tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27381675940024699892012-01-23T16:06:14.146-08:00Aerin's Cranberry BlogAerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.comBlogger4191100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-1334675651366959962012-01-12T17:53:00.000-08:002012-01-12T17:53:06.102-08:00Roller Skating
Birthday roller skates - note the 1980s upholstery
Over the holiday break, we went roller skating (the first time for the kids). I skated quite a bit as a child, I remember my parents would clear out the garage and we would skate around to tapes like "Saturday's Warrior".
I haven't been on a pair of skates for a long time, at least fifteen years. I was unsteady on wheels - it wasn't exactly Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-17020857297352488492011-12-30T16:18:00.000-08:002011-12-30T16:18:05.036-08:00Not so far from reality
I've been watching Mad Men - I just finished Season 2 on a streaming movie/tv service. One feminist website I read (the hathor legacy) claims that although the show attempts to paint the misogyny as in the past, it's still smacks of misogyny and priveldge.
I agree that the writers/producers are having fun with the smoke filled pregnancies and Scotch filled offices.
What strikes me, however,Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-46022890580613877882011-12-21T15:24:00.000-08:002011-12-21T15:24:42.128-08:00Happy Holidays??I live in a state where the majority of people celebrate Christmas. Whether or not they consider themselves Christian.
I've been wished "Merry Christmas" a handful of times over the past week, in retail type situations. People would have no idea if I was Christian or not.
And although I celebrate a secular Christmas, I always bristle in that situation. Because I think - what if I didn't Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-56405838823007738502011-12-16T05:48:00.000-08:002011-12-16T05:48:07.223-08:00Is there an Education Bubble?I have read some theories about this, and I find I sympathize with them.
To be clear, I believe strongly in education and in an educated society. I support education and higher education.
With that said, is there really enough demand for all the institutions that exist here in the U.S.? Are there jobs for all the people attending these institutions? There are state sponsored universities, Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-80212023161712555692011-12-01T17:23:00.000-08:002011-12-01T17:23:59.491-08:00LeftoversHaving leftovers for dinner used to be intensely disappointing as a child and teenager. Of course, this is before my family had a microwave, so my Mom would reheat everything on the stove - inevitably the food wasn't heated all the way through. Slow cookers were also problematic - there was this roast with potatoes and carrots that my family would make on Sundays - the potatoes would get brown Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-84925536165467649472011-11-20T07:59:00.000-08:002011-11-20T07:59:34.700-08:00Anger into action Recently I've found myself getting overwhelmed with anger about a few issues.
For some of the issues, I have every right to be angry. Some involve things that happened in the past, long ago. The things that happened in the past I can't do anything about.
So I've been exploring what it is that I am really angry about. Is my anger justified - what am I scared of (is there any fear Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-12538757085979289592011-11-14T18:42:00.000-08:002011-11-14T18:42:00.163-08:00I Don't Want To Talk About ItSome may wonder why I would be interested in a book about male depression.
Simply put, depression impacts everyone. The argument Terence Real makes in this book is that covert depression affects men, and wreaks havoc on their families. This is different from the traditional model of depression - where a person is not able to sleep, eat, work or function normally. Real's theory is that anger,Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-9398227712502408132011-11-06T09:21:00.000-08:002011-11-06T09:21:22.819-08:00The Subversive Nature of Emily Dickinson
I agree wholeheartedly with this Emily Dickinson poem. If there is a God or Higher Power, I believe he/she/it/they would agree with this sentiment.
*I had a great hike this morning!
Part Two: Nature
LVII
SOME keep the Sabbath going to church;
I keep it staying at home,
With a bobolink for a chorister,
And an orchard for a dome.
Some keep the Sabbath in surplice; 5
I just wear Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-57547382139602607482011-11-02T17:42:00.000-07:002011-11-02T17:42:53.233-07:00Housecleaning and GuiltI found myself agreeing with this fmh (and NY Times article) about moms, cleaning and guilt. In case you're not up for clicking on the links, a majority of moms (both those who work outside and those who work full time in the home) feel guilt about how clean their homes are.
It's a little shocking to me, considering the century. Didn't we fight a feminist revolution to free women from the Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-58109618018611485642011-10-20T16:31:00.000-07:002011-10-20T16:31:24.930-07:00ProhibitionI enjoyed watching Prohibition, the latest documentary from Ken Burns. A friend of mine observed that prohibition would never have passed if women had rights (been treated better at the time).
I agree wholeheartedly.
What I found interesting, however, is the education in schools prior to prohibition. The Women's Christian Temperance Union, and the Anti-Saloon league successfully lobbied Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-3915216092155689682011-10-19T17:00:00.000-07:002011-10-19T17:00:06.341-07:00My week as the parent of a singletonThrough a random series of events during fall break (too confusing to detail here), my daughter spent the week with my in laws, and my son spent the week with my husband and me. Musing more on large families, I did notice the difference between caring for one versus two.
Some of the differences were obvious and simple mathematics. There was less laundry. I only had to wake up one child Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-38945482699889731862011-10-07T17:00:00.000-07:002011-10-07T17:00:00.160-07:00Large FamiliesI've been meaning to write this post (or a similar one) for awhile now. Each time I try to reasonably explain my points, I find myself getting fairly emotional about the topic.
