She’s in her last semester of college. Let me repeat, COLLEGE. Repetition is only for my own awareness because hell to the no. I don’t have a child ready to graduate from college. She’s doing her senior project for design on a winery and this is the picture she’s using for her postcard invites.

DNA. Dude. You rock.

The venerable Neil from Citizen of the Month put together a mega-interview romp taking place here. Join if you’d like.

I had a great time getting to know Christina from Fairly Odd Mother. I’d seen her name often in the comment section of one of my favorite bloggers, Jenn of Breed ‘Em And Weep. Below is my interview of the astounding Odd Mom herself.

Let’s start off with something that fascinates me about you. Two words: Gunne Sax. Care to elaborate about this and/or your sister wives?

Gunne Sax: The early 80’s idea of “Prom Princess”, I suppose! I remember that I wanted a different style that had a bustle (!!!) but it cost too much, so I went for the “Little House on the Prairie” style. At least my parents knew there was NO way I was going to be fooling around in that dress!

Why do you blog? Both at Fairly Odd Mother and at New England Mamas.

I started FOM because I was going to use it to discuss our homeschooling adventure. From the start, though, I’ve used it more to tell little stories. These stories range from things that happened to me in the past, things that the kids said that day, or even things I’ve heard on the news.

I was invited to join New England Mamas at its inception and that has been a great way to meet other local blogging mamas, and also to just write about more regional things that may not make sense on FOM.

Is there anything you try to stay away from when writing?

Oh yeah, I’m super careful with what I say. When I first started the blog, I told anyone who would listen, “Hey! I have a blog!” This means that some relatives, friends, neighbors, church people, etc read my blog. Knowing that my husband’s 64 year old aunt may be stopping by sure keeps the curse words to a minimum! I have revealed a few personal facts about myself, but I don’t discuss negative family stuff, or complain about people who might read what I say. This can be frustrating at times.

You are quite the music freak lover. Rather, you are quite a freak about keeping track of the bands you’ve seen live. I notice that you got drunk on Peppermint Schnapps and went to a Kinks concert at age 14. (Awesome!) What’s rocking your world right now? (Also! WHAT? You hate U2?)

Mmmm. . .schnapps. I still love all things mint. I am a bit lame nowadays in terms of new music. My husband keeps up with more current things and every now and then he changes what is on my ipod so that I’m not stuck in the 90’s. My ipod has Lily Allen, Franz Ferdinand, Drop Kick Murphys and old Pixies. And, yes, I’m sorry but I really, really don’t like U2.

As an educator of course I’m interested in your homeschooling. What can you share with me about that experience? (And realize, I’m not looking for a confrontation on the home or school building issue. I’m just interested!)

There are days when homeschooling seems like the best idea ever—-we’ll spend a couple of hours doing lessons together, reading, talking, playing; the kids will pull out the arts & crafts and make ‘projects’; we’ll go our for a few hours and see friends. On those days, I’ll think, “ahhhh. . .this is why I’m doing this.” And, then. . . there are the days when my oldest fights with me over EVERYTHING; the kids bicker all day; an outing leaves me exhausted. On those days, I’ll think, “I wonder if she could get on the bus tomorrow.”

Fortunately, I have more of the former and less of the latter. I love the flexibility we have with our days and absolutely wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t enjoy it. I am also fortunate to live in a school district that is good to homeschoolers—we actually moved to this town because of its reputation for good schools!–and my kids may go to public school at different times in their lives; we’ll have to just see how things go and how each child reacts to homeschooling. We do believe in public school and have supported tax increases to help our schools (I only say this b/c some homeschoolers are very ‘anti school’).

Who do you read that inspires you?

I get inspiration for different areas of my life from the following books:
—for homeschooling, I turn to John Holt’s Teach Your Own
—for info on eating more mindfully and locally, I read Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Vegetable Miracle
—for advice on being a better parent, I rely on Faber & Mazlish’s How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk
—to feel part of this natural world, I love Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

Where do you see blogging in 10 years? Has it changed since you began?

I’m really not sure where I see blogging going. I have a feeling that people will become more ‘anonymous’ on their blogs—less photos of themselves and kids. Maybe there will be more ‘portals’ where bloggers who focus on a specific topic will ‘park’ themselves.

God love you for mentioning the Sweet Potato Queens. Tell me your favorite recipe. The one that will make my thighs expand upon reading it.

SPQ’s are the best! I can only hope I age with as much a sense of humor and love of life. My favorite Sweet Potato Queen recipe is Motor Home Marvel—-ice cream sandwiches in a single layer on bottom of 9×13″ pan. Pour caramel sauce over this, then cover with Cool Whip and then sprinkle with broken up bits of toffee. Mmmmmmmm. . .

