Yoo hoo! Psst! Yes, you.
I'm over here now. Come on over and join the party!
Showing posts with label navel gazing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label navel gazing. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Bye-Bye, Blogger
Surveying the dining room during lunch, Lyle casually asked, "When are moving from this house, Mommy?" His tone let me know that he assumed moving day must be right around the corner.Who can blame him? It must seem about time. After all, we've lived here a full year now, so why aren't we packing?
No one is only a therapist at the office, and so I made the boys a transitional photo album before we moved from San Francisco to Chicago. In it are photos of each apartment we lived in along with the addresses (they'll never have a problem finding their early homes), and there are pictures of all of our friends, family there, and each and every favorite place we loved. About halfway through, the focus shifts to Chicago, where I placed photos of the new rental house, the neighborhood, Baxter's school, and the local ice cream shop, in addition to photos of Matt's entire family. We all love this album - I found myself thumbing through it in the living room just this morning - and it was a huge help to the kids during the big transition. It got a lot of love, especially from almost-2-year old Lyle who had no other way of understanding why his world was suddenly upside down.
But those pages of all the places we lived? There are too many. It's kind of scary, how many times we moved with the boys over the past 7 years.
And so it's all about stability for me now. I want as little to change as possible. We considered switching Lyle to a different preschool for next year (one that would mean *not* having to pay for both preschool and a nanny) and in the end I just said "no" to more change. This is strange for me - I love change. I thrive on change. Bring it on!
But please. After the past 7 years? Let the big things just be as stable as possible for a while.
Despite my current resistance to change, I am making one concession - a virtual move. I am leaving Blogger, which has started giving my commenters a hard time and doesn't allow me to do all that I'd like to do with The Wonderwheel. I have secured my very own web site and am using WordPress for my blog.
So, please, come on over to my new-and-improved Wonderwheel home and join in all the fun on my new site. I'll supply the champagne and chocolate as long as you remember to add the new address to your RSS or bookmarks. (Just try to overlook the bare walls and all the boxes stacked in the corners - unpacking takes time.)
Friday, March 28, 2008
Commenting Problems?
Hello, Wonderfriends!
It has come to my attention that some of you are having trouble commenting here on The Wonderwheel. First Shannon said she couldn't leave a comment this morning, and now Good Fountain tells me it happens to her all the time!
Ay, Dios Mio!
I am considering leaving Blogger for other reasons (my greedy eyes see features elsewhere that would please me) but this could really clinch the deal.
Has anyone else had trouble commenting here? I guess I won't ask you to tell me in a comment (because I'm not that stupid), but if you'd take a moment to email me at jordan.s.sadler@gmail.com and let me know, I would appreciate it.
My apologies for the bizarre technical difficulties.
It has come to my attention that some of you are having trouble commenting here on The Wonderwheel. First Shannon said she couldn't leave a comment this morning, and now Good Fountain tells me it happens to her all the time!
Ay, Dios Mio!
I am considering leaving Blogger for other reasons (my greedy eyes see features elsewhere that would please me) but this could really clinch the deal.
Has anyone else had trouble commenting here? I guess I won't ask you to tell me in a comment (because I'm not that stupid), but if you'd take a moment to email me at jordan.s.sadler@gmail.com and let me know, I would appreciate it.
My apologies for the bizarre technical difficulties.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Toto, We're Not in San Francisco Anymore...
This is what we woke up to today. In, say, December I'd have said it was lovely. Today? Nah.
Although Baxter's feeling better, he's still coughing pretty horribly on a regular basis and is on a lot of asthma medications. None of us slept well last night, thanks to that cough. This afternoon, Lyle spiked a fever of at least 102 (he refused to continue with the thermometer), which when added to his own cough, makes us pretty sure he's got the flu as well. We have officially canceled all Easter plans for the kids tomorrow, but I still have to go to church because we had been asked to speak to the congregation as part of the Stewardship Campaign (i.e., why we give money to the church). Also I'm leading Children's Worship tomorrow, so I have to be there. A little strange, going to church by myself on Easter Sunday, but I'll just strap on myspring bonnet snow pants and get over it.
On the bright side, our neighbors made this fantastic Easter Snowbunny in our front yard today - pretty cute, huh?
