A laugh from the gut

I don't usually post stuff from other blogs, but somehow I came across a blog called "Stuff White People Like" and I believe I peed my pants several times. See, it kinda sucks in some ways to be white. Whereas there is pride in other demographic groups like African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, homosexuals, and so on, white people are reminded that they are about as cool as a naked old man covered in liver spots. Basically the caucasian demographic is seen by others as Mr. Burns on the Simpsons. So there is nothing cool to be proud of (and frankly, the only accomplishments white people can tout involve the persecution of others. You look cold, would you like a blanket? I'm sure it isn't covered in smallpox...)

So if you can't have pride in yourself, you should be able to laugh at your ridiculousness. It turns out that white people are terribly predictable and lame. Check out this blog:
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/

Whoever is writing this stuff is both hilariously witty and spot on (Andrea, if this ends up being you I will not be the least bit shocked). My favorite things that white people like:

Gentrification
Expensive Sandwiches
The Prius!!
Hip Hop Songs (the honorable mentions list is my iPod playlist...I swear)
Irony
Whole Foods
Apple Products
Arrested Development, both the show and the group
Knowing what's best for poor people
Standing still at concerts

My transformation into hippie magic

Sitting here watching my fave episode of Sesame Street - the Buckaneers. Where else can I get Abby Cadabby's "Words" song, Tina Fey and Chris Brown singing the catchiest song about signs to infect my brain. Big thanks for Elmo, because this week Dylan sang his ABC's all the way through by himself. I about crapped myself, it was as though he had written out the formula for curing cancer and put it in my lap. Sometimes he says "next time won't you sing with Elmo" since that's what his little ABC toy says. Makes me laugh.

Other than that, I'm faced with a moral dilemma. Jason and I have been fans of documentaries and I am suddenly carrying a burden of guilt (conscience?) because we learn a lot and don't do anything. What I'm talking about is environmental... we were watching "Six degrees could kill the world" or something close to that on either Discovery or Natl Geographic and they looked at how one cheeseburger from a fast food joint slaughters so much carbon. It was a reminder how much every little thing we consume has a long story behind it. The cheeseburger starts with a cow (slaughterhouses are aweful for the environment too!), grains are grown, etc and then all this stuff is transported via refrigerated vehicles long distances, paper wrappers, and so on. Really, the one cheeseburger put the Stepford Wives' SUV's to shame. This was on top of me reading Fast Food Nation last summer and knowing the awfulness that is a slaughterhouse and the patheticness that is the processed American menu. I can't believe I am saying it, but maybe I need to find ways to feed my family using natural local resources. When I opened my eyes to what all comes from China, I was astounded. My jar of Mandarin oranges, apples, shrimp, etc. They don't just ship us lead paint, peeps. If you think of how much it takes to ship all that here, it is sorta sad. Not to mention the chemicals, preservatives and such that I know must be responsible for my chronic migraines and such.

So I started looking at ways I could help. We recycle and we drive a Prius and that's nice, but it is nothing. Everytime I go to a store and get twenty plastic bags I cringe. Guess who is headed to the Target dollar spot for some of those vinyl bags? I think that will make me feel better. My friend and I had a big discussion on all of this and she told me about small markets in Houston where local farmers come in to sell meat without hormones and such and raw milk. Not sure if I am ready for raw milk, but meat that isn't put through radiation would be nice. I am happy to say we went organic with milk when Dylan started it, but my understanding is that organic is still a far cry from any natural form. And yes, I need to get my bum to the farmers' market for some pesticide free fruits and veggies from local farmers. Whenever I do go to market, I need to remember that rule that the only things I need to buy are along the outside of the grocery store, avoiding aisles. Do I think that benzoate sulfuric no 8 is something intended for the human body? Probably not.

Sorry for the hippie rant, but I was suddenly faced with the fact that I should make some changes for me and my family. If you get a chance to TiVo that documentary, do it. It is amazing that people can think global warming doesn't exist after you've seen that. Seeing why English wine production is doing better than French is fascinating...and was probably preventable if we weren't turning our planet into a hotbox. Rant complete.

** thanks to my super sis andrea who emailed me this link to a dude in nyc who is feeling my guilt and doing something: http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2007/02/the_no_impact_e.html

Throw you a bone...

