Owner: Writing In The Mountains URL:http://krisunderwood.blogspot.com Join Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2006 09:16:42 -0500 Rating:1 Site Description: A branch off from Mama Says, rants, raves, some poetry, dealing with the neverending chaos of motherhood through writing Site statistics:Click here
Yelling 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Is it really necessary that nearly ALL the characters on Sesame Street Yell? and/ or screech?This, obviously, isn't, you know, important to the daily grind of life, but holy shit. Do I sound old?
Chick-Lit and Mommy-Lit 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Chick Lit: The Sequel, NYT From Media Bistro "My feeling about my own work is, I could be writing 'The Aeneid' and they would still have to call it chick lit or mommy lit or menopausal old hag lit," said Jennifer Weiner. "Crone lit - is that what's coming next?" Well, it sounds about as good as AARP lit, I suppose...She has a good point.Everything is a marketing strategy these days. Women and Mothers are now clumped into the somewhat unattractive group of 'Chick-and Mommy
-Lit'. It, really, is almost another way to discredit the wisdom and words of Motherhood and, just generally, being a woman.Yeah, I write stuff that is Mother-related, stuff that would probably be considered Chick and Mommy Lit. I don't write it because I know it'll be a good 'marketing strategy'. I write it because it's part of my life and you write what you know. Just as many other Mothers and women do, and have done, through the years: write what you know.
On Someone's Car 1970-01-01 00:59:59 The other day, I saw this as a bumper sticker on someone's car.I also found this article on the subject of the similarities between the two wars, on George Mason University's History News Network. Here are some snippets:"Both of these wars began as attempts to preserve American "security" through nation-building-the creation of pro-American, "democratic," capitalist client states in Vietnam and Iraq. As these two conflicts developed, they came to stand as the central front in the broader global ideological conflicts the United States government was fighting-the Cold War in Vietnam's case; the war on terror in Iraq's.""Tragically, both wars were unnecessary. Neither communism in South Vietnam in 1965 nor Baathism in Iraq in 2003 threatened American national security or any fundamental U.S. interests."Hmmm.
Snow 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Hasn't been much snow where I'm at lately. I could count on one hand the number of times it actually has snowed. Even that was just little spittles of flakes, not amounting to much. I mean, are we not going to have a 'White Christmas'? Usually, I could care less, and I am enjoying the near-to-over 50 degree weather immensely, but The Girl can hardly use her sled outside when there isn't any snow.Of course, by January and February we could get fucking blasted. Winter sure ain't over yet. But does all this warm weather mean we're going to have a horrendously hot summer (for New England, anyway) ? Won't be looking forward to that.Hello Global Warming. Nice to meet you. Sort of.
Articles and Posts of Note: Cloned Livestock Safe To Eat? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 FDA: Cloned
Livestock Is Safe To Eat Yes, this is highly immoral. Yes, this is highly disturbing."The FDA gave preliminary approval Thursday to meat and milk from cloned animals or their offspring." This doesn't require labels, the FDA says, to inform consumers that the product is from a "Cloned"animal-"They are virtually identical." What do you think about that?Obviously, this needs alot more research. Which the FDA seems to lack in some areas. They have approved of Aspartame, after all, claiming it "does little harm". Personally, that stuff gives me headaches.They approve of medicines way too fast, ending up having to pull them off the shelves because of some side effect they didn't notice. Heart Attacks and Stroke? Not everyone is perfect, that's for sure.I can't tell you how many times I get an offer of a new drug: "You should try this" "There's a new drug out that might help you, it's just been released"Does all this bother you readers? Are you at all disturbed by this?alrig Read more:Articles
Bigger, Better, Faster 1970-01-01 00:59:59 BiggerBetterFasterIt's the American Way. We are the epitome of all three. It's part of our culture and becoming part of the world's culture (some parts of it, anyway).Not everything needs to be bigger, better and faster.Sometimes it's okay to be a little bit smaller, just as good and slower. You know, like eating-smaller portions, and taking your time to eat, slowly.Taking the time to observe life-this does not require bigger, better or faster types of anything.Besides, if you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.
