Category: life

Enemies of the Art Part 2–Psychic Vampires

From the blog of Kristen Lamb:

The first enemy we discussed, was Approval Addiction. Today, we discuss Psychic Vampires. We all know them and likely are related to more than a few. These are the complainers, the whiners, the neverending-vortexes-of-need, the flakes, the wafflers, the haters, the critics and the bullies.

Writing is a unique profession. We are in the entertainment business which means we wear many, many hats. We are artists, but we are also entrepreneurs in a marketplace with staggering competition, where discoverability is nothing short of a nightmare.

Our profession is also distinctive because our emotions and state of mind cannot be separated from our work. Anything that drains us, distracts us, discourages us can spell death if not dealt with early and swiftly. Toxic people will poison our muse, the root system of our art.

For the rest of the article see: Enemies of the Art Part 2–Psychic Vampires.

Moms of a “certain age” ROCK.

Moms of a “certain age” ROCK.

I’m pretty disgusted at the way the media and a few other writers try to explain how guilty “older mothers” should feel. They portray us as selfish work obsessed driven women who are desperately grasping at the last straws of youth. Give me a f_ing break.

Excuse me? What is their problem? Why can’t they just get over it? Why can’t they mind their own business? My great-grandmother was 44 when my grandmother was born in 1908. Women over 40 have been having happy, healthy, well-adjusted babies for centuries. And oh, did I forget to mention that women over 35 will continue to have SEX with men – and not feel guilty about it.

At 53 I feel younger and more hip than I have in years. No I’m not dressing in stupid looking clothes from the junior department or acting foolish.

The reason I feel young is because I have a 13 year old daughter.

She was born a few months shy of my 40th birthday.

I didn’t delay having children due to my career. I just wanted it to be the right time with the right man.

Yes, I suppose, much to the chagrin of past boyfriends of mine (many of them nice, handsome, smart men) I could have just had a baby on my own but that didn’t happen. I didn’t want to be a single mom. Also the first man I’ll planned to have kids with died. I don’t have to explain that to anyone – and it isn’t anyone’s business.

I had a few infertility issues. No guilt there. I used painkillers during labor. No guilt there. I’m in my 50’s and not even thinking of grandkids. No guilt there.

Nor do I have guilt about only having one child. At least once every few weeks someone mentions how close my daughter and I are. We talk. We laugh. She talks and laughs with her dad.  We’re a tight little family. And so no guilt there either.

I’ve had 5 miscarriages (the first when I was in my 20’s). I have one perfect, wonderful and amazing child. I am happy. No guilt there either.

If you are a good parent, no matter what your age, what your income, what your sexual preference or what your choices in your past life are – screw everyone who questions your judgment or makes you try to feel bad about your parenting choices.

There is nothing to feel bad about if you have a happy, healthy, successful, well-adjusted child with a good sense of humor. Period. End of article.

~ Marla Todd Kings (aka Charlotte’s mom)

My happy well adjusted daughter Charlotte - at a regional artistic roller skating championship - doing what she loves to do (I can't skate, I just glue stones on the dress and cheer. She picked the sport.)
My happy well adjusted daughter Charlotte – at a regional artistic roller skating championship – doing what she loves to do (I can’t skate, I just glue stones on the dress and cheer. She picked the sport.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more on parenting (in a weird offbeat sort of way) visit the blog Vampiremaman.com (musings of a modern Vampire mom).

 

10 Rape Prevention Tips

Don’t throw rape back in the faces of women. Women who are raped don’t ask for it. They don’t want it. They are not to blame. 

 

Ten rape prevention tips:

1. Don’t put drugs in women’s drinks.

2. When you see a woman walking by herself, leave her alone.

3. If you pull over to help a woman whose car has broken down, remember not to rape her.

4. If you are in an elevator and a woman gets in, don’t rape her.

5. When you encounter a woman who is asleep, the safest course of action is to not rape her.

6. Never creep into a woman’s home through an unlocked door or window, or spring out at her from between parked cars, or rape her.

7. Remember, people go to the laundry room to do their laundry. Do not attempt to molest someone who is alone in a laundry room.

8. Use the Buddy System! If it is inconvenient for you to stop yourself from raping women, ask a trusted friend to accompany you at all times.

9. Carry a rape whistle. If you find that you are about to rape someone, blow the whistle until someone comes to stop you.

10. Don’t forget: Honesty is the best policy. When asking a woman out on a date, don’t pretend that you are interested in her as a person; tell her straight up that you expect to be raping her later. If you don’t communicate your intentions, the woman may take it as a sign that you do not plan to rape her.

Don’t throw rape back in the faces of women. Women who are raped don’t ask for it. They don’t want it. They are not to blame.