As many of my readers already know, I'm the oldest of six. And from what I've read, my experience is not all that unique. I fit the stereotype of an oldest daughter of six...and there is a reason there is a stereotype!Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-76704771503988352982011-10-06T16:16:00.000-07:002011-10-06T16:16:00.318-07:00Great Men TheoryThere is a theory of history that great men shaped our current society. Regular, normal people could not do it, could not build empires or win wars, but these men did. And their mothers, of course, who shaped them (tongue in cheek here). Think Julius Caesar, George Washington, Christopher Columbus.
While these men are important, I think it's worth noting that only very rarely does some act Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-85473257628018123722011-09-29T17:16:00.000-07:002011-09-29T17:16:07.690-07:00bus stopI jumped through all the hoops and changed the bus stop for my kids.
It's surprising how satisfying this small decision is. Last year the bus stopped a block and a half from our home. Not too far, but far enough that it was mildly inconvenient. We couldn't sit in the house and wait for the bus. And the bus is late occasionally, one day we waited for an hour.
As soon as I received the form Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-11767149598633428212011-09-21T10:05:00.000-07:002011-09-21T10:05:28.446-07:00The Purse I lost a purse when I was six, while I attended the ballet with my brownie troop. I remember this incident distinctly. My sister had made me the purse for Christmas. I recall being very upset, I cried most of the car ride home. My Mom wasn't on the trip, so it would have been a friend's mom who would have tried to calm me down.
I remember being upset about the $5 I lost in the purse, but also Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-7382641669651013332011-09-10T10:44:00.000-07:002011-09-10T10:44:36.672-07:00My September 11th rememberanceAll this week, npr has been running a series remembering Sept. 11th, how Americans have changed, honoring those who died.
I was thinking about what I would like to remember, and what I want to convey about that day and the response.
In the days and years that followed, the 11th of September has taken on mythical proportions. I can respect and honor ceremony and ritual.
Yet I believe Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-66385851127695014042011-08-31T10:26:00.000-07:002011-08-31T10:26:21.684-07:00What I'm LikeI spoke at my children's school a few weeks ago about my college experience to the middle and high school kids. Things have been pretty hectic recently, and the format of the presentation kept changing. At one point, it was going to be just me talking for twenty minute intervals for seventh graders through seniors. Then I was going to be on a parent panel...
Anyway, I had an outline arranged,Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-72049674965205574402011-08-19T13:54:00.000-07:002011-08-19T13:54:08.053-07:00too muchI swear, I was never a huge Dave Matthews Band fan, but it was on all the time during my years in college. Hearing the songs from the mid-90s albums really takes me back. The song Too much was on this album, Crash.
A good friend pointed out to me that I tend to do too much, and then get sick. And, what drive me even more bonkers is that it's true!
There really appears to be a correlation Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-65900851712655546392011-08-12T17:30:00.000-07:002011-08-12T17:30:00.122-07:00CasinolandI took a trip to some midwestern casinos a few weekends ago. If you haven't been to a casino or river boat, I recommend it; at the very least, for the experience. I do have some guidelines/pieces of information to think about before you go:
*Be prepared for the smoke
One of my sisters mentioned this to me; she had gone to the same casino a few weekends before. I'm not used to smoky venues, Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-37328508432075012112011-07-23T07:14:00.000-07:002011-07-23T12:35:19.676-07:00Death of a childAre there worse things than the death of a child? That's what I was asking myself earlier this week. I can think of a handful of worse things, but the death of a child is pretty damn horrific.
I attended the wake of a young toddler a few days ago. The child was a relative of a co-worker; I had never met the child before.
The weight of the sorrow, the sadness and horror of it all is Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-9972816892946678652011-07-16T09:22:00.000-07:002011-07-16T09:22:55.242-07:00Time Constraints, Blogging and MiscellanyRecently I've been engaging in introspection about this blog; what I want to say, what I want to say publicly. Not that I ever had much of a filter. But now I have some fairly legitimate constraints on my time, including handwriting (on paper) potential blog entries. Note the attached example.
handwritten post
I am not near a computer during the time when I have a moment to think about Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-69156363015038554942011-06-26T07:25:00.000-07:002011-06-26T07:25:46.953-07:00Grow where you are plantedI wrote this post at latterdaymainstreet (MSP) about living in the midwest - in this particular state and location. Enjoy!Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-64011984480436630762011-06-25T07:00:00.000-07:002011-06-25T07:00:59.772-07:00EmpowermentA handful of friends of mine are going through some challenges at the moment. Weddings, pregnancy and break -ups, to be specific. I have to admit, going through each of those things have been some of the hardest challenges I've faced in life so far.
I've discussed some of my experiences here before, but not really how difficult things were during these specific rough times. Some of the Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-38119471238717409022011-06-18T11:16:00.000-07:002011-06-18T11:16:38.429-07:00Future Realities or Rights I'm Grateful forRecently I've encountered two wonderful dystopian realities, both science fiction. They both challenged me to think about the U.S., our rights and the things I have to be grateful for. Certain political parties or movements are not the only people who can express their appreciation for the rights and privileges that Americans enjoy.
I read "The Year of the Flood" by Margaret Atwood and Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-51734939264613959072011-06-11T09:15:00.000-07:002011-06-11T09:15:45.541-07:00When did I become an activist?Some months ago I was on the local news. I went to a parent informational meeting the local school corporation. It must have been a slow news week.
