Drug problem

Wanna see my box?

"Whoop, there it is!"

Went to Jade's BFF's house yesterday and all of us ladies made our moon boxes-- on the full moon (see "First Moon Wkshop" post). Everybody's boxes turned out beautiful. A fun time for all.

Kathy (BFF's mom) made us a delicious pizza on the grill...TJ's WW dough, pesto sauce, lg. portabella mushrooms caps, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, garlic, & goat cheese...mmm, mmm, good. I will definitely be duplicating it this weekend.

The girls were pumpin up the Lady Gaga and Kathy was bustin out the hot dance moves. She recently took a class and has sexy routines choreographed to songs. I was green with envy.
Dance classes have been on my to do list since last fall when I heard at Tony Robbins seminar that dancing helps women stay in their "feminine". I need to take those classes. Then I can be a smokin' hot mama. ;)

New Homely Doll

EL SEGUNDO, CA—Executives at Mattel Inc. held a press conference Monday to unveil the toy company's latest product, Plain Pamela, a homely doll designed to boost the confidence of girls ages 7 to 12.
Girls of all ages can spend hours feeling superior to the squat, unappealing doll.
The pale, unsightly plaything, which has a plastic torso scaled to the proportions of a 5-foot-4, 179-pound woman in her mid-30s, is being touted as the first toy expressly intended to raise the sense of physical and emotional self-worth in preteen females.
"While we still value our classic Barbie franchise, we understand the need for dolls that offer an alternative body image," Mattel CEO Robert Eckert said. "And that's why we've created Plain Pamela. She's drab, she's dumpy, she's nothing to write home about, and she's going to make the girls of America feel like beauty queens."
Added Eckert, "Relatively speaking."
Mattel, which has been criticized in the past for promoting unrealistic standards of beauty, claimed that the new doll would not only improve the self-esteem of growing girls, but would also give them someone to feel superior to for hours on end.
Modestly priced at $7.99, each Plain Pamela doll comes prepackaged with a variety of unflattering and ill-fitting blouses to drape over her shapeless torso, as well as a packet of paste-on psoriasis spots to apply along her arms and back.
Mattel designers have also included a button at the base of the doll's pudgy neck that randomly plays one of 24 preprogrammed phrases, including "I wish I was pretty like you," "That's okay, you go out and have fun without me," and "Ugh."
"Kids today want toys that are highly customizable," Eckert said. "Which is why every Plain Pamela comes with four interchangeable hairstyles: Just-Woke-Up, Too-Long, Too-Short, and What's-the-Point-of-Even-Trying-Anymore-It's-Not-Like-It's-Going-to-Make-a-Difference. Girls are going to love deciding which of Pamela's hairdos makes them look prettier by comparison."
"Plus, each doll comes with a variety of fun, ego-enhancing features that will allow girls to feel better about themselves as they help Pamela fit into her size-14 doll pants or wipe refillable 'tears' from her swollen face," Eckert added. "This is a huge leap forward in body-positive toys."
Mattel plans in the future to sell a number of playsets for the doll, including the Plain Pamela Cramped Studio Apartment, complete with special Dinner-for-One Kitchenette and Depressing Stack of Old People Magazines.
If Plain Pamela catches on with kids, company officials said, she may soon be joined by an entire line of fun, psychologically reassuring friends. Already in the works for the fall are Lil'-Too-Drunk Linda, whose debilitating dependence on alcohol will make any girl feel better about her own unstable home life, and Plain Pamela's Sympathetic Gay Friend, Craig.
Medical consultants for Mattel have confirmed that the poorly postured and overly awkward doll can effectively serve as an image-enhancing device for children.
"Preliminary tests have shown that as little as one hour of playtime with Plain Pamela can make even the frumpiest, least self-assured young girl feel remarkably positive about her own physical attributes," Mattel child psychologist Dr. Martin Janosch said. "Which, if you've seen the Plain Pamela doll, is not entirely surprising."
Added Dr. Janosch, "She's not exactly easy on the eye."
Mattel also announced that it would begin production next year on Timorous Tim, a fey, cowardly action figure designed to boost the confidence of shy young boys.
-the ONION

Toy Snob

That's it! I am done with the hodgepodge of plastic toys that have all been gifted to my children.

