Out in Left FieldOut in Left FieldWhere parenting and politics meet, but don't always play nice. Articles
PREVIEW: Three powerful words
2012-02-07 14:27:00 Lots of people believe “I love you” is the most powerful phrase in the English language, especially for the person saying it. This particular phrase can open our hearts and minds, begin journeys of emotional growth, and alter the very way in which we view the world. If “I love you” is the most ... More About: Preview , Words
FULL COLUMN: Turning twelve
2012-02-01 08:52:00 …from last week’s Creative Loafing. My children turned twelve in the beginning of January. We celebrated small since big parties stopped when they turned ten. We always thought maybe we’d do something for the “major” years like 13, 16, 18…Jesus, I’m going to need a sedative. Twelve doesn’t seem monumental. Yet it is. The amount ... More About: Column , Full
PREVIEW: Empathy, sympathy, or none of the above
2012-01-27 15:35:00 Sympathy: I am so sorry you’re going through this. Empathy: I understand and share your pain. You know those people who have to experience something in order to understand it? Don’t they suck? Husband and I were young newlyweds when we moved to Boston in search of careers, excitement, and liberal neighbors. We arrived at night ... More About: Preview
FULL COLUMN: Empathy, sympathy, or none of the above
2012-01-27 15:35:00 …from yesterday’s Tampa Tribune. Sympathy: I am so sorry you’re going through this. Empathy: I understand and share your pain. You know those people who have to experience something in order to understand it? Don’t they suck? Husband and I were young newlyweds when we moved to Boston in search of careers, excitement, and liberal neighbors. ... More About: Column , Full
PREVIEW: Turning twelve
2012-01-25 18:52:00 My children turned twelve in the beginning of January. We celebrated small since big parties stopped when they turned ten. We always thought maybe we’d do something for the “major” years like 13, 16, 18…Jesus, I’m going to need a sedative. Twelve doesn’t seem monumental. Yet it is. The amount of changes kids experience ... More About: Preview
PREVIEW: Edline is a lot like crack
2012-01-13 13:37:00 If you are a parent and want to enjoy good mental health, for as long as possible, stay away from online gradebooks. It starts out innocently enough – mom or dad wants to see Junior’s homework assignments and participation credits. Daughter’s first few As of the year are intoxicating; who cares if it’s for showing ... More About: Preview , Crack
PREVIEW: Keep your hands to yourselves – at any age
2012-01-05 00:48:00 When kids graduate from diapers and breast milk, it starts. They form opinions and think for themselves, which occasionally leads to piss-poor decision making. My kids were no different. Discipline is necessary if you want to keep kids away from drugs and parole officers. Husband and I had to figure out a way to teach ... More About: Preview , Hands
FULL COLUMN: Keep your hands to yourselves – at any age
2012-01-04 14:48:00 …from last week’s Creative Loafing. When kids graduate from diapers and breast milk, it starts. They form opinions and think for themselves, which occasionally leads to piss-poor decision making. My kids were no different. Discipline is necessary if you want to keep kids away from drugs and parole officers. Husband and I had to figure ... More About: Hands , Column , Full
FULL COLUMN: Top 10 things to remember next December
2012-01-03 08:11:00 .…from last week’s Creative Loafing. Human beings don’t have the best collective memory – we tend to look back on our history and remember only the good times. We are not inclined to dwell on or think about the cruelty and shortsightedness in our past actions, regrettable music interests and fashion faux pas. We sometimes conveniently ... More About: Column , Things , Full
PREVIEW: Signs of older age
2011-12-29 18:19:00 As we enter 2012, leaving 2011 behind, I thought it might be fun to chronicle all the ways my body stopped working properly this year. Fun and depressing. Is that not the holidays in one sentence or what? As I get older, this list will only grow. So maybe we can look back on my ... More About: Preview , Signs
FULL COLUMN: Signs of older age
2011-12-29 08:19:00 …from yesterday’s Tampa Tribune. As we enter 2012, leaving 2011 behind, I thought it might be fun to chronicle all the ways my body stopped working properly this year. Fun and depressing. Is that not the holidays in one sentence or what? As I get older, this list will only grow. So maybe we can look ... More About: Signs , Column , Full
PREVIEW: Top 10 things to remember next December
2011-12-27 18:11:00 Human beings don’t have the best collective memory – we tend to look back on our history and remember only the good times. We are not inclined to dwell on or think about the cruelty and shortsightedness in our past actions, regrettable music interests and fashion faux pas. We sometimes conveniently forget certain experiences on ... More About: Preview , Things
2011: The Year in Pee-Yoo
2011-12-23 18:50:00 Lots of families feel the need to send out holiday newsletters that sum up all the good their family accomplishes, while ignoring embarrassing stuff, like trips to the gynecologist where thumbs wind up in weird places. Not the Robinsons, folks. We sum up the entire year, humiliations included, and present to you an honest review, ...
Christopher Hitchens 1949-2011
2011-12-18 18:29:00 One of my favorite writers – charming, brilliant, and funny. Rest in peace… “Religion now comes to us in this smiley-faced, ingratiating way because it’s had to give so much ground, and because we know so much more. But you’ve no right to forget the way it behaved when it was strong and when it ...
