Memoirs of a Working Mom

So, as my internship is drawing to a close (exactly one week from tomorrow, praise the Lord), I thought it would be interesting to draw some conclusions from what I've learned.

First, working and maintaining a healthy marriage is a bit difficult. I have been going into work at 6:00 am so as to be home when the girls wake up from naps. However, I have to go to bed by 8:30, 9 at the latest. And the wonderful Erik is a night person. Oh boy. Not easy. Thankfully, it's almost over and we can have the nights back together.

Secondly, balancing the girls needs with my exhaustion has been tough. I try and give them what I have left in the afternoons, which makes me awful tired by about 8:00 pm. (You can see the conflict.) Thankfully, I found something that gives me energy and allows them to participate. I have been doing Yoga in the afternoons after work and the girls do it with me. I'm pepped up after my workout, and the girls have a ball doing all the poses with me. It's pretty cute.

Third, being a SAHM kind of rocks. I didn't know it when I had it. Oh, praise Jesus that I can go back to it. Halla!

Fourth, traffic and sky-high gas prices seriously dent my meager pay check. Very happy to not have those regular expenses soon.

I do want you know that I have loved working in a personal injury firm this summer. I used to think PI was just out to get the most money, which they are, but also, they do help a lot of people. I can understand why people need PI lawyers, and why lawyers go into PI. It's not super glam, but it's a steady paycheck. And the clients are usually quite happy. So, win-win, if you ask me. And although I did not do well on the LSAT this time, I did really love the industry. So, we'll see what God has planned.

SYTYCD

Alright, I love So You Think You Can Dance. It's awesome and I'm always a little happier when the show is on. I just love to watch dance, and the choreographers are amazing. They have got to be the most talented people in dance. I have watched it for the past two seasons.

If you don't watch the show, then just pretend like you know what I'm talking about.

So, last night was painful. I have to say I was disappointed in Kherrington (sp?) and Twitch. Normally they are one of my favs, but their energy just wasn't there. And then, hello, Comfort. She just needs to go. It's getting horrible. Every time she walks over to the judges table they beat her down a little more. I mean, sure her dancing is not nearly the caliber the others are, but the judges were the one who kept her on week after week. Anyways, I think tonight is Comfort's last night. The flame went out of her. And it's really too bad. Comfort has a great story and no formal training. Although, the lack of training is probably what's going to kick her off. She doesn't finish her lines and steps. It's all a little amateur.

Also, it's painful to watch Jessica take her reviews. I mean, come on, the girl has been in the bottom just about every week. And every week the judges tell her, "Jessica, Will (her partner) is so good. You really need to step it up." Poor girl. She got onto that show with out Will; now she's dragging him down. Although honestly, Jessica does not have the spark that Will does. Will is a complete dancer and Jessica just can't get there. I think her physical talent is there, but the mental jump isn't being made.

So, now I feel a bunch better getting that off my chest. Do you remember how the summer T.V. schedule was all re-runs? I love the new summer programming. I think it's great. Some of my favorite shows are in the summer. (Well, of course, I love T.V., so, I'd always be able to find something I like. I'm also agreeable, which makes for a good audience. I'm always good for laughing!)

Not as high as I was expecting...

So, I got my score. Not good.

I have learned two things thus far, which I'm sure is just the beginning. 1) I am not as smart as I think I am and 2) my instincts are not very reliable. This is rather humbling for me, with a touch of humiliation.

At least I've still got my day-job - being wife and mother.

Yes, I'm here...

I just haven't known what to post about. There's a lot going on in the world, but I just haven't found the motivation to get on it.

I mean, I could've posted about the District of Columbia v. Heller decision from the Supreme Court last week. What a huge win for 2nd Amendment rights that was! It was nice to see the High Court uphold the constitution.

Unlike, say, the Boumediene v. Bush case, which extended the rights of citizens to enemy detainees being held in Guantanamo Bay. I would like to point out that the official definition of citizens is a person who serves a country. How exactly did the Court make that jump? The people held in Gitmo are people arrested for crimes against the U.S. They are not citizens, yet this court has found that they can not be denied the right of habeas corpus. So, yes, I could have posted about that and how outraged I was by that decision.

