But.

My firstborn turns 18 tomorrow and I am a bit overwhelmed by that.   Being the mom to a son fills you with totally different feelings than that of a daughter.   It’s like trying to capture a willow wisp (yes, like the one’s in Brave).   His energy, his lifeforce dances before my eyes.  All the life.  All that potential.  All that person, squeezed into that long lanky frame.

Watching your children grow is a nausea and fear-inducing journey.    You yourself have traveled the path and know they must do it alone, but seeing the ups and downs, the hurts, the frustrations they experience is sometimes more than you can bear.   You want everything to be smooth sailing.  You want nothing but joy for your children and I cry and rage when  I can’t make it perfect for them.

With Adam finishing school and turning 18, I feel I am wandering into uncharted territory.  I could help him navigate the school years (although that was a pain-inducing time too), but now.  Now he is free to launch into adulthood and that gives me such feelings of trepidation.

I want it to be an adventure.  And I don’t want his willow wisp to be extinguished by the grind that adulthood can bring.  And I want to keep him to myself and hold him tight and never let go but I know I need to send him out to the world.  To have adventures and new experiences.   I want him to see what life can be.

I have always felt that my job was to protect that light.  That spark.  My urge to protect has been fierce.  Even my husband has born the brunt of my protective rage when he and Adam battled over the difficult times, the glances down the dark paths to places where there would be no coming back from.   When my husband fought with him and mostly for good reasons, I was swept into a fear that the harsh words and cruel ultimatums would push that light, that willow wisp away from my grasp and I didn’t want that….like an addict, I have needed my fix.  My taste of that light.

But now. At 18.  Now I feel my job is to help send that light far away.   Far away on amazing adventures that I can’t be a part of except to listen and laugh and commiserate and sympathize and wave good bye again.

I was thinking about that today as he sailed to work on his new electric skateboard.  Watching this long lanky confident boy speed away…..that light….that energy…..I hope it takes him to more interesting places than Safeway.    But we have time for that.

So here we are.  Thanks, Dr. Seuss, these words are perfect for my mad, crazy, darling boy.

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look ’em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And then things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!

You’ll be on y our way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so
but, sadly, it’s true
that Bang-ups
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump,
you’re not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right…
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…

…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or the waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You’ll be as famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t
Because, sometimes they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times
you’ll play lonely games too.
Games you can’t win
’cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance
you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul.
On you will go
though your enemies prowl.
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl.
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike,
And I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never foget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So…
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
You’re off the Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

The post Oh the places you will go appeared first on Crunchy Carpets.

Tuesday night was the opening show for Theatre Under the Stars 2nd offering – Mamma Mia.   I was delighted to be asked to attend and thrilled that I could bring the girls and my mom along for the fun too.

The weather gods were not as happy about the event, but TUTS is prepared and the volunteers were happily handing out ponchos so we could hunker down against the elements and enjoy the spectacle.

The Abba-inspired vehicle got quite a boost in popularity by the film adaptation and the sequel too.  The premise may get a bit shaky now as my daughter stated ‘why wouldn’t you just do a genetic test and solved the whole dilemma.’  But then we wouldn’t have two hours heading down memory lane listening to great Abba tunes being belted out by a very strong cast of singers and dancers.

And the cast is great.  Sophie is played by Keira Jang, returning for her fourth TUTS season and it shows. She can sing and dance. Her mother, Donna played by Caitriona Murphy, has great stage presence and puts so much emotion into the songs.

The choreography is great and fills the stage with so much energy.   So yes, even sitting in the pouring rain we felt like we were ready to boogie on a gorgeous Greek island.

If you haven’t made Theatre Under the Stars a family tradition yet, you really should. They do so much to support and mentor young artists and it is the perfect medium to introduce your family musical theatre, new and old.  Also.  It’s Abba.  I mean come on!

The post Mamma Mia! Theatre Under the Stars! appeared first on Crunchy Carpets.

This meant I was witness to a lot of YouTube.  A lot.  And while the majority of the ‘tubers she likes are fairly harmless, it still reinforces my attitude that I wish the whole concept had never been invented.

