tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60110816970629251982024-03-17T19:59:07.293-07:00Journaling the JourneyNotes on the doings and undoings of an ancient historian, museum educator, and mom.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.comBlogger204125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-22143009610126548542016-01-18T17:58:00.000-08:002016-01-20T09:18:55.958-08:00Projects<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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As Connor gets older and Liam becomes more independent, I've tried to get back into projects and activities I put aside when I got pregnant with Connor. One of those projects is digital scrapbooking. I used to scrapbook the old fashioned way, but there's no way I have the space--or the cash--to do that nowadays. So, I do the 21st century version and create a digital scrapbook online and order a hard copy when it's finished. </div>
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This month I completed the kids' 2015 yearbook, but I have a lot of catching up to do--2013, 2014, and Connor's baby book. Not to mention I want to keep up with current projects like Liam's TK yearbook and the 2016 yearbook. Working on it as the year progresses is the way to go, of course, but that's easier said than done. It takes a lot of work to document precious memories, but it will be worth it...right?</div>
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I also have a stack of books I want to read, I'd like to continue adding to the online version of my Egypt journals, and pursue my personal genealogical research. And write--journal, fiction, poetry. And create art--draw and color and continue my sketchbook. There is so, so much I want to do--things I can do outside of parenting that feed my soul and sooth my mind and make me a better person and parent because of it. There just aren't enough hours in the day... </div>
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-25903189939580796502016-01-12T20:12:00.001-08:002016-01-18T14:37:27.226-08:00Coloring<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YbHPPBYf3mI/VpXOrjUU8BI/AAAAAAAAQ7w/WyjlLvsZUyQ/s640/blogger-image-369241933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YbHPPBYf3mI/VpXOrjUU8BI/AAAAAAAAQ7w/WyjlLvsZUyQ/s640/blogger-image-369241933.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Having fun playing at being a colorist with a new set of colored pencils. #art #arttherapy </div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-76008942632641074822016-01-12T17:42:00.000-08:002016-01-18T18:58:08.826-08:00"Hapy" New Year<div>
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Happy New Year? More like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapi_%28Nile_god%29" target="_blank">Hapy</a> new year, given the inundation of rain across the country and the expectation of way more to come with this year's monster El Niño gathering strength in the Pacific. </div>
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What a different opening to the New Year compared to last year. Rather than a crazy time of packing and moving and cleaning and painting and general upheaval and change, we were able to enjoy a quiet holiday vacation. (Well, except for the noroviruses that seemed to continually plague us.) </div>
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As the new year opens, Liam is five and Connor is two, so things are still kind of crazy for me as a mom, but it gets a little better each month as Connor gets older. Meanwhile I'm still getting used to the way Liam now informs me he doesn't need my help now and then. He is also very bossy sometimes and reflects my own tone of voice back at me more than I care to hear. (Kids are a constant reminder of how one needs to self-improve. Constantly.) Connor isn't in preschool yet, but Liam is halfway through transitional kindergarten. (He turned five too late in the fall to make it into kindergarten.)</div>
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This year marks my third with Art Muse LA. The tours have been fun--everything from WW1 to Peruvian mummies. There's not much I can't research a prep a two hour lecture on for a tour. I also continue as the digital assets manager, an ideal role since I can do it remotely. And there's a new non-profit arts organization that's expressed interest in hiring me in a similar capacity. They are still getting themselves organized, but I hope it comes through. They quoted me a premium rate for my services. Here's hoping! In two or three years when Connor is older I'll have some more work flexibility, but until then I've found working for Art Muse LA to be an excellent chance to work and still be there for the boys day-to-day. Photography has also become an interest and something of a side job--from time to time I'm hired to take family pictures for friends and acquaintances.</div>
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Eric, of course, is always applying for jobs. In fact, he is interviewing today. Between his numerous job applications and involvement in an elite professional development program at the university, I hope 2016 is our sweet '16--the year we finally get our break and he gets a higher paying job. Some jobs he applies for are academic, but others are in the mix as well, such as the job with the academic senate he's interviewing for today. With his position as an academic counselor for transfer and first generation college students at UCLA, he's gotten experience that opens him up to other types of jobs, broadening the field of jobs he applies for. The job market is rough, to say the least, even outside of academia. I'd love it if he found something outside of LA, but that may be too much to ask right now. </div>
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Regarding my journal writing, I didn't manage as many entries as I'd like last year, but I did better than the previous two years. As Connor gets older and Liam grows more independent, I'm steadily growing back into habits and activities that fell by the wayside during those years of pregnancy and mothering an infant and toddler. With the 21st century wonder of Audible, I certainly read more books I have in<i> years</i> last year. The past couple of years I managed to read only one or two books, but last year I read twelve! My 2015 reading list was as follows:</div>
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2015 Reads</div>
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John Adams - David McCullough</div>