Searching In The Mountains Recently 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Here's what I came up with:The address to my sitePeople I'd Like to meetAlso, Dead people to meetGood ol' PlutoBratz (Arrg...)Vt Hip BlogHomebirth blogPeppermint tea when pregnant (again)
A Post-Christmas Post: Cancel My Subscription to Christmas, Please 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I remember when The Polar Express first came out. I was in Elementary school, probably 5th grade, maybe earlier. It won the Caldecott Medal Award in 1986, was a New York Times Best Seller as well as Best Illustrated Book of the Year. It's the story of a boy who begins to doubt Santa's existence, boards a magical train to the North Pole, thrilling ride and adventure ensues, meets up with Claus, and reason to believe as well as the power of magic is instilled once again in the heart of the boy. This great book was made into a rather disappointing movie years later, in 2004. I sat down to watch it recently. I had two thoughts: First, this sort of animation is bizarre. Kind of creepy, and the kids, well, they look like something is…well…you know, wrong with them. But maybe that's just me.Then I thought: What to do about Christmas
? Should I continue to subscribe to it for the sake of my child, even though I have long since relinquished my personal subscription? Should I tell her a Read more:Cancel
, Subscription
, Please
, Christmas Post
Happy New Year! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 So, 2007 is here. May it be filled with possibilities and opportunities! (good ones)I didn't go out and party, I don't know when I last went out and did that for NYE. Didn't watch the ball drop (Doesn't interest me anymore. Nothing against Dick Clark), but watched Eddie Izzard's comedy specials (Dressed to Kill and Circle) on BBC (America). Much more entertaining!! Read more:Happy
, Happy New Year
Poetry Midwest Is Up 1970-01-01 00:59:59 So, PM is up (cutting it close) with a poem of mine about Crows. Check it out. page 38. Read more:Poetry
, Midwest
I'd Be Broke 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I'd be so broke if I subscribed to every single literary journal I read and liked. There are so many out there.A couple I've been reading:-Smartish Pace (this has restored my faith in poetry)-Ploughshares (They just launched a blog not too long ago as well as Kenyon Review. Both very informative and...entertaining. The journal itself is fabulous too.)-Indiana Review-upstreet-redivider (from Emerson College. great art and a clean look inside)-Poetry (been reading this since I was something like 14)-Hunger Mountain (Vermont College. Been reading this one since it came out in '02. Always good everything.)-New England Review
Extended Families...And I Don't Mean Aunts and Cousins 1970-01-01 00:59:59 So, if any of you have been watching The Learning Channel, you all know about The Duggar Family. I must admit, I admire Michelle (and husband) for having all those children. Not because I want that many-hell no! She must have incredible organizational skills. She'd have to. They spend $1000 alone on food in a month. A thousand dollars!!Despite my admiration, I gotta say-birth control. Use it. In whatever form. Get your tubes tied, something. Can you imagine the toll of-what is it? 16 kids?- on a woman's body? That's partly why women had shorter life spans 100 years or so ago: too many kids. Birth control is legal now (isn't it?) and, of course, all around health care and general living situations have improved since then too. But God prevails.....don't ya know.But whew. To me, that is just too many. What about population control?I found this article taking a different view on The Duggar Family. It make me laugh in parts.Apparently, The Duggar Family isn't the only one getting att Read more:Extended
, Families
, Cousins
Like A Good American (A Rant On Reality Shows) 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I got an email in my box this morning from the BlogHer conference newsletter saying this: Update #3: Do you love "Ugly Betty"? Or "24"? If so then you will be happy to hear that Maria Niles is going to bring prime-time TV coverage to BlogHer, while Elisa soldiers on covering the Reality TV beat. That means this week you've got recaps of both Ugly Betty and Grease: You're The One That I Want, with 24 and American
Idol soon to follow. BlogHer: Not afraid to be your guilty pleasure!Hey, it's great that they're doing Primetime TV coverage, I guess. But, really. Who cares?I personally have never delved into these shows like a good American. I can't stand American Idol, though I can see the appeal. Some of those people are really really bad. I watched the Grease thing once, when I was confined to the couch by a gruesome cold. It was horrible, both the show and the cold. One show dedicated to finding the right Danny and Sandy? Come on, people.I guess I'm just not 'American' enough.Any
Messing Around 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Well, I've decided it's time for a little change 'round here.Yeah, I'm messing with the colors.I'm not done quite yet. Bear with me.