I know everyone on the www is scratching their heads wondering what I've been up to...well, not much. I've been working on my campaign for mother-of-the-year by doing more with Dylan. I suddenly have the capacity to spontaneously go to the Children's Museum, play with other kids, etc and it has been a miracle. I think Dylan's liking it though.

Other than that, found this place that will print my Cumby for Prez shirts for a nominal fee: www.ElectMeTees.com and Jason got excited too. These guys have onesies and toddler sizes too, so it is on. Unfortunately it is for 2008 and I am ineligible to run because of age (among other minor issues) but I might as well get the buzz going. Here's the link to the foundation of my 2016 campaign, assuming we aren't sitting in a pile of rubble: http://brandyproductions.blogspot.com/2007/12/cumby-for-prez2016.html Personally, by then I think we're going all Grapes of Wrath and we're all going to be living out of our cars as we travel for work with the way the economy is going.

Andrea came in for her birthday celebration - Happy Birthday,Sis!! My brother tried his best to ruin the night by simply existing, but luckily we make him a source of laughter for us all. I never air his dirty laundry on my blog out of courtesy, but geez louise is it taking restraint these days. But as he hijacks every aspect of our lives, he has hijacked this paragraph. It was Andrea's birthday and we have a good ol time. My mom drank too much and had diahrea of the mouth, but it was otherwise fun chatting all around. We also had a yummy breakfast the next day (El Tiempo brunch = fab), the girls hit Ann Taylor Loft (I=broke) and met the boys at the bowling alley where they were doing rock and bowl at like noon on a Sunday. If you don't know rock and bowl, it is usually rock music, black lights and strobe lights with drunk and high teens wandering aimlessly around. On Sunday it is Hannah Montana videos, black lights, strobe lights, and little kids -- let's just say i don't think anyone dropped acid just to bowl there on a Sun morn like the traditional followers of rock and bowl. Here's a pic of Andrea, her girls (thanks for that shirt!) and Dylan (the hijacker of all candles burning):

Cleaning Up

Gotta do it...I cleaned up some of the links on the side. Some links were no longer working or were invitation only, so if I erased you and shouldn't have just let me know. I also added the new Dt members over at SO because I need to get to know them and what better way than to spy on them.

Congrats new members! I will use this as an excuse to post this fun pic:


Other than that, business as usual at the Cumby abode. Got a new treadmill that arrived this morning, think I decided to vote for Obama in March when voting takes place in Texas, and thinking I will need to go to Three Brothers Bakery this week for a King's cake...also, kudos to Jason for pushing the pacifier issue. Dylan was using them to sleep and Jason wanted to end it. Really was only one night of Hell, one night of semi-purgatory and no big deal since. So go Daddy!

This is a call...

Some of you may have read my earlier post "Overexposed" or whatever I called it. There I was contemplating the pros and cons about being online, sharing your life, blogs, mb's, etc. Sad to say, this week has led me to believe it's all a bad idea.

I get it. If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen. Duly noted. I've had my share of being judged openly and subversively and I'd like to think karma has taken care of some of those people (though they may call it something else). But I've watched people I like and care about get it bad this week and it makes me sad. More than one. What the hell? Some of it comes down to the hobby and the trolls that lurk boards giving hugs and then reposting your posts elsewhere to mock, some of it comes down to the people you know who are stalking you just to see if you might mention their name but all of it comes down to losers so obsessed with you that they watch your every move but claim you are the loser, that you are the one with something wrong with you. Trust me, you're the one with the low IQ and the loser life. I can almost understand doing this to people you know, but total strangers?! Effen pathetic.

I don't search my google analytics to see who is watching me. I look at the comments to see who might think I am going to hell and who has something funny to say, but I don't know who is lurking. If you are out there, just stalking me for giggles, for goodness sake check in on the comments. Just let me know if my self righteousness and godlessness are enough for you to character assassinate me all around the net, and if you are just waiting for the right time to strike. I like to be ready.

Filler material - tab down to name my okra...

