When bears go jet skiing (in Alaska, of course) - thanks to the lovely Sara for this one!
xo, Sonja
If you haven’t had a good cry in a while, this one is practically guaranteed to have you sobbing within minutes. Seattle Times writer Jane Catherine Lotter recently passed away of cancer, but first penned her own obit. It is funny, sweet, and heart-breaking.
An excerpt:
I was given the gift of life, and now I have to give it back. This is hard. But I was a lucky woman, who led a lucky existence, and for this I am grateful. I first got sick in January 2010. When the cancer recurred last year and was terminal, I decided to be joyful about having had a full life, rather than sad about having to die. Amazingly, this outlook worked for me. (Well, you know, most of the time.) Meditation and the study of Buddhist philosophy also helped me accept what I could not change. At any rate, I am at peace. And on that upbeat note, I take my mortal leave of this rollicking, revolving world-this sun, that moon, that walk around Green Lake, that stroll through the Pike Place Market, the memory of a child's hand in mine.
My beloved Bob, Tessa, and Riley. My beloved friends and family. How precious you all have been to me. Knowing and loving each one of you was the success story of my life. Metaphorically speaking, we will meet again, joyfully, on the other side.
Beautiful day, happy to have been here.
XOXO, Jane/Mom
The full version can be read here and a bit of the backstory. Hold your loved ones close my dears.
Time lapse video: America in five minutes.
Always nice to see a pacific northwest artist hit it big(ish). I had coloring books similar to these when I was a kid and loved them.
In defense of breast-feeding, poetry-slam style. Not bad! (thanks Cherie!)
My cousin Jesse (a resident of rural Kitsap County) has been saying for years that Seattle-lites are terrible snobs. Well, he may just be right. It bothers me when people don’t say ‘hello’ when passing each other on hiking trails in our fair city. It’s totally common courtesy, right? So I sing out with a big jolly ‘GOOD MORNING!’ now - it forces them to acknowledge me. Passive aggressive? Why yes.
In order to get my science itch scratched, I’ve been enjoying the National Geographic blog “It’s Not Rocket Science”. One of the latest articles: Shark Week - but with actual facts. [On a side note: SHAME ON YOU DISCOVERY CHANNEL]. Check it out.
We pardon Spitzer, but still judge former sex workers. Fascinating article.
Your daily photo of ‘WTF’?
For Parents:
Specifically of girls: Have you come across the site “A Mighty Girl”?
From their website:
A Mighty Girl is the world’s largest collection of books, toys, movies, and music for parents, teachers, and others dedicated to raising smart, confident, and courageous girls and, of course, for girls themselves!
After years of seeking out empowering and inspirational books for our four young nieces, we decided to create A Mighty Girl as a resource site to help others equally interested in supporting and celebrating girls. The site was founded on the belief that all children should have the opportunity to read books, play with toys, listen to music, and watch movies that offer positive messages about girls and honor their diverse capabilities.
Girls do not have to be relegated to the role of sidekick or damsel in distress; they can be the leaders, the heroes, the champions that save the day, find the cure, and go on the adventure. It is our hope that these high-quality children’s products will help a new generation of girls to grow and pursue whatever dreams they choose -- to truly be Mighty Girls!
Also just as importantly, you can search their lists of books, movies, and toys while filtering for age. Need book recommendations for your twelve year old? Done and done. Here are some for the pre-school set.
You probably know that the blog A Cup of Jo by write Joanna Goddard is one of my very favorites. Currently she is running a series about American families living abroad - and how raising children is different (sometimes drastically so!) in other cultures. Here is one about two families living in the Congo. We probably won’t be moving to Africa anytime soon but I hope - one day - that we might be able to live with our kiddos in another country for a few years.
Have you ever listened to the Story Corps project on NPR? Here is a similar setup with Scott Simon and his mother. It’s a sweet little interaction. A Son, his mom, and a story about a dog.
I thought I was fairly well-traveled until I read this article about a Brit that visits all 204 countries - without flying and on 100 pounds/week. Be sure to check out the video.
xo,
Sonja