When we moved here, it was summertime. I found people to be almost ridiculously happy about the sunshine and everything related to the season. This year, I totally get it.
Have a great Easter, everyone!
Although Baxter's feeling better, he's still coughing pretty horribly on a regular basis and is on a lot of asthma medications. None of us slept well last night, thanks to that cough. This afternoon, Lyle spiked a fever of at least 102 (he refused to continue with the thermometer), which when added to his own cough, makes us pretty sure he's got the flu as well. We have officially canceled all Easter plans for the kids tomorrow, but I still have to go to church because we had been asked to speak to the congregation as part of the Stewardship Campaign (i.e., why we give money to the church). Also I'm leading Children's Worship tomorrow, so I have to be there. A little strange, going to church by myself on Easter Sunday, but I'll just strap on my
On the bright side, our neighbors made this fantastic Easter Snowbunny in our front yard today - pretty cute, huh?
When we moved here, it was summertime. I found people to be almost ridiculously happy about the sunshine and everything related to the season. This year, I totally get it.
Have a great Easter, everyone!
Friday, March 14, 2008
BlogHer '08 Facts
Lori has brought to my attention the fact that BlogHer 'o8 is in San Francisco this summer. Allow me to share some reasons why I see that as incredibly convenient.
1. It's July 18-20. I will be attending a SCERTS training in Monterey, CA July 20-25.
2. Susan, Drama Mama, and Cindy are all locals, and as such they are automatically completely available.
3. Vicki, Kristen, and ghkcole could be bullied into taking the short flight up from L.A., I've decided.
4. All the rest of you wonderful bloggers near and far could be talked into taking the longer flight from the midwest, south, and east coast (and Australia?) because you know you deserve a break - and that we'd have a really super-groovy time.
Look, folks, BlogHer was in Chicago last summer and I really blew it. Missed everything but the parties. I need a chance to redeem myself. And here's the best part: if we all go, I promise to blog drunk again.Drunkard's Scout's honor.
1. It's July 18-20. I will be attending a SCERTS training in Monterey, CA July 20-25.
2. Susan, Drama Mama, and Cindy are all locals, and as such they are automatically completely available.
3. Vicki, Kristen, and ghkcole could be bullied into taking the short flight up from L.A., I've decided.
4. All the rest of you wonderful bloggers near and far could be talked into taking the longer flight from the midwest, south, and east coast (and Australia?) because you know you deserve a break - and that we'd have a really super-groovy time.
Look, folks, BlogHer was in Chicago last summer and I really blew it. Missed everything but the parties. I need a chance to redeem myself. And here's the best part: if we all go, I promise to blog drunk again.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Random Tidbits: Lylisms
Lyle, sitting at the desk in our freezing-cold sun room: "I'm going to write you a note, Mommy!"
Me (making lunch): "Mmmmhmmm..."
Lyle: "It's a really special note for you!"
Me (starting to pay attention): "Oh, thanks, Lyle! What does it say?"
Lyle (deliberately pointing word by word to each scribbled line):
"It says, 'My. Butt. Is. Cold!'"
***
Lyle appears in the kitchen in his dress-up chef hat, which is falling over his eyes.
Me: "Wow, Lyle, you look like a chef!"
Lyle: "Yeah, I'm going to be a baker when I grow up! With Baxter!"
Me: "Mmm, what will you make? Cakes and...?"
Lyle: "Pies!"
Me: "Oh, yum! I love pies. Anything else?"
Lyle: "Yes! Frozen hot dogs!"
Me (making lunch): "Mmmmhmmm..."
Lyle: "It's a really special note for you!"
Me (starting to pay attention): "Oh, thanks, Lyle! What does it say?"
Lyle (deliberately pointing word by word to each scribbled line):
"It says, 'My. Butt. Is. Cold!'"
***
Lyle appears in the kitchen in his dress-up chef hat, which is falling over his eyes.
Me: "Wow, Lyle, you look like a chef!"
Lyle: "Yeah, I'm going to be a baker when I grow up! With Baxter!"
Me: "Mmm, what will you make? Cakes and...?"
Lyle: "Pies!"
Me: "Oh, yum! I love pies. Anything else?"
