Karin Mitchell's Blog, page 2
March 29, 2019
Mars & His Tooth Fairy Part III
Mars lost a front tooth. This is what he wrote to his tooth fairy.
Dear Tobias,
I have been waiting to chat and I was wondering if your house was on earth. I am interested in your height because I think that it is so cool to lear about. I was also wondering what Gomez's* tooth fairy is named. Do you know how my friend Damien is doing?
*(my little brother)
Also, do tooth fairies have families or are they multiples of Queen Toothiana queen of the tooth fairy armies? As always, it is a joy to have you here at our house and talk to you. But all good things always come to an end. Until next time & bye!
-Mars
P.S. Who is Donald Trump's tooth fairy?
What his tooth fairy wrote back:
Dearest Mars,Front teeth are momentous and so I’m thrilled to come and fetch yours this night! You asked how large I am and that answer is not a simple one as it depends on which dimension I inhabit. I live on earth, yes, but it is as though time and space wrinkles apart for an instant to alert me when you have lost a tooth so that I may slip between worlds to come to yours and retrieve it. When I slide through, my body becomes the precise size necessary to carry the tooth and letter away, no bigger. But I think I am smaller here in my world and that if you could see me, I’d be about the size of your pinky nail. There’s no way to confirm this, of course.And what of me? Well, I have busied myself of late with guiding the dartfrogs’ eruption from their eggs. I hasten the process and protect them from would-be predators until their poison is ready to do the defending and their feet are ready for hopping. When they lay glossy and helpless, I watch over them.You asked of family. Fairies are formed inside geodes. Each time a child pretends especially hard, with a meandering purpose and a strong vision, a crystal forms inside a rock. The force of pretending bursts through time and space and splits a section of rock, forming a small crystal. The more pretending, the more fairies. When we are born from geodes very close to one another or at near the same time, we feel closer perhaps to one another. Perhaps we’re more like you and your friend Damien, so closely connected, so joyfully bonded that we are forever specially related. All fairies feel this way though. We adore playing and being together.I cannot tell you much of other fairies as there is a final special bond between a fairy and his or her human that forms for the first time at the instant when a child loses his or her first tooth. I couldn’t possibly tell you of Gavin’s fairy as he hasn’t lost his first tooth yet. These things are unique and one never can tell just what will happen until it does.Magnus, you are growing into a fine boy, strong, tall, and determined. Until next time, I can’t wait to see what you’re up to by then!With love,Tobias Hawthorne Gigglefoot VonRassmusson, III
Dear Tobias,
I have been waiting to chat and I was wondering if your house was on earth. I am interested in your height because I think that it is so cool to lear about. I was also wondering what Gomez's* tooth fairy is named. Do you know how my friend Damien is doing?
*(my little brother)
Also, do tooth fairies have families or are they multiples of Queen Toothiana queen of the tooth fairy armies? As always, it is a joy to have you here at our house and talk to you. But all good things always come to an end. Until next time & bye!
-Mars
P.S. Who is Donald Trump's tooth fairy?
What his tooth fairy wrote back:
Dearest Mars,Front teeth are momentous and so I’m thrilled to come and fetch yours this night! You asked how large I am and that answer is not a simple one as it depends on which dimension I inhabit. I live on earth, yes, but it is as though time and space wrinkles apart for an instant to alert me when you have lost a tooth so that I may slip between worlds to come to yours and retrieve it. When I slide through, my body becomes the precise size necessary to carry the tooth and letter away, no bigger. But I think I am smaller here in my world and that if you could see me, I’d be about the size of your pinky nail. There’s no way to confirm this, of course.And what of me? Well, I have busied myself of late with guiding the dartfrogs’ eruption from their eggs. I hasten the process and protect them from would-be predators until their poison is ready to do the defending and their feet are ready for hopping. When they lay glossy and helpless, I watch over them.You asked of family. Fairies are formed inside geodes. Each time a child pretends especially hard, with a meandering purpose and a strong vision, a crystal forms inside a rock. The force of pretending bursts through time and space and splits a section of rock, forming a small crystal. The more pretending, the more fairies. When we are born from geodes very close to one another or at near the same time, we feel closer perhaps to one another. Perhaps we’re more like you and your friend Damien, so closely connected, so joyfully bonded that we are forever specially related. All fairies feel this way though. We adore playing and being together.I cannot tell you much of other fairies as there is a final special bond between a fairy and his or her human that forms for the first time at the instant when a child loses his or her first tooth. I couldn’t possibly tell you of Gavin’s fairy as he hasn’t lost his first tooth yet. These things are unique and one never can tell just what will happen until it does.Magnus, you are growing into a fine boy, strong, tall, and determined. Until next time, I can’t wait to see what you’re up to by then!With love,Tobias Hawthorne Gigglefoot VonRassmusson, III
November 7, 2018
The fun with Mars' tooth fairy continues! He wrote back t...
