Jana's Radical Weblog 3

It's "let those you love know just how much you love them day"

I couldn't bring myself to think about the 9-11 anniversary this year. The baby I held in my arms the morning the towers collapsed (I was up feeding little 3 mo old K and watching CNN when it happened) and is now ten. TEN! The reason I couldn't think about it today was because we were flying home from my sister-in-law's wedding in San Diego and I couldn't let my mind go there.

We arrived home safely (although I will admit to scanning the crowd for anyone who looked evil enough to carry box cutters aboard) and my son grabbed the Sunday Comics out of today's paper.

"Mom, what is September 11th?" I looked at the comic he was asking about... and then my eye roamed to more comics until my eyes started leaking in front of the kids. "Mom, you're crying." Sad news story after sad news story of 911 tales all week the comics of all places was what triggered the tears for me.

I tried to suppress the memory for a bit today but really I will never forget. I hugged the family closer today and told them I loved them. Terrorists can't win with us all hugging so tightly.

 

 

Britta in swim meet #2

I am seriously one proud mom. However, I don't see her going on to the next level. I couldn't even get her to swim the next race that night. She was too cold and wanted to go home. So I let her. (I would have been too cold too!)

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photo.JPG, originally uploaded by B-TownMom.

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IMG_1347.MOV
Originally uploaded by B-TownMom

Schmesolutions

Generally I'm in the camp of New Year's Resolutions Schmesolutions, but this year one resolution was quite obviously needed after The Incident.

That one paticular resolution was the universal, "get in shape and lose five pounds." I wasn't going to put this out there anywhere public because you know, I probably wasn't all that serious about it. But then there was this conversation.

Britta: Do you remember my birthday?

Me: Yes! I will always remember your birthday because it was the happiest day of my life. The day you were born was the day our family was finally complete.

Britta: What if we get more kids?

Me: No more kids.

Britta: Well, what about Daddy? Isn't he going to have more kids?

Me: No! Dads can't have babies, only Moms!

Britta: But his tummy is getting bigger. So is yours. Are we going to get more kids?

Point taken. I've been hitting the gym like someone mistook me for pregnant! I hurt and it feels good. Hopefully this gut will disappear before I hit 40!

The other resolutions I have are for my photography business.

1. Have weekly artist dates. I did this last year and really each "date" was one of my favorite times I had last year. The Artist's Way says they need to be done alone but I'm not going to be so strict because there were a few times I felt funny out by myself. Perhaps I'll get over that! (Posts from a few of those dates are here and here.)

My first artist date of 2011 will be difficult to top however. I had lunch with Jonanthan Canlas and some other really talented photographers. Seems silly to post such a crappy photo of one of the best photographers in the nation, but for the proof factor, here it is. (Slyly taken with my iphone!)

 

2. Try some marketing ideas. January has been my slowest month since I've been in business! I haven't done any marketing yet so this year I'm going to give something (yet to be determined) a try.

3.Improve my book keeping methods. I ended up signing up for Quickbooks Online last week. Now I'd better get some business or this will be a worthless resolution!

4. Continue to live Plan A. Andy and I went out to dinner on Saturday night and started looking to the future. He is about to attempt to raise a few million dollars for his company. This brought up the "what if?" and "maybe we should have a Plan B" in place because what if he can't raise the money or his business doesn't work out? After a good half an hour of Plan B talking we realized we are just not Plan B thinkers. No way, no how did Plan B seem acceptable. So here we launch into 2011 in operation Plan A. Wish us luck or we may be moving into your garage (Plan Z).

Wishing you all peace, happiness, love, health, minus five pounds, laughter and your Plan A in the new year!

Little project

I've been really lame in the crafty area lately, but here's something I made for Britta's room:

There was a blank spot on her wall that was screaming out for something, but not something heavy and framed that could fall of and hit her. So I made letters to spell "dream" out of scrapbooking paper that I had around the house, had some photos of her with her friends printed on styrenne and hung them with clothes pins on the ribbon. I found these holders called Gorilla Picture Holders that were really easy to use. The whole shebang cost less than $20.

Now I'm collecting driftwood.. for something... not quite sure.

