Raven mother

I discovered that in German, "rabenmutter" (raven mother) is a put-down, a derogatory term for a mother who doesn't care about her kids - particularly mothers who put their kids in day-care to go back to work. A mother who flies away from the nest, so to speak.

But since I don't have a gut-level grasp of the implications, to me "raven mother" sounds really cool. I am a raven mother, hear me caw!

In other news, this morning Annika would not put on pants except the ones with dinosaurs on them. Pink flower-embroidered shirt, and T-REX pants!

Resolved

In this illustrious and numerically lovely year 2010, I resolve that:

- I will cook a new recipe at least once a month. January is already taken care of.

- I will listen to two new songs a week if it kills me! And it just might, you never know. That's what I call living dangerously.

- I will spend no less than two hours a week petting and/or cuddling my cats. Strictly for their own good, of course.

- I will drink good beer at least once a month, and eat dark chocolate at least once a week, on the grounds that alcohol and chocolate have recently been deemed health foods and staying healthy is very important to me.

- If at any time I find myself feeling guilty about what cannot be helped (for instance, the inescapable fact that spending more time at work means spending less time at home), I will promptly find something to do or think about that provides a more sensible reason for feelings of guilt.