I can get you a copy for free if you want one

This is old news now, but the interview I did with Paz Vega for Genlux way back when is on the newsstands now. In fact, it's been on the newsstands for awhile - it's probably been pushed to the back of the rack to make room for the five-thousand magazines that have cover stories on that woman who had eight babies and already has something like fifty other kids at home.

This interview stands out for me in that it was the only one I was late for. Usually I like to get to the restaurant at least twenty minutes beforehand so I can test out my tape recorders, have a sip of wine and stuff myself with bread so that I can pretend to be a dainty eater once the interviewee gets there. Then I'll order a salad, or some sort of dish that consists of a coin-sized piece of fish and a couple of strings of spinach, and then pick at it for a few minutes before I go, "Oh, I'm so full. You know, I haven't eaten that much since I was 12."

But this time it was a crazy day, and I ended up flying into the restaurant around 15 minutes behind schedule. Paz was already seated, so I introduced myself, clunked my behemoth, 95-pound purse down and proceeded to set up for the interview. Unfortunately one of the first things I did was pull my iPhone out of my purse, but not before I noticed that there was a huge hunk of half-eaten Cliff Bar clinging to the bottom. I'm not sure, but I hear that's the sure way to show you're a professional journalist - pull out an electronic device that has a large piece of half-eaten foot affixed to it. It sort of says, "I'm so busy and on the road, I have to text and snack at the same time."

One of my favorite parts of the interview is where she talks about her dad being a bullfighter. I could tell it was something she was really passionate about, but I was a little worried about putting it in my final piece - I envisioned some animal-rights peoples showing up at the Genlux offices and smearing their door with bull blood, or worse yet showing up at my house and yanking my hamburger right out of my hand. But kudos to the editors for keeping it in the interview - I just wish they had kept the part in where I explain how I took that hunk of Cliff Bar and, without wrapping it, slipped it right back into my purse.

You can read the entire article here, once you've finished reading all those other magazine articles about the octuplets.

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tags: paz vega | genlux magazine | spanglish

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12-years-old and already on tour with a rock band

I've written here before about Kira's intense obsession with the Ting Tings, an English band that got its big break when they were featured in an iPod commercial last year. We took the girls to see them in concert, and since then Kira's frenzy hasn't died down one bit. She spends an unhealthy amount of time chatting online with friends about the band, checking out their website and making lists of all the Ting Tings merchandise she's going to try to con us into buying for her. Lately I've been begging her to find something else to do, like hang out on the corner and chew gum like all the other kids at her middle school.

A few weeks ago she saw a bulletin on the Ting Tings MySpace page asking for original videos that the band could use on their upcoming European tour. They've done things like this in the past - used art as a way to get audience members and fans to participate in their shows. Kira was determined to enter, and came up with an idea for a video that involved our garage door and a huge stack of Post-Its. She asked Rigel to help but turns out he was merely a cameraman - at one point I think I heard him trying to tell her where to stand and she went all Christian Bale on his ass so he backed off.

Today Kira got an email from the lead singer herself, Katie White, telling her that they loved her video and that they would be using it on their tour, and that she would get a credit every night at the end of each show.

She's over the moon, of course, and we're so very proud of her. Here's the video - sorry for the poor quality, but I put some music to it and unfortunately my iMovie skills aren't up to speed. Kira assured me it was okay for now, and besides she's not paying me that much. Yet.



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tags: the ting tings | ipod commercial | itunes

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Doing our part to stimulate the economy

Rigel and I were reading in bed the other night, and Kiyomi came barging in waving a can with a Post-It attached. She likes to do this, barge in while waving things around, so we didn't think much of it until she said this:

Okay, listen up, people. Here's a cuss jar. Everytime you swear, you have to pay! And I'll even be listening after I go to bed. I need to make some money.

We don't swear much around the kids, but they're tweens after all and it's been hard holding it in for the past 12 years. So maybe we've become a little lax lately and have let a few choice words slip here and there. Especially when things happen, really bad things, like the cat taking a big crap on our bed, or when I accidentally ironed my arm.

So I can understand a 10-year-old trying to seize the opportunity to make a little extra cash. But because Rigel and I are smartasses, this is what we said:

Me: I'm not putting one damn dime in that can.

Rigel: Stop bothering me with this shit.

Seriously, could you have resisted? We did fork over the 25¢ though.