As an old codger who existed pre-internet and pre the ‘its all about me’ world of Instagram and YouTube, I am slightly mystified by people sharing their rather boring lives and the people who watch them.  Hours and hours of people doing really NOTHING of substance and there was Tara watching it all.  I was raving to Caitlyn about this and realized, in their universe, we should have been actually recording ourselves and to those YouTubers that would have been totally cool.

This week Tara has watched hours and hours of videos by Shane Dawson and his ilk.  Shane is actually a YouTube vet and has been at this gig for a while (is there a shelf life for these people?) and has been very successful in diversifying and expanding his entertainment empire.  He also seems like a pretty nice dude and this commentary is by no means a slam at him.

But.

The kids introduced me to Shane a while ago when they wanted me to watch is “documentary” ‘The Mind of Jake Paul.’   They then showed me his “conspiracy” series.  I am putting things in quotation marks for a reason.  And please bear with my superciliousness for a moment.   Shane seems like a nice guy, but I am sure every other broke documentarian in the world must scream at his viewer numbers and (I assume) $ in his bank account.  As an adult watching these ‘hard-hitting’ shows, I died inside at the total lack of professionalism or understanding of how to research and interview a subject.   It is all fluff.  Pure fluff that the younger generation seems to eat up a being a total big deal.

The show that almost ended me was one that was this bizarre mashup that shoddily cut between a story about the weird pizza you get at Chucky Cheese, new voice imitation technology and the plight of a former YouTuber and her abusive boyfriend.   It was the weirdest most jarring thing I have ever seen and to me is the perfect example of how our ‘selfie’ stardom, anyone can be famous attitude that is YouTube, has diluted and trivialized serious stories all in the name of entertainment.  How do you edit between Chucky Cheese and a story about deceit and abuse?  And why? Why would you think that was a good combination of topics to lump into one program?

If any historians exist in the future, they will surely look upon YouTube and Instagram as the cornerstones of the downfall of all intelligent civilization.

These shows that Tara ingested during her sickness were fine for a time when she was feeling gross.  They are basically margarine for your brain.   It spreads on nicely, but there is very little substance and therefore about all an ill mind can manage.  However, if this is what our younger generations are replacing what was already questionable on more traditional entertainment channel like cable tv, we are doomed.   And what do they teach?  Basically, who needs to go to school. Who needs to learn how to do ANYTHING when you can just go on YouTube and be famous and make money.

I realize I am painting YouTube and those monetizing it successfully with a rather large and negative brush stroke.  I really do. But I think my attitude is justified.  How do people think their lives are THAT interesting to record all of it?  Why do people watch it?   Why should complete strangers give a crap about your angst about moving out of your brother’s house!?   Do they care about my life? The psychology beneath this phenomena boggles me.  It goes beyond reality tv.  THAT – while abhorrent – I get.  It is like watching a train wreck or being at a zoo.   Is watching YouTubers the same?   Most of the people the kids watch are so vanilla.  So mundane and seem very naive about the world they exist in.    It all seems to only reflect on them with nary a thought to what other people’s lives must be like.

I think that is what annoyed me about Shanes conspiracy shows the most.  I got the sense that even him doing these shows was a glimmer of him struggling to be more aware of the world beyond his little crew and their cameras and instead of being humble about it, being like “LOOK!! I DISCOVERED THIS STUFF THAT PEOPLE ALREADY KNEW ABOUT!”

Does that make sense?

Tara just came downstairs and told me that he was doing a show where he was recreating death row last meals.   You can imagine that not much thought was put into this concept when I pointed out to her that this was not something to be creating entertainment about.   I asked her if she got it….that that meant someone died in an awful way. She said it was people who had done terrible things.  I told her that in my mind that didn’t really justify Shane make a show about it.    Did Shane think about this?

There are a lot worse on YouTube than Shane. Again, he seems like a pretty nice guy.  My point is that nice or not this non-content is such a waste of space and energy and I feel is just helping us trivialize anything that is true art or takes skill or knowledge.   Watching people eat junk food from Target should not be the pinnacle of entertainment.  We can do more, can’t we?

The post YouTube: Margarine for your Brain appeared first on Crunchy Carpets.

My digital marketing experience has taken me down the inbound marketing funnel and the importance of email marketing today. Whether you are selling a product, service or distributing news and content, finding an email provider that not only fits your budget but your analytical, reporting and design needs are crucial.   Shop around.  Do the demo’s and really think about what your goals are for your email/newsletter marketing.

