Wanted: 8 hours more sleep
Apr. 27th, 2009 09:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kyburgWhole house is snuffly now. Tell my boys to keep their fingers out of their mouths, yes I do. Now, both of them have colds - I think. Could still be allergies, but my money is on URI - transmission method shared. They've spent a lot more time together than I have as of late, so wherever they picked it up - they did at the same time.
Xander does NOT like me telling him - and reinforcing with a tap on the paw at times - to keep from nibbling, biting or sucking on fingertips. And if the shoes are off, and the fingers are sore - you got it. Even that got a 'OH HELL NO' from Jim.
This was present from the beginning, and since it is a clear sign of self-soothing, did nothing to curb it for the first month. Now, it's the first boundary being set. You need to keep your fingers out of your mouth.
Oh, such a mean Mommy. I also make you eat your breakfast and stop watching television. If you won't settle yourself to sleep, I swaddle and rock you until you drop off, too. AWFUL.
My last dose of antibiotics was this morning, and I'm not done - improved, but not done. I see a trip to urgent care for the entire family tonight.
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books was lean and mean, and it showed. No color-coded pennants flagging routes overhead (oh dear, they were missed), and I had one panel that was at least 33% overbooked for the facility it was in. (Turn away over 90 people - oh, I was not liking that one bit.) I need to drop an email with some more thoughts - to be blunt, I am happy we had an event at all, considering, and I said as much to people who asked 'why the cuts?' Keep it possible for us to have another one economy, k thanx bye.
The Mrs. Meyers Clean Day soap people had the best booth of the day, right next to Dodd Hall - HUGE bottle of soap, free samples, sign up for email goodies...and super people working there. WIN.
Air America was across the way - and the Ron Paul people crashed the event, brought placards and squatted under the trees. Welcome to UCLA. (They also did it across the way from the New Age Spirituality booths, which amused me as well. Want to be seen as a group of entitled, pinhead brats? Yeah, that.) People watching. Gotta love it.
Sunburned my arms and a bit of my face. The Fair's artwork/theme this year was done by Eric Carle, who illustrated the Hungry Hungry Catepillar, so my thank you present? Is a mug with the caterpillar on it - reading a book. WIN AGAIN.
I would have preferred the volunteer shirt - it is screaming pumpkin orange with yellow print on it that says 'BOOKS RULE' - the Bookworms (me) got a maroon t-shirt with a small logo on it that will go very well with the old Fanime ballcap from the year we did Security for them.
I *did* get to see Stephen Cannell, as he went in to the panel - and I have aged better. (Did get to say Good Morning, but he didn't look left or right, which is acceptable as you are rushed into the building, through the ticket lines. WRONG - and another thing for the email.) He's even gotten smaller (shorter?), thin and worn-looking. Hell, it's been 21 years. I'm still proud as hell of him for becoming a novelist - he's dyslexic almost to the point of illiterate, did you know that? And he *still* went into writing as a profession.
And that was about the entire fair for me. I did try to jump out and catch a few booths, but it was so packed and the booths near Dodd didn't have anything I needed, so nothing was purchased. Never did get near the Food Stage, or any of that - and the booths near the kids stage had *nothing* for Xander.
I was so tired I forgot about Pico Iyer. But it was a good tired.
Went home, found Jim about ready to hang kid from the rafters - suggested Chinese buffet and that was all win. Except for a kid who has decided it's okay to push us on 'I'm playing, not eating now that it's time and there's food in front of me.' Did I mention I'm a MEAN mommy?
Playing was okay until he started choking on what he had in his mouth - now, it's off the list. UH, three year old? And once he gets it that Mom's Serious, he eats just fine for me. He may need a little help putting it on the fork, but from there - all good.
The staff there must have all been Taiwanese (or nearly so) - they thought Xander was the best thing they'd seen all day, complimented us, complimented him and spoiled him rotten. Girl magnet.
Which is a nice way to introduce this little bit - has anyone else seen the Newsweek article about transracial adoption - done from the perspective of POC Parents/White Child?
As Yale historian Matthew Frye Jacobson has asked: "Why is it that in the United States, a white woman can have black children but a black woman cannot have white children?"
That question hit home for the Ridings in 2003, when Terri's mother, Phyllis Smith, agreed to take in Katie, then 3, on a temporary basis. A retired social worker, Phyllis had long been giving needy children a home—and Katie was one of the hardest cases. The child of a local prostitute, her toddler tantrums were so disturbing that foster families simply refused to keep her. Twelve homes later, Katie was still being passed around. Phyllis was in many ways an unlikely savior.
