Every now and then you get one of those emails that make you burst out in an absolute fit of laughter – know what I mean?  Well, I got one from a friend from my college days where she reflects on the experience of watching her 30 something year-old brother marry his 3rd wife…get ready to laugh with reckless abandon!

- Swati

p.s. Yes, I realize some of you may have thought I meant my wedding announcement…but no…

THE WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT

Sorry, dear, I got your message that you were searching for my brother’s wedding announcement in the paper. You just must have missed it. Perhaps the paper accidentally put it in the obits instead? At any rate, I have copied it for you below…

After 20 years of waiting, we are happy to announce the marriage of Tim Holder to Jackie Sang on Saturday, August 21, 2010. Following a made-for-TV melodrama involving a failed marriage to a neurotic bisexual vegan vegetarian from Slovakia and a whiplash ill-conceived marriage that ended in annulment to a psychotic Brazilian adult film star 15 yrs his junior, Tim finally decided to marry the girl of his family’s dreams – with NO BAGGAGE.

The wedding was officiated by a mystical looking preacher woman of unknown origin and attended by a small group of the groom’s overweight family members as well as Jackie’s loving and beautifully dressed relatives from Thailand. The bride wore a lovely traditional Thai gown of white with hand-embroidered gold embellishments.

The groom wore an ill-fitting suit and shoes that didn’t match. The father of the groom wore Sears off-the-rack circa 1978 and the mother of the groom wore shoes “2 sizes too small.” The wedding was lovely and surprisingly uneventful, despite the shifting of the earth’s platelets as the groom’s parents, recently divorced only 35 yrs ago, were awkwardly forced to be in the same room together without incident.

As you know, I was honored to be a hostess for the virtual baby shower for Virginia Kerr, the anchor on KMOV’s early news show in St. Louis, Awake!  Below are links to the shower – 5 minute “highlights” segment as well as the full two hour shower in two separate segments. We raised $6,584.17 for March of Dimes and 1,198 viewers tuned in to the broadcast and chat!!!

Enjoy it – I know I did!

Swati

Highlights only (5:36):

Part I

Part II

**************ORIGINAL POST*******************

Today is Virginia Kerr’s Virtual Baby Shower!! She is the anchor on KMOV’s early news show in St. Louis, Awake! and you can watch her baby shower here from 11:00 to 1:00 CST. Join us as we chat with Virginia, get some expert advice on motherhood, offer her our thoughts, and maybe even win some great prizes (like that girls getaway weekend I mentioned last week)!

The focus of the shower is celebrating and honoring the transition of a woman to motherhood and how her friends and loved ones can support her during this exciting time. However, any mom will enjoy the event because the two-hour broadcast will feature great parenting tips and products.

Please do consider making a donation to the March of Dimes too….enjoy!

Live TV : Ustream

Donate to the March of Dimes below:

Hi Everyone:

I am so happy to have Kelly as a guest writer today.  Kelly O is a choice mom – a single mom of two little angles whom she adopted.  She works in sales the technology industry and her entrance in to the “blogging arena” began as she chronicled the adoptions of her two children at KO’s Talkin’..Ya’ll Should be Listenin’.  Kelly’s goal is to celebrate the mundane and often overwhelming events of day to day Mommy Life.  And guess what?  She is ready to date again after much pondering (My thoughts?  Go Kelly go!  Don’t do it Kelly!  Go Kelly go!)  As you can see, I’ve been of tremendous help to her.  Here are Kelly’s wonderful, silly, torturous musings on jumping back into dating as a single mom:

SINGLE MOM DATING CONUNDRUM

I sincerely want to thank Swati for asking me to be a guest blogger.  It is an honor to be in the company of such a cool and dedicated Mom!

Okay so I am single mom of 7 kids –not really – but it feels like that at times.  I have two girls, one 17 months and one 3 ½.  I have not had a date in, well, a long time.  I am pondering getting back on the horse as they say. It is not as if the men are beating down my door – but I imagine, with some creativity, I could muster up a fella.