I boxed them up and plan to dump and donate them. The energy in the play room felt better immediately-- more inviting and calm.

Was I raised with only wooden toys? No. Am I a hippy? Definitely not. Am I environmentally conscious? I'm working on it. Bottom line is, I HATE PLASTIC TOYS, especially battery-guzzling plastic toys. I have tried to politely mention this to family & friends before parties...yet, still more plastic crap. I realize I should be grateful they come to the party or even bring a gift...yadi-yadi-ya. I don't make a gift registry (maybe I should), or refer them to educational stores, or hand out catalogs (like my friend)... but there are a plethora of alternatives. Books, balls, art supplies, blocks, puzzles, instruments, puppets, dress-up... Even Target has a natural and retro toy section...with Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, blocks, pounding benches, metal Slinkies...

Wooden toys feel better, they smell better, they look better (to me), and my toddlers would probably say they taste better. They're quality-- heirloom quality (many are handmade). They inspire imagination and creativity...hence, they will play with them much longer than a plastic toy that loses their interest quickly. Last but not least, they are safe and environmentally friendly. They sometimes cost a bit more, but are well worth the investment. Used wooden toys are just as great. So are the dolls made of felt or soft flannel cloth & and play silks... or the old metal toys, like the old metal Tonka dump trucks vs. today's junkie plastic alternatives.

If you prefer bright colors, they make some beautiful non-toxic painted and lacquered toys--prettier than any plastic toy.

Honestly, I don't care for plastic toys because they just seem cheap to me. They are built to be disposable. They require dictated play. And children automatically want to know, "What does it do?" They are intended to entertain and distract our children...but an assortment of them just over-stimulate. I hate all the beeping, vibrating, talking, singing chaos. I'm not one of those paranoid parents, but natural is always better than synthetic.

After doing a little more research today I also learned some things. I found that PVC, the most toxic plastic, is the soft type of plastic most commonly used in children's toys (especially infant toys). Heavy metals (like lead and cadmium) are added to make the rigid type of PVC more durable for use in older children's toys. Yes, the chemicals can be absorbed through the mouth and skin, and can show up in the bloodstreams of children. These chemicals are also hormonally active and can interfere with normal growth and reproductive development in children. Lead causes damage to the nervous system, leading to decreased learning ability and behavioral deficits. Children are especially susceptible because they absorb and retain lead more easily and because their brains are still developing.

Wooden toys are memories that last a lifetime. :)

Children See, Children Do

Job Opportunity

This morning I was looking for roof related ads on Craigslist and this pitiful post popped up:

Hello, I am looking for a girl to stay at my house and help me with the day to day responsibilties of caring for my five children. I am recently separated and was not planning on raising my children by myself but my wife decided to become a lesbian and ubruptly move out. I am currently on welfare and cannot afford to pay someone to help out but in exchange I can offer a roof over your head and 3 meals a day for the right person. You must posess good maturnal instincts and great character for me to trust you with my kids. No drugs, alcohol, drama, no exceptions. If you think you can do this please e-mail me for an interview. Thanks, Jonathan
Location: yuba city, ca
Compensation: no pay

Oh my!! Good luck with that. So, really only homeless people (with internet access) need apply. Heck, "no alcohol"-- I'm not even eligible. His best bet is to kiss his wife's ass and bring the poor children's mother home. Seriously, uncover what it is that she really craves...respect, appreciation, passion, compassion, love, cunnilingus... and GIVE IT TO HER! She is the mother of your 5 children. It is a tragedy for all involved. Man up! Get a job. (Learn to spell check.) Try that "Love Dare"...

It is insane to expect anyone else to move into a no-income situation and care for 5 children-- with no compensation. Their own mother couldn't take it anymore...(though that's no excuse to abandon your children). It's hard enough to be a mother and housewife to your own children, let alone to someone else's bratty kids-- with no carrot dangling at the end of the stick. Shoot, you can't even have a glass of wine at the end of the day-- because a) you don't have any $ and b) you're not allowed to drink.

I've been through a handful of paid "Mother's Helpers" (and interviewed countless) and I can attest that good help is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. For this poor guy, it's going to be like trying to find a needle in the ocean.

UP (3D)

Rave reviews... #1 movie ($68m)...1st Pixar 3D: