What the internet, 5 dollars, and a dream will get you

This afternoon I was searching for a new storage system for our bedroom/baby’s room when I got sucked down the internet wormhole of fancy baby nurseries! My friend Jazmin told me that the average person spends something like 3K on a nursery. I’m glad that I don’t know anyone who’s actually done that. Our baby will not have its own room, much less a nursery. He will, however, have a colorful Ikea shelving unit that he shares with us and some awesome pictures framed in our house to look at! I mean, nurseries are good for like 3 years and then the kid starts to have preferences and no longer needs a crib. Plus, don’t babies just want to be with their parents anyway? It seems like nurseries are for parents, rather than babies. But if my kid is anything less than a genius, then I will take full responsibility and assume it’s because he didn’t have retro fabric circles to gaze upon whilst transitioning to nap time.

This whole becoming a parent thing has brought out the environmentally conscious person within. I went to the consignment baby store this weekend and picked up some used stuff—I see buying new stuff as sort of wasteful and unnecessary. Don’t even get me started on diapers!

But I digress (I think the pregnancy is also bringing out more strongly felt opinions in yours truly. It’s best to not talk to me for a while.)—I was in this internet wormhole when I came across a parenting blog about recycling old kid toys, and was reminded of these dinosaur planters I’d seen on Etsy a while ago, but forgot about.

I immediately got re-excited about them and decided to go make some! It took me a total of 1.25 hours (including procuring the supplies) and under $25 to make three (and that’s only because I spent $10 on the turtle). The elephant and dinosaur toys were $2.50 at target and the succulents were $2.50 at OSH, making it a $5 project! The ones on Etsy are painted vibrant colors, but I'm a realist and much prefer their natural colors. Although, how DO we know what color dinosaurs were? Skin isn't preserved in the fossil record (or is it? I clearly need more schooling). Are we basing their color on their evolutionary relatives? Plus, don't we now think they all had feathers? The toy industry is way behind the science on this one. In that case I say, "Bring on the pink dinosaurs!". Now I just need people to give them to (secret santa gift! My friend’s birthday! Keep one?!). I will note that NWB is appalled at this project, which means that it must be REALLY AWESOME.

From My Notes on Birth Day

When I first discovered I was pregnant, I got super into the consumption of as much pregnancy-birth-baby literature as possible. I bought a bunch of books and read them as if it were my duty. I'm more relaxed now because I sort of got my fill. I do have to come back to a few books in the next few months, but I'm happily engrossed in the tales of race, oil and football in west Texas right now.

One of the best books I've read so far is called Birth Day and is all about the science behind birth.

One of the things that has totally affected me are studies on the importance of having another woman in the delivery room with you. The longest labors are those that have just the mother and father. The shortest are those that have the mother, father and a close relative or friend of the mother who helps with laboring. The intermediate in length labors are those that have the mom and dad and literally another woman just sitting in the corner not helping! Just the presence of another woman helps the laboring mother! After reading that, I invited my mom and Natan's mom to the delivery room with me (do NOT want my dad or Natan's dad in there). The author basically goes through how women have always given birth surrounded by other women, and it's only recently that fathers have been allowed in the delivery room, but it is still something done best with other women (best meaning shortest labor).

Some other tidbits of information that I liked reading about:
--Nipples smell like amniotic fluid after birth so a baby can find them to feed.
--Babies like the sound of their mothers voice best (duh), but also the sounds of music: specifically rhythm. In reality, however, they mostly hear gastrointestinal workings.
--Some of the early studies on fetal hearing involved sticking a decibel detector into a newly empty womb! Can you imagine signing up for that?
--babies can learn in the womb! Sound studies have shown that babies can learn patterns (they do these experiments by playing loud noises followed by vibrations. The baby learns to anticipate vibration after the noise (as measured by heart rate changes)).

rant of november 16, 2011

Is it too late to join NaBloPoMo? Because blogging has seemed like the thing to do these last few evenings. Maybe I'll go for a half month.

Topic for tonight: business majors and the state of education.

I've been really into several educational studies that have come out in the last 6 months or so that have touched on the following: College business majors.

I make no secret of my feelings about this as an "academic course of study" (it isn't). I want to be clear that I know "economics" to be a completely different major than "business". In economics, you study theories, philosophy and history. In business, as far as I can tell, you study "principals of accounting" and "advanced excel": two things anyone with a good education (or even a good high school education) can learn on the job. You write meaningless papers on trite subjects and generally don't learn anything you can't learn from the newspaper anyway. It is an abomination to the very essence of higher education. Education should be about expanding your understanding of the world through the study of philosophy and science (just to name a few core subjects, which also coincidentally happen to be my college majors! Yay for vanity!).