Why?  Well there are a number of reasons.  I MISS, really MISS men.  I miss their smell, I miss feeling another body beside me at night. I miss that feeling of comfort when you really know someone and they know you.  And I want that; I want that again.  I want to really love again; I know what it feels like and I want it.  I like being in a relationship; I feel at home in one.   And there is…you know….the hubba hubba – God KNOWS I miss that.

But I am scared – scared of being vulnerable, scared of wasting my time, scared of dating disasters (so so many of these).  I have these flashbacks, flashbacks to when I was dating. An example:  new to Denver I joined Its Just Lunch.  They fixed me up with this… this…. Camper.   He proceeded to tell me over our date how he takes his 15-year-old RV in to a valley in Utah and lives there for … like … weeks …. by himself and eats nuts and critters.  Okay Ted Kacynski – this is not working for me.  I was very clear in my profile; there will be no camping unless I run out of gas.

Then I think, okay maybe I won’t have any more of those “I wish I were invisible” dates.

But then how do you to it…. How do you manage the time?  How do you find time for just the email or phone banter?  What about time to you know… date?  And then what about S….E……X.  I mean I have kids now – where does he stay or does he stay? (Perhaps I should have the actual date before I plan the morning after….). And the babysitter – well she is $15 an hour – I mean it will have to be a helluva of a man for me to cough that up on a routine basis.  Or do you only date rich men and make them pay for the sitter (I like this option)?

So I noodle on the how-to’s of this conundrum.  My mind flips back to a fix up I had a year and a half or so ago with a ex-Marine.  My friend went on and on– he is handsome, nice, smart, etc.  Just about ready for the date and nervous. DING DONG!   Good God that can’t be him… I am meeting him at the restaurant.  It is my friend.  You look great she tells me.  Whew!  Then she whips something out of her pocket:

“Okay I have my tweezers… we need to check for chin hairs”.  Ok then.

We meet (me and the man that is).  He is handsome and nice.  We get on the subject of the pending election (2008).  I tell him I am an Independent.  He says “well how do you justify the SIN of abortion?”  AND… we are done.   Seriously I am Southern, I know all about sins.  Remembering that he had been a fighter pilot I said “well hang on there… weren’t you a fighter pilot?”

“Yes, yes, I was and I see where you are going with this.  But did you know there is a hierarchy of sins?”  And we are double-done-stick-a-fork-in-it-the-goose-is-COOKED.  I paid the sitter $45 for this sermon.

There will be some good ones right, some fun dates?  But where are they?  Where do you find the boys?  I mean do you have to go online?  Can you just go somewhere like where they you hang out (their natural habitat) , maybe a sports bar or a sporting event?  What about Home Depot – there are guys all over that place.

I could try a different venue – a place I don’t normally meet men.  I did that once you know at Barnes and Noble.    There was a guy in the self-help section (my personal favorite).   He was not exactly dressed as my normal stockbroker/lawyer type.  I thought, “well you know Kelly that look has not been all that fruitful for you – so let’s give this a try.”  He says he owns a carpet cleaning business – oh, well that is something, that could be lucrative.

Cut to lunch 3 days later.  I arrive in my business suit.  I see an old SAAB pulling in the parking lot.  It is so heavily loaded it is barely clearing the pavement.  It is about 2002 and I am guessing the SAAB is a 1984.  It is my guy – oh God.   I see a flurry of activity as he CHANGES CLOTHES in his car.  You can see him ransacking through the car –  out he comes in ratty jeans and a wrinkled shirt.  We order lunch and I suggest a booth in the very back in case any of my colleagues come in.  My carpet cleaner proceeds to tell me that he cleans only ONE carpet per day, maybe one every other day – he doesn’t like to be stressed you see.    And he has been living with 4 other people in a house (a commune of sorts) but now… the owner of the house has kicked them out.  Soooooo he just lives out of his car and finds random places to shower.  He, friends, IS HOMELESS.  OMG OMG OMG  This is so not my dream date.

Now I hear that the online services are great.  You always see ads on TV about how I met my soulmate on eHarmony or Match.com.  I did actually try an online dating services a long time ago.  I met a guy; we had a four hour conversation.  We agree to meet.  He tells me “you will not be disappointed”  Jinx!

