It Just Gets Weirder

via Sasha Frere-Jones

Because I am slightly melancholy over the ending of elementary school, I insisted we all go, as a family, to the State Fair. We didn't buy advance tickets, and we didn't have a free evening. So we skipped something (soccer, I think) and I took out $700 cash from the ATM, and off we went. Daddy was to take the bus and meet us.

As we walked in, earlier drama over too much homework and whatever happened at school that day melted away into memory. Someone smiled at me and asked if I wanted an admission ticket. Sure! Later, someone asked us if we wanted their leftover ride tickets. Yes! "Good Karma", my daughter assured me.

(We went one day earlier than Paul Friedrich, he of Onion Head Monster fame. Which was too bad, as his day-long experiment? performance art piece? heart attack- inducement exercise? fascinated me.)

My son ate:

Half of a funnel cake sprinkled with another half pound of powdered sugar

a foot-long hot dog

an apple (from one of the exhibits on agriculture that I thrust upon my young charges)

a deep-fried Snickers bar

(He had a lot of gas that night.)

The children's favorite rides involved them going high in the air, in circles. One ride, a favorite for years, is a hanglider-type contraption. Watching them soar over the fair was fairly magical, and worth the traffic and depleted bank account.

Daddy met us without too much trouble, having taken the bus from his swanky new downtown office. We only argued about what and where to eat for 15 minutes, a family record! And all agreed to go see the cows and bunnies. I didn't get to see the gardening competition...but only because I felt like my feet were going to separate from my ankles (for exercise that day I walked for an hour...dumb. Just finding that hanglider ride was over a mile trek).

The fair was a pretty Republican-seeming place...but there were the occasional Democratic stickers, and usually on people who looked less urban than I might have thought. I saw most of the Dems in the Village of Yesteryear. What does THAT mean?

We parked far away from the fair, which was not only free, but that much closer to our house. Home in 10 minutes, then showers to wash off that special brand of fair grime. My son, who spent a good portion of his fair time on the GROUND, got a Mommy-scrubbing. Ewww. And we read books and drifted off, and another fall is upon us and the leaves turn and the children grow and the days are shorter than ever.

Bill Cunningham on "colah"

I Would Put Britney's New Video Up, But This is a Family Website

• Beyoncé
• New Music

Other causes I lurve:


The Gail Perkins ovarian awareness group has a walk that has taken place, but their site has wonderful information and there's always next year!

Remember that the JRDF walk is coming up soon - you can always support my friend Scott.

Hearts with Haiti really needs your help. Things in Haiti are almost bleaker than I can comprehend.

And of course I encourage you to donate to the candidate of your choice for state and local races, as well as the big 'un.

I'm feeling like I should put positiveness out into the uni, so I'll report that my family had a special time of it this weekend. Team Whilst traveled to a town west of here for my daughter's soccer tournament. Not only did she play crazy great (including performing a block that had her sliding into the ball to knock it away from an offensive opponent...she would be on the highlights reel), but we all enjoyed the Emb-ASS-y Suites - free breakfast! Complimentary cocktails! A separate room for Mom and Dad! There was also the 10 hours of sleep we all got Saturday night. Love the church gig, but it cuts into my Saturday/Sunday laziness.

So I'm feeling good and healthy and aware and rested, and I want you all to feel the same. That's my wish tonight.

Also about my son? He has a favorite new playmate at recess, a boy who is not in his class. From what we can tell, the boy speaks in another language that "is not Spanish", but his English is good enough that he and my son discuss any number of things. The playmate's name, according to my son, is "Y2K".

Y2K is apparently funny, engaging, and quickly becoming popular with the 3rd grade boys. Until the school directory is published, we may not know his real name. Even then, some of the Montanyard children at school's names go almost completely unknown....initials are used. So for now, Y2K it is. My son says it is spelled "Ytookay." I prefer the numbers. I"ll keep you posted....I can't wait to meet him!

My son asked, "Is 'Mad Men' your 'SpongeBob'?"

I replied, "No, 'Lost' is."

On the Street with Bill Cunningham< - another fun fall truffle.

On the Street with Bill Cunningham - another fun fall truffle.

The Great Schlep

Y'all know I'm, at the very least, a bit fascinated with Britney Spears. I loved when my sister-in-law got tickets to see her concert, and then got my daughter a t-shirt. I shielded my children from the worst of it (though they heard about it at school), and I basically forbade them from watching "Zoey 101" when Jamie Lynn Spears got pregnant at age 16.