It comes as no surprise then that NPR has been doing some good reporting on this phenomenon! Did you know that 20% of college graduates are business majors! 1 in 5! It's the most popular major. These people are future voters! They don't understand anything about science (my concern)! Global warming, the basic thermodynamics and atmospheric chemistry that explain global warming? I guess Rick Perry does deserve to be president in the kind of country/culture we are headed towards. The authors of the study seemed more concerned with future leaders (after all, 20% of college graduates will have this degree) deciding to go to war without a basic understanding of world history.

Another NPR story reported that in addition to being the biggest major, it is also the major that gets the lowest scores on tests of general knowledge (science and math majors score the highest. Represent!). I guess we, as a cadre of future adults, think more about the myth of the business world rather than developing actual interests that might sustain a soul (and as a by-product make one interested in learning for interest, rather than for the goal of M-O-N-E-Y). America will never cease to shock and underwhelm (also, reading Friday Night Lights is contributing to this harshing of my mellow).

But I'm being harsh! I know some people with an MBA (namely my brother and my best friend's husband) that found what they love within the business world. I know it exists! I'm just guessing it doesn't for most people (like consultants).

I am reminded of Coach Taylor's speech to the East Dillon Lions during their state-winning year:

"Success is not a goal. It's a by-product. So let's put the work in."

Coal River

Do you know what the hardest part of teaching is, for realz? It’s the subversion of your actual beliefs all day long in order to play the part (metaphorically) of Switzerland. It’s so hard sometimes, like when you just want to start rippin’ big time on Bush and Republicans today, but it’s your moral duty to not do those things and to try to remain level headed and neutral about everything. Something that will forever be vividly planted in my memory is sitting in high school biology and listening to a “debate” on abortion (really just Rose vs. the rednecks that made up 95% of my school). Even as a 15 year old, I knew that the teacher should not be letting this happen (it started when a student was allowed to pass out anti-abortion propaganda) and that it bothered me.

We’re going really deep into coal in my APES class and I showed the documentary “The Last Mountain” today, which was spearheaded by the amazing RFK Jr. and something you should stream through Amazon RIGHT NOW. It’s such a good look into our dependence on coal and the impact of that dependence on Appalachia. Then there’s the political shadiness that is omnipresent in politics today and a strong condemnation of the Bush administration (when is there not really?). All in all, a really good documentary, but when I was asking for feedback, a student totally started going off on Bush and political corruption and corporate donations. These are all things I would agree with, but then you look around and 26 other people are staring at you and you realize that some of them don’t agree with that and that as the designated adult (wtf?), it is your responsibility to get off that ledge. Man, it’s painful. I think I actually defended GWBush today….for the greater good. It felt so weird and dishonest, but my mind kept saying “MORAL DUTY”. Maybe this is what it feels like to be a cop. It was also the tightest lesson I’ve ever given, which feels like a good accomplishment.

day of rest = day of work

It is the end of the weekend and I have written 8 pages of “material”. Three of it for my online education course, which is required to clear my teaching credential. In CA, you have to take two years of classes, and then once you start teaching, you basically have to retake those classes or else your credential expires and you have to start all over from scratch. Twice the fun and twice the money! I don’t think any other state has this “quirky system(!)” of credentialing. I’m in my fifth year of teaching and not yet in the clear. The problem with this is, of course, that requiring so much reflection and work doesn’t actually improve the quality of teaching. I’ve come to the conclusion that successful teachers possess the right combination of native intelligence, education, creativity and disposition. Classes can’t change the fundamental nature of a person.

Moving on, the other 5 pages is for a top secret project that may or may not lead to huge life changes. It was fun and creative, but still: FIVE PAGES! All in all, I spent my weekend working on things that have nothing to do with my actual day-to-day job, which kind of sucks. But since I was in the writing mood, I decided to mix it up, go for page 9 and update my blog!

Some exciting things of late: Today I sampled hot chocolate from two different sources, which felt like a fun experiment to mix in with working. Bagel Shop (1) vs. Starbucks (0), with the BS for the win!

Last week I finished the entirety of the series, “Friday Night Lights”. It ended in the most satisfying way I have ever seen a series end. The only thing missing was Minka Kelly reprising her role as Lyla Garrity. The last frame focused on Tim Riggins, which was a good call. I liked that series so much! There was such great character development and so many real experiences and emotional responses to those experiences. It also took such an optimistic look at human nature and every episode had sage advice on a variety of topics, starting with the very first episode during which coach Taylor dispenses the truest of true advice:

“Give all of us gathered here tonight the strength to remember that life is so very fragile. We are all vulnerable and we will all at some point in our lives fall; we will all fall. We must carry this in our hearts…that what we have is special. That it can be taken from us and that when it is taken from us we will be tested…we will be tested to our very souls. We will now all be tested. It is these times…it is this pain that allows us to look inside ourselves.”