Lyle: "Yes! Frozen hot dogs!"
Monday, March 10, 2008
Yes. No. Maybe.
Yes, I am aware that it is Materialistic Monday.
No, I am not prepared.
Yes, I will be at the friggin' nursery school "gala" fund raiser this evening, drinking wine and finding another $100 worth of items to bid on in the auction so that we'll have met our friggin' $500 per family annual fund-raising goal.
Yes, I do think they should just raise the tuition by $500 per year and leave me alone with the fund-raising, already.
Yes, I'll be praying that someone bids on my donated speech-language evaluation so that I don't have to purchase anything else at all.
No, I'm not bitter. Why do you ask?
Maybe, if I buy something really fantastic, I'll try it out on the way home and post about it later. But I doubt it.
Yes, you do have to come back another day for my Materialistic Monday post because I'm cookin' up a good one.
No, I won't keep babbling. I need to go home.
No, I am not prepared.
Yes, I will be at the friggin' nursery school "gala" fund raiser this evening, drinking wine and finding another $100 worth of items to bid on in the auction so that we'll have met our friggin' $500 per family annual fund-raising goal.
Yes, I do think they should just raise the tuition by $500 per year and leave me alone with the fund-raising, already.
Yes, I'll be praying that someone bids on my donated speech-language evaluation so that I don't have to purchase anything else at all.
No, I'm not bitter. Why do you ask?
Maybe, if I buy something really fantastic, I'll try it out on the way home and post about it later. But I doubt it.
Yes, you do have to come back another day for my Materialistic Monday post because I'm cookin' up a good one.
No, I won't keep babbling. I need to go home.
Friday, February 29, 2008
I Was Tagged (or Where Did February Go?)
Oh, my. The lovely Mari tagged me all the way from Australia, lo these many weeks ago! Sorry, Mari - here you go, and thanks for the tag!
The rules:
A. The rules are posted at the beginning
B. Answer the questions about yourself
C. Tag 5 people, let them know in a comment on their blogs that they have been tagged.
What were you doing 10 yrs ago?
Hmm. In the winter of 1998 I had been living in San Francisco for about 6 months. Downtown, on the top floor of a modern building with a view of the Bay. (Which sure beat the mouse- and roach-infested place we'd been in when I was in grad school in Boston!) I was finishing my Clinical Fellowship Year at a private practice in Palo Alto, on the Stanford campus, and planning my getaway from that job the moment I completed my requisite 10 months there. Matt and I didn't really know many people and were living a fairly reclusive, quiet life together despite the tumultuous El Nino year weather. You couldn't exactly say we were taking advantage of the city. In truth, I did not fall in love with San Francisco until we'd been there about a year.
Snacks I enjoy:
1. Chocolate
2. Kashi Go-Lean bars
3. Apples
4. Pretzels
5. Chocolate
Five things on my to-do list today:
Wait. For today? I'm a little scared of my to do list right now, frankly. But I'll buck up and face the facts here.
1. Pay bills, for God's sake! (Turns out bills didn't stop coming just because I took two trips last week)
2. Call the Northwestern intern who will be working with me next quarter (whoo hoo!)
3. Write up my notes from the SCERTS workshop in order to share them with a colleague and perhaps with you, dear Wonderwheel readers!
4. Clean up this total mess of a house.
5. Figure out when we're going to take the car in for repair. Or delegate this job to Matt. Either one.
Things I would do if I became a billionaire:
The thing is, I've thought this over and I don't think I'd actually change my life all that much if I were a billionaire. Now, Matt might feel differently and so maybe I'd find myself living on a tropical island or in a flat with maid service in Paris. But if it were up to me, here's what I'd do:
