Top Ten: New Year's Resolutions

That’s right, I am putting my personal goals out there for the world to see, judge, and criticize. But, you never know, that may be exactly what I need to see these through to 2009.

10. Write. I have always enjoyed writing just to get thoughts out of my mind, which always seems to be reeling. I am not so much the “creative writer” who aspires to penning the great American novel of the 21st century, but I would like my name to appear with the likes of Christopher Hitchens (you gotta love him, even when you hate him). His social and political commentary, infuriating and often right on target, is precisely the kind of professional standard to which I aspire.

9. Continue to Read Literature and Daily News. Although another baby threatens to disrupt my perfectly scheduled two hour addiction (aka, Ruby’s nap time) of “checking the headlines” or reading the latest recommended novel, I would hate to see myself fall into the bottomless pit, already crowded as it is, of the uninformed, apathetic masses we call the American public.

8. Actively Seek Opportunities to Serve. The people I respect and admire the most always seem to have their plates full, but are nonetheless always available to do the most needful things. I feel those who know how to serve are more capable of keeping their lives in the proper perspective.

7. Always Dye My Hair Before the Gray Streak Returns! Embarrassingly enough, this only happens about 20% of the time. Right now, I have about a half-inch growth. Can we all say, House-Marm together please?

6. Organize, organize, organize!! Clean, clean, clean!! My bedroom doesn’t look much different then it did when I was in high school or college. The bed is made just before I climb into it. I hate putting on a top sheet. I don’t always load the dishwasher before I go to bed. I often have five loads of laundry to do in one day just to catch up. Don’t even talk to me about the chaos that is my hair and make-up supplies on the bathroom vanity. Some boxes from our move are still unopened in Ruby’s bedroom. A few frames are resting against the wall where I have intended for them to be placed for 18 months. I would like to turn into the "naturally" organized person everyone secretly hates and openly aspires to become.

5. Finish Ruby’s Baby Book. This needs to happen before number 2 arrives in April. I don’t want to put this off until her 18th birthday!

4.Complete a Marathon. This is the one I hate to admit to openly. It has been on my New Year’s Resolutions lists since I can remember and I have never once come close to preparing for it. I can’t imagine the mental and physical empowerment that would come with knowing you had the diligence, patience, and stamina necessary to prepare for and complete a 26-mile run.

3. Make One Meal Each Week From the Julia Child’s Cookbook, “ Master the Art of French Cooking” I claim constantly to dislike cooking, but this really just isn’t true. I didn’t like it as a kid because it was a chore, something you were banished to do while the rest of the family watched a re-run of Little House on the Prairie. In college I hated it because the kitchen was never clean and there were always too many women telling you how you should do it differently. I would just like to be able to really enjoy the time I spend in the process of cooking, something French cooking is designed to provide.

2. Write Down One Experience With Ruby Every Day. It will be nice to give to her far, far down the road.

1. Take More Pictures. We just don’t take enough of all the great family memories we are making. It is especially sad since we do some incredibly unordinary things.

You Say You Want a Revolution

You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world.-- The Beatles

Since I can think about nothing else today, which shouldn't be a suprise since I haven't thought about much else since last February when the madness really began, I thought I would go out on a limb in sharing my read of the current political landscape, as well as my predictions for tonight's caucus results. Drum roll please!

1.Americans want real change, not just a new President. GWB’s ratings are not only low because of him though he is the easiest target for much of the blame. Anyone connected with the current government will pay a price for that relationship, not just Republicans. We are ultimately a revolutionary people. A change in political parties controlling the Executive branch does not satisfy our historical spirit for rebellion and change. The American Revolution itself was a unique and radical event that produced deep changes and had a profound impact on world affairs. I believe each generation of Americans produce their own revolutions with similar results. The current political atmosphere is suggesting now is the time.

Despite pundits focus on the democrats having the upper-hand in this election cycle, the Republicans have no one running that is heavily connected to a government legacy. A Clinton victory in Iowa will lead to a Republican win in the fall regardless of the Republican on the ticket because the general electorate will see her, not only as the liberal caricature that anti-Clintonians love to paint her as, but more importantly as the candidate least likely to revolutionize the current State of the Union. Since 1980 a Bush or Clinton has appeared on the national ticket, Senator Clinton in the White House will be seen as a continuation of the governments we have had over the last 30 years.

2.The “revolutionary” feel will drive unprecedented numbers to the caucuses in Iowa, regardless of weather, voting history and Independent status.