I was suffering from some painful FNL withdrawal, so I bought the book on which the series is based. The book is so different and sad that I’m really glad I didn't read it before I saw the series. There are schools in Texas that were not desegregated until the 1980’s and there are people in Texas who literally see nothing wrong (like it wouldn’t even register as weird, it is so ingrained) to call black people the N-word. Living in the bay area means that I am probably out of touch with 98% of this country, which seems OK to me when I read books like this.

a love like ours should never end

I've been having a really intense, whirlwind romance with the television program, "Friday Night Lights"--serious 18-year old crap where you can't tear yourself away from the person (TV) for any length of time because the you feel SOOO good around them (it) that every second away is an eternity. Needless to say, I am nearing the finish line with only 9 episodes to go! (where there is a will, there is a way). It's a good thing it's TV and not something like crack or alcohol. My love affair is destined to end soon (possibly in two days if I really put my mind to it), so maybe I can get on with my life. In the meantime, I have had so many thoughts on so many things, and I've written many of them down! But for tonight, I will leave you with some deep thoughts on babies and home invasions.

First, the events of last week, when a homeless woman literally walked into our house at 5:39 am and asked to borrow some pants. We normally lock the door, but for some reason we didn't that evening, which led me to wonder if she had been trying to enter our house unsuccessfully for a while now. In my just-awakened haze, I ended up politely asking her to "please leave" in a weak and soft voice. NWB then started yelling at her, which is a more effective tactic for convincing home intruders to leave. You'd think that this event (first ever home invasion) would keep me awake and ready to start to the day. Sadly, you'd be wrong, as I went back to sleep within about 10 minutes.

Second, Babycenter has been consistently awesome (in its suckiness). Here are a few of my favorite headlines in the March 2012 birthing forum.

Are you going to eat the placenta?
I ate a marijuana brownie on accident
Delema
Shaving your va jay jay
Babyzilla
Stripper at baby shower?
Baby is do March 18th

Finally, I find great comfort in knowing all of the celebrities who are pregnant at the same time as me (You know which is the only one that matters!):
Hilary Duff
Beyonce
Jennifer Garner
Jessica Simpson
Sarah Polley

clear eyes, full heart, can't stop watching this TV show

#usingbloggerastwitter

Also,
1. Why did I not start watching FNL sooner?
2. TIM RIGGINS.

sophie giraffe

So I guess it’s becoming more and more certain that we will have a new, tiny little roommate in a few months. Although he won’t pay rent for at least another 16 years, I’m still pretty excited about it. The decision to have a baby feels quite haphazard and impulsive. I mean, there are so many rational reasons NOT to have one (overpopulation and the environment, the stress of modern life, too old, happiness levels might decrease according to many studies, the emotional damages from facebook, etc.) and one overarching reason TO have one (biological imperative), that in the end, one can’t help but feel a bit of educated woman guilt with the decision. This is not to say that I also don’t feel incredibly lucky to be able to actually have a child at the shriveled up old age of 34 but still, it’s not quite as easy a decision as it is when one is young and naïve.

Notes about pregnancy so far:
--Before I even met my obstetrician, I was handed a pamphlet on genetic testing at the registration desk. At that point, I wasn't even sure what in the world was happening to my body, and it really rattled me to be handed a leaflet containing information about things that could be wrong with the baby (a "leaflet of worry"). Little did I know that this was just the beginning of various tests/scans that literally drive one to the brink of insanity. The medical care received during pregnancy seems to focus on one essential question: What's wrong with your baby? All of the medical establishment focus on potential problems makes ME obsess about them as well.

--It's weird being 34 and sitting next to a 20 year old in my first pre-natal class. Quick math confirmed that I was indeed old enough to be a grandmother, had I made different life choices.

--I never knew I would turn into one of THOSE people--totally paranoid and obsessive about pregnancy, which might be related to point the fact that I never knew that I could find such pleasure in spending hours on the babycenter.com forums.

--The fact that the first trimester utterly sucks came as a total shock. I'm glad it occurred when I was not working because otherwise I might have quit my job.

Some first trimester highlights:
--nausea at the mere thought of many delightful things, including gelato, eggs, pasta, water
--needing >14 hours of sleep a night
--not able to read books
--only capable of sitting, staring and sleeping
--barely forming sentences
--not wanting to talk to or touch another human being (including hello and handshakes)

On the bright side, now my mom has someone with undiscriminating taste to shop for!

Things I have purchased so far for the baby:
1. New shower curtain with the alphabet and cute animals on it

2. Charley Harper posters (2)

3. Sophie giraffe (#1 baby toy on amazon)

4. 6-12 month tardis onesie (NWB is a Dr. Who fan)

I THINK I’M READY.