1. Not charge my clients - ever! (Take that, insurance companies!)
2. Pay off our condo
3. Buy a new car (something smallish and hybrid)
4. Buy really good health insurance for my family and extended family
5. Make sure our parents and grandparents live as comfortably as they want
6. Travel everywhere!
7. Pay our nanny what she's worth
8. Donate to our church
9. Hang out at Benefit more often
10. Give the rest to Barack's campaign
3 bad habits:
1. Not enough flossing
2. Stress-eating
3. Reading all of your blogs on my iPhone when sitting in traffic or at a red light
5 places I have lived:
1. Middletown, Connecticut
2. St. Paul, Minnesota
3. Boston, Massachusetts
4. San Francisco, California
5. Chicago, Illinois
Jobs I have had:
1. Babysitter (from age 13 to age 25)
2. Cashier at Lyman's Orchard (with a broken collarbone in a sling)
3. Nanny (for one miserable summer outside of Boston)
4. Deli girl at RC Dick's on Grand Ave. in St. Paul (for a total of 3 weeks)
5. Preschool/Toddler teacher (ran my own class of 12 toddlers - picture that one!)
6. Speech-Language Pathologist (aaah, sweet relief!)
Things people don't know about me:
Hmmm, what haven't I told you? Not much...
1. I am an amazing sleeper. I turn off my light, close my eyes, and - that's it. Until the kids wake us up in the morning. Matt doesn't usually bother asking how I slept anymore because it's a ridiculous question.
2. I have a brother who is 14 months younger than me. We've had a very rocky relationship and have been completely estranged from each other for more than a year and a half. You don't have to tell me how terrible that is, it's not my preference, believe me.
3. I get stuck in a rut with music. I can listen to one single CD in my car for, oh, maybe 7 or 8 months straight without tiring of it. I'm just starting to come down from a "Once" soundtrack high that definitely lasted at least 7 months. Before that it was a mix I made for my friends after a weekend together last year, and prior to that it was a Norah Jones CD. I'm pretty sure it was Allison Krauss before that. (As an aside, just yesterday someone did a Google search of "what make up colors does allison krauss wear" and ended up at this blog. Endlessly fascinating.)
4. I have never once colored my hair more permanently than doing a henna treatment or two in college. No highlights, no dye. Not as a teenager, nor as an adult. I am not opposed to doing so when the day comes that I deem it to be necessary, but thus far I appear to be taking after my father who went grey rather late.
I am going to honor those who bravely came forth during my delurker week or are brand new readers this week by tagging them:
Wishful Mommy
KAL at Autism Twins
Goodfountain
Cindy at We All Fall Down
Kristen at What Grows Around
The rules:
A. The rules are posted at the beginning
B. Answer the questions about yourself
C. Tag 5 people, let them know in a comment on their blogs that they have been tagged.
What were you doing 10 yrs ago?
Hmm. In the winter of 1998 I had been living in San Francisco for about 6 months. Downtown, on the top floor of a modern building with a view of the Bay. (Which sure beat the mouse- and roach-infested place we'd been in when I was in grad school in Boston!) I was finishing my Clinical Fellowship Year at a private practice in Palo Alto, on the Stanford campus, and planning my getaway from that job the moment I completed my requisite 10 months there. Matt and I didn't really know many people and were living a fairly reclusive, quiet life together despite the tumultuous El Nino year weather. You couldn't exactly say we were taking advantage of the city. In truth, I did not fall in love with San Francisco until we'd been there about a year.
Snacks I enjoy:
1. Chocolate
2. Kashi Go-Lean bars
3. Apples
4. Pretzels
5. Chocolate
Five things on my to-do list today:
Wait. For today? I'm a little scared of my to do list right now, frankly. But I'll buck up and face the facts here.
1. Pay bills, for God's sake! (Turns out bills didn't stop coming just because I took two trips last week)
2. Call the Northwestern intern who will be working with me next quarter (whoo hoo!)
3. Write up my notes from the SCERTS workshop in order to share them with a colleague and perhaps with you, dear Wonderwheel readers!
4. Clean up this total mess of a house.
5. Figure out when we're going to take the car in for repair. Or delegate this job to Matt. Either one.
Things I would do if I became a billionaire:
The thing is, I've thought this over and I don't think I'd actually change my life all that much if I were a billionaire. Now, Matt might feel differently and so maybe I'd find myself living on a tropical island or in a flat with maid service in Paris. But if it were up to me, here's what I'd do:
