Dually Noted

November 23: Barb Noted

Barb — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:29:03 +0000

The other day, Lori sent me an article she cut out of the LA Times that she thought would be of interest to me. And she was right. I loved it. It made me smile. It made me nod my head in recognition of what it was talking about. It made me want to laminate it and carry it with me at all times so I could pull it out and show it to all the numskulls who make one of the most irritating comments when I tell them I’m childfree. I’m not sure Lori realized as she cut the piece out of the paper how close to home it would hit me, but I love the fact that I have a friend who knows me well enough to know when something is relevant and of interest to me in my life…and then is willing to take the time to send it to me.

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November 16: Barb Noted

Barb — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:29:59 +0000

Happy Birthday to Me!I celebrated my 38th birthday a couple of weeks ago. Or, as my husband likes to point out, I’m now in my 39th year (thanks, Love). Generally speaking, I’m not one to freak out about age. Anyone’s age. I truly see it as relative. But sometimes the body doesn’t lie and you end up feeling exactly as old as you are. That can be good or bad, depending on what you’re feeling, of course. One of the great pleasures I have in my life is being able to say, “I choose to be childfree.” This birthday made me realize that someday it will no longer be a choice. Someday, my body will make that decision for me. And then it becomes just a fact. In a blink of an eye (or a flip of the hormone switch) my statement, my proud declaration of a zero spawn count, goes from being one of empowerment to being one of clarification. And that bums me out.

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November 5th: Lori Noted

Lori — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:27:30 +0000

Obamanation

Whether you voted for him or not, last night America chose their next President, the 44th President of the United States. It’s no surprise that I’m happy about that choice, but what really makes me happy is that an unprecedented number of people actually showed up to vote, many for the first time in their lives. After years of being lulled to sleep by television and consumerism, this nation is finally waking up from our coma. With the economy suffering, not to mention health care, education, social security and a number of other issues, Obama brings a renewed energy and is calling on the citizens to take an active role in their government.

It’s about time, y’all…it’s about damn time.

November 5: Whatever Wednesdays

Barb — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:46:00 +0000

Sooner or later, we all quote our mothers.
- Bern Williams

Well, we won’t be quoting our mothers here today but we are sharing with you some quotes by other people that resonated with us recently.

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October 28th: Lori Noted

Lori — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 23:14:42 +0000

The Baby and the Bathwater

Nothing speaks louder about the difference in my life con bebe than my experience in the bathtub last night. And even though I love my little Matteo, I am not so thrilled about the impact he has made on my bathtub, or should I say, what used to be my bathtub.

Click here to read more of Lori’s Notes.

October 24: Barb Noted

Barb — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:34:59 +0000

Last month, I was in the unique position to have sandwiched some serious individual quality time with two of my closest friends, Heidi and Lori. One week I was doing Micromovement Monday (MM) with Lori, the next I was spending time in Minnesota with Heidi. A few weeks later I was with Heidi again in Savannah and upon my return spent another MM with Lori. If there ever was a time in my life where the differences between a childfree friend (CFF) and a friend with kids (FWK) was more evident, it was then.

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October 22: Whatever Wednesdays

Barb — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:34:48 +0000

It’s Whatever Wednesdays and we put together an interesting list of thought-provoking statements that forced us to look at the expectations we’ve carried around with us for most of our lives and how those expectations have been “more or less” challenged. We like to call it, “Reality Check.”

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October 21st: Lori Noted

Lori — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:04:03 +0000

The Invitation

I read this book by Oriah Mountain Dreamer years ago, and I loved it. Last night I was sitting on the couch, drinking my wine and checking my email, when I thought about it again. I flashed back to a line in The Invitation that hit me right between the eyes. I realized that I have read it a million times, but didn’t really know what was meant until I became a parent:

“It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.”

I’m not weary or bruised, and I don’t have much grief and despair, but I relate more than ever about getting up and doing what needs to be done to feed the children.

Click here to read more of Lori’s Notes.

October 15: Whatever Wednesdays

Barb — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:39:01 +0000

Paper magazines and newspapers are sooooo yesterday (unless you’re at the hair saloon, of course). Today we share with you our favorite websites and blogs.

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October 13th: Lori Noted

Lori — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:30:06 +0000

Keeping Up

As the calendar keeps moving further and further into the fourth quarter, I find myself trying harder and harder to keep up. I feel like I’m getting less done and doing everything half assed. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but the feeling sure sucks. One of my working mommy friends (there’s a new acronym for you Barb, WMFs) told me while I was pregnant that being a working mother meant feeling like you’re not doing either one very well. At the time I could relate to an extent, but now that I’m wrapping up my first year of motherhood, that notion is up front and center. If I can’t keep up after one year, where will I be in ten or twenty years? I try not to think about that, and for now I’m focusing on the remainder of this year. My goal is simply to keep up, and it has nothing to do with the Joneses.

Click here to read more from Lori’s Notes.