simple and beautiful

A still life by Giorgio Morandi

supporting the process

I sat with M on the potty yesterday, supporting the process and seeing results. There are quite a few misses and stress as we go out into public. We do laundry everyday here, but I'm so glad to be doing this now (because the near future will be a bit crazy again).

overshare

We are happy to be going on the potty these days. M made a quantum leap this week--a poop and pees on the potty and consistent wearing of the underwear all day for the first time!

cyberspace

I spend time here in cyberlandia daily. Is it real? When is information too much?

self-deportation blues

I wonder what the great minds who thought this up really wanted to use it for. "A real government gem" says one writer. Albor Ruiz critiques its premise and cites Allan Wernick, an attorney who directs the Citizenship and Immigration Project at CUNY:

Think of it this way: You risked life and limb to come to the U.S., leaving behind country, culture, friends, even family, to escape desperate poverty and build a better future for your loved ones.

Now, after you have put in many years of hard work, the Bush administration wants to give you an "opportunity" - not of becoming a legal member of society, but of leaving everything behind and, well, deporting yourself. Would you do it?

"These people come here for a reason," Wernick said. "If they wanted to self-deport, they would have done it already."

truths

Somebody laughs, somebody gets the hiccups.

A corollary of: Somebody eats, somebody poops.

..................................................................................................

Quote:

Race cars are like onions. Tow trucks are like salads...

shout out

To the early morning juicer at our house who is also my techie guy. He fixed the laptop after a juice accident by M left it sticky. Now I have to be very careful with my use of periods, and I have not got use of the backspace key, making me realize how often I use it.

How many ladies are singing?

This has been the question for M when listening to music since he saw Red Molly play live in South Orange. They are a three woman folk band.

starting to formulate a list of demands

As back-to-school time is near, I am coming into a new way of viewing our situation in dealing with the public school.

Teachers and parents need to demand what we want for our children. Thinking of his interests I have formulated a short list:

1)Play. I loved my son's teachers and the philosophy and play-based curriculum, but we have been encouraged to take advantage and get him services that he is being offered.

2)Creative curriculum

3)Positive and supportive facilitation to encourage him to interact in verbal play with peers.

creator/destructor

Yesterday I managed to convince M that it was much better to make a pizza than to go to a store to buy an "eating toy" that he was coveting. He went for it, and the result was a cardboard cheese pizza housed in a real pizza box. By the end of the morning, M had the 'za hanging out of his mouth while telling me, "Mama, eat it like this."

The problem with creating is that he is somehow not so attached to it (like the buddhists of berkeley and their intricate sand mandalas?)and destroys it, tearing it into little bite sized pieces.

Today we are back to square one with him asking me to go the toy store for an eating toy. I am reminding him of all the beautiful wooden fruits and veggies we have.

remix

Here's a link because it seems that,. though it was once embedded here,it now is gone:

http://animoto.com/play/02BKU1QUtNYkh2IEw0yH5w

with woodie guthrie's red river valley!

recent trip to California

What is up with the cute little video once embedded I am not sure. Here is the link:

http://animoto.com/play/PXVkEWwcxQeQjOCKSNhALw

Tribute to John

I had so much fun seeing all our family and friends

Photos soon

The boy and I had adventures and traveled like gypsies. The city of angels mostly.

We saw our dear friends in the toy factory. Matador beach with wine and creamy cheese and naked boys.

Surprising uncle Bear with old friends and toasts and roasts.

Further south there were marine mammals and dog beach--where we saw the poop karma principle in action. Leaving it better than how you found it.

Meeting old friends to see all girl 60s music. Mexican food. Fun at the house of blues. The beautiful friends and family who showed up for the show, those who laughed and spent an afternoon over an ecceletic lunch. Actors committed to their parts, a range of comedic and tragic. Loving friends on a canyon road and bbq and tea.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.