As I am sick, I have been relegated to watching Kelly Ripa squirt whipped cream in her mouth and reading idiotic women’s magazines that reinforce my angst with articles like “Lose Your Inner Slob- Organize Your Life” and “How To Choose Bold Earrings.” Today, I was drawn to an article in a popular woman’s magazine [...]

Still sick and reporting live from bed. Here is my other list- things that don’t make me happy.

Plastic toys made in China
Bernie Madoff’s impact on the Jewish nonprofit world
Anything Nabisco
My life in boxes (I’m moving in a few days)
Kids with cell phones
Ketchup
Kelly Ripa
Coldplay
Feeling guilty for resting when I am sick (stupid-ass mom-guilt)
People who think they [...]

So, instead of writing about how much I hate my life because I am so sick today, I am going to make a list of things that make me happy

Kiana’s wispy, blonde hair
Kiana’s lips
Kiana’s tushy
Kiana’s everything
Shane’s tenacity (both infuriating and admirable)
Haley’s wit
The way that Adam smells (especially with his new Jo Malone cologne that I [...]

His talent was incredible- his personal life and choices were complicated.
Over and over in my writing I discuss the importance of letting children be children. Michael was never giving that opportunity, and I believe many of his issues stemmed from this fact. It saddens me that he probably never felt good enough or worthy, despite [...]

I often wonder if preschool aged children in third-world countries flip-out if one drop of guacamole touches their cheese quesadilla. Why is it such a common theme for children in upper-middle class western cultures to have so many issues with food? Our over-indulged kids are so damn picky that they will reject an entire apple [...]

“i really wish i could get a full week away from mommyhood. i am really, really burnt out. i am not wanting to be in this role for awhile. so sick of the constant questions, conversation, enforcement, discipline. how do people do it?” (a recent email I sent to my friend Cara)
I had one of [...]

Rabbi and I also talked about marriage, “You have to accept that there is a part of you that Adam will never get, and a part of Adam that you will never get. ” Is this the source of my angst, my existentially loneliness, that is often kept at bay by “being busy” and surrounding [...]

There is nothing more boring than hearing some parent talk about how “gifted” their child is. It is no longer good enough for your kid to be sweet and kind, he now must be off-the-charts smart as well. I, for one, am much more concerned about raising children who are empathic rather than smart. Look at [...]

 Oh, how I love my eccentric Rabbi. Not only is he a brilliant spiritual counselor and dynamic on the pulpit, but he also has the ability to quickly cut through the bullshit. As much as the truth often hurts, I love how he always tells it as it is. 
This afternoon (over his sugar-free ice blended [...]

I love how Britney breaks it down in her hit song Circus : ”There are only two types of people in the world- the ones that entertain, and the ones that observe.” The inherent simplicity of this lyric really resonates with me. I have always been the type that has to entertain, be noticed, be “the best” [...]