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May 31, 2006

Memorial Day Recap

My stomach hurts so much I can hardly sit up. Yep, I've got some kind of funk and I feel like death today. At least it started after the holiday weekend. Monday, the four or us went to play miniature golf and ride in go-carts together. It was funny to take my 11 and 16-year-olds there because all the families had little kids. My daughter said: "Well, at least I won't see anyone I know there. So it shouldn't be too embarrassing." Haha. She's so precious.

Darling daughter and I also hit one of our favorite stores--White House Black Market--on Saturday for a bit of retail-assisted mother-daughter bonding. I treated her to this black lace top and a gray tank top. It was her reward for bringing home a 4.0 this semester, despite an Honors Chemisty class that nearly killed us all. I picked up this white crocheted top to wear over a white tank. My reward for--well I don't know, I'll think of some reason later.

Dear son was happy with cash for his stellar performance this semester, which he will put towards more video games, I am sure. By the way, if you have sons in middle school, have you ever noticed that when they sit in a room for a while playing video games, the room really starts to smell? I mean, really smell. Once my daughter came out of my son's room and said: "Oh my God. It smells like pre-teen boy B.O. in there." That pretty much sums up my life. Dodging teenage girl drama and figuring out how to conquer pre-teen B.O. Let me tell you, my life is fascinating.

Posted by L.C. at 09:43 AM | | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed under: General 40ish | Meaningless Gab | Parenting | Shopping

May 29, 2006

Ode to High School Drama

Well there's lots of high-school bs going on in my house these last few days. So, here's to high school drama--a few quotes you may remember from a fabulous little movie called Pretty in Pink:

Iona: "I have this girlfriend who didn't go to hers, and every once in a while, she gets this really terrible feeling--you know, like something is missing. She checks her purse, and then she checks her keys. She counts her kids, she goes crazy, and then she realizes that nothing is missing. She decided it was side effects from skipping the prom."

~

Duckie: "His name is Blane? Oh! That's a major appliance, that's not a name!"

~

Principal: "If you give off signals that you don't want to belong, people will make sure that you don't."

~

Andie: "I'm going to go. I'm not sad about it. I'm not hurt. I mean, you know, I am hurt, a little bit. But I know if I don't do it I'll just feel a lot worse. I'm just going to go in. I'll walk in, walk out, and come home. I just want to let them know that they didn't break me."

~

Blane: "Steff. You buy everything, Steff. You couldn't buy her, though. That's what's killing you, isn't it? That's it, Steff, she thinks you're shit. And deep down, you know she's right."

Posted by L.C. at 04:18 PM | | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Filed under: Parenting

May 26, 2006

Fab Five Friday-Things That Tick Me Off

To celebrate my really crappy mood today, I thought I'd list five things that tick me off for this week's edition of Fab Five Friday. So, in no particular order, here they are:

1. Comment, trackback, and e-mail spammers--Stay off my blogs and out of my mailbox you slime!
2. Bad drivers--stay in your lane, use your blinker, and most of all, GET OFF MY ASS!
3. Parents who don't supervise their kids in public places--I used to see a lot of this at my kids' basketball games. When my dh tried to stop one unsupervised preschooler from hurting himself with very heavy AV equipment in a high school gym, the kid yelled at him. (His parents never noticed.) Last year I found a toddler wandering the mall. When I returned him to his mom in a store a few minutes later, she hadn't yet realized he was missing.
4. Liars--Everyone needs to tell white lies sometimes. ("Oh your new haircut is fabulous! That mullet is definitely the look for you!") I am tired of people who lie for no good reason, or just to cover their own butts, regardless of whom they hurt in the process.
5. One uppers--Renovating your house? They're buying a McMansion. Kid win the school spelling bee? Theirs has an IQ of 160. Going to Florida for vacation? They're going to Paris. Sometimes, everyone should just learn to listen and say nothing but: "Wow! I'm so happy for you!"

Posted by L.C. at 07:20 AM | | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Filed under: Friday Fab Five | Meaningless Gab

May 25, 2006

Farewell School Year

There is a lovely calendar hanging on my refrigerator door. Each month, I am treated to a photo of a different flower, and occasionally I will scribble something like "Dad's Birthday" in one of the squares. But that calendar is really more for decoration. Because for the past 11 years or so, my life has been ruled by a different calendar--the county school system calendar. And according to the school system, summer begins tomorrow evening.

