Yesterday we checked the mail and discovered that my subscription to Electronic Gaming Monthly, which folded in January, has been replaced. By Maxim.
Okay, I get it. EGM and Maxim are designed to appeal to the same hip, youngish, savvy male crowd. I, who went to a women's college, love Jane Austen, have a membership to the local botanic garden and volunteer at the zoo and an architecturally significant historical site, am NOT the model demographic for either magazine.
But still. People who play video games can no longer be lumped into one greasy, unsocial demographic. Games have changed over the years. I know plenty of moms who regularly use their Wii Fit. I have a pink DS. I have an XBox gamer tag. I have a preorder waiting for me at Gamestop; I have a frequent buyer Best Buy card and I know how to use it.
Admittedly, I don't have time to play RPGs much anymore and it's been years since I was fragbait. Today my gaming comes in bite-size pieces and I tend to play puzzle games and 1 vs. 100 more than adventure games. But I still enjoy learning about new games coming out, about the industry, keeping track of people I knew.
Maxim is a totally different animal. Last night before bed I flipped through it. I discovered that Penn Gillette had a column. Personally I don't agree with his stance on cereal marshmallows but I like his style, and I read his article completely through. But come on. Jennifer Love Hewitt, one of the hottest 100 women? One of the hottest 10 women?
Clearly I don't think like the average Maxim reader. Think I'll hand the mag over to my husband and bury myself in his Vegetarian Times instead.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
My Son Turns 4
This morning my son walks into my room and says, "Mommy, do you think I'm four yet?"
Cute kid. We had his birthday party yesterday, and it was just wonderful. We had it at a local nature preserve, the same one where we got married, and the coolest thing happened. Apparently in the morning a deer had settled into the grass maybe 30 feet from the walk and very close to the program barn where the party was being held. My husband saw it, and so the kids at the party were able to see the deer and her two fawns, who were still wet and trying to stand for the first time.
The kids also got to see tadpoles, pet a snake and a turtle and take a nature walk. It was a drop-off party, but the parents who really wanted to stay were able to stay, and everything worked out so well. I had enough favors for everyone and their siblings, and the pizza was late but came just in time--just as the kids had sat back down at the tables to eat. I'm rather proud it turned out so well, since I planned it all myself. Of course my husband helped, and it's not like I could have foreseen the deer giving birth within sight of the party, but it's going to be hard to top this one!
Afterwards a friend and her also-almost-4-year-old daughter came over. We'd gotten a double of something and no gift receipt for it, so it was my son's own idea to give her the present instead. And our last trip to the zoo he'd insisted on buying her a little gift, a necklace with a butterfly enclosed in a heart, which she loved. She said, "It's special because it's from (my son)," and insisted on wearing it right away even though at first we couldn't get the catch to open.
I think I'm still recovering from the party, even though it was almost a day ago at this point. It took me a very long time to get to sleep last night. I was feeling a little sad at the fact my son is getting so big. After he went to bed my husband went to check on him, saying that he wanted to see him one more time as a three year old. And I thought about where I was on this day four years ago, in the hospital, and how I felt on my first glimpse of him.
Today is his real birthday, and we're going to let him watch "Star Wars" for the first time. It also happens to be the 32nd anniversary of "Star Wars." Turns out they share a birthday.
Cute kid. We had his birthday party yesterday, and it was just wonderful. We had it at a local nature preserve, the same one where we got married, and the coolest thing happened. Apparently in the morning a deer had settled into the grass maybe 30 feet from the walk and very close to the program barn where the party was being held. My husband saw it, and so the kids at the party were able to see the deer and her two fawns, who were still wet and trying to stand for the first time.
The kids also got to see tadpoles, pet a snake and a turtle and take a nature walk. It was a drop-off party, but the parents who really wanted to stay were able to stay, and everything worked out so well. I had enough favors for everyone and their siblings, and the pizza was late but came just in time--just as the kids had sat back down at the tables to eat. I'm rather proud it turned out so well, since I planned it all myself. Of course my husband helped, and it's not like I could have foreseen the deer giving birth within sight of the party, but it's going to be hard to top this one!
Afterwards a friend and her also-almost-4-year-old daughter came over. We'd gotten a double of something and no gift receipt for it, so it was my son's own idea to give her the present instead. And our last trip to the zoo he'd insisted on buying her a little gift, a necklace with a butterfly enclosed in a heart, which she loved. She said, "It's special because it's from (my son)," and insisted on wearing it right away even though at first we couldn't get the catch to open.
