Ratphooey

An eventful day

2008-05-18T03:13:32Z

Boys up before 7. Oy.

Music class! So much fun to watch them make music.

Browsed the farmer's market with the lovely mama of one of #1's particular friends. I enjoy her company so much! We bought berries and tomatoes and flat iron steaks.

Pizza at Cosi. #2 napped in his stroller. I drank too much Diet Coke.

Saw a chorkie. I am not a fan of the tiny dogs in general, but this one? Was heartbreakingly cute.

Got my hair cut. For the second time in as many days. Now it is really, really short.

Met up with sabinablue and surfal333 at the playground, while surfal666 was getting the outline of his backpiece tattooed. Note to self: see them more often, dammit! Maybe a double date to see the Sex and the City movie? I have fond memories of watching the series finale at their house.

Ate takeout from Goodburger. It was, in fact, a good burger, though overpriced. Quite nice onion rings, and lime rickeys from their soda fountain!

Loaded Meebo, but there is no one online to chat with! What are you all doing? Out having lives? Shame!

Took a shower. Am finally not itchy from bits of hair.

Iron Man

2008-05-17T04:06:49Z

After #2 was asleep and #1 was ensconced in grandparental care, the spousage and I went to the movies.

We couldn't remember the last time we saw a movie together; I haven't seen one since February. Oy.

We saw Iron Man. It was good!

I love me some Robert Downey Jr., and this was a great part for him.

I look forward to the inevitable sequel.

* * *

I got a haircut. It's short, but not short enough. It's too soft and pretty. I need edge and angles. I'm gonna hit the Chop Shop tomorrow, where they wield the clippers with careless abandon.

Stranger things have happened

2008-05-16T20:36:04Z

After viewing the clip Lori linked to of Chris Matthews schooling right-wing radio host Kevin James in world history and the definition of appeasement?

I totally want to French kiss Chris Matthews.

Happy birthday!

2008-05-16T15:41:34Z

theodicy, for your birthday, I wish you a good laugh.

And a nice lethuth.

Frakking econ

2008-05-16T03:12:57Z

Econ continues to confound me.

Not the material, at least not when I read it.

Then it makes perfect sense.

But these damn multiple choice exams?

Oy.

I did five points better on this one than the last one.

But that's only just barely good enough.

WTF? I'm smarter than the average bear.

Just not, apparently, as smart as the average economist bear.

Lunch date

2008-05-15T18:20:52Z

OMG best thing ever!

2008-05-15T16:12:02Z

Muppet movie poster mash-up!

What would Milton Friedman do?

2008-05-15T03:43:02Z

I just finished the second test in econ.

Sheesh. Hard!

It doesn't help that the text is fairly conservative, while the prof himself is liberal. The conclusions we draw in our online discussions sometimes contradict the text. Confusing. So I just ask myself, WWMFD? And then it's easier to find the answer.

Better than expected

2008-05-14T20:15:13Z

Today, my first day back at work since Friday, has actually gone better than I expected.

It's been busy - there was even an unexpected jaunt out to Radnor to drop off some items for a big presentation - but good.

There's also been sushi, and a massage/chiro session, and gelato - half banana, half strawberries and cream (made from fresh, local berries!).

I still have to catch up on schoolwork, and figure out a temporary fix for the bathroom sink (since we have yet to agree on a new sink), but, you know, I'm Superwoman. I can knock that out this evening.

Ahem.

At least I have tomorrow evening to look forward to. First there is a catered event in the office, with morsels of deliciousness like rosemary-glazed baby lamb chops, and seared diver scallops wrapped in Serrano ham and topped with grapefruit foam. And then there is a reunion dinner with the moms from #1's baby playgroup, which means a big plate of pasta and lots of red wine, somewhere in deepest south Philly.

I really cannot complain.

Posting from bed

2008-05-14T01:19:51Z

I am posting this from my bed.

From my new laptop!

jumakiwi traded up, and I am the delighted recipient of her old machine.

I've been surfing madly for bathroom ideas.

The only things that grab me are things I can't afford.

Isn't that always the way.

It's all relative

2008-05-13T22:46:19Z

What with cyclones and hurricanes killing thousands of people elsewhere in the world, it seems in poor taste to complain that the s-trap under my bathroom sink cracked, and so I can't use my sink.

But there you go.

I don't like having to brush my teeth over the tub, but it's either that or the kitchen sink til the plumbers come on Thursday.

Which also means I have to find the time to select and obtain a new sink and vanity for the bathroom, since I don't want to bother repairing something I can't stand and intend to replace.

Just not so soon, I didn't.

Baby needs a new pair of shoes

2008-05-13T01:29:04Z

Rather, baby needed his first pair of proper shoes. Now that he's a real walker, and all.