A Year In Blogging 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Technically, it'll be a year in February when I started on my first blog (now defunct) and became seriously addicted. Mostly, it was a way to have a creative outlet(and keep my sanity) in the midst of brand-new motherhood. Mama Says soon followed, I got heavily involved in that, then heavily not involved, and finally settled into the Mountains.I've blogged about everything boring, inconsequential, consequential and just whatever: people who have way too many kids (in my opinion, at least), Saturn, Pluto and Baby Suri, and-among many other things- my general opinion (of course) on the world around me and how people can be complete idiots.People have talked about the One-Year Anniversary Blog-Out Burn-Out. Well, I have to admit, I've been feeling a bit of that lately, hence the enormous space in between posts. Well, not enormous, but they are more sporadic than they have been.So, I don't know. I'll keep blogging away, but I think after the one year mark, there needs to be some sort Read more:Blogging
Expressing A Certain Desire... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I know the day will come. I'm sure of it. Perhaps I will feel a pang of separation, of knowing The Girl is becoming The Big Girl. But I will secretly be chanting Yes! Yes! Yes! when I have my bed to myself again; when I don't wake up crunched on less than a sliver of the bed, the rest of it spreading out like a sea of restful sleep I could have had.Again, I know the day will come. I'm certainly not asking to rush it along. It is ever so lovely to have such a little cuddler. I will enjoy it while it lasts, before the 'Get away from me' phase kicks in. Read more:Desire
Variation on La Leche League's 'Super Summer Tuna' 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I've been flipping through a near-ancient (published in 1981) La LecheLeague
Cookbook these past few months. I love it: the recipes are incredibly simple, quick and delicious. It's timeless. Here's one that could possibly lift the winter blues, get you thinking about summer:Variation
on La Leche League's "SuperSummer
Tuna"(from the LLL Cookbook)1 6 oz. can tuna (or 1 package)2 hard boiled eggs1/2 c. macaroni noodles3 Tbsp. Goat Yogurt and/or Mayo (or more, depending on your taste)Mustard, to taste1/4 c.-1/2 c. pickle juice1-2 Whole dill pickles (sweet pickles can work too)1/2 tsp. salt1/2 small onion1 small apple, diced. (either peeled or not)Mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve on toast or plain in a bowl.Makes about 3-4 servings.This is such a versatile recipe. You could substitute many ingredients, or add a few.
A Little Confession 1970-01-01 00:59:59 After having posted a super simple recipe the other day, I have a confession to make. It is also very simple:I love, love, love having food prepared for me.As if that is a big shocker. Of course, I do love to prepare food myself at the same time. But, I would definitely prefer the already prepared (whether it be take-out or somebody else making it) over the prepare it myself. I think my ex spoiled me a bit in that. Okay, alot. I'll admit that.
Why 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Why are people searching for 'dead people I'd like to meet?' Why would you search for that? It seems so odd. Posting about it, not so odd.Been scanning my site meter stats.
The Unintentional Placement of Shakespeare's Hamlet 1970-01-01 00:59:59 While scanning my shelves for something new-ish to read (I have a fiction kick going on these days), I notice the, quite unintentional, placement of Shakespeare
's Hamlet
: between two copies of Reviving Ophelia: Saving the selves of adolescent girls, by Mary Pipher. Why do I have two copies of that book? I don't know. Probably picked the last one up, forgetting-at the time-I already had a copy. Read more:Placement
Books I Can Relegate To The Finished Pile 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Don't really have a 'finished pile', really.I just recently finished The English Patient by Michael Ondattje as well as Little Birds by Anais Nin and Chocolat by Joann Harris. All great books. But I think The English Patient takes the cake for the most incredible, beautiful language out of the three. At one point, when he is rather drunk and insanely jealous, Almasy announces congratulations to the group of desert explorers, calling them 'Planetary strangers'. Love that phrase. There are so many others in that book.It always strikes me how very different a movie can be from its counterpart book. Chocolat was almost completely different from the movie, in plot, certain characters and events. Vianne's background is completely different in the movie-that of Mayan decent. And-she doesn't really end up with Roux. The story of Reynaud is very different, too, in the book-more disturbing, actually. The movie was pretty good though. Book was better. As in most cases. Read more:Books
Devilish 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I have started on The Devil Wears Prada (2003), the book. I wanted to actually read the book before I saw the movie. And, yes, I am just now getting around to the book. Brand-new books are expensive these days...at almost $26-30 for a single hardback, or more in some cases...the book has to be absolutely Fan-tas-tic for me to buy it brand-new. Otherwise, it can wait till it gets to the library or is at the re-sale bookshop. Anyway, I'm only 40 pages into it. Not quite sure what to think of it. I don't have any immediate reaction, like 'it sucks!' or 'it's great!' Although, some of the language is trendy and already dated by now, so in reading it today, in 2007, it seems a bit trite. But, a psycho, ruthless boss from hell, somewhat vapid fashion bitches? Sounds like fun.More later when I finish...
