apropos of nothing

January 09, 2010

'nine tenths of education is encouragement.' anatole france

January 08, 2010

i'm a big fan of formal education, both public and private. i attended public schools from kindergarten through high school and then got my bachelors degree in psychology from santa clara university (private jesuit). i liked high school but really only for academic reasons...the social aspects irritated me to no end. college was a dream come true. (fyi: students who attend universities that cost $30,000 a year typically are there to learn, not party, though there was that too i suspect. (and before you wonder just how spoiled i am... i graduated high school with a 4.2GPA and had hearty helpings of academic scholarships and some federal loans like everyone else. that said, i turned down a full ride to berkeley because i didn't think it would be a good fit for me.)) anyway, i'm a huge nerd deep down.

when parker was little, bk and i talked about home schooling. at that time i wanted a whole brood of kids and home schooling seemed romantic and adventurous to me. and then i remembered who i really am. not terrifically patient or good at little kid stuff. i tolerate the mess that playdoh creates but have basically banned toys/games with little tiny parts or sand or other things that require sweeping/mopping of the floors. i love structure and a schedule (and am always on time, if not ten minutes early) but am not great about creating or sticking to them with the kids. i'm just a *tad* anal retentive. in other words, i think i'd make a terrible teacher of young children, particularly my own. and since i love learning and i want to instill that love in parker and lorenzo, i have chosen to send them to public school and augment at home. parker is getting to an age that i'm really excited about; it's less make believe and more literal and logical. i love working in the kitchen with her and watching her figure things out. she's starting to talk about science and math and reading and i think that absolutely rocks. thankfully (and not surprisingly) she's completely blossoming in school. she loves it and is good at it. her teacher is the perfect balance of firm and kind. mrs. s is obviously better suited to the job than i am. *whew*

bonus question: what type of schooling did you get? your kids?

another one where i realize again stuff that i already realized before

January 06, 2010

one of my closest friends is in the very early stages of divorce with the mother of his two (very young) children. i won't be sharing any details that aren't mine to share but i will say that it's bringing up a lot of feelings for me. honestly they are easier to deal with because they aren't happening TO me but nonetheless i'm feeling sadness for the vast amounts of pain that they're going to experience now/soon or shove down deep and experience later...or never. i suspect it will be ugly in the way that all divorces (even amicable ones) are ugly and especially so because there's a certain bit of faith left in them that it won't and doesn't have to be ugly.

i don't know any person who hasn't been profoundly changed by their divorce, for better or worse. for me, as a human being, a mother, a partner i feel like most of the changes have been positive. i'm more carefree, more able to accept change, more likely to listen to and be in tune with my partner, less judgmental. that said, i'm slower to speak up for myself, terrified of even small arguments, and endlessly internal before i am willing/ready to talk about things that are bothering me. it's only been in the last six months or so that i've become sort of certain-ish that a difference of opinion with d isn't going to have him packing his shit in boxes and out the next morning with little more than a see-ya! to the kids and me. this has meant learning to balance my compulsive need to be not just a cool, smart, understanding, easy-going girlfriend but THE coolest, smartest, most understanding, most easy-going girlfriend with my deep down desire to be happy...and not a doormat. (thankfully i'm with someone who loves me deeply (right heather!? right?!) and hasn't taken advantage of these facts.)

oh yeah, and perpetual navel-gazing. there's that too.

no really, i mean it this time

January 05, 2010

my resolution this year is to blog every day (or almost in any case) ...even if just a photo or a few words.

so um, happy new years from this crazy bunch.

wave magazine

December 13, 2009

Live, Beautiful Chocolate

Live, Beautiful Chocolate: Snake & Butterfly

Our new favorite stand at the Campbell farmers market on Sundays is the intriguingly named organic chocolate line Snake & Butterfly. Made locally in Campbell, the fair-trade, organic chocolate range includes some “live” bars, which means the treats are choc full of healthy nutrients, including valuable antioxidants. Celeste Flores (who you’ll likely see at the market stall) and her team produce all of their own chocolate, which is refined, tempered and hand-poured in small batches using traditional methods in their own little factory. Their wares include a range of single origin chocolate bars (we’re fans of the Madagascar, which has a berry-like flavor), plus uniquely flavored truffles (try the Thai, richly flavored with coconut, lemongrass, lime and cayenne), gourmet marshmallows and much more.