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1776 - David McCullough</div>
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Sex at Dawn - Christopher Ryan</div>
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The Martian - Andy Weir</div>
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The Ballad of Tom Dooley - Sharyn McCrumb</div>
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Outlander - Diana Galbadon</div>
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Depraved Heart - Patricia Cornwell</div>
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Dragonfly in Amber - Diana Gabaldon</div>
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The Halloween Tree - Ray Bradbury</div>
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Dust and Shadow - Lyndsay Faye</div>
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Star of the East - Tasha Alexander</div>
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Nora Bonesteel's Christmas Past - Sharyn McCrumb</div>
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-18175961433674320332015-10-31T21:30:00.000-07:002015-11-04T10:01:02.175-08:00Halloween 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Happy Halloween from Ironman and Captain America! Here are a few moments from this year's trick-or-treating adventure. </div>
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-32385301926238159532015-10-20T09:55:00.000-07:002015-11-04T10:09:38.120-08:00Autumn Update<div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Since my last entry we plunged headlong into fall and the new school year. Liam has taken to Transitional Kindergarten well, although he thinks his preschool class was more fun and complains that the playground at his new school has no sand. His teacher says he is chatty, smiley, and fun to have in class. Connor and I walk to pick Liam up from school every day, which is about 2.5 miles round-trip. The hour of walking allows Connor to people watch and wave at planes and helicopters flying overhead and I get some exercise built into my day.</span></div>
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Liam's reading lessons continue, and he is doing very well. With a couple of family visits and the occasional afternoon off because we have something going on, we won't finish the lesson book as soon as I anticipated. However, my goal is quality, not speed, and there we are right on track. Liam is doing excellent work, even if it is still an uphill battle to get him to sit still. (A lesson that is supposed to take 15-20 minutes typically takes 30-45.)</div>
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I <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">continue my work as digital assets manager and lecturer for Art Muse LA. Right now I give one or two tours a month, but business is relatively brisk right now and sometimes I have the opportunity to do more. I can't always get away, but when I do it's nice to feel like an adult and not a mommy for a few hours. </span></div>
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Connor has handled Liam's daily school departure well and can't wait until he's the big boy heading off to school. Even though Liam is only gone for a half-day, they miss each other. Every day when Liam runs out of the school gate at dismissal, he runs straight for Connor and gives him a hug and asks, "Did you miss me, Connor?" If Connor is on his feet he does the same thing and runs to meet him. </div>
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For the most part the fall season has been about school and reading lessons, but we have had some fun as well. The boys and I went up into the mountains near Yucaipa and did some apple picking. We also visited a mummies exhibition at the Natural History Museum and had fun at the Western Night Carnival at Liam's elementary school. </div>
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All that, and we still managed to have a short but sweet--and chaotic--visit from my sister and her two boys. Having four boys under five under the same roof for a few days was exhausting, but we loved every bit of it. </div>
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As October begins to wrap up, I'm looking forward to an end to the SoCal heat wave. I'm ready for cozy sweaters and hot cider and November weather!</div>
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-88346032108804052432015-08-18T14:49:00.003-07:002015-08-18T16:01:03.540-07:00So Long, Summertime<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Wow--my last entry was June. Again, not surprising I suppose. Despite the best of intentions I am still a mother of two boys under 5, and that means I don't often have a chance to sit down for the quiet reflection of journaling. It has been a fun summer, and some of the last days I'll have weekday freedom to take the boys on outings to West LA or downtown. Beginning later this month I'll be tied to Redondo in order to make Liam's pick-up and drop-off times to and from Transitional Kindergarten. </div>
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While that may be the case, we've made the most of our time this summer. With pool parties and lots of visits to museums, the LA Zoo, and Knott's Berry Farm, it's been a summer full of family fun. </div>
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Liam and I also started working through reading lessons. What a struggle that has been! The material challenges him, but I've worked with him
enough to know it is not beyond him. His squirminess, defiance, and
goofy behavior are honed to push my buttons and--he hopes--convince me
to just give it up. My son is stubborn, but where does he think he gets
it from? Lessons continue, and we've had victories along the way. The
last story he read for his lesson he legitimately read. He <i>is</i>
learning reading skills and the time we've invested is going to help him
in the classroom. And, by the time we finish Lesson 100 sometime this
fall, he will be reading at a second grade level. </div>
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It's been a fun and productive summer, but I welcome the coming routine of the school year. Liam is ready for it and will benefit from it. It's time he had another big boy upgrade. Of course it will be bittersweet for me--especially the early mornings--but it's exciting too. Liam's world is going to expand a little bit more this school year, and he's going to begin to find out more about his world.