The fun with Mars' tooth fairy continues! He wrote back to his fairy and chose what habit he wanted to get rid of. He chose sneakiness so this was his letter.
Dearest Mars, It’s been some time since I last collected a tooth at your house. I’m ever so pleased to come tonight to collect this one. You chose wisely the bad habit you are casting off. The tooth will help but it will be an effort for you as well. As the new tooth grows in, may you spend your efforts away from sneakiness as you said. Except Spy League, a little sneaking for Spy League is okay, I think. If the rules did not prevent our interacting directly, I should fly to you immediately and be in your Spy League. It sounds like ever so much fun.It seems you have grown in your climbing. Why, you shan’t need to fly like I do, when you can climb like that! There is a last and sudden heatwave this year that is setting the dart frogs alight on their feet. They jump so high that we know they are about to rest. The heat is a farce. It will not last. The rainy season shall be upon us in no time. The frogs will expend the last of their energies jumping, then lay their eggs in the earth and rest until they hatch. And I will hang my hammock under the toadstools and play my bassolier and read. And before I know it, the rains will clear and there will be frog song for days. Thank you for your letter. I cherish such gifts.
Love,Tobias Hawthorne Gigglefoot VonRassmusson, III
Dearest Mars, It’s been some time since I last collected a tooth at your house. I’m ever so pleased to come tonight to collect this one. You chose wisely the bad habit you are casting off. The tooth will help but it will be an effort for you as well. As the new tooth grows in, may you spend your efforts away from sneakiness as you said. Except Spy League, a little sneaking for Spy League is okay, I think. If the rules did not prevent our interacting directly, I should fly to you immediately and be in your Spy League. It sounds like ever so much fun.It seems you have grown in your climbing. Why, you shan’t need to fly like I do, when you can climb like that! There is a last and sudden heatwave this year that is setting the dart frogs alight on their feet. They jump so high that we know they are about to rest. The heat is a farce. It will not last. The rainy season shall be upon us in no time. The frogs will expend the last of their energies jumping, then lay their eggs in the earth and rest until they hatch. And I will hang my hammock under the toadstools and play my bassolier and read. And before I know it, the rains will clear and there will be frog song for days. Thank you for your letter. I cherish such gifts.
Love,Tobias Hawthorne Gigglefoot VonRassmusson, III
September 4, 2018
Birthday party "theme"
At breakfast we were discussing a problem with my son's upcoming birthday party. The plan had been to have the kids sleep in a pop-up camper but there's been a bear in our neighborhood lately attacking the trashcans, so I'm having visions of children needing to go to the bathroom and running into a bear. Or a bear attacking the camper with me and six eight-year-olds and what on earth am I going to do exactly? So we're thinking we'll have the kids sleep in the house. But of course Mars wants a different option and so brings up how he and all the other eight year olds could just have knives to defend themselves. This is obviously both stupid and inadequate but he needs proof to be dissuaded.
This turned to a conversation about a bear attack Rob knew of where a man decided he was a bear whisperer and he and his girlfriend would "train" bears. He'd supposedly figured out how to read the bear's signals or some such stupidity that made a massive aggressive animal not ready to murder him. You can see where this is going. There was an audio recording. The man recorded himself and his girlfriend being eaten by the bear. I realized the conversation had taken a slightly terrifying turn and was like, "perhaps I should change the subject."