Wow, when Rita of all people is telling me to write something, that's embarrassing. The thing is, I don't have that much to say. I could rant about some stupid comment I read about how some ladies are dissing Oprah for dissing her chicks to support a black man as though the election of a president should be based on criteria similar to prom king "is he cute?" "what kind of car does he drive?" etc. I typed a long response on the MB I saw it on that basically went back to my earlier post about how one should decide on the candidate (you know, issues). Geez.

Based on my previous post on keeping religion out of political debate and watching a certain candidate recently equate my really wonderful neighbors across the street with someone fornicating with a dog, I would like to introduce Who Would Jesus Elect? bracelets - I (for now) claim the copyright on WWJE bracelets (until someone reminds me that someone else already had the idea first). While I looked for those, I found this ad showing why Jesus' endorsement isn't good (his views on immigration, how universal salvation has stolen the jobs of many angels): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKI2C93T4CU

Please remember, I don't hate Christians and I don't judge any follower of any religions' belief system. What I do judge is people who try to impose their belief system on the masses who don't want it. Can you imagine trying to be a gay or lesbian in this country while idiots drive a bus around the nation try to rile up a crowd to take away your rights and to generally lament on the fact that you're burning in hell? "Geez, I just want to get married to my lesbian partner of ten years so I can be guaranteed health care, not be unfairly taxed when my partner dies, be allowed to make decisions about my partner's health if a tube needs to be pulled, be able to pretend that equality does exist in the US, and be able to not be a hot topic for discussion everytime there's an election." That's crazy talk. It's like being a kid and listening to your parents fight about what's wrong with you in the room next door. There's something wrong with me? Don't you know I can hear you?

I know. No one is nearly as interested when I babble about the state of the nation as they are when I post a picture of a cute child (usually my own) or talk about American Idol. I get that. Here's a token picture of me with a piece of okra that cam from Big Daddy's BBQ and magically has a face on it. I would like to think it is Jesus' so I could sell it on eBay, but cool things never happen to me. Sigh. Who do you think he looks like?

Showoff

Just thought I'd be one of those lame moms and announce all of my precious genius' accomplishments as of late...it was that, or give you a step-by-step inventory of the family drama and why I haven't had my New Years' good luck dinner yet (grrrrr...should get it Sunday though, hope that isn't too late)

Anyways, Dylan can (and constantly does):
* Count to 13 (where he just goes "turteen, turteen, turteen.")
* Identify his ABC's (and spell his name, which he won't perform for others often)
* Name the main colors (no ecru or bashful here, but blue, red, green is nice)
* Say "Mama" over. and over. and over. Hi Mama. over. and over. Mama. Mama. Hi Mama.
* Line tons of things up in the straightest lines ever. I've been told numerous times that it is a sign of autism. Thanks to all the optimists, like his life won't be hard enough simply having been born to me and Jason
* Says please and thank you
* Grow his hair super long, as everyone points out (and alludes to a mullet that ain't there)
* Sometimes hits Jason in his junk and makes me laugh and laugh and laugh.

Won't do:
* Potty train (will cure cancer with a poopie diaper)
* Vacuum and mop (and frankly that is why we had him)
* Sit down and eat a meal. He likes things on the go.

Here, have a pic until I come up with something more interesting to post...


Insane lining up of little toy horses on his surfboard:

One quick thought...

A two post day, I know. But I was taking the time to read some news that didn't involve Britney, Paris or Lohan and I was reading a little more about the death of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/28/bhutto.death/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Just thought it was wildly interesting that in an area of the world that we in the US associate with constant persecution of women, they can still bring forth this hero, the first female prime minister of any Islamic nation while we in the US sit on our high horses and declare ourselves the best. Sure they have a ways to go, but they aren't still debating whether they are ready for the first woman president. Sheesh, America. Get over it already. The rest of the world seems to...

**not endorsing anyone in particular, just the principle of the matter...

Holiday Chaos: the End is Near

Isn't that the best news of all? Your credit card can start to be paid down, you can stop insanely buying stuff just to have more stuff to give, and you can go back to being...normal. It is beautiful.