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-15360759867442336572015-08-10T16:15:00.000-07:002015-08-18T16:39:55.918-07:00Power and Pathos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A week ago I finally had the opportunity to see the new Getty Museum exhibition <i>Power and Pathos: Bronze Sculpture of the Hellenistic World</i>. I was eager to see the exhibition in part because I was assigned to write a blog post for Art Muse LA on it, but also because Hellenistic bronzes are some of the most expressive and interesting works of art surviving from the ancient world. So I packed up the boys for the hour-long drive to the Getty Center, loaded them up in their double stroller, and trekked up the hill to see this once-in-a-lifetime gathering of Hellenistic bronzes. The boys were amazingly well behaved for most of my time in the galleries, allowing me to jot notes for my article in a palm-sized notebook, but by the last gallery I was juggling Connor on one hip and trying to take some final notes. A trip to the Getty Center is always worthwhile and it was a gorgeous day. Once my business with the bronzes was concluded, I took the boys out to the gardens where they walked around, finding snails and in general being little boys.<br />
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In a way, the field trip to the museum and taking notes on the exhibition was the easy part. The hard part was synthesizing all of the information in my head and that I had collected into a coherent, written form for my Art Muse LA article--all while a toddler whined and/or hung on me as I typed and someone was constantly yelling, "Mooommmyyyy!" Let's just say it was a challenge. Despite the typical motherhood obstacles--or perhaps because of them--I am particularly proud and pleased with the resulting article. You can <a href="http://artmusela.com/blog/2015/08/10/the-presence-of-the-past-connecting-with-hellenistic-bronzes-at-the-getty/" target="_blank">read it here</a>.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-42723526866853418242015-06-18T23:45:00.000-07:002015-07-09T12:22:09.810-07:00Preschool Graduation<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Yesterday was Liam's preschool "graduation" from Ms. Gina's preschool class. It was a fun, beautiful beach day at Seaside Lagoon in Redondo Beach. His teachers, Ms. Gina and Ms. Jessica, organized a beach-side graduation ceremony complete with a sound system for (mostly Disney) music, BBQ fixings, drinks, and desserts. Liam and Connor loved their play time at the beach. I admit I was surprised at how emotional, sad, and bittersweet I began to feel as the afternoon progressed. It started with Ms. Gina's speech, when she said, "Most of these kids I will never see again after today. They will forever be young in my heart." KILLED me. Of course she was choking up as she said it, and as a mother I completely understand what she felt. And it made me realize that not only will Liam be going into a very different learning environment with Transitional Kindergarten, but there will never be another time when I can drop him off at school and know he will be treated with such loving care. I feel grateful he had that experience and saddened by the thought that he will be less sheltered and less protected as he moves on in school. Ms. Gina's class was the first time I left Liam in the care of someone other than family, and I did so every day feeling completely confident in Ms. Gina and Ms. Jessica's care. I'm sad for both of us for what we are losing. But, as it is so often in life, it's time to let go. Again. </div>
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-69055263728063914802015-01-24T13:51:00.000-08:002015-07-09T14:01:58.614-07:00Favorite 10 Books of All Time<b>The Mummy Case (Elizabeth Peters)</b><br />
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Really, anything every written by EP--her books, which feature all sorts of topics, were a gateway to my learning all sorts of things on all sorts of obscure topics. This book, however, is special. If I'd never picked up "The Mummy Case," I'd never have caught the Egyptology bug and everything would have turned out very differently for for me. Very, very different.<br />
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<b>Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)</b><br />
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Really, the whole series. Who doesn't love Anne Shirley?<br />
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<b>Trojan Gold (Elizabeth Peters)</b><br />
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I brought this book to a high school basketball camp one summer at Eastern Illinois University. A lot of my teammates were the popular kids and I wasn't and a couple of them weren't very nice to me. This book was my escape at the end of each day.<br />
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<b>The Last Camel Died at Noon (Elizabeth Peters)</b><br />
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My favorite book from my all-time favorite series.<br />
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<b>The Lord of the Rings series (J.R.R. Tolkien)</b><br />
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Duh.<br />
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<b>Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling)</b><br />
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Sacrificial love defeats ultimate evil--an all time favorite series for sure.<br />
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<b>A String in the Harp (Nancy Bond)</b><br />
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I read this book as a kid and never forgot it. Time-travel is a theme I find endlessly fascinating. (Really, the history geek likes time travel stories? Shocker, I know.) This was the first time-travel story I read.<br />
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<b>Ramona the Brave (Beverly Cleary)</b><br />
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As an elementary school kid, I could definitely relate to this book.<br />
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<b>Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing (Judy Blume)</b><br />
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Ditto.<br />
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<b>The Moonstone (Wilkie Collins)</b><br />
