JulieLeung.com: a life told in tidepools

I know I’m not the perfect mom…

…so I thought I’d give my kids a head start on filling in the gaps, and let them read Danielle Crittenden’s book at an early age…apologies for the poor photo quality…it’s from our pre-digital days…

In response to my retro-rose-colored ramblings the other night, Jay reminded me of reality and then Richard added an apt Danielle Crittenden quote to our dialogue. It was years ago when I read her book (the picture above is NOT Elisabeth…) and I don’t remember many specifics from What Our Mothers Didn’t Tell Us: Why Happiness Eludes the Modern Woman but I do remember that I liked it. I liked it to the point of advertising it to others, dropping it into conversation and emails whenever I could. I was amazed by how well it resonated with me. Thanks, Richard, for helping me remember…and go through our family photos to find this one…

I want to clarify and say that I don’t believe the past was better than the present. Even if Jane Austen’s novels seem richer with romance. Rose-colored retro-glasses tend to be deceptive and I resist wearing them except in my moments of weakest temptation. I am aware that the life I live now I would not have been able to have in another time or culture. Every era has its strengths and weaknesses. I am certainly enjoying many pleasures, freedoms and benefits of being where I am here and now: I am grateful.

For example, if I had lived in Jane Austen’s day, I wouldn’t have been able to wear a T-shirt. Jay now has made makeoutcity.com T-shirts and hats available through CafePress. He even has them in toddler sizes. Jay, perhaps you should buy some of the smaller sizes and save them for your first born, whom I hope you will love and cherish much more than any Powerbook…*

Another shirt I’d like to see offered in a todder size would be Lisa’s. I’ve bugged her in the past about bumper stickers for her blogs. Her T-shirts would be particularly helpful for our family. When people ask me – as they often do – what our homeschooled daughters are studying – I could say “They are Learning the Lessons of Nixon!”

I think there are any number of intriguing blogs that could make great T-shirts, hats and maybe even glasses…;-)

*forgot to add in original posting, updated 7/13/04 15:40 pm