At the meeting, there was a powerpoint presentation and two roving television cameras. I assumed the tv cameras would film the other community members.
I said my piece, about keeping the arts (and sports) in schools. Also that I hoped all cutsAerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-79728998094574745792011-06-10T13:53:00.000-07:002011-06-10T13:53:45.349-07:00Young at HeartI saw this program the other day - about a chorus of seniors who tour the country. I just wanted to go on record - when I'm 90, I hope to be doing something like this. Attached is a trailer. Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-9776868795866112282011-05-28T11:03:00.000-07:002011-05-28T11:03:36.047-07:00Getting OlderThe power went out the other night around one in the morning.
Back in the day, I would have overslept my alarm, I wouldn't have woken up.
I know I'm getting older because I woke up (around an hour before my alarm was set) and reset my alarm clock. I can't remember the last time I overslept an alarm. I think it is getting older, and getting a good night's sleep on a regular basis (i.e., Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-33050169616390039202011-05-25T19:02:00.000-07:002011-05-25T19:02:09.809-07:00FoodFood has been an stressful thing for my family of origin. It's not the only stressful thing, but somehow it's up there in terms of conflict and stress.
I suppose I always knew this, but recently I've come to an increased awareness of it. It should be simple, right? It's just food. It's just money.
I think being aware of why things are the way they are, and accepting that - we can figure out Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-49713930929707057462011-05-16T07:00:00.000-07:002011-05-16T07:00:11.097-07:00PortlandiaI have really enjoyed this show so far.
I thought all my readers who lived through the 90s might recognize themselves in this song - "The Dream of the 90s is alive in Portland".
For the record, I had an ex boyfriend in the 90s who wore the same style of coat that Fred Armisten is wearing in the video. I didn't go to clown school, but there was quite a bit from the video I recognized. And, Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-17996187125685523752011-05-14T12:16:00.000-07:002011-05-14T12:16:25.593-07:00The Help
This is a link to a great discussion of "The Help" from the program "Tell Me More" on npr. It gives the perspective of different people on this best selling book. To summarize the discussion, one of the maids in the book bears a striking resemblance to a maid in Ms. Stockett's own family. There is also a discussion of the accents in the book, the white characters do not have disernable Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-20382990166278752682011-04-26T16:06:00.000-07:002011-04-26T16:06:42.497-07:00The cost of ambianceAround seven years ago, I felt like it was time to enter the home ownership market. Well meaning friends had convinced me that renting was not building equity, and the equivalent of "pouring money down the drain". I was frustrated with the landlord - we had lost boxes of books in basement flooding.
The home my husband and I chose is over sixty years old. But it was fifty years younger than Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-21141199607330325252011-04-17T08:20:00.000-07:002011-04-17T08:20:24.910-07:00DressesRecently I've had the opportunity to help make dresses for little girls in the Dominican Republic. The school my children attend has a group of students that will be going there for a service project. I wish more secular organizations would sponsor and fund such trips.
I wasn't sure if I would have time at first, but was able to. Next year I will start sewing earlier, to try and get more done (Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-49786564140446721932011-04-04T15:20:00.000-07:002011-04-04T15:20:27.036-07:00Life is GoodMy brother (hi!) asked me how I was doing, mentioned that I haven't been updating this blog recently.
That's because I've been off having adventures. It's finally warm enough to venture outside, with proper attire.
Also, because my two have discovered the joy of internet gaming, so the limited time I would have had on a computer is now even more scarce.
But in general, life is good. Each Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-56711782918849058932011-03-25T08:59:00.000-07:002011-03-25T08:59:35.068-07:00Banned book list - almost finished!I'm close to finishing all the books on my banned book list, with the exception of Ulysses. The last book on my list is An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. I'm not making any promises on that one.
I wanted to write a few short reviews of three of the books.
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Despite my feelings towards organized religion, I liked this book. I appreciated the Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-68154528305257445152011-03-13T15:38:00.000-07:002011-03-13T15:38:23.060-07:00Senior Year High School EnglishI read some amazing books my senior year of High school.
Now that I look back on it, I'm amazed at the curriculum. Some of the books included:
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Grendel by John Gardner (I think we read Beowulf as well)
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
We read more books, I just can't remember them at Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-69090427593874873802011-03-06T07:29:00.000-08:002011-03-06T07:29:07.681-08:00T shirt scarfI heard someone mention a t shirt scarf, somewhere on the internets.
And I thought, hey, I could make one of those! I have old t-shirts and minimal sewing skills!
This is the t-shirt back after I cut out some long swatches
I went around the edges with some embroidery thread.
this is the final product.
proudly modeling my new scarf!
Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-29535273263046405682011-03-04T06:17:00.000-08:002011-03-04T06:17:30.849-08:00Something's Going to Kill You**Warning: Maudlin post below**
I've reduced my diet cola consumption over the past year or so, on the advice of my dentist. Some family members were in disbelief when they heard this news . Evidently carbonated beverages can be bad for your teeth.
Then I heard about this study, which found a link between diet soda and stroke or heart attack. I am skeptical about correlation vs. causationAerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-43602932565676451202011-02-20T08:14:00.000-08:002011-02-20T08:14:48.560-08:00Spring cleaningSpring is over a month away. But I have already started the process of slowly cleaning and organizing.