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A wonderful adventure novel and the book that introduced me to Victorian literature.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-75085950525098003642015-01-08T08:32:00.000-08:002015-07-09T12:18:17.417-07:00The Promise of Change<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A new year opens with the promise of many changes to come in the months ahead. Connor is mobile, unceasingly active, curious, and a sweet little soul. By the end of the year, he'll pretty much be unstoppable. Liam started a two-day-a-week preschool class last fall, and this summer will see him graduate from preschool and begin a Transitional Kindergarten program in August. He adjusted well to preschool and feels quite at home there now. It probably helps that I volunteer in the classroom roughly every other week, but his teachers are great and tell me he does just fine when I'm not there. I hope this experience prepares him for the upcoming classroom experiences of TK. Even if the transition to a school classroom turns out to be rocky, his preschool experience thus far demonstrates he adjusts well to change. This is good, because there will be a lot of changes this year. By the time we say goodbye to 2015 it will be a whole new world.<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-84789414896359230422014-05-17T08:20:00.000-07:002015-07-09T12:16:00.261-07:00Life with Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is how I found Connor yesterday morning. You can't see it, but of course he's laying in a big ol' fresh and warm pee pee wet spot. :-/ Very nearly six months in, and it's easy to see from my sparse entries how much crazier life is with two rather than one. In many ways so much has changed since I had Connor. Of course, adding a new member to the family is a huge change in and of itself, but it has precipitated other changes as well.<br />
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With two kids it feels like we are more of a family rather than just two adults and a baby. And it is fun to watch Liam and Connor bond as brothers. It will be good for Liam to have a sibling for a playmate and for Connor to have a big brother. It should have been obvious, but I realize now that it's impossible to raise one child the same as the one (or ones) that came before, because the family each subsequent child enters is fundamentally different than it was before as soon as the new baby arrives. There is no way Connor's baby experience will be the same as Liam's. And that's okay.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-65416156018552060352014-03-01T19:01:00.000-08:002015-07-09T12:12:41.999-07:00Sisters' Endeavour<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">California Science Center, Los Angeles</td></tr>
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We got tired of trying to get the kids to look at the camera, so we decided to take a picture of two people who know how to stand still and smile for a picture.<br />
<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-71228302160494340132014-02-05T17:54:00.000-08:002015-07-09T12:12:26.533-07:00Potty Training: Day 13VICTORY. Liam was pretty much trained for peeing in the potty after 3 days. Poo was another story. After nearly two weeks of cleaning poo out of underwear, he finally poo'd in the potty today! It was the result of blatant bribery, but apparently that's how it's done.<br />
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So, just to be clear, this isn't the kind of happy occasion where you post a pic on Facebook, right? Because I'm about ready to break into song. The end of two kids in diapers is nigh! I'm so proud of Liam. Naturally I know no one wants to see my kid's poo on Facebook, but on the other hand it would probably be a great way to clean up my friends list--get rid of the squeamish ones and all...<br />
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On days like this being a mom is GOOD. I love days when I don't feel I've fallen short or failed my kids in some way. I love these days when I feel like I did it right.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-816145679281114872014-01-25T17:50:00.000-08:002015-07-09T12:11:29.731-07:00LAFD Museum and Memorial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sitting here with a glass of wine, reflecting on what turned out to be a great day. We took Liam to the Los Angeles Fire Department Museum and Memorial in Hollywood. I thought he would enjoy it given how<br />
much he likes fire engines right now. He certainly had a good time, and Eric and I enjoyed taking him<br />
to the museum. The museum was neat too, of course, but nothing beats the enjoyment a parent can get from watching their child light up and have fun. Loved it! Connor slept through the whole thing. Compared to Liam as a baby, Connor is more of a sleepy baby. Can't complain about that! I'm a lucky mama to have such wonderful, sweet boys.<br />
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Today was also a red-letter day on the potty training front. I encouraged Liam to sit on the potty first thing this morning since his diaper was dry when he woke up. He sat down, but eventually got up because he "couldn't make his pee pee come out." A few minutes later--even though he had a diaper<br />
on and could have used it--he came to me and said he had to go potty. Sure enough, he sat down and<br />
darn near filled his little potty! He wore a pull-up on our outing, but he was dry when we got home and<br />
peed in the potty twice more. I am a proud mama! He was rewarded for his efforts with an Optimus<br />
Prime Rescue Bot and the promise of more to come if he keeps it up. He did have two poo accidents today, but because it's common knowledge you have to train for #1 and then again for #2, I'm not counting those against him. Thankfully they were not messy accidents, so cleanup was as easy as I could hope for. Here's hoping we are well on our way to having a fully potty trained 3 year old!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-38558329699436439922014-01-23T17:33:00.000-08:002015-07-09T12:10:18.749-07:00Potty Training: Day One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Two pee-pee accidents so far--one in the morning and one just now (2:30p). Neither of them have been big accidents, but he's gotta be carrying around a bladder full of urine--not to mention #2... Thus far he hasn't gone once in the potty, despite the fact that I'm making him sit on it every 20 minutes or so for at least 10 minutes. Rapidly beginning to see why so many moms say they *hate* potty training!<br />
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2:45: Accident #3 (#1)<br />
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3:37: Accident #4 (#1)<br />
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4:48: Accident #5 (#1) - Gusher! Anticipating he must be full to bursting with pee, I put rubber underwear<br />
