RIP Patrick Swayze

Why is it we feel so hearbroken when beloved celebrities die? I remember John Ritter's surprise death left me reeling for weeks. I felt like a close family member was gone. Michael Jackson was sad, too, and my husband and I played our Jackson CD's and talked about his career and life. Now Patrick Swayze. The man had pancreatic cancer, so it's not like I expected him to make some kind of miraculous recovery, yet...what is it? It's like they're larger than life, like celebrities can't possibly die. Like most girls, I grew up adoring "Dirty Dancing," arguably the best cheesy movie ever made. The music, the dancing, the lines: "Nobody puts baby in the corner!" My god, it's brilliant!

I'm sad about Patrick Swayze, it gives me this dull ache in my heart. I think that famous people feel like a part of us, since fans own just a tiny little bit of the person through their movies/music/art/books.

Children and Race

Newsweek recently ran an article about babies, children and racism. Here's the link, http://www.newsweek.com/id/214989/page/1

There are two pieces to this article, but in the end I don't really understand the shock. My family is biracial. My husband is of Indian descent, and I'm a mix, mostly German and Irish with some other white mixed in. Race is an important part of our lives, and we're very open and honest about it. We talk/joke about it between us, with our extended families, with our friends and with our kids. I will never understand people (and, yes, it's mostly white people) who think the best way to "address" the issue of people being different colors is by completely ignoring it. This is what they found in the article, that parents stick to an "everyone is the same inside" argument, and proceed to ignore race completely.

Meanwhile, they found that babies spend more time staring at photos of faces that are a different race than their parents are. This didn't indicate a preference, per se, just that even babies as young as 6 months notice that it's "out of the ordinary" from what they normally encounter. Well, pardon my language here, but no shit, sherlock.

Anyone who has children knows that even the tiniest babies notice when something is new to them. That's kind of the point of their little developing brains. Ultimately the issue here isn't that babies notice different skin colors (which I should point out, is NOT a bad thing. Noticing and talking to your kids about race and skin color is okay. In fact, it's mandatory, in my opinion), it's that they aren't getting the chance to be around people of all races.

With kids who are mixed race, I think about bigotry, faux liberalism and hidden racists all the time. I live, geographically, in an area that is pretty liberal and we rarely have any issues with other people not approving of our family. Still, my husband and brown kids are probably the only encounters most of our friends and their children have with non-white people. My guess is that this is pretty standard for most white people.

If Only I Was Famous...

I could check myself into a posh rehab facility for "exhaustion" right about now. It's been a long and painful couple of weeks, and I apologize for not writing for awhile. Our only car broke down, and we decided to get something new. I love the new, crazily overpriced hunk of gas-guzzling beauty. We could buy one of our kids four years at a state university for what we're paying, and it pains me to think about it. It's also not a hybrid, something else that eats away at me. I do my best, people!

So, we have the new financial strain of a huge car payment. We're moving toward a less consumer-driven lifestyle (I know that sounds ridiculous, what with the new car and all) to make up for the hit our checking account will be taking. I'm doing the grocery game thing, hunting through sales ads to find the best deals. Planning meals around what's cheap that week, which is taking a lot of getting used to. I was a spoiled grocery shopper before, pretty much buying whatever I felt like.

I also got the flu, a very long stretch of it, and wasn't up for doing much. Thankfully my mom is around to help with the kids, because every square inch of my body ached. I'm okay now, and hoping that'll be it for our family and the flu this year. Fingers crossed...

I'm going to be volunteering at a local animal hospital starting next week. I'm excited to get back into veterinary work again, and I hope it eventually leads to a paid position.

Meanwhile, I finally lost the 4lbs I'd gained while being completely lazy on the WW plan. I feel re-energized about the whole thing, and have been getting in good workouts. Woo hoo!

Here We Are Now, Entertain Us.