It's not one of my strong suits, and some days I am more at peace with that than others.
I understand that spring cleaning traditionally meant taking your rugs and blankets outside to have the dust beat out of them. This is a photo of a carpet beater from wikipedia.
For me, I find sitting Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-35762284625353664322011-02-19T07:01:00.000-08:002011-02-19T07:01:52.131-08:00self control and mormonismI heard this article on npr the other day. It brought up some great points about allowing children to be responsible for themselves, delayed gratification, etc.
Like many mormons/former mormons, I grew up in an environment that was not terribly permissive. I was raised to be independent, but there was quite a bit of self-denial. It's that line between being cheap and being frugal - some of it Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-74668577718901787742011-02-10T17:57:00.000-08:002011-02-10T17:57:04.987-08:00Early Spring
Narcissus
I picked up a forcing bulb kit over the holiday season.
The flowers are a delight - especially considering the snow and ice outside. This is a photo of them in the windowsill. The process was very easy - so easy I might try it again next year.Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-91548614816925929722011-02-01T07:41:00.000-08:002011-02-01T07:41:39.845-08:00English as a Second LanguageWe went to parent teacher conferences last week (my kids are doing wonderfully, by the way).
My daughter's teacher mentioned that there was a student who started out the school year not able to speak English. Now, this student is at the top of the class. And, they translated the conference for their parents.
I have mixed feelings about this. There's a part of me that is proud of this young Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-69729576574312923982011-01-29T08:40:00.000-08:002011-01-29T08:40:58.149-08:00Ulysses - I triedI mentioned here that I was attempting to read Ulysses by James Joyce over the holidays. I've read that it's arguably the most influential novel of the twentieth century.
One of my goals is to be well read - but also to challenge myself in my reading. Just because I'm not in school any longer, doesn't mean that I can't continue to learn. Obviously I won't read the classics all the time, butAerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-70928425762124956292011-01-18T16:34:00.000-08:002011-01-18T16:34:36.363-08:00cancer sucksA few years back I heard an ad on the radio for this study by the American Cancer Society.
If you haven't been diagnosed with cancer, there's only so much you can do. It sucks being helpless, watching someone else in pain.
It was nice to know there was something I could do. There is more information on the website. A person just needs to be between 30 and 64, and never been diagnosed with Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-66064948270447197552011-01-14T15:22:00.000-08:002011-01-14T15:22:08.333-08:00No Skinny Jeans for MeI remember being in middle school (the last time skinny jeans were popular) and thinking that bell bottom jeans would never come back in style. I was wrong. It took around ten years, but they came back.
I was going to post a photo of skinny jeans (with zippers) that I saw for sale the other day. I recommend searching google images for that to see what I'm referring to.
Along with wearing Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-83660489594375121812011-01-09T07:37:00.000-08:002011-01-09T07:37:13.121-08:00A blurThe holidays were a blur this year - full of reacting to events. December began with my son getting some sort of flu. He was out of school for four days. A week later, on the last day of school, he got sick again at the gym. Then, at one thirty in the morning, my daughter got sick.
Four days later, *I* got sick. And I really got sick, usually I can still at least sit at the computer and Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-475627531380636742011-01-02T07:41:00.000-08:002011-01-02T07:41:13.392-08:00Winter VisitorsA lot has been going on, but I wanted to post this photo that I snapped the other day.
Turns out we've had some winter visitors around our home this year. I'm pretty sure these are raccoon tracks. I saw a raccoon crawl in to the sewer opening one night some months ago. The raccoons in our city remain well fed, even in December.
I am surprised that I actually can identify the tracks as Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-28393905861862938562010-12-26T12:59:00.000-08:002010-12-26T12:59:54.383-08:00Visions of Sugar PlumsI made Sugar Plums this year, after I saw them on a food network show some weeks ago.
Much like "Turkish Delight" from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, sometimes the desserts sound much better than they actually taste.
The sugar plums I made taste quite good if you are prepared for what they are. And, from what I can tell, they're pretty good for you as well.
They have three different Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-87258487148190273512010-12-20T06:24:00.000-08:002010-12-20T06:24:12.284-08:00Unconditional FriendshipThis isn't the season for gratitude, that was so last month. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention the good friends in my life. I am constantly amazed at how wise and supportive they are.
If you don't have good friends who are supportive of you, no matter what decisions you make - my sympathy to you. I hope you can find them. Those friends are priceless (to my mind).
It's easy to Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-4876154226557086952010-12-17T13:55:00.000-08:002010-12-17T13:55:33.424-08:00Sick KidsI had !Exciting Plans ! for this weekend, some involving non-refundable tickets.
Then last night my son threw up at the gym. And then my daughter woke me up at 1:30 in the morning, also throwing up.
At the risk of oversharing (too late ;)), it just reminds me of two things.
First, that my father in law's description about parenthood doesn't appear to change as one's children get older.
AndAerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-15686255298923591612010-12-06T07:08:00.000-08:002010-12-06T07:08:47.438-08:00Holiday shoppingMany years ago, in college, I worked at a toy store for Christmas. It's amazing how some songs stay with you. There were lots of memorable things about my experience, but the constant bad holiday music was one of them. There are Christmas and holiday songs I like - that I can stand. Then there are songs with the Chipmunks and even the classic "I want a hippopotomas for Christmas".