Based on some of these thoughts, trends in the polls over the last several months, and naturally a bit of my heart, I predict:

The democratic caucuses will place Senator Barack Obama in first place, the candidate of change (see revolution), John Edwards in second, and Senator Clinton in third. The results will be close, but not the dead heat many pundits are expecting.

Romney will barely squeak out a win in the Republican caucuses, over a second place Huckabee, but the story that will dominate media coverage of the Republican caucuses with be Senator John McCains stunning thrid place finish.

Happy Christmas

From the three and a half of us, with love!

All I Want for Christmas

This week's Top Ten List highlights commercialism and my materialistic nature, without apologies.

10. THE COACH DELPHINE LIMITED EDITION HOBO PURSE click here to see the model I prefer. It is perfect for maneuvering two children, a stroller and the metros of Europe (meaning a zipper closure). Here is a picture of Rebecca Romjin rocking a python version.


9. PEOPLE MAGAZINE, YEAR SUBSCRIPTION: My guilty pleasure. I feel it connects me to mainstream America and no matter how foreign my surroundings, the down home dramas, murder mysteries and starlet hysteria takes me right back to the comforts of home.



8.FLIP VIDEO ULTRA SERIES CAMCORDER 60 MINUTES: A video recorder that plugs directly into your USB port eliminating cords and promoting regular use thanks to its convenient shirt pocket size.


7. A BABY NAME WE BOTH LOVE: Apparently this book could solve all of our baby name woes, from the editors

Yes, your baby’s perfect name is out there.
The trick is finding it.

The perfect baby name will speak to your heart, give your child a great start in life—and maybe even satisfy your relatives. But you can't expect to just stumble on a name like that in an A to Z dictionary or on a trendy list.

That’s why you need The Baby Name Wizard. Created by a name-searching mom, it uses groundbreaking research and computer generated models to pinpoint each name’s image, examine its usage and popularity over the last 100 years, and suggest other promising ideas. A perfect guide to the modern world of names, The Baby Name Wizard will engage you from the first name you look up and keep you enchanted through your journey to the just-right name for your baby.

That sounds magical to me and at only $10.36 and FREE SUPER SAVER SHIPPING on Amazon.com, how could I not ask that to be one of my stocking stuffers.

6. BUGABOO WHEELED BOARD: A stroller attachment that makes the need to use a bulky double stroller unnecessary and still allows me to hit the road.



5. NINA: The perfect perfume when warmer weather starts to descend and the musky scent of my favorite (Chanel no.5) is just too heavy for the heat and humidity. Inspired by the smell of the red toffee apple, a pop of citrus mixes with hints of vanilla and pralines. YUMMY MUMMY!


4. FRYE ENGINEER 12R: Kick ace and sexy. Need I say more?


3. ANTIQUE FRENCH ARMOIRE: Older than the Declaration of Independence, these beautiful pieces are like purchasing a piece of French history. Can't you just imagine your excitement if one were sitting beside your tree with a red bow on top come Christmas morning?


2. CANON DIGITAL REBEL XTi: I would love a camera which had the shutter speed to capture Ruby's smile, in addition to allowing me to pursue my desire to become a decent hobby photographer.


1. CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN GERMANY: No one celebrates Christmas as well as the Germans with lebkuchen, marzipan, and the smell of roasted candied almonds wafting through the crisp winter air.

Back By Popular Demand

Top Ten: Reasons I Love Christmas
1. Traditions! Making new ones, celebrating old ones, and participating in those of others, it gives life this continuity that is somehow exciting despite its familiarity.
2. It's a Wonderful Life, my all time favorite Christmas movie.
3. Decking the Halls. A home never feels as warm and lived in, nor as beautiful as it does in the evening when the tree is lit.
4. Singing! Christmas carols are beautiful and I love just listening to groups of individuals with untrained voices, unabashedly singing. (And might I use this opportunity to suggest you save the singing of Silent Night until Christmas Eve, it is really quite powerful when sung as the Germans--who wrote it--intended!)
5. Clementines, packed with vitamin C and more taste than an orange, they are perfection in a small package.
6. Wish Lists. The fact that at 30 it is perfectly acceptable to make an itemized list of desired gifts makes me much more capable of being in the spirit of giving myself.
7. Fudge, with nuts please!
8. Parties! And an excuse to buy yet another pair of red heels.
9. Christmas Eve dinner courtesy Nate's family traditions.
10. Christmas morning courtesy ole St. Nick!

And the winner is...

Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails! We will soon have a little Henry, or Max, or William, or Axel joining our family. And now that these names are potentially reality, no negative comments. You had your chance with the name poll conducted last month.