I think I'm still recovering from the party, even though it was almost a day ago at this point. It took me a very long time to get to sleep last night. I was feeling a little sad at the fact my son is getting so big. After he went to bed my husband went to check on him, saying that he wanted to see him one more time as a three year old. And I thought about where I was on this day four years ago, in the hospital, and how I felt on my first glimpse of him.
Today is his real birthday, and we're going to let him watch "Star Wars" for the first time. It also happens to be the 32nd anniversary of "Star Wars." Turns out they share a birthday.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Life Moves at Warp Speed...
It's hard for me to believe that it's almost the end of May already. Where did the time go?
I've decided that what I really need to do in my life is stop overcommitting myself. Easier said than done. At this point it seems like I have something scheduled for every weekend this summer, and it's only May. And it's already been action-packed, what with work, Coachella, then my birthday, then Wright Plus, plus Fire games and Red Stars games.
I actually had a really nice birthday. It fell on Mother's Day this year, and also happened to coincide with a friend from graduate school's visit to Chicago. So the night before my birthday I had dinner with two friends at my favorite Chinese restaurant, and it was great to catch up with them. On the morning of my birthday my husband and son made me breakfast in bed (simple, it's true, but nice nonetheless). And they delivered it to me on a brand-new cookie sheet. I've been wanting one because my husband somehow ruins them all and LIKES them that way...so we've agreed that he'll use the old ones and the new one is mine and mine alone. It's the little things. I also got a Sony Reader to replace my old one which is not Vista-compatible, and promptly spent a few hours on tech support trying to get the thing up and running. That was not fun. But the day ended with three more friends meeting us at the Red Stars game, and I got a message on the Jumbotron and free chocolate and everything. I've already killed the plant I received along with every other mom. I've never been known for my green thumb.
Wright Plus is one of my favorite events of the year. For some reason I love waxing not quite eloquent about architecture in the open air for two minutes at a time, trying to adjust my spiel to allow for the maximum traffic flow. I feel useful, I guess. This year I asked to be put in the same house as the people who captained my house last year, and did not regret it at all. I had a blast. I ran backpacks, covered for people on break, spent two hours talking about the family who lived in the house over and over again and enjoyed the weather. The after-party is also fantastic. I love the whole experience. I actually said in the survey I'd be willing to take on a leadership role next year, but I'm already rethinking that. It'll be five days after my birthday, 10 days before my son's birthday...what was I thinking?
Anyway, that's about all for now, if only because my son is waiting for me to quit so we can read some bedtime stories.
I've decided that what I really need to do in my life is stop overcommitting myself. Easier said than done. At this point it seems like I have something scheduled for every weekend this summer, and it's only May. And it's already been action-packed, what with work, Coachella, then my birthday, then Wright Plus, plus Fire games and Red Stars games.
I actually had a really nice birthday. It fell on Mother's Day this year, and also happened to coincide with a friend from graduate school's visit to Chicago. So the night before my birthday I had dinner with two friends at my favorite Chinese restaurant, and it was great to catch up with them. On the morning of my birthday my husband and son made me breakfast in bed (simple, it's true, but nice nonetheless). And they delivered it to me on a brand-new cookie sheet. I've been wanting one because my husband somehow ruins them all and LIKES them that way...so we've agreed that he'll use the old ones and the new one is mine and mine alone. It's the little things. I also got a Sony Reader to replace my old one which is not Vista-compatible, and promptly spent a few hours on tech support trying to get the thing up and running. That was not fun. But the day ended with three more friends meeting us at the Red Stars game, and I got a message on the Jumbotron and free chocolate and everything. I've already killed the plant I received along with every other mom. I've never been known for my green thumb.
Wright Plus is one of my favorite events of the year. For some reason I love waxing not quite eloquent about architecture in the open air for two minutes at a time, trying to adjust my spiel to allow for the maximum traffic flow. I feel useful, I guess. This year I asked to be put in the same house as the people who captained my house last year, and did not regret it at all. I had a blast. I ran backpacks, covered for people on break, spent two hours talking about the family who lived in the house over and over again and enjoyed the weather. The after-party is also fantastic. I love the whole experience. I actually said in the survey I'd be willing to take on a leadership role next year, but I'm already rethinking that. It'll be five days after my birthday, 10 days before my son's birthday...what was I thinking?
