Journey on a Winding Road: Is it Self Inflicted?

This particular post has been rattling around in my brain for a very long while but today seems to be the day to let it out.

I did not leave the couch until noon today. That's right, sports fans. I curled up under two blankets with the dog and I dozed while my children watched cartoons. Bad Mommy!

The beds upstairs aren't made yet. The beds are always made by 9 am. Bad Mommy!

There are three loads of laundry that need to be folded and put away and there are probably three more that need to be washed. Bad Mommy!

There are still dishes from last night's dinner that haven't been washed. Bad Mommy!

The playroom is a total nightmare that is beginning to draw FEMA's attention and I haven't done a thing about it except say, "You guys promised Daddy that you would clean it up today so get to it." Oh yeah! I'm a real motivational speaker. Bad Mommy!

But there's where the problem is. Who is saying "Bad Mommy!"? Is it my mom? She's 600 miles away and has no clue what my house looks like right now. Is it my mother in law? She has never set foot in my house and you can bet your kiester if she ever did it wouldn't look like this! Is it my friends? My friends are working mothers who I talk to on the phone or they are online bloggy land and CM friends who again don't see my house.

So who is saying it? I am. That's the problem. No one expects me to be Super Mom. Except me. No one in my circle would judge me for taking a day off. Except me. So often I take my pride from what I got accomplished today. I did nine loads of laundry last Thursday, made cookies, shampooed the carpets, dusted all the furniture, cook a supreme dinner, scrubbed both bathrooms and had my children fed, bathed and polished before their father came home at 8 o'clock.

But let me have a day like today and I am done in. I get all blue because my house is cluttered (who cares?), and because I feel like I haven't done anything all day. But let me go back and tell you what I did while I was on the couch this morning.

I snuggled and played toe tag with Tucker. I played with Munch and her stuffed toys and made them talk to her. I played hide and seek with both of them - I was a really tough find! And I protected the dog from countless skull fracturing pounces.

I stopped being busy and I took four precious hours to be Mom. So when those blues at not "accomplishing" anything all day start to creep I need to remember that no one is asking me to do all that stuff. I am putting that on myself.

I think MckMama had a really great post last week (or maybe the week before) about Mom Guilt that all of us on this journey would do well to read and consider. We have to keep reminding ourselves that it's not about Quantity. It's about Quality!

The Final Countdown to CPSIA

What? You don't know what CPSIA is? Yeah well I didn't either so I'll help you out and share with you. CPSIA =Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. That sounds great doesn't it? Yay!! After that big lead scare last year it's about time something was done! Woo Hoo and Yippee!

Wrong. This is probably some of the most poorly written legislation ever. Here's what our friends at the Consumer Products Safety Commission have done. After the lead scare they got all tough and decided that the solution was to make sure that all products that were intended for use by children 12 and under be thoroughly tested for safe lead levels. Still a great idea, right? Sure until you see how they did it.

It's not enough for the ribbon manufacturers to test their product before they sell it. Now the people who buy that ribbon have to test it again when they put it into any product. They aren't changing the ribbon in anyway but they still have to test it before they can put it on the market.

Now if I buy a dress that has the manufacturer's ribbon on it not only am I paying more for the original manufacturer's testing (which he passed on to the seamstress) but now I'm going to pay for the seamstress's testing too. Guess what happened to my $12 dress from Target? It just jumped to $20.

Now let's look at cottage industry in America. There are home businesses that make art for the nursery, custom tees and onesies, bedding, hairbows and hairbow holders. Want to guess what the new law does to them? They too have to test their product for lead. And if it's a custom shop they can't just test one item out of a batch because they are making them to order. They have to test every individual piece. How long do you suppose they are going to be able to keep it up when they have to foot a $300 test for each item they produce?

So in a time when Americans are already out of work and money is already tight, not only are we going to shut down the American entrepreneur, but we are going to make that same entrepreneur pay more for all of their goods.

Now what started this whole thing? Oh yeah! It came from cheaply made imported goods. Hmmm. So instead of putting the testing on the folks who are importing goods and reselling them, we are going to put it on the manufacturers.

How about this instead. Let's bring some manufacturing jobs home. Convert those eyesores known as empty retail space that Mr. WalMart built and then abandoned for a bigger space right across the street into factories and sewing factories. Put American citizens back to work. And have a safe product created right here in a country that we need to take some pride in again.

Let's see Americans at work - positive; safe product for our children - positive; recycling buildings into something useful - positive; increase in American pride - positive. Anyone see a downside to this?

The CPSIA goes into effect on February 10th. Now the are three things we have going for us. First, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is underfunded and really has no chance of strictly enforcing this law but that doesn't mean people shouldn't follow the law anyway. Second, you can probably rack up some really great deals on Mom-made if you stalk Etsy in the next few weeks because it's going to be a real "Going Out of Business" sale. And finally, consignment shops and "resellers" don't have to test their products for lead content - they just have to make an effort to avoid things that are questionable. So you can still buy that antique wrought iron crib with the white lead paint that you were eyeing for the nursery - it came from a consignment shop.

We all know just how political I am but I promise that I've already sent my letters and e-mails to my state representatives. For the sake of American made could I ask you to do the same? This thing needs to be repealed, reassessed and completely rewritten.

Now Trisha over at MomDot has put a video together too so if you didn't understand my version of events maybe you'll get hers. Study this. Whether you are a home business or not it IS going to impact you. You are a consumer and if they can't pass the cost on through the actual items they are required to test (children's products), they will pass it on in everything else they make (Dad's t-shirts).