Yes. I decided they should not watch that show, based upon the actions of the star in her personal life.

So when Bristol Palin shows up pregnant, proud, touted, and supported on a national stage, what was I to do? I didn't let my children watch. I didn't even tell them about her or her condition. But I let myself get swept along in the tide of public opinion. I agreed that "that's life".

So it is with a heavy heart, in these dark times, that I tell you I actually applaud Lynne Spears. I admit, finally, that it took guts for that family to keep that baby. I admit that we have treated them badly, we who watch from afar. Sorry about that.

For more on the story, visit the venerable news source, "Pink is the New Blog". I swear, sometimes it takes a celebrity web site to make you realize your own double standard.

It's time for my semi-annual, preachy blog post on do-goodery. In the midst of awards season, election fever, and the change in weather, I want to remember to get out there and make change happen.

My husband and son were actively involved in the Stop Hunger Now! packaging of meals held here in the Raleigh area last week. "Dash" got to run bags of meal back and forth...so he was happy. Our group packaged over 40,000 nutritious meals. Not shabby for a couple of hours of work.

My friends support the JDRF and their annual walk. What a good reason to stroll about in the Fall!

Banned Books Week is next week. Note your favorites on the splash page. Do what you can to learn about how to keep libraries free, open spaces for us all.

Regardless what you support or don't, you should vote. It feels, especially now as we enter troubled financial waters and tight races, that our one vote is insignificant. And it is. But we still get to do it, and that is something. Not everyone does. You can register with Barack or John, or you can rock. Editor's note: These sites are SUCH an improvement over having to find some out of the way library back in the day to go prove who you were and how old you were, etc.! This Internets thing is really wonderful!

There is a lot of talk, and will be in the next month, about faith-based organizations and the work they do to help the underpriveledged. I am an employee of a faith-based organization of sorts. I also have mixed feelings about such organizations. But I will not deny, and I will not have you malign, the important work they do for the least of these. At my place of work alone we are focusing on Stop Hunger Now, WIHN, Wee Care, Urban Ministries, ZOE, and a Red Cross blood drive. And that's just this week. Most folks I know are equally busy at their places of worship...it is really heartening, when you are low, to look around at the good work people do. I'm proud of you, friends - you know who you are!

That's enough preaching for one day. This all comes from me feeling so tiny and small, that the problems are so overreaching, and that the People StyleWatch didn't lift me up like I hoped it would. Sometimes I need to stop and remember that there are ways that I can bring hope and change, if only for a few, if only for a little while.

Don't tell my husband, but I just spent $80 on one undergarment. We won't call it a bra, we'll call it a brassiere.

When one has special needs, one seeks a specialist. So it was that I ventured to J. Alane's in the tony Lassiter shopping village. A girl who did not look unlike P!nk took me back, asked me outright my bra size, and then laughed as I measured two inches smaller in one area and two inches bigger in another. Who knew? She then pushed, pulled, and mauled me into the garment in question.

What does my eighty smackers get me? A French-made, long-lasting, uber-supportive brassiere that lifts the girls and smoothes, shapes, whatever else you can think of. Whilst other gals may spend their money on clothing consultants and wardrobe assistants, I went a bit deeper. I believe a solid foundation will serve me well.

I don't know whether or not to let my children see P!nk's new poignant, energetic video. I worry that my son would want to pee in bottles and offer it to people, and that they might start to understand heartbreak....

This could be terrifying or fun, depending on Guillermo's mood, I guess.

My (ancient, annoying, immortal) cat looks a lot like the Spaghetti Cat.

Also, I saw this on the treadmill today. Maybe Sarah Palin and Michelle could have a dance-off?

Happy Birthday, Beanie!

My husband's birthday involved yet another tropical system. As far as those monsters go, this one was mild. We lost power for all of five minutes and got five inches of needed rain. He got to sleep in, read the paper in bed, and enjoy pancakes. And then he had to GO!

I don't know why my husband, who is inherently a bit lazy, needs to go/run/do on Saturdays. It drives me nuts, but go we did. We went downtown to the new convention center, the International Festival, and the various food/artist/bizarre vendors surrounding both. Hubby had Nepalese food. My daughter and I had some bizarre Chinese sweet buns, and my son went Bangladeshi.

Then, my son and husband went out for a birthday afternoon of canvassing voters. That's right. He spent his birthday going door-to-door, talking to undecided voters. You gotta love this guy...or at least admire him...or puzzle, along with me, about what makes him tick.

