Another New Addition

If you look to your right, you might notice something new. I made myself a little grab button for the blog. Please, please feel free to grab it!!

Four Letter Words

Opinion post:Write about how you feel about cussing in blog land? Acceptable? Unacceptable? Do you keep reading?
Fuuuuuuuuuuuu......chsia...? Okay, as a general rule, I do not have a problem with well chosen and appropriately used swear words. What's well chosen and appropriate? That's contextual, but I go by this rule of thumb that I first heard when I was doing my Practicum:
A girl screwed up on something on Farmville (why she was playing Farmville at school still confuses me) and says, very loudly, "Fuchsia*!" The teacher in the room looks at her and says, "You know what, that's not okay. There are times when that word is totally and completely necessary. Like, when you've just been diagnosed with cancer and you're standing on the shore by the ocean and you and a girlfriend just yell FUCHSIA!!! at the top of your lungs. But your crops dying on Farmville? Yeah, not a fuchsia moment."

*"Fuschia" is my stand in for the "F" word--I am looking for a job in a school district, after all.

Sometimes we blog about fuchsia moments. Sometimes a little cussin' adds just the right dash of emotion and voice to a blog post that the reader really senses what the writer is saying. And isn't that the major point behind blogging? To communicate ourselves and lives to one another?

I mean, another example, I guess, of the time and place for profanity is when my mom and I listened to this song by Mumford and Sons and they say they really "fuchsia-ed it up this time." We agree it's totally appropriate, because, considering the context of the song, it's what you would say (and my mom does not swear. Really.). It's true to life and appropriately descriptive.

That said, though I've never seen it on a blog before, the curse words can be over done. Sure, Eminem, I get you're angry at your mom, but do you really need to use the "F" word in every part of speech possible to get that point across? Or, another example, Mr. George R.R. Martin, whom I'm currently reading, why is it necessary to have your characters describe female genetalia as C U next Tuesday (thank you Jill Zarrin of RHNYC for teaching me that version) on such a frequent basis? I get it. Your male characters are a-holes. Or, a little note to myself--we all know you're upset, Kirsten, and swearing like a bleeping sailor isn't going to bleeping change a bleeping thing (we all have our vices, right?).

If I come across a blog that uses profanity in a reasonable way, I'm not turned off. I actually feel a bit more comfortable. Because, while I love the mommy blogs that are sweet and nice and have that comforting Mid-Western-y, feel-good sense about them, I feel slightly alienated by the sugary-ness of it all. A bit of grit is good to  me, and if that grit comes in the form of an F-bomb, then bring it on. (But I do try to avoid profanity in my own blog because my mom reads it. Seriously.)

The Hockey Game

"BITCHES!"

My ears stung with the heavily accented screaming just behind my head. My boyfriend had decided it would be super great to take me to a hockey game in Lewiston, Maine, when Lewiston, Maine still boasted a hockey team, the Maineiacs.

However, the Maineiacs were really a Quebec junior league hockey team in disguise. Which means lots of French Canadian groupies who only knew one word of English:

"BITCHES!" (Pronounced: BEE-chez)

Amidst the fits of screaming and smattering of what could only be "BITCHES!" in French, my boyfriend and I (coincidentally, boyfriend turned int DOH a couple of years later), started to wonder a few things, like, "Why are we the only Americans sitting over here?" and "Who are these bitches? Is it the other team? Is it the us? Who?"

Eventually we gave up questioning what was going on and realized that it was futile to resist and was best to assimilate. When the opportunity next arose, we joined them in a hearty, "BITCHES!" French accent and all.

A response to a Mama Kat writing prompt.

P.S. Apologies for the gratuitous use of the word "BITCHES!" (Sorry, had to get it in there one more time, hehe.)

T.V. is Bad for You

Okay, so I'm going to cheat a little bit in this writing prompt from Mama Kat. Some of these shows (okay, most of these shows) are probably still on the air, but I don't think I've watched enough T.V. in my life (or I'm too young) for there to be a lot of shows out there that have come and gone and are really bad. But anywho, here are my top ten shows that should be showed the door (or have been, and shouldn't be let back in).