So I started talking about Mars's fortnite themed birthday party. I brought up the pinata.
And Gomez goes, "maybe we could get a bear eating a child pinata!"
This turned to a conversation about a bear attack Rob knew of where a man decided he was a bear whisperer and he and his girlfriend would "train" bears. He'd supposedly figured out how to read the bear's signals or some such stupidity that made a massive aggressive animal not ready to murder him. You can see where this is going. There was an audio recording. The man recorded himself and his girlfriend being eaten by the bear. I realized the conversation had taken a slightly terrifying turn and was like, "perhaps I should change the subject."
So I started talking about Mars's fortnite themed birthday party. I brought up the pinata.
And Gomez goes, "maybe we could get a bear eating a child pinata!"
August 21, 2018
7 Park Scavenger Hunt
I have had a major parenting win in the Fun department. Yesterday I was feeling stressed about not wanting to spend money but wanting to take the kids to do something fun. I put unnecessary stress on myself about money and the kids. They don't need fancy expensive outings. We had just as much fun yesterday as we've ever had in a day.
Here's what we did.
We set a goal of how many parks we wanted to go to. Seven. (Admittedly, this was too many and in the middle of the afternoon we ended up coming home to take a break and read and took a short nap so we didn't finish the list until 8 p.m.)
The kids had to do their morning routine list before leaving and they had to be helpful with getting out the door by packing up and fetching items we needed. They were so excited about the seven parks in one day that they gladly worked on filling water bottles and getting things out of the fridge and cupboard for snacks. We mostly got through the morning without incident which is amazing. Mornings can feel like a wackamole task-list where as soon as I walk away to put my clothes on, they fight over who gets to use the sink for toothbrushing or I get them started on eating and go to brush my teeth and they drag toys to the table and forget to eat. But it went smoothly. There was only like one time when one of them punched the other in the face. We got out the door relatively early.
I came up with a scavenger hunt for them to complete and we headed off. Here's the list.
1. Meet kids with first names that start with 3 different letters.
2. Pick out a colored pencil without peeking and find something that color. Draw it.
3. Learn about three plants you notice (I used my phone and told them about it and at the end of the day they had to tell me the names of each plant they learned about and tidbit about it.)
4. Climb a tree (not too high.)
5. Try new monkey bars.
6. Try going backwards on the monkey bars.
7. Hang upside down. This was my favorite and yielded lots of laughs. My older son loves hanging upside down and my younger one decided to drop to his hands and flip over. This led to my older son wanting to try the trick and about 20 minutes of hanging and flipping and laughing.
8. Picnic in three different locations.
9. Go down 5 different slides or 1 slide 5 times.
10. Spot 3 wildflowers.
11. Spot 3 bees. (We did a substitution here because I forgot and a really nice kid we met at one of the parks shared his kite and so we did fly a kite instead.)
12. Go to 7 parks in 1 day!
Finish the list for a PRIZE! (Prize was over snack at bedtime that they each got to pick an ebook off of Amazon to read on the Kindle.)
We're all tired today but it was a very successful and fun last day of summer vacation for us.
Here's what we did.
We set a goal of how many parks we wanted to go to. Seven. (Admittedly, this was too many and in the middle of the afternoon we ended up coming home to take a break and read and took a short nap so we didn't finish the list until 8 p.m.)
The kids had to do their morning routine list before leaving and they had to be helpful with getting out the door by packing up and fetching items we needed. They were so excited about the seven parks in one day that they gladly worked on filling water bottles and getting things out of the fridge and cupboard for snacks. We mostly got through the morning without incident which is amazing. Mornings can feel like a wackamole task-list where as soon as I walk away to put my clothes on, they fight over who gets to use the sink for toothbrushing or I get them started on eating and go to brush my teeth and they drag toys to the table and forget to eat. But it went smoothly. There was only like one time when one of them punched the other in the face. We got out the door relatively early.
I came up with a scavenger hunt for them to complete and we headed off. Here's the list.
1. Meet kids with first names that start with 3 different letters.
2. Pick out a colored pencil without peeking and find something that color. Draw it.
3. Learn about three plants you notice (I used my phone and told them about it and at the end of the day they had to tell me the names of each plant they learned about and tidbit about it.)