Anyway, that's about all for now, if only because my son is waiting for me to quit so we can read some bedtime stories.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Bored
I'm sitting here waiting for my husband to return from his soccer game so I can leave his office. I have plenty of other places I need to be, but no, I'm stuck because there's some guy here assembling a desk and someone needs to be here just in case.
At least the building process is entertaining my son.
I keep wanting to write about my Coachella experience, but haven't had the time. Too many other things to do. Admittedly many of those items on my place are commitments of my own making. Still, I haven't had lunch today, and I'm not going to get any until after I go see a cat I'm pet-sitting, who I should have visited two hours ago because I have to go see him again tonight. I'm not sure how that's going to fit in my schedule now, considering my son isn't having a nap and will have to go to bed early.
Sorry, I think I'm grumpy because I'm hungry. I will attempt to do something entertaining, since I've got the time, apparently; random fill in the blank meme from thedailymeme.com
here we go.
1. The first rule of working in an office and getting along is being considerate of one another.
2. I think clams are more interesting alive than dead.
3. When I think of carnivals I think of clowns and that Batman I Spy book of my son's where you have to find the bad guys among the carnival stuff.
4. Calla lilies are my favorite spring flower. Maybe. Although I don't even know which flowers are spring and which aren't. I also like a good hydrangea.
5. Things on my desk include papers, pens, a virtual pet, a schedule book and a computer.
6. Opposition to gay marriage makes me wanna shake up Washington D.C. and get rid of the haters.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to very little, tomorrow my plans include volunteering and a Fire game and Sunday, I want to rest but I have to go to a volunteer training session!
At least the building process is entertaining my son.
I keep wanting to write about my Coachella experience, but haven't had the time. Too many other things to do. Admittedly many of those items on my place are commitments of my own making. Still, I haven't had lunch today, and I'm not going to get any until after I go see a cat I'm pet-sitting, who I should have visited two hours ago because I have to go see him again tonight. I'm not sure how that's going to fit in my schedule now, considering my son isn't having a nap and will have to go to bed early.
Sorry, I think I'm grumpy because I'm hungry. I will attempt to do something entertaining, since I've got the time, apparently; random fill in the blank meme from thedailymeme.com
here we go.
1. The first rule of working in an office and getting along is being considerate of one another.
2. I think clams are more interesting alive than dead.
3. When I think of carnivals I think of clowns and that Batman I Spy book of my son's where you have to find the bad guys among the carnival stuff.
4. Calla lilies are my favorite spring flower. Maybe. Although I don't even know which flowers are spring and which aren't. I also like a good hydrangea.
5. Things on my desk include papers, pens, a virtual pet, a schedule book and a computer.
6. Opposition to gay marriage makes me wanna shake up Washington D.C. and get rid of the haters.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to very little, tomorrow my plans include volunteering and a Fire game and Sunday, I want to rest but I have to go to a volunteer training session!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Things Are Looking Up, and Paranoia
Spring is slowly coming, and other than being awoken this morning at 5 a.m. by a retching cat only to discover ants all over the bedroom, I find things seem better in my life. I've resolved my son's summer schedule, figured out how I can do the Wright Plus housewalk this year and survived a weird catfight by email over my fan fiction list. I have a new pet bird that is giving me a chance to exert myself in wholesome ways, and I'm using the Wii Fit regularly. Also I've been ordering organic groceries from www.freshpicks.com and that's giving us a great variety of really amazing organic fruits to eat. Until yesterday, I even managed to spend less money. I'm making a lot of headway on organizing a certain boy's birthday party and I'm finally getting us in for annual doctor's appointments.
I feel a little odd, because that email fight highlighted to me how much of an outsider I am in some ways. Both factions emailed me privately to invite me to see their point of view, which I did, and now I remain on the list while everyone else who expressed a certain opinion was banned from it. I also joined the new list created by these folks, but don't feel unconstrained or capable of just making fun of everything. I'm walking the line, and it's the story of my life. It's flattering to be wanted in a lukewarm way, but yet I never seem to be wholeheartedly accepted into the fold. Always shortlisted, never hired (remember that job I mentioned last time?); always a finalist but never a winner; always the bridesmaid...well, you get the picture.
Not that this is always a bad thing. I have perspective that some others probably can't have because of where they're positioned. I can be more objective.
