jack up chicago

Chicago: City of the Century: American Experience

I just started watching this series of six discs.  Should you anticipate yourself in Chicago in a few months' time, gathered together with a handful of friends, ambling about the town, perhaps a brush up on that city's history would enhance your stay.

little known fact

our very own alicia perry wrote the 'word made flesh' text of our new logo!! out of something like 8 writing samples hers was selected above all.

what a fabulous donation to wmf. thanks alicia. you'll be a part of us forever now...whether you like it or not! :)

This cried out to be a Whocares blogpost.

This is an ad on the back of a magazine called "You and Your Baby" published in 1971 by the British Medical Association. An article inside the magazine implores mothers to not drink a lot of alcohol, however, "at the most one or two sherries or two glasses of beer a day."

fight or flight

I'm fired up this afternoon. Click on the title for a link to a news story about a Millard mom who has found that her six-year-old son checked out a comic book available to him at his school's library. I find it to be grossly inappropriate (overtly sexual in nature) for a six-year-old - hell, even inappropriate for a teenager. I would even go so far as to say that I wouldn't feel so great having Michael looking at it. Maybe I'm a prude, even old-fashioned that way, but it angers me that something this sexual in nature has a place on an elementary library's shelf.

This kind of stuff gets a mixed reaction from me. Either a) fight to get that comic - and others like it - out of my kid's school library, or b) start gathering homeschool materials.

I'm all for freedom of speech and the of press, and don't have any problem telling Reese "no, honey, you can't check that out" when we're at the local library, but at the school library, where children are left to themselves to peruse whatever book they like, I would hope their young eyes would be a little more protected - some censorship in that environment wouldn't hurt. What's a mama - or a concerned citizen - to do? Bwah!

not going anywhere

i think cheryl got my kids sick.  i called her yesterday & now henry is throwing up.  she sent her sick-house germs through the phone.  henry is sleeping on our bed right now.  violet is lying on the couch with a barf bucket over her head (hasn't been used yet).  annabelle is antsy, dancing around with an aldi box on her head.  here's my "wah" for the day: i've been looking forward to the homeschool convention since last year's event and, you guessed right, it's today (and tomorrow).  i have this thread of "grrr" pulsing in my attitude.  must combat! must choose otherwise! 

oh no, oh, no, oh oh-a-oh

did you catch barack obama on "the tonight show" last night?  first, i like the fact that jay leno is on at 9pm. it's like staying up late to watch...but not staying up late.  

i was thinking along similar lines to this article (but more profound thoughts, of course...ha) and hope that leader can avoid entertainer label.  i hope "the view" isn't next or "live! with regis & kelly".  it seems like high art in a low art peg.  and, well look, maybe it will work.  but i'm just say'in.

Go, Michelle, go!

Michelle Obama (with a little help, I imagine) is planting a garden at the White House and raising bees. First garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt.

is it some holiday i never heard of?

are kids out of school today? it's crazy town in our neighborhood. kids going wild, dogs barking, parents hollering, and i'm trying to get my toddler to nap. come on, people!

CFL help

Our local power company offers great savings on CFL bulbs, either by purchasing online or at particular retailers.  The problem for me is: my CFL experience is limited and scarred.  Are they all that...flourescenty?  I know it's part of the name but am really hoping that the hue is not limited to that blue "I'm growing illegal plants in my home" glow.  HELP!

Hypothetical Weekend Get-Away Question

Please scroll down to my last post about our weekend. Thanks.

you're hot & you're cold

i love surprises & exciting adventures & challenges.  isn't it something to realize a new interest or discover a hidden talent or skill?  and connecting with people in a way that you didn't know was possible!  and really, when it comes down to most "events", i don't care what i'm doing.  if i'm watching project runway or the world series with the dearest to my heart, i couldn't be happier.

and i suppose this is how i stay motivated with home-schooling.  the particular tasks at hand (teaching phonics, handwriting, manners, etc. bleh) are not passions of mine.  but the kids that i'm with and where we're headed with all of this is my buoy.  i'm at work in the fine art of communication with my favorite little people on this planet.  "The finest art of communication is not learning how to express your thoughts.  It is learning how to draw our the thoughts of another."  to understand my children, not simply to have my children understand me.  what a challenge!