4. Climb a tree (not too high.)
5. Try new monkey bars.
6. Try going backwards on the monkey bars.
7. Hang upside down. This was my favorite and yielded lots of laughs. My older son loves hanging upside down and my younger one decided to drop to his hands and flip over. This led to my older son wanting to try the trick and about 20 minutes of hanging and flipping and laughing.
8. Picnic in three different locations.
9. Go down 5 different slides or 1 slide 5 times.
10. Spot 3 wildflowers.
11. Spot 3 bees. (We did a substitution here because I forgot and a really nice kid we met at one of the parks shared his kite and so we did fly a kite instead.)
12. Go to 7 parks in 1 day!
Finish the list for a PRIZE! (Prize was over snack at bedtime that they each got to pick an ebook off of Amazon to read on the Kindle.)
We're all tired today but it was a very successful and fun last day of summer vacation for us.
August 15, 2018
Tobias Hawthorne Gigglefoot VonRassmusson, III
Mars lost his first tooth just before turning 8. He put his tooth in an envelop, wrote his fairy a note letting her know his tooth still needed the blood cleaned off and saying "hi." He received a $2 bill a $5 bill and this note.
Dearest Mars the Magic,I am your toothfairy, Tobias. I live under the Toadstool Forest in the hem of a gooseberry in faraway Gnufflefoxen off the tip of Hintermusselheim. I’m known for my ability to add twinkle to stars and freckles to noses. I play the psenobassolier which is a tiny horn made by poison dart frogs. When I play the frogs leap a whole extra 10 feet in the air and land on their own gigglefeet which is how they survive such lengthy falls. I’ve waited precisely the right amount of time to introduce myself which I’m quite proud of especially due to the fact that waiting is such a difficult affair. Well worth the wait for your maturity as evidenced by your first lost tooth, I’m so very excited to collect it and leave you this extra special gift. It won’t always be so much money but since the initial tooth marks the passage of a unique milestone, you get extra. You are now ready to grow up a little extra. Here’s the skinny on the toothfairy business. With the loss of each tooth, you have an opportunity to cast off one mistake or bad habit of your youth. I collect it inside the tooth and in grows the new habit with the new adult tooth. But you must set the intention to rid yourself of something and only certain things can be lost, like teeth. Your parents can guide you some in your choice of what to cast aside.I’ve watched you a long time now and know how you’ve grown to be so strong and courageous over time. I’m glad to be your fairy and watch you grow bigger.
Do keep landing on your gigglefeet (though you shan’t jump 10 extra feet,) and I’ll be back soon for the next tooth.
Love,Tobias Hawthorne Gigglefoot VonRassmusson, III
He then spent twenty minutes this morning looking at photos of fairies on nanny cams. This is a blast!
March 5, 2018
6 Reasons to Bring Your Kids to Political Events
I'm preparing myself to take my kids to a political caucus tomorrow night. My main purpose in going is to support Jared Polis's bid to gain the nomination for Colorado's governor. Ugh, this sounds so dry for kids, I can barely type it.
I usually don't take my kids anywhere they can't just be kids and I personally have a really tough time getting overstimulated and really cranky in crowds. Loud, lots of people? Oh man...we don't do those either. But I'm going to buck up and take them to this.
Why? It can't be that I look forward to screaming at them to go to the car after the caucus when they're wired on whatever other people handed them and overtired when it's past their bedtimes. Nope. It's because it's important.
1. It spurs great substantive conversation.
I took my kids to protest the Muslim ban with a friend who is a lawyer. An immigration lawyer. They learned a lot that day about the people who care for their friends from other countries. They learned about people in their lives who are immigrants.
On the way to the Women's March, we had conversations about the wage gap and the lack of women in leadership. We talked about Black Lives Matter and the police violence problem in black communities they're familiar with like St. Louis.
They want to jump to how bad our president is, but I want them to understand our world in greater complexity. I want them to ask why black people get shot. And their response to these issues sometimes reminds me of what's right. Like when my son lead the crowds in Show me what democracy looks like chants at the Women's march and when my five year old said "what do you mean, the president thinks you can touch people's privates?" Their reaction was so simple and pure. It deepened my convictions.
