Act One: Goal
Basically, I'm pretty proud of this blog. It's had it's off years and on years, but what I like most about it now is that through the process of writing on it over 10 years, I've grown to care less and less about what I post here and enjoy more and more the act of just writing. I think that was the whole point of starting Slapdash in the beginning. Slowly, I have arrived.
Act Two: Archive
I love re-reading my own blog. Every now and then I'll browse through old posts and remember the details of a life that's different from the one I'm living now. I appreciate having this archive. It's a particular framing of my life that makes me happy.
Act Three: Future
I don't really know what I'm going to write about tomorrow or the next day or the next, but I can't wait to find out. That's how it goes with blogging. Just one day (or week or month, in my case) at a time. Read on!
Friday, July 31, 2015
Thursday, July 30, 2015
TAL Challenge: Community Action
Act One: The Call
At the start of the summer one of our neighbors alerted us to a community meeting about a bike lane proposal on our street. Dave, who was better versed in the details of the proposal, decided to attend the meeting. It turned out that there were some major changes to our street on the table, changes that would significantly affect access and safety right on our corner. While we supported the general idea of the bike lane, the details were just too problematic to ignore.
Act Two: The Action
So we attended all of the possible follow-up meetings, wrote emails, and made phone calls. At first, our approach was just to try to get the bike lane onto the other side of the street, but eventually, after meeting and talking with our neighbors and learning from them, it became clear that we didn't have to settle for the bike lane as proposed. It had all been presented as a "this-is-going-to-happen-in-this-way" sort of deal with a "which-of-these-options-do-you-like-best" sort of approach. But our community-minded neighbors who didn't want to settle for a "not-my-side-of-the-street" debate, convinced us that we needed to change the designers' plans and come to a solution that benefitted us all.
Act Three: The Solution
And this worked. Sort-of. We convinced the city that any plan had to take traffic flows into consideration, slow down the speed of cars on our street, preserve the greatest amount of green space, and not privilege a city-wide bike initiative over the safety, access, and livability for the community already in the proposed area. The bike lane is still coming, but it won't be as intrusive as planned.
Oh, and the city won't have the money to finalize the project for 10 to 15 years.
As such, I'm tempted to say that all of our work was for nothing, but it really wasn't. We know our neighbors better than we did before, we became politically active in support of our neighborhood and involved our children in this process, and we moved away from focusing on our own best interests to thinking about those of the neighborhood. It wasn't for nothing at all. In fact, we gained a great deal from engaging in this process. In the end, our small victory was a huge win for our family.
At the start of the summer one of our neighbors alerted us to a community meeting about a bike lane proposal on our street. Dave, who was better versed in the details of the proposal, decided to attend the meeting. It turned out that there were some major changes to our street on the table, changes that would significantly affect access and safety right on our corner. While we supported the general idea of the bike lane, the details were just too problematic to ignore.
Act Two: The Action
So we attended all of the possible follow-up meetings, wrote emails, and made phone calls. At first, our approach was just to try to get the bike lane onto the other side of the street, but eventually, after meeting and talking with our neighbors and learning from them, it became clear that we didn't have to settle for the bike lane as proposed. It had all been presented as a "this-is-going-to-happen-in-this-way" sort of deal with a "which-of-these-options-do-you-like-best" sort of approach. But our community-minded neighbors who didn't want to settle for a "not-my-side-of-the-street" debate, convinced us that we needed to change the designers' plans and come to a solution that benefitted us all.
Act Three: The Solution
And this worked. Sort-of. We convinced the city that any plan had to take traffic flows into consideration, slow down the speed of cars on our street, preserve the greatest amount of green space, and not privilege a city-wide bike initiative over the safety, access, and livability for the community already in the proposed area. The bike lane is still coming, but it won't be as intrusive as planned.
Oh, and the city won't have the money to finalize the project for 10 to 15 years.
As such, I'm tempted to say that all of our work was for nothing, but it really wasn't. We know our neighbors better than we did before, we became politically active in support of our neighborhood and involved our children in this process, and we moved away from focusing on our own best interests to thinking about those of the neighborhood. It wasn't for nothing at all. In fact, we gained a great deal from engaging in this process. In the end, our small victory was a huge win for our family.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
TAL Challenge: The Cabin
Act One: Vacation Settings
Even though the cabin has all of the modern amenities that keep us connected to the world, I didn't even look at my email for 5 days and it was glorious.