Twelve homes before she was Xander's age. Yeah, my temper would be 'disturbing' too by then.
Having been working this subject for over five years, I know those families are out there - this is not the only one, but it's entirely true that the ratio against POC Parents/White Children is rare, uncommon and so on. Frankly, I'm delighted to see this. It's a gimme with folks who claim that transracial adoption is just another priviledge grab (Co-opt my culture, take my kids, take it ALL, and then toss it in the trash when you get tired of it being 'strange'), and for some cultures? There's a real expectation some of the race priviledge will rub off. And that makes it okay - not that the kids need homes, this is a lucky situation because you get 'better' parents (ie, white) this way.
It feeds into the whole 'be grateful' mentality - and what I think of THAT isn't printable.
The truth is, kids need homes with good parents. And both sides come in all colors. Why make it even harder to get the kids mated up with parents by trying to match them like socks? (Think of it. But when it's clearly NOT HAPPENING, do what these guys did. Drop it.)
It's pointless to try to hide the adoption, guys.
Thinking about it, we got plenty of race training in all parts of our education provided by both DCFS and Heartsent - if it's banned, I wouldn't have known it. Heartsent, in addition - urged us to join Families with Children from China, and that group is ALL about integrating, celebrating and educating with regards to race and culture. We listen to the Korean adoptees, because they have a lot to say about what To Do and what NOT To Do. (You've heard about 'Adopted: The Move?' 'Daughter From Danang? (Vietnam Baby Airlift)' ?)
The magazine also has a nice piece that warms my heart - if you know me, it's obvious why.
Dillon is marching with a group called Catholics United who carry a banner that says: "CONGRESS: SUPPORT PREGNANT WOMEN AND REDUCE ABORTIONS NOW!" This is the first time that Dillon has seen any mention of abortion reduction; the battle has always been about Roe and bans. "We need to start thinking in practical terms: what can we do now to reduce abortions?" she says. "And I think that is very pro-life, if we can lower the numbers," she says.
Heresy. It just isn't as much fun to work at reducing numbers instead of getting together with your friends and hating on implied abortionists (those who know you can't keep a woman from having an abortion, you can only try to make it possible for her to chose NOT to have one). I'm old enough to remember - and had a mother in nursing, a father in pharmacy - years before Roe. Abortions were NOT stopped because it was illegal. Work at something that actually WORKS, k thanx bye (again).
Supporting women. What a concept. *eyeroll*
Your Monday, now in progress.
Xander does NOT like me telling him - and reinforcing with a tap on the paw at times - to keep from nibbling, biting or sucking on fingertips. And if the shoes are off, and the fingers are sore - you got it. Even that got a 'OH HELL NO' from Jim.
This was present from the beginning, and since it is a clear sign of self-soothing, did nothing to curb it for the first month. Now, it's the first boundary being set. You need to keep your fingers out of your mouth.
Oh, such a mean Mommy. I also make you eat your breakfast and stop watching television. If you won't settle yourself to sleep, I swaddle and rock you until you drop off, too. AWFUL.
My last dose of antibiotics was this morning, and I'm not done - improved, but not done. I see a trip to urgent care for the entire family tonight.
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books was lean and mean, and it showed. No color-coded pennants flagging routes overhead (oh dear, they were missed), and I had one panel that was at least 33% overbooked for the facility it was in. (Turn away over 90 people - oh, I was not liking that one bit.) I need to drop an email with some more thoughts - to be blunt, I am happy we had an event at all, considering, and I said as much to people who asked 'why the cuts?' Keep it possible for us to have another one economy, k thanx bye.
The Mrs. Meyers Clean Day soap people had the best booth of the day, right next to Dodd Hall - HUGE bottle of soap, free samples, sign up for email goodies...and super people working there. WIN.
Air America was across the way - and the Ron Paul people crashed the event, brought placards and squatted under the trees. Welcome to UCLA. (They also did it across the way from the New Age Spirituality booths, which amused me as well. Want to be seen as a group of entitled, pinhead brats? Yeah, that.) People watching. Gotta love it.
Sunburned my arms and a bit of my face. The Fair's artwork/theme this year was done by Eric Carle, who illustrated the Hungry Hungry Catepillar, so my thank you present? Is a mug with the caterpillar on it - reading a book. WIN AGAIN.
I would have preferred the volunteer shirt - it is screaming pumpkin orange with yellow print on it that says 'BOOKS RULE' - the Bookworms (me) got a maroon t-shirt with a small logo on it that will go very well with the old Fanime ballcap from the year we did Security for them.