1. Not charge my clients - ever! (Take that, insurance companies!)
2. Pay off our condo
3. Buy a new car (something smallish and hybrid)
4. Buy really good health insurance for my family and extended family
5. Make sure our parents and grandparents live as comfortably as they want
6. Travel everywhere!
7. Pay our nanny what she's worth
8. Donate to our church
9. Hang out at Benefit more often
10. Give the rest to Barack's campaign
3 bad habits:
1. Not enough flossing
2. Stress-eating
3. Reading all of your blogs on my iPhone when sitting in traffic or at a red light
5 places I have lived:
1. Middletown, Connecticut
2. St. Paul, Minnesota
3. Boston, Massachusetts
4. San Francisco, California
5. Chicago, Illinois
Jobs I have had:
1. Babysitter (from age 13 to age 25)
2. Cashier at Lyman's Orchard (with a broken collarbone in a sling)
3. Nanny (for one miserable summer outside of Boston)
4. Deli girl at RC Dick's on Grand Ave. in St. Paul (for a total of 3 weeks)
5. Preschool/Toddler teacher (ran my own class of 12 toddlers - picture that one!)
6. Speech-Language Pathologist (aaah, sweet relief!)
Things people don't know about me:
Hmmm, what haven't I told you? Not much...
1. I am an amazing sleeper. I turn off my light, close my eyes, and - that's it. Until the kids wake us up in the morning. Matt doesn't usually bother asking how I slept anymore because it's a ridiculous question.
2. I have a brother who is 14 months younger than me. We've had a very rocky relationship and have been completely estranged from each other for more than a year and a half. You don't have to tell me how terrible that is, it's not my preference, believe me.
3. I get stuck in a rut with music. I can listen to one single CD in my car for, oh, maybe 7 or 8 months straight without tiring of it. I'm just starting to come down from a "Once" soundtrack high that definitely lasted at least 7 months. Before that it was a mix I made for my friends after a weekend together last year, and prior to that it was a Norah Jones CD. I'm pretty sure it was Allison Krauss before that. (As an aside, just yesterday someone did a Google search of "what make up colors does allison krauss wear" and ended up at this blog. Endlessly fascinating.)
4. I have never once colored my hair more permanently than doing a henna treatment or two in college. No highlights, no dye. Not as a teenager, nor as an adult. I am not opposed to doing so when the day comes that I deem it to be necessary, but thus far I appear to be taking after my father who went grey rather late.
I am going to honor those who bravely came forth during my delurker week or are brand new readers this week by tagging them:
Wishful Mommy
KAL at Autism Twins
Goodfountain
Cindy at We All Fall Down
Kristen at What Grows Around
Monday, February 25, 2008
I'm Distracting You - Oooh, Shiny!
I know, I know. Materialistic Monday is coming. I swear! Soon. Like, within the hour!
But for now, kill a few minutes in the most hilarious way: visit someecards.
Seriously.
And then send me one because I could always use a laugh of that nature.
But for now, kill a few minutes in the most hilarious way: visit someecards.
Seriously.
And then send me one because I could always use a laugh of that nature.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Delurker Week on The Wonderwheel
Hey, gang at Cheers, I'm out of town for the rest of the week. Maybe I'll have time to post, but if not I'll be thinking of you and saving up plenty of random thoughts to write about while I'm away, so don't you worry your pretty little heads about it.
So here's what I'm thinking - how's about, since you all stopped by here anyway, maybe you take a moment to say "hi" to me this week? Leave me a little hello comment on this post to cheer me when I'm missing my family. Especially those of you - and you know who you are! - who frequent my little corner of the blogosphere but haven't said hello yet! I know there are lots of you out there...you on the west coast, and you down south - oh, and especially you reading from the town next door to where I grew up (do you even know that? that i used to buy my cosby sweaters at bob's surplus on main street and then go to ruby's for a dr. brown's cream soda before my oddfellows playhouse rehearsals?).
Don't worry, lurkers are always welcome and you don't have to say hi. You truly don't have to contribute to enjoy my little song and dance here, I'm just glad you're here. But if you've been thinking of speaking up with a little "Ahem, I'm out here!" this would be a great week to do it. 'Cuz, honestly, there might not be too much else happening here. (Unless you want to watch my Twitter badge there in the sidebar. I'm sure I'll be tweeting from my iPhone like a freaking magpie on drugs while I'm away.)
That's all I'm saying. Just my own private Delurker Week. I sorta missed the official one last month.
Whaddya say?
