you mean it's not all about the kids?

thank god for this!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6960127/site/newsweek/

old article ... but time to put down the guilt about mommy's having their own lives. we wonder why kids never grow up and are self-centered and expect everything to be handed to them. maybe it's because we cater to them completely for fear of being labeled a 'bad mom.' we grew up without those things and (i like to think) are doing better than this next generation.

-s

it's hot out

that says 96

gram's black face

a week after falling on her face ... ouch. at least she didn't break anything

RJ loves his bomb

vanilla ice cream bomb rolled in crushed oreos, topped with hot fudge and whipped cream. what's not to love???

advice for every woman

ya, a reprint of a mass email that gets sent around, but i like it.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a feeling of control over her destiny.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without; ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of he r hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...
but its over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone...
even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
or a charming inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she can and can't accomplish in a day...
a month...
and a year...

are yard sale's dead?

yesterday we participated in the annual neighborhood yard sale. 23 families in the neighborhood participated.

i had been boxing up things for a yard sale for 2 years. took friday off to label and prep everything. and spent yesterday in the sun.

if you count the lunch i bought for me and rj, i lost $7. it was $5 to participate in the sale (bought balloons, ads in the local paper, and signage). i spent $8 on the labels. and $14 on lunch. and i barely got rid of anything. people were looking for crazy deals. and old man from the senior center played deaf when he gave me $2 for his $7 total. seemed like lots of people were looking for the .50 item they could resell on ebay for $100. i may be lazy, but i'm not that lazy! i was incredibly disappointed.

i remember my parents making money on their yard sales. i hadn't expected thousands. but i had hoped for $100-$200. never expected to LOSE money to get rid of stuff. next time i will just donate to charity since i'm calling the salvation army to get rid of most of the rest of the stuff anyway. there are a few pieces worth trying on craig's list and ebay.

has craig's list and ebay effectively rendered yard sales obsolete? are yard sales still effective in other areas? what do you need to do for a successful yard sale?

-s

stealing music is now a national security issue?

http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9719339-7.html

i particularly like the comments i've seen that suggest we should all get high, shoot up and rob a bank and then just use the stolen money to buy the software and music - our sentences will be lighter ;) i'm all for protecting IP ... but this is getting a bit ridiculous. jail terms for stealing a $300 piece of software like microsoft windows? you'd be lucky to be pursued if you stole $300 cash from someone without causing any other problems. :)

i don't advocate stealing. even digital stealing. i've switched to freeware opensource programs where it was reasonable and stayed with legally purchased software (MS money and MS vista) where there isn't something equally as good out there. (and that's impressive considering how much MS Vista sucks! yes, LINUX is taking over the world ... but, despite being a 'puter geek, i don't work as efficiently in LINUX as windows yet ... maybe i'll buy a mac next time ... hahahaha!)

-s