2. They see me care deeply about something and DO something about it.
My kids know that I care about their education. I ask about what they're learning and support activities that teach things. I teach them math and piano. They see me do something about their education. But they're not the whole world.
They need to see that I care about other things too and that I DO something about the things that matter to me like gun control and police violence.
3. They see other people care and argue and participate in the process.
Ideas don't happen in a vacuum and they aren't just happening in our household. Sure we talk about all kinds of stuff at home, but so do other families. So do elderly people. So do 18-year-olds. And ocassionally, we get together in a building and have discussions with strangers about these things. Sometimes one of these strangers teaches me something new. Sometimes another person changes my mind. It's a valuable process and they get to see it and interact with it in person/
4. They, CHILDREN, are seen.
It's important that we not just stand at rallies and conventions with the idea of "the world our children will inherit" but to see them in the flesh before us. It's important as we talk about gun violence to see that there are children listening. We can communicate with our actions how important they are. We need to see them when we talk about the environment to be reminded of the repercussions of our actions and how those impacts last and WHO they last for.
5. They can be heard.
Most of my friends are other parents. They're used to talking with their own kids and hearing from kids about what matters to them and what they think and what they're learning and doing. But for other adults who no longer have kids in their home or never did, they need reminding and they often like to hear and think about things from a kids' perspective. This is a lovely chance for my kids to speak up about what matters to them.
6. They become Active Citizens.
They will learn to use their ears and their processes to form opinions and platforms. They will learn that other people care about what matters and have hope and take action. They will have the idea planted that you take information forth and VOTE and ACT as they become adults. I'm raising citizens and they'll actively participate.
And isn't that my job as a mom? I think so.
I usually don't take my kids anywhere they can't just be kids and I personally have a really tough time getting overstimulated and really cranky in crowds. Loud, lots of people? Oh man...we don't do those either. But I'm going to buck up and take them to this.
Why? It can't be that I look forward to screaming at them to go to the car after the caucus when they're wired on whatever other people handed them and overtired when it's past their bedtimes. Nope. It's because it's important.
6 Reasons to Bring Your Kids to Political Events
1. It spurs great substantive conversation.
I took my kids to protest the Muslim ban with a friend who is a lawyer. An immigration lawyer. They learned a lot that day about the people who care for their friends from other countries. They learned about people in their lives who are immigrants.
On the way to the Women's March, we had conversations about the wage gap and the lack of women in leadership. We talked about Black Lives Matter and the police violence problem in black communities they're familiar with like St. Louis.
They want to jump to how bad our president is, but I want them to understand our world in greater complexity. I want them to ask why black people get shot. And their response to these issues sometimes reminds me of what's right. Like when my son lead the crowds in Show me what democracy looks like chants at the Women's march and when my five year old said "what do you mean, the president thinks you can touch people's privates?" Their reaction was so simple and pure. It deepened my convictions.
2. They see me care deeply about something and DO something about it.
My kids know that I care about their education. I ask about what they're learning and support activities that teach things. I teach them math and piano. They see me do something about their education. But they're not the whole world.
They need to see that I care about other things too and that I DO something about the things that matter to me like gun control and police violence.
3. They see other people care and argue and participate in the process.
Ideas don't happen in a vacuum and they aren't just happening in our household. Sure we talk about all kinds of stuff at home, but so do other families. So do elderly people. So do 18-year-olds. And ocassionally, we get together in a building and have discussions with strangers about these things. Sometimes one of these strangers teaches me something new. Sometimes another person changes my mind. It's a valuable process and they get to see it and interact with it in person/
4. They, CHILDREN, are seen.
It's important that we not just stand at rallies and conventions with the idea of "the world our children will inherit" but to see them in the flesh before us. It's important as we talk about gun violence to see that there are children listening. We can communicate with our actions how important they are. We need to see them when we talk about the environment to be reminded of the repercussions of our actions and how those impacts last and WHO they last for.