My kids are beside themselves with excitement. My oldest is already claiming herself a junior in high school, although she won't be, I tell her, until her final exams are completed AND graded AND those grades are mailed out to moi. My youngest looked a little crushed, because after being low-man-on-the-totem pole for nine months, he was thinking about already calling himself a seventh-grader. But my logic was able to bring him down a notch. Poor kid.

So another school year is almost over. I know I, as do many parents, say this every year, but where did the time go? It feels like just yesterday I saw my little boy hop on the bus and ride off to his first day of middle school. Now, middle school is 1/3 over. My daughter started the year just happy to not be a freshman, but now, her thoughts are all about driving around in her car, getting a job, and what colleges we should start visiting next year. The end of the school year is a sweet time for kids. But for us parents, I'd say it's bittersweet at best. We want our kids to grown up, yet we don't. Because that's just one step further away from us they take. Every year.

I joke about turning my daughter's room into a crafts room if/when she leaves for college, and I tell my son his room will make a great closet one day. Of course, I don't mean that stuff. Well, usually I don't mean it. The thought of being an empty-nester possibly within six years seems kind of cool sometimes. Then at other times, it's an awful feeling, because that means they won't be here anymore. When I had my first child at 25, it never occurred to me that I'd feel anything but scared (pregnancy, birth) and tired (infancy). I was just overwhelmed with those tiny little beings. I never considered the extreme mix of emotions this whole parenting deal would bring me 16 years later.

So tomorrow, when I'm hearing the kids cheer and plan their summer and stay up late just because they want to, I will be happy for them. And just a teeny tiny bit sad for me. Because I'm selfish, and I want my babies to stay babies just a little longer.

Posted by L.C. at 10:54 AM | | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed under: Parenting

May 24, 2006

Why Women Outlive Men

capoteMost people know that the average life expectancy for a woman today is several years more than the life expectancy for a man. But why exactly is this true?

As more of my friends' fathers than mothers have been passing away lately, I began to wonder why women are outliving men. (The female life expectancy in the U.S. is 77.9, while for men it's 72.7.) I found this article--Why Do Women Live Longer? - CBS News--which outlined some of the factors that make this statistic true. They include:

  • Men engage in riskier behavior that may result in death. This includes, for instance, driving at higher speeds. More men than women are killed in car accidents.
  • Men also engage in more violent behavior than women. This includes homicide and suicide.
  • Safer childbirths mean less birth-related deaths for women. Maternal mortality was fairly common in the early 20th century.

I, however, prefer my mother's theory on why women live longer than men: because we're just better : ) (My mom is a poor old lady with Alzheimer's Disease--please don't diss her!)

Posted by L.C. at 01:40 AM | | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Filed under: General 40ish | News/Media/Studies

May 22, 2006

Who Says My Life is Boring?

Today I decided to do a little shopping, and go searching for a great pair of jeans that would hopefull by on sale. I drove to a local shopping center, and I was oh-so-pleased with myself for getting the front parking spot, right across from the door. Pleased, that is, until I saw the scuffle that began just as I was getting out of my car. A woman was trying to leave the store with a handful of clothing, still on the hangers and not in a shopping bag. A store employee grabbed the clothes, and a wild tug-of-war ensued. He was also trying to pull on her purse, which appeared to be stuffed with (unpaid, I presume) merchandise. She was putting up quite a fight, so I stayed next to my car. Just in case.

Then I heard a man yelling and running through the parking lot toward the store. At that point, I jumped back into my car, locked the doors, and slid down a bit. Who knows, this guy could have been armed or something, right? Anyway, he entered the store and joined the scuffle. It reminded me of one of those fights you see in cartoons, where there are just hands and legs flying out of a ball of dust. A few minutes later, both the woman and her male friend managed to get away and head for the parking lot to their car. (Which was right behind me, but I didn't even get a look at it. Dh has scolded me for being a bad witness already, so there's no need to tell me again.) The woman still had merchandise sticking out of her large tote bag (I could see the hangers) when she passed my car, but she must have dumped the stuff before they pulled away, because a store employee retrieved some items from the ground just after they left. I must say, it was quite an interesting morning.

