Random Tuesday Thoughts, in which I send adult text to my niece

Yep, it's Random Tuesday Thoughts time and that means we all need to thank our Super Hero Leader, Keely over at The UnMom for creating an event that shall live a lot longer than we do.



On to the random-dumb-hilarious things I've done this week...

Last night, after dinner, I was sitting at the table, enjoying an adult beverage, when I got a text.  First thought Casey!! (Cause, seriously I Do Not Text.  Except with Casey, cause she's special.) But I saw it was my sister with whom I've texted a few times.  Innocent enough (to start) it goes like this:

Sis: What are you doing   girly  (not out of line for my sis to say)


Me: Having a beer and getting ready to bathe the chick. Trust me alcohol is required.
Me: What r u up to?

Sis: Lol McK (niece) was trying 2 text my sil A and she was like oh my gosh i accidentally did aunt andrea! then she says "did u know she drinks beer?

(I was mortified I just sent that type of text to my 8 year old niece, on a Sunday, when neither of her parents drink, and they were probably still in their church clothes)  

Me: Oh my!! Guard ur phone woman!!!

Good news is niece couldn't stop giggling about the whole thing.  Not sure I can either.

I met up with some new people this weekend for general entertainment and frivolity.  I'm pretty sure I repeated the same phrase three times in five minutes and came off sounding like a complete moron (in other words, I was myself...) I'm really not that inept at conversation.  I swear.

So! @JamieBlog on Twitter is having this awesome contest on his website Better Off Red.  You have a chance to win an autographed poster of Joey Votto from his recent Sports Illustrated cover.  Hello!  I want that.  I wonder if the fact that I sat at Mr. Votto's table for dinner in July will get me any extra bonus points...(In case you forgot, here's the photographic evidence of said dinner.)



Anyway, to win, you need to recreate Joey's image on the cover.  It's not as easy as you think.  Cause really, how can you top the original picture?

Looking for Tuesday's Terms?  They are here.


Yesterday I endured the heck that is the after-school car line at SM Elementary because Thor had a doctor's appointment.  If he took the bus home we wouldn't have made it on time.  Next time I'd rather be late than repeat that form of hell...Now I know why they discourage you from picking your kids up from school.

I have four books I'm in the process reading (HP Deathly Hallows, Anna Karenina, All Quiet on the Western Front and some e-book I don't even remember the name of it's so boring) and yet I can't seem to motivate myself to get through any of them.  With the exception of the ebook I've read them all previously.  I've been reading a chapter of each every couple of days.  It's my own version of Book Readers ADD.

I've had a single small package of plain M&M's on my desk for about two weeks.  Still haven't finished them yet.  I eat three or four everyday and that's it.  Now if they were Peanut Butter M&M's or Peanut; I wouldn't be blogging about it because they would already be long gone.  (FYI, eating an M&M then randomly eating dried cranberries a few minutes later - things that don't go together.)

If you didn't get enough Random from me, then you can head over to The UnMom and read all the other Random that's going on around the world today.

If you have a Random Affliction, feel free to leave it in the comments.

Even if you don't like it, click anyway...

Today is the first official post over at my baseball blog The (Virgin's) Guide To Baseball.

If you could be so kind as to click the link?  You don't even have to make a baseball comment.  In fact, you don't even have to like baseball.  You just need to comment and tell me this isn't insane (or tell me it is insane.  Really, I'm not picky.)

If you want to win a free Invisicase Surround Mattress Protector then you can enter here: Giveaway! Only Two Days left!

Today is also day one of training for Cincinnati's Run Like Hell Charity 5k.  If I don't die in the process, I'll be back for tomorrow's Random Tuesday Thoughts.

Double Post Friday

This week I got my copy of Cincinnati Magazine.  As I've said before, it's no Philadelphia Magazine but it's not so bad either.  Within the pages I came across a section about charity races.  If you remember way back to when I was living in Germany I took up running.  Or tried to at any rate.  You'll also note that since we've moved to Kentucky I've only managed to run a few times.  Mostly because everywhere I go I see hills.  Lots and lots of hills. 