1. Mad TV. This show is...lame. It's a wanna-be Saturday Night Live (and I love me some SNL), but it's not funny. The jokes are juvenile, the comedians who are on the show are second rate, and...it's just dumb. And Stuart? Give me a break...
2. Step by Step. I don't know. There's just something about Suzanne Summers that rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it's the unstoppable perkiness?
3. Joey. I'm sorry, Friends was great, Joey was an awesome character, but this just didn't work. I was irritated that they tried, nevermind that the show itself was pretty bad.
4. Gossip Girl. I know this show is still on, but this show is so vapid and shallow and such a poor representation of teen life.
5. 16 and Pregnant/Teen Mom. I feel like these shows should be a PSA for why girls (and I really do mean girls) should not be having children. These chicks are MORONS. But, instead, they've just legitimized getting pregnant at an absurdly young age.
6. A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila and Rock of Love with Brett Michaels, I Love New York, Flavor of Love, etc. These shows GROSSED me out. Any show where you feel you need to be given a stupid nickname to hide your identity should show you that maybe appearing on this "dating" (read: orgy) show isn't the best idea. Also, take note of the picture above--would you risk getting your hair yanked out over this man?
7. Mama's Family. Okay, so I pretty much wasn't alive for most of the time this show was on, BUT I did catch reruns while I was home sick plenty of times. It was enough to make me go to school puking.
8. Cavemen. Loved the commercials, thought I'd love the show (really). Lame.
9. Any vampire show except Buffy and True Blood. Guys, get off the Twilight train.
10. Passions. This was a wicked bizarre soap opera on NBC with a monkey, witches, and all sorts of sideshow weirdness. Okay. I admit it. I loved it. But it was bad.

Here's a Tip :-)

Here's a post in answer to one of Mama Kat's writing prompts:

Maine is a land of many bodies of water. We have lots of rivers and lakes and a beautiful coastline to cool off in, but unless you are blessed (and filthy rich), it's unlikely any of these places are your backyard, just waiting for you to jump in. This is why you invest (and I use this word lightly) in a kiddie pool.

It doens't even actually have to be a pool pool. Just look at what we use:

Yep, it's one of those Fisher-Price turtle sandboxes. Sure, we could have picked up a $10 pool at Wal-Mart, but this was free!

All kidding aside, when it's crazy hot out, but you can't must the strength or energy or organization to get yourself, kid(s) in tow, to the beach, the kiddie pool is a cure all. The kids can splash around, you can dip your feet in, and since you probably aren't dragging out the pool at other times of the year (kind of cold in December, you know?), or maybe not even much during the summer, the novelty alone will keep your little one occupied. Throw in some beach or water toys, a freely running hose, and some popsicles and you've got yourself a little water park that beats Water Country (I doubt anyone outside of New England has any idea as to what Water Country is, but you get the idea--at least it wasn't an Aquaboggan reference).

I'd also say a cheapo sprinkler (we got ours for $3 at one of those discount bargain-y store bankruptcy places) and a tarp for a good, old fashioned slip 'n' slide does wonders, too. Who needs a fancy $30 piece of plastic when you can just a tarp that does the same thing for half the price?

Having these few, inexpensive items (kiddie pool, sprinkler, and a plastic tarp) really do make my life easier in the summer. Instead of having to track down towels, a beach blanket, snacks, toys, sunscreen, blah, blah, blah, all I have to do is pull out the turtle, fill it with water, and sit back. What a life.

Oh, The Places You Won't Go...Online

We're moved in. Our upstairs bedrooms are painted. Most of the boxes are unpacked (...most...). And it's been a week. Yet, here I am, sucking internet off of my parents, because the freaking internet provider we've been using does not provide internet in our new area. I find this all bizarre, because we have literally come down from the distant Western mountains of Maine, where Time Warner didn't venture to a much more populated area and the phone company that is supposed to cover the entire state won't cover us for internet because we're literally half a mile away from an invisible line where coverage ends.

What are we going to do?