Now, back to my boring, uneventful life.

Posted by L.C. at 07:18 PM | | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed under: Meaningless Gab

The Devil on the Big Screen

Are you a Chick Lit lover? Well then you've no doubt heard of, and probably read, The Devil Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger. I read the book a couple of years ago, after reading a few reviews where many from the fashion-related press dissed the author for (what they believed was) dissing the fashion industry. And like many people who read the book, I found the writing so-so but the plot really fun and interesting.

Well it's time for the movie, and I am pretty psyched, because Meryl Streep is playing the infamously wicked Miranda, and Anne Hathaway is playing the in-over-her-head intern, Andrea.

Check out the movie trailer here.

Posted by L.C. at 02:49 PM | | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Filed under: Reviews

May 21, 2006

My "View of the World" Results

Your World View
You are a fairly broadminded romantic and reasonably content.
You value kindness and try to live by your ideals.
You have strong need for security, which may be either emotional or material.

You respect truth and are flexible.
You like people, and they can readily make friends with you.
You are not very adventurous, but this does not bother you.
What Is Your World View?

Posted by L.C. at 09:11 PM | | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Filed under: Meaningless Gab

May 19, 2006

Rossellini Vents About Women & Aging; Pays Tribute to Father

Could Isabella Rossellini be any cooler? I don't think so.

I've always been quite impressed with her, and not just because she is beautiful in a non-traditional way, and not just because she was the face of Lancome for so many years--well past the age when many models rep cosmetic companies. There is just something about her: she just seems to have that thing so many of us want, but have no idea how to get. A calm elegance? Mysteriousness? I'm really not sure.

Anyway, I hadn't heard much about the fab 54-year-old in a while, but it sounds like she's been busy. She recently produced a 17-minute film tribute to her late father, Italian film director Roberto Rossellini, in celebration of his 100th birthday.

Check out this ABC News article, Isabella Rossellini: Age, Looks Used Against Women, for more information on her tribute, as well as her thoughts on women aging.

Posted by L.C. at 07:41 AM | | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Filed under: Fab Women Over 40

May 18, 2006

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Not so sweet on your sweetheart these days? Well you're in luck! Because June 2nd is National Break Up Day.

Visit the Budweiser-sponsored National Break Up Day Web site, and you can take a compatibility test, check for signs that your relationship is ailing, send a break-up e-mail, and even cut-up pictures of your soon-to-be-former love interest.

Talk about fun! I've been married for more than 17 years, have no plans to give dh the boot, and I still had a blast on this site!

Posted by L.C. at 09:31 AM | | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed under: General 40ish | Reviews

More News--What the Heck? Version

I just can't seem to get enough news lately. Check out these unusual stories:

1. When it comes to older women with younger men, I'm usually all for it. Like when Demi married Ashton, I was like "well he's not my type, but you go girl!" But when I read Couple, 33 and 104, reportedly marry, I must admit, I was a little freaked out.

2. I like zoos, I really do. But I don't think I'll be checking out the latest exhibit at this Chinese zoo, which you can read about in Shanghai Preparing for 'Human Zoo'. Can we just call this performance art instead of a Human Zoo? That would make me feel so much better.

3. A Missouri teacher got into some hot water over a writing assignment this week. I usually support innovative teaching, but when I read Reading, 'Riting — And Murder?, even I was a little shocked, and wondering what the hell was he thinking?.

4. Does anyone remember the movie Heathers? Because when I read this article--Teen Gets 12 Years for Poisoning Milk--that was all I could think about.

5. Okay, maybe the thought has crossed your mind. Your kid has a clueless, mean, or just plain awful teacher, and you fantasize about giving that teacher just a little flick on the head or a wedgie or something. Thank goodness most of us stop at the fantasy. Apparently the mom in this article--Woman jailed for beating daughter’s teacher--didn't stop at merely the thought of it. She assaulted her child's teacher in front of a class, and is now serving jail time.

