Sarah Loves Her E-Mail

Thank you to Yahoo! Mail for sponsoring this post about staying connected. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

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I was in a pissy mood. It was hot. It was loud. Twitter was down. My husband was late.

I hate back to school night. I like it when my kids go to school, but the idea of every single student bringing both parents (or both sets of parents in some cases) to the elementary school for the same two hours is painful. Our elementary school is huge. I think there are eight different kindergarten classes. There must have been 1100 people in the gym/auditorium, half of them were 12 or younger and everything was echoing.

Also I think I was getting a migraine.

I kept checking my e-mail on my phone to see where my husband was. It was 6:00 pm and D.C. traffic is brutal. I was really hoping he wouldn't miss the entire presentation.



I stared at the latest e-mail.

It was from John Flansburgh.

Clearly I was seeing spots. John Flansburgh? Could there be two of them? Could They Might Be Giants be e-mailing me?

Blogging has allowed me some brushes with fame. Nancy Lieberman commented on a post I wrote about her on BlogHer.com. Warren Sapp atted (I don't know, how would YOU spell it?) me on twitter once, but an e-mail from John Flansburgh? That was new. His PR people, sure, but him personally?

I showed my phone to my neighbor.

"Isn't John Flansburgh the guy from They Might Be Giants?" I asked her.

She looked at me like I was crazy.

I don't think she ever even heard of the band. Then again, she actually likes Katy Perry, so I'm not sure what I was expecting.

I got brave and looked at the e-mail.

It was absolutely from that John. They Might Be Giants were putting on a free show in DC that week. It was for kids and they were hoping some of the local parent bloggers would spread the word.

The e-mail itself wasn't terribly glamorous, but I had received an e-mail from one of my musical idols and it made the rest of the night bearable. Even the PTA skit.

I use e-mail every day. A lot. I could not work or keep up with my family or talk to my friends without it. I can't imagine how we communicated before this. Phone calls? Yikes. I don't miss that. Sure, I've had more pressing e-mails and I've had more meaningful e-mails but I've only received one e-mail from a bona fide rock star. I'm glad Yahoo! gave me an opportunity to tell the story.

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Sarah Reviews Cube Dog

Thank you to Cube Dog for sponsoring this review. For more information about Cube Dog please visit the Facebook page or download it on iTunes.

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When the Clever Girls asked me to review an app for my iPhone I was psyched. I love my iPhone and I love apps. I probably have 60 or 70 of them on my phone. Sure, I mostly use the Kindle, Monopoly, weather and solitaire apps, but I love the others anyway.

But for today we will just be discussing Cube Dog. What is Cube Dog? Cube Dog is this:




Adorable, right?

So I went on to iTunes and downloaded the free Cube Dog app.

First I made a medium gray dog with floppy ears. He was adorable. I named him Flash. I wasn't sure what to do with Flash, so I took a picture of him with my kids.

Then with my computer.

Then with my cat.

Sid was not amused.

Then I wasn't really sure what to do.

So I made a small reddish dog and named him Danzig.

What? Danzig is named after a fish I used to have.*

I wasn't really sure what to do with him either.

Then I turned on the sound.

Cube Dog is FAR more interesting when you turn on the sound. I made Danzig play with a ball and take a nap. He called me on his iPhone.

He's so cute. My real pets don't even have cellular devices.

The gist of Cube Dog is that you can create your own 3D virtual pet that looks however you want him or her to look and you can play with them.

I thought the thing was passively cute, but when I was putting together this post my son saw the video and begged me to let him make his own Cube Dog.

He named his Cubey.

My seven year old son made it play with a ball and fetch things and Cubey's eyes turned in to hearts. He played with his Cube Dog for 40 minutes. It probably would have kept him entertained for even longer but I had to make a phone call.

This is a great way to kips kids entertained in waiting rooms or at restaurants. (Yes, I am that mom.)

There is also a store where you can buy more things for your Cube Dog, but I didn't really check it out.

Don't forget to keep an eye out for the Cube Dog facebook contest between June 13 - 17th!

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While Cube Dog provided me with the app to review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Cube Dog, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

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* The fish was named after Glen Danzig.

Safe Kids U.S.A.

If there is one thing that pretty much every parent can agree on (I can't speak for Evel Knievil) it is that we want our children to be safe at all times.

It seems easy, right? Well, it seems easy until you become a parent. Then, holy crap! Everything is dangerous. The road! Riding bikes! Poisonous cleaners! Expired food! Poorly installed car seats! Was my crib just recalled?

Don't even get me started on bisphenol A in plastics.

Then your kids get older and there sports and skateboards and boyfriends and driving, and yeah, safety is complicated.

Luckily, there is help. Safe Kids U.S.A. is an amazing resource for parents.