Lately I've been paranoid, too. I'm not usually given to fits of fear over things I cannot control, but having a kid has changed me a bit. All these plane crashes in the news lately, and every time I'm in the Borders I see this books that claim the world will end in 2012, random killings, post-apocalyptic movies...The fact I have a trip coming up where my husband and I are leaving my son in the hands of my mom probably doesn't help. She'll be fine, but she doesn't drive and he's a bundle of energy and we're going on a plane without him. Aargh. And my husband is leaving for Las Vegas in a few days, which means I won't have help if I get into some crazy accident.
I know. I'm just panicking myself over silly things. But last night at 10 I went upstairs to get the cat out of my son's room only to find him squatting on the floor clawing it with one hand. He went straight to bed with no resistance, and never really responded to me or spoke. Was he sleepwalking? Do I have to worry about that now, too?
I just need to calm down and remember that everything's fine. Like I said, things really are looking up. I swear.
I feel a little odd, because that email fight highlighted to me how much of an outsider I am in some ways. Both factions emailed me privately to invite me to see their point of view, which I did, and now I remain on the list while everyone else who expressed a certain opinion was banned from it. I also joined the new list created by these folks, but don't feel unconstrained or capable of just making fun of everything. I'm walking the line, and it's the story of my life. It's flattering to be wanted in a lukewarm way, but yet I never seem to be wholeheartedly accepted into the fold. Always shortlisted, never hired (remember that job I mentioned last time?); always a finalist but never a winner; always the bridesmaid...well, you get the picture.
Not that this is always a bad thing. I have perspective that some others probably can't have because of where they're positioned. I can be more objective.
Lately I've been paranoid, too. I'm not usually given to fits of fear over things I cannot control, but having a kid has changed me a bit. All these plane crashes in the news lately, and every time I'm in the Borders I see this books that claim the world will end in 2012, random killings, post-apocalyptic movies...The fact I have a trip coming up where my husband and I are leaving my son in the hands of my mom probably doesn't help. She'll be fine, but she doesn't drive and he's a bundle of energy and we're going on a plane without him. Aargh. And my husband is leaving for Las Vegas in a few days, which means I won't have help if I get into some crazy accident.
I know. I'm just panicking myself over silly things. But last night at 10 I went upstairs to get the cat out of my son's room only to find him squatting on the floor clawing it with one hand. He went straight to bed with no resistance, and never really responded to me or spoke. Was he sleepwalking? Do I have to worry about that now, too?
I just need to calm down and remember that everything's fine. Like I said, things really are looking up. I swear.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Sucker
I'm brooding today.
I just realized while I was sleeping that I cannot do the Wright Plus housewalk this year. I had signed up and my husband assured me we could make it work even though he had to be in Iowa City for his mom's house closing (figures it would fall on my mother-in-law, who makes life difficult for me even when she isn't trying). Then I thought about it and realized that even if I could get a babysitter to commit to Friday evening AND Saturday all day, that would be at least $150 worth of babysitting to pay for just for Saturday. I can't justify that, so I had to cancel.
There is very little more disappointing to me than missing this event. I have an annual conflict because my alumnae club does its annual meeting on the same day. I was forced to skip Wright Plus for a couple of years running because I was the programming VP (and thus, in charge of the annual meeting), and I hated having to do it. It takes place ONE TIME a year, and I can't do it. I'm going to be annoyed about this for months until I can get some perspective. Even then, I'm not sure I will be able to get over it.
They won't allow kids into the houses, or else I'd just take my son to it as a visitor. I'm up a creek, and feeling low. My husband has assured me he'll make sure I can go next year, which I don't find very comforting because in the past all my conflicts have been self-imposed, so in a normal year it wouldn't be a problem anyway. So I'm the only one making a sacrifice. I think it's worse this year because I don't have a choice, and it's not a decision I can make for myself. I have to cancel. Period.
Maybe instead I'll make it a point to do some volunteering at the home and studio, which I have a hard time doing over the course of the year because of my zoo volunteer commitments. Frankly, the zoo takes precedence because my son wouldn't get anything about of Frank Lloyd Wright at this age.
Sigh.
I just realized while I was sleeping that I cannot do the Wright Plus housewalk this year. I had signed up and my husband assured me we could make it work even though he had to be in Iowa City for his mom's house closing (figures it would fall on my mother-in-law, who makes life difficult for me even when she isn't trying). Then I thought about it and realized that even if I could get a babysitter to commit to Friday evening AND Saturday all day, that would be at least $150 worth of babysitting to pay for just for Saturday. I can't justify that, so I had to cancel.
