"rain, rain go away" or "john hughes is sage-like"

Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
- Ferris Bueller

Have you ever had a case of the Mun-days on a Wednesday? I don't know if it was the weather or if something was in the water or if there was no good side of the bed to get out of or WHAT! And I'm not even going to go into details. Today was just pretty crappy. And not just for me! My other's been having a bad day, too. WTF!

So, I left my baby-dr appointment this afternoon (by the way, things going well, no news is good news, baby still cooking) and I parted ways with my other at the Columbus Circle station. I was waiting for the light at 8th Ave near the Time Warner Building and looked north and just stopped dead in my tracks. The view of the south west corner of Central Park was beautiful, even in the gloom of an autumn drizzle. I can't remember the last time I stopped just to look at something in the city. The I walked over to 7th Ave to catch the N back home and I looked downtown. There was a perfect view of Times Square. Even from 57th and 7th you can see the New Year's Ball glowing and changing colors from atop 1 Times Square. Two completely different views only blocks away from each other and I remembered why I love New York. I felt better. So much so, that when I descended to the platform the train home had just rolled in, and someone immediately offered me a seat. That was fast.

I guess any day has the potential to be salvaged.

i think i'm uncomfortable by this

The following is an excerpt from Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. I dedicate this to Isaac.

On the afternoon before my son, Jon, was born, I was reading Ram Dass's book Be Here Now and feeling very centered and high with it. I remember I fastened on a particular word and meaning: surrender. I began having contractions and feeling big waves of energy moving. I visualized my yoni as a big, open cave beneath the surface of the ocean, with huge, surging currents sweeping in and out. As the wave of water rushed into my cave, my contraction would grown and swell and fill, reach a full peak, then ebb smoothly back out. I surrendered over and over to the great oceanic, engulfing waves. It was really delightful - very orgasmic and invigorating.

Sexy, huh? Isaac, if you decide that you want to have a baby of your own, I hope your yoni can surrender to the ebbs and flows of your labor. It'll be magical.

me want fresh brew

I am soooooo happy and excited about giving birth. We (now seems like a good time to start talking in the collective sense that comprises baby and mommy) have a little under 4 weeks until our due date. Which means 2 weeks preceding and 2 weeks following the magic day are my bumper "it's okay if the baby is a little early or late" weeks. I hope I have everything. Crib? Check. Diapers? Check. Blankets? Check. Food source? Double check. I think we're prepared.

For the sake of disclosure, I must admit that I, she who writes this blog, said out loud to my offspring, as I was rubbing my tummy in the area where the baby was kicking, "I can hardly wait for that latte." Uh-oh! Crap! What did I say to my child? I didn't proclaim I was anxious for her arrival. And I didn't tell her that I'll be relieved when I can hold her. No, I think I insinuated that I have a desire to have her out of my body so I can guzzle a coffee. Does that make me a bad mother? Can I take it back? Does she really hear what I'm saying? Damn! What if she can read my thoughts as I'm typing this blog?

Okay, deep breath. My unnaturally strong desire for a coffee will pass. It'll be fine. Until I meet my other at the Starbucks down the street from my obstetrician's office today, and I smell that Sumatra blend, and I salivate as I watch the barista make shot after shot of extra strong espresso, and then I climb over the counter (baby bump and all) and shove the barista out of my way, and start to eat straight coffee beans.

And after that, I'll really be okay.

keep it focused

Yesterday, at Lamaze class, the group watched a video of 3 different vaginal births. My favorite was a couple from Boston named Marge (I think that was her name) and Carl. Thick Boston accents make me laugh for some reason. That they had a focal point for Marge to rely on made me laugh for some reason. That their focal point was a 3x5 picture of their cat made me laugh even more. That Carl asked Marge a couple of time during labor, even while she was in the shower, if she wanted her focal point made me loose it.

After the movie, the Lamaze teacher told us a focal point was a good idea, but it should be something bigger, like a small poster. Well, imagine if you were in labor, and your partner asked you if you wanted your focal point and this was it:

Wouldn't you just slap them? Yeah, me too.

political damnation

Peeps, you have to remind me to mail out my absentee ballot application this week. If I don't get to vote in this year's mayoral election I might end up birthing a cow instead of birthing a baby. An' I don't know nuthin' 'bout birthin' no cows!

Why does it have to be a tough decision this year. I don't want to vote for Bloomberg. I don't want to vote for Thompson. And I don't know who the other saps that are running are. I might as well exercise my "fill-in-the-blank" option. But if I do that, I'll have to come up with someone worthy of the office. But who would I want to wish that upon? I believe in civic duty, but anyone running a campaign for a major office has to be a little wack-a-do. Come on, who in their sane mind would really want to be mayor of a major city? Perhaps I'll write in the name of my sworn enemy.


Yup, you guessed it. That molester.

Elmo don't like political scandal.

fortune telling

I tried to put an embedded video on a response to one of Erica's posts. I was mentioning that I see a future for her and Beth as this duo:



Just like them, but without Maude.

all that funny

Faith, Beth and I are in the office. Faith begins to sing "All That Jazz" under her breath.

Faith: Come on babe, why don't we paint the town? And all that jazz.

She continues to sing. Beth joins in.

Faith: It's just a noisy hall, where's there's a nightly brawl. And...
Beth: ...all. That. Jaaaaaazzzzzzz.
me: Hacha!
Beth: Wookie!

i-scream, u-donate

Who wants to eat ice cream for a good cause? Put your hand down, Ian, you're already a given.

Cold Stone Creamery is having an Ice Cream Social for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Thursday, September 24, from 5-8pm you can get a free 3 oz "Make-a-Wish Creation" (sweet cream ice cream mixed with brownies, sprinkles and topped with caramel) with a donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. And if you don't know what Make-a-Wish is you don't deserve ice cream. So be sure to go to their site, www.wish.org.

my optometrist thinks i'm crazy

I'm starting to feel that I have a a bit of a rep when it comes to these. Ah, well. It's what makes me unique.

The subject line of a recently received e-mail: Nighttime Protection for Expecting Moms

What I read: Nighttime Protection from Expecting Moms

So, keep your little ones inside and don't lurk in dark alleys. I might be after you!

what's that in the air?

Can it be? I recognize the sun. I see more blue than white or gray in the sky. But that feeling on my skin. It's a little... chilly. My brain isn't making sense of it. Can it be that fall is here already? Huzzah! I noticed that BB wrote about it recently, but I can't believe my own skin's sensors. Unlike BB, I prefer spring to autumn, but I'll take temperate light jacket weather over extremes in heat and cold any day of the year. I just wish it could be like that all of the time. Like how Florida is hot all of the time, but 20 degrees cooler would be nice.

Speaking of temperature, I was going through some pictures this weekend and last and I noticed a few things about my upbringing that's a little different. Not bad. Just... different. 1. in all of my Christmas photos, everyone in my family is always wearing t-shirts and shorts. Even outdoors. 2. there are few pictures of my mom (as she's the main photographer/archiver in the family) and everyone else doesn't smile much. 3. ... unless we are giving the photographer the middle finger. 4. I hate that my family is so far away. I don't want them living next door or anything. Just a day's drive away would be nice.

Anyway, what are you doing reading my post? Go outside! Enjoy the lovely weather. I promise you, right now, I'm outside frolicking and not inside reading your blog.