Mama's Musings

The Gratitude Campaign

Because saying 'thank you' is easier than you think.

Handling the financial crisis with family

Kids think an ATM is a bottomless pit, a lot like Mom's patience or her purse. The fact is we all have a budget. Some of us are struggling to make ends meet. The financial crisis has only added a proverbial monkey wrench into the mill.

The good news is the financial crisis has also offered us all a unique opportunity to teach our kids valuable life lessons such as learning how to set priorities, delayed gratification and (gulp) not always getting what you want.

Not surprisingly, PBS has joined the conversation, offering tips for families to teach their kids how to handle their finances in a powerful and sustainable way.

The PBS award-winning series, A Place of Our Own and Los Niños En Su Casa is airing five episodes June 22-26 highlighting how parents and caregivers can cope with economic insecurity.

Economic Week Airdates
• 6/22/09 – “Coping with Economic Insecurities (Emotional)”
• 6/23/09 – “Financial Tips to Help Families Cope”
• 6/24/09 – “Trimming Your Family’s Food Budget”
• 6/25/09 – “ Coping with Economic Insecurities (Care Provider)”
• 6/26/ 09 – “Week in Review” and  “Activities for Children that cost next to nothing”

A Place of Our Own and Los Niños en Su Casa are produced by KCET, in association with 44 Blue Productions Inc. The series are produced in association with Sesame Workshop and funded through the generous support of BP, First 5 California, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Blame it on the Recession

Have you noticed how everyone seems to be blaming everything on the state of the economy these days?

My hair looks flat.

Blame it on the recession.

I have a jowly look when I glance in the mirror.

Blame it on the recession.

My kids don't listen to me.

Blame it on...

You get the picture.

I don't know about you, but I'm getting doggone tired of all this economy talk. As if it is the only driving force in our lives.

I realize things aren't rainbow-colored. The economic forecasts are as gloomy as the English meterological ones. Rain, dark clouds, the whole nine yards.

But where is the joy, people?

So your hair is flat, your chin has lost its battle with your neck, and your children are less than perfect.

Where there are rain clouds, there are rainbows not far behind. I hate to sound all Hallmark-y on you, but the truth of the matter is we have a lot of choice in the matter. How we view things depends on us. This CBS report proves it.

Watch CBS Videos Online

All Hats Off to Michelle Obama

You got your driver's hat, your chef's hat, your doctor's hat, your teacher's hat, your grocer's hat, your cleaning lady's hat...whew - we moms wear a ton of them. BettyConfidential asked me what I thought of Michelle Obama as Mom-in-Chief. She's earned a tip of the hat(s) from us all. Her attitude toward her family and her delightful presence as a power mom make me proud to be a mom who works from home, just like she does.

By the way, Barack's a pretty cool work-from-home dad, too.

Leadership of ideals

Tears the size of pearls spilled from my eyes this morning. And I was not alone. Michael Moore, the liberal filmmaker of Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 911 fame, had this to say:

An African American has been elected President of the United States! Anything is possible! We can wrestle our economy out of the hands of the reckless rich and return it to the people. Anything is possible! Every citizen can be guaranteed health care. Anything is possible! We can stop melting the polar ice caps. Anything is possible! Those who have committed war crimes will be brought to justice. Anything is possible.

We need America, not just for its wealth, but also for its leadership of ideals. We look to the United States of America to burst with divine optimism while the rest of the world nods skeptically. It is the country that holds its values higher than any other. It is a proud nation, which collectively made a very, very good decision last night. They voted for change. They made history.

Thank you, America, for restoring my faith in my own country. I have missed you. Welcome back.

And they actually published it

My Web letter to Rosanne Cash's piece on Palin in the Nation was posted yesterday. I had to giggle. They corrected my Italian, those smart copy editors. Brava, Ms. Cash. I really would vote for you!

Rosanne Cash and The Nation

Heck - I'm a thrice blogger today. Good golly, but there's so much to say! Okay, two things:

First, the American Management Association recently took a poll that revealed 39% felt it was okay to talk politics in the office. I work in my home office. You are darned right!

Second, Rosanne Cash is my hero. According to her opinion piece in The Nation, which is funnier than plaid pants on a mule, she's ready to replace Palin. In a nutshell, she can toss her cat farther and her father resembles the mug on the back of Alaskan Airlines planes. I laughed so giddily I cried.

And here's the cool thing. Rosanne sent the link to my sister personally. Yeah. Fame by association. Love it! Especially when the famed aligns so beautifully with my own political views...

We're not going to take it anymore

One in three women experience abuse or violence in her lifetime. Nicole Kidman has joined forces with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) to support the Just Say NO to Women's Violence campaign. On November 25 Nicole will present the petition to UNIFEM. Please do your part and add your name by clicking on the icon below. Every voice counts. Thanks!

Political Mama

As far away as Germany, people are getting swept up in an unprecedented presidential campaign fever. Even my dermatologist, who hacked away at a precancerous spot on my schnozzle yesterday, couldn't help arguing with me about who the better candidate was. Since he was wielding a scalpel, I didn't argue. Much. But I couldn't help mention who got us into the mess we're in. Hence my slight political tirade whilst under the knife (have you ever argued politically while someone's holding your nose shut? It isn't pretty).

Whether you are politically interested or not, the fact is something's gotta change.

So for those of you sitting on the fence, or on your hands, it's time to get active. I've provided some details below on how you can do that (thanks to the lovely Arielle Ford, who sends me these things - God bless her!). Regardless of your political leanings (and you can tell where mine sway), vote. It's not hard. Get informed. Here's how. www.factcheck.org or www.politifact.org

Given the economic times we're in, it's your civic duty to voice your opinion. Do so here in the comments section. Do so in your neighborhood coffee shop or local store. Talk about what you think. It matters. And you do, too.

Go to www.voteforchange.com

more useful resources:

TAKE ACTION - RESOURCES ON HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED

Drive for Change - Get Out the Vote: 
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/driveforchange

Lawyer and Voter Protection Sign-Up:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/vpcvol2

Reach out to Voters in Your Community - Neighbor to Neighbor Project:
http://my.barackobama.com/modules/votercontact/login_signup.php

Host a Women for Obama House Party:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/wfoeventguide

Video Resources:
http://www.barackobama.com/tv/

10 Ways to Get Involved:
http://obama.3cdn.net/56d7862be8e614eef6_b6m6bndg2.pdf

Register to Vote or Request Absentee Ballot:
http://www.voteforchange.com

Obama-Biden v. McCain-Palin Record on Women:
http://obama.3cdn.net/6255f7b15020963e6a_bbm6iigts.pdf

FUNDRAISING
You can still encourage women to donate by directing them to https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/OVFWLF or your personalized weblink - they will still be active.

If you have already maxed out to the Obama Victory Fund, we urge you to donate to critical battleground state parties through the Committee for Change at www.democrats.org/cfc?custom1=WLF+WFO <http://www.democrats.org/cfc?custom1=WLF+WFO>  - please help us get to our goal of $100,000 in the next 10 days!

Money is Debt - Shocking!

As the news of the US bailout plan starts to wane, you must see this video. It's shocking to see how the global monetary system works. Money is credited out of debt - loans generate money, not the deposits we put into our bank accounts. I encourage you all to read this. Knowledge is power!