I have been known to be one of those people who impetuously sign up to volunteer for things waaaaay ahead of time and then end up regretting it a few days before. My friends realize this and are never tire of making fun of me for it.
A couple of months ago, I signed up to volunteer as a project manager for Ignite Seattle. You can read more about it here. Project managing basically means that I help take care of the logistical and planning details of four events a year – everyone else on the team actually does all of the work (setting up lighting, audio and video, emceeing). I make checklists and try to make sure the trains run on time.
Several weeks into it, I realized that I don’t really have alot of time to do this. I am a single mother. I have a full time job. I also have a part time job (this blog), I am trying to start a web design business and my commute time is ridiculous. Now I volunteer? It’s sometimes overwhelming to think about.
On the day of the last event I left my day job early, picked up beer for the volunteers, drove to venue and was chiding myself for taking even more time away from the things I love (Paige, this blog, sleep). WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF? WHY?
But this girl along with 15 other people got up to speak in front of 600+ people and it was total magic. THIS IS WHY I DO THIS – to see people like Jenny Ingram get up on stage and rock.
ON ANOTHER NOTE …
I am participating in a campaign with LG (and Jane Lynch!) where I’ve been selected as a LG TextEd Ambassador. Each week we discuss issues around teens and texting. This weeks topic? Decoding Your Teen’s Texting Lingo. You can read what some opinionated ladies have to say about it right here. Each comment left on the posts listed below benefits DoSomething.org with a $0.50 donation up to $5,000!
This fall, Rebecca, Mindy and I teamed up with OpenSky to promote a new shoppable video series. OpenSky is a new online shopping destination that acts as a bridge between suppliers and sellers. Any blogger could essentially open an online store based on the selection of goods provided by a variety of suppliers all around the US. I think it’s an interesting and fun concept and as a special bonus to all of you, Momversation will be securing exclusive discounts like the ones that you see below.
Leave it to me to pick a very practical and utilitarian canvas bag for my fall luxury item. I am not so sure that I really believe in luxury items – I think everything you own should be a little luxury. Stop buying crap you don’t like and save up for the things that you love. Some friends of mine would say, “That’s soooo Vashon of you.” SERIOUSLY.
The items featured on this video can be purchased by clicking on the thumbnails or BUY NOW links below:
Thomas Paul – Robin Tote
Normal retail price- $50
10% discount price- $45
Discount Code: giyen10
Last night Paige and I had this conversation about Communism, Denmark, the former Soviet Union and the Dalai Lama. I don’t know how we got started, but I know I pretty much blew her mind up with two words – BREAD LINES. The thought of having to wait in line for bread (when her mother bakes fresh loaves at home) is unfathomable. When I told her that bread lines were still relevant to the Soviet Union in the 1990′s, she had two simple words for me – NO. WAY.
WAY.
P: “I thought that only happened in ‘olden’ times.”
We then got on the topic of Communism and China. No one should start talking about China right before bedtime. It’s too much. You can go on endless tangents like – What do you think the factory workers are thinking about when they make those millions of rubber duckies? Do you think that they think Americans have some sort of weird duck fetish? Do they wonder what we do with all those rubber ducks? Or why we keep ordering more each year?
Why? Even I can’t explain why.
I went on to tell her that the government in China used to strongly discourage the practice of any type of religion. Her reaction – “What! What about Buddhism? What about the Dalai Lama? What do they do with him?”
M: “He doesn’t live in China.”
P: “WHHHHAAATTT?”
M: “His home is Tibet, but he doesn’t live there either. He lives in exile in India.”
P: “WHHHHAAATTT?”
M: “Tibet is currently occupied by China. The Chinese government is not fond of the Dalai Lama at all.”
P: “That’s crazy. Who doesn’t like the Dalai Lama?”
M: “That’s a good question.”
Next topic.
P: “Where is Amsterdam? I can’t remember.”
M: “WHHHHHAATTT?”
P: “I heard Amsterdam was a cool place to go.”
M: “Like what kind of cool? Who told you this? Why do you want to go there?”
P: “Geez. I just asked you what country Amsterdam was in.”
Change subjects.
P: “Where’s the happiest place on earth again?”
M: “Denmark.”
P: “Why are they so happy?”
M: “Well, lots of reasons. Free health care. Free education. There is this feeling of equality amongst the Danes. They have a saying ‘Jante-lov’ which means ‘You’re no better then anybody else.”
P: “They probably think the rest of the world is crazy”
M: “I don’t think they even care. But it’s not all great, they do pay a lot of taxes.”
P: “How much?”
M: “Between 40% and 70% of your income.”
P: “WHHHHHAATTT?”
M: “Yep – but they happily do so.”
P: “Mom?”
M: “Yes, Paige?”
P: “Can you please stop talking and leave me alone? I am trying to go to sleep.”
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