PREVIEW: A toast to responsible drinking
2011-12-16 18:54:00 Hi, my name is Catherine, and I’m the child of an alcoholic. Want a buzzkill before heading out tonight? December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. If you’ve been wondering, “What the heck did Reagan ever do?” this is it. Beginning in 1982, this program reminds us that designating a driver while getting ... More About: Preview , Drinking , Toast
FULL COLUMN: A toast to responsible drinking
2011-12-16 08:54:00 …from this Saturday’s Tampa Tribune. Hi, my name is Catherine, and I’m the child of an alcoholic. Want a buzzkill before heading out tonight? December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. If you’ve been wondering, “What the heck did Reagan ever do?” this is it. Beginning in 1982, this program reminds us that designating ... More About: Drinking , Column , Toast , Full
PREVIEW: Shop with meaning
2011-12-15 19:11:00 I’ve never been a big holiday shopper, but with Occupy Movements and income inequality still making headlines, I’m even less reluctant to spend money on goods made overseas or from large, multi-national corporations. Some employ good, hard-working Americans, but there’s a huge disconnect between executive pay, company policies, labor practices, tax payments, and workers’ rights. ... More About: Preview , Shop , Meaning
FULL COLUMN: Shop with meaning
2011-12-15 09:11:00 …from last week’s Creative Loafing. I’ve never been a big holiday shopper, but with Occupy Movements and income inequality still making headlines, I’m even less reluctant to spend money on goods made overseas or from large, multi-national corporations. Some employ good, hard-working Americans, but there’s a huge disconnect between executive pay, company policies, labor practices, ... More About: Shop , Meaning , Column , Full
Turn up the heat: Creative Loafing’s Fiction Contest is back and I&rs
2011-12-05 15:14:00 Deadline is December 22nd – here are more details: The theme for the 2012 contest is “Heat .” Incorporate the theme any way you like — temperature, tension, firearms, fever, track & field, sex… the choice is up to you (and your characters). Deadline for submission is Dec. 22, 2011 at 5 p.m. The top 10 ... More About: Contest , Creative , Fiction , Back
FULL COLUMN: Menopause and weaning parties – dandy or desperate?
2011-12-03 00:43:00 …from Saturday’s Tampa Tribune. Whatever happened to just hanging out? I remember when three friends, a keg, and cable television meant one heck of a party. Nowadays, social gatherings are themed and weird. Some themes are okay. For every Pampered Chef or Smelly Candle Gathering, there is a Passion Party where I learn about love toys ... More About: Parties , Column , Full
PREVIEW: Menopause and weaning parties – dandy or desperate?
2011-12-02 14:43:00 Whatever happened to just hanging out? I remember when three friends, a keg, and cable television meant one heck of a party. Nowadays, social gatherings are themed and weird. Some themes are okay. For every Pampered Chef or Smelly Candle Gathering, there is a Passion Party where I learn about love toys and lubricants. ... More About: Preview , Parties
FULL COLUMN: “As a rule, people smell” and other things I learn
2011-11-30 19:50:00 …from this weeks’ Creative Loafing. My family and I spent Thanksgiving week in New York City, enjoying the sights, sounds, and, in Husband’s case, $25 pastrami sandwiches. Our kids are in those important preteen years and I want them to appreciate museums, musicals, and how to avoid diseases on the subway. I try to make ... More About: People , Column , Smell , Things , Full
PREVIEW: Giving thanks
2011-11-22 23:01:00 In a sluggish economy, during a birthday month that means I’m one step closer to adult-diaper-wearing years, it’s easy to focus on the negative. All I have to do is watch our leaders happily ensuring that everything gets worse, in order to make the president’s re-election that much more difficult. Or I can listen to ... More About: Preview , Giving
FULL COLUMN: Giving thanks
2011-11-22 13:01:00 …from last week’s Creative Loafing. In a sluggish economy, during a birthday month that means I’m one step closer to adult-diaper-wearing years, it’s easy to focus on the negative. All I have to do is watch our leaders happily ensuring that everything gets worse, in order to make the president’s re-election that much more difficult. ... More About: Column , Giving , Full
PREVIEW: *Happy* Holidays
2011-11-18 02:03:00 My friends are already complaining about the holidays. They loathe the inevitable weight gain, spending sprees, and parties with people who are drunk and hostile. Let’s skip over the diet advice and austerity measures. We don’t need another protest on our hands! Instead, let’s focus on the intolerable people in our lives. Why do ... More About: Holidays , Happy Holidays , Preview , Happy
FULL COLUMN: *Happy* Holidays
2011-11-17 16:03:00 …from yesterday’s Tampa Tribune. My friends are already complaining about the holidays. They loathe the inevitable weight gain, spending sprees, and parties with people who are drunk and hostile. Let’s skip over the diet advice and austerity measures. We don’t need another protest on our hands! Instead, let’s focus on the intolerable people in our lives. ... More About: Holidays , Happy Holidays , Happy , Column , Full
PREVIEW: 5 things to think about regarding the Penn State tragedy
2011-11-16 02:04:00 My family is from Pennsylvania, and includes several Penn State graduates. When I first heard that former Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with sexually abusing eight boys, and the abuse seems to have been ignored and/or covered up by Head Coach Joe Paterno, and other administration officials, I immediately felt rage and anger. As ... More About: Preview , Tragedy , Things
FULL COLUMN: 5 things to think about regarding the Penn State tragedy
2011-11-15 16:04:00 …from last week’s Creative Loafing. My family is from Pennsylvania, and includes several Penn State graduates. When I first heard that former Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with sexually abusing eight boys, and the abuse seems to have been ignored and/or covered up by Head Coach Joe Paterno, and other administration officials, I immediately ... More About: Tragedy , Column , Things , Full
PREVIEW: “Take off that bra, you’re only eight.”
More articles from this author:2011-11-09 02:47:00 Children have always been curious about adult roles. When I was young, my sister and I often played a game called “Grown Up.” We would dress in our mother’s clothes, say the rosary, and use words like “disappointed.” We poured tea and pretended to be more mature than any other six and seven year-old in ... More About: Preview 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
 |
|
 |