This mama don't do hills.

I also have suddenly developed a highly unattractive look when running hills.  Think bright red sweaty face.  I never had this problem in Germany where I used to run along the Rhine river.  Not saying I looked like a freakin supermodel but I didn't have red-face-itits.  So it has to be the hills.  That's my conclusion anyway.

Back to the magazine.  There's a charity run benefiting Cystic Fibrosis and it has to be taking place in the coolest place ever.

A cemetery. Why I find that to be such a great place to run is beyond me, but I'm so in.  It's called the Run Like Hell 5K.  I'm going to do it.  That means I have to start training at some point to be able to make it the entire 5K because did I mention...

there are hills.  Lot's and lot's of hills.  And did I mention you have to wear a costume??? And it starts at 7:30 PM?? In a cemetery??

It's gonna be awesome (and scary as hell...hehe)  But I am determined to see this through.  It's for a good cause and it might get my butt in shape (figuratively and literally I suppose.)  I'm toying with the idea of offering up a chance for a yummy prize if you make a donation on my behalf to support me and the cause.  (Details to come on that.)

Either way, encourage me readers!  I'm going to need it to not only survive the running part but also the creepy cemetery part.  If you are in the Cincinnati area on Friday October 29 come by and show your support or better yet run with me!

*I'm taking suggestions for costumes as well!!

It's Friday!

It's Friday.  It sure took it's sweet time getting here but it has finally arrived.  Since it is Friday, that means it's also Shoe Friday over at Jodifur  and my shoes have the privelege of being a part of today's celebration.  If you don't know what Shoe Friday is you really need to pop over and check it out.

This is the dress I wore with the featured shoes.  It was for the BlogHer Gala Dinner Thingy.  Which means, since we didn't actually do much more than dress up, go downstairs and decide the whole thing was really lame...I wore it for like ten minutes?  Fifteen?

Still awesome dress and fab shoes.  (Dress from White House Black Market and shoes from Nordstrom rack)

Trust me when I say the dress is actually much better than it looks in this crappy picture.  I was far too lazy to walk downstairs and get a proper camera.  And you know, not do it at ten o'clock at night when the light completely sucks.

Have you ever gotten snazzy for a party and then not actually attended it in favor of something better?

(In my case something better was the girls and I in Times Square and drinks at Connelly's Bar.  Much more fun than being social with strangers.)

Got Bed Bugs? Invisicase Surround Protector Giveaway!

Bedbugs.  How many times have you said Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite! and thought nothing of it but a silly old rhyme?  Well...it could be more true than you think!  I'm especially horrified to hear that Ohio (just ten minutes from me...) has the worst bedbug problem in the US.  ACK!

There is good news though!  You can protect your mattress and yourself from bedbugs with Invisicase Surround Protector!  A few things to think about:

What’s inside your mattress? 

Consider this… 

400 – Number of offspring that a
single female bedbug can produce    

10 – Number of minutes a bedbug 
typically spends drinking a human's
blood, usually as the victim sleeps

1 yr – How long a bedbug can survive 
with out without eating

How worried are you now about your mattress?  (I'm pretty grossed out actually...)

But you don't have to worry too much because I'm giving away an Invisicase to one lucky reader!  Here are some great things about the Invisicase:

With a mattress protector like the Invisicase Surround Protector, bedbugs can’t find their way into your mattress. Invisicase also repels body fluids and moisture and allows vapors to easily breathe through the protector.  The Invisicase is breathable, waterproof, hygienic, machine washable (bonus!!) and simple to slip on and off with a three sided zip closure.

Here's how you can enter to win your own Invisicase: (each item allows one entry)

• Follow Blogging Mama
• Follow me on Twitter @BlogMamaAndrea
• Tweet about my giveaway
• Simply comment!

The giveaway runs from today until September 1 at 11:59 pm eastern.  Good luck!