*Head desk*

Meanwhile, since I'm completely without the internet, I'm finding time to do other things. Like subsitute teach (Score!). And clean. We have one of the neatest not quite moved into homes in the state. I promise. I've also finished three (Yep. Count 'em. THREE) books this week. Okay, so, not having internet sucks, for a variety of reasons, BUT it does lead me to get a whole lot more done.

Plus, it's hard to want to stay indoors, glued to a keyboard when the weather is so freaking GORGEOUS. Until today, it's been hot, hot, hot and sunny (i.e. perfect). We've been to the beach a few times, played outside with the hose (a total novelty for me, since I grew up in a home where there was a dug well that dried up very easily and we had to use water sparingly...and then we moved to Maine, on a lake, and then we never  needed a hose--at least for playing), and have spent a lot of time outside just enjoying the total late May/early June weather.

So, for now, this is what I've got. I'll try to pop in here and there with updates on the house and whatever else is going on, but there will likely be big gaps between posts.

Such is life, right?

Writing Prompt: I Watch Junk T.V.

10 reasons why you could not be a real housewife from any county.

1. The classiest alcoholic beverage I drink is Boonsfarm.
2. Instead of having two rotating nannies for my one child, I, and this may be hard to believe, but I actually spend time with my kid *GASP*. 
3. While I’m extremely busy actually working, raising a child, actually being married (rather than someone’s ex-wife), I don’t seem to need a personal assistant. 
4. I’m not actually a housewife. 
5. I don’t feel the need to tell everyone how insert positive character trait here, because my actions/appearance actually do that for me. 
6. I don’t have any “frienemies.”
7. I’d never be able to be a cougar. Or whatever the opposite of a cougar is (a girl who dates an insanely older man...kitten?). 
8. I stopped partying, getting shitfaced, and acting like a complete ass when I was...Oh, wait, I never did that. 
9. My mom doesn’t look like a woman crossed with a large, unattractive cat (watch the Real Housewives of Miami--you’ll know what I’m talking about). 
10. These boobs? REAL. 

Okay, while all that might seem a bit...harsh...I have to admit, I love the Real Housewives shows--all of them (though NYC is my fave, though it isn’t the same now that Bethenny is gone).

Writing Prompt: A Title

Here's the writing prompt I'm taking on from Mama Kat this week:
Tell us the story behind the title of your blog. What is it? What inspired it? What other options did you consider? Are you happy with it?
I'm a serial blog starter. I usually start (and then get rid of) a blog or two a year. The only blog I've ever kept with some consistency is my book review blog, and that's been fairly silent recently (mostly because I haven't had time to read this year). I always begin with some hope, write with consistancy, and then something happens. I either lose focus, lack the time, or don't have the interest any more.

The last time I started a blog, the goal was to write something under a different topic each day. Very ambitious for someone who sometimes forgets to brush her teeth every day, nevermind finding something to write about under specific heading each morning. It was too restrictive.

With this blog...the focus is very loose, and I attempted to title it that way.

First of all, I LOOOOOOOVE the radio show on NPR "This American Life." I listen to it every weekend, love Ira Glass, and feel so...in tune with different parts of our country afterward. And I like how it tells a story. It isn't reporting, it's skillful and beautiful storytelling. And I enjoy telling stories. I'm not always good at it, and I honestly prefer listening to them, but I like to get my two cents in there, too.

Secondly, I love being at home. I love all things domestic. Just like with telling stories, I'm not exactly a master at all domestic things (or any), but I enjoy it, and with consistent enjoyment comes a certain amount of confidence and then mastery, which would be long term goal, I suppose. I like cooking, organizing, sewing, coming up with systems on how to get things done, and I simply love being at home with my family. While I didn't want to choke myself with "rules" about what I can write about in this blog, because it is for me more than anyone else (though I like that at least a few people read it), I did want some sort of focus, and since one of my strongest interests are all things domestic (and within that being a mother and wife), that settled what I'd write about.

I really didn't consider any other titles. As soon as "This Domestic Life" came to me, it stuck. I knew there wasn't anything better it could be called, and I wouldn't be satisifed with anything. While I'm certainly no Ira glass, and not all my blog entries could be considered stories in the traditional sense, "This Domestic Life" rings the truest when thinking about what my blog is about. I love this title and I love this blog.