Tell me about your Presidential choice.

For President—I’m excited about Obama because he seems ‘new’ and different. Clinton and McCain have been so firmly entrenched in DC politics for so long; I’d like to get new blood in there. Obama inspires me; but I also get nervous that he may be more style than substance. But, I also think that he would surround himself with good people and support many of the things about which I feel strongly.

Did I neglect to ask you anything you are dying to share?

In my 20’s, I bet someone $100 I’d never have children (I now have three and am in hiding from this person!); I honestly thought I’d be single forever; I just turned 40 this year which kind of freaks me out; my dad died three years ago of colon cancer and so I now believe that everyone should get a colonoscopy at 40 (I had mine!); I love watching Reality TV, although I prefer the odder shows vs the contest shows.

Thanks, Christina!

My boys were arguing with one another and logic flew right out the window with the 16-year old who reverted back to juvenile banter with his 12-year old brother.

Morgan: Oh yeah? Say it to my face!

Mason: You say it to MY face!

Morgan: Say it to my face!

Mason: Say it to my face!

Morgan: Say it to my butt!

My baby totally trumped his brother. That wins hands down in my book. Good mother that I am.

*cross posted at Flawed But Authentic*

Most of what I want to create in this space (and this space) is the ability to try to see things in life that seem, at first, like small differences in the lives of others. It’s been a good exercise for me to write something weekly (ahem!) about ways in which people make a difference and put something out into the universe with the intention of seeing just what comes back to them and to me. Though I must be careful to note that I don’t try to do good with the thought that something will benefit me. If it does, it’s intrinsic and simply a bonus. Kind of like getting an extra bit out of the toothpaste tube. You’re excited that you can have fresh breath and you don’t have to go buy more. Yet.

Recently, I got yelled at over the phone by a parent who is unhappy with their child’s educational experience.

Disclaimer: I pink, sparkly puffy heart my job. I spend my days looking around everywhere for a lesson to be learned, to support the hardest working people this planet has to offer, and searching for ways to be grateful that I spent my days being kind to the people who may perform neurosurgery on me should I ever need it. (Hack, cough, spit. Twohy!) But I will NOT be yelled at. I will not take unnecessary shit. I will not allow students the luxury of being unmotivated or privileged or entitled or snotty and then take the heat when they fail to perform up to the standard.

These aren’t mantras, but they are taking shape into who I am as an administrator. They are setting precedents and giving me permission to grow. And yet, in a quest to learn, they are allowing me to err.

As the parent got louder over the phone, so did I. I realized this when my officemates poked their heads out of their doors to see what was happening. He talked in circles and didn’t ever answer my questions, he moved onto other subjects. He was malicious when he spewed venom toward me by stating that he was glad our district was going to the Restructuring Phase and that the superintendent knew what he was doing because I, in his view, wasn’t qualified for my job. He hissed at me that he hoped I would get a demotion in the district debacle.

Eventually, I said that he was welcome to come in and meet with me since I only ever saw him “support” his son at basketball games where his son wasn’t even a player. But he had “been at the school ALL THE TIME” and I didn’t know what the hell I was doing and didn’t care about his son and tried my damnedest to get him kicked out.

The bulk of my body oozed out of my brain and splattered on the floor as I screamed inside my head YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW ME. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I DO AND SACRIFICE AND HOW I WANT FOR THESE KIDS.

This is what I wanted to say. Wanting is sometimes a terrible thing. Wanting and not getting and wanting and foundering around in a total collapse of effort is devastating.

I yelled back and eventually hung up on him. Normally, I might feel vindicated that I said what I wanted to say when I wanted to say it. Like in the movie You’ve Got Mail when Tom Hanks’ character says:

“Have you ever become the worst version of yourself. That a pandora’s box of all the hateful things, your spite, your arrogance, your condecension has sprung open? Someone upsets you and instead of smiling and walking away… you zing them. “Hello it’s Mr Nasty”. I’m sure you have no idea what I’m talking about… “

Then, remember? When later on Meg Ryan’s character actually tells him off and she is crestfallen over it?

That’s how I felt. Crestfallen. Despondent. Forlorn.

Mr. Nasty doesn’t apologize for what he says. Neither would I, but I would change, if I could, my inclination to puke it out the way that I did. The aftertaste is a sonofabitch.

Best I can hope for is to do better next time. Be flawed, but be better at the next opportunity.