What I'm into for amusing myself. I use and abuse Netflix on a daily basis, and am in love with being able to view stuff on their website. I also watch my favorite shows on Hulu (remember, we have no cable, satellite, digital converter box...read that entry, people!!). So, I read and watch DVDs and workout and surf the Net. Right now, my obsessions are:

The public library (this isn't a photo of my library, but how much do I lust after this one?!). How can you not enjoy a place that just lets you take their stuff via the honor system (okay, there's a card, and they'll track you down with their thugs if you haven't paid your fines, but you get the idea). I take the kids a few times a month for new books for all of us. We also enjoy all their free entertainment-storytime, jugglers, magicians, etc. Librarians rule.




Oh Weeds, you are my crack addiction. I started watching the first 2 seasons on Netflix, in a totally random way. The site recommended this show based on something else I'd rented, and I got hooked instantly. Season 3 had to be mailed to me, and I'm about halfway through the season 4 episodes. Mary Louise Parker is just so hot and amazing, and I love the show.

I Feel Pretty, Oh So Pretty! Clothes and Accessories I Can't Live Without.

Down East Basics T-Shirts. Their camisoles are also the best you can get. I spend tons shopping on their website, and I freaking love these tees. I have them in at least 25 colors and varieties.



From HSN, Technibond® Torqued Circle Pendant in yellow gold. Gorgeous and shiny, my go-to gold necklace.



Adorable and cool peace sign necklace in silver by Jessica Hicks. If I could afford the gold one, I'd get that, too.



Ariat Fatbaby boots. If you don't see why these are cool, I just don't understand you at all.



Lucky Brand Jeans, handbags. I buy these off Ebay to save me a good fifty bucks or so, but I think they're worth retail price. Nice soft leather, it gets better with use and aging. I have this specific bag in tan, and many other bags by this company. Right now I want that slouchy hobo like the one on "Weeds."

I'd Rather Die Than Not Eat and Drink These...

Argentinian Malbec wine, my latest find. I've tried several brands, the one in the photo is good. Sadly, I cannot for the life of me remember which one I had from Whole Foods that was so good I drank the entire bottle myself in one night. It didn't prevent my raging hangover headache, but was so worth it.



Seattle's Best Coffee is, hands down, the best coffee available. I should note that Starbucks now owns them, something I wish wasn't true. Anyway, their french roast is very dark and rich, and my personal heaven is a room that smells like a pot of this stuff brewing. Sigh.



If I wasn't already married, I'd propose to Hershey's Special Dark chocolate bars. Intense, yet sweet, creamy and awesome. Fairly points-friendly, too. For the regular size bar, it's just 4. I like to eat a little segment (about 1 point) a day for a little treat. Oh, and no evil high fructose corn syrup.



Pistachios are the best nuts in the history of nuts. The shells take forever to pop open, and I can eat them by the truckoad. Then they make me fart, though.

Things I Love...That Make Me Gorgeous.

Estee Lauder Youth Dew Bath Oil-I hardly ever get the time to have a long, hot bath. When I do, I always use this stuff. It's so earthy, sexy, interesting and complicated. It makes the whole bathroom smell amazing, and it lingers on my skin until I shower again.




Trader Joe's Shea Butter bar soap. For about three bucks, you get a huge bar of creamy, fresh, clean bubbly fun. I can't live without it.




Tom Ford Black Violet is my ultimate fragrance. It's so sexy, musky, and unique. It also costs a freaking fortune. For hot days, I've been enjoying the Bigelow Lemon, available at Bath and Body Works. Also, Sensuous is a nice warm scent for evening or a cooler day.







Act mouthwash, bubble gum flavor. I'm obsessed with mouthwash, because I have weird teeth that are prone to cavities. Dentists always tell me this is the best brand to use, but I don't like swishing for 30-60 seconds with most washes. This, however, tastes just like bubblegum. Yum!




MoroccanOil is giving me the best hair days EVER, even with the pain in the ass glass bottle.




DHC-Love them. Mild Body Shampoo is sweet and fresh, Cleansing Oil removes makeup without making your eyes burn, and White Sunscreen protects with Titanium and Zinc Oxide, but is never greasy or thick.









Aquaphor fixes everything, I tell you!