Spring Awakening in LA

I went to see Spring Awakening Wednesday night, but with Thanksgiving am just getting to tell you about it. I think the music and dancing were amazing, in those respects possibly the best I've ever seen. The music was pretty rocking, not that Disney sounding singing that has been so popular the last several years. The dancing was explosive.

But I have to say I was annoyed by the story. I'll preface this by saying the play is based on a book that was written in the 1900's. But they really could have improved the female characters. There are 6 female characters, 2 of whom are really just there to move the story along and you don't know anything about. One older character who plays all the adult parts (mothers, teacher, etc..) the other 3 female characters are the worst kind of depiction of women, they are victims who do nothing to try to help themselves. The male characters make choice to navigate their lives with good and bad results but at least they make choices, the girls just let things happen to them. It's pretty pathetic. I just feel they could have written these characters with some strength.

The depiction of women has always drawn my attention, but now that I have a daughter I'm even more aware of it, and appalled by it!

It was great to see so many teens and 20 somethings at the theatre, instead of the usual blue hair crowd. The show does have some pretty sexual material including nudity. I wondered how comfortable some of the parent teen viewers were, they did seem quiet at intermission.

Remedial Housewives Tip of the Day

Do not get your hands all wet with the laundry and then try to empty the lint trap in the dryer. The lint will stick all over your wet hands and get every where.

Just a tip from the most remedial of them all.

LA Mom Blog

I have a new blog up at LA mom blog all about my drug of choice.
http://svmomblog.typepad.com/la_moms_blog/2008/11/baby-addiction.html#more

Count down to Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving. I know we don’t get gifts and there’s no candy associated with it, but I just love it. I love the delegation of cooking duties, and the cooking frenzy that follows. I love the unapologetic plethora of desserts (My Uncles brother brings the biggest plate of baklava you’ve ever seen). I love that Thanksgiving has no religious affiliation, so it’s good for everyone, with the possible exception of American Indians. My family is a religiously diverse group. We have Jews, Muslims, Catholics, and Christians; mostly nonpracticing, this is the one holiday that is all inclusive, we can all be thankful for our blessings. But mostly, I like that we sit down with our family and are grateful for each other.
In my family my Uncle gives a short speech before we eat. (It’s his house and he is the oldest male, patriarchy is alive and well.) In it he usually list things, as a family, we are grateful for, marriages, babies, graduations. It is a great feeling to be in the speech. I loved it when my husband was welcomed to the family in the speech and years later when my daughter was. He usually says something about the family members who have passed, and in that way they are there with us. I feel so connect in these moments, knowing I am part of a tribe.
After all the leftovers have been pack away and the last piece of baklava devoured, we return to our lives. Knowing that we are loved and, if not understood, at least excepted by this clan. For me Thanksgiving is about family, in all it’s variations, I can’t think of anything to be more grateful for.

I've included a picture of my daughters first thanksgiving with my grandmother (age 100) at her last.

Fires in California

Here's a picture of my little monkey at Santa Monica Beach this evening. No, it's not raining, that's ash from the fires. I know we shouldn't have been breathing this. We went down to see the sunset that was spectacular, until it hit the ash then it was invisible. this was taken at about 5pm. I'm thinking this is what it would have been like to see the dust bowl in the 30's. I'm praying for everyone in the burn areas. May the winds die and the rain come.

LA Mom Blog

I have a new post up at LA mom blog, http://svmomblog.typepad.com/la_moms_blog/.

This is my first post for them, or anyone other than myself. Hope you enjoy it.

only child

When I first moved in with my now husband, people started asking when are you going to get married. It took us 4 years but we finally pulled off a wedding, with catering and everything. But the masses were not satisfied, after about a month of wedded bliss they started asking “When are you going to have baby”. If we went to a party and I didn’t have a drink in my hand at all times, people would start asking “are you pregnant?” Once again it took us another four years to have a child, and once again they were not satisfied. I think they waited until our daughter was about a year before they started in. “When are you going to have another one”. Our traditional four years has come and gone, and we have not bowed to the pressure, which I might mention has been continuous.
I will say that laziness is at the core of our ambivalence. I could pretend that we’re worried about over population or our carbon baby foot print, but really I don’t want to get up every three hours again. I don’t want to have to take a uhaul every time I leave the house. So, yes it is laziness on my part.
When I look at multi-kid families I will admit it’s tempting. I myself have several sisters and a brother. I know how comforting siblings can be. That is, once you’re in your twenties. As a child I mostly remember fighting, or being ditched. I should mention depending how you count it, I’m the youngest. Blended families make it hard to figure out birth order.
Having one child has a lot of perks. For one thing she gets all of our attention, we can travel pretty easily these days, we don’t have to deal with fighting, and we have a small chance of being able to afford to send her to college. Of course there is a downside, she expects all of our attention. Also, who is she going to complain to about us.
I am currently in negotiations with my oldest friend to coop the baby I’m pressuring her to have after she marries this spring. I know, I’m the pot calling the kettle black. This poor girl isn’t even married yet and I’m harassing her already for the baby.
This could be the best of both worlds. I get to have an only child, and my child gets a sibling. They’ll be together all the time anyway. My child already call this women Mama (insert her first name).
It’s too bad both families already own houses we could of bought a duplex and lived next door to each other…yeah…that’s too far