If you have read my blog for any length of time, then you know that this December I hit the big 4-0 milestone. I’ve gone through various stages of emotions regarding this fact, I’m ashamed to admit. First was excitement, then irreverence and finally, full speed ahead to panic. Before you jump to conclusions about my “panic,” let me clear one thing up for you – it is not about the age. It is about accomplishments. It is about getting “my house” in order. It is about goal setting.

So, this morning I put together a list of 40 things that I want to do prior to the big 4-0.  I’ll blog about them as I accomplish them. Crossing my fingers that I manage to get it all done!

Personal

• Finish decorating my bedroom.
• Complete the picture mural in the living room.
• Begin writing a book.
• Bring back the pink hair or get a nose piercing.
• Learn how to skateboard.
• Have my first girlfriend’s weekend away.
• Visit the beach.
• Buy an expensive night cream.
• Buy a new (read: slinky) dress to wear to a fancy function.
• Get an extravagant pedicure.
• Adopt a mantra.
• Buy iPhone 4
• Complete a Bible study.
• Join a book club. (online or in person)
• Take a cooking class.

Blog / Online

• Finish the blog redesign along with You Tube, Twitter, About.Me and new blog cards.
• Launch a new web series.
• Get that big content idea off the ground.
• Land a really cool partnership.
• Nab a cool guest post opportunity or meet a blogger that I’ve always admired.

Fitness Goals

• Lose that 15 pounds.
• Run the Baltimore marathon.
• Finish a Body-For-Life round.
• Try Yoga.

Professional

• Join the board of directors or take a leadership role in an organization.
• Finish decorating my office.
• Find an organizational system that works perfectly for me.
• Do something outside my comfort zone.
• Write a white paper.
• Land a speaking engagement.
• Attend a conference or take an online course in my industry.

Family

• Take each boy on a special day alone.
• Run a 5K with one or both of the boys.
• Spend a romantic night away with my husband.
• See a musical, play or performance.
• Take the boys to New York.
• Go to a theme park.
• Call my sister(s) every week.
• Have tea at a tea room with my mother and sisters.
• Take a family hike.

You may ask yourself, WHY am I telling the world this nonsense? Because my dear friend, if it is out there then I HAVE TO DO IT. Accountability is a good thing.

So excited to announce that the official Momz Share website is live!  So very, very excited!

What you can expect from the new site:

• News about blogger networking events in the Baltimore / Washington D.C. Metro Area
• Guest posts by fantastic bloggers on important topics.
• Features on area bloggers and much, much more!

It is time for me to weigh in on the New York Times article.  Yeah, THAT article.  The one I was quoted in. The one that everyone is freaking out about.  News to you?  Well, then I invite you to take a moment to read it.  It is okay. I’ll wait….

I wasn’t planning on speaking out on it, I was perfectly content to let it ride and read what others were saying.  They were all much more eloquent then I, anyway.

But then I started musing about a couple of things:

1. Who EXACTLY is the adversary here?  The author?  Or perhaps the powers that be at the New York Times?

2. Why was everyone so riled up? Perhaps there was there a bigger issue at stake?  I think the answer to that is a RESOUNDING YES.  It is a bigger issue. And I am not alone in my thinking, Kelby Carr believes the same. Mom 101 wrote a letter to the New York Times. And PunditMom also addressed the issues behind it.

So what pushed me over the edge to take to my own computer?  Two things, actually.  My quote was being misinterpreted AND I personally spoke to the author, Jennifer Mendelsohn.

Yep. I reached out to her.

But first let me address my own quote.  I was quoted as saying “We all live online.”  Yes, that is  what I said BUT it was part of a bigger discussion about putting our lives out there online and relating to each other and finding companionship.  I actually wrote an article for Maryland Life Magazine in the March/April 2010 issue talking about “mommy bloggers” and connecting with others via the Internet.  (I personally prefer the term DIGITAL MOM, by the way.) Some have misconstrued my quote as me saying “we live way too much online.”  NOPE. Not what I meant. At. All.

Anyway…. back to the author.  I reached out to her because I was wondering her thoughts on all of this.  I was wondering how she was holding up and frankly, I was wondering if she felt a backlash. I know that when women mobilize we can be a force to be reckoned with.  My opinion on the whole piece was that the GRAPHIC and the HEADLINE were insulting and DEGRADING. Now, I don’t claim to know much about the newspaper industry but one thing I do know is that the author has no control over any of that.  And if you read the headline and look at the graphic, well, they have exactly ZERO to do with the story she wrote.

My own dealings with her at the conference were very pleasant and were consistent with our phone conversation afterwards.  She has actually posted her official response on her blog.  You might want to hop over and give it a read. If you read through the comments on her blog post (which incidentally have been closed at this point) you can deduce that she has indeed felt the backlash.  It is a shame, really.  It marred what would have been one of a writer’s most glorious moments. (“Oh My Gosh, I am published in the New York Times!!!)

You know what I wish?  I wish I had the name of the jerk who put the headline and graphic on that story. THAT is where the real prejudice and bias begins.  HE is the person we should take to task. (I am assuming it is a HE but I could be wrong.)

I invite you to re-read the article and IGNORE the headline and graphic.  Try to read it without being insulted by those two things and you may not come away with the same anger.  Or maybe you do. We each interpret things a bit differently.  Who am I to tell you how to feel?

I encourage you to read the articles I referenced above by Kelby Carr, Mom101 and Pundit Mom and weigh in for yourself.  Where do you stand on the controversy?  Was it fueled by the author or by a deeper more cultural bias?

Yesterday my family and I were invited to experience a brand new exhibit called “Curious George: Let’s Get Curious” at the Port Discovery Children’s Museum in Baltimore.   What a blast!

My childhood hero!

Now, we had been to Port Discovery years ago with the kids and, of course, we loved it. But this trip was entirely different.  They were completely engaged and were begging for us not to leave. It was three stories of kid nirvana. (THIS kid included!) My personal favorite has always been the Egyptian exhibit.  Last time we visited it, the boys were too young to appreciate it.  This time?  They were running around like maniacs trying to find codes and checking out the mummies. I think we were in that exhibit for a good 30 minutes.

The newest addition to the museum, and the reason for all of the celebration,  is the Curious George area.  This exhibit, which was developed in partnership with PBS KIDS, is an interactive dream for little ones weaving in  math, science, engineering into a colorful fun adventure-land.  Even my oldest son was captivated by it.  Two words: mini – golf!

I highly recommend bringing your kids out to Baltimore for a day of family fun.  Port Discovery is a gem for the kiddos! For more information on Port Discovery and all the exhibits they offer, click here. FTC Disclosure: My family and I were invited guests to the opening celebration of the Curious George exhibit. All opinions are mine alone.

If you don’t live in the Washington DC area then you are probably blissfully unaware of the SNOW APPOCALYPSE ARMAGEDDON 2 that is supposedly approaching our area at a rapid pace.

There is a huge blizzard warning in effect.  It is nuts around here.  Apparently, tomorrow’s storm is supposed to be even bigger than this one.

So people are panicking. Schools are closing. Things are being cancelled.  Mayhem, people!

So I decided to do a little Vlog about the madness and keep you up to date on whatever happens.