Pixar, Can We Talk?

It’s November and naturally that means my children have that ‘fine one week’, ‘snotty and puking the next’ thing going on. It means when Ratatouille comes out on DVD, and we’ve been couped up in the house for a week with some random preschool virus, I go to the store to get it right away.

Now. I’ve talked about this issue before…but can I just please, say this again…just in case you didn’t hear me way-back-when before CARS came out…

STOP SHOWING MY SON YOUR NEW MOVIE A YEAR BEFORE HE GETS TO SEE IT STOP IT RIGHT NOW OR I’M BRINGING HIM UP TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND LETTING YOU PIXAR SADISTS BABYSIT HIS ASS WHILE HE WHINES FOR 5 HOURS STRAIGHT AND DEMANDS TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY DAYS UNTIL WALL*E IS OUT IN THEATRES AND WHY HE CAN’T SEE THE ROBOT NOW AND WHY DO THEY SAY HE IS COMING AND WHEN IS HE COMING AND CAN WE WATCH THE PREVIEW 40 TIMES IN 50 MINUTES SO MOMMY’S HEAD EXPLODES AT MERELY THE SIGHT OF THAT RESTAURANT TABLE WHERE SOME STUPID BRAINSTORMING SESSION TOOK PLACE TO CREATE THIS FUCKING ROBOT THAT I NOW HOPE DIES A FIERY DEATH AT THE END OF THIS DAMN MOVIE

We’re going to buy your shit anyway. You’re not getting any more marketing leverage here. We’re a captive and totally sold audience. All you are doing is making my life hell. HELL.

So really, I see two options here…you can release WALL*E now, or you can send a letter of explanation to my robot-loving son giving him solid reasons (that means I don’t want to hear “to generate buzz” “to market more toys” or “to pump up the hype before the box office release”) why he has to wait until late summer of 2008. I fully understand you need a few good months of hype…but HOLY MARY MOTHER OF GOD THINK of the PARENTS.

You make amazing movies. They are kid movies, and yes we adults love them too. But I have to ask-DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND KIDS AT ALL? You don’t even MENTION santa is coming until about Halloween, because you KNOW they will be through the ROOF until December 25th. You don’t tell them you are going to DisneyWorld a YEAR before you go.

THIS IS BASIC PARENTING HERE PIXAR. GET WITH THE PROGRAM.

I can swear on my womb that you don’t need to worry about selling us WALL*E toys. We’re buying them. It’s just a GIVEN. My wallet is yours.

Now release the fucker early or babysit my kid. Take your pick.

…wondering if I’d be arrested in Wisconsin

Theoretically when my children can read, they could easily find my blogs. There are times I don’t close my laptop, there are times I am on the phone saying things like “Queen of Spain” and “Queen’s Bedroom.” My big mouth can be found, easily, all over the web.

I’ve been asked many times what I will say when they see what I’ve written. I’ve talked about them right along with talking about blow jobs. Will they be scarred? Will they feel used? Will they report me to authorities?

There is a story out of Wisconsin about a mom who got graphic with her kids while talking about sex. I have no idea if this woman is a lunatic and did things that would even make me blush. What I do know is this court case sets one hell of a precedent for those of us who speak frankly to our children.

“According to the charges filed against her, Smalley last year told her sons about several sexual experiences she had. She also allegedly described performing oral sex and also showed the two a sex toy.”

I suppose if I were not blogging these things, I’d be talking about them. Outloud. To friends. To family. To anyone who would listen. This is life. I don’t hide. I would tell stories of my life to a room full of friends and talk about sex to a gaggle of girlfriends. It’s who I am. Anyone who knows me will tell you the way I write is the way I talk. So when it comes to discussing sex with my kids…do you think I’ll censor?

I am a firm believer in answering honestly. If my daughter asks me what I do in bed…how I do it…will I answer her if I think I will get PUT IN JAIL? I’m guessing I’ll be in prison before my kids turn 17 if that is the case. Of course I will make every attempt to be truthful yet age appropriate, but I can’t imagine I will hold back much.

How far would I go? How graphic would I get? I would like to think I could describe oral sex, something that got the mother in question in trouble. Show my children a vibrator as part of one of my speeches? Why on earth wouldn’t I if they asked? Are children capable of understanding and hearing these things in the media and public NOT allowed to know what they are, what they look like, what they do????

“Why yes, this is what they look like…it can be used for masturbation, which is perfectly normal and healthy when done in private.” is exactly what I would say.

My children will be totally freaked out and embarrassed by me for about one million reasons. I can think of many worse things I will do, correction, have done, than educate them about sex.

I’ve noticed many people arguing the only way to look at this situation is to imagine it was a father talking to daughters. Accusations of “pervert” and “pedophile” would fly, they say. I just hope when my kids’ father sits down and has one of many discussions with them about the birds and the bees, he doesn’t feel censored because he’s afraid of being imprisoned.

Again, by all news accounts I am not sure what sort of conversation this mother had with her sons, but let’s say she was graphic as hell…maybe she told them she likes it on top. Maybe she told them what she does to please a man. Maybe she was totally inappropriate. She was charged with a felony,

“In the agreement, Smalley pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of exposing a child to harmful material in exchange for the dismissal of a felony charge of exposing a child to harmful descriptions.”

I’d like to know exactly what constitutes “harmful material” and “harmful descriptions” and who gets to decide. I’m assuming this information coming from a parent is also taken into account? Maybe not?

I think I’m just going to start planning for my incarceration. Years from now when my kids are older, they’ll be surfing the net and come across mommy’s blogs. I’ll, of course, answer any questions they have…and then apparently get myself a lawyer.

UnBarQueenConPodBlogTwitCamp UpStartWeekend

I’m having a birthday soon. Let’s just say I’ll be turning an age that rhymes with dirty pee.

While I love all the conferences we attend and the speakers and sessions and swag and booths and pitches …I’d just like to hang out with everyone. Everyone meaning YOU…my blogamigos, my twits, my second lifers, my facebookers (cough bastards cough), my photraders, my utter-erz, my social media-ers, my friends, my community.

So I say…let’s have one event for US. One event where we can meet up and just hang out. Crash on my couch or get hotel rooms in another city. Set up tents for all I care. My only requirements are friends and fun.

December 7th-10th *micropoll is enabled but has been disappearing off and on*




Getting Pantsed

I arrived home from Vegas a few hours ago and have been in a death grip by the 2.5 year old.

When Mom goes away, death grips are administered for a good week upon her return. They tend to pant me when their little hands grip my sweats…but other than that, they are usually harmless.

So basically I was pulled from the almost surreal whirlwind that was BlogWorld Expo and total concentration on Photrade.com and the social media community ( feeling like I can’t even say my “bloggy” friends anymore) and given no transition time to even unpack before I was laying my daughter down in her bed and pulling her hands from her pull-up because she fell asleep grabbing her crotch.

Some women have a hard time shutting off the Madonna and turning into the whore, not me. I have a hard time shutting off the Hillary and turning into Mrs. Cleaver. One minute I’m conquering the world, and the next I’m under a bunk bed frantically trying to retrieve a lost Elmo.

I wonder if my decision to stay at home with the kids wasn’t only for the benefits, but because I have a hard time focusing and concentrating on them and ANYTHING else…be it work or otherwise. They scatter my head. They scatter just about everything…but also my head…and I also wonder if I’m capable of doing anything SMALL. For those who know me…it’s balls out all the time, and I go big or go home. Queen goes big. I’m not content with a little gig here or there, I launch companies, found virtual conferences, host “firsts” and create waves. Waves that leave little ones grabbing for the side of the boat from the wake.

As they get older and I work more, I find myself throwing myself into projects and neglecting my Mom role and then throwing myself into MOM and neglecting my projects. It’s a constant battle that results in death grips on a crazy, laptop carrying lady, pants to her ankles, towing kids.

Balancing work and home sucks. Balancing with pants around your ankles sucks. Of course my mind automatically wanders to more family friendly companies, conferences (thanks for the babysitting BlogHer) and a good kick in the ass of the attitudes of some professionals and colleagues I know…god knows I love me a good Queen smack down…but all of that sounds like another project for another time.

Right now I’m tired. I really need to pull up my pants, release the death grip on these sweats, and get us all some sleep. Maybe tomorrow I’ll activate my world domination plan while I knit and read blogs.

BlogWorld Expo

BlogHer Co-founder Jory Des Jardins, MEEEEE, Photrade’s Krista Neher in Las Vegas, NV at BlogWorld Expo!!!!!

My Favorite BlogHer video-YOU are in it

Ok, this one is my favorite. Go watch.

http://blogher.org/video-green-beans-twist

Viva Las Vegas

Andy and Krista and Jim are responsible for my packing tonight. I’m off to Las Vegas for Blog World Expo to tout Photrade.com and um…my boobs?  Nah. Just Photrade and some Queen of Spain and Queen’s Bedroom.

That means the inlaws flew in tonight and the kids are excited/freaking out that Mommy is leaving AGAIN.

I’m kinda freaking out too. Lots going on around here and those stresses tend to rub off on the kiddo’s more than I realized. 🙁

However, as the Kaiser says…”if you stayed home every time something was going on…you would NEVER leave.” And as much as it PAINS me to admit it…he’s right.

So I’m off to Las Vegas, Nevada and the sin that awaits. Or the blogging that awaits. One of the two, I’m guessing it will be blogging…I’m bringing my knitting, does that make me lame? or old?

BlogHer’s First Video Blog

…and yes, I’m in it.

My project is unveiled and rocking over at BlogHer. We brought you Turkey last week..and STUFFING this week…more to come, of course.

I can’t tell you how much fun I had filming these…so many great women around….and food, did I mention THE FOOD?