Kristin Bennett's Open Salon Blog

Man Who Gave Birth To You

Wed, 30 May 2012 22:05:37 -0400

Really?

I just got an email with a message that mentioned something about this….it started out with “Father’s Day” something or other and I had all these warm fuzzy feelings about my husband but when I saw something about a man giving birth to me?? Really??

I don’t know Groupon… but my “Dad” who did do his sperm donation and financial contribution part of the deal…certainly did NOT give birth to me. I mean seriously, I’m a mom, I have two “baby daddy’s” and I can tell you that the one that gave me that warm fuzzy feeling? The one I live with and am married to? He did NOT give birth to our two babies that WE made. Contributed to their creation, yes. Gave birth to them? No.

I must say though, some people don’t take this notion quite so seriously….I remember the disturbing moment that a women, scratch that, a MOTHER described her dog to me, as her “first born”. I almost cried on the spot for the woman’s ten year old child who obviously WAS her first “born” however clearly had somehow had the title taken by a canine…I don’t understand but hey, to each their own, and there are some great therapists out there for her when she grows up!!

So, anyway, father’s day, the guy who gave birth to me, if I’m able to keep myself from being all hypothetical and waxing poetic about whose lessons led me to where I am, I am guessing they meant my “dad”. I’ll be sure to send/give him something, not sure what, but yeah. Interesting ad, got me thinking all deep and stuff…I’ll spend the day with the real father in my life which is the man I’m happily married too…xoxo. Oh, and those Omaha Steaks? I’d like some too!!!

My Kids…

Mon, 28 May 2012 22:05:47 -0400

My kids drive me crazy,
Yes all three,
The whole lot.
They say they’re not tired
but they are
yet the’re not.
They cry and they squeal,
choke each other,
and squeal,
They’re driving me nuts
Yes they are
but they’re not.

They Lied To My Child

Mon, 28 May 2012 19:05:04 -0400

But they said...

Just a moment ago I was looking for something I could relate to, maybe some advice about how to deal with a situation that we are seemingly facing quite a bit, which is people lying to my child. What I found was a lot of advice for dealing with lying kids, which really just pissed me off because one of my basic core philosophies about children is that they never ARE the problem…they are EXPERIENCING a problem. Take my situation for example, these lame people are lying to my baby! Does this mean she will learn it is ok to lie? I hope not. We talk about these lies, and why the people are doing it, and why it is not right since it hurts people.

But I know it still hurts her. Those people promised her two of those baby animals she so enthusiastically helped raise. Why would they do that? Why not just be honest that they will be selling them? I don’t know, but that is what they did. They went so far as to ask her which ones, marked them with ankle tags, and then sold them within a few days. For about $30. What was the worst part? They did it IN FRONT OF HER. We even tried to intervene…they played dumb like they “thought it was another (animal)” even though the animals WERE MARKED.

When I approached them about this…it was laughable. They said they would try to “breed another one like that”. Which is of course a semi-nice gesture but it doesn’t do a thing for the hole that my baby felt when she watched what she felt were hers being packed up to go. They lied to her. I was in shock when they didn’t seem to “get it” I mean, the woman is a mother!

This event happened some time ago but is what the first major sign was that we need to move on. I want to raise my children in an honest, loving environment. I wonder how many other kids (maybe all?) are experiencing this kind of BS, I am willing to bet that a lot of them are, but that isn’t what people are concerned with, based on the search results people seem to only be concerned with the resulting lies these innocent children end up telling…because that was the example that someone set for them.

I want a “Hybrid Minivan”

Mon, 28 May 2012 11:05:42 -0400

I just found myself again googling “hybrid minivan” and it doesn’t look like we have one yet…as I get closer and closer to being a minivan mom I am watching closely…if you are interested in this too make sure you follow the comments as I’ll post updates there as I get them..and if you hear anything please let me know too!

I have heard that the Toyota Sienna has one in another country that is hybrid (see Toyota Sienna here) but that it hasn’t made it to the US yet. I am not aware of any other ones but am definitely keeping my eyes open. Sometimes even just out driving I see a new hybrid that looks like it “might” have two rows in the backseat…

With three kids though I am feeling like it is definitely more of a need than a want. I would love to be able to transport all my kids plus one or two of their friends without major planning, just saying. I can also imagine having some of our friends hanging out with us over the summer too once school is out, but that won’t really work with the vehicles we’ve got now…that I would happily trade in towards a minivan. I really want a hybrid minivan because it is what makes sense for both the environment and my pocketbook. My Mercury has been over $70 to fill up recently, and that is with the lowest grade of gas!

So yes, I am using this post as an informational post to pass along info that I get about hybrid minivans and to collect information from anyone who is kind enough to share it…I am hoping I’ll be referencing this one a lot as I get closer to bringing one of these hybrid minivans home.

Here is one article that I keep finding when I google “hybrid minivans” it looks like a site that is (hopefully) keeping up with this and that I’ll keep checking on…fingers crossed!!! If the hybrid model becomes available soon I’m totally in but I don’t know if I’ll be so eager if I have already made another minivan purchase…we shall see.

Masturbation or Prostitution? Office, um, needs?

Sat, 26 May 2012 20:05:54 -0400

Wow, I heard a preview yesterday on KUOW about this book, I meant to listen to the show but totally missed it. It talked about a novel that has an interesting “cure” for office sexual harassment. I even asked Geoff to remind me but we both forgot and well, yeah.

So I just searched on KUOW and found the show about the book which has a memorable and implying title… “Lightning Rods” so anyway I found and listened to this fascinating part of the show that was with Helen DeWitt who is the author of Lightning Rods and wow!:

It’s a short clip but WOW, paying for school by working in this discreet almost classy yet anonymous form of prostitution? Fascinating. I am very curious to find out if someone tries to actually do this…I kind of doubt it but I’m sure a great number of people will be wishing it was true…whether they admit it or not.

Yeah…interesting to say the least. I think I might add it to my wishlist on Amazon…

But really…is this more of a masturbation thing (since they are alone pretty much…at least other party is anonymous) or a prostitution thing (since the women are compensated)? I’m not convinced that this would stop sexual harassment regardless of how it is described…seems guys might even get worse and start asking female coworkers “are you a