Radio Silence

I have been working on a book about my mother and about losing one's mother while becoming one. As I have rushed to write new essays and edit old content, some of which has appeared here, especially during our summer with my mother over the years, I realize that I have not been posting. This space has been my most consistent journal *ever* and it has provided the base for this book, yet as I move deeper into the book I have fewer words to share at the moment. One only has so many words at a time, I suppose, even someone as loquacious as I.

Gendered parenting

Felix, now 3.5, asked me to paint his nails red and I did. Only later did I realize that had he been a girl I would likely have refused. Bring on the guyliner.

Scenes from a life

Laddish at Izzy's third birthday

Watching Dispicible Me at the dentist's office

Mama I luv u (by Soren)

A nap at my office

Felix & his snail at the Getty Center

Astrid in the Getty gardens

Aroon, Felix, & Soren watching the Korean fan dancers

The only picture of me and all three kids of which I am aware (taken by Jinah K while watching the fan dancers)

mama + me on the beach at the cape

mama + me on the beach at the cape
Originally uploaded by jmss.

This is probably 1979 or 1980 (do I look 2?)

On Frida Kahlo

S to me on the drive to school:

That artist with one eyebrow...

Frida Kahlo?

Yes, Frida, she took all of her sadness and pain and made paintings with it.

That is a good thing to do with feelings. Make them into paint.

Joyeuse Paques

Internet Love

Aiming with Peter from across the living room:

Jennifer Stager
11:18
does FTW mean for the win?

11:19
radavasquez
Yes, and for the record, I think less of people who use that, or "fail" or "win" in poorly constructed sentences.
e.g. Total fatherhood fail!

11:20
Jennifer Stager
I always wanted FTW to mean for the record, but got stuck on the W so whenever I see it I think "for the record %$^"

11:21
radavasquez
Yes, I also think less of people who mash on the number row to substitute profanity.
Only exception: Warner Brothers looney tunes cartoon noises to mask it

11:22
Jennifer Stager
that was meant to symbolize a robot losing power, like I get stuck on the fact that "record" does not begin with W, but I do use number row for profanity often


11:23
radavasquez
Perhaps you can get inspired by the Berkeley, CA punk label Fat Wreck Wreckords.
Most popularly publishing NoFX albums, since they were started by Fat Mike

11:23
Jennifer Stager
11:23
ok

***
Many years ago when I was online dating, some guy signed his message LOL and I thought to myself "love me? you don't even know me!"

Although I did not meet my partner online, I would never have met him without it. For a short spell I dated a comedian whom I met online and he introduced me to his friend Leila who became my friend Leila and sometime later Leila introduced me to Peter. Leila also offered me my first recurring pseudonymous roll as a character in her blog.

It was some time later that I came to realize LOL means laughing out loud.