Breaker, Breaker, What’s your handle?

In April just as I was about to sign the family’s tax returns I received a call about a survey. I played a long and answered all the questions – as I came to realize the caller wanted my opinion on my state’s U.S. Senate seat that will be up soon. Opinion about politics….OF COURSE! As with all surveys at the end they needed some information to make sure that they were getting a random sample like age, married status, household income etc. Then came the question that when posed I wasn’t sure how to answer “Ok, we are almost done, can I ask you for your occupation?” I quickly shot back “My job is my 3 year old son” to the inquirer’s reply “ok we will put homemaker. Thank you for your time, bye, bye.” *click*

Hold on a minute! Do I identify myself as a homemaker? Is that what I am? When did I go from a married woman with a family and a Masters Degree to a homemaker? The label of homemaker is bothersome and is so out of date that I cringe when I see the word and have even crossed it out on my tax returns when my occupation is labeled as such. I would much rather not have an occupation that be given one. No woman or man should be labeled as such, and don’t go giving me the politically correct b.s. about domestic engineer either. It means the same thing, someone just used the Thesaurus to come up with a fancy translation. (and my Masters degree isn’t in engineering)

Individuals that work, man or woman, have a label and occupation. They are doctors, teachers, executive directors, secretaries, truck drivers etc. but what happens on that day that you decide you are going to stay home or, in this economy, get laid off and stay home with your children. All of a sudden you aren’t unemployed (that’s a different category), but rather something else. It’s kind of a gray area since technically you get paid for your occupation. Those who stay at home do not.

Look. I am a mother and I stay at home. So that makes me a SAHM – understandable. But I also am a blogger, which is seems there a lot of SAHM out there that do the same. But is that how I identify myself or occupation? Still the answer is no – I have yet to find someone to fund my blog. I also volunteer for several organizations, one through the community I live in and one through my church. Does that make me an activist? Sure, but still not my label or occupation. It’s called volunteering for a reason.

So where does someone who stays at home voluntarily, without any income stand in the world of labels and niche categories? I have yet to come up with a name or category for people like me, but please, please, please don’t label me a homemaker, domestic goddess (although I will take the goddess part) or anything else that will simplify who I am.

Off the Grid

I am seriously the worst ever! It almost feels like I have been off the grid, but it is more like off the schedule. Nap time used to be blog time, but things have changed around here and I haven't gotten enough blogging in. Just like last summer, I am heading off to a nice warm vacation and will be off the grid most of the summer - unless I can some how figure out how to get broadband wireless connection that won't cost me $400.

But since I will be off the grid, that doesn't mean I will lack opinions. Right now I've got two subjects that are taking up a lot of my thoughts, that for sure I will explore through this medium while on my summer vacation.
1. Patty Blogojavich on "I am a Celebrity....get me out of here"
2. The mom label/category and is SAHM really my only label.

The second topic I have been mulling over since tax day but have yet to conceptualize the argument and the label. Will be working on that post for a bit longer before the "great" reveal!

In the meantime, I am still around, still have opinions and still just dealing. But I will be better!!! maybe I should take a page from a friend's blog and blog every day for a month.

Taking it to the Kitchens

I've been a little out of it lately and haven't read, blogged or done much else for the past couple of weeks. Part of it is realpolitik toddler hasn't been napping, so I haven't had much time to sit and read and blog. But miraculously today, we are napping, so time to blog.

Women, women, women. Like 1996, 2000,and 2004, women, and specifically mothers will make the difference in this year's campaign. We moms have been courted time and time again and this year isn't any different and I am not sure how I feel about it. I understand the demographic that each campaign is trying to get to and introducing their candidate to this demographic, but I think I am insulted the way both have gone about it. Senator and Cindy McCain on Rachel Ray and Michelle Obama on Paula Deen's show , does this mean that this is the only type of television that mother's watch? Cooking shows? Now I understand that it is to show a different side to the candidates, actually just to Senator McCain, since Barack Obama wasn't on Deen's show, but I would be curious to see some numbers on if individuals that stay home, like mothers, that will actually base their opinions on who they will vote for by how the candidate or significant other of the candidate performed on a let's face it, a talk show. Again, I understand widening the base and it makes for riveting TV, to watch Senator McSame (McCain) make his rib recipe, but yet again I am a little bothered by the indication that is how I and other mothers get to know the candidates.

Time to get back to work.

After 7 weeks on vacation and then another 2 weeks getting myself and realpolitik baby back on our regular time schedule, it's time to begin blogging again.

As you know, I've been out of touch for most of my vacation so I am working on it. 

Things you can look forward to now that I am back and ready to go - in no particular order.

1. Palin - McCain

2. My friend Joe

3. Travel

4.  Something dumb I heard the other day

5.  "Nanny" parks

6.  PUMA's

I know for sure there is more out there that I will discuss and blog about, but that is a little taste of things to come.

Struggling to go Green

This Saturday between 8pm -9pm CST, the City of Chicago will participate in Earth Hour. During that period of time, many of the buildings in our city will either turn off or dim their lights to help bring awareness to climate change. After hearing about this today, or course on NPR, it made me contemplate my own methods of being green, and how, at times, it can be difficult to be a SAHM while also being more conscience about the environment.

There are many things that I already do to do my part to slow down the effects of global warming and hopefully do something good for the environment;, including the 3 r's, reuse, renew and recycle, purchasing locally grown organic foods as well as place compact florescent bulbs in as many of our light fixtures as possible. Those things I find easy and should be no brainers when it comes to doing something for the environment. What I struggle with are some of the other things that I could do to bring down my carbon footprint. For example:

1. Usage of electricity. We live in a day and age that almost everything runs on electricity and as a SAHM, I have realized that there is always some sort of electrical appliance, light, etc on in the house. My parents believed that if you were not in a particular room, the lights should be off in that room. This was because of the cost of electricity, but I see the point when it comes to emissions too. But if you are home, how do you make sure you are not using at least one piece of electrical equipment? Remember, it's still bitterly cold outside so leaving the house is sometimes not an option.

2. Traveling by car or by plane. Let's face it. I would much rather fly to my in-laws in Texas rather than be in the car with husband and child for over 20 hours driving down to visit. Also, I have family that live in Greece. I don't have much of a choice when it comes to visiting them, my only option is to fly. What I guess I have the most difficulty with is driving. If it isn't to the store, it's to a play date, or to grandma's house. I do my share of walking or taking public transportation to the post office, for coffee, meeting a friend, but I know I do more driving than need be.

3. Waste. As I mentioned, I do my share of recycling, but I've never known anyone who generates as much garbage as my family. Maybe I just feel that I take the garbage out way more than anyone else in my condo building. The majority of my trips to the garbage are worth of recyclables, or dirty diapers, but there is just so much more that, again I think I can do. What's the rule about having a garbage compost in a common area of a condo building? (ooh I can only imagine the nasty-grams I would get from my neighbor)

I guess my point is that if maybe we all work together and do our parts in some way shape or form, that we could possibly cancel out our impact on the environment, and while an hour of dimming our lights is a good idea and a start, just stop and think about exactly what you do each day and the impact it has on the environment.

My mom is better than your mom

Another reason why I try to keep specifics about baby out of this blog...... I still have hang ups about my playground taunts.