I *did* get to see Stephen Cannell, as he went in to the panel - and I have aged better. (Did get to say Good Morning, but he didn't look left or right, which is acceptable as you are rushed into the building, through the ticket lines. WRONG - and another thing for the email.) He's even gotten smaller (shorter?), thin and worn-looking. Hell, it's been 21 years. I'm still proud as hell of him for becoming a novelist - he's dyslexic almost to the point of illiterate, did you know that? And he *still* went into writing as a profession.
And that was about the entire fair for me. I did try to jump out and catch a few booths, but it was so packed and the booths near Dodd didn't have anything I needed, so nothing was purchased. Never did get near the Food Stage, or any of that - and the booths near the kids stage had *nothing* for Xander.
I was so tired I forgot about Pico Iyer. But it was a good tired.
Went home, found Jim about ready to hang kid from the rafters - suggested Chinese buffet and that was all win. Except for a kid who has decided it's okay to push us on 'I'm playing, not eating now that it's time and there's food in front of me.' Did I mention I'm a MEAN mommy?
Playing was okay until he started choking on what he had in his mouth - now, it's off the list. UH, three year old? And once he gets it that Mom's Serious, he eats just fine for me. He may need a little help putting it on the fork, but from there - all good.
The staff there must have all been Taiwanese (or nearly so) - they thought Xander was the best thing they'd seen all day, complimented us, complimented him and spoiled him rotten. Girl magnet.
Which is a nice way to introduce this little bit - has anyone else seen the Newsweek article about transracial adoption - done from the perspective of POC Parents/White Child?
As Yale historian Matthew Frye Jacobson has asked: "Why is it that in the United States, a white woman can have black children but a black woman cannot have white children?"
That question hit home for the Ridings in 2003, when Terri's mother, Phyllis Smith, agreed to take in Katie, then 3, on a temporary basis. A retired social worker, Phyllis had long been giving needy children a home—and Katie was one of the hardest cases. The child of a local prostitute, her toddler tantrums were so disturbing that foster families simply refused to keep her. Twelve homes later, Katie was still being passed around. Phyllis was in many ways an unlikely savior.
Twelve homes before she was Xander's age. Yeah, my temper would be 'disturbing' too by then.
Having been working this subject for over five years, I know those families are out there - this is not the only one, but it's entirely true that the ratio against POC Parents/White Children is rare, uncommon and so on. Frankly, I'm delighted to see this. It's a gimme with folks who claim that transracial adoption is just another priviledge grab (Co-opt my culture, take my kids, take it ALL, and then toss it in the trash when you get tired of it being 'strange'), and for some cultures? There's a real expectation some of the race priviledge will rub off. And that makes it okay - not that the kids need homes, this is a lucky situation because you get 'better' parents (ie, white) this way.
It feeds into the whole 'be grateful' mentality - and what I think of THAT isn't printable.
The truth is, kids need homes with good parents. And both sides come in all colors. Why make it even harder to get the kids mated up with parents by trying to match them like socks? (Think of it. But when it's clearly NOT HAPPENING, do what these guys did. Drop it.)
It's pointless to try to hide the adoption, guys.
Thinking about it, we got plenty of race training in all parts of our education provided by both DCFS and Heartsent - if it's banned, I wouldn't have known it. Heartsent, in addition - urged us to join Families with Children from China, and that group is ALL about integrating, celebrating and educating with regards to race and culture. We listen to the Korean adoptees, because they have a lot to say about what To Do and what NOT To Do. (You've heard about 'Adopted: The Move?' 'Daughter From Danang? (Vietnam Baby Airlift)' ?)
The magazine also has a nice piece that warms my heart - if you know me, it's obvious why.
Dillon is marching with a group called Catholics United who carry a banner that says: "CONGRESS: SUPPORT PREGNANT WOMEN AND REDUCE ABORTIONS NOW!" This is the first time that Dillon has seen any mention of abortion reduction; the battle has always been about Roe and bans. "We need to start thinking in practical terms: what can we do now to reduce abortions?" she says. "And I think that is very pro-life, if we can lower the numbers," she says.
Heresy. It just isn't as much fun to work at reducing numbers instead of getting together with your friends and hating on implied abortionists (those who know you can't keep a woman from having an abortion, you can only try to make it possible for her to chose NOT to have one). I'm old enough to remember - and had a mother in nursing, a father in pharmacy - years before Roe. Abortions were NOT stopped because it was illegal. Work at something that actually WORKS, k thanx bye (again).
Supporting women. What a concept. *eyeroll*
Your Monday, now in progress.