Some highlights from the celebrations:
* We got to see Will's school play on video over at the Cumberland's and snow from Vermont too
* Matthew came over to spread Christmas cheer and the common cold...mostly the common cold
* Christmas BBQ with Dad, Judy, etc
* Dylan's tool belt and hard hat over at KT's and Paul's, construction begins in January and he is ready to pitch in as needed
* Family pj night
* Christmas morning: I say "Hey, Dylan smells like poop." Jason points out the trail of poop that is falling out of the side of his pajama bottoms next to wrapped goods as he walks. We strip him down to find an insanely full diaper that has burst. Now that's Christmas cheer. I then take obligatory naked pics next to the tree and then get him into new pj's from under the tree.
* We appear to be celebrating Hanakkah. Dylan would get so interested in his gifts that he wanted to play, not keep unwrapping. There are still three gifts wrapped and ready for him, we are on day four of unwrapping them. Shalom.
* Size 3T scrubs embroidered with "Dr Cumberland" from Grandpa Jim. Best. Ever.
* Dylan decides to seize his bike handlebars and ride an imaginary bike around the room when it takes too long to put together his Fisher Price Smart Cycle. Hilarity ensued.
* Watching Shrek 3 five times in a row with Mom and Jim, Andrea and Chad, Dylan and Jason. Oh, and Bryan. How could I forget that?

I want to try and keep this short out of politeness to anyone who reads this, so I am limiting the pics to as few as possible...and yet still too many

Christmas cards (I still had a stack after this was done, so all the late senders didn't make it!)


Jason's dad's surprise from us - the photoshoot with the boys:


Will's surprise plate for his mom:


Carrier monkey that got me and my family sick (because why would my brother warn us?)


Men at work:


Family pajama day:


Lumps of coal:


Tears of joy:


Don't want no scrubs:

Cumby for Prez...2016

Watching "Meet the Press" on the TiVo and wondering why I put myself through this. I like to pay attention to politics because I think everybody really should, but I loathe the state of our nation. This pic fulfills its 1000 words and beyond:


James Madison: "Strongly guarded . . . is the separation between religion and government in the Constitution of the United States," Madison wrote, and he declared, "practical distinction between Religion and Civil Government is essential to the purity of both, and as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States."

Thomas Jefferson: "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."

Religion is an opinion and a personal one at that. The only political relevance is that you personally can worship however. I think it is ridiculous that presidential candidates give political speeches in churches across America, they should be in colleges, sports stadiums, other public places. I don't think it is right that as part of almost every debate these puppets yap about their beliefs in God and as such either gain or lose votes as a result. I think it is wrong that people judge Mitt Romney just because of his affiliation and focus the debate on whether Mormoms are religions. Debate that at after church Sunday coffee, let's keep our eyes on the prize.

Presidential Candidates, Lady and gents, please remember that this is really what the American people should base their decisions:

1. Public education is subpar - we need to do something.
2. There are too many people without health insurance - we need to do something.
3. Illegal immigrants - get them on the books, have them start paying taxes, amnesty on having been illegal since they are coming and signing in. End of story. Don't send them back and don't pretend that any American is in the mood to do the jobs they do. I do not want to pay to find them, pay to send them back, pay to block them from getting back in and pay to send them back again when they make their way back in. I am sick of my taxes paying for their children to go to school and use medical resources. Get them paying into the tax pool and let them be the Americans they want to be!
4. Abortion - leave it alone. If you don't want one, don't get one. It is a personal decision, so take it or leave it but mind your own business. Also, remember Baby Grace and her dead body floating in Galveston Bay in a Rubbermaid container? Take your pick - abused and murdered children or abortion because these people fighting this are doing nothing to protect or take care of all the kids in the system or in the homes of idiots like Baby Grace's mom.
5. Which leads me to the kiddos - gotta be a better way to watch and protect the kids of this nation. I mean, other than prepping the poor ones to join the army for college money to fight for oil.
6. Stem cell research - they are all over the place and they can help people. Get off your soapbox, stop talking about God's opinion on it. My understanding is that stem cells can come from a lot of places like cord blood, etc; furthermore, there are doctors fertilizing eggs in petri dishes in labs all over America and no, they do not all get used. Some are *gasp* unused and disposed of. I'd volunteer all the eggs I have left if it helped sufferers of Parkinson's,
7. Between 1996 and federal Fiscal Year 2006, Congress funneled over $1.5 billion dollars (through both federal and state matching funds) to abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Abstinence is pleasant but is not the full story. If the government wants to take action against teen pregnancy, kids need the full story. Pills and Condoms don't tempt kids to have sex - they have the films, music and other kids tempting them to do that. And some are. And some are getting pregnant. Give them real choices. And give me that $1.5 billion dollars so I can spend it much more wisely.
8. Iraq - write them a check and get out. We shouldn't have gone there and we shouldn't still be there. Things are getting no better there, but they are getting worse here. I would be much more concerned with the safety, education, public works etc in Post-Katrina New Orleans than Iraq. Don't fight for the freedom on non-Americans using American money until everything's working out on the homefront. That's common sense, babe.
9.Same sex marriage - separate is not equal. Remember black schools? How'd that work out? Look at civil unions that same way. Want to maintain the institute of marriage? Keep divorcing at a rate of 50%. Gays and lesbians aren't killing marriage, heteros are. If you take out everyone in the debate who is divorced, cheating on their spouse and so on, you will end up with a handful of nice Christian people who think gays are going to burn in hell and a group of gays and lesbians who are in love, want to live out the same dreams others do and deserve the same rights as any other loving couple such as benefits, etc. I'm going with the gays on that one.
10. Accept that America is not #1. If we were, we would not have abused, starving kids. We would not have veterans of war on street corners, they would be the true royalty of this nation and not Paris Effen Hilton. Patriotism is freedom of speech and true freedom is seen most vividly in dissent. No one would be debating whether they can afford to have health care or pay the mortgage. We would not hate on people simply for being different in any way. We need to be humble, admit our shortcomings and improve ourselves.

Everyone loves a tea party

...especially my son, it would seem. Last weekend we went to an amazing little birthday party for Dylan's cousin Danica who turned two. It was at this little kiddie boutique in the Heights called Olive Anne's, and proved that awesome children's parties can happen inside town. I had no idea what to expect, and we got there and were taken back to the girliest room ever - bright pink, feather boas at the door, dress up in the back and two of the barber chairs for hair styling. At first I wondered what all the adults and little boys were going to do with themselves, but I must have forgotten this is the Cumberland crew and this group always makes a fun time for themselves.

Basically, it was a combination free for all and structured play. You could go get your hair dyed and glittered, you could play dress up, you could eat and at the same time there were structured activities like building castles out of sugarcubes and icing, making foam crowns and of course the tea party! Here are some pics...

Mama Angela and the Birthday girl:


Will's Castle:


Very cute girl playing dress up:


Jason getting his hair did with Aunt Jeaneane:


and then with Will (matching, of course):


Adorable cake:


Wonderful tea (Dylan was the last man standing and pretty much had to be dragged away from the tea table):



And it ain't a party without dancing:




But Dylan was already dunzo:


And new faces --- finally got to meet Baby Troy who is not 15 months old (and probably lives 10 minutes from us...)


Anyways, sorry for the pic overload but I just thought this was the cutest party and I am thinking Shana needs to have Madeleine's birthday party here next...

Other than that, just gearing up for another busy weekend. I am having a much needed girls' night tonight and then Will is spending the night Saturday night before the big annual Cumberland Christmas party. Being part of that family is so cool, and I am excited to bring the Chicken Chipotle Salad -- love that stuff. Oh, and Dylan learned to say "fart" yesterday with his daddy, I thought I would die laughing. Happy weekend!!

Some observations...

Just some things that I feel like discussing with the masses:

* "Ask your Doctor if (insert drug here) is right for you." Really?! Because I thought the overpaid person who has kept me waiting for 45 minutes in a gown while they speak to sexy pharmaceutical reps with free food should tell me what is right for me on his or her own. I thought you came in with symptoms and the doctor in all his or her years of education and experience should tell me what is wrong and then prescribe accordingly. I do not understand advertising drugs. I mean, I like the attitude that Smiling Bob in the Enzyte commercials for ED. I don't know what ED entails, but I will go ahead and waste the two minutes I get of facetime with my doc to ask if Enzyte is right for me.