I am actually excited.  He is tall; which, I like.  We are meeting on a fall day in at a local restaurant.  He walks in sporting a Nantucket Gorton’s fisherman type jacket.

Um….where is the lighthouse?  There are no fish… there is no wharf… Turned off but open.

He proceeds to go on and on for damn ever about how fabulous he is. Where is the 4 hour conversation guy???

I fiddle with my phone under the table and finally make it go off.   “Oh Beth … oh my gosh….I am so sorry… I’ll be right over” – totally made up my escape story – some lifesaving of my friend’s baby thing.  I damn near sprint out – he calls my cell – 5 times.  I finally pick up – “you know… I don’t get it… my sister said I will have all kinds of women because I am so smart and handsome (and did she mention humble?).  You know I don’t think you find me attractive”.  Backpedal – make up excuses.  Hang up – here he comes again.  Has he never been told NO?  He starts again with the you don’t think I am handsome thing…. Well enough is enough..  Finally I had to say “you know… I am sorry, I just don’t … I do not find you attractive.   I cannot help it.  I am a nice person and you pushed me here.  I wish you the best but I am not for you”.  A few more calls and he finally gave up.  Thank God– I hate fish sticks.

I laugh at all of these dating stories now.  So many things I didn’t see coming, so many things I learned.   I AM READY.  The good will outweigh the bad – but you have to get out there, right?  I mean Fed Ex is not going to deliver him to my door.   I seek the counsel of you wise women.  What and how to proceed?

I would love to know what worked and what didn’t, what you liked and what made you want to jump out a window.

Time is of the essence here sisters.  My next call may well be the psychic hotline.

Kelly O.

Hi All:

I was lamenting to my friend and former co-worker Margo, Mutitasking Mom, about how difficult it can be as a single parent to get great meals on the table without feeling like you are in the grocery store every five minutes…leave it up to Margo to solve that dilemma!  In this delicious guest post, Margo shares how to go to the grocery store once to get a full week’s worth of meals – and how to turn a leftovers into completely new meals!

She also has her cookbook available on her site – so check it out!

- Swati

*******************************

Yummy Meals All Week Long

Since I started my new job (and my new commute) I don’t have much time during the week to go to the grocery store.  So, each week (usually on Sunday morning, or earlier in the week if I’m on my game… which isn’t often) I try to think up recipes and put together a new grocery list so that I can make meals for the entire week.  I even enter them on my calendar at work so I know what is coming up.

However, quite often I find on Sunday I’ve got a refrigerator and freezer full of groceries, and leftovers, and I can’t cook a single meal from any of it.  I have hamburger, no buns.  I have spaghetti, no sauce.  So, I trudge to the store anyway.

How can you make a great recipe, and not be left with … well, leftovers?  There are only so many times I can eat the same old last-night’s-dinner for lunch at work without getting a tad bored.

Even with my husband and son in my house to help to eat what I make, I find that I have leftovers galore… and I hate to waste.  So many recipes are for 4 or 6 servings, and often it’s difficult to halve the recipe if it calls for a can of this or a jar of that.  So I tried to set a goal for myself… to put together a meal plan for a week that would actually USE what I bought.  Here’s a great list that can serve 2-3 people.

Sun – Roasted Chicken and Crash Hot Potatoes

• Chicken – whole, 4 lbs
• Paprika, salt, onion powder, dried thyme, white pepper, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder (these I have on hand)
• 3 onions
• 4 heads garlic
• 1 lemon
• 1 can low-sodium broth
• 4 whole new potatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Rosemary – fresh

Mon – Margo’s Tostadas (uses the leftover chicken from Sunday)

• corn tortillas
• fat free refried beans
• taco seasoning
• reduced fat shredded Mexican blend cheese
• light sour cream
• lettuce
• 1 tomato
• 1 onion
• 1 avocado

Tues – Udon Soup (use half the steak here and then use the rest in the salad on Wednesday)

• soy sauce
• sugar
• 3 c beef broth
• 6 oz udon noodles
• 4 oz steak  (buy 8-12 oz, cut in half and save for tomorrow’s recipe)
• 1 bunch spinach
• green onions

Wed – Marinated Steak Salad

• soy sauce (already bought for prior recipe)
• 4-6 oz steak (already bought for prior recipe)
• A-1 Sauce
• Worcestershire sauce
• Ground ginger
• Garlic powder (already bought for prior recipe)

Thurs – Spaghetti, Ground Turkey, Marinara

There’s no recipe really for this one – besides cooking the turkey with the garlic powder and fennel and then adding the marinara to it, then putting it all on top of your favorite pasta!

