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[Jul. 12th, 2008|08:02 am] |
I will indeed be posting some photos of the creatures. At this moment, Zelda is covered with smashed bananas. The cat is looking at her impassively. She has dark gray eyes which come from who? Our little mystery child. She smears banana in her hair. Wince. I just washed those raven locks. Oh well! :--)
I had a semi bad dream last night. I dreamt that I was suck in my own past. The past isn't a bad place to visit with nice people and fun memories... I just wouldn't want to live there. In the dream, I could not leave and come back to the present day with my children and husband. Today is much more interesting. In fact, today we might paint rocks and make paperweights for grandparents. Or we might go to Mr Si. |
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[Apr. 27th, 2008|09:55 am] |
Well, hardly any peeps are reading my blog (understandably) it is dang boring. And I barely update... and when I do, it is usually a story about the kiddos. This entry is no different.
Scarlet's new "pretend" game - I (or some adult) is suppose to pretend to be God and then God puts her and Zelda in jail.
I died from laughing. |
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[Apr. 19th, 2008|01:19 pm] |
I wonder what sort of adults Scarlet and Zelda will develop into.
I think my parent's generation may have expected their kids to become adults who shared very similar view to their own. So, for example, my parents would have been bothered by (and were bothered by) something as simple as having different political views than theirs, taste in music, different food choices etc.
Perhaps this was more my parents than other folks. But it does seem to me to be more often the case in their generation.
I would like to think that I would not be this way with Scarlet and Zelda. I think of ways in which they might stretch my resolve in this regard. But I think that the premise behind this sort of desire to control is the idea that I am somehow right... which seems pretty arrogant/narrow to me these days.
I suppose that I would be challenged if Scarlet decided to become a terrorist or a drug lord. Yes. That would be difficult for me... I hope I give her enough information over the next decade or more to help influence her against that. If not, I will have to kidnap her and move with the rest of the family to a remote island in the Pacific :--)
But if she decided she was an ultra conservative, would I be bothered by that? I don't think so. However, I do know that my left of left political views have made my dad pretty angry over the years. I hope I can be a little more tolerant of the differences my children have with me. |
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[Apr. 15th, 2008|08:30 pm] |
Copied from Rob Brezney. I want to hear your answers too..
Please answer as many of the following questions as you can. Work with
ferocious intensity and/or gentle reflection. Don't push on till you're
exhausted, but try to come as close to total combustion as you can.
Be innocently truthful and spontaneously thoughtful, or else gratuitously
sarcastic and recklessly flippant. If you find yourself responding with ideas
that you used to believe but don't any more, abandon them and start
over.
Take advantage of this rare opportunity to be creative and authentic for
no reason. Don't save yourself for "something better."
Send answers to sacreduproar@sbcglobal.net.
1. What did you dream last night?
2. What image or symbol represents the absolute of your desires?
3. In what ways has your fate been affected by invisible forces you don't
understand or are barely aware of?
4. Tell a good lie.
5. What were the circumstances in which you were most dangerously
alive?
6. Are you a good listener? If so, describe how you listen. If not, explain
why not.
7. Compose an exciting prayer in which you ask for something you're not
supposed to.
8. What's the difference between right and wrong?
9. Name something you've done to undo, subvert, or neutralize the Battle
of the Sexes.
10. Have you ever witnessed a child being born? If so, describe how it
changed you.
11. Compose a beautiful blasphemy that makes you feel like crying.
12. What do you do to make people like you?
13. If you're not familiar with the Jungian concept of the "shadow," find
out about it. If you are, good. In either case, give a description of the
nature of your personal shadow.
14. Talk about three of your most interesting personalities. Give each one
a name and a power animal.
15. Make up a dream in which you lose control and thereby attract a
crowd of worshipers.
16. Name your greatest unnecessary taboo and how you would violate it
if it didn't hurt anyone.
17. Give an example of how smart you are in the way you love.
18. What ignorance do you deserve to be forgiven for?
19. What was the pain that healed you the most?
20. Make a prediction about yourself.
EXTRA CREDIT
In the ancient Greek epic, Odysseus and his men become stranded on an
island belonging to the sorceress Circe. In a famous scene, Circe uses
magic to turn the men into pigs. Later, though, in an episode that's often
underemphasized by casual readers, she changes them back into men --
only they're stronger, braver, and more beautiful than before they were
pigs. Tell an analogous story from your own life.
EXTRA EXTRA CREDIT
Discuss and act out the following:
To survive war, you must become war.
- Rambo
To survive love, you must become love.
- The Televisionary Oracle
Send answers to sacreduproar@sbcglobal.net |
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[Apr. 3rd, 2008|07:55 pm] |
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It feels *really* good to be out of the house and going to an office to work. I love my kids so much I can't even describe. That said, I can see now how much I have missed working and being around other adults, especially designer folk like myself. |
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[Apr. 1st, 2008|07:52 pm] |
"When an old culture is dying, the new is created by a few people who are
not afraid to be insecure."
- Rudolf Bahro |
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[Mar. 27th, 2008|11:05 am] |
I have a FT contract thanks to the help of several fine folks. One in particular passed on my resume and got the whole process started. To that person, I owe a great big thanks and also perhaps a few lunches and afternoon coffees. :--)
To the folks who gave me recommendations all and all, I won't tarnish your advice by not living up to standards...I will work hard which leads me to my entry about family/work balance.
When I freelance out of the house and also on the few onsite contracts I have had, the work came in bursts and sprints. In addition, I was dealing with Scarlet and not both Scarlet and Zelda.
Now, I have childcare to die for... two other parents that we are good friends with watch all the kids at our house like a set of extra parents. They have two girls that are similar in age to ours. They are excellent parents. They are easy to communicate with. We have a proven capacity to work through differences in parenting style. We trust them. The kids know them and their is almost know separation anxiety. When we leave, nobody cries. The kids eat well and C.J. and I can be late if we need to without having to worry that this will cause scheduling issues. My friend can breast-feed Zelda if needed. She is healthier than I am. Who can beat that?
It is not cheap but it is far far far less expensive than the exact same thing manifest with someone else less reliable or flexible. Plus, this is important... and we want to pay them as much as we can for something so crucial. While I am working, we can afford more than we could when I was freelancing because I can count on the steady check.
So I am all set up. Now I just have the job to address and I have not, since Scarlet was born, been called to balance ongoing FT work with two kids and being a good parent.
I know I can do a good job at work if I can work late when I need to. I just know that I am going to find myself feeling a strong pull from home around 6pm. |
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| Kids |
[Mar. 12th, 2008|11:11 am] |
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If you are someone who plans to buy clothes, toys or candy... or anything for the children over the next while, please click ( here here here ) |
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[Mar. 11th, 2008|03:48 pm] |
Ah yes...
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): "The composer Stravinsky had written a
new piece with a difficult violin passage," writes Thomas Powers, quoted
in the book *Sunbeams.* "After it had been in rehearsal for several weeks,
the solo violinist came to Stravinsky and said he was sorry, he had tried
his best, the passage was too difficult, no violinist could play it.
Stravinsky said, 'I understand that. What I am after is the sound of
someone trying to play it.'" Keep this story close to your heart in the
coming week, Aquarius. It will give you the proper perspective as you,
too, go about the work of doing the best you can at a task that is
virtually impossible to perfect. |
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| For all you cats out there |
[Mar. 11th, 2008|03:47 pm] |
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A psychotherapist friend told me that most of his
clients' problems fit into one of three categories: ordinary but interesting;
bizarre and interesting; bizarre but dull. What's your style, Leo? Even if
you're normally the "ordinary but interesting" type, I suspect that you've
entered, at least temporarily, the ranks of the "bizarre but interesting"
crowd. There's a big potential perk to this development. It may supply
you with a steady flow of colorful melodrama, allowing you to win friends
and influence people as you regale them with tales of your strangely
entertaining life. |
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| Another rip from RB |
[Mar. 11th, 2008|03:46 pm] |
"The criteria for success: you are free, you live in the present moment,
you are useful to the people around you, and you feel love for all
humanity."
- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar |
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[Mar. 10th, 2008|08:45 am] |
Okay. I feel better now. After all that climatic buildup, I feel almost entirely okay. Which is good because I have a lot to do.
On the list for today.
1. Create one more comp that exceeds what I have done so far.
2. Research more for other project.
3. 2 loads of laundry
4. Call Cap One |
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[Mar. 8th, 2008|07:41 pm] |
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The plague that has been circulating around the 3 babies and the two preschoolers in our house has finally caught up with me. Our game of chess is at a stale mate. Looks like I will probably not win. The noses runs. The head hurts and the chills begin in earnest this time. |
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| A word about Road Love |
[Mar. 7th, 2008|12:22 pm] |
A good rule of thumb about driving who be to never never never do anything in the privacy of your car that you wouldn't do in front of your family, friends and potential employers.
My horn was pressed for perhaps a lapse of 5 -10 seconds today while I was on I5. I wasn't mad. I was worried that the person in front of me was asleep and I wanted to make sure they woke up. |
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[Mar. 4th, 2008|07:11 pm] |
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I encourage you to fantasize abundantly
about improbable combinations and seemingly unnatural juxtapositions,
Aquarius. For instance, imagine that through the magic of genetic
engineering, a mad scientist crosses a giraffe and a hippopotamus to
produce a giraffopotamus. Or imagine reading an essay that brilliantly
compares apples and oranges. Or watch the musical comedy film *West
Bank Story,* which portrays the love affair between an Israeli soldier and a
Palestinian cashier, whose parents operate competing falafel restaurants
on the West Bank. Doing things like this will put you in the right mood to
respond creatively to the unusual syntheses that fate will soon make
available to you. |
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[Mar. 2nd, 2008|08:22 pm] |
Zelda has reached the age of pudginess. She is a cute pile of herself sitting on the floor of the living-room trying to pull on the tail of the escaping dog. She sits with her daddy and place with lights and sound on her toys.She has a mess of hair. It turns lighter as time goes by but she still looks pretty goth. Pale skin, blue eyes and dark hair. Red cheeks.
Tomorrow the Scarlet goes to school. She as been coming home WIPED OUT and eats more food than I do. Her legs have serious muscles from the swimming and now the hiking. I bet we could climb Si together now (although I would be slow). |
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| Little 4 year olds are cool |
[Feb. 28th, 2008|06:09 pm] |
| [ | music |
| | You Are My Sunshine | ] |
Scarlet has a friend. Let's call her friend R.
R. has a tendency (as do kids her age) to keep asking the same question over and over. She does this with Scarlet as follows --
hey scarlet, scarlet? SCARLET... hey, do you want me to read a book to you? I can't read but I will pretend. SCARLET! Why aren't you answering me? SCARLET? Hey, can I read this book to you? I want to read a book. Hey, Scarlet...
Now, keep in mind this all was said in the span of 5 seconds while Scarlet was falling asleep in the car seat while she was being driven back from school by R.'s mom (who is a good friend of mine).
Normally, Scarlet gets ticked off at the constant questions/banter of her friend and starts to grunt and get annoyed and run away, cry, screech and do other things that don't appear to have much impact...
But this time she said Reggi, The dog likes to play with the cat. The dog chases the cat. Sometimes the cat doesn't want to play. She pauses and starts to drift off to sleep.
My friend asks Scarlet Do you want some space? Are you trying to tell R. that you need to be left alone?
Scarlet says yes and then falls asleep.
I thought this was funny because it was the first time she used a metaphor that I am aware of. |
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| Hippie school :--) |
[Feb. 22nd, 2008|10:16 am] |
Scarlet is going to start attending one of these schools on Monday --
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_education
I really like the school a lot and I think she will thrive there. That said, they have some pretty intense rules about clothes and movie watching. Ultimately, I feel it is a good thing. But she can not wear anything to school that has any writing or media imagery. No more Hello Kitty T Shirt...
She can not bring her lunch in her Thomas the Train lunch box. It has to be a plain sack with a plain cup. Maybe I will repaint it with some stars on it if I have time.
No more Little Einsteins after school while we make dinner. No more. Maybe a short one on Saturday but that is pretty much the end of the video watching for her. They strongly urge it. They say it will impact her education. So, we follow the rules.
Now, we just have to start saving money to make sure we can get both the girls through to 8th grade. |
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| HAPPY BIRTHDAY |
[Feb. 21st, 2008|09:51 am] |
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to Fred. It was yesterday but I missed it. He is officially decrepit. :--) |
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