The giveaway is open to US residents only.

*I was given the opportunity to provide the Invisicase to one reader free of charge in exchange for this post.

Random Tuesday Thoughts: The posts don't write themselves...

...unless they do.  This weeks Random Tuesday Thoughts is proudly brought to you by Me and Keely at The UnMom (her idea but she let's me play along...)


This is where I would normally stick the Fugly buton we all know and love but...Keely recently relocated her blog to a new host and well...I can't load the page.  Dang nabit.  So just envision the Fugly button people, okay?

Did you know I can now claim that I met The Keely?  Cause I totally can (hello BlohHer 2010).  And I'm pretty sure she only told me once to stop stalking her (she was talking to someone else that second time.  I'm nearly positive of that...)

See?  Real live proof -

She totally wants to be BFF's.  I'm thinking about it...

I've become like a crack addict and I've launched myself at Twitter full press (@BlogMamaAndrea if you're not already following!!)  Really, still don't get the reason why (except to follow baseball) and yet I am on there All. The. Time.  What gives with that?

Baseball.  Yep, I'm addicted to that too.  I'm writing up that little baseball blog Robin is forcing me into (thanks!) and hopefully it'll be ready for Monday.  Monday's are going to be Mascot Monday's over at The (Virgin's) Guide To Baseball.  Catchy name, eh?  Thought of it myself and everything... Will you be reading it? Let me know.

Last week I told you about needing to take Thor for more concise testing for his ASD.  I called the Children's Hospital for an appointment.  They directed me to a separate ASD center.  Which directed me to get a referral from my pediatrician.  And then call back for an appointment.  I'll take Pass the Patient for a $1,000 Alex!

I haven't watched the evening news (local or national) in a long time.  I always get my news online.  Does anyone even watch the news anymore??  That Couric lady still hacking it up?

If you consistently eat Grands biscuits with lavender honey you will gain three pounds in a week (especially if you add real butter.)  I don't know this for fact or anything...I'm just saying.  Could happen.

I'm loving unemployment.  Too bad it's not loving me back.  Maybe I'm just unemployable?  If I fill out one more application just so it can get tossed in the trash...

Have you been Coxed?  (Kudos to Gina for making it into Urban Dictionary!!)

If you use Twitter, do you look for people to follow?  I don't search for people (unless I'm reading your blog and you have a link for Twitter, then I usually follow you).  I'm just curious if I'm the only one who simply lets other people do all the work...

What would you doo-oo for a Klondike bar?  If it meant I never had to watch that commercial again, I'd buy every damn Klondike bar on the planet.

I wanted to put up a video of my Fisher-Price Sing-A-Ma-Jig but my Flip camera broke.  Thankfully since it was still under warranty Flip is sending me a new one.  For that they rock.  They don't rock so much for their CS making me feel like a COMPLETE FREAKIN' MORON when I was on the phone.  I really didn't need your help to feel stupid, just so you know.

Oh, I feel so good now that a dribble of the Random has escaped!  If you want to get your Random on head over to Keely's to link it up!  Tell her that her BFF sent ya.

(Watch her site will be down and I'll have composed this entire post for nothing...)

Beating the dead horse (yes, even more baseball...)

So is it a great time to be a baseball fan or what?  Especially if you're a Phillies fan or a Reds fan.

But what if you're both??!!


The Phillies took care of the Nationals today 6 - zilcho.  They're hitting their groove only a couple of games back from first in the National League.

They have this guy as a fan:



And they have the Phanatic.  Who wouldn't want to get shaggalicious with the Phanatic?!? (yes I'm claiming shaggalicious as a new word...)


Just look at that yummy green goodness...

Phanatic doing Lady Gaga's Bad Romance was quite stirring too.  OMG click the link.  I can't embed the video cause it's from MLB but just do it.  Prepare to laugh.

One of the statues of Phanatic placed around Philadelphia this summer

I know my recent top defection to the Reds caused some upset in the house but really, look at the Reds.  Are they on a tear or what?  Huh?  Swept the Diamondbacks, took 2 out of 3 from the Dodgers and now onward to take care of Giants.  And they are Gonna Take Care of Bizz-ness.

