End of Times?

I just saw that Hilary Duff is publishing a supernatural thriller. Four horsemen are sure to follow.

Measure Your Success

The new measurement of success: tricking a toddler into eating vegetables and lunch when she clearly is not in the mood.

***Disclaimer: She normally loves broccoli and will eat happily. Today was the exception.****

1. Sad broccoli victims strewn on floor, a result from a dictator ruling from a high chair. Princess did not want to eat her broccoli.

2. Mom thinks she is getting smart and puts broccoli in a quesadilla, the food which hides everything. Princess not fooled and clearly not amused.

3. Mom truly gets smart this time. Pretends to eat the quesadilla while standing, which greatly increases the desirability of any food.

4. Dictator back in high chair, happily eating lunch.

SUCCESS.

Lemon Tea for the Soul

I moved to New England in May from Virginia. This is my first real fall in awhile. Usually we go pumpkin picking in short-sleeve shirts and jeans--not because we can't wear shorts but because it is the one way to stick it to the season. Hot weather be darned, we are wearing jeans!

So now I sit here on my couch, lemon tea in hand, sweatshirt on back. It is still raining, but now it is colder. And we don't have heat. But it made me appreciate today. We complain about so much: global warming, recessions, wars, not having enough, having too much, democrats, republicans ... on and on.

So today, I challenge you not to complain. Instead, think of the things you don't have at the moment and find a way to be grateful.

I, like so many in the world, do not have heat. But later I will. And the rain has stained the trunks on the pine trees outside my house an intense dark color that I find particularly lovely. Thank you.

Rain, Rain ... Stay

This morning brought about a welcome change---cool, gray clouds bursting with rain. Some might wish it away, but I revel in what rain allows us to do: nothing. Every day, we feel we should do something. And we should. But all the time? No.

Today I will take my baby daughter to the library and let her explore. Then we will come back and sit on the floor. We will watch Sesame Street because a little TV never hurt anyone. Rain gives us an excuse, even though we shouldn't always need one.

Thank you, Rain.

Every story has a beginning....

New story I just started...all material is original.
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There is a short time on certain June mornings in Richmond when the humidity kisses your skin instead of coating it. The air damp yet still cool, like when your mother would lay a moist cloth on your forehead. Later in the day, the sun will heat the humidity, trapping the air around you. June mornings still have that coolness, something that the later, oppressive summer months of July and August do not. Later, though, I would miss even those months.

The boxes arrive on a Tuesday morning from U-Haul. Free shipping on orders over $99. I remark to Jeremy that it was funny we were shipped boxes just to turn around, fill them with our stuff and ship them back out. “Not really,” he said.

I stood in the square living room, shoved between a couch and a coffee table. “If we were married, this would be easier.”

He said it was like we were practically married. “Not really,” I muttered.

In the end, though, I guess it kind of was like we were married. Even married people leave each other sometimes.

D.C.

Oh, I can't hardly wait! Having spent some time in D.C. in college and having lived in Virginia for my whole 29 years until 2 months ago.....D.C. is close to my heart. I can't wait to see what these ladies do for the town. In a town where so much backstabbing is done behind closed doors, it'll be a refreshing change to see it in front of the cameras (and voluntarily so).

Oh! And Don Draper returns for "Mad Men" tomorrow night...when will I find time to care for my child with all this fun TV? ;-)

Earl the Hugger

Love "Earl the Hugger"---sometimes everyone needs a hug, especially contestants on "American Idol." Flat-top-haired Simon Cowell was fairly unimpressed with Siobhan, but I liked her. I haven't been a fan over the past few weeks (having called the Adam Lambert soundalike before the judges), but I really like "Across the Universe."

I'm a victim of songism. Even is the artist sounds great, I can't like them if I hate the song. But I love the Beatles, so I'm liking most of the Idols this week, even Tim Urban.

Ah, guilty pleasures

So my husband is out of town, which leaves me full control of the remote and TV (yes, I have found in 5 years of marriage and 9 years together that some cliches are true).

YES! Bravo TV it is. And to top it off, it's a "Real Housewives of NYC" marathon! Score. Seriously. Baby in bed, glass of wine in hand and hours of mindless entertainment. And if it ends soon, "Death At a Funeral," one of the best movies I've seen. (The 2007 British flick, not the Chris Rock version. That's in theaters and I've heard people frown on leaving a 10 month old at home alone.)

I love that half of the "housewives" aren't even married. I've also figured by viewing back-to-back episodes that these ladies are so hypocritical. And who isn't, from time to time? But I think it's hilarious that each woman air kisses and says "hiiiiiiii!" and then in the confessional says how annoying it is when women talk behind each other'sbacks.

I'm not sure why this show appeals to me so much. I'm younger, different background and values, but for some reason....it's addictive. Like anything that's bad for you, I guess.

I'm baaack

I am not sure if anyone is even reading this anymore, but to whom this may concern:

I am back. I've been taking a sabbatical of sorts after having a beautiful baby girl. First I had to wait for me to get more human, then I had to wait for her to get more human. So now that we're both a little more manageable, here I am.

So much has been going on! I missed blogging about Tiger Woods, but I think everything that can be said about that has been said. So I'm wondering if now is a good time to take this blog in a new direction. (Or rather, determine a direction.)

Do I blog about motherhood? I mean, the good, the bad, and the ugly? Do I blog about starting my own freelance business? Do I still blog about pop culture stuff? Should I post random thoughts? I'm not sure...