New Year’s Resolutions are for quitters

Posted by Catherine on Dec 31, 2009 in Impending nervous breakdown, Politics

According to the Wall Street Journal, most people promise to quit something in the New Year. Smoking, drinking, and overeating are the biggies. Over 80% of the population vows to quit one of these evils, yet only 1 out of 5 will actually keep the resolution past a few weeks. When you quit on quitting [...]

Tags: creative loafing, New Year's Resolutions, Political Whore, Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus

My annual newsletter

Posted by Catherine on Dec 29, 2009 in Family, Friends, Parenting

‘Tis the season for holiday cards and form letters. That’s right. Check out those cards and one or two are usually stuffed with an annoying newsletter. Some family you hardly talk to sends along an impressive list of achievements designed to catch you up. It’s filled with boring anecdotes about the family vacation in Paris, [...]

“The yellow one’s the sun!” Why science projects suck.

Posted by Catherine on Dec 24, 2009 in Parenting

There aren’t many statements that bring on a headache like, “Mom, we have to pick a science project.” I know history and literature. Graphing data and proving a hypothesis makes me tired and confused. When my kids ask for help that doesn’t include a fun dissertation on why Woodrow Wilson was an ass, they almost [...]

Volunteering can be tricky

Posted by Catherine on Dec 21, 2009 in Family, Parenting

My children’s school requires parents to volunteer their time. I believe the requirement is five hours a year. Not bad right? Technically, my five hours were up that time I drove a car full of 4th grade boys to a cultural fair and spent the day bankrolling lemonade purchases after all their money “disappeared” near [...]

Christmas and Chanukah…they don’t even sound alike

Posted by Catherine on Dec 10, 2009 in Family, Parenting, Religion

From one of my first gigs with The Tampa Tribune in 2004… For parents, holidays provide one teachable moment after another, and by New Year’s, most of us are tired of learning experiences almost as much as turkey. Like most, my children are captivated by Christmas lights. They marvel at dazzling colors and illuminated figures [...]

What do you want for Chanukah?

Posted by Catherine on Dec 8, 2009 in Family, Parenting

Pretty simple question, right? I can’t get much of an answer out of my kids. I asked for wish lists and Oldest handed me a note where he wrote: “Best Chanukah gift – Love.” Okay, Mother Theresa, you wanna relax? You’ve been hanging out with your Nana too much. Still. The season isn’t about presents. [...]

Thoughts and concerns (while fighting the good fight)

Posted by Catherine on Dec 2, 2009 in Family, Friends, Health Issues

I’m not comfortable posting details about my health right now. Not sure why. Maybe because writing a scene is challenging when you don’t know how the story ends? (Besides, you have my number.) If you don’t, scour the restrooms at Skipper’s Smokehouse. Or wait until I write about it (when I’m damn good and ready.) [...]

Christmas tree shopping with the Jews

Posted by Catherine on Dec 1, 2009 in Family

There are many family traditions the weekend after Thanksgiving. Some clans shop, others watch football, while a few travel back home vowing never to go near certain relatives again. I’m no different. In addition to eating leftovers, feeling fat, drinking enough cocktails to kill a Kennedy, and then self-loathing until I’m damn-near suicidal, it’s also [...]

Tags: Christmas tree shopping