Showed the house today. This basically means I give up my work time to clean while the babysitter takes the kids to the library. I put the dogs in the car and then drive them to the heated parking at Whole Foods. Then I meet kids and babysitter at Whole Foods, send sitter home, purchase lunch, feed kids, get them in the car and drive around for an hour and a half so they can take some sort of nap. We then return home to a very clean house looking exactly as I left it (unless the showing agent was nice enough to turn off some of the lights) with the exception of a business card on the dining room table.
I attempted to put them to bed early in hopes that they are as tired as I am. Success! Now it's downstairs for dinner and a large glass of chocolate milk. Friends arrived yesterday with a gift of 64 ounces of Ghiradelli chocolate syrup. It is best if consumed in 3 weeks from the time it is opened. All are welcome. Bring your own coffee/milk/ice cream.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
2 1/2 years old
In 24 hours I've done 3 things that I never anticipated doing. In fact, these things are basically antithetical to my day-to-day life and outlook on issues like consumerism, Disney, sustainability, health, etc.
1. At the behest of my daughter I drove to Target (first time leaving the eastside/downtown in 11 days) to purchase princess big girl underwear, specifically "Annabella in the Beauty Parlor" underwear. Now, just for the record, our children do not watch TV and there is absolutely no "Disney Princess" merchandise in our house. Up to this point, we have not purchased any character merchandise save diapers and a Clifford book or 2. I re-gift all gifts that serve the primary purpose of indoctrinating kids into some cult of consumerism and/or reducing culture to some bland, cookiecutter, misogynistic fairy tale. Several months ago E was at the children's museum and she met a girl who gave her Annabella and Ariel stickers. We have heard occasionally about the princesses ever since. However, I am tired of changing dirty diapers. We are reading lots of books about using the potty and E announced that it would be easier for her to use the potty if she had some Annabella underwear so off I went to get some. I ended up coming home with Tinkerbell on account of the fact that, apparently, Belle is not popular enough to have her own package and the entire "Princesses" line of big girl underwear was not available in E's size. Hence, Tinkerbell.
2. We were at Joey's house today and E picked up a DVD, Barney's Circus. She told Joey's mom she wanted to "listen to the CD." At which point Joey's mom suggested that E bring it home to watch it. E asked and I said yes. She sat on the sofa this afternoon and watched it.
3. In the interests of science, I just made 3 batches of jello (YUCK!) for tomorrow: red, blue, yellow. Apparently, you can mix the primary colors to create secondary colors. Color theory, a sugar fix, artificial flavor and color, and gelatin (what is gelatin anyway?) all in one sitting!
1. At the behest of my daughter I drove to Target (first time leaving the eastside/downtown in 11 days) to purchase princess big girl underwear, specifically "Annabella in the Beauty Parlor" underwear. Now, just for the record, our children do not watch TV and there is absolutely no "Disney Princess" merchandise in our house. Up to this point, we have not purchased any character merchandise save diapers and a Clifford book or 2. I re-gift all gifts that serve the primary purpose of indoctrinating kids into some cult of consumerism and/or reducing culture to some bland, cookiecutter, misogynistic fairy tale. Several months ago E was at the children's museum and she met a girl who gave her Annabella and Ariel stickers. We have heard occasionally about the princesses ever since. However, I am tired of changing dirty diapers. We are reading lots of books about using the potty and E announced that it would be easier for her to use the potty if she had some Annabella underwear so off I went to get some. I ended up coming home with Tinkerbell on account of the fact that, apparently, Belle is not popular enough to have her own package and the entire "Princesses" line of big girl underwear was not available in E's size. Hence, Tinkerbell.
2. We were at Joey's house today and E picked up a DVD, Barney's Circus. She told Joey's mom she wanted to "listen to the CD." At which point Joey's mom suggested that E bring it home to watch it. E asked and I said yes. She sat on the sofa this afternoon and watched it.
3. In the interests of science, I just made 3 batches of jello (YUCK!) for tomorrow: red, blue, yellow. Apparently, you can mix the primary colors to create secondary colors. Color theory, a sugar fix, artificial flavor and color, and gelatin (what is gelatin anyway?) all in one sitting!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
to or not to
So, as you know, I haven't been around much. I could say I've been too busy but really that is not true. I think the demise of Jeremy Freese's weblog sapped my own energy to post. He's blogging elsewhere on a group blog but, alas, much of the wit and whimsy is gone.