The Importance of Landing Pages

Having a great blog or website is fine and good.  But a well-designed website guides your readers to explore and if you are selling something, to click and buy something.  Email marketing is a great way to chose your goal and target exactly what you want your readers to accomplish when visiting your site.

And, as the team at MyEmma state so clearly, that’s where landing pages come into the picture.

Landing pages allow you to create a page that markets and directs your user to complete one main goal. Whether your user accesses this page through a PPC campaign or they stumble upon it organically, they will find themselves on a page that answers their specific questions regarding your brand, product, or service.

There is a lot of landing page software out there, MyEmma has created a list with good and bad for each.  Hopefully, this will help you find the right one for your needs and budget.

1. Unbounce

Unbounce is known for building landing pages that convert. Not only do they provide top-notch templates for landing pages on the fly, but they also offer the option to customize your own design from scratch.

It allows you to have total control over the creative aspect of your landing pages. They want to facilitate your vision by providing the tools necessary to bring them to life. They also offer great features for those who are juggling multiple landing pages at once.

While building pages on this site is easy to do, the advanced features they offer are best for those who know what they’re doing. As a result, my recommendation is that you should first have experience with landing pages before committing to Unbounce.

PROS

• Easy to use
• Great integration with other marketing apps
• Use templates or customize your own
• Great for those with multiple landing pages

CONS

• Only provides A/B testing reports
• Can be too advanced for beginners

2. Instapage

Although they may not include all of the bells and whistles that Unbounce has to offer, Instapage sure does live up to its name. They provide the tools and ease of use that allow you to build exceptional landing pages in no time flat.

With hundreds of templates available, Instapage streamlines the design process for you. It is important, however, to choose the right package to cater to your goals. The more expensive your membership, the more you get. With that said, while Instapage does provide a basic plan, you should recognize that you won’t receive all the features they have to offer.

No matter how experienced you are, Instapage is your solution if you’re looking for an option that is fast and easy.

PROS

• Fast to set up
• Different packages available
• A wide variety of templates

CONS

• Less support the cheaper your membership is
• Pricing

3. GetResponse

So you’re not tech savvy–that’s okay. When it comes to GetResponse, you don’t have to be. Design your landing pages with their simple drag and drop option and pick and choose your images from their Shutterstock collection.

GetResponse also recognizes the mobile shift that our digital world is facing. They have made designing your landing pages easy for not only the desktop but for mobile devices as well.
Now, their analytic reporting may not be the best, and their customer support looks to have some shotty reviews. That is something to really consider when choosing your landing page builder.

But, don’t let reviews be your decision-maker when some of the benefits GetResponse provides could significantly outweigh their downfalls.

If you’re looking for a landing page builder that has everything you need with a simple click, GetResponse would be a great resource for you. Don’t worry about coding or finding images that are legally yours to use. GetResponse has that covered.

PROS

• Mobile-friendly
• Drag-and-drop feature
• Shutterstock picture collection

CONS

• Lack of robust analytics

4. LeadPages

If you’re looking for landing page templates that are professional, LeadPages has the inventory that you’re looking for. They offer over 150 different templates that have a sleek design.

While you can’t beat the templates they have to offer, it should be noted that you are not able to customize them.

They also take the extra step and provide articles that will inform you on how to make your landing pages successful. Informing you on the newest trends regarding your landing page performance is LeadPages’ way of showing you they truly care about your success.

PROS

• Large inventory of templates
• Professional look and appeal
• Additional resources for success

CONS

• Limited reporting and analytics
• Not able to customize templates

5. Lander

Have you ever created a landing page before?

If your answer is no, Lander may be the builder to help you get started.

We’ve covered a bunch of builders that have ease of use and X number of templates available to choose from.

Lander has all of that too, but what they have above the rest is a bountiful amount of support to help you along this new journey. They provide video tutorials, blogs, and even live chats to help you build the landing pages you’ve been dreaming of.

But it’s important to point out that they don’t integrate with all other marketing apps out there. This could limit you depending on who you are already working with today.

If you’re just starting out and don’t know where to begin, Lander is going to be one of the best landing page builders for you.

