Found, in the freezer at our local grocery store:
Kemps Touchdown Sundae. Vanilla ice cream with a hint of fudge swirl and small treasures of chocolate footballs (complete with a caramel filling). It’s egg-free, nut-free, but not sugar-free, and it’s perfect for a rambunctious about-to-be-a-fourth-grader boy who’s trying to “beef up” for the school year.
Found, in my local library:
A Memoir after my own heart. Because reading food labels, on everything from ice cream to bread, is more about bypassing a trip to the ER than counting calories for me.
If you stand in the middle of the grocery aisle and study ingredients, or if the mention of a “pot luck dinner” makes you break out into a cold sweat, read this book. Sandra Beasley’s memoir touches on every aspect of food allergies, from the perspective of the allergic, those who care for someone with allergies, and even the research and science behind allergies. I can’t say enough about how much I love, LOVE, this book. I have it on loan right now, but I want a copy for myself. I want to slip it onto my son’s nightstand in a few more years, when he’s too big for me to check his pockets for his Epi-Pen.
Found, in my schedule for fall:
Time. I was glad (ever-so-slightly) last Monday when my day job kicked in, and not just because my mornings and evenings became more predictable. As I considered my start and end times and my work schedule unfolded, my day planner revealed a secret: little pockets of time to myself each day. The impossibility of it all was matched with a dose of guilt, so I closed my calendar quick. Afraid to breathe. Maybe that sounds dramatic, but if you’re a mother and a writer, you know the value of any uninterrupted time (and the power in a second of guilt).
Free time is there, though. I’ve double checked.
Found, on Writer Unboxed:
Two great posts by Nina Badzin on the Art and Science of Twitter, Part 1 and Part 2.
If you’re new to Twitter, and even if you’re not new, these posts are a must-read. Because when you suddenly discover a pocket of time, you don’t want to waste it on Social Networking. Nina Badzin explains how to make Twitter work for you, so that you can get back to work, doing what you love best.
What’s new in your kitchen, on your shelves, or in your reader?
have heard about that book — it’s on my list to get too! and a little free time? might be just what you need. (and you deserve it)
Sarah, You must get the book. And, here’s to hoping I can use that time to the max!
There’s nothing much new in my kitchen or my shelves, but since my TBR consumes a small bookcase, that’s probably a good thing.
Thanks *very* much for the book recommendation! I have a friend whose son is so allergic they won’t allow him in the after school child care program for fear of him accidentally getting trace allergens. 🙁
Cathryn, I know. My stack of TBR’s is crowding up my nightstand! And, I feel for your friend. As a parent, I try so hard to balance the importance of food safety with letting my son just be a regular kid. There are so many great resources out there for schools now. Holler over email if you’d like me to send you any links. Though, I’m guessing your friend is already well versed in the allergy world.
What a fun potpourri post. I totally understand your comments about reading food labels. When I found out I had celiac disease, I was overwhelmed by how many products contain gluten. For a while I lived on bananas because I just didn’t want to deal with it…LOL!
Happy Monday, Christi!
Cleaning out closets for a garage sale I found an old 2004 calender. What a trip down memory lane on that.
Tricia, 2004! I bet that was fun. It doesn’t seem that long ago, but “back then” feels like a whole other world for me.
I’m glad you found some time in your schedule! I hope you don’t waste it like I do.
Ironically, I’ve just blogged about my view of Twitter, which is sort of the opposite of Nina Badzin’s. Twitter has become more a necessary nuisance to me. Maybe it’s just me.
Linda, That’s the key: don’t waste it 🙂 And, I’ll admit there are days when I’ve spent too much time on Twitter. There really is an art & a science to it, along with a little mystery (how do people find me, I always want to ask). But, I think you make a good point that we have to figure out what kind of social networking fits our needs, and then do our best to make it work for us.
Thanks Christi! Linda, actually I agree! Twitter can be a nuisance. My posts attempt to help people make sure that they’re tweets get read. Otherwise it’s REALLY pointless to be on there at all. I struggle with how to juggle the social media stuff though and I certainly can’t claim to have the magic answer.
Nina, I certainly didn’t mean to devalue your two-part article. It’s very well written, and I actually agree with what you advise. I think Twitter is best suited to those who are at ease in a crowd, so to speak. I’m lousy at small talk and that’s probably why I’ve found it hard to get into the swing of things with Twitter. Either that, or I just happen to login when ALL of my followers are offline. 🙂
Nina, I appreciated your posts for the reminders of what does work, and to see how I am using some of those Twitter techniques in successful ways. There’s so much I love about Twitter, but I know when I start to get that irritated feeling as I scroll through the stream of tweets, it’s time to log out and get back to writing.
Hooray for pockets of time and the focus to use them well. I found toasted coconut marshmallows at the grocery store and it’s not going well. As for social networking, I could use the information on how to not let it soak up my precious time capsules. Thanks, C!
I don’t have food allergies, I hate football but damn that ice cream still looks good to me! Glad you found it.
Glad you are finding/making time to write. Ferreting out those little pockets of time is so rewarding on so many levels.
Still don’t get twitter, though.
Natasha, The ice cream didn’t last long 🙂 And Twitter…I keep looking for a logic behind it, but the best I can find are posts about how to use it well. I approach it like I do most technology–with one eye open.
Love this post!
I have found time, too! And a buttload of cleaning to do. Ahh, we win yet we lose. 😉 I have found that audiobooks make it much more enjoyable, however. Charles McCarry’s The Bride of The Wilderness has kept me pleasantly distracted as I fold my life, I mean laundry away.
Have a great Labor Day weekend!
Hallie, Yeah. That will be my challenge: NOT to use that free time for laundry or dishes. For me, the cleaning can be hard to resist, since I’m much better at getting the kitchen in order than I am that novel. Lordy.