They got a few people who were interested in chatting, someone who shut the door in their faces (my baby!), and a man who felt compelled to speak to them for an HOUR (my baby!) about Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers. Then they went and got Locopops.

Flush with political happy times, Hubby then watched his beloved Demon Deacons pull it out in the last minute! With that victory, he also enjoyed his new favorite beer - a Bud Light Lime. NOW are you puzzled about what makes him tick??

We ended the day with a special lasagna and a family viewing of "Stick It" and some special couple time. Was it a good birthday, Beanie? I hope so, 'cause you deserve it.

I'm tired of politics. So let's do some random musings.

At an exit on the beltline: a shiny black Honda convertible with the license tag "MBA JD". Good for you? Beside it, a shiny neon blue Nissan 350 Z or something with the tag "DROPOUT". Better for YOU!

The Tropical Storm called Hanna is now entering these parts. It feels like a snow day, except a lot more humid. I have chips, salsa, limes, and ground lamb for a special lasagna. Also, I have my trendy book. And HBO!

(My favorite thing about my job, by the way, is that my boss has a PhD in meterology. He has called four times today to report on INCOMING RAIN BANDS. I am out of my head with joy.)

The start of school is always so totally fraught. People upset about their teacher, their carpool situation, their child's behaviour. We've been dealing with tired monkeys who have bits of colds. And also the transition from summer to school, which sucks all around for everyone. Still, they are excited to go each day, and for that I am extremely grateful and proud. All this to say: I'm not going to complain because it's all pretty good.

Next weekend is a potential girls' beach weekend for me. I've not done this since 2002. And before that, I'm not sure that I ever did it. I'm nervous, as I sometimes drink too much and say things that offend or shock or whatever it is that I do. Also, I never sleep well away from home. But I'm also excited as this particular group of ladies has few who really get on my nerves, and the ones that do get on my nerves do so only occasionally. Really, I think I am the one who gets on nerves in this group. So barring a full-on attack from Hurricane Ike, I'll hopefully report back to you next week tanned, rested, and seriously hungover. Oh! And we're discussing the porn book. My husband said not to act any of it out, but if I did, make sure and film it.

From the Times:

"Asked if Ms. Palin would be able to juggle the demands of the vice presidency with her complicated family life, Mr.[Steve] Schmidt [McCain strategist] said, 'She’s been a very effective governor and again I can’t imagine that question being asked of a man.'"

OH REALLY? I beg to differ, Steve! John Edwards' main trouble, it always seemed to me, was that he continued to run for office though his wife had breast cancer. Granted, that guy dealt with his stress in a way less preferable than what you would want from a presidential hopeful, but still. Do not, Steve, play the gender card that way. I think we both know that when Governor Palin was picked as a VP candidate you she was not considered just for being an "effective governor".

I've not known how to put down my thoughts on Hillary in this forum, knowing that many of you read it are Republicans, some are devotedly in love with Senator Obama, and some couldn't give a shit about any politics....but you should know that I am one of those people who really wanted to see her win.

I know she had crooked real estate dealings. I know her "marriage" is non-traditional. I know she is power hungry. I know she's a bitch. ("Yeah. She is...and so am I....") Yet, I was given a chance to vote for a smart, qualified, experienced (please don't flinch when I use that word....Obama is plenty experienced and everyone knows it) candidate who cares about the issues I do and who happens to be a woman. This may not happen again in my lifetime, nor my daughter's. But I can tell my daughter, regardless, about the time someone really did put those 18,000 cracks in the glass ceiling and really changed things for women in America. I'll tell her, too, that on a pre-menstrual, rainy night I watched Hillary's speech at 3:30 a.m. (you try sleeping when your hormones are causing your synapses to snap, crackle and pop) and I cried...even when I was bored by the stats and politicospeak...because we had a chance to see what a woman can do leading America and that chance, for now, is gone.

I am supporting Obama/Biden 100% and I plan to talk to my fellow Hillary supporters (especially those who will perhaps head McCain's way) about why. I believe Obama will work with Senator Clinton, Speaker Pelosi, and other ladies in leadership positions. And finally, I think Michelle Obama will be as powerful a first lady as we've seen....not since the likes of....Hillary.

I just love the New York Times fashion moments...just a little video blurbette for the interested observer.

When I have time, I also peruse Face Hunter for street style. They are going further and further abroad, though, so I don't find it as accessible.

I know, I know, the Democratic National Convention starts and the Closing Ceremonies were ridiculous and it might RAIN HERE...shocker....but sometimes you need a break from all that seriousness.