5. They can be heard.
Most of my friends are other parents. They're used to talking with their own kids and hearing from kids about what matters to them and what they think and what they're learning and doing. But for other adults who no longer have kids in their home or never did, they need reminding and they often like to hear and think about things from a kids' perspective. This is a lovely chance for my kids to speak up about what matters to them.
6. They become Active Citizens.
They will learn to use their ears and their processes to form opinions and platforms. They will learn that other people care about what matters and have hope and take action. They will have the idea planted that you take information forth and VOTE and ACT as they become adults. I'm raising citizens and they'll actively participate.
And isn't that my job as a mom? I think so.
January 19, 2018
The Ministry of Butts
My kids love Harry Potter. And I mean, love. They've gotten to a familial level of love. I knew it when I heard Gomez say he would take seriously "The Ministry of Butts and Defense Against the Dark Farts."
Because when you reach the potty talk level of familiarity, that's when you've gotten all the way to my kids' core.
Because when you reach the potty talk level of familiarity, that's when you've gotten all the way to my kids' core.
November 28, 2017
An empty gift wrapped box
I listened to my son tell me he'd seen a video where a family wrapped an empty box because they couldn't afford presents. He was worried that would be us this year. His worries are not without basis. The credit cards are maxed with my surgery and awaiting reimbursement from insurance. There's a deductible that won't be reimbursed. There have been so, so many unexpected expenses this year. So there's just a lot we have to say no to. And that brings me shame at first if I'm honest.
No, you can't go ice skating.
No, we can't order from the fundraiser.
No, we can't go out to breakfast.
No, you can't have fill-in-the-blank.
And the shame is there. I feel embarrassed by all the things we can't do.
But then I think of all the memoirs I've read about people with tenacity and I know, in those stories, there were lean times. At lean times like these, the protagonist digs in. She saves for what's needed, does what's needed. The people in her life and the goal are what matter. She stays focused on those things, and is on top eventually.
I'm already on top. My kids have a great life. We talked about that. They will get to ski and ride bikes and swim. They have friends and family. We can go to the grocery store and buy any kind of fruit we want, any grain, any meat. I told him that 100 years ago, a Christmas orange was a real treat. We can, on the spot, listen to any song we want. I couldn't do that when I was a kid. It's a great time to be a human being.
In case you're worried, there will be presents. I bought a few things before any of this and I've got tricks up my sleeve. I'll pull quarters from all over and tape them to a roll of paper and take them to a pinball machine. They'll get presents from grandparents and it'll all be more than enough.
So I also told him not to worry, that there would be plenty of presents but that even if someday there weren't presents, we'd still have an awesome Christmas. I told him, we have all the important things.
And we really do. We have great people and love and health and a beautiful place to live.
It is Colorado gives day. This year, I can't donate. Maybe you can't either and that's ok. But if you can, there are women who are not safe, who need a place, who need help. There are people who don't have$50 for paying for stocking stuffers and there are those who do.
Consider donating
https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/Advo...
No, you can't go ice skating.
No, we can't order from the fundraiser.
No, we can't go out to breakfast.
No, you can't have fill-in-the-blank.
And the shame is there. I feel embarrassed by all the things we can't do.
But then I think of all the memoirs I've read about people with tenacity and I know, in those stories, there were lean times. At lean times like these, the protagonist digs in. She saves for what's needed, does what's needed. The people in her life and the goal are what matter. She stays focused on those things, and is on top eventually.
I'm already on top. My kids have a great life. We talked about that. They will get to ski and ride bikes and swim. They have friends and family. We can go to the grocery store and buy any kind of fruit we want, any grain, any meat. I told him that 100 years ago, a Christmas orange was a real treat. We can, on the spot, listen to any song we want. I couldn't do that when I was a kid. It's a great time to be a human being.
In case you're worried, there will be presents. I bought a few things before any of this and I've got tricks up my sleeve. I'll pull quarters from all over and tape them to a roll of paper and take them to a pinball machine. They'll get presents from grandparents and it'll all be more than enough.
So I also told him not to worry, that there would be plenty of presents but that even if someday there weren't presents, we'd still have an awesome Christmas. I told him, we have all the important things.