As we did with #1, we opted for laces, which we can double knot until the thrill of removing his shoes by himself wears off. Of course, #1 never did remove his own shoes. But #2? I can already tell he'll be a shoe remover. And a shoe flinger.

He does lots of things his brother didn't, like putting everything he picks up into his mouth. Like climbing the furniture like a crazed monkey (it's particularly impressive when he uses the knobs on the dresser-slash-tv stand to ascend as if it were a rock climbing wall. The nice thing about colonial American antiques is they're so heavy they don't even shift under the toddler onslaught.

Both boys fell asleep in the car on the way back from the shoe store, so I parked outside the house and listened to NPR til they woke up. It was a lovely, blissful hour of peace.

Broken only occasionally by the snorting snores of #2.

Mother's Day

2008-05-12T00:26:19Z

Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there!

You've never really been wished a happy Mother's Day til a horde of three-year-old tee-ball players has shouted it at you in what passes for unison among three-year-olds.

We had a lovely day. After tee-ball, we came home, made muffins, and played lots of Go Fish. Tip for those who need to include a younger sibling not old enough to play - make them the custodian of the matched pairs. They'll end up scattered on the floor, but cleaning them up is a good project for the older child, giving you time to zone out for a moment or two. Zzz.

The spousage had to work this afternoon, so Pop Phooey and I took the boys out for an early dinner. #1 was his usual well-behaved self, but finally ran out of patience while we were waiting for our server to bring us the check. Fortunately, he burned off his excess energy by circling our table and wishing me a happy Mother's Day each time he reached his own chair.

We went through the car wash on the way home (#1 loves the car wash), and realized how filthy the insides of the windows were, so we got the Windex out and cleaned it together. He announced that "Cleaning is fun, Mama!" so we proceeded to clean all the first floor windows, and a few on the second floor for good measure, plus a mirror. He was ready to keep going, but by that point I was ready for some quality couch time.

Where he succumbed to a haircut. It's short and choppy and punky. At least, that's what it was meant to look like. If it looks okay in the harsh light of day, I'll post a pic. If it doesn't, we'll have to make time in tomorrow's schedule for a professional fix.

Mom Phooey's in Pittsburgh for a few days, so I'm on vacation. From my paying job. Because goodness knows full-time parenting is much harder work than work!

Posted using TxtLJ

2008-05-10T16:29:52Z

In line - long line - with hopita to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Art Museum.

Give me a C, a bouncy C

2008-05-09T18:06:48Z

I finally got my economics test results, and they weren't great.

A gentlewoman's C.

I have yet to bring myself to look at it to see what I screwed up.

Now, because the prof is generous with extra credit, I could probably pull myself back up to an A. But I'm not sure the benefit is worth the cost.

Work will pay as long as I pass. Merely pass. And what's wrong with merely passing?

How much less work would I have had to do, how much less stress would I have been under, how much more time might I have spent with the boys - or asleep - if I hadn't been chasing As?

I need to think about this some more. But I think the decision has already been made.

Midweek miscellany

2008-05-08T17:24:12Z

Hence, bullet points!

My e-mail was down all morning. This made me feel lonely.

I have lots of work to do, and little motivation. This makes me feel pathetic.

I am trying to forge ahead, nonetheless. This makes me feel, well, slightly less pathetic.

It's gray and rainy outside. This makes me feel sleepy.

That tired

2008-05-08T01:18:33Z

I have a stack of articles an inch think to read and comment on, but instead I'm going to take some benadryl, get in bed, and fall asleep to American Idol.

Because I am just that tired.

Except that I just remembered I loaned my Benadryl to the SIL the other night when she was having an allergic reaction (the real use for Benadryl).

Maybe I'll have a beer, instead.

Ambient intimacy

2008-05-06T20:06:53Z

How did I miss this last year?

I love the concept of ambient intimacy.

While it's a pale substitute for the real thing, it's better than nothing.

Make Mother's Day a day to remember

2008-05-06T18:51:06Z

Want to honor mothers this week? Take a moment to ask your Congressperson to co-sponsor the just introduced Family Leave Insurance Act of 2008 in honor of Mother’s Day.

If passed, the Family Leave Insurance Act (HR 5873) would provide paid family leave to care for a new child, sick family member, treat their own illness, or deal with an exigency caused by the deployment of a member of the military. With the recent passage of Family Leave Insurance bills in New Jersey and Washington, MomsRising.org members have been gaining momentum. Now it's time to bring that momentum to the national level:

http://www.momsrising.org/Cosponsor_FamilyLeaveInsurance

MomsRising.org members are a make-it-or-break-it force on this issue. Frankly, it's going to take some heavy lifting to get the co-sponsors and momentum this bill needs to pass. But it’s worth the effort. The U.S. is way behind the rest of the world on family leave, and this bill can help us catch up. Here are some quick stats:

A Harvard/McGill University study of over 170 countries found that only four don’t have some form of paid leave for new moms. The four are the United States, Papua New Guinea, Swaziland, and Liberia;

Paid family leave has been shown to drop infant mortality by as much as 25%; and,

Paid family leave has been shown to help narrow the wage penalties mothers face.