* Ikea is now charging .05 a bag if you want to actually bag the things you buy. Okay, fine. Yay for the environment and that isn't expensive or anything. But Ikea of all places?! Ikea publishes a bajillion catalogs every year and shoves them in every newspaper and mails them out as well. They then leave a pile of those tree chips at their door where people who probably already got it one of the other two ways pick another copy up. Splendid. Though their website has improved as far as things to view on the website, far as I can see I cannot find the full catalog. If you really care about the environment, put the catalog online and stop printing all those things up. I won't even start about the practically disposable nature of their bookshelves and other particle board goodness...

* other than that, nothing odd to point out about the universe. Christmas shopping is going well, I have a tree up but I can't decide it I want some sort of garland-y option so I am at a standstill. This weekend is Jim's birthday, so I'm excited to see Andrea and the crew. Have a great weekend...

Back to the Superficial!!! Give thanks...

Because you know that's where I like to be...just the easy peasy superficial which is actually the best part of life.

Thanksgiving is this week!!!! I am so excited to be pigging out, I love the fact that every food can be covered in cream and cheese and be made into a casserole. I love the macaroni and cheese that my mom has been making since I was a little kid. I am sad that we never get to go see our Louisiana family on Thankgiving anymore, but I love seeing Chad and Andrea instead. I prefer Charlie Brown Thanksgiving over Charlie Brown Christmas. I love that the sun goes down on Thanksgiving and the colors of the world are brown and orange and when the sun comes up on Friday morning the only colors anyone sees is red and green. Heck, I already set the TiVo for Mickey's Christmas Carol (obviously, Mickey Mouse's take on the Dickens tale). If I play my cards right (ha ha, pun), I will have all my Christmas cards out Friday morning. Other things I am looking forward to this week: a little more alone time with my sweet kiddo, seeing Jason again, maybe seeing Dad, def eating and playing with Mom, Jim, Andrea and Chad (and Mom and Jim's gigantic new TV, hello Thanksgiving Day parade!), Jalepeno Sausage Cheese bread in Hillje, another Thanksgiving meal with Jason's parents and grandmother and more games, finishing a book and maybe starting another, playing with Photoshop when I have no internet this weekend, what else?

Then I can start thinking about what I love about the Christmas season. Don't get me wrong, I think buying gifts for grown ass adults who are capable of buying their own gifts is insane, but that doesn't mean the whole deal is lost on me. There's always Claymation Christmas, watching Dylan figure it all out, ghetto mall Santas and neighborhoods with Christmas lights. Everyone have a great Thanksgiving!!

Overexposed...

** Thanks for all the emails and pm's of support I am getting on this. I feel like I am beating a dead horse here, so hopefully I can get back to superficial chat after this! **

I'd be lying if I said being all over the online community didn't bring me some sort of joy and new relationships. I loved meeting all the BYOM girls in Chicago last weekend (and I plan to see them all again, that's definite). I love that Rita is in our life just because she and Heather connected on KNK (way before I thought it was okay to meet internet people in person, but a lot has happened since then for me to think it was okay. Like Rita. Like my mom meeting and marrying Jim. And so on.)

That said, I am starting to feel like maybe putting myself out there is exposing more than I want to. I started on KNK and that was simple. Then I joined several DT's and am involved in those communities. A couple things happened in the last weeks that made me rethink it all...

ScrapFaith... I know what I signed up for with that and I convinced myself I was supposed to do it because everything fell into place the way it did. I have tougher skin than many and I don't know how hard Emilie would have had to search to find another agnostic or, gasp, an athiest. So I am the agnostic and it would seem that since I didn't pick a religion to attach myself to, I am thus unattached and have a void that needs to be filled. I've debated this, talked to others and decided that this needs to be said for me to be true to myself (even if I am already so over talking about this!):

