Mama's Musings

Knocking Knees

Tomorrow is the big day. It is the day I reach the final goal I set for myself for 2005.

The American-German Business Club asked me to be their keynote speaker for their final meeting of the year. It came rather suddenly. So I mustered a "yes" after giving the VP a hard time.

"Who cancelled?" I joshed on the phone with him.

"Prince Leopold."

Silence.

"Okay...November 30th, you said?" I tried hard to stifle a snicker, then an appalling yelp that threatened to escape my larnyx. Prince Leopold? I don't know who he is, but he sounds impressive.

Moisture dripped from my underarms as I hung up the phone. I rifled through my speaker's notes and came up with a topic: How to Raise Bilingual Children.

In the last three weeks, I must have held that speech thirty times. As a matter of fact, I missed two exits on the way home and drove an extra thirty miles because I was practicing in the car.

But now it is too late. Tomorrow is the big day. And I'm glad of it.

Time Out New York

Bruce Kluger sent me his most recent interview in Time out New York with Phil Donahue, a talk show personality I've watched since I was a kid. Here's a joke I made up in response to it.

"Since when did "liberal" become a four-letter word?"

"Oh, that would be since Bush became President."

"Did you notice his name is a four-letter word, too?"

Health-wise

Health has been on my mind this week. Partly, it's because I recently attended an interesting speech by Dr. Michael Spitzbart (which I later translated for him into English), but also because I'm beginning to feel my age. It's nothing dramatic, really. But my body has started telling me more loudly what it likes and dislikes. Cholesterol is something I've started to think about more and more. Heart disease is a major killer. I don't want to have to hire a team of vioxx lawyers because some doctor prescribed me a drug which kills more than the disease. I'd rather not have the disease at all.

It's like wishing you had thought of Pet ID Tags before your dog got lost. No thanks. I really want to see the smile on my grandkid's face some day.

Life has been full, yet rewarding. What's different, I keep asking myself? It has been my attitude in general, I think. The kids are still bickering, the weather has turned cold, and my husband is travelling more than I like. But somehow a sense of contentment has befallen me. I no longer pine for steady income (you can keep those finance and accounting jobs for yourselves!). There is more to life than that!

Happy Anniversary, Dear Blog!

I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I forgot it was our anniversary. Can I get you some flowers and a pastry? Would that make you feel better? It's been a year, dear blog, and I'm so glad we're together. You make my day (dramatic sigh), well, just so bright!

****Highlights of the Week'******

It is holiday shopping season. How do I know this? I have the bruises to prove it. Sheesh! People are pushy this time of year. Ever heard of online shopping, people? Would you treat your mouse this way? Catch my fall, you people are unbelievable! Listen. There are five, count them, five pairs of jogging pants left. And by the look of your hiney, ain't no size 6 gonna fit that tush. So give it up, lady, before I give it to you!

****

Speaking of holiday shopping -- let's face it. What are you going to get your best friend who just has everything, including a newborn baby? Aside from a good night's sleep, you may wish to check out this site:

http://www.gifts-babies-love.com

Author Stephanie Gallagher recommends baby gifts for all occasions, from showers to Christmas. Recommendations are based on surveys she conducted with 200 moms from around the world for her book, The Gallagher Guide to the Baby Years.

Now that's what I call one-stop shopping.

****

My new hairdo is marvelous. It isn't as perky as the day I trounced out of the salon, but folks! I'm loving the lighter locks and the bounce and swish of the cut. Yup. Feeling my oats these days.

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The need to correspond is creeping up my neck and into my fingers. Today I purchased really cool 4x6 postcards that I can print out any which way my heart desires. I'm ready to send out a few to family. This holiday business is great fun!

Anchor's Away!

„That’s it, I’m outta here!“ That’s what I said after being on the phone from dawn til well after dusk the day before. It was time for drastic measures.

I called my hairdresser.

“Ramona. Block off the whole morning. You’re mine.” I spent the rest of the morning in her black swivel chair. She dabbed, folded and turned my hair in foil. I felt like a baked potato for a good long while there. At the end of it, I was four shades lighter with a ‘do that rivals Paula Zahn’s.

“I have an anchor woman hairdo,” I murmured, rifling through my bag for the correct change. I plunked an extra 10 down for Ramona whose eyes lit up.