Once orAerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-28793487287843692382010-11-30T11:23:00.000-08:002010-11-30T11:23:11.603-08:00Four Years; Still semi-anonymousI'm not generally one for blog navel-gazing, but I wanted to mark this milestone. I spent four years in high school and college, and this period of time seemed to go much faster. Time moved slowly then. I think it does when one is not completely in charge. With more choice and opportunity comes less boredom and time for reflection. This, by the way, is a photo of me in a globe in a local Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-9022913871380521552010-11-21T11:04:00.000-08:002010-11-21T11:04:11.972-08:00Eat, Pray, Love
Despite my joining of certain social networking sites, I have a love/hate relationship with certain cultural trends. If it's incredibly popular, I'm generally suspicious.
They selected this book for my book club before much information was known about the movie. I was understandably skeptical.
I found I liked this book much more than I thought I would. I agreed with Julie Ann's comments Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-80039898981444798272010-11-16T18:53:00.000-08:002010-11-16T18:53:10.644-08:00twitter - I cavedI joined twitter (I know. I know!) You can see the tweets on the sidebar - as well as follow me at #aerin64 (I think).
twitter seems rather trendy at the moment, and I'm not typically someone who keeps up with every trend. But this gives me a way to post smaller posts (from my phone).
The size limit may be difficult for me as well, since brevity is not my strong suit.
I have more than Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-50555600730598491312010-10-30T10:33:00.000-07:002010-10-30T10:33:32.976-07:00SeasonsThis is the Eastern Red bud tree in our backyard, through the seasons. We have seasons here, which is a nice part of living in the midwest.
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-31331690479254564722010-10-25T20:04:00.000-07:002010-10-25T20:04:06.310-07:00Banned Book weekSo the last week of September (I believe) was banned book week. Things can get busy around here, and I'm not able to read everything I would like. I have attempted to read some of the classics over the years. Banned book week was a great incentive for me. Of course I didn't select just one book, but I plan on attempting some in the next few months.
I hope to read them and review them here.Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-52570836372588637412010-10-22T05:39:00.000-07:002010-10-22T05:39:50.805-07:00Live and let LiveA good friend of mine was visiting recently. We were discussing various topics, and somehow the topic of mormonism came up. She is not mormon. I mentioned that if she (or other close friends) were considering joining mormonism, I would have to speak up.
Now I need to give some caveats here. Ultimately, whatever decision my friends made would be their own. I would understand and respect Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-20331766301220456632010-10-12T17:26:00.000-07:002010-10-12T17:26:41.247-07:00Where I'm atLife is interesting.
I'm not ignoring the blogging world, and I haven't lost interest (yet).
Honestly, I'm simply busier than I have been in awhile. I had some time (and unfettered access) to the internet, and now that appears to have subsided due to various internet filters.
I'm fortunate to be where I am, still employed, attempting to keep up with various blogs/sites on my phone. ButAerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-37438483206687453172010-10-04T14:17:00.000-07:002010-10-04T14:17:30.414-07:00Vintage Sesame StreetThis is what we are watching at our house. I watched quite a bit of Sesame Street as a child...I was surprised (although I shouldn't be) that so much is now online.
Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-47862864947526005392010-09-29T18:31:00.000-07:002010-09-29T18:31:59.728-07:00the prosperity gospelIt surprises me when I hear about people still trying to sell the prosperity gospel. From my understanding, that means that if a person is faithful, they will be wealthy and have good health.
What strikes me about it is that one can't find much justification for it in the bible. I'm fairly certain there is a scripture about a camel getting through the eye of a needle being as likely as a rich Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-12421838970967868562010-09-22T07:48:00.000-07:002010-09-22T07:48:55.269-07:00Family medical historyWhen I go into doctor's offices, usually one of the forms they ask me to fill out has to do with family medical history. I am fortunate to have extensive knowledge of my family medical history. I'm not sure if that's unique to my family, but it might be. Many people (i.e., not LDS people) don't always know the names of their great-grandparents, much less some of the diseases they suffered from.Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-56850435785528135742010-09-13T19:04:00.000-07:002010-09-13T19:04:49.491-07:00Putting Up with AnythingI've talked about a bad work experience I had here. I started thinking about my crazy boss as I was reading about Stella's work experience on her blog here.
Believe it or not, it can be difficult in a job situation to know what is normal or acceptable. It's not really something you learn in school - where those boundaries are. What you will or will not put up with in a work environment.
Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-13158992405052409962010-09-01T08:06:00.000-07:002010-09-01T08:06:28.069-07:00Human Interaction part 2 - cultural tabooThis is another article in the series I mentioned yesterday about human development and behavior. I find the notion of taboo fascinating. What is taboo in our culture, and what is taboo in other cultures (they're not always the same).
In this part of the series, the interviewer and main interviewee talk about complex social interaction. One of the things that the woman brings up is that someAerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-9927144325502532642010-08-31T08:14:00.000-07:002010-08-31T08:14:31.880-07:00Human Development part 1A few months back, I started a "links I would send to chanson" series. This would be another link I would have sent to chanson (but I'm posting it here for discussion/reflection). There was another program in the npr series that I will write more about in part 2.