I have no void and I did not join that team to find some answer. I have my answer and I am only out there representing my experience because no one else is. It has always seemed like the scrapbooking industry heavily leans towards Christianity, with an occassional nod to our Jewish friends with Hannukah or Rosh Hashana. No one has been out there saying, "Yeah I don't know" and that was the role it seems I am to play. Please don't think I mean "Yeah I don't know, please lead me to the way" because that isn't it. I think that the truths of the universe are way beyond the human mind and we can only grasp as much as we can. I mean, I can hardly handle college level Calculus and yet all the truths of the universe are supposedly within my reach within some four walls? Personally, I can't commit to that. I am proud to say that I don't have all the answers, but I do have some. The answers I have I share with billions of other people of hundreds of faith. I think you have to do your best to be the best human you can, because really that is all you can do. I think you have to be a good person and live an honest lifestyle. I think you should do good and give of yourself. I will never be a Christian because I simply cannot commit to certain vital principles of that faith, and that's okay. Do I believe in God? That's tricky. Cognitively I know it is so naive to believe that whatever complex being created DNA, amoebas, cancer, peace, feces, sunshine and terrestrial life is sitting around, as Bill Maher puts it oh-so-eloquently "To act like my daddy in the sky" and listen to my hopes and prayers, but it feels good so I do it. I don't pray daily but I will bust out the emergency god when someone is sick or when I am scared or when I simply need strength and hope and that is okay because I say it is. God or no god, your call. What you think is what you think and it is just as okay too. It's all good as long as you're trying to be good...

Anyone who wandered over from ScrapFaith or is itching to show me a way...Please do not contact me to make a case for your answer or your faith. I am genuinely happy that you have found something that makes you content and fulfilled, but this is not up for debate. That site is there to show that women of whatever spiritual life can coexist, respect each other and see the similarities that exist for us all and I am not going to make myself feel like I need to listen to the arguments of others just because my position is so different from everyone else's. You simply can't respect my standing and then follow up with a "but consider this..." because it makes your show of respect an empty gesture. I say this with love and because I need to stand up for myself.

That was the heavy stuff, the personal stuff that has made me want to shut my laptop and my mouth. The other stuff that made me rethink my online involvement... superficial drama. I get sucked into it and it makes me feel ick. I wish I had never heard the words "HOF gate" or "See you on the River" because of how awful I started to see other people and myself. I dabbled in some drama on another board on behalf of a bestie and found myself trying to set someone straight who, while very much needing to be set straight by someone, probably didn't need it from a total stranger like me. That person led several of us to a couple boards which are capable of manifesting the most bitter hatred between strangers. I feel like I've ruined it all for myself, I liked it when I thought we were all there to love and support each other and I need to pretend that no world exists outside of BYOM, SO, AC Bailey, RSC and Scrapfaith. I've made a conscious decision to go back to that place.

Next debate: How do I separate scrapbooking my life and scrapbooking being my life? I am working on less scrapping, less MB drama and more reading (and when I've read enough, more writing). It feels like this must have been a predictable SAHM pitfall, creating a person other than "Dylan's Mom" by trying to be Ms. Scrappin-all-over-the-frickin Place, but I should focus on balance and all that goodness. Tune in to hear how that goes, but I will be finishing my first book since making that decision (Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann) in the next day and that already feels sadly momentous...

Happy Halloween!!

Monkeying around worked out slightly better than last year's dragon and infinetly more than the lion the first year, but only because Dylan was a little more impressed by the whole deal this year. I won't say that he "got it" but he enjoyed parts of his costume, ate candy and cried on the way home. I made caramel apples like a good housewife, despite the fact that Dylan did not nap, and it would seem, is working naps out of his schedule. Funny, the rate at which his naps decrease moves at the exact same rate as my desire to go get a job. Half-kidding. Anyways, here's the magic...







If you have too much time on your hands, feel free to check out the huge Flickr upload... http://flickr.com/photos/qcumberland/sets/72157602822258550/

Life, today.

I had a crappy day and I don't really want to discuss it. Let's just say there is a layout forming in my head titled "The Wisdom to know the Difference" and on one side is a pic of me with the caption "The things I can" and a pic of another certain person outside of my inner circle with the caption "The thing I cannot change." That tells pretty much the whole story right there, minus frustration, tears and screaming.

So what better to do that blog about BS?! Love it! Did you notice I decorated my blog for Halloween? It is pretty cool. The different elements come from several digi kits like the iron gate on the banner (Rustiron kit from www.jennilyndesigns.com), papers (Anna in the Fiesta kit from Oscrap, I believe, as well as most everything else from Jan Crowley's Macabre kit (Oscrap?) Anyways, I will make it more autumn next week but this is cute for now.