Their mascot hasn't got anything on the Phanatic of course (Mr. Redlegs, please someone enlighten me about why they call the Reds redlegs??)  But when youre winning the way the Reds are, who cares what your mascot looks like right?

Reds are 3.5 games over the Cardinals (whom I refer to as the Kentucky Fried Cardinals, hehe) and sitting in the sweet spot of FIRST place in the Central.  

Really, how can you not love baseball right now?  I'll see you Saturday at Great American Ballpark where the Reds are gonna trounce some baby bears...(that would be the Cubs for the rest of you).

*I promise I'm going to try to stop talking baseball here but if or rather when my teams make the playoffs, just grin and bear it people!  I did think of making  Baseball for Women site but it seems someone already has.  

**Okay since Robin going to MAKE ME I'm making a baseball blog geared for women.  Would you read it?  Let me know!

The Kentucky State Fair: Roosters

Today we went to the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville.  It was huge and reminded me of the fairs where I grew up in Spokane.  We didn't even venture near the rides (much to Thor's disappointment) and instead only visited the animals.  For some reason you can never have enough pictures of:

Also these:

But most fascinating to me were the roosters.  Did you know that they come in so many different varieties and colors?  I had no idea.  I got a little carried away perhaps with the photo's but here in no particular order are some roosters.

I don't know why but I really found them beautiful.  The colors and patterns were hard to capture through the cages but I love them.  I'm not going to decorate my house in roosters but now I think I have a rooster fascination...

What animal do you find beautiful?  

ThredUP: A new way to go green! Giveaway

There were so many vendors at BlogHer that it was very easy to lose track of what I saw.  One of the reasons ThredUP caught (and kept) my eye is their dedication to "Going Green".  The entire concept of their site encourages us to recycle.  But the recycling is a in a fun and creative way.

We all know how quickly kids outgrow clothes and how many times have we lamented that they've barely been worn?

ThredUP's tagline is "Clothes don't grow. Kids do."  The concept is simple.  Browse the listing of boxes of kids clothes.  If one catches your eye you snag it up!  All you pay is shipping! Then pack up a box of gently used kids clothes and list it on the site.  When your box is picked you send your kids old clothes on to someone else.

It's 1-2-3 recycling!  That's something I can get behind!  And you can get in on the savings and fun (and help reduce the amount of waste in the world too!)  The wonderful people at ThredUP have offered one lucky reader here at Blogging Mama a one year Pro membership to the site (basic memberships are free when signing up).

In order to get your chance to win here's what you need to do: (one entry per item)

1. Go to ThredUP and tell me what your favorite part of their concept is
2. Follow me here at Blogging Mama
3. Follow me on Twitter @BlogMamaAndrea

That's it!  Good luck! 

ThredUP is also on Twitter @ThredUP_kids

The giveaway ends Wednesday, August 25th at 11:59 PM Eastern time.

I received no compensation for this review except a free Pro membership to give to a reader.  The opinions expressed are solely mine.

First Day of Third Grade

OMG I'm old.  He's in third grade now.

Where'd my baby go??

Here's hoping after yesterday's post that today was at least a good day for him.

The Naked Truth: A double whammy of parenting sh*t

I don't even know where to begin today.  Between forgetting to give Chick's new school her updated immunization records (kinda required before she can be at school...) and trying to figure out what to pack Thor for lunch at school (dairy free gluten free and yummy tasting...right...) and plenty of other crapola...my mind is pretty much fried.  I'm handing out the warning that if you don't like a little mild language, you're not going to want to read here today.

Here's the thing I can talk about that's keeping me up at night...

As I've made no secret about, Thor's was diagnosed last year with Aspergers Syndrome which is of course an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  We thought it was pretty mild.  We were told it was mild.  We did not have a full diagnostic testing panel done on Thor.  Not because we didn't think it was necessary but because at the tune of 3-4k (not covered by insurance in West Chester, PA) we went with the pediatricians diagnose that was a $20 co-pay.