My own rally : Rally to Restore Manners

Recently I've been attacked two times. Not with fists or weapons but with words... not entirely unjustified attacks, but really unjustifiably harsh attacks. I've been venting about these incidents to my sympathetic friends and I've pretty much gotten the same response, "Wow, everyone is just so stressed out now. The economy is really getting to people."

The first few times friends (and my mom) said this to me I nodded my head, "yeah, that must be it." But now I've changed my answer to, "So what?" Let's have some manners here please. If we are collectively stressed out as a human population the last thing we can have is niceness to each other. We may not have health (care) or wealth but can't we please just be nice to each other?

I love Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity. I don't know what it is about but I like it. But now I think it is more than sanity I want restored, it is manners. Manners people. Be as crazy as you want, but please, just be polite about it. Ahem, Frank Caprio but I think you should apologize to President Obama for telling him he can "shove it" on national air. I did not hear the President talking to you that way, young man. Even if he did, is that how we'd like our leaders to act? The Mama Bear in me is coming out.

How is it that we think it is okay to treat people this way now? Yes, tensions are running high but is that any reason to release your inner-(insert-any-mean-pundit-name) here? Is the American population listening to so many political pundits that every listener thinks it is okay to be a Hater as well?

I'm starting my own rally, grass roots style, at my home. We are going to use our manners and I hope other people will too. Now let's shake hands. I thank you for reading.

Desperately Seeking a Mo

 

After 37 years of BFFs it has really hit me how lucky I was to have Mo in my life. (The two of us are on the left in the photo above. We were headed out with more of our BFFs to our 20 year class reunion.) I love the story of Mo and me. Mo is the daughter of my dad's cousin. We were born one day apart (Geminis, of course). I was born first and the story goes that Mo's Mom's Aunt (my grandma's sister) worked in the hospital where Mo was being born. This aunt put a note on Mo's Mom's meal tray saying, "Freddy (my dad) had a baby girl!" and then Mo's mom had Mo. I'm not sure how accurate that story is but that is how I like to believe our friendship began before birth.

When Mo was two she moved to the same town as me. We were in the same kindergarten class so we went to the first day together. We took turns deciding what we'd do at recess. This lasted on and off until middle school where we became even MORE inseprabale. By 9th grade we were locker partners, played on the volleyball team together and then hung out some more. In college we lived in the dorms next to each other but were roommates by Junior year. Of course.

Where am I going with this?

Let me tell you. Being an introvert I really only needed Mo as a friend for most of my life, with a few back ups for the days she missed recess or was traveling. (She traveled a lot.)

This is my daughter's second week of going to school all day. She doesn't have a Mo to play with. No back ups. Not even any annoying boys pulling her hair on the playground. It is killing me. She's shy and I'm sure she'd never approach someone to see if they would want to play with her. (I was 17 before I ever, ever talked to someone I didn't know, and that was only because I was getting paid to do so at my Mall Job.)

I'm on a mission to find her a Mo. I'm going to go up to school, have lunch, scout out some girls I think look nice (and hopefully with non-incarcerated parents, but I'll take what I can get.) I'm also signing up to be a Girl Scout leader. I'm hoping to find a Mo and a few backups.

 

Here's Britta with her first BFF who early entranced into kindergarten then got moved to the challenge program school. Next time find someone not on the education fast track Britta!

Here she is with BFF #2. Evan transferred to the private school. Next time don't find such an elitist Britta, even if he is super cute!

39 little happy things... six weeks late!

For the last two years I've tried to check off one item for every year of my life.

Somehow I've been too busy with other little people's birthdays and Life, etc to reflect back on my 39 items. This morning I woke up before the bambinos so here I type.

