Archive for July, 2008
Jul
31
Posted by
besttech
Jamie R Lentzner SILICON VALLEY MOMS BLOG
I have to admit I was very intimidated at the beginning of BlogHer’08, I had no idea what to expect and it has been years since I attended anything like this. As a small business owner I was always the vendor at the trade show, and I was never wined, dined or even given a free water. Well … times have changed, and I do not think I will look at a conference or trade show again after this affair. With the swag, the parties, the cocktails, the makeovers, the free gifts and free food, I felt like Sally Fields at the Oscars — “You like me, you really like ME!”
By the end of the event I was t-i-red. I was tired of talking about me, about my blog, about other blogs, learning about blogs, what I should (and should not) be doing with my blog, B to the L to the O to the G — ahhhh enough about it! Being around over 3,000 women (and a few men sprinkled in to make sure it did not turn into an free for all pillow fight in our panties) made for some interesting conversations, observations, discussions and I learned a even learned a few things:
1. It’s Not About You, It is About Me — That is right, it’s all about me, me, me! I never realized how bad I was at self-promotion. I mean I am not horrid, but compared to some people, I suck at it. I think I am witty, amusing, I make people laugh, I tell silly stories, I am sarcastic from time to time. But the truth is I got sick of me, I got sick of talking about me.
…
Read more
Jul
31
Posted by
besttech
Becky Sher McClatchy-Tribune
Kids love to see their names on things. (Really, don’t we all?) And moms love the idea that maybe, just maybe, something won’t get lost for a change. So everyone can agree on stationery designer Erin Condren’s new collection of bookplates, in designs that somehow manage to have age-less appeal. Imagine these labeling your preschooler’s endless Dr. Seuss library, marking your middle schooler’s first copy of “To Kill a Mockingbird” or even stuck inside a college student’s textbooks. Or, order a set that says, “This book is a gift from …” and use it to label books as baby shower gifts, or with your child’s name for birthday gifts for his pals. The self-adhesive bookplates...
Read more
Jul
31
Posted by
besttech
Christine Long McClatchy Newspapers
The Bee Kind to Nature onesie from Terra Tees was mailed to us in a recycled cereal box. The Charlotte, N.C.-based kids’ clothing company is serious about trying to achieve zero waste.
“It may not be the prettiest packaging you’ve ever seen, but reducing unnecessary use of resources sure keeps the environment pretty,” the Web site says.
The kids’ clothes are made from organic cotton grown, sewn and printed in the United States.
We wish the fabric was a bit softer, but the tagless label and adorable illustration were nice surprises.
Three designs in three sizes: 0-6 months, 6-12...
Read more
Jul
30
Posted by
Alicia Castelli
Artists using all types of media are invited to experience a weekend at the Wilds
exploring places and spaces rich in visual inspiration at this 10,000-acre
conservation center. The Wilds Arts Camp takes place Aug. 15-17.
The camp includes both planned activities and flexible time to allow opportunities
to explore the specific interests of camp participants.
Aspiring artists will meet renowned wildlife artist Linda Howard Bittner.
They will also see non-native animals, take evening hikes and tours of the
expansive lands so as to capture a variety of natural scenes in the twilight.
Cost for the overnight camp is $150 per person, including overnight lodging at the
Wilds’ yurt education camp, meals, and art sessions. Registration...
Read more
Jul
30
Posted by
besttech
Aisha Sultan St. Louis Post-Dispatch
When I was in grade school, I once was grounded — from reading. I probably was being punished for not cleaning up my room. I was in the middle of a novel, and I was reading at all the family meals, in the bathroom and late at night in bed.
So, my parents took away the thing that hurt the most — my book.
When my little ones start misbehaving, I threaten to turn off the television. It works every time, but it also makes me sad. I’ve read to them since they were born. I taught my daughter to read when she was 4. Some days we’ll spend an hour cuddled up in bed with a stack of their favorite books. We have mounds of books in nearly every room of the house, and only two television sets. But, so far, they’ve shown the TV a lot more love.
It makes me wonder: Are parents passing on their love of reading to their children?