• Spaghetti
• Ground turkey
• Marinara sauce
• Parmesan cheese
• Italian seasoning, garlic powder (already bought for prior recipe), fennel seed

Fri – Fish Sticks and Marinara – steamed veggie (use leftover marinara)

• Buttermilk (low fat)
• ½ lb tilapia or cod (or other whitefish)
• Parmesan cheese (already bought for prior recipe)
• Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• Kosher salt
• Extra virgin olive oil (already bought for prior recipe)
• Marinara sauce (already bought for prior recipe)
• Bag of frozen steam-in-the-bad cauliflower

Sat – Mom can’t cook all the time!  Order pizza and rent a movie!  :-)

Beef Udon Soup
adapted from Midwest Living, Oct. 2002

servings: 2
WW pts per serving: 7

3 ½ c beef broth
2 tbsp soy sauce (I use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
½  tbsp sugar – yes, for once I do not cut the sugar in this recipe
2 qts cold water
4 oz dried udon noodles, or fettucine (I only had 8 oz, so I made it with that)
4 oz boneless beef sirloin, very thinly sliced across the grain into bite-sized strips
½ c firmly packed, small fresh spinach leaves
2 green onions, thinly sliced ( ¼ cup)

For the soup broth:
In a large saucepan, combine the broth, soy sauce, and sugar. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Set aside; keep warm.

For the noodles:
In a Dutch oven or large pot, bring water to boiling. Add noodles, a little at a time, so the water does not stop boiling. Cook according to package directions, then transfer to 4-6 small soup bowls.

Return broth to boiling. Add the beef and spinach. Cook, covered, 2 to 3 minutes or until beef is desired doneness. Ladle the hot soup mixture over the noodles in the soup bowls. Top with green onion.

Enjoy!

~M

You are invited to a Virtual Baby Shower for Virgina Kerr, anchor on KMOV’s early news show, Awake!

The parenting resource site MyMommyManual.com and television station site, KMOV are
co-hosting A Mom Is Born: The Virtual Baby Shower Celebrating a Woman’s Journey into Motherhood.  It is scheduled for Wednesday, August 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST, and you can watch it here at the The Single Mothers Chronicles…plus you can win some fabulous prizes (anyone need a girls getaway weekend? I thought so…)! This year’s shower will benefit the March of Dimes Missouri Chapter and the celebrant is expecting mom Virginia Kerr, the anchor on Channel 4’s early news show, Awake.

Anyone with internet access can attend virtually, interacting in real time with Virginia and hosts via a live chat room during the online broadcast. The shower will also be aired live on www.MomIsBorn.com.

The focus of the shower is celebrating and honoring the transition of a woman to motherhood and how her friends and loved ones can support her during this exciting time. However, any mom will enjoy the event because the two-hour broadcast will feature great parenting tips and products.

Viewers (guests) will also learn how to personalize a Holding Hands bracelet. The bracelet is a symbol of the connectedness between all mothers and the strength moms can source from each other. It is an especially touching gift for an expecting mom to wear during her labor and delivery, as a reminder of the support she has from her closest women friends.

A limited number of Holding Hands bracelets will be sold during the event for guests to buy for a special mom or mom-to-be. A portion of the proceeds will go to the March of Dimes.

Top tips for new moms will also be shared, which are being collected in the week prior to the broadcast in exchange for an entry in the Mom is Born giveaway raffle. Raffle prizes have been generously donated by the shower sponsors.

How can you support March of Dimes through this event?

• Make a donation via the ChipIn widget on www.MomIsBorn.com.

• Buy a Holding Hands bracelet for yourself or a loved one.