1. Pimp my basement. For real this time.
   Funny that this is on the top of my list. Once we received The Beatles Rock Band and it took up half the basement it deflated my ambition to redo the basement. My vision was uninspired and the basement looked hideous. That has all changed with the recent flooding of our basement. It is now a blank slate... with the Rock Band slated to go back in the basement... but who cares, I can still make it cute and usable.
2. Ride bikes. This probably means I need to buy a bike. Anyone have one they want to sell me?
   I biked through Amsterdam last summer and loved it, but have yet to do any biking stateside. I still need a bike. Maybe a Paul Frank picnic bike! I regret getting rid of my ten speed from 4th grade.
3. Take the water taxi from West Seattle to downtown with the kids to meet the husband for lunch.
   Check! My friend and I took our kids to meet our husbands for dinner on the Seattle waterfront. It was a beautiful night, and as I recall a monk wanted to take his photo with my costumed child.
4. Go to Europe with husband.
   Check! Amsterdam and Paris. Sigh. Fabulous.
5. Go to Europe by myself for a few days.
   Check! Krakow, Poland! Amazing! Next time I will lay off the Ambien though! (Lots of stories about getting rained on in the middle of the night and not caring; forgetting luggage in Amsterdam; and eating food but not knowing what I was eating.)
6. Start Project 52 (Have a photoshoot with my camera once a week).
   Check! It all morphed into a portrait photography business!
7. Take the a boat out for a picnic.
   Yes! These boating picnics (and boating everything) were my favorite memories from last summer. Unfortunately our boat is still in the shop this year. I'm really missing it.
8. Have picnic dinners with friends at the pool almost every Friday night during the summer.
   Check!
9. Kayak home from the pool because I need more moments like this.
   Sadly NO. The kayaking commute takes a lot of coordination but I'm still hoping to do this again. I haven't gone kayaking at all this summer mostly due to the stitches in my hand. Soon. Soon.
10. Get a better lookin' blog!
    Nope.
11. Create a website or an iphone app that is based on my vision, not anyone hiring me for their project.
    Yep! I did two sites that I did not run by any committee. One for the PTSA and the other for my business (which still needs a portfolio section. I miss having someone to write custom code for me.) I also did some projects for the green dollar. One for the Gates Foundation : https://www.foundationregistryi3.org/ which was announced from the White House. Wow! And an iPad app for IMDb (that Steve Jobs praised! OMG!) and an Android app for IMDb. Not bad for not focusing on design this year! I hate to say that I'm starting to itch to do more design work.
    
12. Go on class field trips with the kids.
    I was able to go on three. The kids were really excited to have me there. I'm glad I was able to go while they still want me to go.
13. Carve out craft time with friends (my busiest friends Shawna and Becca are on the hook again.)
    Check. My mom and I did a whole crafting weekend.
14. Take the boat to Blake Island or Vashon Island for an overnight camping trip.
    Andy did this while I stayed home and worked on the PTSA website! Oh well. The plan is go again very soon -- if our boat is working.
15. Have an outdoor movie night.
    Check! I'm ready for another one.
16. Make at least one video with my Nikon d90 HD video -- and put some sound to it.
    Half a check. I recorded a few things but did not do any editing. I'm worried that would open a new can of worms for me in that I'd have to create professional level videos!
17. Paint Britta's room pink.
    Check. And now it is the prettiest room in the house. Her words! I agree!
18. Take my kids to a concert.
    Check. Recess Monkey!
19. See something at SIFF.
    Check!
20. Volunteer with LB for the Salvation Army on the holiday gift selection day.
    Sort of check. I volunteered but then my son came down with the stomach flu and no one would watch him and I had to cancel.
21. Go shoe shopping and museum-ing with Becca.
    Check! I love the Henry art museum. And I picked up a great sweater while shoe shopping.
22. Create a photo album encapsulating 2008.
    Nope.
23. Take each individual member of the family on a "date night."
    Check.
24. Frame pages of my vintage ABC books.
    Nope.
25. Rent a lens for my adventure.
    Check. What a great experience renting from them. Highly recommended for photographers wanting to try a new lens.
26. Make more thoughtful gifts instead of last minute less purchased gifts.
    Nope.
27. Create custom holiday cards.
    Check. In fact I'd say I went overboard. I made custom mailing stickers even! I had to try it though so I could offer such services to potential clients. :)
28. Dare I type it? Put something for sale in my Etsy store.
    Nope!
29. Make a few baby blankets.
    Check! I pre-made a few cute girlie blankets but then all my friends had baby boys. I bought material to make some boyish ones to have on hand.
30. Cook with my kids.
    Check. My son is getting into it, although his specializes in hot dogs.
31. Finish my family friendly cookbook "Good with Ketchup."
    Nope. We started trying to eat gluten and dairy free so that screwed up our typical menu. We're back to eating in a free-for-all state though so I might get back to this.
32. Finish the effing bag I started sewing when I was 36 and tried to finish when I was 37.
    NO.... hanging my head in shame!
33. Make a pillow.
    Nope, but I just received fabric to make a huge pillow yesterday, so there is still hope.
34. Make homemade ice cream. Extra points for me if I figure out how to make them on the boat.
    Nope.
35. See the tulips blooming.
    Nope.
    