PROS

• Additional resources for landing page information
• Large inventory of templates
• A/B testing
• Drag-and-drop feature

CONS

• Limited integration
• Technical support is only offered at the highest tier

6. Kickoff Labs

For those of you that want to take advantage of the data and analytics that landing page builders have to offer, Kickoff Labs has the features you’re looking for.

They offer many features including automatic optimization that caters to you’re A/B testing results, and access to lead demographics. These resources allow you to access the information and data you need to boost your landing page efforts all while maintaining the creative design everyone wants to achieve.

However, they don’t offer customizable template options, so you may be limited in what you can create. They also offer many memberships, and the cheaper they are, the less you have to work with.

PROS

• Advanced analytics and reporting
• Easy-to-use templates
• Easily integrate with your email marketing plan

CONS

• Not customizable
• Limited access for cheaper memberships

7. Ucraft

Ucraft offers a number of templates to choose from as well, but there’s something a bit different with this landing page builder. If you struggle to find something in their free templates, you may decide to upgrade and browse through the premium selection.

But what happens when you don’t find one there that you like?

Ucraft gives you the option to connect with them and let them know you’re not finding what’s right for you. There’s a chance that the Ucraft team will have the designers create a new template just for you.

Talk about special treatment.

On top of that, they have pages with great performance and a website that is easy to learn.
However, Ucraft doesn’t have the most options for integration. But if you plan to use Ucraft, be sure to research which marketing apps they do integrate with for added preparation.

PROS

• Designers could create templates specifically for you
• A wide range of templates
• Exceptional performance
• Easy to use

CONS

• Lacks integration features

Email marketing can be a fantastic way to grow readership and attract new customers.  A well-crafted landing page that focuses your brand and messaging can boost your site’s readership and increase your sales if that is your goal.

The post Create Great Landing Pages with these Recommendations from myemma.com appeared first on Crunchy Carpets.

Overwhelmed with excitement at the Drive-In

Goldie has been an integral part of our lives.   For every event, the Pacifica was part of it.  She got us to where we were going, whether it was a birthday celebration, the beach or a drive-in movie.  SO many drive-in movies.  So many beach trips.   Tara is in a state of shock as she has only ever known the Pacifica.   Sure we have driven fancy cars for reviews on the blog, and the novelty of driving a fully loaded car with Bluetooth tech tended to blow our minds.   

The Pacifica had a tape player.   A TAPE PLAYER.  The kids didn’t even know what that was for. We were also boggled that it had a multiple DVD changer but no screen to actually watch dvd’s.  However, it meant we could stuff it with CD’s from our vast collection.  Yes, we still had The Wiggles in there.

We managed to camp with Goldie before we had Tara. It was a 7 seater but for camping gear AND 3 kids

well that was pushing it.   In ’08, Mom and I loaded the two kids and our old dog Callie up in the Pacifica and hit Golden Ears.  The dog hated camping and spent the entire time IN the back of the car.  Thank goodness Goldie was roomie.

Always part of the family 

I know she is not a ‘she.’  She is just a car.  But I really did feel a pang when we left her at the dealership.  And being that she is in so many photos, seeing here will give me a pang for a while.   She was a little bashed up.  I had had “issues” in a tight parking garage once and scraped the crap out the side of her.   I had had two major breakdowns with her.  Coasted into Canadian Tire once with some expensive cooling thing gone cablooie and another time black smoke poured out of her as I was buying food for a carload of kids and teens at the local TripleO’s.   Thank goodness for BCAA.

So we say farewell and move on to a shiny new car.  This one has everything my husband has missed since his beloved Honda Civic.  His first car and one that I was in when rear-ended hard by a white panel van.  That was the end of it.  That car had a sunroof and hubs has pined for one ever since.  He has finally gotten one again.   I hope we build new memories and have much fun in our orange Rogue that the kids have named Q-Bert!

The post End of an Era: Farewell Goldie appeared first on Crunchy Carpets.

None of them are big readers.

None of them are big on Sci Fi.

And my teenage son listens to rap music.  Now I have no issue with the genre really.  I actually enjoy SOME of the stuff and hey I was around in the 80’s and 90’s (Run DMC anyone?)

