Why this layoff is easier than the last one

The last time I was laid off was April of 2000. I have been very, very lucky. And this time, I have it a lot easier:

• I own a home and am married so I have someone else to lean on.
• I have the Boo, who is terrific company.
• I have an excuse not to work (SAHM, at least for now).
• It's summertime.
• I'm in a much better frame of mind about it.
• I was at my place for almost five years, so I got really great severance. At my other place? Only 10 months.

I will be OK. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

The summer of death continues

First Ed McMahon.

Then Farrah Fawcett.

Then Michael Jackson.

Then Billy Mays.

Now my job.

Yes, it's true: I got laid off. I honestly am not surprised so there's no shock, but I'm still processing it. I get severance and unemployment. I will be OK. But this is a cruel summer.

Declaring my independence

We're about to enter one of the biggest weekends of the summer, the one surrounding the Fourth of July. My grandmother always says that after the Fourth, the summer is all over. It always pissed me off, but this year, the summer has not even begun. Yes, we've had rain rain rain, but I'm not going to complain about it -- it is what it is.

This year, in honor of Independence Day, I vow to work to declare my independence from:

• Self-sabotaging thoughts. As the old music teacher said to his students, "You are better than you think."
• My insecurities about being a mom. I am doing the best I can, every day, with the knowledge I have.
• Toxic relationships, past and present. It's funny how old baggage hangs around. Time to be dumped.

There are more, I'm sure. Just always working to be a better person. It's a process, not a destination.

Have a great Fourth!

Singin' about the rain

With all this rain, M and I were thinking about the songs that mention it. Here are the 20 we came up with:

• Singin' in the Rain -- Gene Kelley
• Blame It on the Rain -- Milli Vanilli (sort of)
• Rain -- Madonna
• Let It Rain -- Amanda Marshall (one of my favorite songs)
• I'm Only Happy When It Rains -- Garbage
• The Rain Song -- Led Zeppelin
• I Wish It Would Rain Down -- Phil Collins
• Rain -- The Beatles
• Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head -- BJ Thomas
• Red Rain -- Peter Gabriel
• Purple Rain -- Prince
• Fool in the Rain -- Led Zeppelin
• Rainy Days and Mondays -- The Carpenters
• The Rain -- Missy Elliot
• Rainy Day Woman -- Bob Dylan
• It's Raining Men -- The Weather Girls
• Don't Rain on My Parade -- Various, largely attributed to Barbra Streisand
• November Rain -- Guns N Roses
• It Never Rains in Southern California -- Albert Hammond
• Rain, Rain Go Away -- Traditional

Here are more songs.

Any more to add?

Michael Jackson memories

"Beat it, no one likes to be defeated..."


"If you're thinking of being my baby, it don't matter if you're black or white..."


"And my momma always told me, be careful who you love, be careful what you do, because the lies become the truth..."


"And if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change..."

So much has been said about Michael, especially well-written in this post from my friend Dan and this one from SonicClash. But in some ways, I feel like words aren't enough at a time like this. Yes, he was a weirdo. Yes, he was wildly inappropriate with young boys -- and no, I would not let my son have a sleepover at his house. But he was also a genius. He helped define my childhood in the '80s. My son will never understand his influence and stardom, because by the time he came along, MJ was a freakshow whose talent was ebbing.

But how can you top Thriller?

The Pepsi commercial?

Bubbles the chimp?

Neverland?

A tortured genius taken too soon. Sleep well, Michael Jackson. Maybe in the next life you'll find peace.

The wait for Jon and Kate

So I admit: I had never heard of Jon and Kate Plus 8 until all the tabloid headlines. I'm not a big TV person, and the only thing I ever watched on TLC was Trading Spaces and maybe a few epis of What Not to Wear. But since they've become such a pop culture phenom, I figgered I better tune in. I checked out the season premiere and found it boring except for the drama. I hadn't watched it since, until this big announcement. Yes, boys and girls, Jon and Kate have filed for divorce (as TLC put on the screen in white letters on a black background, like someone died or something).

I found Monday's episode painful to watch. I've been married for seven years, been with the hubby for going on 10, and living with him for nine of those years. I adore him and he me, but marriage can be rough. Throw a kid into the mix, and it puts a strain on even the best marriage. Throw in eight kids in three years...well, I can barely fathom it. So I cringed when they talked about the dissolution of their union. I can't even imagine and hope I never have to. I have to say, I feel for those kids, because they are the ones who are going to suffer. Jon and Kate will move on and meet new people; they will forever be the products of a broken home.

So now they are on hiatus until August. I think that is wise. Honestly, they have a lot of stuff to work out, and I for one don't want to see it. Some things need to be private, even for reality show stars. I hope they -- and all those kids -- come out of this OK. Even though I think Jon and Kate are whores.

I get around, baby

Found this cool app where you can mark off the states you've been to on a map. I've been to 19 states, mostly on business, but still. Check it out.


visited 19 states (38%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or vertaling nederlands duits?

Friday linkorama

Yeah, it's rainy and gross, and I'm feeling a bit lazy. Here are some links that made me laugh this week.

The video for Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" is really messed up. Here's a literal video version that made me laugh out loud. My favorite line: "What the effing crap/That angel just felt me up."

And on a similar note, does ANYONE know what Eddie Vedder is saying in Yellow Ledbetter? Here's one take on it.

From The Onion: Most of our days spent looking at glowing rectangles. It's funny because it's true.

Ever wonder what people do behind closed doors? The comments on this blog post are hysterical (and sometimes gross).

Finally, on a more serious note, two of my fellow mommy bloggers are having various degrees of a hard time. Julia is dealing with sick kids (I can relate -- Boo is getting over a virus with nasty high fevers), while gwendomama is trying to leave her abusive husband, who is being intimidating and crazy. Go show them some love.

Have a great weekend, and stay dry!