anyhow, i read megan's post "american dream or nightmare" and started thinking a bit about the why's of what we do at the easley house.  i was reiterating the principles behind all of this work that often feels like toil.  there are so many times of soaring joy when you're raising small children...and sometimes it feels like walking through quicksand.  if i would have been at the breakfast this morning, i would have said all of this.  and given a big round of hugs and weird handshakes (well, just to ali).  it is such a pleasure to sit here for a few moments, in the quiet of our napping house, to imagine you fine women enjoying the ease & flow of friendship that is so particularly unique in our conglomeration, and to add my own two bits from far away, and know that we will reconvene in just a few short months.  hooray!

a wakeful flea who bites the dog!

I just cannot wait for daffodils.

Anyone with me?

Summer Get-Away Question

Looking into housing for all of us for the weekend, I am finding a few issues, and am hopeful that I might solve one problem here.
IF we had to rent a place for 3 nights (which I'm finding a lot of), would any of you be able to stay on Thursday night (July 30th) through Sunday the 2nd?

When you comment, a simple "yes" or "no" would be really helpful :-)

Thanks lovelies.

Thor - The God of thunder and lightning

This encounter made my month and so I had to share...I was at a university south of Chicago today for an opera performance. The musical experience was less than desirable and far from good so I stepped out for a few cigarillos at dinner break. As I don't often do this I was not supplied with a lighter so I bummed off of a girl outside. Lighter girls' Mom arrived to pick her up so her companion and myself were left to make small talk. What do you do? Where do you work? Well, after a few cigarillos, my companion went to leave, asked for my number and when I said 'I don't think so' said, 'well, I am Thor the god of thunder and lightening - should you care to stop by Starbucks on X & Y streets to say hi.'

Errr. OK.

Really?

Thor? The god of thunder and lightning?

It.
made.
my.
MONTH!!!!

Late notice.

I miss you all and would like to invite all who can come to my house on Friday for a WhoCares breakfast.

You are welcome anytime after 7am. I feel like making Irish Soda Bread. And, I'll provide coffee. Please come!

P.S. As an added incentive, our beloved Ali-- who is home on spring break-- will be attending.

WHOCARES

so, alicia is really really great at pulling off the most memorable whocares weekend get-togethers EVER!  can i get an AMEN?!  

anyone thinking about meeting up this year?!  i just wanna get the ball rolling? i have admin skills if it's in my state...otherwise i'm totally outta sorts.  

and also...i MISS YOU ALL TO THE CORE!!!

coffee at mcDs

you see a lot of strange things at 11pm in the heart of a city.  but this was the strangest i saw all night: KATE HOLDING TWO MCDONALD'S COFFEES!!

I'm seeing narwhals everywhere now!

I spotted this on the front page of etsy today.

hello friends!

just wanted to say hi to all my who cares pals. i have missed you!

i am back from a great trip to nepal and india and recovering from jet lag...slept 6 hours last night so i'm feeling pretty sane and in less of a dream-like state today.

probably the biggest highlight of the trip was getting to be at the 3-year sari bari anniversary party. it was great to be there to celebrate with all the women. there are 28 working there now so it was a big party! we went to a park where you can see the largest banyan tree in the world. we played 'soccer' then went out to an awesome indian restaurant. the only tricky part was that it was all done in a sari and it wasn't pretty to see me trying to keep it tucked all day, esp after the physical fitness activities (and to keep the sash covering my boobs). kudos to the indian ladies for navigating life wrapped up like a mummy.

you'll all be happy to know that sarah had a new muumuu waiting for me when i arrived at her home (i slept in that bed in the living room!).

the new muumuu is green and white and has some elastic at the neckline. it's nice enough but still kinda stiff and it makes me miss my soft, overly worn-in one. ole orangey had to be retired to dust rags last month. even the safety pins weren't holding it together in the end. i really, really wanted to get a muumuu for each one of you but we were going like crazy during my 3 days in india so there just wasn't time to shop! next time....

50

wow, ira glass is 50 today, huh? hard to believe.

welcome back to the country, didi.