Strolling ‘Round My Cyberhood

I feel like taking a stroll this fine February 15th, but if you care to join me, grab a hat and some mittens, because it’s a bit zippy iup here in the North…

I enjoyed this post by Et Tu?.  I think she helps explain the legitimate need for community in the life of a stay-home mother, and why the internet, when used moderately, can be a valuable life line.  I found myself whole-heartedly relating to her words, particularly a few years back (when everyone was a lot “littler”), but even still today. 

Mongoose Momis a brand new blogger, and from what I hear (from her “real life” friend chewymom), we’re a lot alike, so that means I’m now curiously looking forward to seeing what she’s got to say. Feel free to drop byand bid her a warm welcome to the blogosphere.

Speaking of chewymom, I really enjoyed her post last weekabout things experienced by herself and her husband (whose blog, The Tumbler, is a great read, btw) as they’ve been walking out of legalistic Christianity. A teaser:

Over the course of our Christian, married life (which encompasses almost 20 years, five cities, and seven churches), we’ve grown tired of being told how to uphold the Sabbath–Don’t drive through KFC! Don’t mow the grass! Be sure you attend Sunday School, morning worship, and evening worship, all three!

We’re tired of being told what to believe about women. Women cannot be elders. Or deacons. Or hand out the bulletin or collect the offering! They must be silent. They cannot hold an opinion unless their husband tells them to. Always wear makeup in public! And the reason women have these restrictions is that they are too emotional and can’t be trusted to think.

The church has become downright Pharisaical in many instances, adding to the law and making Christianity a noose around the believer’s neck. Don’t have a tattoo! Don’t listen to rock music! Always give 10% of your money to your local church! Thou shalt not vote for a Democrat. Keep your finances perfectly! Don’t drive a clunker car to church, or it might make us look bad… [continue reading]

My “amazing chef” girlfriend just sent me a link to this no-knead bread recipe, which she said,

Sara brought over this amazing bread last weekend and we’ve made 4
loaves since then.  It is bakery style bread – chewy, dense with a tough
crust – and it is absolutely the easiest bread ever to make!  I made it
with 1/2 whole wheat with good results.  Now I can’t wait to try adding
garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and who knows what else?  We love dipping it
in the olive oil & balsamic vinegar you gave us Moll.  Just had to share.

Lest you think that means I’ll make the bread, I won’t.  I might next month, though.  This month, I’ve pretty much given up cooking altogether. 

The play I’m in (The King and I) is showing in less than a WEEK (oh man, I just broke out in a sweat, typing those words!) and…let’s just say I’m busy.  It’s been REALLY fun though, in a seriously challenging way… Heh heh heh…  The first song Tuptim has to sing is…so high (”My Lord and Master,”) and so still has me completely freaked out (singing that high for that long in front of that many people???) but narrating the Uncle Tom’s Cabin ballet is really fun. 

I’m getting voice lessons regularly so that they can get the “contemporary flavor” out of my voice, which is, on the one hand, interesting and fun (to be challenged to get better at a particular style) and the teachers are so incredibly great (wow), but on the other hand, not so fun, in that I, personally, really don’t care for this particular style.  In the meantime, enunciate, enunciate, enunciate!  That’s my new vocal mantra…

The passionate lover’s trysts were kind of weird at first, but that’s getting more normal feeling, and the whipping scene…well, that was/is just plain hard.  I have to get thrown down and beg for mercy and stretched out to be beaten and then hauled off stage over a guy’s shoulder, screaming my last lines (before I get the ax, offstage).

Laying there crumpled on the stage floor was fine and all, but the sobbing was kind of…weird.  I wanted to do it but…I just couldn’t.  So my director had to come up and cry hysterically for me, because I was too embarrassed to even TRY it.  That was really weird, but, surprisingly, helped so much.  In fact, after that point, I could do it.  It was like the ice was broken and it got wonderfully easier to try, and I hope will only get more so.  Long story short, the great lesson I’ve learned from being in this production is that I’m getting much better at hysterics now.  HA! 

For those few of you who know about my wacko health saga, I’m happy to report that I seem to be getting better and better.  It is very exciting!  I have a big fat neurological check up thing in March, where I’ll get a million-zillion tests, but in the meantime, I feel more and more like my body is coming back to normal.  Well, at least to Molly-style normal.