Whit last week. You can see his sister hiding under a towel on the couch. This is just another regular night at my house.
everyday life
Things I Cannot Live Without
Sorry, no deep thoughts today, or even articulate sentences. I’m just too tired.
1. Cherry chapstick. This is my oh-so-sophisticated version of lipstick. In college Q used to like the Dr Pepper kind because it even has a slight pink tint along with that delicious DP flavor. I tried to use lip gloss for a long time but my hair kept getting stuck in it and I finally just accepted that this is all I need.
2. LL Bean tote bags. In the Mead household growing up these were called “canvas carriers” and I still use one almost every day. They are duffel bag, gym bag, yoga bag, diaper bag, work bag all in one. These used to be my favorite baby present and I thought I was so original until Whit was born and I received seven of them. That’s okay: I use them all. I think I probably have about 15 in total and they all get used. For a weekend in Marion the kids and I each pack in one.
3. Crocs for my kids. I know. They are not pretty. But they are easy access and there are no laces to tie. Also, I have a real blind spot about shoes and never know my kids’ sizes, so invariably the day comes in November or something when the only thing they have that fits is crocs and it is snowing outside.
4. Spray sunscreen. I’m too laissez-faire about sunscreen to begin with (witness Grace’s deep, dark tan) but my GOD if I had to actually hold the wriggling children still and rub the stuff in? Forget it. This is my only prayer. And I do believe that sunscreen is pretty important.
5. My iPhone. It’s my umbilical cord to the world. And also my main camera these days. In a pinch, a babysitter (G&W are partial to Doodle Jump and iChalky).
6. Hair elastics. Because I’m in a ponytail 90% of the time. Because I can’t stand hair in my eyes. Seriously, it’s kind of a crisis if I don’t have one. Also functions as jewelry for the 10% of the time that it’s on my wrist and not in my hair.
7. Big sunglasses. My current favorite pair is a browner version of these, with the big hardware hinges on each side. Sunglasses hide my tired eyes, my wrinkles, my tears, and help with the hair-in-face problem.
8. Starbucks venti nonfat latte with 2 splenda. No explanation needed. Diet Coke a close second in the beverage category.
9. Old Navy white tank tops. Wear one almost every day three seasons a year. In the winter, this is replaced by long-sleeved J Crew cashmere tee shirts.
10. Band aids. These are the cure-alls for Grace and Whit. All manner of bumps and bruises and injuries, perceived and real, are immediately better with a kiss from me and a band-aid. Even better if they can go into the cabinet and get it themselves.
I am sort of fascinated by the small things that people have with them all the time, on their person or in their bags. By the things we carry, as it were, in our day to day life. What is it that you always have with you, without which you can’t imagine living?
Dry Fuddruckers in Dubai
Dear college roommate C and I had dinner last night at the Cheesecake Factory. It was downright hilarious watching her approach the 20 page menu. Every time I go to the Cheesecake (which is not that often, thank you and thank God) I am amazed, again, at a spiral-bound menu with page numbers (that the servers rattle off with aplomb) and advertising. Who had the idea to sell advertising in the menu? That’s somewhere between horrifying and genius.
I told C about how I spent New Year’s Eve 2002 at the Cheesecake with Matt and Grace. Grace was in her enormous carseat and spent most of the short dinner wailing. I spent most of the dinner walking up and down the aisles of the airplane hangar sized restaurant with her over my shoulder, still wailing. The 6pm Cheesecake Factory crowd on New Year’s Eve leaves, shall we say, something to be desired. In short it was not one of my favorite nights.
But C’s eyes lit up. “I can beat that!” she exclaimed.
“No way.” I challenged her.
“Last year. Christmas Eve. The dry – make sure you hear that part, DRY – Fuddrucker’s in Dubai. All three kids.”
You win.
Time to read 100 blogs
Kathryn emailed me after my last post, asking about what the 100 blogs a day I read are and how I manage to read them.
In reverse order, my answers. First, I have all kinds of time. I know, nobody believes this. I get an endless number of “how do you do it?” comments. But the truth is, I have a ton of time. I work part-time, my children are both in school or camp most of the day, I have a lot of excellent help. My kids go to bed early and they watch TV every day. And it takes a lot to get me out of the house in the evening (here: an example of something I’ll go out for), so I have lots of time to read. I remember a few years ago at a dinner party explaining to the man on my right that when evaluating potential plans I measure everything against the other option of being home in bed reading. I could see the sheer horror on his face when I said this, and it deepened into something more like terror when I allowed that very few plans make it past this screen (boy do I sound like a super fun person).
I also don’t watch TV. Ever. Not by some conscious moral choice (as I said, my children are avid SpongeBob watchers) but more because I just stopped watching when the writers’ strike was on and never got back into it. I spend plenty of time in front of this computer screen, and I do watch Gossip Girl on my iPhone during long flights, but I literally cannot remember the last time I turned on the television for anything other than the children.
Second, what do I read? Well, my favorite blogs are under the “reading” tab above. But I read lots more. I have long thought that the contents of someone’s google reader (and run, don’t walk, if you don’t already use reader – what a great way to aggregate blog feeds and read them all in one place) is a good snapshot of who they are. Or at least of their interests. Mine fall into several categories: motherhood bloggers, technology, celebrity gossip, books/literary reviews, food/cooking blogs, and other general inspirational/deep thoughts kinds of writing. Bouff, happy to give you a peek at my reader anytime!
Now, off to go read the 120 items in my queue.
