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Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
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4:44 pm
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| Thursday, June 11th, 2009
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2:49 pm - France 2009
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| Sunday, May 31st, 2009
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9:53 pm - salut salut
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Our time in France is almost up, we leave on tuesday. Like always, it goes by so fast. We've enjoyed ourselves, but it is often more work to be on vacation with a crazy toddler, than to be at home. It has been exhausting. But we've had a good time as well, for once being able to enjoy each others company as a family of three. Playing in the pool in the garden, trekking around strasbourg eating doners and tarte flambes, visiting the bird and otter sanctuary. I am sad we don't have more time together at home. Everyone here expresses their astonishment at our lack of vacation time in the states. Once you have heard the gasps a few times, you start to ask yourself questions...
We arrived with almost empty suitcases, in two days they will be filled to the brim with children's books and wine. Il faut en profiter.
It is so green here, with hills and cows and vineyard and green. And everyone has a vegetable garden. Just today we had salad and strawberries from the garden, plus herbs and who knows what else. Radishes?
Almost all of our pictures are of Yael doing stuff. I've promised myself to take some pictures of the garden and village tomorrow.
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| Saturday, May 23rd, 2009
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9:49 pm - Un elephant qui se balancait.....
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Hello from france. The first few days were raining and sleep deprived from severe jet lag, but now the weather is amazing and we are at least sleeping some. Yael is happy with all these people fawning over her, she's talking more that ever.
I'm hoping to find some time to go on a walk by myself and take some pictures. It is so beautiful here, the mountains and green and cows down the road. We don't ever do much here, just eat tons of amazing food and go on a lot of walks. We go to strasbourg monday, for a few days to see friends.
I really think eventually it will be in our best interest to move back here. We will see.
Today at the park I was talking to another mom who had a 11 month old girl the same size as Yael. Francois mom was talking and mentioned that Yael's mom was American, and then mentioned her godmother (my sister in law, who was standing behind me). The other mom said, "so you are her godmother?" I said "no i'm her mom" and she replied "but I don't even hear an accent!" It made me feel great....i don't know why i need a stranger to justify my abilities but man i really appreciate it. As we were leaving the park Yael yelled "bye bye!" at the other baby and her dad said, pointing at Yael "That one will go far in the world". I hope he is right.
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Thursday, April 9th, 2009
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11:50 am - Tonight is the night of the first Sedar
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Does anyone know of a website with good passover recipes without tons of mumbo jumbo about all the dumb things like the meaning of it all or things your supposed to do like read form the haggedah or whatever? I am a horrible excuse for a jew and i just want to eat bitter herbs and egg and charoset and remember how my grandma let me dip my matzoh in her wine!
Food!
current mood:  hungry
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(5 comments | comment on this)
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| Saturday, April 4th, 2009
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7:39 am
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Why am i awake???? No sleep last night!! I went to bed at 11:30 and Yael woke up screaming like 20 minutes later. By the time we got her calm and changed she was wide awake and talking a ton "mama, papa, dent?" So yeah teething. She didn't go back to sleep until almost two, and then the dog woke me up at six, i let him out and he immediately escaped! So i chased him all over the neighborhood and now i'm wide awake listening to yael and francois snore in the baby monitor. boo i am going to be cranky all day!
Stopped by ben's art show last night, it was pretty cool despite the massive crowds of people trying to be seen. Mostly hung out with andrea. Is it weird that my ex-boyfriend's wife is my favorite new friend???
I really really need to start writing again, probably on paper somewhere. Life just keeps going by so fast and i feel that i'm going to forget everything if i don't start writing it down!
current mood:  awake
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(comment on this)
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| Friday, April 3rd, 2009
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9:59 am
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Someone come babysit for me on Easter at 6pm, so I can go see Bill Callahan?? Pretty please?
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(comment on this)
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| Wednesday, April 1st, 2009
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12:35 pm - Ain't nobody's business if i do
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When I am old and have free time again, I am going to sit down with a guitar and learn Davy Graham's "Angi". It's not really an air guitar song, but when i hear it my fingers start wiggling with envy.
photographic proof that Yael should always be dressed by her father:
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| Monday, March 30th, 2009
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12:33 pm - things i learned this weekend:
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-My daughter's french vocabulary will surpass mine much faster than i think. She says so many new words, every day! This weekend I heard "bleu", "jaune" "go" (that means lego and sometimes escargot), "mur", and the name of probably ever animal ever.
-She can and will quite willingly, use a potty
-fingerpaints are best used to draw on tummies and arms and faces
-my family is awesome
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| Thursday, March 26th, 2009
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10:00 pm
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i never keep up with this thing! busy busy bee. Work is a frazzled frantic get everything done by March 31 clients coming in unannounced losing money meeting minutes more meeting minutes! I hope the firm doesn't go bankrupt! This is our busiest time of the year, and i've had a crazy couple of days but it is nothing like it should be!! I have three cap cases! That means nothing to any of you. Anyway i hope i still have a job in 6 months. really. Otherwise I am a little calmer, trying to be a little more zen and still dealing with the emotional and physical sides of weaning.
oh! i've started riding my bike to work! I'm riding a super cheap mountain bike that jaime and jerry pulled out of the trash. it rides really well for what it is but i think i would like a decent road bike eventually. i've ony ridden twice this week but i will again tomorrow. i am so so so so so out of shape. On my way home on tuesday i could have sworn i was going backwards. riding in indy is really not that bad but strasbourg was so bike friendly and i get indignant that i have to, like, wear a helmet and signal and stuff. boo safety.
ok i'm going to go zone out in front of this weird musicial telefilm on french tv. night!
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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| Tuesday, March 17th, 2009
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8:30 pm - weaning
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Today is my birthday, uneventful really. Lots of errands. I figured Francois and i would just chill and that's cool but he seems to have fallen asleep while putting Yael to bed? I wonder when I will stop hoping for lots of presents and attention and all that? Boo adulthood!!! Really though, somebody buy me a pony.
Yael hasn't nursed since Friday night. I had been thinking about weaning...mainly just night weaning, but seeing as Yael has had very little interest in nursing during the day the last month or so i guess this was bound to happen. I figured if I didn't nurse her at night, she would maybe want to nurse during the day a little and that would be ok. It took me a bit by surprise. A couple of times she has pulled on my shirt, but then lost interest immediately. We even took a bath together and she just poked me in the boob and smiled! Besides a random sobbing fit while doing the dishes last night i've felt ok with it. I miss the closeness, but I feel like if i started offering now it would be for my own emotional comfort more than anything. This was so easy and un-traumatic for Yael, and I don't want to change. that. I know a lot of you don't care about of this stuff and that's cool, i think i just need to write down my feelings somewhere. I barely have time to reflect on this stuff i guess, life just gets you......
Now i'm feeling a little bit weepy. hmph.
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| Thursday, March 5th, 2009
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1:04 pm - hmm ok 5 things then
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1. indianapolis
I moved to indianapolis from pekin, illinois when i was 19 or 20, to open up a record store with my ex. We mostly had straight up punk and hardcore, a little bit of indie stuff. We had a huge space and there were shows every night. I loved it and made tons of friends. Daniel hated it and became more and more withdrawn, and the pressure of trying to make a business work really got to him. So we closed shop pretty quickly. We split, i went back to school and he left the state. Moved to France in 2003. I often think of Indy has home and part of me is happy to be back, but i thought i would see my old friends more often and i'm a bit disappointed. If I could get this kid to sleep then maybe F and I could actually go out together from time to time and i wouldn't be so down about it.
2. france
When I lived in France, I was constantly homesick. I had friends, things to do and a really nice life despite being super poor. I was so self conscious of my ability to speak the language that i held myself back a lot. I regret that a lot now. Strasbourg is beautiful, seriously breathtaking for an american i think. Public transportation was awesome and i rode my bike everywhere. I got my bike stolen like twice, everyone rides crappy bikes because it will probably be stolen eventually anyway. Anyway, I miss my friends, my in laws and the health care and hope to move back one day. If I was offered a job i would probably move back right away.
3. target on east street
Why did this thing close??!!!! F picked up these awesome giraffe boots for Yael there. Now the closest Target is in like Beech Grove?
4. Bates-Hendricks house
The Bates-Hendricks house is directly behind our house!
A U.S. Vice President lived there, and some other dudes. Currently there seems to be an older couple with a beautiful boxer dog. It's open to the public on Sundays but we still haven't gone inside. Everytime we go on a walk i ask to walk past it!
5. stay at home dads!
Our decision for me to work and Francois to stay home was for various reasons-practical things like my salary, then the fact that Yael will hear French more often, and plus Francois is a better cook than me! It's worked out, and i am so grateful for everything he does. I will say this: I think the role reversal thing is much harder on both the parents that the "traditional" household. Yael is very clingy when I get home, and I don't really get anything done around the house besides taking care of her. Francois works harder than probably any dude dad ever, and it's a pretty thankless job when i come home wondering why is the house a mess and when did she get changed last and oh my god i'm starving!! I dream of the day when the two of us can chill together on the couch and watch a documentary about folk music and enjoy each others company.
ok post here and i will mention 5 things that remind me of you and you have to talk about them. silly i know but whatever!
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| Wednesday, March 4th, 2009
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11:04 am - SO BIG
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contemplating spinach pizza
We are both getting over the stomach flu, no fun. Also she is STILL not walking, besides a few steps when she absolutely has to. 14 months old!
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| Monday, March 2nd, 2009
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10:53 am - me me me me me!
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My birthday is soooooon! I am so old. Things i would love to get for my birthday:
-a bike! weather will be nice soon......
- a new dress. i love love dresses and i currently have zero that fit.
-a night out with mah lady friends. This i know i am going to get. I haven't been out sans child without Francois, uh ever? I know it will only be a few hours though because it will feel so WEIRD
- A clean house. I am dreaming of the day when we will have an unclutterd bookshelf, and pictures or posters on the wall.
BORING!
current mood: hungry
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| Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
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10:42 am - He who sleeps forgets his dinner
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Like most work mornings, I arrive, check my email and get a cup of coffee. Complete any updates from work done the day before in about 15 minutes, and then sit around waiting for the mail to come/someone to give me work. Sometimes i read immigration memos or try to figure out ways to help with marketing. The i stare at the internet and bite my nails.
We've been talking about buying a house maybe next year, we are both sick of paying rent to cheap landlords and it would rule to buy a baby farm or something. I mean not a farm full of babies. But i cannot stop being terrified that my job will disappear. I work in a weird sector and if i didn't have this job we would have to move elsewhere. Ugh worry worry worry. We all whisper about it, wondering if things are going to change or if the firm is just going to buckle under the weight of it all.
One of my co-workers is going on maternity leave at the end of this week and i will be grateful to have some of her work. I guess i wouldn't care but i have to fill out a billable time sheet every day and when it isn't full i get nervous.
plus my period just started after being a million weeks late and i feel crazy and ate chocolate cake for breakfast. i feel nuts!
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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| Friday, February 6th, 2009
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9:22 am
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Investigation” of Banks’ Usage of H-1B Visas Gets It Wrong
WASHINGTON, DC -- The Associated Press continues to run poorly researched pieces on H-1B visas and the Banks receiving "bailout" money from the Federal Government. The articles leave the false impression that as the Banks were taking bailout money, they were simultaneously firing U.S. workers and hiring "cheap" foreign labor. The AP articles are based on faulty interpretations of publicly available data, and totally ignore the strong labor market protections required to bring H-1B professionals to the U.S.
The faulty and inflammatory AP articles are now being used by Senators Sanders and Grassley to push an amendment onto the pending economic stimulus bill that would bar banks and other financial institutions that accept funding under the "TARP" legislation from hiring a single foreign professional under the H-1B program.
Let's set the record straight. The AP article refers to the number of "labor condition applications" (LCAs) filed by certain banks over the past 5 years. The LCA applications are a precursor to an actual petition for an H-1B worker. Multiple LCAs are usually filed for each employee due to heavy regulatory requirements, such as the need to file LCAs for different geographic locations to comply with wage rules, and many LCAs never turn into actual petitions. The reporters neglected to understand, or to examine, the actual petitions for H-1B professionals that were granted under the program in any given fiscal year. Had they looked at the available data, they would have found figures that undercut their allegations.