in over his regular underwear. Thank goodness I did. It spared my carpet the worst of it. I took him straight to the bath tub, cleaned him up a bit (SO much pee!), then just gave him a bath. I put a diaper on him after the bath. I think we'd both had enough of practicing using the potty for the day! This is gonna be intense.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-77337985373607462152014-01-18T17:27:00.000-08:002015-07-09T12:09:23.859-07:00First Movie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We took Liam to see his first movie today. We saw <i>Frozen</i> with his cousins at the AMC Del Amo. I think Liam was most excited about eating popcorn but, all things considered, he did well--we didn't have to take him out of the movie even once. Connor was another story. We had to bring him because there was no one available to watch him. He slept through most of the movie, but about an hour in he got hungry and I had to leave to go feed him in the lobby. I came back, but I just watched the movie from the hallway rather than go back to my seat because I was afraid he might cry again. Now that we know Liam can sit through a movie, I wonder if Eric will want to take him often since he himself loves the movies (as do I).Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-66976505173243375752014-01-13T16:48:00.000-08:002015-07-09T12:07:56.967-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I should probably spend more time and energy appreciating life's blessings than worrying about its struggles.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-10026428898541877052014-01-01T16:42:00.000-08:002015-07-09T12:07:31.441-07:00Wish List - 2014 EditionIt seems I write an entry like this nearly every year. I wouldn't say I have New Year's resolutions--just a wish list of goals for the year. Some will be more fully realized than others, but the important thing to me is to at least reflect and think about ways to improve. So here's my wish list of goals, in no particular order:<br />
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<b>GET HEALTHY</b> -- After spending the most part of the last year pregnant, I'm looking forward to losing some of the pregnancy weight and shaping up a bit. I don't have the time or the resources to turn my pregnancy-ravaged body into a Hollywood standard, but I CAN get moving with the kids and get exercise<br />
that way. Before I was pregnant I did a pretty good job of getting out for walks and trips to the park with Liam, and I'd like to get back into that habit. Alongside this goal is my desire to have healthier food around the house.<br />
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<b>GET ORGANIZED</b> -- I want to do more activities with the kids--both physical and educational. Reading and writing for Liam, trips to the park and other outings to museums, etc. for my part I'd like to read more and write more--at least write more in my journal, if nothing else. (As this blog attests, I am at best only an occasional blogger...)<br />
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<b>GET TOGETHER</b> -- Both Eric and I are happy with the family aspect of our life together, but I think we'd both agree it could be benefit from some time spent working on "us."Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-7500828830683323102013-12-31T16:45:00.000-08:002015-07-09T12:04:35.731-07:00Year in Review<br />
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Another year has passed and this New Year's Eve has me looking back on all that's happened in 2013. By far the most significant event of the year was the birth of my second son, Connor Gregory Wells, on November 24th. He is a sweet baby and my greatest blessing this year. As happy as I am to be able to snuggle and hold my newborn son, I am not at all sorry to no longer be pregnant. I've not had a horrible or high-risk pregnancy either time, but I am not a fan of pregnancy. My first trimester was no fun thanks to a three-month bout with bronchitis, tonsillitis, and a double ear infection--not to mention morning sickness. Once I finally got past all of that sickness the pregnancy went well, I was just much bigger and more uncomfortable this time around. Eric still says he wants to have three kids, but I think I'm done. We have two beautiful boys and our hands are full as it is!<br />
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Although I was supposed to have a scheduled c-section this time, Connor had other plans. Three days before I was scheduled for surgery I began having contractions shortly before midnight. By one a.m. they started becoming regular and less than ten minutes apart. After an hour of regular contractions I told Eric to stay with Liam and had Mom take me to Torrance Memorial hospital. The contractions were strong and coming more quickly by the time we got there, so walking was slow going. Once I arrived at Maternity I had to fill out paperwork--just what you want to do when you're in labor. The nurses weren't in a hurry, and I thought there was time, but by the time I was in a hospital gown and hooked up to a monitor my contractions<br />
were not just coming rapidly, they were peaking on the monitor. I was in full-on labor and experiencing a<br />
kind of pain I had never felt before in my life. The doctor on call gave the order to get me prepped for surgery, and suddenly in the midst of those painful contractions I had people asking me questions, drawing blood, starting an. I.V., shaving me, and so on. All I wanted for the anesthesiologist to show up and give me an epidural, but I was told that it had to wait until I was in the O.R.<br />
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As they were about to wheel me out of the labor room my water broke, but I was in too much pain to say anything. By that point Mom had called Eric and told him to get to the hospital. I didn't see him until I was on the operating table, prepped for surgery. I was glad it worked out so that I was out if pain by the time he saw me. I'm not sure he would have handled it well when I was in so much pain. There wouldn't have been anything he could have done to help me. Being in that much pain there was nothing get could have comforted me but drugs--lots of drugs. The surgery went well and before I knew it my baby was born and crying--a wonderful sound to hear. When Liam was born the nurses gave him to Eric first, but this time I got to be the first one to hold Connor. The nurses laid him on my chest and I felt the weight of his soft, warm little body for the first time. While the pregnancy was not particularly enjoyable for me, starting with Connor's birth I began to revel in and truly enjoy the experience. The first time around I was so nervous, anxious, and stressed at the new and awesome responsibility of motherhood that I didn't get to enjoy those initial moments and days with Liam as I did with Connor. Because I was more relaxed I feel like I bonded much more quickly with Connor. Right away I couldn't get enough of holding him and felt that strong mother-child attachment much sooner. Now that we've been home for awhile, I also find I'm not passing up many opportunities to just sit and hold him and enjoy this newborn phase more than I did last time. Realizing how sweet this time can be is enough to make me wish it weren't my last baby, but reality brings me back to earth. Kids are expensive! <br />