So here's what I'm thinking - how's about, since you all stopped by here anyway, maybe you take a moment to say "hi" to me this week? Leave me a little hello comment on this post to cheer me when I'm missing my family. Especially those of you - and you know who you are! - who frequent my little corner of the blogosphere but haven't said hello yet! I know there are lots of you out there...you on the west coast, and you down south - oh, and especially you reading from the town next door to where I grew up (do you even know that? that i used to buy my cosby sweaters at bob's surplus on main street and then go to ruby's for a dr. brown's cream soda before my oddfellows playhouse rehearsals?).
Don't worry, lurkers are always welcome and you don't have to say hi. You truly don't have to contribute to enjoy my little song and dance here, I'm just glad you're here. But if you've been thinking of speaking up with a little "Ahem, I'm out here!" this would be a great week to do it. 'Cuz, honestly, there might not be too much else happening here. (Unless you want to watch my Twitter badge there in the sidebar. I'm sure I'll be tweeting from my iPhone like a freaking magpie on drugs while I'm away.)
That's all I'm saying. Just my own private Delurker Week. I sorta missed the official one last month.
Whaddya say?
Things to Check Out Today
This is a picture that made me very happy today in a wanting-to-see-McCain's-demise sort of way, and you too can enjoy it right here at The Wonderwheel! (And then head on over to Cindy's blog where I first saw it, because her blog is great. You won't be sorry.) Can you stand four years of our new president slow-dancing with Dubya?Fired up! Ready to go!
***
I had seen the Free Rice web site discussed elsewhere on The Internets over the past few months, but shied away from it because I'd heard it's so addictive, and you know, who has time for more addictions, even though the UN World Food Program donates 20 grains of rice to help end hunger every time you correctly define a word? But when Susan instructed me to head on over, assuring me that I'd love it, I listened. (Because you just listen to Susan, don't you?) And, hoo boy, it's cool. And addictive.
But I decided that it's okay because then you've donated so many grains of rice, which just has to make up for being a white middle class American with the luxury to waste time online in the middle of a week day. Right? Anyway, if you like words and language, go check it out. It's been a while since I've been this grateful for my three years of high school Latin instruction.
***
And, on a far less cheery note, there is an online letter you too can sign that demands an apology from the CBS network, which aired a clip on its already idiotic "Big Brother" show last week in which one Neanderthal referred to children with autism as "retards". Way to go, CBS. Jeebus.
Tell 'em what you think here. Please!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Shopping for a New Do
Were I to win the lottery (which would entail me actually playing the lottery, so this is a stretch, but bear with me here) and then told that the only condition for getting the money was that I had to commit to one single brand for all my clothing and accessory needs, I would have no problem deciding."Hand over the big bucks," I would exclaim, "and take me to the nearest Garnet Hill catalog!"
I could drool over Garnet Hill all day. The clothes, the shoes, the accessories. Aahhhh, the accessories. Trouble is, Garnet Hill is pricey. (Of course it is. Why would I be in love with an affordable line of clothing?) And so I own but a couple of random and beloved items - a flannel night shirt here, a spring trench coat there - from this company.
But am I the only one out there who also shops for hair styles in her favorite clothing catalogs? You see, next week - and I know we haven't discussed this yet - I am going to go to San Francisco for four days on a work trip. I have a few hours here and there in the first couple of days when I don't have things scheduled - and am about 4 weeks late on getting my hair cut - and so I contacted my fabulous hair stylist - the one who cut my hair for almost all of the 9 years I lived in the Bay Area - and made an appointment.
SCORE!
Thing is, since I get to go there so rarely now I can't see just getting a trim. I mean, that's not making the most of his talents at all, is it? And so, although I'm enjoying having long hair most of the time, it's starting to drag me down a bit and certainly doesn't feel very spring-y. (And with temps in the 60s, it will even feel the littlest bit spring-y in California...) Must be time for a new do, right? Thus, the Garnet Hill catalog. Today I shopped for a new do. And I found this model whose hair seems fairly similar to mine, all over the catalog, adorable hair done in all kinds of different lovely ways that would work for me. (It does occur to me all of a sudden that I could've shopped for a new do on my own blog - this hair cut looks an awful lot like that happy chick up there on the wonderwheel, does it not?)