And we really do. We have great people and love and health and a beautiful place to live.
It is Colorado gives day. This year, I can't donate. Maybe you can't either and that's ok. But if you can, there are women who are not safe, who need a place, who need help. There are people who don't have$50 for paying for stocking stuffers and there are those who do.
Consider donating
https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/Advo...
November 2, 2017
My Own Kooky Mom
My mom moved to Colorado to be closer when I had my first baby. She moved here to help take care of him in time for my husband and I to go back to work. She retired in order to do this and loved her career as a veterinarian. I thought she'd keep working some part time but in the end, she decided she was ready to let her career go.
Except, she still holds on as a kooky animal person. She has 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 7 chickens. She has had as many as 9 chickens. Having a cluck of chickens isn't that odd, it's more the way she has hers.
When one of her chickens was attacked by a dog, she ran into the yard upset with Scarlet O'Hara-like intensity.
via GIPHY
The chicken was terribly wounded. But my mother did not give up. Instead, she slept with the chicken inside her shirt with a water bottle.
Did I mention the chicken had a broken neck?
Well, it healed. Crooked.
The chicken's name is Sandy. But I call her Gobbles.
via GIPHY
My mom does not appreciate my naming her beloved saved chicken Gobbles.
Sandy/Gobbles has been the best egg producer of the cluck. But the other bitches are jealous. They peck at her.
My mother is always upset at the injustice of the other chickens pecking at Gobbles. She rushes to her defense, swoops her up in her arms and kisses her. I'm not kidding.
My mother's church, a progressive Lutheran church filled with retirees, does a blessing of the animals every year. This year, my mother gave Gobbles a bath and brought her to church.
She just stopped by my house to tell me that one, she'd lost her phone which is why she just stopped by instead of calling, and two, Sandy/Gobbles is sick, her beak is hurt. She thinks the other chickens pecked it. Gobbles isn't eating. My mother is very upset about this. I want to be sympathetic but I just keep looking at her and going, "it's a chicken."
Meanwhile my mom still brings me eggs even though I'm a heartless asshole. She's gone home to forcefeed Gobbles in hopes that she returns to health.
If you think I'm weird, I'm just saying, I came by it honestly.
Except, she still holds on as a kooky animal person. She has 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 7 chickens. She has had as many as 9 chickens. Having a cluck of chickens isn't that odd, it's more the way she has hers.
When one of her chickens was attacked by a dog, she ran into the yard upset with Scarlet O'Hara-like intensity.
via GIPHY
The chicken was terribly wounded. But my mother did not give up. Instead, she slept with the chicken inside her shirt with a water bottle.
Did I mention the chicken had a broken neck?
Well, it healed. Crooked.
The chicken's name is Sandy. But I call her Gobbles.
via GIPHY
My mom does not appreciate my naming her beloved saved chicken Gobbles.
Sandy/Gobbles has been the best egg producer of the cluck. But the other bitches are jealous. They peck at her.
My mother is always upset at the injustice of the other chickens pecking at Gobbles. She rushes to her defense, swoops her up in her arms and kisses her. I'm not kidding.
My mother's church, a progressive Lutheran church filled with retirees, does a blessing of the animals every year. This year, my mother gave Gobbles a bath and brought her to church.
She just stopped by my house to tell me that one, she'd lost her phone which is why she just stopped by instead of calling, and two, Sandy/Gobbles is sick, her beak is hurt. She thinks the other chickens pecked it. Gobbles isn't eating. My mother is very upset about this. I want to be sympathetic but I just keep looking at her and going, "it's a chicken."
Meanwhile my mom still brings me eggs even though I'm a heartless asshole. She's gone home to forcefeed Gobbles in hopes that she returns to health.
If you think I'm weird, I'm just saying, I came by it honestly.
November 1, 2017
Insecure Writers Support Group
I just joined a group called Insecure Writers Support Group. We're supposed to post monthly about writing. I don't write much about writing, in part because I find that loop a little loony-making. Writing about writing aboutwritingaboutwriting. And in part because I find it a vanity exercise that writers seem to think that the entire world is so interested in the life of writers when, in truth, I find it a trope. So many other professions are far more interesting to me.