We went to the beach this weekend and stayed at a beach house Karen and Paul (in-laws) rented. I relaxed a lot and learned a whole lot about digi but there were too many people (Granny and Paul's parents also stayed there, and there were only two bedrooms and then foldouts in the living room) and too early of bedtimes (9:15 one night, no kidding). But there were some cute pics to be had and by Monday night a cold front came through and we had cool weather. We waited for over an hour and a half in said cold weather in the car for the ferry Monday night to leave and that really sucked, but I liked the trip overall. Some pics to leave you with:

(the ocean almost looks pretty here -- this is after the storm with the tide way out and the water eerily calm)

(I learned to play Rummy Tiles with everyone and I really liked it)

(relaxing)

(Granny and Karen laughing at Paul)

(Dylan's corny new "cheese" face)

(the closest I got the ocean was using my zoom lens on the deck for this shot!)

Other than that, nada much going on here. I would like to try and scrap now to sorta chill out, but we will see. See, blogging did make me feel calmer. Serenity now!

Yayayayayayayayayayayayay!!!!

I just got an email from Scrapbooking Trends saying they want to put my "Don't know why" LO in their March 2008 issue!!!! Too bad it is a million years from now, but hurray! I suspect I will be among good company for that issue too...pretty sure I am not the first to toot. (**EDITED - HEATHER'S IN THERE TOO!!!**)

I actually deleted it the one place I had posted it in the first place, but here's my graphic for galleries in case I need it in the future...



I've never been much for submitting in the past and I can't remember why I did this one but it is a very good feeling and I will totally try again in the future. Oh yeah, and it is 8 1/2 by 11 -- who knew that was the format for me?

Checking in...

and with nothing much to say. Stuff we've done lately:

- The Dexter Season Premiere promotion: I think they chose like 16 cities and filled their fountains with faux blood. I went to the wrong fountain at first, but then the family went to the right one. If you haven't watched Dexter, you are truly missing out. Season 1 is out on DVD and while you are catching up on Showtime goodness, check out Season 1 and 2 of Weeds, also awesome.


- Going big boy: Posted these on Simply Obsessed, but we did put together Dylan's big boy bed and he has been a pro at sleeping in it. He doesn't realize he can get out of it himself in the morning, so he just yells "Hello? Mama? Dada? Helloooo?" until someone comes



- Preparing for autumn: Went to the pumpkin patch this weekend with Mary, Richard and Will and shooed in the fall season by posing for pics in the pumpkins and taking a hayride. My favorite is the last one because while Dylan is on a pumpkin, you can see the Christmas season sneaking up behind him, both figuratively and literally.




And finally, to all the ridiculous people who are organizing to burn issues of CK - you are lame. You are sad and jealous and if you were named HOF tomorrow, you would be singing a different tune. What is saddest is that all those stereotypes of ridiculous, crazy women are being fulfilled on MB's all over right now. I've always liked this craft because the focus was on the good things in life and on building relationships of fun and support with other women, and what has come out of that whole debacle is the complete opposite of that. Please stop. If you entered the HOF contest, I understand your frustration and you are given a two minute pass to complain. And the two minutes are up...

Rained out

All the anticipation over the craft fair and I know everyone wants to know how it went...let's just say the whole thing was a bust, but I say that with wet hair and a smile. Started at 11 and it was nasty overcast, but the hope was that the weather would pick up and the people would show...that didn't get a chance to happen. Around 1:30 or 2 it started thundering, but it was sort of a hostage situation to try and get out since cars weren't allowed in the area. At some point, the heavens let loose and it poured insanely. We tried to get everything under the tent, and under tables but it was flooding and nuts. I suspect quite a bit of my stuff was ruined since paper + water = pulp, but that's the way it goes sometimes. Here are some pics from the day -- Shana's bibs and burp cloths were absolutely amazing. We're bringing all the surviving stuff to a mama craft fair at the end of the month, and that should be a lot more promising (no fee and indoors!) I made just enough to cover my half of the booth and a couple of bottles of water, so that's that!





That last one isn't New Orleans post-Katrina, that's this afternoon in the Heights!!!