So what do you think? Should I go for it? Or just keep it long since it now fits into a ponytail? (And we've all seen how attractive that is by the end of the day!)
Now if only I could afford her clothes, too.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Speaking of Love...
This week, Lyle wasn't the only one to receive a heart! Mine was in the form of this spiffy award - The Spreader of Love Award - which we are told by Tulip Mom is for bloggers "whose daily/weekly posts spread love, laughs, and insight to all of us". For those of you who don't know her, Tulip Mom is a lovely and talented blogger I have recently discovered, and I am enjoying getting to know her very much - and so should you! So, thank you, Tulip Mom, for sending me a heart of my very own; I am flattered and will display it proudly! And now, what better way to kick off Valentine's Day week than to pass this award along to a few others? This was challenging because most of the blogs I love best are of the "love spreading" variety and you all deserve this, but here's my short list for today:
1. kristen, talented novelist, incredible mother, and friend extraordinaire at from here to there and back
2. kyra of the beautiful writing, brilliant son, and cute pigtails at This Mom
3. drama mama whose faaaabulousness knows no bounds
4. vicki forman who blogs about her writing, talented children and professorial life through her special needs mama columns and speak softly.
5. niksmom who shares all the joys of parenting the Nik the Wonder Boy at maternal instincts
6. jessica, who can go from a dazzling piece on civil rights to a scattalogical post that makes you want to burp out loud at work, all in the course of a single day, at Oh, the Joys
Thank you for spreading love, laughs, and insight - to all of us!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Welcome to My World
If a certain Senator from Illinois were to have delegates automatically added to his roster every time a local man hollered like a drill sargeant, "FIRED UP!" from Point A in the house in order for his wife to respond as loudly as she can, "READY TO GO!" from Point B (without waking the children), then we would be responsible for a fairly substantial increase in Obama delegates this week.
I'm just sayin'.
I'm just sayin'.
The Morning After
Okay, so if this is what you normally see when you look in the mirror during the day:
(I mean, you know, a few hairs out of place and all - no emphasis on perfection here! - but generally clean, well-groomed enough, healthy color, and rested...)
And then one night you suddenly see this (look everyone, I'm going to post this scary picture AGAIN! You can't escape it!):
How could you help but be horrified and wonder if you really know what you ever actually look like during the course of a day?!
But, seriously - today I worship the Goddesses of Aveda, Bumble & Bumble, Benefit, and Sleep.
(I mean, you know, a few hairs out of place and all - no emphasis on perfection here! - but generally clean, well-groomed enough, healthy color, and rested...)And then one night you suddenly see this (look everyone, I'm going to post this scary picture AGAIN! You can't escape it!):
How could you help but be horrified and wonder if you really know what you ever actually look like during the course of a day?!But, seriously - today I worship the Goddesses of Aveda, Bumble & Bumble, Benefit, and Sleep.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Channeling my Inner Oprah
I am not a lemming. I am not a lemming.
I repeated this mantra to myself as I burned a few hundred calories on the eliptical machine, watching Oprah this morning.
I don't watch TV unless I'm at the gym. Ever. Honestly. It doesn't occur to me to turn it on, perhaps because I have such limited down time and much prefer to read novels or surf the world over to read all of your blogs. So when I discovered this morning that going to the gym during Lyle's nursery school hours meant that Oprah was on instead of the local morning news shows - with their dreadful closed captioning and non-stop stories about murder - I was secretly thrilled. I mean, pop culture - in my very own world!
I don't actually mind Oprah as a person - it's just the Americanized branding of Oprah that bothers me. It's the way her picture is on her own magazine every month (don't even get Matt started on that one), the fact that millions of women run out to buy the books she recommends, and everything she looks at for more than 10 seconds turns to gold. Can we not think for ourselves, sisters? It's also extraordinarily irritating to me to see all the middle-aged women in her audience shrieking with laughter when she says something really unworthy of that much hoopla. So even though I actually do respect what she's done in a lot of ways and also respect her opinions, I don't seek out that show. And yet finding it on at the gym was a guilty pleasure, I guess because it seems so normal, a word that doesn't often apply to my life.