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Aside from the huge event of becoming a mother of two in 2013, the other significant development was my involvement in a new company called Art Muse Los Angeles (ALMA). ALMA's director is Clare Kunny, a museum professional who used to be one of the Education managers at the Getty--until the layoffs of April 2012 happened. She launched ALMA in February 2013. I had the distinction of giving the inaugural tour at the Villa. Not long after, she recruited me to do ALMA's social media and blog. Before I knew it I was one of the company's regular staff members. The company is still very young and thus is not hugely profitable yet, but I hope it takes off as time goes on. If it does, I may be able to have the best of both worlds and maintain professional connections and generate a modest income while still being home with the boys full-time. The social media aspect of the job is no problem--I can do that from home and mostly on my mobile device. It's giving tours or teaching gallery courses that is a challenge because it requires finding free child care. My goal is just to do one ALMA event per month, so hopefully we can work that out. Here's hoping that 2014 brings more opportunities!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-84921342502933450632013-08-08T16:15:00.000-07:002015-07-09T12:01:58.503-07:00A Light Has Gone Off"A light has gone off in the world today, but the West is blessed by a new presence: Barbara Mertz/Elizabeth Peters, a Shining One Thou risest, thou shinest with thy rays, and thou hast made mankind to rejoice for millions of years according to thy will, ankh wedja seneb."<br />
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--Salima Ikram, on the death of Barbara Mertz<br />
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August 8, 2013Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-11392086406621362162013-07-21T14:07:00.000-07:002015-07-09T12:00:33.322-07:00Odds and Ends<div style="text-align: left;">
Yesterday I did my first lecture for an Art Muse LA (ALMA) course at ESMoA (El Segundo Museum of Art). It was for a class on nudity in Western art and presented as a supplement to a nudity themed exhibition at ESMoA and the Villa's antiquities collection. My lecture covered nudity in the ancient Mediterranean (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome) and was based on a recycled PowerPoint I created for a similar lecture I gave while I was an educator at the Villa. My goal is to see how many times I can use it to make money! 😉 The lecture went well and Clare (ALMA's director) seemed pleased with my work. I had fun, too. I really do enjoy giving talks about ancient history, and I'm grateful I still have the opportunity to do it in some capacity.</div>
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Today Eric is over doing chores for his grandma, and I am home with Liam. Sometime around mid-day I was taken over with a nesting urge, and I decided how I want to rearrange the kids' room. I think I can<br />
make some good improvements cheaply as well as prepare the space to have newborn/infant stuff in it again. Soon we will get a toddler bed for Liam so he will be adjusted to it long before we need the crib for a<br />
baby again. I have no idea if he will take to it or not, but we will give it a try. If he doesn't make the change right away we can get by for awhile since the new baby will be with me in my room for at least the<br />
first three months. So, we have some leeway when it come to converting Liam to a "big boy" bed.</div>
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For half of my life I've kept a journal. It has always been a handwritten journal, and I've always loved picking out a new journal each time I need a new one. However, in today's 21st century world, whether it is blogging or whatever else, I most often write on the computer or some other digital form. For a few years now I've tried to have both and write my computer typed entries into my handwritten journal. As much as I love my handwritten journal, I know I'm not writing as much in it because of the extra time it takes to hand copy the typed entries into handwritten form. On an impulse I downloaded a journaling app on my phone, and already I've written more in only a few days. I can export my entries to my computer in PDF form, so there is a way for me to archive them. Since I'm writing more, I'm going to continue to give this new methodology a try--even though I'm still tempted to write them out long-hand in my paper journal. But can I justify that time as a pregnant mother of a two-year-old? Thus, my dilemma: I love the paper journal, but the convenience and speed of the digital option suits the life of a busy mom.</div>
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-54625820553865025572013-04-15T19:10:00.000-07:002015-07-09T12:26:09.901-07:00Parenting HandbookIf parenting came with a handbook, what would you add to it?<br />
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You are about to learn that all of the cliches are true. The worst job you'll ever love. The days are long (very long) but the years are short. A love like no other. All are true in some way. The sacrifice, pain, and joy motherhood begins in defines the entire experience. You will give everything everyday and most days will get nothing in return, and you will think nothing of it.<br />
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After carrying this baby for nine months it feels like he or she is more yours than anything in the world. It's true for a time this baby will belong to you--but only for a time. As time passes you realize the truth. You create, love, nurture, sacrifice, and give everything of yourself and hold tight, only to figure out that the point of it all from the beginning is <i>letting go</i>.<br />
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You have to let go to go back to work. You let go so they can take their first step. You let go on the first day of school. You let go in little ways and big ways when the time is right so that your baby will grow to live a life as full as yours. Letting go is a defining act of parenting.<br />
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When it gets hard--and even when it is joyful and easy--I remember that, and it helps me appreciate the moment, whatever it is, because it reminds me this time will pass and someday my son will have a life of his own because that is why I gave him life.<br />
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Twenty years doesn't seem like such a long time anymore when you are a mom.<br />
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So don't blink.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-31600552656983001432013-01-31T16:29:00.000-08:002013-02-01T16:29:51.236-08:00January Highlights<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going for a walk with his "tay-bear."</td></tr>