I handled the news quite well (and in truth our excitement has increased through out the evening) and with the added bonus of a little retail therapy, happily found a great little fall/winter ensemble in just the right color scheme. Thanks to Rebecca for suggesting the orange, navy, brown combo to me when I feared the unknown land of non-pink children's attire.



Ruby is clearly excited about the new wardrobe, though the idea of sharing is obviously going to take a lifetime to master. Here she is modeling the new purchases immediately after I pulled them out of the shopping bag.

Presidential Trivia - Tecumseh's Curse

So Sina and I were reading about William Henry Harrison, our nation's 9th President (don't ask, we seem to enjoy very obscure trivia), when we came across this little historical note. In his previous life as a US Army leader, Harrison defeated the Shawnee leaders Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa, also known as "the Prophet". To exact their revenge, some say they put a curse on him and any succeeding US President elected to office in a year ending in "0". For those of you with my level of math skills, that ends up being every 20 years.

Harrison lived all of 31 days as President before dying of pneumonia. 20 years later a fellow named Lincoln was elected President, and so on it continued for 5 more Presidents including Garfield, McKinley, Harding, Roosevelt and Kennedy. Reagan was the first one to break it, and only barely!

Les Grèves

I love reading US media reports discussing the screen writer's and the Broadway stage hands strikes. There was an article in the New York Times a couple of days ago talking about a Broadway actress whose life's dream was put on hold because of the chaos. It was heartbreaking...for her at least.

But, here in Paris we are facing more than re-runs of our favorite shows or delayed theater opening dates. The city's transportation is shut down completely and we are now entering week 2 of the showdown between unions and the newly minted, pro-sconomic reform government of Nicolas Sarkozy. You may be familiar with him due to his recent "honeymoon" in the US where he was greeted with a standing ovation by a joint session of Congress. No greater love has been shown to a French man in the states since Lafayette's post revolutionary tour of America. I digress...

So Sarkozy's government refuses to engage in any talks with the transportation unions until they return to work. In 1995 similar economic reforms were shutdown after a FIVE WEEK transportation strike, the reforms never happened.

No public transportation in Paris is akin to the Wasatch Front running out of gasoline. Just last night our friend was out running when the traffic was still at a complete stand still, around 8pm. The intersection of a major artery was completely blocked, and two men stood outside of their cars hitting each other.

Personally, I say suck it up with the re-runs.

The New Face of Global Mormonism

This is an interesting article from the Washington Post discussing the LDS church in Nigeria.

Top Ten: Reasons I Want to Have Another Girl

1. Boys scare me: I don't buy into the adage that boys are easier, if you grew up within 100 miles of my home you wouldn't either. My brother was never easy, from day one, just ask my mom. And don't get us started on the Chow boys, their mother achieved Sainthood from the trials they put her through. And from my observations on the playground, I would rather deal with a cry-baby than a bully.

2.Circumcision: Enough said.

3.The clothes: Not only do I have plenty of hand-me-downs in excellent condition, but I am also willing to shop for more. But seriously, the options for a boy-at least until he is a toddler- are camo and cowboys...blah!

4. Names: They are plain and boring or just weird.

5. Tutus: I love them and need excuses to have many, many in a dress up box...I mean girls can wear a doctors jacket and a tutu to play hospital right? But boys have to wear scrubs...boring!!

6. Nate's athletic skills: Though he has great numchuck skills and computer hacking skills, he has told me far too many stories about standing in right field during little league games "watching the dandelions grow."

7. Boy Scouts: Let me say only this, in fear of backlash from my few readers, I have some very strong anti-BSA opinions not shared by my husband. But then I also have a competitive streak in me so, if I have to sew that stupid yellow sash for his uniform, it better be covered in merit badges. And how much time will I have to spend making sure his troop leader is on the ball? And don't get me started on my need to win the Pinewood Derby.

8. Pink

9. Girls squeal and hug eachother. They talk about how pretty that sparkley dress is. They twirl around in princess dresses (and you don't think twice).

10. Because I like the idea of having an entire entourage of mini-me's roaming the earth!

What's your IQ?

I have refused my entire life to submit to an IQ test, lest I discover that I am not as intelligent as I like to think I am. However, my sister Daphne insists that I had one while in elementary school, which means someone could dig up my permanent record if I ever decided to run for public office (which, by the way, I never will).

Today Nate sent me an IQ test I couldn't resist. It is called the Traveler IQ Challenge. You can chose to test your knowledge on a number of topics such as world cities, US cities, UNESCO World Heritage sites and the one that kicks my backside, photos of world sites, such as the one below. (Ten points to you if you already know what it is, but haven't been there.)