…
Read more
Jul
30
Posted by
besttech
Monica Brand NEW JERSEY MOMS BLOG
I sipped my overpriced coffee while sitting at a table in the middle of the bookstore cafe, a modest stack of trashy magazines in front of me. All the kids home with their daddy. My little camp out on a busy Friday night. I logged onto Twitter just to prove to my friends I could tweet beyond domestic life. I’m in Borders! People watching, catching up with the antics of Brad and Angelina!
All was well until she walked past my table.
“You’re so calm!” Acquaintance said as she breezed on by. Talk about Hit and Run; I doubt she noticed my mouth drop open in shock. If I had a mouthful of sugary sweet drink, I’m sure I would’ve sprayed it over all the magazines.
I immediately went into Hyper-Internal Reflection Mode:
…
Read more
Jul
30
Posted by
besttech
Koshii Eslinger OrlandoSentinel.com/momsatwork
I know it’s a very controversial topic, but I thought I’d give my own, personal, reasons for choosing to work.
1. I actually love my job — I know, call me crazy! I’m the type of person that enjoys challenges and change. Not that raising a child is not challenging, but it’s challenging in a different way. I like to solve problems, be creative, interact with others. I like to keep my skills up, because most of the skills I learn on the job, I’m able to apply to my home life, and make that better as well. And having a job keeps me on my toes, and I’ve got extreme structure and I’m really able to keep up with the latest technological advances. Part of my job is graphic design, and with all the design programs constantly being upgraded and changing, I’m able to get free lessons at work and use them daily to keep my skills sharp.
2. I like hanging out with adults. During my maternity leave, I felt very alone and yearned for some adult stimulation!
3. I get to go to lunch and talk news, work, politics at not-so-kid-friendly restaurants with other coworkers. Not that Chuck E. Cheese isn’t fun, but c’mon, I don’t want to dine there all the time. Also, at work lunches, I don’t have to cut up anyone else’s food or wipe crumbs off their face!
…
Read more
Jul
29
Posted by
besttech
ABBOTSFORD, British Columbia (AP) — A Romanian immigrant has given birth to her 18th child in British Columbia, making her the province’s most prolific mother in 20 years.
Proud dad Alexandru Ionce said Saturday that his 44-year-old wife, Livia, gave birth on July 22. Their daughter Abigail weighed in at 7 pounds, 12 ounces (3.5 kilograms).
“We never planned how many children to have. We just let God guide our lives, you know, because we strongly believe life comes from God and that’s the reason we did not stop the life,” Alexandru Ionce said.
The couple immigrated to Canada from Romania in 1990 and now live in Abbotsford. Their 17 other children range in age from 20 months to 23...
Read more
Jul
29
Posted by
besttech
McClatchy-Tribune
A weekly glimpse of what moms are saying on the Web.
———
“While we were waiting for hours in the airport I noticed a mother with a new baby strapped to her chest, two bags over her shoulder, trying to chase down an under two year old toddler. It’s hard to remember those days, but I did remember the look on her face. The one that said she was about to break. …
“She asked me if it gets easier. I laughed and said, ‘Yeah just wait soon enough they don’t even want to talk to you.’
“I looked over at my kids and thought about it.
“Yes, it gets easier. What doesn’t...
Read more
Jul
29
Posted by
besttech
Jessica Ciosek NEW YORK CITY MOMS BLOG
What to do? How to choose? A third? Even a fourth? I’m too old for that I suppose.
They grow lanky now my little ones and only need help with homework. They tell jokes — real jokes and have amazing stories of days all their own with me visible only at the beginning and the end. There is much to love in this new realm, many new bits to enjoy. Listening to my daughter recount her sleepover adventures at a friend’s house. High-fiving my boy when he successfully sounds out “almanac.” We share new books before bed now — more complex stories — making our way toward reading the classics together.
Still those baby days hang both fresh in my mind and lost over eons of growth. I remember the Pampers smell but can no longer conjure it at will. Baby talk and tiny hands. Round bellies and kissably soft necks. Baby food airplanes and potty chairs. I miss it. I loved it. Does that mean I should go back or simply live with the sweet sorrow of its departure? And if I did, would there be enough of me for number three? Would s/he be stuck in a bouncy seat, pacifier in mouth, watching our crazed family rush by like the cars on the West Side Hwy? Eagerly waiting to engage whenever the walk light illums “safe crossing”?
…
Read more