We've made the decision to get him into Cincinnati Children's for a full Autism test. Even if the diagnoses is the same we need help with what therapies are going to work for him. Because right now, just seeing the guidance counselor at school once a week for social group...it's not helping.

Even with an IEP...we are all struggling.  His behavior is going downhill (and maybe it's all this other sh*t and tension that's nothing to do with him that he's feeling and picking up on) but the constant back-talking, impulse control problems and weeping that's really got me concerned.  The other night, I wasn't actually there to see it, but during the Reds game one of our favorite players was tossed for something insignificant and this caused him to start crying.

It's just not...normal.  I don't like that label of normal and not normal.  I don't know what else to call it though.  Thor was allergy tested and the allergist suggested removing casein and soy and peanut butter from his diet.  We also tried cutting gluten (as is typical with Autism diets).  Do you have any idea how hard that is? (I know some of you, like Casey, follow this and get what I am talking about.)

The gluten free is simply not going to work (and the doctor didn't specifically say gluten needed to be cut).  We are sticking with no casein, so basically a dairy-free diet.  We are already dye free (Do you know how much sh*t has dye in it?? Toothpaste, soap, vitamins...it's not just a food thing.)  I want to do everything I can to help him be the great kid that he is (and was).  I would do anything for him.  But I am struggling mightily with all this stuff.  I don't know what I am doing or if I am doing the right things.  He seems to be getting worse instead of better and I am worried that it's completely my fault.

I suppose a lot of parents feel like this.  I read parenting blogs and I know we all struggle with the same basic things.  I'm starting to feel this is getting beyond what I can handle or I need some super powered parenting class on Autistic kids.  There is one class, held in NH or someplace...it's $5,000 for one week.  I don't get why they have to make helping kids so freaking expensive.  It's supposed to be an amazing class.  But what good is it if the majority of people can't f*cking afford to attend the class?

I'm super frustrated today (obviously).  Tomorrow I'll go back to being the mild-mannered me you're used to.  I promise.

(if you want to know what else is going on with me, I'm blogging about it elsewhere and you can email me for the link to the site, click the Email Me tab in the navi bar)

Monday's Muse with Cinnamon and Honey

I haven't done the Muse in awhile but Robin's post today reminded me just how many great artists there are out there.  You, know ones from our youth...anyway!  I actually had the chance to go to see Green Day when I was in college and while a lot of their stuff isn't to my liking, I really do enjoy this song.

"When I Come Around" by Green Day





For more Monday's Muse go visit Robin at Cinnamon and Honey!

The joy's of a public bathroom and a four year old

If you've read here for any length of time, you'll know I don't tell bathroom stories.  That's not my thing.  But today I just can't help talking about bathrooms and a certain four year old princess named Chick.  Sunday during our trek back from New York we stopped at a rather nice restaurant (actually by accident, we went in the wrong door.  Instead of the Italian pizza place we ended up at 3rd West, which was excellent.) 

Of course after hours in the car, we all needed to use the facilities.  Since Chick is glued to my hip these days we ventured into the Ladies Bathroom together.  The conversation went something like this...

Me: Chick, do you really need to go potty?
Chick: Yes, mommy (fiddles with shorts, shirt, hair etc.)
Me: Okay, well, hurry cause mommy has to go too.
Chick: Mommy pee-pee?
Me: Yes, mommy needs to pee-pee very badly. (an entire bottle of Coke and a coffee, may perhaps have been a bit ambitious for a car ride.)  So hurry please!
Chick: Okay mommy. (silence, no pee, no nothing)
Me:  Do you really need to go or can mommy just go really, really quick?
Chick: Okay, mommy go.

Removal of child from potty.  Switch positions.  Sweet mercy never again will I drink so much and get in a car.  Bathroom door opens and the stall next to us is occupied.

