The Chase is On

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Growing So Fast

Chase continues to amaze and surprise us. She loves art, painting, drawing, and glitter G-L-U-E. She enjoys, but gets frustrated by, puzzles. She loves her nesting boxes, and will spend about a half hour nesting and un-nesting them.

She can't seem to get enough stickers, so you can imagine my joy when I came across books that come with magnets - they're awesome.

Dog Park

So we have been taking Taggart to the dog park. Every day. For the past four days. And I have to say I have noticed a major difference in him. He is no longer the hyper, needy, second-toddler in the house. No. He's now the mellow (exhausted) pooch who lounges about while we go about our business.

It's a beautiful thing.

Methinks We Are All Getting Sick

Crumbs.

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Maternal Profiling Info Thanks To MomsRising

Maternal Profiling was recently reported on as one of the new buzzwords of 2007 in the New York Times (and members of MomsRising were credited with introducing this term into our national consciousness!). They defined it as:

"Employment discrimination against a woman who has, or will have, children. The term has been popularized by members of MomsRising, an advocacy group promoting the rights of mothers in the workplace."

SPREAD THE WORD: Join us in our New Year's resolution to help stamp out Maternal Profiling. Share this term with friends and family by forwarding this email (or by using our easy online tell-a-friend system @ http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/tellafriend.jsp?tell_a_friend_KEY=2295. You can also read about how others experience Maternal Profiling on our blog, and if you're so moved, share your story of Maternal Profiling at the end of the blog as well.

*Click here to read more about Maternal Profiling, including how it impacts you & comment on our blog: http://www.momsrising.org/node/710

This new phrase is powerful because it brings forward a shared experience--helping to frame national understanding of the causes of and solutions to discrimination against mothers. Sexual harassment is a phrase which helped spark major legislative and cultural changes. Widespread use of the phrase "Maternal Profiling" can similarly help spark major changes.

And major changes are needed. One recent study found that mothers are 79% less likely to be hired than non-mothers with equal resumes and job experiences. Mothers also face discrimination in their paychecks: Women without children make 90 cents to a man's dollar, but mothers make only 73 cents to a man's dollar, and single mothers make about 60 cents to a man's dollar. Working together, we can stamp out Maternal Profiling and make our nation more truly family-friendly.

NEED AN EXCITING CONVERSATION STARTER? Use this Pop Quiz as a conversation starter, and as an easy way to share the term with friends (You can test friends over coffee, see if friends can make their own wacky definitions, and try it out on relatives). The more people who understand and use the word, the faster we'll be able to stop the practice. Let's get rid of it!

Have a very Happy New Year!

- Mary, Cooper, Kristin, Joan, Nanette, Donna, Anita, Katie

-------So what is Maternal Profiling really? And is it happening to you and your friends?------

Sadly, the answer to the second question is, yes, if you're a mother in America, then Maternal Profiling has likely happened to you. Maternal Profiling is a significant and shared problem which negatively impacts vast numbers of women in our nation, particularly since a full 82% of American women become mothers by the time they are forty-four years old. And, the workplace impacts of Maternal Profiling are jaw dropping, especially given that three-quarters of American mothers are now in the labor force.

In fact, the American Journal of Sociology recently reported a study which found that mothers are 79% less likely to be hired than non-mothers with equal resumes and job experiences. (Sadly, that wasn't a typo. The study really found that mothers are 79% less likely to be hired.)

Mothers also face steep wage hits and unequal wages for equal work. One study found that, with the exact same resume and qualifications, mothers are offered an average of $11,000 LESS than non-mothers for the same upper-level positions. Another study found that women without children make 90 cents to a man's dollar, but mothers make only 73 cents to a man's dollar, and single mothers make about 60 cents to a man's dollar.

Fortunately, we know how to narrow these wage gaps and how to stop Maternal Profiling. Countries with family-friendly policies in place--such as paid family leave after the birth of a child and subsidized childcare--don't have the same degree of maternal wage hits as we do here. That's one of the reasons why MomsRising is fighting for family-friendly policies, as well as for laws that protect mothers and other caregivers from discrimination in the workplace. Cultural change is another way to help stop Maternal Profiling: The more people who become aware of what are often subconscious discriminatory actions, the less often those discriminatory actions will happen. So it's important that as many people as possible learn about the widespread practice of Maternal Profiling.

*Take a moment to help spread the word (literally!) to friends and family by forwarding them our Pop Quiz.

P.S. Don't forget to get more details about Maternal Profiling and share your experiences at the end of that blog by clicking here: http://www.momsrising.org/node/710

P.P.S. Read the recent New York Times article which includes Maternal Profiling and MomsRising here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/weekinreview/23buzzwords.html

Friday, January 04, 2008

Must Have

Consumerism has been on my mind as of late.