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This year has gotten off to a pretty good start. Over the past month I had fun getting to see more of Liam's budding interests and talents. He is fast becoming a little boy, interacting more with the world around him physically and verbally. He continues to develop his vocabulary and communication skills with a speed that I find fascinating. In just the past month he's gone from the occasional sentence to full sentences most of the time, and I'm constantly amazed at his vocabulary. The speed at which kids soak up new information is sometimes jaw-dropping, and is fun to watch.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Experimenting with scribbling on his LeapPad.</td></tr>
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This month Liam showed a lot more interest in scribbling with whatever he could get his hands on. From his LeapPad to crayons to sidewalk chalk, he loves to make his mark. He is currently especially taken with sidewalk chalk--I think it's because he has complete free reign and a huge canvas to make his own. We've also had some fun with puzzles, but he is more concerned with just seeing the picture than figuring out what piece fits where. Over the past few weeks we've worked on learning colors, shapes, and numbers. He has picked up a lot, but doesn't quite have it all down pat yet.<br />
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I've noticed since Christmas his imaginative play has gotten more sophisticated, which is fun to see. For example, Curious George just <i>has</i> to go on a walk with us, and he has to use the potty occasionally as well. George used to belong to Daddy, but Liam has claimed him for his own. He even told me the other day that he "yuves" (loves) George. Too cute. </div>
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Thanks to the MLK holiday, we had the chance to take a family outing to the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena for the first time. I had heard good things about it, so we made the drive over to Pasadena to check it out. It is definitely a cool space for kids, with a ton of hands-on exhibits and sensory experiences, but I think Liam is still a bit young to get a lot out of them just yet. He still had a good time, of course. Anything to do with water is always a hit with him, and he had a fun time with Daddy riding around on the little tricycles they had out for the under 5 crowd. We will definitely make another trip to Kidspace later this year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the water exhibits at Kidspace Museum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shooting water at snare drums at the "Water Symphony" exhibit.</td></tr>
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Around mid-January we also began attending a local MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group. Over the past five months Liam and I have done just fine, but I've known for awhile we need more social activities. I hope to make friends with some local moms, and I want Liam to have the chance to socialize with kids other than his cousins so he will be better prepared for preschool when the time comes. MOPS came highly recommended by my old college roomie Jenn (Thanks, Jenn!), and after the first of the year I finally got around to signing us up. I had looked into some other local moms groups, but none seemed quite right for us. I guess that was a good thing, because it turns out MOPS is a great fit for us. Liam gets to play and hang out with other kids his age, and I have already met some other nice moms in our group. Until I went to our first meeting, I didn't realize just how much of a positive experience hanging out with other moms who are in a similar place in life can make. There's no doubt these gatherings are time well spent.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New moms received roses at our first MOPS group meeting.</td></tr>
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-21304611446439972642013-01-14T15:34:00.000-08:002013-01-15T15:44:16.609-08:00Jumping Through HoopsSince November I have made it my business to be familiar with the museum education job market in L.A. and apply for any jobs that match my qualifications. I put this time into research and applications, not only because it is a requirement of unemployment, but because a) I want keep current with the job market and be fully aware of what is out there, b) gaining experience and practice at navigating online resources and writing cover letters are always good skills to hone and sharpen, and c) while I <i>am</i> enjoying the blessing of this time I am able to see my son and grow and change everyday, when that next great opportunity surfaces I want to be ready to snatch it up and run with it. (There is already a part-time gig I am pursuing that I hope to be able to say more about in the near future.)<div>
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Given my diligence, you can imagine the dismay and annoyance I felt when I received a (rather threatening) letter from the state telling me I had been "selected" to attend a four hour employment workshop. The selections are made through the system based on profiles that meet a specific criteria, so it is not intended to be personal, but it sure feels like it. So, like the good student that I am, I reviewed the materials, arranged for a babysitter, and showed up at the appointed time and place last Friday morning.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: #d9d9ff; font-family: Arial; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 8pt;">Kent Twitchell, “Six <st1:city w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:city> Artists,” 1979 --<br />Mural at the Employment Development Department, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Torrance</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">CA</st1:state></st1:place></span></i></td></tr>
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I have never had cause to enter an employment office (they prefer to call it a "career center") before, but I quickly figured out it's not a very cheerful place. First of all, the office staff are harried and impatient and are used to dealing with people who are rude, confused, frustrated, anxious, or all of the above, and they not very nice. Add to that atmosphere people summoned to a workshop like I was, and you have a lobby full of irritable people who feel like they are being called to the principal's office for no offense save being recently laid off by their employers. Sure, I wasn't thrilled to be there so early on a Friday morning for an extended session, but I had some coffee, a bottle of water, some snacks, and no one was constantly demanding anything from me. It was the first morning in over four months I was able to sip my coffee in peace. What mother of young children can't appreciate such a rare occurrence? </div>