Posted by L.C. at 08:01 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Filed under: News/Media/Studies

May 17, 2006

Newshound, at Your Service

Some interesting topics are in the news these days, so I thought I'd share some of the stories that have caught my eye:

1. Raising kids can be expensive? Really? You're kidding! USA Today reports that Parents of Teens Ride Waves of Expenses. So much for the idea of saving for retirement. Or perhaps, we could all just start saying "no" to some of the stuff society and the media tell us, and our kids, we simply can't do without.

2. You know how we were all kids once, and our parents took care of us? It's payback time. USA Today reports on the trend of parents moving in with their kids in this article: When Mom (or Dad) Moves In.

3. In my commuting-to-downtown-from-the-burbs days in metro Atlanta, I saw several incidents of road rage on the highways. But apparently, I should count myself as one of the lucky ones. This Yahoo News article, Miami Tops Auto Club List for Rude Drivers, says Atlantans are among the country's most courteous drivers.

4. We know blogs are important, and now the government knows too. ABC News recently reported, in The CIA Discovers the Blogosphere, that the government is keeping on eye on blogs to get "social perspectives" on important issues.

5. First our girls were falling behind in education. Recently, we heard our sons were falling behind, in all areas except technology. Now, we're hearing that our girls are pulling out ahead of the boys in technology, as well. In ABC New's Tech Revolution -- Girls Rule!, we hear that although boys were the early adopters when it came to techno-gizmos, girls have surpassed these early results in all technology areas other than computer and console games.

Posted by L.C. at 01:21 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Filed under: News/Media/Studies

May 14, 2006

Mother's Day and a Movie Review

capoteWhen I was 20 years old, I was in college and had just chosen my major--journalism. My parents were upset about it, because they believed I'd never be able to support myself on a journalist's salary, and they felt I was wasting tuition money chasing a silly dream. I worried too, and for a while considered changing my major to computer science engineering. I loved to write, but the confines of traditional journalism didn't fit me very well, as I learned in my first few news-writing courses and in my first job writing for an aggressive, award-winning, student-run newspaper. Then I met a professor named Ben (who later became my mentor, my dear friend, and my unwavering champion) and he introduced me to the works of Tom Wolfe and Truman Capote. I fell in love with Wolfe's The Right Stuff, but it was Capote's In Cold Blood that really helped me decide to continue to pursue a writing career. The book, quite literally, changed the course of my professional life.

Yesterday, I finally got around to watching the movie Capote. (I'm not sure what took me so long.) The film focuses on the years Capote spent writing In Cold Blood, and, by doing so, helped change the face of American journalism. He is one of the writers responsible for what we students in the 1980s called New Journalism, and what later came to be known as Creative Non-Fiction, and Literary Non-Fiction: non-fiction work that includes some traditional elements of fiction writing.

I have to say that as I watched this film, I was nothing short of mesmerized. I laid in my bed watching the movie alone, although I rarely watch movies in bed or alone. But I needed to be completely free from distractions to take it in. Philip Seymour Hoffman portrayed the flamboyantly gay and brilliant Capote, and I can't think of anyone else could have done it any better. The story followed Capote (writing for The New Yorker at the time) as he befriended the people in a small Kansas town where four members of a family were brutally murdered in 1959. Ultimately, Capote also befriended the killers, as he dissected the crime, their motives, and their lives, trying to explain what lead them to the sad, inexplicable day when the murders occurred. I was also quite taken with the portrayal of Capote's relationship with To Kill a Mockingbird author Harper Lee--Capote's dear friend and research assistant as he wrote the story. I'd known they were lifelong friends, but I never really understood the vital role she played in the writing of Capote's book.

So it was worth the wait. The movie was absolutely spectacular--deep, moving, complicated--and I loved it. But, of course, it was also Mother's Day! In addition to being left in peace for a couple of hours to watch the film, I got coffee in bed, some Estee Lauder perfume, and a book of poetry written by my son. My family also took me to an antique market and I picked out a vintage cameo bracelet. (I love antique jewelry, and had not added to my collection in a while.) I'd been looking for a 1940's cameo bracelet for a couple of years, and was happy that I finally found one that was in good shape and that I could actually afford. It was a fabulous Mother's Day. If you're a mom, I hope yours was great too!