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'We have chosen hope over fear'

I kept Kira and Kiyomi home from school today to watch the inauguration, and I'm so glad I did. I wanted them to see this historical event uninterrupted by reading assignments, or passing period bells, or flying spitballs. Rigel went into work a little late, and the four of us sat together and witnessed Barack Obama being sworn in as our 44th president.

Aside for some whoops and cheers for Obama and Kiyomi's hissing when Bush appeared, the girls sat quietly and listened to every word. I think they knew the importance and weight of what they were seeing.

I'll never forget this day, or what it means to our country and to our children. It might not sink in until after the Inaugural Ball is over and I actually see Obama sitting in the Oval Office, but I'm starting to believe it might not all be a dream.

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What are you doing today?

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tags: president barack obama | inauguration | inaugural speech

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LA Moms Blog: Want to embarrass your kids? All it takes is LOL

My latest post is up on the LA Moms Blog. I thought if any of you out there are looking for an easy way to embarrass your tweens or teens I'd help you out with some fresh ideas. After all, it gets kind of tiring parading around in front of their friends with your pants hiked up to your armpits, or licking your hand and then wiping their faces.

In case you haven’t heard, having your parents use chatspeak is the equivalent of seeing your dad dance the hula at your Sweet 16 party, or having your mom pick you up from school in her bathrobe. In other words, if you really want to embarrass the hell out of your teen or tween, try punctuating your sentence with ‘LOL’ or throwing in an 'OMG’ when you’re confronted with a long line at the grocery store. Chatspeak, the popular slang using acronyms found in chatrooms and texting, is apparently the exclusive domain of the under 20 set and any attempts at usage by parents or other old fogeys is, like, totally awful. IYKWIM (If you know what I mean)...Read More...

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tags: tweens | teens | chatspeak | texting

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Christine Maggiore 1957 - 2008

I knew Christine Maggiore. I hadn't spoken to her in a few years, and I didn't agree with her views on HIV/AIDS. But I felt her grief when she lost her daughter Eliza Jane three years ago, and I grieve her passing today.

She's been criticized and called so many things, the worst of those a murderer. I don't think of her that way. It's hard to reconcile her seemingly radical lifestyle with how I knew Christine. She was thoughtful and compassionate, and sometimes brutally honest. She found out she was HIV positive shortly before my wedding fifteen years ago, but at the time she told a mutual friend not to let me know because she didn't want the news to put a pall on my wedding plans. Then again, she also once told me that my letterhead sucked after I had used it to write her a letter of recommendation. I remember I cussed and hung up on her. I probably forgave her after she called back and cracked a joke.

Christine had a kick-ass sense of humor and was sarcastic as hell, which I loved. We worked together for awhile, and I remember one day we had to run out to the 99¢ Store to buy a bunch of crap for a photo shoot. As we were checking out we were mesmerized by the mind-numbing job of the cashier - repeatedly punching in 99¢ over and over and over again. After watching her for awhile I turned to Christine and said, "I think I finally found a job I might be good at." Without missing a beat Christine shot back, "Naw, you'd probably get fired after you looked at everything upside down and rung it all up at 66¢."

I've read a lot of things on the internet today about Christine's life, and so much of it has been cruel. I'm hoping that people can look beyond the controversy for just a moment and see a kind friend, a devoted wife and a mother who loved her children. I'm sad that we lost touch, that I had to find a picture of her on the internet because I didn't have any of my own. I'm going to remember how she made me laugh, and I'll miss that.

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tags: christine maggiore

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Nintendo: You Had Me At 'Spa'

A couple of weeks ago I was invited by Nintendo to attend an event called the Ultimate Mom Playdate. I'm sure for some of you this conjures up visions of half-naked cabana boys serving up trays of martinis and truffles and gyrating to Beyoncé while us moms whooped and hollered and grabbed at their man parts - but no.

Even better - and more sanitary - we were treated to an indulgent spa day. A day of pampering to help all us stressed, over-worked moms relax for a few hours and forget about carpools and making sandwiches and multiplying fractions. I can't speak for the other women there that day, but somehow Nintendo knew exactly what I needed to kick off my hectic holiday season. Okay, so a martini would have completed the picture, but my luxurious hand massage and manicure and oxygen facial lasted me for days afterward, which is probably longer than that cabana boy ever could.

Also, in addition to our pampering beauty treatments, we were given a one-on-one training session on the Wii Fit. I got a Wii Fit this past summer following a search that equaled the quest for the Holy Grail, but even after I got it I never really learned how to use it properly. After spending hours getting the hair just right on my Mii, I didn't have the energy to attempt a yoga pose or gyrate my hips doing the hula-hoop simulation. Mostly I've been content to watch Kira and Kiyomi use it - although I did make sure I encouraged them while they were working out by yelling things like, "Good job!" and "Ten more jumping jacks and I'll give you half of my cookie!" It's the Don't-Do-As-I-Do, Do-As-I-Say school of parenting at its worst and saddest, but it did allow me to have the couch all to myself.

The 'face' of Wii Fit, trainer Ashley Borden was there to take us through various exercises, and I have to admit it was a little depressing watching her do countless pushups and hold yoga poses for hours while I kept falling off the Wii balance board just trying to get my weight calculated. Who wants to look at someone's perfectly toned, abs-of-steel body when you keep flashing back to earlier that morning when you contemplated calling 911 to get help zipping up your pants? But Ashley was so warm and encouraging and funny, and when she told me that I could have a body like hers, I almost believed her even though I could have sworn I saw her crossing her fingers behind her back.

The event took place at Bliss Spa in The W Hotel. I wrote about The W before, how Rigel and I stayed there on our anniversary and how a few of their very cool complimentary Bliss toiletry kits may have mysteriously found their way into my suitcase. So I was a little afraid that I wouldn't be able to control myself if I saw one of the hotel maid's carts stocked with those nifty little courtesy packs, but you'll be happy to know I was content with just tucking a few bottles of Bliss water into my purse. You know, for that long drive home.

Energized from my spa day, I came home with a new determination to get in shape and fired up the Wii Fit for the first time in weeks. And even though it said I had gained a couple of pounds since my last session and it told me my Wii Fit age was 'deceased,' I managed to keep my balance through a few yoga poses and even beat Kira's score on the Ski Jump. After all, I'd like to be in shape in case those cabana boys show up at the next Nintendo event and challenge me to a hula-hoop contest.

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tags: nintendo wii fit | bliss spa w hotel | ashley borden | blogger events

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LA Moms Blog: 'Tis The Season For Hoping You Don't Get a Really Crappy Gift

My latest post is up on the LA Moms Blog. If you're like me your holiday shopping angst is kicking into full gear right about now, and I've listed a few of my gift-giving pet peeves. And if you think it's only the thought that counts, I've got a set of pill boxes with kittens decoupaged on them that I'm going to send right over.

Awhile ago I did a post on my personal blog about one of the worst gifts I had ever gotten. People left me comments detailing their own gift nightmares, everything ranging from a woman who received a bathroom scale from her fiancé to another person who received $1.75 in change as a wedding gift. This being the holiday season, I’ve been thinking about what really makes the perfect gift, and how everyone has their own opinion about the whole process of gift giving. All I know is that during the time when we should be celebrating joy and hope, the whole idea of Christmas shopping and having to find the perfect gift usually makes me feel like punching the first person I encounter in the mall. I think you’re starting to get the picture.

Some people really put a lot of effort into finding that one special item for each recipient, and I envy you. While you spend hours trolling the aisles of funky boutiques and one-of-a-kind stores looking for that beautiful piece of antique jewelry for your aunt, I’m heading to Costco to buy twelve of those jumbo cheese selections to give to half of the people on my gift list. Of course I always include a card that says, “I saw this and immediately thought of you” and it usually works, although I did get a strange look one time from my 80-year-old lactose-intolerant uncle...Read More...

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tags: christmas | christmas gift ideas | holiday gifts | what not to give

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We Spent Three Days in a Row at Disneyland But Still Don't Know if Walt is Frozen.

(That's our cat Milkshake over there in the snowglobe. For details on how to make a snowglobe with your own cat or other photogenic family member, read on.)

I went to Disneyland three days in a row. I like to say this to people, and then watch as their eyes grow wide with amazement and they shake their heads in disbelief. Then come the inevitable questions, things like, "Why?" and "Have you lost your mind?" But I'm here to tell you that not only did I survive, but it was one of the more leisurely trips there I've had.

First off let me tell you that it makes all the difference that my girls are older, and don't require strollers or snacks every five seconds or diaper changes in public restrooms. They're tweens now, and have the capacity to go for hours at a time without food and have enough energy (and patience) to wait in long lines. Also? My girls have inherited their parents' night-owl tendencies and can stay up late without having tantrums or melting down in the car on the ride home. Unfortunately, Rigel and I are the ones who can't hold it together but we're working on taking turns so that at least one person isn't crying while they're driving.

Our three day Disneyland marathon started a couple of Fridays ago when we were invited to a blogging event held at Disneyland's Grand Californian. I'm always looking for an excuse to visit this beautiful hotel - in the past I've pretended that I'm a lost tourist from Japan, just for an excuse to sit in the lobby. But this time I was actually invited and enjoyed valet parking, a wonderful buffet meal, photo ops with Disney characters, cookie decorating for the kids, a special presentation by Disneyland PR for the bloggers AND 3-day park hopper tickets - and I didn't even have to use broken English and pantomime to ask where the bathroom was.

After that we were escorted to a private area to watch the fireworks. Being escorted through Disneyland is the best - I couldn't help but feel super important, and I had to stifle the urge to hand out my autograph and say things like, "I really love what Walt did with this place" just to be obnoxious. It was while watching the fireworks that I called Rigel with my brilliant idea: Why not get a hotel for Saturday night, so that we could spread our Disneyland and California Adventure experience over two days? I have to admit he wasn't immediately receptive, but he came around when I told him that spending two whole days with his kids at Disneyland and treating his wife to a night in a hotel might be a good way to bank some karma for that ski trip he was planning on taking with the guys.

Sure it was exhausting, but I'd say our plan worked out great. We were able to leisurely check into our hotel on Saturday and then make our way over to the parks without feeling like we had to fit everything in by midnight. Although I didn't get to ride my favorite ride of all, we did finally get to check out the winery in California Adventure, which I highly recommend - we had a nice glass of wine, and then had a relaxing dinner on the patio. The menu is limited but surprisingly good, and a nice break from the usual pizza and hot dogs we usually have. And once again - they have WINE.

I have to admit our desire to sit in a dark room for a few minutes led us to main Street to view Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years, but the film ended up being interesting for the kids as well. It's narrated by Steve Martin and has some great film clips showing the history of Disneyland; Walt walking through the orange grove that would become his theme park, opening day ceremonies in 1955 (hey - there's Sammy Davis, Jr.!) and a glimpse of how the park looked in its early days. Unfortunately, it didn't address the rumor that Walt is cryogenically frozen somewhere waiting to be revived - we had just told the kids about that the week before - but perhaps that's coming in the sequel.

Some may argue that billions of twinkling lights and fake snow is a poor substitute for real holiday cheer, but I say seeing my kids crazy-happy and squealing as they race towards the Matterhorn in their Santa hats is real enough for me. And while I thought that three days in a row would satiate them, Kiyomi woke up on that following Monday and said, "Any day we're not going to Disneyland is not a good day" so I'm thinking she could have gone for a few more but I'll leave that for when she's old enough to go on her own. I think she's starting her own blog now.

View an exciting, animated, musical version of my Milkshake snowglobe here. If you'd like to make your own awesome snowglobe, read this to find out how. I only used our cat because my girls have forbid me to post any pictures of them online. Well, that and the fact that he's the only one that still smiles on cue.

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Thanks to Michelle Himmelberg in Disney PR for a memorable weekend and for giving us an excuse to stay in a hotel.
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tags: disneyland | disneyland photopass | california adventure | blogger events

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And Another Thing

There's no particular reason for the title of this post, except for the fact that it's something I seem to be saying a lot these days, and I'm finding that it's a really effective way to move from one topic to another completely unrelated topic without having to explain yourself or sounding crazy. It's especially useful when you're trying to make a point, and then would like to squeeze in another point while you've got that person's undivided attention and don't want to waste time having to initiate another conversation. For example, when Kiyomi tells me she's forgotten her homework again, I can say something like, "Please remember to check your backpack before you leave school. AND ANOTHER THING, that room of yours looks like something exploded in there." See? Homework and room cleaning - totally unrelated but delivered in one short, concise lecture. That's called effective time management, my friends, and leaves me with more time to blog.

And another thing, I have a winner for my Disney Interactive giveaway! It is Catherine of On The Banks of the Rio Grande, who as you'll see in the comments could use some luck right about now after she let her husband cut her hair. Catherine, please email me your address so I can send you your Nintnedo DS and XBox gift bonanza.

And another thing, you have to watch this amazing video that I can't stop watching over and over again. I've heard it said that video posting is the lazy man's blogging and that repeated posting of videos really shows a lack of creativity but this one is so well done I had to share it. And another thing, I'm totally lazy and lack creativity.

And another thing, it's time for another cup of coffee now.

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