The stuff he and his buddies listen to though, is filled with vile, violent and misogynistic lyrics that make my ears burn and my skin crawl.

But that isn’t even the reason I think I am a failure because he likes this stuff.   He and his friends are screamingly privileged white males.   Ya sure we are renters and not rich blah blah blah.  But and his friends are pasty white CANADIAN kids who are trying to relate to a black rapper who is singing his heart out about HIS world.   Which is definitely NOT at all like the Fortnight playing, mall-hanging, Instagram posting world my son and his friends live in.

I would love to speak to some of these ‘artists’ and ask them what they think of these pasty pale kids jamming at the ‘all-ages’ shows my son has attended here in town.   Does it offend? Or are they happy to take their money no matter the colour?

I just feel that he and his ilk haven’t earned the right to listen to this music.  In this age of being conscious of cultural appropriation, is this not an example?

And does it mean that because he likes this music does it mean he is horrible to women?   I  think he is actually quite nice to the ladies, but the music is certainly not the best example of men/women relations.  As someone who likes to call her self a ‘feminist’ and who loves how strong and confident his female siblings are, I hope I managed to impart that us women are deserving of a lot more than what some of these songs are asking for in their vulgar ways.   I also wonder how much of a place misogynistic lyrics have any more in this world and why are people not calling these artists out more in this age of #metoo?

When celebrities are getting called out for what they have said on Twitter in the past, why are young rappers still allowed to glorify rape culture as well as violence?  And why do young white kids think this is the soundtrack of their lives?

I also can’t manage the fact that I am the mother of a tall teen who now wears too much cologne and silver and gold chains.  WHO IS THIS KID???

The post White Parent Failure appeared first on Crunchy Carpets.

My mom had mentioned that she had checked it out and was sad that Julianna Margulies character was ‘bad.’  I disagreed with her.  Every woman on this show are just examples of types of women we may encounter out in the real world who are just being women doing their thing.  They are all surviving. They are all playing the game and the show makes no bones about the game being about how to survive in a man’s world.

Kitty does it her way.  Plum (the protagonist) is figuring out a better way to do it her way.   Kitty has the advantage of being thin and good looking, but she feels the pressure of keeping that up and fighting aging.

Ageism: myth or reality

I lost my job back in February.  It was not a pleasant experience as I loved that job, but it had been getting more difficult and more stressful to manage for the last few months, so I wasn’t surprised that it ended like that.  And it certainly shook my confidence in myself and my ability to bring home the bacon.   The long slog to find something to replace the position has not been fun either.  I have been doing contract work for a young man who is starting his own agency and the fact that he values my experience and knowledge has at least helped my ego if not my pocketbook.  But in my industry anyway, ageism for women does indeed exist.  Go and look at the listings for positions in marketing.  The agencies describe themselves or the role as being ‘energetic, high-energy, and fast-paced.  They talk about needing to work hard and get rewarded with beer fridays or unlimited vacations.    Basically, they are saying that they are young and hip and want young (childless)  and hip people who seem to have started working when they were 12 because they also want 3 plus years experience, oh and you have to be an expert at EVERYTHING. Oh and we will only pay you $15 an hour.  The non-agencies are not much better as anything digital or social has been portrayed as a young person’s world.

Digital marketing is considered a youthful playing field suited for junior roles in the company.  I just saw one that I got really excited about until I saw that on top of managing all their content for the company, they wanted the position to support the switchboard and do an Excel spreadsheet test as part of the application process.  Sugah, I have been working on Excel since I was 18.  Don’t ask me about testing my skills.

In Dietland, Kitty works as hard at keeping her looks as she does her job.   Julia, Manager of their ‘beauty basement’ fights for her position armed with wigs, masses of makeup and Spanx.  They both know someone younger and leaner is ready to step into their positions.   But they, like me, are so tired of all this ‘proving’ ourselves and fighting for respect and value.

The amazing invisible woman

A blogger friend shared an older article from The Huffington Post about middle age and the phenomenon many women find of becoming invisible.   I turn 49 in a month, so this article resonated with me.  My perception of ageism is making me shouty in my ‘dotage.’   I don’t necessarily feel invisible (written off in the job market sure) but I do think I am viewed as safe.   I notice people of all ages and genders are happy to talk to me.   I am ‘comfortable.’   My weight, I am sure, comes into this too.  I am not a threat to husbands or boyfriends or the corporate ladder.   While Plum is confronted on a daily basis by disgust at her weight, I find I am just met with…relief?   Am not actually sure.  That is how it feels. I have never been fat-shamed at least not to my face.   So does that make me invisible?