Posted by L.C. at 07:51 PM | | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Filed under: General 40ish | Reviews

May 12, 2006

Fab Five Friday--Clothing Every Woman Needs

In light of my wardrobe difficulties this week, I decided to put together a list of five articles of clothing women should have in their closets. These items can get you through many a fashion emergency:

1. At least one pair of jeans you look fabulous in--Mine are mid-rise, dark, with a slight flare. I hear this style looks good on most women. Watch TLC's "What Not to Wear" for the best fashion tips.

2. One great dress or pant suit--If you make it a classic, like something from Talbots, it can work for job interviews, weddings, funerals, and other events you will likely have to attend at some point.

3. A fun skirt--For weekend shopping sprees, company picnics, vacation excursions, and other casual events, a cute skirt can't be beat. One fun, flirty skirt can turn you into a brand new woman the minute you put it on. Try a just-above-the-knee a-line, for a look that flatters many body types.

4. A nice pair of heels--Good shoes are always worth the splurge. I have some pairs that I have been wearing for years because they have a wonderful, classic style, and are well-made. Black pumps are a great choice for almost any woman, and you can wear them with jeans, dresses, and suits.

5. A crisp, white, button-up--Wear it with the jeans, suits, and skirts, by itself or with a cardigan, leather jacket, or wool vest. A white button-up never goes out of style. Add bold jewelry, a belt, or other accessories to create a new look every time you wear it. Just make sure to the shirt keep it really white, and replace it when it starts getting dingy.

Posted by L.C. at 09:10 AM | | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed under: Beauty/Fashion | Friday Fab Five | Meaningless Gab

May 11, 2006

I Knew It! I AM Glamourous!

A few weeks ago, I received an e-mail from a nice woman at Glam.com, asking if I'd like to be part of their network. I accepted, and now both of my sites are part of the Glam.com blog network! This was exciting because even before they contacted me, I was a big fan of the site.

Anyway, if you fancy yourself a glamourous chick, or just think you might want to be, please visit the site today. While you're there, check out my favorite areas:

Posted by L.C. at 04:38 PM | | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Filed under: Announcements

Wanna Be a Model? Here's Your Chance!

What images pop into your head when you think of models? Anorexic pixie-doll looking teenagers? Well, get ready, because More magazine--a fabulous publication for women over 40--is about to change your mind. The magazine has just announced that the More/Wilhelmina 40+ Model Search kicks off this August. Visit the link to read about past finalists and winners, and details of this year's contest. You might just come away thinking there's hope for the modeling industy yet.

Technorati :

Posted by L.C. at 10:31 AM | | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed under: Beauty/Fashion

May 10, 2006

Feeling Old? This Might Change Your Mind

Check out this article: World’s oldest person turns 128, from MSNBC. The El Salvadorian woman was born in 1878, has 13 children, 60 grandchildren, 80 great-grandchildren, and 25 great-great-grandchildren. And I thought being 41 and having two kids was tough sometimes. Talk about being humbled.

Posted by L.C. at 05:41 PM | | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed under: News/Media/Studies

Party Dress Saga Continues

dressI went to Ann Taylor Loft on Monday, fully intending to purchase the strapless dress my site visitors overwhelmingly voted for in my Help Me Select a Party Dress plea. Well of course, they didn't have my size. I mean, that would just have been too easy, wouldn't it? (Even if they'd had my size, it probably wouldn't have mattered. Read on to find out why.)

So I tried on other dresses. Actually, I tried on every dress in the store. Then I went to White House Black Market and tried on most of the dresses in that store. I found plenty of very pretty dresses, but NOTHING FIT ME!!! NOTHING!!! NADA!!! ZIP!!!

I've been looking at clothing these last two days--I mean really looking at clothing. And I wonder: who do they make this stuff for? Why do I have to get so much of the clothing I buy altered? Am I a freak of nature? Well, I don't think so, because I can't think of anyone I know that fits perfectly into a size. In my case, I am a size 0 petite, and I wouldn't dare sit here and complain about that because that would just make me the biggest bitch alive. But what makes me so crazy is that when you are as small as I am, the clothing available tells you that you are not supposed to have boobs. Well excuse me, I do. They aren't huge, but they are ever so slightly bigger than you would expect. So I have to go up to a 2 or, more typically, a 4 for dresses, so that my chest isn't all smashed. But I can't wear a 2 or 4 anywhere else, so I either have a smashed chest or a saggy waist and a bunch of puckering at the butt. Doesn't that sound attractive? I mean, can you imagine how incredibly hot I looked in these dresses?

