I LEFT THE HOUSE

My friend Tina was very patient and invited me many times and finally coaxed me out of my house.  She made a feast and it was a beautiful day. I am so happy she didn't give up on me!

SEARCHING FOR THE BLOGABLE

I know I used to work all day and then write posts in the evenings.  Somehow I am not managing that well these days.  I realize my posts have been less topical and more me, me, me.  Sorry.

I can't quite figure out what has changed except that I am a bit more isolated from the world at large. The empty nest means I am not getting that youthful influx of music, media and angst.  Also, working with a bunch of men is much less conducive to postable topics.  I also seem to want to complain about things.  A lot. 

I'm enlisting Nancy Drew to search for  my blogging mojo and will  make it more bright side than it has been in the past many months. 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

FRIDAY FAST ONES

1.)  So no one is in danger of same sex couples getting married in North Carolina but heterosexuals there, can still marry their cousins.

I felt pretty smug about that until I saw the map of states that allow cousins to marry and found out California is one of them. 

2.)  That study that forecasts 42% of Americans will be obese by 2030?  The data they collected is from telephone interviews.  And since they know that people are likely to underestimate their weight to a stranger on the phone?  They just bounce the findings up by a 10% margin.  Wow - there is some real hard statistical data we should use as an excuse to increase health care premiums...

3.)  I am really mad that all the news outlets are letting Mitt off the hook calling his high school vigilante actitivties against a fellow student "bullying."  Mitt committed assault and battery pure and simple and he should have been expelled and criminally charged.


4.)  Did you hear what the GOP is up to now?  House Republicans proposed major cuts to the Defense budget as part of the debt-ceiling fiasco from last summer. They didn't want the cuts, but they proposed the military reductions as a way to create an incentive for themselves to reach a bipartisan debt-reduction deal. But now they don't want to live with the deal.


Which leads to this new proposal. To offset the Pentagon cuts Republicans proposed but no longer support, the House GOP voted to find all of the savings by taking from programs that benefit struggling workers and families.   Per Rachel Maddow "Today's measure is nothing short of brutal, slashing food stamps, nearly eliminating job-training programs, eliminating health care subsidies, slashing the child tax credit, and taking school meals from 200,000 low-income children."

Can't wait to see how they pin this one on the President, the big bunch of liars.


5.)

Thank you Mr. President for finally saying it, getting it out there and helping to set the stage for the future.  It won't happen soon enough, but it will happen.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

I would like a vacation now, please.

WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR MOTHER'S DAY?



I know, sexist, but kinda funny, too.

 I took a few minutes to look around the internet news sites tonight while dinner was simmering.

I want to be a kind person and maintain my New Year's resolution so I will not comment on the Simpson/Johnson baby name.  I don't want to be a pushy mother so I am not forwarding to my daughter the the story on the best cities for women which show San Francisco as #2 and Philadelphia as #11 or so.  Maybe it was 9.  Whatever. It was lower than  the city close to me.

So what I will discuss?  I am not a hipster mom so I ignored the story about hipster mom gifts on etsy. How about "What moms really want for Mother's Day."  Since a year or so ago I asked for the house to be cleaned and a guy pulled up in a truck and cleaned the carpets. This should be good...

First off, the article is directed at dads.  Since my husband points out each year that I am not his mom, that is a problem for me.  When the kids were young I used to joke that Mother's Day  lasted as long as it took for me to be served lukewarm tea and cold toast and open some adorably kid wrapped gifts.  So, maybe 8:45 am? It was very efficient.

When the kids were older it usually happened later and the food was better, but the idyllic day off from all duties was never in the cards for me.  It is, however, the number one wish of polled moms.  In fact, one in 3 would just as soon not even spend the day with their family!  Women want peace and quiet and a chance to pee alone.

When asked, men rank flowers and jewelry as desired by women more than spa days, and that's a mistake.  Women prefer the pampering. Probably because there is some peace and quiet that comes along with it.

This will be my first Mother's Day as an empty nester.  Ally will be in the middle of her finals and I really don't want her to feel like she should come home.  I have always loved the cards my kids pick out and sometimes even make from scratch and the things they write.  So if anyone asks - that's what I want.

What about you mommies out there?  What will make your Mother's Day special?