Act Two: Sun
I was determined to get a tan at the cabin. It seemed like a good idea to forego sunscreen to achieve this goal. It was a mistake. A mistake that even aloe vera cannot fix.
Act Three: Boy
When Sam was two and had fewer words he used to run around the cabin saying, "Happy. Happy." He has more words now but he doesn't need them because he just looks like this for days on end.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
TAL Challenge: Conditions
Act One: Ahem
I have post-nasal drip. I can't stop clearing my throat during the day. And at night, I snore. One is annoying to me and the other to Dave.
Act Two: Attractive
Five or more years ago I had this condition where the corners of my mouth cracked open and stayed that way for three or four months. It's happening again.
Act Three: Ache
Did you know you can get a bunion on the pinky-toe side of your foot? It's true. I'm living proof.
I have post-nasal drip. I can't stop clearing my throat during the day. And at night, I snore. One is annoying to me and the other to Dave.
Act Two: Attractive
Five or more years ago I had this condition where the corners of my mouth cracked open and stayed that way for three or four months. It's happening again.
Act Three: Ache
Did you know you can get a bunion on the pinky-toe side of your foot? It's true. I'm living proof.
Sunday, July 19, 2015
TAL Challenge: Mama Days
Act One: The Build Up
Every morning Sam asks, "Who's staying with me today?" No matter how I answer that question, the kid's got it pretty good. It's either his aunt, his grandma, the nanny who has known him since he was a baby, or me. The first three are super fun and like to take Sam on adventures, real and made up. But his favorite answer to that question is, undoubtedly, Mama. Exclamations of joy and fist pumping typically follow that response.
Act Two: The Reality
I'm not really sure why Sam loves Mama Days so much. I mean, I get that I'm his mom and all, but Mama Days usually entail some combination of house cleaning, laundry, weeding, grocery shopping, email answering, and cooking. And by that I mean that I am doing the above while Sam and his sister play, fight, cry, snack, watch Doc McStuffins, or nap/fight napping. Sure, we also go to the park or the library or out to lunch or just stay home and play pirates, but those things happen with less frequency than when he is with any of his other caregivers.
Act Three: The Melt Down
Another key feature of Mama Days is the melt down. One of us will at some point (or at several points) lose it. Especially if--like today--it's the third Mama Day in a row. I might, for example, raise my voice or even swear when Eloise drops her plate A G A I N before she's even eaten a single thing. And Sam might then start to cry because "that's too loud" for him and "why are you so mad?" And Eloise, well, none of that gets her going, but she will cry incessantly when she doesn't agree with the shoes you've chosen for her or give her a cup with, god forbid, a lid on it.
So, in conclusion, three things:
1) Mama Days are hella hard;
2) work outside the home is a gift; and
3) you couldn't tell it from this post, but I actually wouldn't trade Mama Days for anything.
Some things you just can't even begin to explain.
Every morning Sam asks, "Who's staying with me today?" No matter how I answer that question, the kid's got it pretty good. It's either his aunt, his grandma, the nanny who has known him since he was a baby, or me. The first three are super fun and like to take Sam on adventures, real and made up. But his favorite answer to that question is, undoubtedly, Mama. Exclamations of joy and fist pumping typically follow that response.
Act Two: The Reality
I'm not really sure why Sam loves Mama Days so much. I mean, I get that I'm his mom and all, but Mama Days usually entail some combination of house cleaning, laundry, weeding, grocery shopping, email answering, and cooking. And by that I mean that I am doing the above while Sam and his sister play, fight, cry, snack, watch Doc McStuffins, or nap/fight napping. Sure, we also go to the park or the library or out to lunch or just stay home and play pirates, but those things happen with less frequency than when he is with any of his other caregivers.
Act Three: The Melt Down
Another key feature of Mama Days is the melt down. One of us will at some point (or at several points) lose it. Especially if--like today--it's the third Mama Day in a row. I might, for example, raise my voice or even swear when Eloise drops her plate A G A I N before she's even eaten a single thing. And Sam might then start to cry because "that's too loud" for him and "why are you so mad?" And Eloise, well, none of that gets her going, but she will cry incessantly when she doesn't agree with the shoes you've chosen for her or give her a cup with, god forbid, a lid on it.
So, in conclusion, three things:
1) Mama Days are hella hard;
2) work outside the home is a gift; and
3) you couldn't tell it from this post, but I actually wouldn't trade Mama Days for anything.