Links Page!! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 The Links and Resources PageGifford Medical CenterVermont Midwives AllianceVermont Women's FundRecall's.gov:Find out if any toy, carseat, etc., has been recalled by the government here.TRUCE: An excellent resource. Check out their Toy Action GuideU.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:Another resource for recalled items as well as a section to report an unsafe product.Le Leche League of VermontLe Leche League InternationalLe Leche League of Central VermontBear Pond BooksVermont Farmers MarketVermont Grocery Co-op'sVermont Public RadioVermont Livable Wage CampaignKellogg-Hubbard LibraryMomsRisingMADRECode PinkThe Mothers Movement OnlineM.O.T.H.E.R.S. :Mothers Ought To Have Equal RightsMama Mags and Other Literary NecessitiesMom Writer's Talk Radio BlogMom Writer's Literary MagazineWriting TimeMamazineHolt Uncensored: Top Ten Mistakes Writers Don't See.Mothering: Who could do without this mag?Midwifery TodayPoets and Writers: No writer should be without.Brain, Child: Great article
Da Bears 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I was interested in this years' Superbowl, I will admit, for two reasons: The Bears
actually made it and the Colts were playing. Being from the Chi-town area (Indiana included, y'all) 'Da Bears' was a common phrase around the house as well as the Chicago Bulls. I grew up with The Fridge, The Chicago Bears Shuffle, Scottie Pippen and, of course, Michael Jordan.However, I wasn't too interested to see the entire game. Found out the Colts won via CNN.And- people don't really say "y'all" that far north in Indiana.
Devilishly Boring 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Update on the previous post reading The Devil Wears Prada:It occurred to me last night that it is a 'fluff book'. Something you read and say, yeah. So what? It has not changed my life profoundly. It does not have striking language (a defining factor for me). It does have a great biggest-bitch-boss-from-hell character, but even that gets boring. I'm getting bored with the book. Just my opinion...So, you're an assistant to one of the biggest fashion bitches in history. You stay with the job, makes you miserable. Occasional mishaps with friend and kinda-but-not boyfriend. Boring.I continue reading, however....page 203
Coffee Junkie! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Okay- I'll admit it- I am a coffee junkie.Do they have caffeine-aholics anonymous somewhere? I'd be a perfect candidate. I cannot go through the morning without a cup o' coffee. It's just so good.It's really, really bad, though. I actually get caffeine headaches when I haven't had that cup in the morning. To top it all off, I'm a coffee snob. Only high-end stuff for me, please. No 8 o'clock for me. They claim to be 'America's Favorite Coffee
'? Pfft. I'd rather have a cup of Vermont Coffee Company or Starbuck's, at least. Of the two, though, I have to choose VCC. Yummy!For all you coffee lovers out there, I suggest you try a bit of that. Also, this site is awesome.And, yes, I am drinking a cup of coffee as I write... Read more:Junkie
A Little Bit Of The Valentine's Blues 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I have to admit, (been admitting alot of things lately) I feel a little lonely in light of this Valentine
's Day. Not having anyone after having someone for a string of years-a variety of someone-s, but hey, whatever. It kind of bothers me this year. Feeling a little of the Valentine's Blues
, I guess.
It Just Keeps Coming and Coming.... 1970-01-01 00:59:59 So, 15+ inches to come in addition to the 2 1/2 feet that is already out there? That is what the Weather Channel says. I am so very done with winter.Where's my ticket to Florida, SoCal! Or, better yet, the south of France!
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