I think my blogging malaise ultimately has to do with the fact that I felt, even if erroneously so, that I was part of a "community" of bloggers, folks kind of keeping tabs on each other in a facebook-ish kind of way. Now.... I'm not sure if I just feel so unplugged that it doesn't seem worth it to post or what but I'm just not feeling it.
Things are going well, albeit slowly, in the world of the dissertation. The publications section of the CV is actually starting to shape up. I'm thinking of the diss as a series of articles now - much more practical and easier to write than some well structured earth-shattering, sociological treatise. Not sure how my professional trajectory is going to coexist with my life as green mountain mom and spouse. We've got an agreement that we'll give it three years in VT and if I'm not happy with the sociologist/rest of life balance I've established there we'll move on.
Curious to see that that actually means. I'm writing a popular press article over the summer to see how that feels.
I think my blogging malaise ultimately has to do with the fact that I felt, even if erroneously so, that I was part of a "community" of bloggers, folks kind of keeping tabs on each other in a facebook-ish kind of way. Now.... I'm not sure if I just feel so unplugged that it doesn't seem worth it to post or what but I'm just not feeling it.
Things are going well, albeit slowly, in the world of the dissertation. The publications section of the CV is actually starting to shape up. I'm thinking of the diss as a series of articles now - much more practical and easier to write than some well structured earth-shattering, sociological treatise. Not sure how my professional trajectory is going to coexist with my life as green mountain mom and spouse. We've got an agreement that we'll give it three years in VT and if I'm not happy with the sociologist/rest of life balance I've established there we'll move on.
Curious to see that that actually means. I'm writing a popular press article over the summer to see how that feels.
The Best of Milwaukee
Most days I am happy to be leaving. I am excited about the prospect of raising my children in Vermont - both because it is close to my family and because I think the culture of the place is more comfortable for me (and healthier and more multicultural and outward looking and sustainable etc. etc).
From time to time, however, I grow sad when I think about what we'll be leaving behind here in Milwaukee. Here's a first attempt at "Islander's Best of Milwaukee" - in no particular order.
1. The Playroom Closet
2. Milwaukee Public Library
3. Lake Park
4. Riverside Park
5. East Side Ovens Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with white icing
6. Beans & Barley's pesto lasagne
7. Shuffleboard at Hotch-a-do and the Milwaukee Rachel sandwich
8. Harry W. Schwartz Booksellers on Downer
9. Sitting outside at Cafe Hollander on a warm summer day (not for the food)
10. Vegetables from Farmer Steve at Rare Earth Farm
11. Our wonderful house
12. Cempazuchi's sopa azteca and tostadas florentina
13. Milwaukee Public Market
14. The neighbors
15. "The Moms"
16. Dr. T, Dr. Jill, Nella, Terri and Nurse Joan
17. Frederick Avenue compost project, email list, holiday round robin with "skinny santa"
18. The Oriental Theater
From time to time, however, I grow sad when I think about what we'll be leaving behind here in Milwaukee. Here's a first attempt at "Islander's Best of Milwaukee" - in no particular order.
1. The Playroom Closet
2. Milwaukee Public Library
3. Lake Park
4. Riverside Park
5. East Side Ovens Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with white icing
6. Beans & Barley's pesto lasagne
7. Shuffleboard at Hotch-a-do and the Milwaukee Rachel sandwich
8. Harry W. Schwartz Booksellers on Downer
9. Sitting outside at Cafe Hollander on a warm summer day (not for the food)
10. Vegetables from Farmer Steve at Rare Earth Farm
11. Our wonderful house
12. Cempazuchi's sopa azteca and tostadas florentina
13. Milwaukee Public Market
14. The neighbors
15. "The Moms"
16. Dr. T, Dr. Jill, Nella, Terri and Nurse Joan
17. Frederick Avenue compost project, email list, holiday round robin with "skinny santa"
18. The Oriental Theater
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)