Did a belief in the supernatural (or supernatural consequences) help humans evolve into who we are today?
I thought this was a Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-11547344615112487312010-08-26T06:49:00.000-07:002010-08-26T06:49:41.861-07:00Crisis living - culture editionMany years ago, shortly after the attacks of September 11th, I heard a report on npr. It mentioned the loss of life and property in 2001. There was an incredible loss of life and property in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. But it mentioned that if a category 5 hurricane were to hit New Orleans, that there would be increased loss of life and property. The reporting Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-68216833397164125432010-08-20T11:16:00.000-07:002010-08-20T11:16:26.161-07:00Kindergarten Homework and UniformsSome of my readers might be shocked that my two already have homework. I don't remember homework from kindergarten, personally.
Before I go on, I just wanted to explain exactly what the homework is. The first part is reading. Parents are supposed to read to their kids or with their kids three or four times per week.
This part of the homework is pretty easy, since we were already doing Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-23419484451874875462010-08-18T13:33:00.000-07:002010-08-18T13:33:26.174-07:00In or OutSo recently, there has been all sorts of discussions in faithful mormon circles about feminism.
Which is great. I am supportive.
Before you read any more of this post, know that I am supportive of people inside the LDS church trying to change the misogynist status quo. And yes, I did call the status quo misogynist. And no, I don't think I'm going to back away from that term, which some Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-67931368732685073212010-08-12T08:00:00.000-07:002010-08-12T08:00:46.081-07:00Stay at home parenthood hindsightSome friends/acquaintances of mine may be embarking on stay at home parenthood. I have some thoughts about this endeavor. Honestly, I think my thoughts are more about parenthood in general.
Live and learn, right? These are some things I wish I had known before having kids. These are some conversations I wish I had had before having one parent (not me) stay home with our kids. Yet I don't Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-18146161815477360522010-08-04T14:52:00.000-07:002010-08-04T14:52:43.372-07:00The appearing and disappearing video storeWhile running errands yesterday, I drove past a former video store. The past year or so, the business had just been hanging on. When we would (rarely) go in to rent videos, there were only a handful of people there. So, I'm not surprised that the store was shuttered.
What I do find interesting is that so many of these stores appeared and now have disappeared. I remember when they seemed to Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-80401915659067924782010-07-30T08:46:00.000-07:002010-07-30T08:46:01.680-07:00Life is Pretty GoodI talk a lot (here) about relationships, mental health and boundaries - because I think a lot about those things. I don't feel a need to put on a false front here; to pretend that life is more rosy than it is. Life has not always been easy for me or for those I love. I don't have to impress anyone, or I don't mean to impress anyone with what I write here.
I don't really talk a lot about how Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-73915838948990299642010-07-27T06:24:00.000-07:002010-07-27T06:24:57.808-07:00No Way to LiveIt can be problematic to put modern values on past societies. We don't know what influenced their decisions, why they made the choices they did.
I've told this story a handful of times over the past month, so I thought I would share it here. My feelings about divorce and separation have not really changed over the years.
Some of my ancestors are rumored to not have had a happy marriage. She Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-33607871647861498672010-07-26T09:15:00.000-07:002010-07-26T09:15:38.895-07:00Out of touch with FeelingsSome years ago, various well-meaning friends and counselors/professionals mentioned to me that it sounded like I "was out of touch with my feelings".
At first this statement really p*ssed me off. I had no idea what they meant, AND even worse, I had no idea what I could do about it. It sounded like a bunch of woo, or even worse, horse pucky. Being someone who excelled at lots of things over the Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-29356233825274004392010-07-23T08:18:00.000-07:002010-07-23T08:18:38.778-07:00the Grandma News replacementSo, once upon a time, one of my grandmothers used to send out family newsletters. I have a large (large!), extended family (a great example, chanson) so it would be very difficult to keep up with everyone individually. When we were younger, it was a bit easier. But as various cousins grew up, went to college or other pursuits, things became even more splintered.
Which is a part of life and Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-79667655326194838642010-07-22T06:46:00.000-07:002010-07-22T06:46:08.114-07:00SchoolMy twins started kindergarten this week. It hasn't been the easiest change for me. They got into this school, the one we had hoped. Still, it was a difficult day for me to put my kids on the bus. I think it's all the changes involved with going to school, to a real school. There is so much out of my control. And it means that they are growing up. It's bittersweet, for me.
The good news is,Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-23959685546363620272010-07-14T10:27:00.000-07:002010-07-14T10:27:41.872-07:00Race as a ConstructRecently I finished Passing Strange: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line by Martha Sandweiss.
It was the story of Clarence King, a nineteenth century geologist and explorer who met and married a woman of color. He lived with her, unbeknown to almost everyone, as James Todd, a pullman porter. They had five children together. It was a fascinating story, although with Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-39005603676261433312010-07-11T08:01:00.000-07:002010-07-11T08:01:17.843-07:00planningA friend asked me last night if I had a plan - I think they were implying before I had kids. But it was also an open ended question.
It's true, I did have some plans. And I still do. But life doesn't always go as planned. Sometimes life kicks you on your ass. Sometimes life goes better than planned.
