TodaysMama

Someone Happy About the Food Crisis

And it's Uganda . . .

I heard this on NPR/BBC last night.  40% of 10 million metric tons of bananas . . . ROT.   Milk production is up so much that they have to literally pour some away.  Uganda has trade barriers and no where to sell the bananas.  We do so many efficient things in this world.  It never ceases to amaze . . .

MESSY is the new NEAT!

Finally someone is backing me up! "Neatness is overrated. Let those stacks of papers pile up on your desk. Don't worry about the laundry tossed in the corner. Let the icons clutter your computer screen. And whatever you do, stop obsessing over your letter perfect filing system. Bless your mess, says the new group of 'mess-iahs' spreading the gospel of healthy disorganization."

I knew it! Some organizing is actually wasting our time, confusing us more, and making us less productive! AMEN! Take the 2 hours a day you spend organizing and straightening and spend them with your family instead!

Well I say PRAISE! to those mess-iahs! I can quit trying to exorcize my evil cluttery ways!

Read the full article at TIME.com

Womb Transplants Ethical?

The question was raised in the article "Womb transplants may become reality" The argument is that the transplants may not be ethical because they are not organs are not needed to preserve life. Huh - but a transplant like this helps create life and improves quality of life. Transplantation has more history and traction behind it than stem cell research why is a womb all of the sudden contraversial? They do cornea transplants - and those are not necessary to sustain life.

In my opinion if the donor or donor family checks the box to designate that it is all right with them to donate the organ the biggest issue has been addressed.

"Approximately 1,800 heart-beating, but brain-dead, organ donors were identified through an existing donor network. The removal of several organs took place in about 150 of the donors and 9 had specifically consented to donate their uterus."

Looks like there could be more solutions on the horizon for women struggling with infertility!

MSNBC "What's the real measure of a good mom?"

A great article on MSNBC: What's the real measure of a good mom?

My opinion, and I'm an idealist . . . the solution is to begin by changing the expectations that we put on ourselves! Society is not the root of the probelm - WE ARE - and we reinforce and propogate what ensues.

We can't change what the world thinks-- but we can certainly change how we think and that's the best place to start. I've found that the most critical people I know begin by being overly critical to themselves. As mothers we burden ourselves with expectations that can't be reached and of course the guilt follows. If we can start by being a bit more realistic with ourselves I think we can start cutting each other a little more slack. It's a chain reaction - it's easier to forgive others when your own "self talk" is in realistic mode. It's time to get comfortable in our own skin and let the world follow.

As for the men? Well they are coming along! :) Again, this goes back to the expecations that we enforce in our lives. I don't feel guilty having a girls night out and my husband isn't put out when I do. He does the dishes and changes diapers just as much as me (if not more at times). I read a study that says that men today spend 75% more time with their children and in daily child rearing activities than our fathers did. I'd venture to say that the reason things are changing is that our expectations for our husbands and relationships have changed. So the bottom line KEEP CHANGING FOR THE BETTER! The world will follow . . .

P.S. Notice that one of our mama's Muffy Mead-Ferro was a source in the article! AMEN! She also had a great article on TodaysMama.com about Brittany and our "expectations" - check it out!

"So welcome to motherhood, Britney. The most important job in the world and yet you won’t do it perfectly no matter how hard you try. Motherhood is conducted by human beings, and perhaps mothers aren’t even supposed to be perfect (despite what can be done with airbrushing). I’m pretty sure children aren’t meant to be perfect, either. But is that a bad thing? In spite of the fact that mistakes are unavoidable, maybe what’s most important is to correct them, move on, and forgive ourselves." (Muffy Mead-Ferro)

An end to the very confusing holiday-greeting quandry

I swear it used to be a lot easier than this! This is a screen shot of a Christmas card my friend sent me . . .

BRATZ RULE!

According to the latest TIME magazine 2006 was a good year for BRATZ dollZ. "With their spunky attidude and streetwise style, the cat-eyed dolls had their best year ever, tallying $2.5 billiong-plus in sales and relegating Barbie to the uncool girls' table."

Hooray for BRATZ! I'm so glad that I've got such great wholesome role modelZ stocking the shelves of stores for my little girl! I'm especially excited for when they release their new lines of SkankZ, Victoria's Secret AngelZ, and Porn StarZ dolls. I think they're on to something!

Anything else belongs on the uncool girls table! Way to go BRATZ! I hope your little dollies don't have STD'Z.