If you are up for the challenge, I warn you, you just might spend the afternoon on the site.

Nate finally posts something

Here's a fun little video, courtesy of our friend Erin. Just in case you'd exhausted all your ideas for feeding your adrenaline addiction, maybe you should give this a try...

Parenting 102

Thanks to my friend, Snowbunny, who answered my plea for parenting advice with information on a new article on Barack Obama in the December issue of the Atlantic Monthly- I sat my oldest child in front of the tv so I could absorb more on a topic I already spend an entire nap time reading. But, the article is very well written, well worth the time- and in the end if reading this stuff leads to a better world for my children, then it is also a means of parenting, right?

Here is the link, I will fix it later, but until then you must cut and paste: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200712/obama

Parenting 101

I remember visiting our friends Kandi and Von while we were expecting Ruby. They had just brought home their second child and watching them work the house and family was like watching this well oiled machine. There was one moment specifically when Kandi bundled the newborn so tightly and perfectly that the swaddle could function almost as a portable baby carrier. I hadn't swaddled a baby since I stopped playing with dolls. (And in fact, while in the hospital we had to ask a nurse twice to show us how to both swaddle the baby and properly burp her.) In hindsight, and as a parent now myself, I am sure they felt they were barely pulling it off. But from my vantage point, they did no wrong and I wondered if I could manage half as well with one.

Now, expecting number two, I am yet again overwhelmed. I lie in bed sleepless at night fretting over multiple scenarios, completely aware of my ineptitude and the fact that I still couldn't swaddle a baby with the skill I long ago witnessed. I deal with stress such as this by absorbing as much information as possible. I now, to my great horror, like to read parenting magazines and Babycenter.com. And while I know a lot of people don't advocate reading parenting literature, when you don't leave near any family and there is a vast time difference between you and a sibling with four children, you need to rely on the knowledge in your bookshelves a little more heavily than you otherwise might.

So, today's question is for anyone out there who knows of parenting literature that is exceptionally helpful. And I already know about the "What to Expect" books. Are there books you found invaluable? Books you would say to stear clear of?

PS: To those still wondering what we are having, we don't know yet...sometime in December maybe?

Top Ten Tuesday: Ruby

Without an operational digi cam, I fail to give my child her due face time on our blog, so I felt this week was best dedicated to the many things you might not know about her.

1. She dances to all music and often demands two things. First, that we put on her Snow White princess dress so she looks pretty while she moves. And second, she will drag you from your seat begging "Please" the whole time when she wants you to waltz with her.

2. Any sadness can be made better with a two step remedy: her kitty and her pacifier.

3. She sleeps like a champ--and ALWAYS in her own bed. She has slept with us only once in her two years of life. Her schedule is fantastic for a family who values sleep: 12-14 hours at night and a two hour nap.

4. She loves her best friends Abby, Hannah, and Axelle. She jumps up and down as soon as she sees them, screaming and hugging them.

5. She now wakes up in the morning yelling "Mama. MaaaaMaaa." Unless I told her the night before that Papa would be home when she wakes up. She remembers and calls for him in that case.

6. She has the deepest, funniest laugh, but somehow talks in the highest, sweetest voice.

7. When we get home she runs through the house yelling, "puppy" until she finds him and then she gives him a big hug (you might not know, he is taller than her).

8. She reads already! OK, not really. But she will sit and read a book, and if it is one of her faves you can hear her saying, "Go, Dog. Go!"

9. She sits in front of the mirror and pretends to put makeup on while I get ready in the morning.

10. When Nate gets home in the evening, she drops everything to run for the door to get to him before Barkley. Between the two of them, it is total pandemonium.

Iowa Caucuses

Ever wondered why we call early voting in Iowa a caucus, but in New Hampshire we call it a primary? Check out this article from the Washington Post. For politico geeks like me, it will make you wish you were from some small unknown Iowa town...like Pella, for example.

It really is fascinating how personal these early voting procedures can be.

Ruby's Two!

For Ruby's second birthday, Nate and I threw her a "Barnyard Celebration" party with all her little friends from the neighborhood. We stayed up late, even late for us, decorating the dining room. Nate was so great about it, he just kept saying how much fun it was to celebrate our daughter. In an attempt to be the uber-Mom I would like to someday become, I even baked a cake and decorated it myself. Quite the feat, given I have never even iced a cupcake before.


Ruby has been obsessed with Winnie the Pooh recently, so we gave her a stuffed Pooh which she has since fed and taken on walks in her stroller. My mom sent a picture of me on my second birthday, and apparently, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Top Ten Tuesday: Albums

Have you ever listened to a song and felt that the music spoke to your soul? These records are not only great memories, but when I listen to them I feel like I am at home.