Let’s talk about weight

Plum says she feels imprisoned by her fat.  She is aware of her weight all the time.   I am not.   I don’t feel fat.  I feel like me.  I feel like the fun me that can do goofy poses or dance around.  I don’t really notice how overweight I am until I either try to squeeze through a space too small for me or I look in the mirror.  I hate mirrors.   Let’s not even talk about clothing and sizes.  THAT is when it gets real.  That I can’t just shop ANYWHERE.

It depresses me though because the inner me is still quite cute and filled with confidence but when I look in the mirror or see photos of me I see how that inner confidence just looks foolish or almost non-existent in the real fat self.

The reality is I need to lose weight for my health not just for my looks.   But my comfort blanket is food and I would rather hide away than hit a gym.   However, with kids that love me and want to do stuff with me – out there – means I can’t just hide.  I have to do something.

I figure this post is a good step.  If I can publicly share my struggle with weight and body image, I can then share my struggle with fighting it.   I lost a good chunk of weight in the new year just by watching my calories.  The job loss messed up my discipline and I reverted to my comfort eating habits.  I need to get back in the saddle so to speak.   I will try to share any progress I make.  Obesity and depression go hand in hand and I have been struggling against that specter for a while now.

Like Plum I am hoping my rage against the world these days will give me the strength and resolve to change things.

The post Let’s talk about weight babee (and age) appeared first on Crunchy Carpets.

The damage old school Disney did to our childhood psyches!   Kids from 1955 must have been way tougher than we were. I can’t even get a GLIMPSE of Dumbo without losing it.  Lady and the Tramp tackles big issues for animal lovers.  My kids were aghast at some of the attitudes and assumptions about pets and babies, many attitudes that still prevail today.  It also makes us question how we treat animals when no one loves them anymore.

Big Stuff.

With very cute dogs and gorgeous animation.

The DVD comes with some great bonus features, including a mini documentary about the inspiration for the story.   Lady and the Tramp is still one of my favourites.

Signature Collection Giveaway

I bet you would like to win a copy! And you can.   Simply enter below before March 21st for a chance to win your own Signature Collection Multi-Screen edition of Lady and Tramp.

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The marketing for the product is geared towards those with younger children who are venturing into the world of Minecraft, YouTube and the myriad other digital distractions the children of the 21st Century are faced with.  However, it works just great for teenagers also.

I Have the Power

The power of Circle is in the app that you download and comes with a secure pin number to manage your accounts.  With the app you can group all the devices in your house to a person.  Then you can set up how you want them to be able to use those devices.  It shows you how much time is spend on a device.  You can also set viewing limits based on age – pre k, kid, teen adult. For me, it is a time thing more than a content thing.

Time and energy spent on the internet is the biggest issue. Concepts like school and homework seem to ghost through my son’s  brains and is far too easily pushed aside by game time online with friends.  The Circle app allows me to create a hard stop on when the internet is available to him.   This I hope encourages giving up and going to sleep at a half-decent time.

Can’t Fight the Future

The internet is a genie long out of the bottle, so my efforts are focused on fostering common sense and balance between the digital and the ‘real’ world.  For teens and tweens the internet IS the real world.  It is where they hang out with their friends, meet new ones and deal with all the issues and angst that assail them.  We have tried to foster an air of openness when it comes to what is available online.   As long as the kids are not overtly hiding things from us, we tend to not be too nosey.    This has been mostly successful so far.   And I don’t think we are being TOO naive in thinking we are mostly aware of their doings online.

I think the biggest thing we can hope to impart on our kids is that they are in control and not the device, nor the message it is imparting.    I admit to getting some relief from having the Circle help me control when those messages are being shared.    I would love to hear from other parents of teens.    How do you manage their digital lives?

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• General Admission: $5-45
• VIP/Nightlife/Industry Series Passes $55-150 for adults
• Some events are pay what you can.

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