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Activity Snapshot
- Last Visit: February 25, 2008
- Comments Made: 17
- Topics Added/Edited: 0
- Favorite Vacation Moments: 0
- Travel Reviews: 0
My Quote
And we are put on earth a little space,/ That we may learn to bear the beams of love. -- William Blake
About Me
I live in Western Massachusetts -- one town over from the Asparagus Capital of the World! -- and am the author of the award-winning memoir, "Waiting for Birdy." I write for "Wondertime" and "FamilyFun" magazines (I am secretly a fantastic maker of cakes decorated to look like swimming pools) and also for other magazines, such as "O," where I like to complain about my sagging bosom.
About My Family
I'm working really hard to be in the here and now, to parent mindfully while I raise my two kids, Ben, 8, and Birdy, 4. Which makes my repeated inability to accomplish this all the more baffling. Cheer me on while I struggle and fail and -- Holy moly! -- even succeed sometimes. It may be boring, parenthood, but there's never a dull moment.
CatheriNewman
And we are put on earth a little space,/ That we may learn to bear the beams of love. -- William BlakeWhat I've Been Talking About
In Response To:
Famnig Hjärta
BJ: A *week*? Oh if only. We dropped and broke our bookcase the very next day. And by "we," I mean, of course, "Michael." Sigh. It really is a metaphor for something, Ikea, isn't it? Maybe just consumption itself.
O-mama: It is so hard for me, the idea of compassion for yourself, but then I think you're so right about it. Of course it's what I want for you--but for me, I am not sure.
Camerashy: I *so* watched the Magic Garden.
Andi: My Poindexter underbelly wears thicker glasses than yours does.
Bruinsmama: But were you listening to Pat Benatar?
In Response To:
Sick Day, Episode Infinity Plus One
Ah, I'm so glad I came here just now because these two comments?
"Barney is the devil"
and
"Man, Caillou, shut it."
They totally made my day. And andij1967--thank you so much for your compassionate comment, and I send it back your way. I will be thinking of you at your work.
Not Acceptable?
In Response To:
Why I Need to Slow Down
I have such mixed feelings about being reassured, you know? I mean, it's great--it makes me feel so much better in some ways. And I agree, too: I'm human, I show my kids that, I apologize. These are fine life lessons for them. But then I sometimes think I'd do better to imagine living in a world where I couldn't apologize. I would just need to be more careful at the front end. Not Stepford careful. Just taking-care-of-these-little-dear-people careful. Like today, when I spoke sharply to Ben for reading the IKEA catalogue for too long. Kill me.
Not Acceptable?
In Response To:
Wonder Time
Rockabye, I laughed when you described Michael as contemplative. Is he? I'm not sure. It's just like you're saying, with the beard--I want everyone to brood around like me, only when they do, it's totally depressing. Sigh. So glad you read that piece in the FEBRUARY O MAGAZINE (which I have now plugged quite subtly, no?).
And thank you everyone, for your comments here about my corny column, which you are so nice not to shake your heads over. But I know you know.
xo Catherine
Not Acceptable?
In Response To:
The Baby
It's funny--there's part of me that's relieved by the "me too"s this week. After I wrote that column--when I was reading it aloud, actually--I suddenly wondered if it sounded like a gender issue for me. Like, oh, of course Ben is smart because he's a boy. I know you know me better than that, but that's what I was worried it might sound like. But thanks--I can see that you all have it too.
Buried in snow like we are?
xo Catherine
Not Acceptable?
In Response To:
Movement
Ah, thank you so much for your lovely well wishes!
It's true, that moving (should) make you thin out all your stuff. Of course we ran out of time and so ended up moving boxes that were filled with raggedy dish towels and jars full of paperclips and pennies and clipped stacks of receipts from 2004. But still.
The house has been perfect. It's drafty and dusty and there are mice in the walls, sure, but it really has felt like home. We're thrilled.
I hope you guys are having a wonderful new year so far!
xo Catherine
Not Acceptable?
In Response To:
Girl Cub
Hi, hi, hi! I'm sorry to be so late in responding to these, but:
rra2531: Um, did you compare me to *Barbara Kingsolver*? That is the kind of comment I am thinking about printing and framing in my living room. Thank you.
AuntieL2742: I always worry about that, that I'll post either a worry or an online obsession and doom everyone to it. Forgive me. What's in the background of your lovely picture?
BJ: xo
KristinHuff: I'm always grateful for book recommendations. Thank you so much.
And Happy New Year to all of you!
xo
In Response To:
Lucky Me
ShortOrderMom--it's funny, isn't it? That weird make-the-most-of-it feeling? I even have it at the dentist now. But honestly, that must have been so horrible for you.
And it's funny, that the marriage issue still comes up. You'd think by now I wouldn't be so cagey about it, wouldn't you? (She said, cagily.) I don't know. Blogging is such an interesting mix of revelation and restraint. It is truly baffling at times.
Not Acceptable?
In Response To:
The Milestones You Never Read About
It's funny, how many people here and at wondertime.com have mentioned SLEEPING as the big milestone. So true, isn't it? I mean, that and playing Othello, of course.
I wanted to update the gag column with a little tip that combines my world-famous Thanksgiving expertise with my family's current scatological preoccupation: prick a sweet potato and bake it on a cookie sheet in a hot oven, and by the time it's cooked it may have extruded a large black lump that (Hello, Dr. Rorschach!) looks astonishingly like a cat turd. I cannot, however, recommend trying to cover it in ModPodge.
Not Acceptable?
In Response To:
One Afternoon
BJ: You didn't get any in your government-issued assimilation package? Hm. They came in the Jewish version. . .
Rockabye: Picture a townhouse crossed with a log cabin crossed with a leaky shack. That's our condo. It was built in the 70s as part of a commune project that--Surprise!--didn't work out.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
xo Catherine
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