Maybe it's because we just had a big influx of gifts (thanks Santa). Maybe it's because Hubs and I lived on so little (two duffel bags each) for four years. Or maybe it's because we now we have more STUFF then we know what to do with.

And I don't mean to go all Angelina Jolie, but after living in China, it's hard not to look at the way we live and the things we consume differently.

After seeing the pollution and poverty first hand (it easy to blame the Chinese, when in fact much of it is caused thanks to American demand for more inexpensive crap than you can shake a stick at) and getting to know the Chinese people and culture (both of which I love), I feel so conflicted.

It's hard not to want more - always. It's hard not to want the newest this and the newest that. Why can't we just be happy with what we have?

UGH. I just feel all caught-up in -- and disgusted with -- consumerism at the moment.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

WORST MOVIE EVER

Otherwise known as "I am Legend."
(Warning: Spoilers ahead)

Let me tell you why.

1) It's about Zombies
2) Will Smith watches his wife and daughter die
3) Will Smith has to kill his own dog
4) It's about viral diseases that spread out of control
5) Will Smith has to kill his own dog
6) Will Smith kills himself in the end
7) Will Smith has to kill his own dog

And so we went to this movie, on our "date night" -- and I came away wanting to build a bunker somewhere remote that is completely self-sustaining.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

About New Year Resolutions

So I was listening to NPR as I mulled over my New Year resolutions this morning. I was about to jot down a couple, but then an interview with Beth Lisick, author of Helping Me Help Myself, "One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone" stopped me before I could put pen to paper.

Beth, the author, spent an entire year trying to be a better person. She studied under ten self-help gurus - including Richard Simmons, Franklin Covey and Deepak Chopra. After spending countless hours (not to mention dollars), she came away with a better understanding of herself, but she didn't sound as if she really became a better person. The book, however, sounds utterly entertaining, for people who, um, have time to read.

On the flip side, we spent New Years eve with four other couples (with toddlers) and one proudly announced they were not making any resolutions, which I admire. I admire it because I can't do it. Historically, I have made New Years resolutions in January - try to accomplish them by June - and then make new ones, so that I effectively accomplish two years of resolutions in one year. I know, I know; I need professional help.

So as I sit down to think about what is most important this year, I can't help but reflect on an article I read recently about the 50% League. It's about people who have donated at least 50% of their income or inheritance to charity. (Read: http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2007/07/29/for_this_club_life_begins_at_50_/)

And although I would love to do that, the planner in me won't let go of the purse strings. I mean, we have to save for retirement, not to mention Chase's education, extra-currics, travel, an apartment in Veil (you get the picture). But I do want to figure out how to give more. If not money, then time and resources.

And on a different, and terribly sad note - that eventually ties back into New Years resolutions - I have actually been overwhelmed by sad, horrible news in the past week. Two different friends have gone to the doctor - and the doctor found "dark spots" - one friend has them near the brain, the other friend has them near the heart. A family member whose cancer was in remission has returned. And two people passed away. One on Christmas eve and the other just before Christmas.

And so on this New Years day, I am just grateful for what I have, for my family and our friends, for my daughter, for our health, for our well-being.

The only resolution that makes sense to me is to enjoy life and live every day to its fullest, to be grateful for what we have and to give to others whenever possible.

(more on the book? http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061143960/Helping_Me_Help_Myself/index.aspx)

Happy New Year!

May your 2008 be filled with love, happiness and good health.

And lots of paper, pens, paint, books and stickers!

Saturday, December 29, 2007

The Day Auntie Lockett Allbritton Became Auntie Lockett Taylor

Once upon a time, there was a Yogi, who married a Rock Star at the Columbia Gorge Hotel. And on the day of the wedding it snowed. And snowed. And snowed. It could not have been more romantic.

We were all cozy inside the hotel...

Everything was in place. Everyone was ready.

Except Chase. She refused to wear the GORGEOUS dress her Nee Nee Kar Kar made for her - we finally got her into it - kicking and screaming - and crossed our fingers she would stay in it. Her apparent mastery of flower girl responsibilities was a ruse.

But besides that, everyone was in fine spirits...

The mother of the bride was seated...

The Maid-of-Honor and bridesmaid looked so glam...

The gentlemen were dashing in custom suits...

They wore shiny boots...

Tildy, the older flower girl, made it down the aisle with no problem...

The ring bearer made his way down the aisle...

All the details were gorgeous...

And then the father of the bride walked his daughter down the aisle...

And gave her away...

And Lockett Allbritton became Lockett Taylor...

And then my darling Chase had a major meltdown. And I didn't have any stickers, or pens, or anything to distract/amuse her. And Brian had to run her down the aisle in the middle of the ceremony. But everyone could hear her screaming, "ma ma," so after three minutes, which seemed like three hours, I followed my husband and daughter - running down the aisle toward the back of the room, in an effort to silence her.