To the contrary, he’s actually a very sweet and affectionate little guy (who happens to like bonking and whacking stuff and firing mousse can ray guns.)
I can only conclude that he’s acting on his baser instincts, which apparently haven’t been tamed by evolution.
So, to all the moms I eyerolled, I apologize. You were right.
Here are some photos of my little caveman from his birthday party on Saturday. They just grow up so damn fast *sigh*
Blowing out his candles!
Tasting the cake!
Want some?
Feeding Daddy!
And the Winner is…
I’m sorry for the delay in posting the winner of the naked dude on the beach caption contest but I wanted to let the winner know first and find out which prize she would be taking but I haven’t been able to reach her. Hopefully she will come here and see that she’s won!
So without further ado, the winning caption came from Sensible One. Her submission was one of the finalists and received the most reader votes:
Sunscreen…$10, Sunglasses…$40
Cock-Tails on the beach? Priceless
I also made a huge error when listing the finalists because I totally meant to include Canape’s holiday ditty as I and several other commenters thought it was hilarious. I had it on my list and I have no idea how or why I left it off. Let’s just blame mommy brain and leave it at that, k? To make up for my mistake, I’d also like to offer a free sidebar ad to Canape in lieu of listing her as a finalist as I’m sure she would have come in first or second with this gem:
Chet’s nuts roasting on an open beach
Sand in more than just his toes
High tide coming but not soon enough
And folks posed close to the pope’s nose . . .
And for the record, G-man came in second and Aimee of Greeblemonkey came in third. Nice job…Ya’ll funnnnny!!
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Have a second? Can you go view my groovy Scrapblog? Each view counts as an entry in a contest to win a free Blogher registration. So will you go look? Pleasssssssse! Thanks :)
I am Woman, Hear Me Roar…
One of the first things I noticed about becoming a stay-at-home mom was how isolating it was. In my neighborhood at least, everyone was at work all day. Nobody to talk to. Nobody to complain to. Nobody to ask if I was doing it right or wrong. And it pretty much sucked.
Prior to giving birth, I worked at a stressful but good paying job that I liked with interesting people that I got along with and a boss that I liked & respected despite her persnicketyness and legendary moodswings. And then postpartum? Nothing. Just me and my colicky baby all day, every day, watching the clock and counting the minutes until my husband came home. What I wouldn’t have given then for what I have now through blogging.
So what was the question again? Does blogging empower women?
I’d have to say yes. Absolutely.
Why?
Because it gives us a voice that we might otherwise not have.
Because it gives us a community of women, mothers, fellow professionals, whatever that would be hard to amass in the physical world.
Because it gives us help and support when we need it.
Because when we all band together we make things happen.
Because it lets us speak frankly if we so desire.
Because it lets us speak anonymously if we so desire.
Because we can be whoever we want to be on our blogs.
Because we can get feedback when we want it.
Or turn the comments off when we don’t.
We have choices and options that we might not otherwise have.
For me, blogging has provided an outlet for my many soapboxy issues, as well as a place to meet like-minded women that I would never encounter in my regular life. I don’t say “real life” because my blog IS real. It’s part of my “real” life and though I may see the women I’ve gotten to know only once a year at a little conference called BlogHer, they’re no less real to me.
Do I personally feel empowered? You bet your ass I do. Read some of my ranty posts about society sexualizing our girls or the idiots that oppose public breastfeeding or a dozen other topics that have provoked my ire and you will be reading the words of someone who is damn glad she doesn’t have to browbeat her friends and family with this stuff anymore because now she has, conceivably, the whole world as an audience by way of her blog.
I am a woman. I am a blogger. HEAR ME ROAR.
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The ladies over at Mommyblogs Toronto are sponsoring a contest to send someone to BlogHer 07 and this essay is my submission :)
Links to This Post
Christy of Are We There Yet?
I Loathe Joe Francis Even More Now (plus we almost have a contest winner!)
As I skimmed the headlines this morning, I noticed that Girls Gone Wild chief douchebag, Joe Francis, is being sued again by two young women for releasing a sexually explicit video without their consent.
I know. SO shocking.
But to me, that’s neither here nor there. Francis’ MO of taking video footage of young women in compromising positions for the purpose of making tens of millions of dollars is well known by now. He’s a pig.
A pig with tour buses.
Yes, now in addition to going into clubs and party spots to approach girls whose judgment may be impaired and getting them to flash some T&A or make out or whatever in exchange for a cheap, ugly GGW trucker cap, the crews can now bring them on their bus to “perform” in their roving mobile studio. Supposedly they check all ID’s before they allow girls on the bus and never ever serve alcohol, as has been alleged. *coughBULLSHITcough*
The whole bus premise is completely vile and it’s definitely not in keeping with Francis’ claims that what they do is all very spontaneous and they just happen to be there to capture all those magical moments.
Ugh. I hope he loses every penny he ever made with GGW and fails miserably at mastering new and innovative ways to to safely pick up the soap while he’s incarcerated.
••••••••
There were so many great submissions that I wasn’t able to choose just one winner in the photo caption contest so what I’ve decided to do is let the readers speak. Out of the following captions, please cast your vote in the comments for the one you like best. I’ll tally the votes Friday morning.
In no particular order:
1- More and more naked men are washing up on the beach for no apparent reason.
2 - Amazing — he’s cheeky, cocky and ballsy!
3 - You call those beach balls?
4 - Sunscreen … $10, Sunglasses … $40, Cock-Tails on the beach? Priceless
5 - I said I wanted a pink lemonade, not a pink limousine!
While I have you here, can I ask a favor? Would you please, please, PRETTY PLEASE click this link and view my Scrapblog? That’s it! Just go look at it. Comments are optional.
See, I’m trying to win a free Blogher 07 trip for two (Yes, two! Who shall I take if I win? Maybe YOU!) and each pageview of my Scrapblog counts as an entry in the the sweepstakes so please, if you ever read anything on this blog that you enjoyed, click for me! Gracias, my friends :)
And to those who have already viewed my Scrapblog, thanks! You rock!