Kids These Days

I'm a huge lover writing prompts. While I like choosing my own topics, I also get a kick out of challenging myself to write something different every once in a while. I feel like it's strength training for my brain. Anyhow, I signed up to recieve the weekly writing prompts from Mama Kat (see the button on my side bar if you're interested, too). This week there was one calling people to write about "something students should know these days." This felt particularly poingant considering I'm student teaching this semester. Anyway, here goes.

This is probably going to be more serious than I want it to be, but when I think of things kids should know these days, I get pretty practical. And while you might think I'd be biased towards something like writing a cover letter or being able to read and understand the newspaper (being an English teacher and all), what I think every student should know these days has to do with math.

When I was a senior in high school I was very concerned about getting into my "top tier" school, which was, in my case, Emerson College in Boston (I got in, by the way). I knew I would need good grades, a relatively strong SAT score, and that my transcripts would need to show a student who challenged herself academically. When my senior year rolled around and I had a choice between not taking any math courses, taking something "easy" like senior math or personal finance, or pre-Calculus I did the only logical thing a paranoid kid who was desperate to get into a good college does--I took pre-calc. Even though I had applied to Emerson as a writing and publishing major. Even though, if I had a good average in all my high school math courses, I wouldn't have to take math (and taking pre-calc would likely ruin that chance) if I went to Emerson. Even though I knew it would make what was supposed to be a fun and easy year really, really miserable.

But I went to pre-calc faithfully. It was the only class besides my AP Literature class (which I loved) that I didn't skip on a regular basis. I learned to determine the area of ellipses and how to write a proof and how to graph random shit on a computer. I learned that I could receive extra credit by bringing in whoopie pies to the teacher. I made a lot of whoopie pies. I also learned that pre-calc was a complete, utter, and total waste of my time.

It was getting close to the end of the year and I had been accepted at all the colleges I had applied to, so I was feeling a little...exhausted...when it came to pre-calc. We were working our way through a particularly difficult and monotonous proof when finally I raised my hand and asked:

"Mr. Morgan, when are we ever going to need this?"

Mr. Morgan, bless his heart, stopped writing something on the board, looked at me, confused, and replied, "I just said that you'll need this to do your homework for next class and--"

"No, when will I ever need this in my actual life?"

Mr. Morgan pauses then looks at me, knowing what I'm after. "What are you planning on majoring in at college, Kirsten?"

"Creative writing."

"Yep, you'll never see this again."

I like telling this story, and I have a bunch of times, for a variety of reasons, but this is the first time I'm telling it to make this point: I shouldn't have been in that class. For one, it ended up not mattering. I got in to Emerson, and I don't think they took a second glance at the fact that I was enrolled in pre-calc. The university I ended up going to didn't give a damn that I took some high level math class--they were just glad I could add and I ended up enrolling in a Math 100 course my freshman year to get the math requirement out of the way. (See, after all that, I still had to take math!)

For two, two years after taking that math course, I was a new mom and living off-campus with my fiance (now husband). And we didn't know jack-shit about household finances. Sure, I could solve proofs and graph lines on a computer, but could I make a budget? No. Could I figure out what our mortgage would be if we bought a house? Nada. Could I write up a grocery list, figure out sales tax, and actually add everything together without having to use a calculator? Absolutely not. It has been an uphill battle, these last few years, trying to figure out how to do all that in the thick of the battle. It's like learning to shoot a gun in the middle of a firefight.

Yes, I know a lot of people learn how to do these things before they have children, those so called "responsible adults." Well, I didn't have that chance. Life happens. And life happens to a lot of people, and they are unprepared. Consider the wealth (no pun intended) of financial woes people and this country are facing these days--it's becoming more and more important people, even elementary and middle schoolers, never mind seniors in high school who are about to be thrust into the "real world," to understand the importance of money and how it works.

If there is anything that students should be required to learn about in school or in life, it should be about personal finance. It shouldn't be an option, it should be required, because when you are out on your own, knowing how to appropriately use your money isn't an option, even if some people think otherwise.