But here's the scary part: I think I've hit The Demographic. I mean, it was clear to me that Oprah is targeted at me now. No, I didn't shriek with laughter when she said something mildly witty to a guest, but I found that all of the business people she had on her show today were associated with businesses I love, such as Williams-Sonoma and The Container Store (I think my heart rate immediately went up an extra 10 bpm when they started showing those cute boxes). And some guy from 3M invented some pretty awesome highlighters with built-in post-it flags (definitely his 2 minutes of fame!) that Oprah just looooves - and you know what? So would I. (You know me and office supplies, though.)
So now I know: I am not a lemming. I am a middle-aged woman. Oprah is all about me.
I repeated this mantra to myself as I burned a few hundred calories on the eliptical machine, watching Oprah this morning.
I don't watch TV unless I'm at the gym. Ever. Honestly. It doesn't occur to me to turn it on, perhaps because I have such limited down time and much prefer to read novels or surf the world over to read all of your blogs. So when I discovered this morning that going to the gym during Lyle's nursery school hours meant that Oprah was on instead of the local morning news shows - with their dreadful closed captioning and non-stop stories about murder - I was secretly thrilled. I mean, pop culture - in my very own world!
I don't actually mind Oprah as a person - it's just the Americanized branding of Oprah that bothers me. It's the way her picture is on her own magazine every month (don't even get Matt started on that one), the fact that millions of women run out to buy the books she recommends, and everything she looks at for more than 10 seconds turns to gold. Can we not think for ourselves, sisters? It's also extraordinarily irritating to me to see all the middle-aged women in her audience shrieking with laughter when she says something really unworthy of that much hoopla. So even though I actually do respect what she's done in a lot of ways and also respect her opinions, I don't seek out that show. And yet finding it on at the gym was a guilty pleasure, I guess because it seems so normal, a word that doesn't often apply to my life.
But here's the scary part: I think I've hit The Demographic. I mean, it was clear to me that Oprah is targeted at me now. No, I didn't shriek with laughter when she said something mildly witty to a guest, but I found that all of the business people she had on her show today were associated with businesses I love, such as Williams-Sonoma and The Container Store (I think my heart rate immediately went up an extra 10 bpm when they started showing those cute boxes). And some guy from 3M invented some pretty awesome highlighters with built-in post-it flags (definitely his 2 minutes of fame!) that Oprah just looooves - and you know what? So would I. (You know me and office supplies, though.)
So now I know: I am not a lemming. I am a middle-aged woman. Oprah is all about me.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Today's Sitemeter
It's been a busy day here on my Sitemeter - a little feature that I find endlessly amusing. Here are a few of today's searches that have brought people to The Wonderwheel:
1. warm sexy robe - Good luck, sister. If you find one, come on back and tell me all about it.
2. Santa's elves are watching - Yes, they are. I'm pretty sure they're at your window right now. (You wouldn't believe how many times a week this one shows up - what exactly is there to learn about this? I'm starting to suspect it's porn-related. Maybe I'm just cynical.)
3. should i go to work with bronchitis - I had no idea that I was providing such a public service when I wrote that post. Apparently bronchitis is going around, and everyone's wondering if they should go to work. (I thought this was really strange until Matt just told me that he quite nearly Googled "can i drink coke with strep throat" the other day. So I'm not sure what that proves, but there you go.)
4. child over attached to mom - Boy, if I didn't think I was on to something with that post to begin with, now that I've seen how many people actually Google those words every day, I am a believer.
1. warm sexy robe - Good luck, sister. If you find one, come on back and tell me all about it.
2. Santa's elves are watching - Yes, they are. I'm pretty sure they're at your window right now. (You wouldn't believe how many times a week this one shows up - what exactly is there to learn about this? I'm starting to suspect it's porn-related. Maybe I'm just cynical.)
3. should i go to work with bronchitis - I had no idea that I was providing such a public service when I wrote that post. Apparently bronchitis is going around, and everyone's wondering if they should go to work. (I thought this was really strange until Matt just told me that he quite nearly Googled "can i drink coke with strep throat" the other day. So I'm not sure what that proves, but there you go.)
4. child over attached to mom - Boy, if I didn't think I was on to something with that post to begin with, now that I've seen how many people actually Google those words every day, I am a believer.
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