Chick: Mommy, you make pee-pee! 
Me: Yes, Chick, shhh!
Chick (top of her lungs which are quite good btw): Mommy make lots and lots o'pee-pee!  (giggle giggle, fade to red faced embarrassment as laughter erupts from next stall)

Needless to say I waited until the other woman left before emerging.  Seriously!  Instead of teaching preschoolers to count and color in the lines they need to teach them bathroom etiquette!  Something along the lines of not embarrassing the crap out of their mothers when all they really wanted to do was pee.

What's your most horrifying experience in a bathroom with a child?  Please tell me someone else has a child who likes to announce what they are doing as they are doing it!

A Little Thursday Music

Love this song, really love Matt Hires music.  

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

Lyrics to Honey, Let Me Sing You A Song :

Maybe I'm blind, maybe I'm blind
Oh I couldn't see you shine
And shimmer right in front of my eyes
Front of my eyes, oh no

I thought I saw light, thought I saw light
Oh it was a faded mirror, just a dim reflection
But you shine, you shine so much brighter, oh

CHORUS:
And honey let me sing you a song
And listen to my words as they come out wrong
But don't run away, run away this time
(And) honey let me look in your eyes
You open them one at a time
But don't look away, look away this time

Open your mind, open your mind
And let your beauty flow like wine
But please don't leave me,
Don't leave me outside, leave me outside, oh no

And honey I'll try, honey I'll try
To hold you like the starry skies
We lay beneath tonight
And you shine, you shine so much brighter, oh

CHORUS

And honey let me sing you a song
And listen to my words as they come out wrong
But don't run away, run away this time
Oh, and honey let me look in your eyes
You open them one at a time
But don't look away, don't look away
Don't look away, don't look away oh

And honey let me sing you a song
And listen to my words as they come out wrong
But don't run away, run away this time
Honey let me look in your eyes
Oh they burn like fire
But don't look away, look away this time
But don't look away, look away this time
Don't look away, look away this time 

BlogHer10 The one and only recap you're going to get

Ah, BlogHer10.  New York City.  It's hard to say which I found more enjoyable.  I think I'd have to go with meeting Casey, Mrs. Bear and Small Town Mommy as my favorite parts of the trip.  I met them at BlogHer10 but we didn't spend that much time at BlogHer10.  Except for the swag.  And OMG was there swag.

I never thought I wanted swag until I got swag.  It becomes a sickness.  A Sickness.  Once you get one piece of swag, then two then three...then you're addicted and you really can't stop.

Four full bags later...you're screaming "I'm Done!"  I was literally swagged out.

But I didn't have to bring my kids any gifts from NY because I got so much kid friendly swag.  Of course they are fighting over one Webkinz because it's a dog.  And they both want it naturally.

Anyway, New York was fantastic.  Thursday night I met up with Casey and Mrs. Bear and we hooked up with two others and Keely (as in The Keely from The Un-Mom) and we ended up at this little place called Johnny Utah's.

...........where there was a mechanical bull in the middle of the restaurant........

Yes, a mechanical bull.  And no, no one in our group rode it.  (Plenty of scantily clad, thong going girls did ride it though.  Pretty sure it needed a good disinfectant during rides, if you know what I mean).  It was an interesting evening to say the least but a whole lot of fun.  After Johnny Utah's we went back to the Hilton for the People's Party.  It was lacking in people.  A definite non-party party in my opinion. 

Friday was the official start of the conference and Mrs. Bear, Small Town Mommy and I headed out to one of the writing sessions.  It was pretty much a bust though and we all left after about thirty minutes.  It seeemd to all be common sense and nothing earth shatteringly interesting.

But lunch was good, really good actually.  Friday afternoon was Swag Central.  Two floors of swag and one trip over to the Wilford? Walford?  I don't know.  Whatever hotel was across the street from the Hilton that had the MomSelect / MomTV event.  Excellent swag.  My kids loved all the goodies they ripped from my fingers I handed over.