(What’s that you say? None of those things are actual baby necessities? You mean I might need things like a thermometer and baby wipes and a stroller? Doesn’t a baby come with those things?)

cold case: summer

I’ve been sick and in bed for most of the weekend, and recently hit my limit in the number of breaking bad episodes I can handle (about 3 to be honest--that show depresses the hell out of me), so what to do now but blog (in between naps)!

Here, I present the last group of photos from our epic European summer vacation:

After our month in Vienna, NWB and I made our way to Italy via train and then bus. Our first stop was magical Venice. Due to my delicate condition, riding ferries all day and being on streets that rocked was not very fun. But Venice! It’s the most romantic place in the world. The Eiffel tower has nothing on a water city of decay and crumbling facades. We roamed the streets, took pictures of interesting door handles, ate our first ever $200 lunch and rode many, many ferries.

We stayed on the island of Murano, which was quiet in the evenings and much cheaper than staying in Venice proper.

Staying on Murano meant that we had to take the ferry into Venice to start our days.

Canals, canals.

The most charming canal I saw!

St. Mark's square from the cathedral.

Venice is insanely crowded at the height of the tourist season.

It's the details that make it such a charming place.

The Rialto bridge.

We saw her!

I have to separate this set of pictures from the rest and give them their own blog entry. There was perfect synergy between our spring movie choices (Cave of Forgotten Dreams) and summer travel (Vienna), as we saw the Venus von Willendorf in real life at the Natural History museum! It was super awesome--she lives in a small, darkened wooden house. Pictures are totally permitted, though it's hard to get good ones with no flash. It looks like a small, sturdy toy.

nary an e-note

I was apparently not as awesome at journaling as I thought, as I have nary an e-note on my last two weeks in Vienna (except a quick one about how we met Austrian teachers at a little soiree at the US embassy. We also got to hear a plug for the US foreign service, to which I say a big, “no, thank you.” It was weird because it seemed like a recruitment spiel, though to the wrong audience).

I do have lots of written notes on the magic flute and Kant (!). That man was a total ass when it came to issues of women, minorities and external beauty (the qualities essential to a woman are chastity and loyalty to a man; an “instinctual” man (ie not European) should not be expected to behave with honor; if you are pretty, then you must be morally good. Woman should attempt to be as pretty as possible in order to fulfill their moral potential.). But writing about Kant is best left to 19 year old college students! I do want to tell you a little bit about what I read whilst in deep study and contemplation: a book of letters that W.A. (Mozart) wrote to various family members and friends. He was such an irreverent cad with a ribald sense of humor! He loved poop jokes (truly my kindred spirit) and puns. He also ended most of his letters home with some mention of kissing the hand of someone 1,000 or 10,000 or one million times (a plug for the metric system?).

Some of my favorite Mozartisms:

On diarrhea (nickname for):
“Don Caccerelli”

On money matters (bad with):
“I would like to have all things that are good, genuine, and beautiful!—I wonder why it is that those who cannot afford it would like to spend all they have for this sort of thing and those who could afford it, don’t?”

On wishes for kissing:
“I am well. God be thanked and praised, and I kiss mamas hand and my sister’s face, nose, neck, and my wretched pen, and her rear end if it’s clean.”

A typical ending to a letter:
“I kiss your hand 1000 times and embrace my dear sister with all my heart and remain forever….
Your obedient son”

I do need to post some picture for the last few weeks in Austria, otherwise I will be left with the nagging feeling of jobs left undone.

We took a weekend trip to Salzburg! It's the birthplace of Mozart and since I was deep in study of the man and his operas, I had a burning desire to go.

This restaurant was visited by Constantine.

I really liked this cemetery

Me with the Alps and bucolic countryside in the background.

The view of Salzburg from Hohensalzburg Castle.

The castle had a marionette museum.

I could not convince life partner to go on the sound of music tour with me.

Quite frankly, I am not a SOM junkie, so the tour was sort of a disappointment, but I did get to see some of the area around Salzburg. This is a quaint town near the Red Bull headquarters where Mozart's mom was born.

The town where the SOM church is located.

The Pegasus fountain!

These are the gardens of Mirabelle park, home of the Pegasus fountain and nightly classical music concerts. We went to one here our first night, and it would have been awesome were it not for the 30 teenagers in attendance from the People to People program (do not like that program for its ability to ruin perfectly good acts of tourism with large crowds of badly managed children).

During our last week, NWB spent a lot of time at the Naschmarkt, buying smelly cheeses and local wines. This market was mentioned in the latest edition of the National Geographic Traveler magazine!

We went to the Natural History museum in Vienna.

There were rooms upon rooms of minerals.

There was an awesome collection of space toys.

Before we caught our train to Italy, we spent a few hours at the Schonbrunn zoo, where life partner was deeply moved by a nursing baby elephant.

Italy (pictures), or bust!