Some things you just can't even begin to explain.
Tuesday, July 07, 2015
TAL Challenge: Summer Teaching
Act One: Grades
No one should have to teach in the summer, or worse, grade papers in the summer. This just feels wrong. I'd like to give everyone an A to make this process easier, but that doesn't always happen. It turns out that I have expectations even in the summer.
Act Two: Teaming
No one should have to teach in the summer, but if one does, team teaching is the way to do it. Not only does it cut the grading right in half, but it also makes the process quite enjoyable. I'm lucky to team with good pal, SR. We're basically teaching twins. It's scary sometimes (like how we drive the same car and have nearly the same birthday), but mostly it rocks.
Act Three: Digital Stories
No one should have to teach in the summer, but if one does, creative projects are the way to go. Today I led a session on digital storytelling and, if I do say so myself, it was great. Teaching at any time of year is meaningful when people get to tell their stories. I love it, which means of course, I'll do it all again next summer.
No one should have to teach in the summer, or worse, grade papers in the summer. This just feels wrong. I'd like to give everyone an A to make this process easier, but that doesn't always happen. It turns out that I have expectations even in the summer.
Act Two: Teaming
No one should have to teach in the summer, but if one does, team teaching is the way to do it. Not only does it cut the grading right in half, but it also makes the process quite enjoyable. I'm lucky to team with good pal, SR. We're basically teaching twins. It's scary sometimes (like how we drive the same car and have nearly the same birthday), but mostly it rocks.
Act Three: Digital Stories
No one should have to teach in the summer, but if one does, creative projects are the way to go. Today I led a session on digital storytelling and, if I do say so myself, it was great. Teaching at any time of year is meaningful when people get to tell their stories. I love it, which means of course, I'll do it all again next summer.
Monday, July 06, 2015
TAL Challenge: Meals
I set the bar high for July blogging (in my head, at least), and I just haven't followed through. So, I'm joining WordSavvy on her This American Life Challenge. Unlike WordSavvy, I won't post every day. She's pretty spectacular, as many of you know. Instead, I'll do 12 posts in July. That seems reasonable, and I'm shooting for reasonable.
Act One: Taste
We're in a cooking rut. Basically we're in the mode of just getting any old thing on the plate to feed our bellies. Last night I actually put pizza sauce, cheese, and pepperoni on a hot dog bun and called it pizza. My children weren't fooled. We could use some easy summer recipes that also happen to taste good. I'm on a mission. Starting now.
Act Two: Health
Forty has kicked in, and it's harder and harder to stay fit. As such, I'm also looking to revamp the meal plans in terms of health content. I mean, we do okay, but we could do better. Always better.
Act Three: Flying Objects
Eloise continues to be a disaster during meal times. Tonight I had to remove her plate before she had even consumed anything because she was throwing everything on the floor. You might be thinking that faux pizza probably deserves to get thrown, but this was a real meal. Pork chops, broccoli, and sweet potatoes. When I gave the plate back to Eloise to try again, Sam covered his eyes and said, "I can't look." It's like that every night. But she's growing, so we carry on.
Act One: Taste
We're in a cooking rut. Basically we're in the mode of just getting any old thing on the plate to feed our bellies. Last night I actually put pizza sauce, cheese, and pepperoni on a hot dog bun and called it pizza. My children weren't fooled. We could use some easy summer recipes that also happen to taste good. I'm on a mission. Starting now.
Act Two: Health
Forty has kicked in, and it's harder and harder to stay fit. As such, I'm also looking to revamp the meal plans in terms of health content. I mean, we do okay, but we could do better. Always better.
Act Three: Flying Objects
Eloise continues to be a disaster during meal times. Tonight I had to remove her plate before she had even consumed anything because she was throwing everything on the floor. You might be thinking that faux pizza probably deserves to get thrown, but this was a real meal. Pork chops, broccoli, and sweet potatoes. When I gave the plate back to Eloise to try again, Sam covered his eyes and said, "I can't look." It's like that every night. But she's growing, so we carry on.
Thursday, July 02, 2015
Gratitude X
We're celebrating this lady's life this weekend. Mamo was the happiest person I've ever met, and I feel very grateful to have known her for nine of her 93 years. We could all learn a thing or two about living from Julia Glenn Weaver Salmen. She did it right.
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