For me, I think it's more of how you respond to the punches, respond to life and are still Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-12988113352022535742010-07-06T09:58:00.000-07:002010-07-06T09:58:38.847-07:00Pre-school postI have a post up at Rational Moms about the Christian pre-school my kids attended. Check it out!Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-55952361615680970942010-06-29T12:20:00.000-07:002010-06-29T12:20:37.168-07:00Other people's opinionsNot long ago, I read a blog post that I disagreed with. I know it's a shocker (On the internet! Imagine!). This person was saying that they believed a certain mormon doctrine to mean x. Or, their mormon faith led them to make a particular personal decision. They did not say at any point that everyone should believe x. Or that all mormons believe x.
The question is whether or not that was Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-81145097497735300212010-06-24T18:58:00.000-07:002010-06-24T18:58:26.482-07:00Better Understanding Lolita I sent this ( Reading Lolita and Derek) post to feminist mormon housewives a few weeks ago and they actually posted it!
If my post doesn't say it strongly enough, I highly recommend the book Reading Lolita in Tehran. It was a poignant, well-written memoir. It inspired me to read Henry James (Washington Square). There were great observations about women, society and how women relate to menAerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-49598725275338774832010-06-22T08:19:00.000-07:002010-06-22T08:19:57.809-07:00PallbearersMy husband's grandfather passed away last week. I've been going through a range of emotions (for various reasons). His funeral was this past weekend.
I was so touched that two of his granddaughters were pallbearers.
Now, perhaps I simply haven't been to many funerals with caskets, or perhaps I've just been hanging around really conservative religious people. But traditionally I've only seen Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-41761642522100509462010-06-21T06:59:00.000-07:002010-06-21T06:59:45.743-07:00AlwaysThrough the past few days I've been listening to this song from "Songs in the Key of Life" by Stevie Wonder. There may be some religious overtones - but I appreciate the message of love.
As
As around the sun the earth knows she's revolving
And the rosebuds know to bloom in early May
Just as hate knows love's the cure
You can rest your mind assure
That I'll be loving you always
As now Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-72207098742084224972010-06-17T08:44:00.000-07:002010-06-17T08:44:57.203-07:00Women in the music businessIt's no secret that I listen to npr often. I heard this great interview with singer/songwriter Jackie DeShannon on Fresh Air the other day.
I was going to forward the link to chanson, because every so often I hear interviews or book reviews I think she might be interested in. (No doubt she looks at them and thinks "Man, another link from aerin??" ). She's posted some of these on the "Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-28234431954121256312010-06-14T19:00:00.000-07:002010-06-14T19:00:03.362-07:00Quality of Life issuesEverybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
-Leonard Cohen
This business of living and dying - it's not for the faint of heart. I've mentioned before, my husband's grandfather has been in and out of good health. I honestly thought we had lost him two years ago. So in that time, we've had holidays and Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-36015694989121844062010-06-10T10:32:00.000-07:002010-06-10T10:32:28.710-07:00Kids and StressLogically, I always knew that parents' stress did sometimes reflect on kids. That was my experience growing up. As a parent, I hadn't thought seriously about my stress or its impact until I started seeing it in my kids.
This past month (May) was very stressful for me, for many reasons. And much as I tried to keep to a routine, much as I might try to keep things normal - some of that stressAerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-41330742812354986922010-06-08T09:53:00.000-07:002010-06-08T09:53:26.285-07:00Public and Private Expression of BeliefRecently I mentioned to a friend my belief that personal religious and spiritual beliefs should be just that, personal. I realize that I hadn't posted about that here. I have posted about what a person is obliged to do religion-wise for family, and my personal reaction to family and friends who are still mormon.
Testimony meeting
For my non mormon readers, the first Sunday of each month is Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-62458254879364037022010-06-02T09:36:00.000-07:002010-06-02T09:36:12.863-07:00NiceOn my recent visit with my grandmother, she brought up a relative and their recent break up.
(No offense to my Grandma meant, but I know exactly where my "in other people's business" gene comes from).
Anyway, her comment to me was, "Well, were they [the former partner] a nice person?" When I admitted they were, my Grandma concluded "well, they should get married then".
Readers, you would beAerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-43122487474612429702010-05-29T07:50:00.000-07:002010-05-29T07:50:05.431-07:00No Hippie Chick
Back in the early 90s, there was a resurgence of 60s fashion. It was a type of new hippie culture (because everything comes back in again eventually). It was related to grunge, but distinctly different. It involved lots of patchouli, some lava lamps, long flowy skirts, beads, etc.
Much to the chagrin (amusement??) of most of my friends (now), I was part of this movement back in the day. Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-41714002069566992052010-05-26T12:24:00.000-07:002010-05-26T12:24:45.064-07:00What's in our foodOne of my sisters went with us on our vacation, and her help was invaluable. She has also recently discovered that she is lactose intolerant. Believe it or not, this puts her in the majority. Most people across the world (aside from Northern Europeans) have some form of lactose intolerance after childhood. Yet cow's milk is prevalent throughout American culture/cuisine (at least).
It was Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-80302624336351038662010-05-16T18:24:00.000-07:002010-05-16T18:24:46.551-07:00hiatus
It's been a crazy couple of weeks - and soon I will be heading out on vacation with two little ones! We've never flown together before, so this should be interesting. I have lots of topics I'm thinking about, just haven't had the time to really focus on them. So here are some poppies from my front yard.
Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-58862760250066361502010-05-08T07:19:00.000-07:002010-05-08T07:19:34.511-07:00Ad hominemI recently read part of "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson, for book club. Written back in the early 1960s, her book began an environmental awareness movement. People began to care more about chemicals used to kill bugs, and those used in farming. I don't want to argue her point, because it is worth reading for yourself.
Here is a link to a pbs program about the book and her journey.
What Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-13925300059925799882010-04-27T10:31:00.000-07:002010-04-27T10:31:34.594-07:00An emergency on your partI've been thinking about crisis living recently. I learned about living full of drama, crisis to crisis from an early age. There was always something to be worried about. There was always something to be concerned about.
If nothing else, I remember (distinctly) sitting at the breakfast table with my mother, while she talked about her dreams the night before. One dream/nightmare was that we Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-46989737638698030372010-04-25T17:15:00.000-07:002010-04-25T17:15:16.809-07:00PrioritiesDue to budget cuts, they will probably be closing the library closest to our home, and the one where I attend book club. I will admit, I have personal reasons for disliking the proposal. We go to story time at the library closest to our home almost every week. I've attended book club for at least three years. There are other libraries and my kids will be going to kindergarten soon.
Public Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-48426171917227974022010-04-14T13:45:00.000-07:002010-04-14T13:45:03.786-07:00Jello!
I visited my parents a few weeks ago, and found this *gem* of a book. If you saw this link about "mormon food", you know that most Utah mormons have at least fifteen Jello recipes! I couldn't find a date on this book, I believe it's from the late 1960s.
My Mom did make jello (gelatin) when I was growing up - but I don't think she's made jello for at least fifteen years. And never with Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-37063362263054588102010-04-06T19:12:00.000-07:002010-04-06T19:12:10.946-07:00Classic Songs My husband and son were watching the Monty Python video "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from the Life of Brian. The lyrics are not safe for kindergarten, but it is a classic.
The movie is completely irreverent if you haven't seen it. I don't want to link to it, as I don't think that's kosher, but definitely go to youtube and search. You'll find the video.
Then, a few days ago, Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-4820174497927160712010-04-02T07:45:00.000-07:002010-04-02T07:45:05.650-07:00The walk of cultural shameI heard this npr program about The Scarlet Letter the other day.
I read Hawthorne's novel back in high school, but somehow I never truly comprehended some of the overarching themes. I suppose that's why it's important to keep an open mind to literature discussions throughout one's life.
I doubt it was due to my English teacher, however. It's true that there are some additional things my Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-92102840415227163142010-03-29T12:59:00.000-07:002010-03-29T12:59:19.512-07:00Life is too shortI found out over the weekend that one of my friends had passed away. She was in her early thirties; it was from complications from liver disease. I considered her a friend, although we had grown apart. As I've mentioned before, I'm pretty horrid at keeping up with people. She and I weren't especially close, but I do feel her loss. I feel for her family, her nieces and nephews, her husband.Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-10456025061301120272010-03-25T07:52:00.000-07:002010-03-25T07:52:18.755-07:00TransitionSo big changes are going on in the cranberry blog household, we now have two income earners! It's not just me anymore!
What's happened so far is that I have been helping our two wake up, get ready and go to day care. And they're still going to pre-school - I am spending some time working from home to take them to school and bring them home. I feel fortunate that I can make the changes and Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-38557667971180134402010-03-19T08:12:00.000-07:002010-03-19T08:12:07.175-07:00Spring and Situational DepressionSo I was going to write a post on situational depression - how it happens and how I believe it's real and how it doesn't necessarily degrade the notion of clinical depression. I wasn't sure that it was really mentioned in the recent series on depression.
For the record, I'm talking about the type of depression where one has recently lost a loved one, lost a job, went through a divorce or is Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-80553562553781754492010-03-15T10:16:00.000-07:002010-03-15T10:16:25.834-07:00Sowing one's wild oats***gross out warning for people who are easily grossed out***
This morning as I walked into the kitchen, I noticed it was a bit breezy. Due to the time change, I was feeling even less "with it" than usual - so it didn't completely register. Later, I noticed that at least one of the cats had thrown up, and thrown up grass.
Our cats became indoor cats when we moved to the house we live in nowAerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-69900507014671816322010-03-13T06:30:00.000-08:002010-03-13T06:30:32.682-08:00Faces of AmericaI recently watched this series, and I really enjoyed it.
So everyone already knows that I was a history major, and I actually don't mind the genealogy obsession. See here and here. While I'm not supportive of LDS proxy baptisms, but I think finding out more about one's ancestors is pretty fascinating.
The series was really, really cool. Not just because of the celebrities, but the Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738167594002469989.post-10291889075990402382010-03-04T13:30:00.000-08:002010-03-04T13:30:40.357-08:00Oh. Well, No Wonder.I've been reading this thread - on the believing LDS blog "By Common Consent". It is very interesting.
I personally am glad that the stigma among LDS is lifting, and that people are finally beginning to talk about depression and mental illness. There is an acceptance that mental illness is real, not some scam by greedy therapists. There is an acceptance that it has some basis in biology and Aerinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11142518259771067132noreply@blogger.com3