• Support A Mom Is Born sponsors: Build-A-Bear Workshop, Kolcraft, Goodnite Rooms, Pixie Posie Photography and our Venue Sponsor, Overlook Farm.

Overlook Farm is excited to announce a special package for moms. From now October 15, 2010, (Virgina Kerr’s due date), we invite moms and friends to spend a relaxing night in one of our luxurious inns for the special rate of $125/night. Simply become a fan of Overlook Farm on Facebook to receive this special rate. Mention the virtual baby shower on our wall, and you will be entered to win a Girl’s Weekend Getaway for four to Overlook Farm. Unwind on our 200 acre property, take a soak in our greenhouse hot tub, explore our many gardens, or steal a quiet moment with your best friends with a glass of wine while you watch the sunset over the Mississippi River valley.

Overlook Farm is proud to support a Woman’s Journey into Motherhood, and the special connections in our lives.

For more information about the event, to submit your bit of Mommy Wisdom for new moms, or to tune in on August 25, 2010, please visit www.MomIsBorn.com

A tid bit about MyMommyManual…

My Mommy Manual
“Why do this alone when we can hold hands!” MyMommyManual.com is a living, growing manual of mommy wisdom! It is inspired by and written by moms for moms, with kids of all ages and stages. Since 2008, MyMommyManual.com has connected moms through practical and inspired tips on topics ranging from mommy wellness, relationships, products, and parenting.

Hi Everyone:

I am heading off on vacation so we have some guest bloggers making an appearance over the next week…you are in for an amazing piece of writing today courtesy of fellow single mom and blogger Mandy Walker.  Mandy writes the blog Since My Divorce, where she shares the stories of  women describing their lives after divorce, so other women will know that the end of a marriage means a new beginning.

I know you’ll be moved, just as I was, with the very personal way in which Mandy shares her moment of enlightenment with us.

- Swati

Learning to Trust My Gut

Divorce, for me, was and continues to be a learning opportunity, mostly about me. One of my most valuable lessons has been learning to trust to my gut or put another way, listening to my emotions and paying attention to them.

I’ve learned I’m a pleaser by nature – I’m a Libran, which means I like peace and harmony. Nothing wrong with that except that ever since I was a child, I’ve often kept quiet about my own needs so as not to rock the boat. I don’t voice my own needs easily. My upbringing taught me to look at issues logically and rationally rather than emotionally; there is no point in getting upset about something that makes sense so don’t waste your energy. Accept it and move on.

I was married for almost seventeen years. It was never an easy marriage, except perhaps in the early years before the children came along. Regardless, I’d vowed to be faithful in sickness and in health ‘til death and the very thought of divorce was foreign. For one thing, no one in my family had been divorced and I had no friends who’d experienced it. Divorce was something that happened to other people and I felt that getting divorced would be like admitting I’d failed, that I’d made a bad decision. Every time the thought popped into my head, I simply pushed it away – wasn’t going to happen to me.

Then, I was visiting a very good friend – she lives in England, I’m in the U.S. so we don’t get to see each other very often but we’ve been friends for thirty years now. Quietly over a cup of tea, she asked if I’d thought about divorce. I explained I didn’t think it was an option because it wouldn’t change much, after all, we had two children and I’d still have to communicate with my husband. She left it at that.

When I got back to the U.S. the question kept popping into my head, refusing to be ignored. Finally, I thought I’d seek the help of a therapist. I went to see one who my acupuncturist recommended. To be perfectly honest, when I first met her I thought she was a little weird. I didn’t mind that she was Buddhist but what felt so strange was the way she started the session. She wanted me to sit on the couch, hands in my lap, close my eyes and breathe. Then to talk about how that felt, did I feel tension anywhere, did I feel any sensations, what was uncomfortable. Well, just doing that and then talking about it made me uncomfortable although I don’t think I told her that … remember, I like to please.

I learned that this was body-centered psychotherapy (see the United States Association of Body Psychotherapy). Others call it your Internal Guidance System. As we talked about whether to end my marriage, we used this technique to test various decisions. Could I visualize being single? Was I ready to tell my husband? How did I feel about possibly not seeing my children every day? How did I feel about giving up the secure financial future?