“I’m off to purchase several women’s diamond watches,” I could almost read in her eyes.

“I’m off to do some Mortgange Refinancing,” my eyes said to her as my visibly lighter handbag swung through the door behind me.

Recently, I discussed my lack of gps navigation in my car. They aren’t cheap devices and if I owned a shop with a shingle reading “silver investors & investing” or if I sold Psychotherapy T-shirts in the greater Los Angeles area, I might have enough to pay for the haircut I now possessed. Chewing on my lower lip, I wondered how my husband would take the news.

“Paula? Paula Zahn, is that you?” he might say with a dab of sarcasm as he tossed down his briefcase from a hard day at the office.

“Your hair looks like it ingested Bextra," he might add. Luckily for him, I don’t know what Bextra is. But I’ll tell you something. I’m flying high. Forget that genie in a bottle. I found a blonde in there…

These Boots are Made for Walkin'

This weekend was rather relaxing. Admittedly, I withdrew from intensive workday mothering to a more secondary role. On the weekends, I am more than happy to let Andreas take over some of the discipline. Amazingly, the kids really do listen to me. Whenever they get out of hand, I walk into the room and give them "The Look". Usually that is all they need...

Yesterday Andreas and I went Nordic Walking through the woods. It was raining a little bit, but the movement did us a world of good. Today, Andreas took the kids to a museum while I did a little bit of work and then did another one-hour round through the woods. The earth is getting muddy so I'm inclined to pull out my boots. I wonder if they're made for Nordic Walking?

Jenna Glatzer's Hurricane Relief Effort

This is an amazing story about Lulu.com, a talented group of writers, and a dedicated voice found in Jenna Glatzer. Please be a Stories of Strength supporter! The e-mail is below:

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Hi writers! I think this is important enough for its own e-mail-- I hope you don’t mind (and I hope you pass it around like crazy!).

For anyone who didn’t know what’s been brewing around here these past eight weeks, Absolute Write members have been working on a book called Stories of Strength. Everyone involved is a volunteer, and all the profits from this book will go to disaster relief charities such as the Red Cross, Operation USA, and the Salvation Army. More than 100 writers are included in this anthology, which features true stories, fiction, and poetry on the theme of strength.

We have some big names in the book, like science fiction and fantasy author Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game), actor/writer Wil Wheaton (Star Trek, Stand By Me), and Christian novelist Robin Lee Hatcher (Whispers from Yesterday), alongside new writers who’ve never had anything published before. Then one acquisitions editor, 11 manuscript editors, one copy editor, and two proofreaders volunteered to help me work with the writers one-on-one and produce this book on an unbelievably quick deadline. A wonderful cover designer also volunteered his work, and three writers donated money for us to pay for review copies and mailings.

Things that last

My mama says the only thing in life that lasts are precious metals and real estate. While I'm not a precious metal market observer, I will agree that real estate lasts. Unless you live on a fault line or in an area with frequent mudslides. Then the only thing that lasts is change.

If my husband were to present me with several pink diamond rings, I wouldn't say no. In truth, I'm not that careful about such things. Materialism isn't my calling. I prefer a beautiful vista and a nice meal. Depending on the real estate market in Germany, we might just get our dream home yet. We're working on that one!

Daylight Savings Time

I object. I don't care if we're trying to save energy here, people. It is a farce, and I see through you!

Daylights Savings Time is for the birds. Literally. It is a time when they are instructed to fly South. Or else. It is a time when darkness prevails upon the land, and we're supposed to continue to lead productive lives despite the gloom at 4:30 pm. Not with me, sister. Forgetaboutit! I want bon-bons at my bedside. Pronto!

For the last week, my head has hung low. It is not only the premature darkness that has me at odds. My children insist on awaking in what my body tells me is still the middle of the night.

To the dark silhouette at the edge of my bed, I say:

"I can see my breath. Now go back to sleep!" [The heat turns off at night, only to kick back on at 7 a.m.]

My daughter had her best friend for an overnight last night. Her friend's inner clock says "Don't go to bed before 9 p.m." My daughter's inner clock says, "Don't sleep past 6 a.m. Ever."

So today my head is hanging even lower than usual. Daylight savings, my toe. The only thing we're saving here is the light for NEXT YEAR!