But I need to talk about insecurity. I'm driven to be honest and writing and parenting and insecurity all play into one another in my daily life.
Lately, I've had parenting moments where I felt like I've finally gotten it right. Where we've finally conquered my yelling problem, their compliance problem, and we're about to skate off into perfect family land. And isn't it lovely there? I can see it out of the corner of my eye.
I'm a successful writer there. I'm giving piano lessons to my seven year old. My five year old is reading. We laugh like mad while skiing on the weekends.
And truly things are good. But insecurity is very real and it crops up on a daily basis for me and I suspect for most everyone.
I had a bad moment the other day with the kids on the way to shuffle kids around so I could go support a rape victim at trial. I felt really bad and confessed my insecurity to my friend who was going with me. I was in the wrong with the kids. Just when I thought I had it all down. Lunches packed. Everyone dressed, teeth brushed, nails clipped, in the car, dinner in a crockpot cooking. I was just about to win the game of life for that day.
But because I was right there with my friend and confessed my screw up, we commiserated and I moved on. When my son was upset about it later in the day, it was easier for me to be the adult and not let guilt and my own feelings run the show. It helped to admit my minor struggle.
And I need to do the same with writing. I need to admit that on a near daily basis, I hide that I'm a writer because my work doesn't pay our bills. I don't proudly announce what I do often because I'm embarassed at my lack of financial success at it to this point.
I'm currently taking a break from my longer writing projects in order to focus on writing related things that seem more likely to bring in actual dollars to our home and which will then finance marketing and advertising that will help my books make money. I'm working on some of the more businessy things like courting reviewers.
None of these are the sexy, splashy, life-of-a-writer things I thought of when I read John Irving and thought if I just wrote a good book, I could running and figure out how to write more books. But they're what I'm doing.
We are scraping by on our bills so that I can keep at this thing. I'm committed. I've gotten good reviews in this week. But I feel insecure in writing sometimes. And if I fess up to that happening, I can be the adult who lets it pass, says it's okay to move on, and gets back to work.
But I need to talk about insecurity. I'm driven to be honest and writing and parenting and insecurity all play into one another in my daily life.
Lately, I've had parenting moments where I felt like I've finally gotten it right. Where we've finally conquered my yelling problem, their compliance problem, and we're about to skate off into perfect family land. And isn't it lovely there? I can see it out of the corner of my eye.
I'm a successful writer there. I'm giving piano lessons to my seven year old. My five year old is reading. We laugh like mad while skiing on the weekends.
And truly things are good. But insecurity is very real and it crops up on a daily basis for me and I suspect for most everyone.
I had a bad moment the other day with the kids on the way to shuffle kids around so I could go support a rape victim at trial. I felt really bad and confessed my insecurity to my friend who was going with me. I was in the wrong with the kids. Just when I thought I had it all down. Lunches packed. Everyone dressed, teeth brushed, nails clipped, in the car, dinner in a crockpot cooking. I was just about to win the game of life for that day.
But because I was right there with my friend and confessed my screw up, we commiserated and I moved on. When my son was upset about it later in the day, it was easier for me to be the adult and not let guilt and my own feelings run the show. It helped to admit my minor struggle.
And I need to do the same with writing. I need to admit that on a near daily basis, I hide that I'm a writer because my work doesn't pay our bills. I don't proudly announce what I do often because I'm embarassed at my lack of financial success at it to this point.
I'm currently taking a break from my longer writing projects in order to focus on writing related things that seem more likely to bring in actual dollars to our home and which will then finance marketing and advertising that will help my books make money. I'm working on some of the more businessy things like courting reviewers.
None of these are the sexy, splashy, life-of-a-writer things I thought of when I read John Irving and thought if I just wrote a good book, I could running and figure out how to write more books. But they're what I'm doing.
We are scraping by on our bills so that I can keep at this thing. I'm committed. I've gotten good reviews in this week. But I feel insecure in writing sometimes. And if I fess up to that happening, I can be the adult who lets it pass, says it's okay to move on, and gets back to work.