Friday night.  Surprise! we got all dressed up for the gala (and then didn't go). We skipped back to our rooms to ditch the fancy dresses and got dressed down into our jeans.  The gang (that would be the three I mentioned above) and I went to Angelo's Pizza and stuffed ourselves completely silly.  Nothing much beats New York pizza.  (Maybe New York bagels...) 

After dinner we walked down to Times Square and over to Connelly's Pub.  The best two Irish bartenders around (seriously).  We do have a rule amongst the gang that what happened at BlogHer stays at BlogHer so I really can't say what went on... :) but it was fun.

Times Square

Saturday was the Matisse exhibit at the MoMa.  (What, did you think we went for the conference??  Right.)  The photography exhibit was the best part and I did get some pictures before my camera broke.  The MoMa also has the best place to eat; the Cafe 2 on the second level.  Yummy Yummy Yummy food.  Reasonably priced too.

Swag Bag(s)

After one session and even more swag, we ventured out to dinner at the other Connelly's up the street from the hotel.  Afterwards we (briefly) attended the "High School-ish" Sparklecorn party.  Honestly, the whole weekend was a play on who's popular and who's not.  And how the populars ignore the not's (like me).  I'm really too old for that nonsense...

We left the party to take Mrs. Bear on the subway.  Did I mention that Mrs. Bear has never been to NYC?  Crime that is.  But we gave her a great experience seeing as on the return trip the platform was closed, the subway lady wouldn't refund our tickets (despite Small Town Mommy's attempts) and we ended up taking a taxi back to the hotel.  But dang it!  We gave her a lasting memory!

All in all, BlogHer10 was fun because I got to meet people I both knew before and people I didn't know but really liked.  Will I go to BlogHer11 in San Diego next year?  No.  Not even if I got my ticket for free.  I would much rather have a girls weekend with my gang and get giggly and have another one of those what happens at....stays at.... weekends.  Because those are fun.

What did you do last weekend?  Are you sick of BlogHer10 talk already?  I promise this will be my only post on the subject.

BlogHer or Bust

I'm getting on the train in just over two hours to head into New York. I'll be tweeting like a maniac during the conference. If you want to follow along you can do so at

@BlogMamaAndrea

Guest Posting

Today I'm guest posting over at The Real World: Venus vs Mars (and not yesterday like I posted by accident...)

Anyway, you should head over. I'm talking about reinventing yourself.

www.realworldvenusmars.blogspot.com

The Walk

Upon the sand of the shore I walk for a mile before I notice the shadow at my side. It is smaller than I remember. The grains of sand pass through my toes and the waves lap at the shoreline. The water is neither warm, nor cold. It is the middle ground of in-between. In the water, seaweed catches my foot and I shake it off. My shadow notices and shakes her head. It has been many days since I've been here.

The waves crest and break over and over, tumbling bits of shells and rocks and detritus upon the beach. I look down often searching for the elusive sea glass Amy Clampit wrote about so well. On the counter at home sits a jar waiting to be filled. It is unlikely that I will find any, but still I hunt. The solitude sneaks over me in the absence of sound. It's barely six am and I am alone, just me and my shadow.

What will we talk about today? I wonder. In the distance a gull calls out as it rises over the water and turns to flee towards the rising sun. We have talked about many things over our time together. Sometimes our talk is trivial; the weather, a book. Other times it is of difficult things and determination and more often than not there are questions that go unanswered.

It is not I who asks the first question today. My shadow wants to have a meaningful discussion which I find in discord with the silence. I am enjoying the heat of the rising sun upon my face, and I do not wish to speak. But my shadow never listens. My shadow creates its own space and as I turn my head, I hear the demands.

When? Why? Where?

I don't know the answers and I don't want to seek them today. Today I just want to walk upon the soft sand and ignore the shadow at my side. The one that is demanding a meeting I don't want to attend. I kick up the sand and stoop to toss a rock into the waves. My shadow is silent, waiting. Will I answer?

I think not for today. For today, I only wish to be.


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