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Clearly, the other twenty-some people in the workshop with me were not looking for the silver lining in the situation. We were led in to a small, cramped conference room, and as people squeezed into chairs that were too close together, the body language was unmistakable. Most people sat with their arms folded, radiating annoyance that was compounded by the fact that the room allowed for little personal space. One woman planted her purse in the chair next to her as things got started, then refused--loudly--to remove it so an elderly woman who came in late could sit in it. This led to what must have been at least a five minute verbal scuffle, as the workshop leader tried to resolve the situation so she could get things going. She never moved her purse from the chair. It was shameful to see such behavior from a grown woman.</div>
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When the workshop at last kicked off, it was mostly of what I expected. That is, the tone was patronizing and the information was remedial. Listening to the workshop leader and watching the videos, you would think the session was designed as an orientation for a job-seeking Martian arriving on Earth for the first time. I did learn a few things, however. For instance, I learned I was selected because they target M.A.'s and Ph.D.'s because they consider highly educated people harder to employ (i.e. over-qualification). The irony of that fact is that the workshop information was so basic as to be useless for anyone with a graduate degree or doctorate. No one who has earned an advanced degree needs to be told how to write a resume or how to dress for and behave on an interview. The whole thing was clearly designed with those with little to no education, which is also a targeted demographic--and the larger one, I'm sure. During the online tutorial in the computer lab--if you can call four computers for twenty-five people a "lab"--the woman running the workshop implicitly acknowledged this point when she recruited me to help her facilitate the session ("Hey educator, go help that group"). I spent most of the computer lab time helping others learn how to navigate the CalJobs website and use the various search tools to find the types of jobs that suited their qualifications.</div>
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Even though the workshop was not helpful for someone like me, the experience did offer up a couple of memorable moments which you may find funny or sad, depending on how you look at them: </div>
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Job services rep: "What was your job title?"</div>
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Me: "Museum educator."</div>
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Job services rep: "Pick another one. How about customer service representative?"</div>
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Fellow workshop attendee: "Oh, you work in museums?"</div>
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Me: "Yes."</div>
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Fellow workshop attendee: "Have you tried the Getty?"</div>
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Those two exchanges pretty much sum up the whole experience for me. It was definitely a <i>long</i> four hours. </div>
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011081697062925198.post-72526056964279084282012-12-29T21:34:00.000-08:002013-01-04T21:38:04.190-08:00Good ReadsThis past year was the first in a long time that I got in some quality time for myself by reading some good books. Most of this "reading" happened listening to audiobooks from Audible.com as I spent 2.5-3 hours commuting to Malibu from Redondo Beach everyday for work, and was my way of redeeming what otherwise might be considered lost time. I still do a lot of reading the old-fashioned way, of course, but even since September I find myself listening to audiobooks frequently while doing chores or taking walks with Liam around the neighborhood. So, what books made my 2012 reading list? Here they are, in no particular order:<br />
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<i><b>11-22-63: A Novel </b></i>(Stephen King)<br />
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I am no fan of Stephen King, but the time travel premise of this book combined with the historical angle of President Kennedy's assassination convinced me to give this book a try. I did not regret it.<br />
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<i><b>A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows</b></i> (George R. R. Martin)<br />
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In 2011 I started the Game of Thrones fantasy series, and this year I nearly made it through all of them--I have just one more left...<br />
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<i><b>No Higher Honor</b></i> (Condoleezza Rice)<br />
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This choice revealed the hardcore historian in me. Anyone who is not into history and politics would not enjoy this (very long) read, so if you're not a history lover and you don't want to sleep, I recommend leaving this one alone.<br />
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<b><i>Drift</i></b> (Rachel Maddow)<br />
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Again, more hardcore history and politics. Although Maddow is a far more engaging and entertaining writer than Rice, this is not a causal read for the uninitiated.<br />
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<i><b>Big Leagues, Curveball</b></i> (Jen Estes)<br />
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These two cozy mysteries about a young female sportswriter were on my list because the author is from my hometown. A little baseball mixed with malice domestic--fun, quick reads, even for a busy working mom.<br />
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<i><b>Calculating God</b></i> (Robert J. Sawyer)<br />
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Like <i>11-22-63</i> this book provided an intriguing combination of two subjects I am very interested in--space exploration and museums. The premise of the book is that an alien lands at the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada in order to consult with a paleontologist and learn about the history and development of life on earth. The twist? The alien civilization has studied the universe through science and has concluded that science points to a Creator--i.e. God. The story is told from the point of view of the ROM paleontologist who, as an earthly scientist, has studied science and reached the exact opposite conclusion. This book was one of the most enjoyable sci-fi reads I've had in a long time, and if you like sci-fi I highly recommend it.<br />
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<i><b>The Bone Bed</b></i> (Patricia Cornwell)<br />
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I've been reading Patricia Cornwell's books since I was a teenager, and as a long-time fan of the Kay Scarpetta series, I wouldn't miss out on a new release. The series is as strong as ever, and if you like forensic thrillers, you can't go wrong with Scarpetta.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16828478834564277006noreply@blogger.com0