It is not possible to get a clear idea of numbers of H-1B visas by looking at LCAs. One must look at petitions filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is what the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) did. In fact, according to the NFAP, the largest financial institution in the country, in terms of employees, actually received a grand total of 155 approved petitions for new H-1B professionals in 2007, out of a total workforce of 387,000! Bank of America received approved petitions for 66 new H-1B professionals in a total workforce of 210,000. In another recent study, the NFAP found that for every H-1B professional hired, a company will increase its overall workforce by 5 workers.
Existing law carefully protects wages by requiring that companies pay the higher of the wage paid by their competitors for comparable positions or the wage the company itself pays to other comparable workers. These protections are enforced by the Department of Labor and non-compliance includes heavy penalties, including complete bars from petitioning for any foreign worker. To further show the current strength of the H-1B program, the monies used to enforce these law comes from the H-1B employers, who pay government fees of $2,320 each time they file an H-1B, including $500 earmarked specifically for enforcement of the law!
Today's New York Times includes a business section article that points out how foreign companies with U.S. subsidiaries and U.S. companies with international operations are absolutely critical to the stimulus plan working. A senior manager of Sanyo's solar division says that America is positive about solar energy, "but it doesn't have enough production capacity to cover its demand." These are the very companies that need to be able to target talent in the international market to make their U.S. operations grow and prosper.
U.S. economic recovery and growth depends on the U.S. remaining competitive in a globalized economy with a globalized work force. These are the facts that Congress needs to consider as it crafts new legislation. What is needed is a proper, well-documented study on H-1B visa numbers and usage, and an agreement on the appropriate amount of H-1B visas needed to meet real and legitimate need, in the context of employment rate rise or fall. Legislation based on faulty and inflammatory allegations will only cripple our economy, undermine our nation's global competitiveness, and demagogue an issue rather than deal with real solutions that serve the national interest.
Come on, AP and Congress-Look at the REAL facts before you jump off the cliff of protectionism. Immigration is part of the answer, not the problem.
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The American Immigration Lawyers Association is the national association of immigration lawyers established to promote justice, advocate for fair and reasonable immigration law and policy, advance the quality of immigration and nationality law and practice, and enhance the professional development of its members.
I don't know why i am posting this here, except it really pisses me off when I see "News" articles get their facts completely wrong. I work in immigration law and I know how strict the regulations are and how much these workers are paid. Specialized workers are NOT cheap labor and companies are happy to hire qualified US workers when they can find them.
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009
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12:10 pm
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Sometimes I forget how big my mouth is and I see a picture of myself and I'm like MAN.
Today one of my bosses told me I looked like Anna Popplewell. I had to google her and I ONLY WISH:
current mood: hungry
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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| Sunday, February 1st, 2009
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12:51 pm
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Someone slashed our tire, along with the tires of half the cars on the neighborhood. WTF SO MAD!!!!!
current mood:  angry
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(comment on this)
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| Friday, January 30th, 2009
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3:34 pm
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Today I feel the overwhelming need to go to Grad School. For Migration Studies. In Brussels. Here.
Anyone want to give me 14,000 Euros for the tuition? Pretty please?
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
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3:14 pm - and the clouds keep rolling on in
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Hello there. Yael has been so sick. High, scary fever, up and down for over a week. After a trip to the Dr., another two to the hospital she most likely has a urinary tract infection. She's responding to antibiotics, and other than a couple freaky(and very very messy oh my god)vomiting incidents she seems to be on the mend. I have never worried so much in my life. Also we still don't have insurance (we are on sliding scale at the clinic, but that doesn't help at the hospital). Messages to state insurance people have been left. There's a lot more but i don't feel like getting into it. UTIs this young are so scary, i worry about permanent damage or scarring, the poor kid.
And despite all this, she is changing so much every day. New word after new word. She says "tiens" (here) "donne" (give) "regarde" (look) "Maman" (mama) "dame" (lady) and who knows what else. The other day i said kangaroo and she repeated "kangaroo?" . When she's not talking she is dancing, turning on the TV, turning the volume up on the stereo, or pretending to wash her high chair and her face. She likes to pretend to put lotion on her face, so entertaining.
Work is slow. So slow some days. I know I am valued, but I worry about the firm in general. I guess if everything falls apart our back up plan is "sell all of our shit and move to france". I hate being an adult. Its hard enough when you have to just worry about yourself.
current music: Dutchess and the Duke
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bakelite's journal