There is very little more disappointing to me than missing this event. I have an annual conflict because my alumnae club does its annual meeting on the same day. I was forced to skip Wright Plus for a couple of years running because I was the programming VP (and thus, in charge of the annual meeting), and I hated having to do it. It takes place ONE TIME a year, and I can't do it. I'm going to be annoyed about this for months until I can get some perspective. Even then, I'm not sure I will be able to get over it.
They won't allow kids into the houses, or else I'd just take my son to it as a visitor. I'm up a creek, and feeling low. My husband has assured me he'll make sure I can go next year, which I don't find very comforting because in the past all my conflicts have been self-imposed, so in a normal year it wouldn't be a problem anyway. So I'm the only one making a sacrifice. I think it's worse this year because I don't have a choice, and it's not a decision I can make for myself. I have to cancel. Period.
Maybe instead I'll make it a point to do some volunteering at the home and studio, which I have a hard time doing over the course of the year because of my zoo volunteer commitments. Frankly, the zoo takes precedence because my son wouldn't get anything about of Frank Lloyd Wright at this age.
Sigh.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Rainy Saturday Musings
Lately, I'm feeling a bit bored with my life. A large part of this is probably due to the weather--even when I'm doing something fun it feels dreary. Yesterday we had a nice day, and my son and I spent it at a local nature preserve watching turtles, snakes and ducks skid to a landing on the remaining ice in the pond. He's getting stir-crazy--he's said to me several times something to the effect of, "Winter is so, so long!" He's always wanting to play baseball outside, and he's been bugging me to go to the zoo. According to the forecast, though, we've got another week or two of 30-40 degree weather coming up. Whee.
I'm also spent part of the week stressed out about summer camp options and the fall schedule. I was in the middle of searching for a new babysitter, but our current one may be able to remain with us for a little while longer so I've put that off.
I even applied for a new job, probably just to give myself a change of...something. It would be 10 hours a week on top of the one I already have (which still only adds up to about 22 hours a week for me), and they're doing that thing where in order to get the job you have to get on the site and "beta-test" it. Basically, they're getting free work out of you until they decide to go with someone else. Whatever. Sadly, I'm so addicted to networking sites I went on anyway to see what it was all about. I certainly don't need the extra drain on my time. But, it's a cute site and I may change my mind. There are only about 1000 people on it right now. I just haven't decided how much energy I'm going to put into getting this gig, if any. Which probably means I won't get it. I'll have to think about this some more.
Fortunately, other than that there's not a whole lot on my plate right now. I already took care of my dad's 70th birthday--that was fun, and Morton's the Steakhouse really treated us right. They made custom menus that had my dad's name and "Happy 70th Birthday" on it, gave us free after-dinner drinks and a dessert for him and took a picture, which they then presented to us in one of those paper frames. I'm even slowing down on Facebook and Twitter because fewer of my friends are making posts.
So that's all for now. Today we're possibly going to Toyota Park to pick out our season ticket holder seats. The Red Stars will be there. It should be fun, assuming it's not raining. I will also see the "Watchmen" movie tonight with my girlfriends.
I'm also spent part of the week stressed out about summer camp options and the fall schedule. I was in the middle of searching for a new babysitter, but our current one may be able to remain with us for a little while longer so I've put that off.
I even applied for a new job, probably just to give myself a change of...something. It would be 10 hours a week on top of the one I already have (which still only adds up to about 22 hours a week for me), and they're doing that thing where in order to get the job you have to get on the site and "beta-test" it. Basically, they're getting free work out of you until they decide to go with someone else. Whatever. Sadly, I'm so addicted to networking sites I went on anyway to see what it was all about. I certainly don't need the extra drain on my time. But, it's a cute site and I may change my mind. There are only about 1000 people on it right now. I just haven't decided how much energy I'm going to put into getting this gig, if any. Which probably means I won't get it. I'll have to think about this some more.
Fortunately, other than that there's not a whole lot on my plate right now. I already took care of my dad's 70th birthday--that was fun, and Morton's the Steakhouse really treated us right. They made custom menus that had my dad's name and "Happy 70th Birthday" on it, gave us free after-dinner drinks and a dessert for him and took a picture, which they then presented to us in one of those paper frames. I'm even slowing down on Facebook and Twitter because fewer of my friends are making posts.
So that's all for now. Today we're possibly going to Toyota Park to pick out our season ticket holder seats. The Red Stars will be there. It should be fun, assuming it's not raining. I will also see the "Watchmen" movie tonight with my girlfriends.
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