My therapist and that technique guided me through the hardest and most painful decision I’ve ever had to make and guided me toward a much happier future. I still use the technique. Sometimes now, it instinctive like when I’m juggling priorities when there aren’t enough hours in the day and I’m trying to decide what can give or I’m trying to choose a contractor for a home maintenance task.

Other times I’m less tuned in to what my gut is telling me: the knot and burning sensation at the base of my neck on my right side develops, screaming at me to stop what I’m doing and to listen. Then, I work through a process of elimination to discover the cause – could it be an event or meeting I’ve accepted that I don’t want to go to? Could it be the argument I had last night with my daughter? Could it be that I haven’t been spending enough time with my children? Could it be something that someone said to me that has upset me?

When I hit on the right cause, the knot intensifies and then I work through possible solutions. The solution that feels right is the one that makes the tension ease. Yes, it is usually that obvious and it is that immediate. If I don’t get that feeling, then I know I need to spend some more time thinking it through.

I’m not saying I always make the “right” decisions now but I am much more confident I’m making the decisions that are right for me, decisions that factor in all that touchy feely stuff, decisions that recognize my needs, decisions that are true to me and I know I’m a happier person for it.

Her: I hate being in limbo.

Him: Are we in limbo?

Her: Yes we’re in limbo!

Him: What are we in limbo about?

Her: We have two places, two lives, all this back and forth is all keeping our relationship in limbo.

Him: I thought we were…happy?  I’m happy.  I didn’t know we were in limbo

Her: Well cut it OUT! How can you be happy like this?

<Pause. Did I just say “stop being happy” to him? What?  Smile at silliness of my statement…he smiles back.>

Him: I think we should go shopping for a ring in the next few weeks.

Her:    :-)

Hi Everyone – I thought I would share a little update on goings on with my book, some of my posts at Working Mother Magazine, and what I’ve been doing on The Single Mothers Chronicles Facebook page….so first the book…

I am so happy to say that there is a publisher interested in my book!  I am not going to say which one as we have not  yet executed our contract (and I really hope I am not jinxing myself) but I am really, really, really excited.  Naturally, I am not done with the book …and I have an idea for yet another book…yikes!  Focus, focus, focus Swati…

Have you been checking out my incredible blogs posts (I’m shameless, thus the Supermom image on this post) at Working Mother Magazine?  Please don’t tell me you haven’t been out there – I just couldn’t take it! Here are three of my favorites – and leave me a comment if you can so I know you came :

1) Work at Home, Work Outside the Home?  When Does the Quandary End? (Guess what? I’m up to more stuff…)

2) The Orzo Chronicles: Our First 72 Hours With Our Puppy (Yup, all about life with puppy)

3) Quotable Quotes and Conversations From the Little Peanut in My Peanut Gallery (You’ll revisit a couple favorites like “what’s humping?” but also experience a few new ones!)

And please also make sure you check out the Single Mothers Chronicles Facebook page! There’s lots of cool stuff out there like recipes, fun and informative articles (Common Sense Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe, recipes, like this one for Pecan Encrusted Tilapia, other tips like Healthy Snacks Kids and Parents Love), and general chit-chat too…check it out and feel free to “LIKE” the page (I feel like Valley Girl every time I say that)!

Have a super day!

Swati

Did you know that drowning is the second leading cause of death in children ages 1-14?  I didn’t!  And it’s completely preventable by taking a few simple steps towards better water safety…which is why I love the website, Jabari of the Water!   The goal of the site is to significantly reduce the number of children’s drowning accidents. What unique about Jabari of the Water is that the folks at Jabari (one of whom is a single mom too by the way) have developed  a new approach to delivering important water safety messages in a positive way that are easily understood by kids.  And the very sweet character at the center of it all is Jabari, the lion cub.

Check out my Q&A below with single mom and Jabari of the Water co-founder Rebecca – and then jump on over to their site!

- Swati

Q:  Why should I be worried about my child and water in the first place?

A:  I’ve rarely seen anyone who was not shocked by the following statistic:  Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death of children in all developed countries.  In states like Florida it’s number one.