1. August and Everything After, The Counting Crows: My all time favorite album since I first heard it in 1994. Although everyone knows Mr. Jones or Rain King, I play the song Anna Begins over and over.

2. Legend, Bob Marley: Is it possible to listen to this album and not be happy by the end? And Redemption Song, has a better song ever been composed?

3. U2, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb: I was listening to this album when Ruby was born, I don't think she could have had a better introduction to the world around her.

4. Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill: The kind of music I can play over
and over and never tire of-- great beats, a beautiful voice, and powerful lyrics.

5. Sarah McLachlan, Surfacing: It is hard to find a Sarah album that I prefer over the others. I love her. Surfacing was the album that pulled me through a time in my life when I could only turn to my stereo and the open road to calm my heart and clear my mind.

6. The Cranberries, No Need to Argue: Some people hate the voice of the lead singer, but for me she does emo better than anyone else. This was the first non-Rap or R&B album I ever thought was fun to listen to.

7. Madonna, The Immaculate Collection: While her songs don't speak to me in a spiritual sense, in a very worldly way no one beats Madonna. The songs on this record remind me of every period of my life--childhood, college, motherhood. Madonna is sooo universal.

8. Bruce Springsteen, We Shall Overcome-The Seeger Sessions: If you ever thought a road trip was complete without this collection, you just don't know what you have been missing.

9. Frou Frou, Details: It changed my life.

10. Dido, No Angel: I guess the addition of this album should prove how much I loved Roswell and convince you all to add it to your Netflix queue.

What is diplomacy post 9/11?

I often find myself wishing I were still in academia, while simultaneously rejoicing in the fact that I left it long ago! But, there are times when a topic comes to mind in which I find the available answers to be less than even a cursory understanding of the topic. Perhaps this comes largely because I read mostly national and international media sources as opposed to professional journals. But, then that leads me to my major issue (and when it comes to academia, I have so, so many) with academics. They spend their time writing and researching, discussing and debating and have no true ability to reach the masses with their writings. Thus making them, more often than not, disposable. I could also mention, and will, the issue I have with media sources requiring degrees in journalism--because that will really give someone the background knowledge to write on domestic politics or environmental issues with any real degree of understanding?

OK, so what is my point? Recently a well-televised town hall meeting was held at the US Department of State to discuss the new policy of directed assignments of Foreign Service officers to Iraq. I mention "well-televised" to emphasize the fact that the officers were given no other forum in which to discuss concerns they have on a policy that hasn't existed since the Vietnam war. The event has topped headlines in the political section of papers, to the extent that even uninvolved-in-matters-of-diplomacy-and-international-relations (unless you include immigration) Utah rep Chris Cannon has called for an inquiry into what he referred to as a "mutiny," stating:

"I believe it is incumbent upon this committee to investigate whether the Foreign Service, as it is currently constituted, is suited to fulfill its mission or whether it is in need of serious reform, including the personnel flexibility to remove officers unwilling to fulfill their duties."

What IS the mission of the Foreign Service post Cold War, post 9/11? What is diplomacy in this new environment?

Does diplomacy, regardless of historical precedent, belong in a war zone? If so, what kind of training and security resources are essential and does it exist? For example, much has been said of Foreign Service personnel who are not willing to serve, but no one is mentioning that when a diplomat serves in a war zone, unlike members of the Armed Forces, his/her life insurance policy becomes null and void, a great concern to individuals with families (and something Congress actually has the power to change). What kind of work, given the level of security in a war zone, can really be done? Does the United States truly require a 1,000 man embassy in Iraq? It will be the largest in history and has cost the US taxpayers 6 billion dollars to build.

Finally, we have heard much over the last two years of Secretary Rice's plan for transformational diplomacy in which resources are being moved from more traditional posts, like Europe for example, to places such as India where the population greatly exceeds that of European nations. Does an embassy the size of the one in Iraq fit with this policy? And if so, what is the goal on an immediate, medium, and long term basis?

Friday Night Lights

Since we can't watch our favorite tv show until it hits dvd at the end of the season, we find other methods to get our much needed fix.

For all those of you who believe that a team can make a miracle happen, and don't care how ugly that miracle looks along the way, this clip is for you.

Background: Last play of the game, offense (Trinity) down by 5 points with 2 seconds left (which means the game ends when the ball touches the ground) they are on their own 30 yard line (and therefore can't realistically kick a field goal). And break...