From the monthly archives:

October 2010

California on the Verge of Going Republican

October 29, 2010

Growing up in Marin, it feels like Barbara Boxer was always my elected official. As a kid, we had a potholder that said Boxer with a box around the x, back when it only took an x or a check mark to vote for your candidate of choice. That was a long time ago, back [...]

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Silly Over Silly Bandz

October 27, 2010

Quick question: what’s stretchy, cheap and cute, comes in different colors and shapes, and is guaranteed to drive every parent crazy? If I changed “crazy” to “silly,” would you know the answer? It’s Silly Bandz, of course, the silicone bracelets shaped like animals, numbers, letters and every object known to man. They’re all the rage [...]

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All Successful Meetings End With Doughnuts

October 25, 2010

I live in West San Jose. It is a safe neighborhood, with a school at the end of the block. I like it here, with its quiet, well-maintained streets and houses, though it isn’t my ideal location. It doesn’t have the charm of our previous downtown Mountain View neighborhood, the area we hope someday to [...]

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Sony Dash Giveaway: Take the Internet Into the…Bathroom?

October 22, 2010

There is no denying that the holidays are creeping up. While the little ghosts and goblins haven’t gone out in search of their sugar fix, Christmas decor has been on sale at Costco for a month and recently, the local Whole Foods set up a Hanukkah display. It’s time to start crossing off gift items [...]

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Nipping Peer Pressure in the Bud

October 20, 2010

Once again I found myself talking to the principal yesterday. During our last conversation she said she should put me on speed dial. Great. I’ve added to my Silly Bandz collection, as that’s the new deal, one oddly shaped elastic band for each trip to the principal, even if it’s “not his fault.” Avoiding getting someone else in trouble can [...]

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Why I Don’t Watch Political Debates

October 18, 2010

I have watched political debates religiously in the past. I majored in politics in college and when I was young, I would even take notes to make sure any relevant points, lines or zingers were remembered. That was before the internet, when information wasn’t as readily available and debates were – theoretically – one of [...]

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Drinking Alcohol When Pregnant… Safe or Stupid?

October 15, 2010

I still remember six years ago, sitting in my first prenatal appointment with my spouse, listening to my OBGYN explain the risk factors of drinking alcohol during pregnancy.  As she explained it, no company or university would ever be able actually test on pregnant women to determine if there was a safe amount of alcohol [...]

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When Safety Means Putting Some Fear Into Kids

October 13, 2010

We embraced the Kid Power approach to child safety when our oldest child was young. We never used scary words like kidnapper, molester or predator. We talked about boundaries, good versus bad secrets, and we role played to demonstrate how to handle situations like when someone knocks on the door or touches her in a [...]

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I Like It on the Kitchen Table

October 11, 2010

There is a meme flying around Facebook that has gone viral. Unless you live under a rock I can’t see how you would have missed it. Women all over the world have been posting things like, “I like it on the kitchen counter” or “I like it on the living room floor.” It is meant [...]

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Mommy Goes to a Jack Johnson Concert

October 8, 2010

Last night my husband and I rushed out of work, dropped the kids off with their aunt, and drove an hour out of town to Berkeley to attend our first Jack Johnson concert. What a concert it was! Fearing rain we packed for a cold evening, but were pleasantly surprised by the most beautifully mild fall [...]

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