My mid century kitchen

Smashing Cans Comes to iPod/iPad

 No matter how old your children get, there are always opportunities to be the proud momma. For example, when your oldest attains a PsyD, your middle child becomes a wonderful mother, and your youngest releases his first iPhone app. And of course as the proud momma you can't wait to brag to all your friends and blog readers. So, tonight let me take the chance to point you to "Smashing Cans," a fun, addictive new game for iPod and iPad!
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smashing-cans/id525475437?mt=8#

and on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SmashingCans

Teleseminar for Laughter Yoga Leaders

My latest Laughter Yoga column:  

http://www.examiner.com/article/good-news-and-bad-news-a-laughter-yoga-business-teleseminar

2012 Design Salary Infographic

Find design jobs and careers at HOW Design.

The Dragon Factory by Jonathan Maberry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another page-turner, this one deals with eugenics, old threats with new technology, and plenty of monsters, including the most frightening - the human. The mountains of gore and detailed description of fighting maneuvers are a bit too intense for me, however, the storyline keeps me reading, and I am already looking for the next one. I am not happy about all the outcomes, killing off the sole strong female broke my heart. I so wanted her to live and give us female readers someone to identify with. And the other thing that I didn't like ( and believe me, I've had this issue in my own books) was the high amount of errors - some of which really confused me. For example, in one instance, a character called Eighty-Two is suddenly referred to as Eighty-Six, making me think another clone had entered the storyline. Nonetheless, a fun read with some pretty heavy subtext.


View all my reviews

Note to TIME: Motherhood is a hard enough job

The June 2012 cover of TIME Magazine has accomplished its goal. It has elicited intense reactions and spawned editorials, Facebook and Twitter postings, and at least one parody on The Daily Show. The model has been roundly criticized for posing for the photo, especially since it includes her fully recognizable 3-yr old son. The hostile, challenging, headline,  “Are You Mom Enough?” is like an arrow to the heart of contemporary mothers.

I hate the fact that I am commenting on this cover, giving it even more exposure. But what I hate even more is the way this image disrespects all mothers, no matter what their parenting style. Yes, this mother is an advocate of prolonged nursing. Does this photo accurately portray how she regularly nurses her 3-year old?  I hope not. It appears to be nothing but a staged image, arranged to make both the mother and son look bizarre — and controversial. It reminds me of the videos of (you know who it was) allowing her son to eat directly out of her mouth. Both are disturbing and both are being used to sensationalize parenting trends that at worst, have yet to be proven effective (and might might actually be harmful), and at best, are not for everyone.

I hate that, whatever the article says about attachment parenting, this image will forever be associated with it. I hate that it will polarize mothers rather than bring them together for healthy discussion. And I hate, most of all, that more pressing issues, such as prenatal care for mothers without health insurance, child care for the working poor and the availability of jobs at salaries that can actually support families, are being overshadowed.

Motherhood is a hard enough job without this.

Motherhood Comes Full Circle

This year, Mother’s Day provides me with an extraordinary opportunity to look back at my life from a unique — and in many cultures — sacred, position.  From ancient goddess-based civilizations to new age consciousness-raising groups, the stages of a woman’s life have served as religious metaphor, reason for subjugation and the starting point of self-analysis. And while the stages, roles and paths of today’s women may have many more facets, the concept of Maiden, Mother, and Crone still holds relevance – especially on Mother’s Day. To me, these three ancient elements of womanhood translate into three elements of motherhood; my roles as Daughter, Mother and, now, Grandmother.

As a daughter, I grew up rejecting much of what my mother did, vowing to be “different.” My formative years were colored by my mother’s alcoholism, leading me to believe that once one becomes a mother, one loses all interest in the outside world and spends the rest of life regretting the past and ignoring the future. For me, it was to be a Maiden’s life forever — no marriage or children for me.

But marry I did, and not only had children, but had three is short succession. My new attitude was that by accepting the role of Mother, I would be the most involved,  and dedicated mother ever, and one who not only knew what was going on in the world, but participated in it, fully and intensely. It was perhaps my fierceness as Mother that contributed to the collapse of my role as Wife. But I shouldered my new Single Mother role with as much, if not more fierceness. As my children matured into adults, leaving the nest but not my heart, my role of Mother evolved into that of anchor and mentor.  I continued to learn and grow, not wanting to “go gentle in that dark night.” The concept of a wrinkled old Crone, no matter how wise, was not for me.

Now, as I embrace one grandchild, and wait for another later this year, I realize that the role of Grandmother sits on my head like a crown of diamonds. It honors me and honors my life, and all the roles I have played. It elevates me to matriarch, and I am humbled by that. My curiosity about the world and my desire to grow are still intact, and now I get to share it with another generation.