    
36. Find the ultimate summer chic lit book to read. Suggestions please!
    Yep, just finished Shanghai Girls and loved it!
37. Add pink highlights to my hair. Rebel mom!
    Nope. Maybe later today.
38. Read a classic book to my kids. Really this is for my pleasure more than theirs.
    House at Pooh's Corner and The Nutcracker! Now we're reading How to Train a Dragon. Awesome.
39. Sign Karsten up for music lessons and Britta up for dance lessons.
    Done and Done.

This family isn't big enough for two gimps

My husband and I have had an ongoing battle since we've lived in our house at the beach. He wants our bbq to live down by the beach because if he is going to be grilling he needs to be where the action is. I prefer it by the back door where I can easily access it while preparing food in our kitchen and have more room for guests down by the beach.

On Thursday my husband was scheduled to fly in at 5:15pm and Britta's birthday party was scheduled for 5:30. I had my mom show up at 4:30 to help me move the bbq to its rightful place on the back porch. Plus he has a bad back and I didn't want him moving it -- if I could convince him to move it, that is.

Turns out that sucker is heavy -- and sharp! I tried to heave-ho it above my shoulders to get it up the stairs when ... (I'll censor myself for those not liking blood and gore) ...  and then I told my mom I needed stitches. She drove me to the doctor's office for a tetanus shot and 4 stitches right below my thumb.

At 5pm Andy called me to tell me his plane had landed early. "I'm at the doctor's getting stitches. Call your sister for a ride." By the time he got to our house there were about ten people milling around ready for the party. They tried to figure out where the food for the party was (in the back of my car still, of course). Fortunately for me I have some resourceful female relatives. They found the flank steak, tomatoes, corn and watermelon and had everything under control.

My hand was hurting by the time I got back home. The doctor had prescribed vicodin which I immediately popped. I got to hosting the party as well as I could with my right hand out of service. Once the vicodin kicked in I even took a few photos, although not nearly as many as I normally would have. Here's my adorable girl so happy with her new Pillow Pet from Aunt Katie:

My mom and Katie helped with the party clean up. I popped another vicodin and went to bed. I'm not sure if it was the pain or the vicodin but I hardly slept at all and had strange nightmares all night.

The next day the kids had swimming so I popped another vicodin and headed to the pool.

Yes, another vicodin! Within two hours my day was ruined. I was useless. My mom took Britta up to her house and Karsten went to play with a friend. I slept a few hours then rallied to head to the pool for a picnic with friends I hadn't caught up with in a long time.

But I couldn't do it. I crashed out on the couch and slept even longer.

The next day I took some migraine pain medicine and went off to my photo session. I was fairly wiped out. I thought maybe I'd get some pampering. Some sympathy.

Nothing. I'd say, "my hand hurts." Husband, "I'm really wiped out from so much traveling. I am going to take a nap." Later I might have said something like, "our house is a mess, I can tell I'm out of commission by how many dishes there are to do." Husband, "we had a party, of course it is a mess. I'm heading upstairs for a nap!" My mom helped me with the dishes thankfully. A few hours later I said, "I'm surprised how much my hand hurts." Husband, "I think I may have an ear infection."

Finally he admitted it. This family already has a gimp (him!) and there is no room for a second one. I'm feeling a lot better now and staying away from the vicodin, so I'll let him be the gimp, as long as the bbq can remain on the back porch!