This is an important moment to help spark real change.

HERE IS WHAT TWO OF THE BILL'S CO-SPONSORS HAD TO SAY:

We hear a lot of talk about family values in Washington. It is time for Congress to stop just talking about family values and take action that families will actually value. The Family and Medical Leave Act has been a tremendous success, but many workers cannot afford to take unpaid leave. To make the offer real, the U.S. should take the next step by providing paid leave to all workers. I am proud to join fellow Representatives Miller, Woolsey, and Maloney in introducing legislation that, if passed, will mean healthier children, stronger families, and more competitive businesses.
-- Rep. Pete Stark

Family-friendly policies like guaranteed paid leave not only help parents balance work and family, but also improve employers' bottom lines. When workers have the ability to take advantage of these family-friendly policies, their employers benefit from increased recruitment and retention rates, decreased absenteeism and improved productivity.
-- Rep. George Miller, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee.

EMAIL YOUR CONGRESSPERSON TODAY TO GET THEIR SUPPORT FOR FAMILY LEAVE:
http://www.momsrising.org/Cosponsor_FamilyLeaveInsurance

Slow down

2008-05-06T18:45:12Z

Before I had a chance to get video of #2 clambering onto the sofa, he got so good at it that it's not funny anymore. He just climbs right up there.

And while he's been walking while holding on to something for months now, he had yet to cross open spaces on his own. No more. He's a proper walking baby.

He still looks like a baby - big head, big cheeks, minimal hair. But he walks.

And apparently he says Mama. But not when I'm around. No, he looks at the door I've exited through, and says it.

Pardon me while I pick the pieces of my heart off the floor.

Today may be a posty day

2008-05-06T14:39:09Z

So I cruise into the office, feeling like a pretty, pretty princess in my new top from the Macy's sale. She Boss loves the invitation I designed for our upcoming Cirque du Soleil event. I crank out the skeleton of a new proposal, and even hang some tasty meat on its bones.

And then I realize something.

I was supposed to be Parent of the Day at preschool today.

Oops.

I even had a lovely chat with the lead teacher when I was dropping off #1 (and signing up for parent-teacher conferences later this month). But she didn't mention it, and I didn't remember.

And then I left and came to the office.

Oops.

I called and told them to call me back if they needed me to come in, though since there were only two other children there when we dropped off #1, they may not have needed me.

But I feel badly. Just when I thought I was getting my various plates back up to speed...

I did complete a major assignment for one of my MBA courses, though as usual, I felt it could have been better if I'd had more time to devote to it. However, done is better than good. Or, in this case, better, since I think it was pretty good, as it was.

Monkey madness

2008-05-05T19:57:51Z

Since hopita mentioned these great monkey portraits recently, I've become obssessed.

I want a monkey portrait of my family.

The question is, should I wait until the boys are a little older?

Or would it be really, really adorable to have wee little monkeys in our monkey portrait?

View Poll: Monkeys: Little or bigger?

May the force be with you

2008-05-04T04:01:16Z

Last night was the company bash at the Franklin on the final night of the Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit.

There were costumes. And lightsabers.

Yes, we are a bunch of crazed geeks.

The spousage improvised Sith robes with the academic gown he wore when he got his law degree. Hence, Jedi, J.D.:

The party was great (pomegranate spritzers! Pomegranate sauce for the filet!), and the exhibit was, too:

On our way home, we were cab-seeking near the fountain in Logan Circle when a mom and two little boys passed us.

Two little boys who were probably born the year the fourth Star Wars movie was released. If not the year after.

They were brandishing toy light sabers. So of course I opened mine, the spousage did likewise, and we duelled with the kids.

Kids love adults who really play with them. "You guys rock," one of them said as we parted company.

And so we do!

So much for rabbincal school

2008-05-03T19:13:39Z

Last night, after welcoming Shabbat, #1 was munching on his third enormous piece of challah when I suggested he might want to have something else for dinner.

After pondering for a moment about what might go well with challah, he lit up and announced, "Ham!"

Sadly, we were fresh out.

Bush or McCain?

2008-05-02T18:11:22Z

It's not as much fun as Dead, Alive, or Indian Food, but here you go, anyway:

http://www.Bush-McCainChallenge.com/