Q:  Where do children drown?

A:  For babies, it’s usually the bathtub.  Just because they can sit up, don’t ever leave the room to answer the phone, grab their jammies or anything else.  And those bathtub seats?  They can easily flip and trap your baby under water.  Toddlers?  Overwhelmingly home swimming pools.  If you have any type of pool, have a fence around it.  Better yet, a fence and an alarm.  Too many stories of kids who escape out the doggy-door, or just escape, and head for their favorite place. Older kids?  Rivers and lakes – teach them to know where they are swimming and always have a buddy.  Teenagers?  Not surprisingly, alcohol-related.

Q:  Why the panic?  I’d notice if my child was drowning!

A:  If you were expecting waving arms, yelling and panic, you’d be mistaken.  Check out this blog by a Coast Guard/military veteran.  http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/drowning/.  The Australian lifesavers teach to watch for ‘Climbing the Ladder’.  If someone is vertical in the water, moving their arms slightly, head looking upwards, little leg movement and NO NOISE, they’re drowning.  It can happen in under a minute and is totally silent.

Q:  Now I’m freaked out and I’m not going near water – why did you ruin my summer vacation?

A:  Sorry, exactly the reaction that people usually have to those very real and scary facts.  It’s exactly the reason we have introduced Jabari, a lion cub who loves being in the water because he knows how to be safe.  Jabari means ‘brave’ and his friends all think he’s cool because he actually loves the water, and cats usually don’t!  We believe that if we teach children, starting as early as one, how to be safe in the water while they are having fun in the water, that they will grow up knowing how to balance the danger and the fun.  We believe basic water safety should be as basic to children as fastening their seat belt.  Think about it – fire is dangerous, but we still let our kids roast marshmallows for s’mores.  And we let them cross the street, we just teach them to ‘look both ways’.  Being in the water is one of the great joys of childhood – let’s teach our kids to be safe at the same time.

Q:  So how will Jabari help me teach my child?

A:  Our goal is for Jabari to be recognized and loved by children around the world.  For all of you who have gone through the Thomas or Princess phase you know how children can become attached to characters that they relate to.  Jabari and his friends are adorable African animals and they try to be good, but they don’t always know how, just like all children.  If children love Jabari, they will listen to the important water safety messages that he is teaching, and they will learn and, eventually, internalize those messages.  Water poses different dangers in different places – if you know Jabari can tell you the best way to be safe maybe you’ll look to him for advice.  And besides, wouldn’t

Q:  Anything else I should know?

A:  Have fun in the water!  From the first splash of a baby’s fist in the water to stomping in puddles, playing with noodles and splash bombs, diving into a cold pool on a hot day, swinging off tire swings in to a river, a lazy-inner tube ride down a dappled creek or just having water gun fights in the front yard it’s the best fun I know of and probably the source of most children’s best summer memories.  So get in there and splash – just teach them how to be safe too!

www.jabariofthewater.com

I don’t know about you, but having to ask for a raise brings me to an instant state of anxiety.

Public speaking? No problem.

Singing off-key for five years in grammar school chorus? Whatever.  Give me the microphone.

Parasailing to celebrate my divorce?  No big deal.

Flying in a plexi-glass helicopter over a volcano?  Bring it on.

Asking for a raise? <gasp!> Can I have my blankie?

So, imagine how happy I was to be able to schedule a Skype interview (below) with Dr. Diane L. Katz, Ph.D., author of Win at Work: The Everybody Wins Approach to Conflict Resolution. In her book (which I did receive for free – my required disclosure ), she covers many salient work related topics, such as conflict resolution, dealing with a micro-managing boss, and how to ask for a raise.

I couldn’t resist interviewing Dr. Katz about that last one – and she has graciously agreed that if any of my readers have any specific questions or need advice on a particular situation, she will be happy to offer back some advice if you post your question here!!

Take a listen to the interview (posted below), be sure to post any questions you may have, and check out her book and her website at http://www.theworkingcircle.com or her blog here (the book is also available at Borders, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon).

Have a super day -

Swati

DianeKatz on 2010-07-16 at 10.05