And then Kennedy v. Louisiana, which may have sounded like a good idea. I mean, really, is it entirely necessary to punish a person convicted of the rape of a child with the death penalty. Initially I was a little on the fence with this one. Meaning, is this a situation where the death penalty is too harsh a punishment? But now that I've thought and read more about it I understand that in this decision the Court held that in some cases a state can not make it's own laws regarding the punishment of crimes. This decision was a blow for state sovereignty and a big disappointment for me, an ardent states' rights supporter.

So, yes, I could have blogged about all that. And aren't you glad I did? :)

It's done...

Finally. 10 weeks of planning and studying and I completed it. Didn't even run out of time! And the best part, for the next five weeks I get to live in the delusion that I got a 180!

It's Not All Shoes & Stories

With the coming general elections, it's time I start getting serious about illuminating some of the political arguments at stake this November.

I came across this WSJ article from the blog "Between Two Worlds". I know it's uncomfortable to discuss things that are as heated as abortion, which is why I tend to avoid discussing it on my blog. Everyone knows how conservative I am in my beliefs, and I just haven't felt lead to pontificate lately. Except today. Upon reading this article, I am re-energized.

People, Obama is radical. He comes across as gentle and quiet, almost holy, but he's got an agenda. It's not all about "hope". (whatever that means in the political sphere...)

To Mr. Obama, abortion, or "reproductive justice," is "one of the most fundamental rights we possess." And he promises, "the first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act," which would overturn hundreds of federal and state laws limiting abortion, including the federal ban on partial-birth abortion and bans on public funding of abortion.

Excuse me? "Reproductive justice"? Oh my.

He has voted against, or abstained from, all limits on abortion. Including those of the worst sort, like partial-birth abortion. And he doesn't believe in recognizing those who survive abortions as persons. He thinks they should be killed! The woman in the article is just such a person. She survived an abortion; Obama would have her dead.

Please read the article. The personal side to the issue is something I think most miss while discussing the merits of abortion.

SATC

Yes, I did just see "Sex and the City" last night. Don't judge me.

It was better than I thought. Of course, I've been watching SATC on TBS, so much of the sex and curse words are all edited, therefore the movie was shocking to say the least. I actually covered my eyes.

So, the story was better than I anticipated, like I mentioned above. A little drama that would have taken an entire season to unravel was fun to watch on the big screen. And they incorporated all four girls' stories pretty well I thought. It's kind of tough to make a movie with four main characters (well, relatively main as Carrie has always been the center) because it could take so long to develop the stories. But, I thought it was well done and will leave SATC fans pretty satisfied. At least I was.

Now the fashion, oh my! Once again, Carrie blows us all away with her taking runway looks to the street, but the character always pulls it off. Not a huge fan of the gladiator sandals, but the blue Manolo's were TO DIE FOR! Aren't they beautiful? And so romantic... Who wouldn't love a $1000 shoe for a engagment gift? I mean, cheaper than the ring, right. Of course, I'm sitting here wondering if I would trade my diamond for shoes, and the answer is decidedly 'no'. My girls would traipse around the house in these for sure and probably even gnaw off the buckle. C'est la vie.

Back to the movie, I actually think the movie had some good points regarding marriage. It touched on an issue that I find incredibly important. In the movie, ****Spoiler Alert!**** Carrie and Big decide to buy a home. Except, Big buys the home for them. Technically, the home is in Big's name. Miranda asks Carrie to consider what would happen should they break up? Carrie would be homeless with no assets. The thing is, until this point, Carrie was fine with living with Big. It was until the security question comes up that she's willing to broach the topic with Big.

My point is that marriage really is an incredibly important thing for women. The institution protects women. That message gets all skewed now because women are supposed to be able to support themselves, have their own jobs, their own security. But what is missed is that marriage really helps women out. And they are selling themselves short by "shacking up".

Also, the movie pointed out that marriage is worth working on. ***Spoiler*** Miranda and Steve go thru a hard time, but they work it out. I would have liked to see Miranda actually realize that she was as much to blame for the problems, instead of just having the responsibility to forgive Steve. It didn't go far enough there, in my humble opinion.

Love Charlotte.

Samantha. Poor Samantha. There was something so disturbing about watching a 50-ish woman still wanting the promiscuous lifestyle she left behind for the man she loved. And yes, that's right, she choose herself. Typical Samantha. I bet she has every STD in the book.

Overall, I would buy this movie if they made it into an edited form. As it stands right now, there is no way I'll ever own this movie. Of course, this movie edited, what would be left? I guess fashion! :) Always a good thing.