After two hours, I decided to give up on dresses, because I don't have time to get anything altered. I will be underdressed for the event, which incidentally is this weekend not next weekend like I thought. I bought a very cool, drapy black top at White House Black Market and a cute, a-line skirt (black and white, with little sequins on it) at The Limited today. I'm wearing my pointy, high-heeled black pumps, and I'm going to whip up some jewelry between now and then to wear. (Betcha didn't know I make jewelry, huh? Okay maybe you did.)

I wish I could have worn the dress you all picked out. But thanks so much to all who voted!

Posted by L.C. at 09:21 AM | | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Filed under: Shopping

May 08, 2006

Teens Don't Get Enough Sleep? Who Knew?

Until about a month ago, it never failed. Almost every night after I'd go to bed, I'd hear a little tap, tap, tapping coming from the next room. I would get out of bed and swing open my teenager's bedroom door, and catch her red-handed, text messaging her boyfriend, or best friend, or both.

"It's time to go to bed. NOW," I'd say. "Oh right. Yeah. I was just...finishing...this one...message."

Enter, the 10:30 p.m. rule: no talking on the phone or text messaging after 10:30 p.m. on weeknights. She thought it sounded harsh, but dh and I thought it sounded lenient. So we've been giving it a try, and so far, so good. If she gets caught breaking the rule, I take the phone. For as long as I'd like. Bwahahaha. Mean mommy.

But you see, I'm not really mean, because I'm doing this because my daughter simply doesn't get enough sleep. And the other day, I found an article that was no surprise to me at all, about this very topic. According to this MSNBC article, titled: Drowsy teens dozing off at school, on the road:

America is raising a nation of sleep-deprived kids, with only 20 percent getting the recommended nine hours of shuteye on school nights and more than one in four reporting dozing off in class.

But what scared me even more than that was this line:

Many are arriving late to school because of oversleeping and others are driving drowsy, according to a poll released Tuesday by the National Sleep Foundation.

Where I live, there are TONS of teenagers driving--driving to school, driving to work, driving everywhere. So this trend pretty much terrifies me. And to make matters worse, my own teenager began driving by herself last month. So now, I have a whole new driving-related thing to freak out about.

Posted by L.C. at 10:00 AM | | Comments (7) | TrackBack
Filed under: News/Media/Studies | Parenting

May 05, 2006

Help Me Select a Party Dress--Please!!!

So dh comes home yesterday and says "we're going to a big association dinner and party in two weeks." And I'm like "woohoo! I get a new dress!" Then it hit me: I have to go find a new dress. As in, I have to either drive around and hit a bunch of stores and try stuff on, hoping that something fits and that I can afford what I want. Or I have to sit at my computer, find something that looks absolutely fabulous on my screen, and cross my fingers (hope, pray) that it fits and looks good when it arrives a week later.

Working from home has tons of benefits, and that's probably why I have done it for most of the past 16 years, except for two years in the middle when I went to work for my biggest corporate client. But one of the pitfalls is that I don't really have the need for nice clothing. I live in jeans, and while I do have some khakis and casual skirts for stuff like going to church, my closet looks more like the Gap than Nordstrom. This suits me just fine on most days, but when I need something very professional or even kind of dressy, I have to go buy it because I just don't own that kind of stuff.

So I found some dresses online and I need your help. Take a look at my list of links and tell me which one you like best. I know this is not fair because most of you don't know what would look good on me since you've never seen me. But hey, just tell me what you think is cute, okay? Some cost a bit more than I would normally spend on a dress, but I figure Mother's Day is coming, and I am prepared to plead my case to dh ("but this is your career honey"..."this is a very important event, don't you want me to look nice"...)

Okay, so here's the list:

A million thanks for your help!

Posted by L.C. at 08:28 AM | | Comments (8) | TrackBack
Filed under: Beauty/Fashion | Shopping