Where’s the Purple?

It is a sea of pink out there during the month of October.  Not that there is anything wrong with that.  I have done the Avon Walk numerous times, worn pink, jeans on certain days of the month and many, many pink ribbons. Everything is pink this month has a price and proceeds go towards research and finding a cure for breast cancer.  It's wonderful.  But where is all the purple?Purple is the color for Domestic Violence Awareness.  October is its month too.  Yet it is rare to see a purple ribbon on someone's lapel or anywhere else.  I have one on my car all year.  Today I saw a woman in a mental health clinic wearing one.  That's it.  That is all I have seen. Did you even know that purple ribbons stood for Domestic Violence Awareness?  … [Read more...]

Dumb Ass Moves

Sometimes I make some real dumb ass moves.  Like rubbing someones phone down my pants* or picking a fight. Dumb assery is not to be confused with plain ol' stupidity (Whoo hoo!  I'm totally going to drive topless!*) or complacency (Oh! Were you trying to drive through that green light?  I have no actual awareness of the world outside my self-induced bubble and like I totally feel like crossing the street right now. My bad...) I was a total dumb ass for watching FX's new show, 'American Horror Story' while cleaning out my attic crawl space.  Yup, I actually lugged my laptop up there with me and while squished into a dark, tiny spot loaded with crevices and hidden areas I decided to watch people get killed by a haunted house.  Dumb ass!I'm … [Read more...]

Strong Start Day

Did you know that October 5 is big baby day? Not like ginormica babies, but the day that more babies are born than any other. Kate Winslet was born today and so was my cousin, Marcia. That's a lot of people getting busy while welcoming in the new year, every year. Heh.  It's also Strong Start Day.With all that in mind there will be many women giving birth today. Days, weeks or months from now they may enter into a truly dark, hard part in their lives known as Postpartum Depression. It won't be just them that deals with symptoms and fallout of PPD but their children and significant others as well. They all deserve a strong start.  I know for me, both my bouts with PPD caused a massive strain on our marriage. It came with me to work, made me feel homicidal at times, want … [Read more...]

We Still Remember

I'm reluctant to post about 9/11 despite the ten year anniversary. It isn't that I feel such a distance from that day that I have nothing to say. It is that I wonder what is so important about what I have to say regarding that day. I'm glad it is on a Sunday this year when people will not have to be at work but can do what they wish with the day. Spend it however they need to and not be tied to as much responsibility. All this week I step out my front door and realize each day has a brilliant blue sky. Cloud free and calm. I am reminded of September 11. I don't need any commemorative coin or magazine in my mailbox. I just have to look at the sky. That sky will forever remain in my memory. We had gotten married just days before and arrived home late the night of the tenth. We threw … [Read more...]

Ten Years in the Making

After the year we've had I didn't think we would make it this far but we did it! *Victory lap and high fives for all* H and I celebrate our ten year anniversary today. Ten years ago at 7 p.m. PST we said, "I do" in front of friends, family and a minister we met just ten minutes before. A half hour before the ceremony I had a bit of a freak out and had to have E get everyone out of my face for a moment and just let me breathe. The girl is still one of the only people I have ever met who can calm one of my panic attacks. From desert living, skulls with eyebrows still attached, war and a few moves we made it through the first five years of our marriage largely unscathed. The next five years proved to be the real challenge. Three pregnancies, three births, three first years and no sleep. … [Read more...]

Looking Good No Matter What?

When you look at this ad what do you see? What comes to mind? Are you distracted by the couch? Do you think of Mad Men? Do you see the necklace as a strangulation device? I'm partial to that last one. When I first looked at this photo my first thought was that the necklace and the man had sinister intentions. When I saw the black eye and the slogan, "Look good in all you do" I was appalled. My question is this- are you offended? Do you see this ad as controversial and depicting domestic violence as acceptable? And to think that I was all set to post this photo only. It seems that "my sensitivity", my "political correctness" is too high these days. Maybe its because I'm an emotional mum who has two kids starting school this fall. Maybe the 11th anniversary of my grandfather's death just … [Read more...]

The End of Summer is Nigh

I've stated before that the month of August is like one long Sunday. The closer we get to Labor Day the more this holds true. I feel like each day is an hour and the light and air are already changing. The arrival of Hurricane Irene on the East Coast this weekend has ushered in cooler winds and I can't help but think of bright blue September skies and the golden light of fall. The end of a season always feels like something ominous is lurking just around the next corner. The skeptical New Englander in me comes forward and doesn't like what might be new and different just around the bend. The unexpected new elements of a season (*shakes fist at climate change*) do not put me at ease. I get comfortable in the present season and my fight to keep winter and its colder temperatures at arms … [Read more...]

Life in Playlist Form

A few weeks ago I was doing my daily blog reading when I read Kristen's life playlist post. It got me thinking, "Hmm.. besides songs like this one, what would be in my life's playlist?" Is it songs that remind you of certain times or ones that encapsulate what you were going through at that age, growth spurt or nervous breakdown? I like to think my life's playlist is a little bit of both. It is songs that put me into a whirlwind of memories from a certain time (hot sun, blistering sand beneath my feet and the smell of salt and french fries equal summer to me.) or ones that I played over and over again to get through cerain times of my life. If I had to create it, it might look a little something like this- KC & the Sunshine Band- Shake Your Booty (number one the month I was born) The … [Read more...]

And Then You Were One

I wish there was a pause button, a way to rewind all the magic that this first year has held for our family now that The Fifth Element has entered our world. While the year has been rough for us in some ways her arrival was the starting point for so many things. When Abey Baby entered this world at 6 p.m. EST last August 18 I really do think I had a Grinch experience. My tiny little heart that had grown so much over the last four years decided to just let loose. I felt flooded by the intense sensation that suddenly I was at peace with motherhood. This kid, this one baby, was my golden ticket to finally feeling myself let go and really accept that this was our life. While I felt that our family was complete after we had The Comedian it ended up not being so. The addition of Abey/The … [Read more...]

Where’s Mummy?

I'm jaunting off to Colorado Springs for work this week. In town for one night only! I won't get to see any sights like Pikes Peak or any sights actually but that's fine. The Fifth Element turns one this week and who needs Pikes Peak when there is an octopus cake to be made? While I'm gone, read about the new section, This Week in Cars, launched on MPR last Friday. Enter to win a skin care set from Cures. or Try your luck at winning the Back to School package from Post-It's I'll be back soon! … [Read more...]