Slippery When Wet!

**So Karen was able to get that outer wall straightened out. Sooooo? Whatta ya think? She rocks right? I know!! I've been hearing a lot of banging over at The Zoo too so you might want to stay tuned. I wonder if she's going to make me set up a "monkee" exhibit while she's over there....**

So if you are popping by right now that means you have probably already noticed that The Bowl is undergoing a remodel. Well, there is obviously a little tweaking to be done and my FABULOSO designer Karen is on top of it. But she DOES have a life outside The Bowl (lucky girl!) so while she is managing her life, you'll all just have to be patient and watch your step. In the meantime you could pop over to her sites and share with her what a wonderful and fabulous person she is! I know I *Heart* her! Haul booty! (Her bathroom is probably cleaner than mine!)

Karen the Magnificent's home!
http://3garnetsn2sapphires.blogspot.com/

http://ABlogOfGoodies.com/ (Wanna win some great stuff? She has a great Romance party coming up on Thursday!)
http://abogdesigns.blogspot.com/ (Her design site where you can be as gorgeous as me!!)
http://www.sillymonkeez.com/ (Her awesome line of children's tees and totes!)

Mom in Chief

So I was cleaning the kids' bathroom this morning (you know what comes next, right?) and started thinking (you saw that one coming!). I remembered the 60 Minutes interview with Barak and Michelle Obama shortly after the election and it stood out to me that she claimed the "Mom in Chief" title.

Now when thoughts like this occur to me in the bathroom I immediately start to "brain blog" phrasing things out and "reading" in my head. How cool would it be if Michelle Obama - our First Lady and someone who I think is pretty darn down to earth and painfully intelligent (Harvard and Princeton grad) - would start a blog about being a mom in today's economy, environment, and in the White House?

Think about it. Just because her house is bigger doesn't mean she isn't impacted by the same things we are. In the same interview she noted that the girls weren't going to be off the hook on doing their chores and being responsible for their things. Even if they DO have a full staff at their disposal.

She is going to be impacted by the same laws we are. She is going to have to deal with behavior issues and school issues. She's going to have to teach the same lessons we are. I know that other first ladies have faced all of this but now that I'm a mom it's different for me. Now I notice. And now that I'm a blogger I get to see more perspectives in parenting than I have before now.

So all in favor of the Mom in Chief blog, please raise your hand! I'd read it (and I probably comment too - but with a lot of spell check)!

Wordless Wednesday - More Hope

In keeping with my blue theme and with my theme of hope on this very cold morning, I thought I would share a few more hopeful pictures!

On the right side of the yard.

And right off of the deck. If bluebirds really bring happiness, this is going to be a GREAT day!

Seriously! Who studies this stuff?!

But more importantly....WHY?!?! (I'm excerpting this article because of space and obnoxious writing style. You can read the whole thing for yourself here.)

Finger length may predict financial success

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID, AP Science Writer Randolph E. Schmid, Ap Science Writer – Mon Jan 12, 9:30 pm ET

WASHINGTON – The length of a man's ring finger may predict his success as a financial trader. Researchers at the University of Cambridge in England report that men with longer ring fingers, compared to their index fingers, tended to be more successful in the frantic high-frequency trading in the London financial district.

Indeed, the impact of biology on success was about equal to years of experience at the job, the team led by physiologist John M. Coates reports in Monday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The same ring-to-index finger ratio has previously been associated with success in competitive sports such as soccer and basketball, the researchers noted.
The length ratio between those two fingers is determined during the development of the fetus and the relatively longer ring finger indicates greater exposure to the male hormone androgen, the researchers noted.

***
In a separate study last year, Coates and colleagues reported that the hormone that drives male aggression and sexual interest also seemed able to boost short term success at finance.

They studied male financial traders in London, taking saliva samples in the morning and evening. They found that those with higher levels of testosterone in the morning were more likely to make an unusually big profit that day. Testosterone, best known as the male sex hormone, affects aggression, confidence and risk-taking.

In the new study, the researchers measured the right hands of 44 male stock traders who were engaged in a type of trade that involved rapid decision-making and quick physical reactions.

Over 20 months those with longer ring fingers compared to their index fingers made 11 times more money than those with the shortest ring fingers. Over the same time the most experienced traders made about 9 times more than the least experienced ones.

Looking only at experienced traders, the long-ring-finger folks earned 5 times more than those with short ring fingers.
___
On the Net:
PNAS: http://www.pnas.org

Please tell me that you saw that^! You saw the web address right? Is anyone else mildly amused by this? What blows me away is that someone got PAID to measure fingers and collect spit for this study. Because when one is searching for a career the first thing on their resume is "My ring finger is exceptionally long!"

For the love of Pete Cambridge! Cure cancer! Find more effective treatments for AIDS and cholera! Use your money to get clean water to Africa. Who gives a rip about the finger lengths of Brit traders?

For all of our technological advances we sure are a stupid bunch aren't we?

Welcome to Awards Season!

Are you as thrilled as I am? It's time to be catty and snub Ryan and be all snotty and uppity and mock other people's designers and hair and poor color choices. It's so exciting!!

And that's just over at the Dotties! That's right you red carpet stalkers! It's Dottie time! And while I stayed the cream filling in the Oreo last year when I was nominated for Class Clown...no bitterness remains (at least not much).

So IF you know of a really great blog (which of course you do!) that you think deserves the recognition of the Dottie pop over to MomDot and get to nominating! I promise I won't pull a Bjork if I win anything but I can't promise anything if I'm not even nominated.