Safe Kids USA is a nationwide network of organizations working to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability for children ages 1 to 14. [They] educate families, provide safety devices to families in need and advocate for better laws to help keep children safe, healthy and out of the emergency room.

Safe Kids USA members:

• Teach families about child injury risks and prevention

• Encourage and conduct research on leading injury risks

• Evaluate solutions for injury risks

• Work to pass and improve child safety laws and regulations

• Provide lifesaving devices such as child safety seats, helmets and smoke alarms to families who need them

• Promote corporate leadership in child safety through effective and sustainable partnerships

The organization is wonderful. The website has safety tips by region, age or risk area. There are sections for parents, educators, media and safety professionals.

This is some good stuff, people. This group is very serious about injury prevention.

Ben Franklin knew what he was he was talking about when he said "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

As a sports writer and a parent of two t-ball players, I am a huge stickler for sports safety. I have written about far too many concussions to be lax about sports safety. I know a lot of parents just freak out and won't let their child near a football field or a hockey rink, but we know tricks that can help children be safe - yes, even playing football.

Hydration - this is no joke, especially in warmer months. Proper hydration keeps a lot of other body functions working properly.

Preparation / Concussion Awareness - as with anything being knowledgeable and ready for a situation gives a person a distinct advantage if an emergency arises. Teach the children what to look out for and they will be ready.

Acute and Overuse Injury Prevention - Tennis elbow, tendinitis, shin splints - we know these things exist. Now how do we stop them from happening? We have ways.

If you want to know more, please join Safe Kids U.S.A for a livestreaming webcast on their facebook page May 2, at 12 PM EST. The chat will be hosted by some really smart doctors and Steve Young. Yes, that Steve Young.

STEVE YOUNG!

Oh yeah, former Bucs in all caps here.

What, you want to know about the doctors too?

Mr. Young will be joined by Dr. Angela Mickalide, CHES, Director of Research and Programs, Safe Kids Worldwide, Dr. Douglas Casa, Director of Athletic Training Education, University of Connecticut and Dr. Gerard Gioia, Chief, Division of Pediatric Neuropsychology and Safe Concussion Outcome, Recovery & Education (SCORE) Program at Children's National Medical Center.

Not too shabby.

Again, May 2, noon EST, Steve Young, Safe Kids U.S.A. Facebook Page.

Any questions?

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This post was written as part of a compensated partnership with Safe Kids U.S.A.

Sarah Loves Mark Romanek Videos

I'm not a director or even a film student, but I know what I like and I like music videos that are directed by Mark Romanek.

This post has nothing to do with anything, but please enjoy.

Hurt - Johnny Cash







The Perfect Drug - Nine Inch Nails



99 Problems - Jay-Z




Novocaine for the Soul - The Eels

Sarah Tries Something New

Thank you to P&G’s Have You Tried This Yet? program and Kroger for sponsoring my writing about trying new things and breaking out of my everyday routine. Click here to find great savings on high-performing P&G products at a Kroger store near you. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.



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Growing up I was an extremely picky eater.

Oh hell, who am I kidding? I was an extremely picky eater well into my 30s. I am the person who goes through the McDonald's drive thru (their spelling, not mine) and orders a plain cheeseburger and then has to pull up and wait. I mean, mustard and those little onions are gross, right?

I didn't really eat fish (except some shellfish), the only pork I ate was bacon and sausage and I was terrified of Indian food.

The problem, of course, is that as I grew up I fell in love with fancy food and wine. Of course, I wanted fancy food that only included ingredients that I already liked.

This got tricky.

I mean, how many times can a person eat beef bourguignon?

Then one time my husband and I went out with some friends to a very nice restaurant. After a few drinks we decided to just do the tasting menu with wine pairings.

Are you familiar with tasting menus? I wasn't, but tasting menus are where the chef picks what you eat and you usually have somewhere between 5 and 9 small plates.

This particular occasion was the first time I ever tried rare lamb. It was also the first time I ate black truffles.

Both were outstanding.

I made myself a promise. If I are at a chef driven restaurant I would try anything at least once.

This is a promise I have yet to regret. I am not saying that I have loved everything I have eaten, but I have tried some food that made my eyes roll back in my head.

In a good way.

If I hadn't let it go and tried new and different foods (IN MY 30s!) I would be a lesser person today. My entire world has opened up to new cuisines and now my whole family has more options.


Deconstructed Guacamole from Minibar - Photo By Me

Have I mentioned what a good example this sets for my children?

Trying something new can change your life. It isn't just food either. Did you read about when I experimented with making my bed for an entire month? I'm still doing that too.

What have you tried that has improved your life?

Five Fabulous Bloggers

Thanks to Trop 50 for sponsoring my writing about fabulous bloggers.

This year Trop50 is granting 50 fabulous wishes. Click here to enter for a chance to win $1,000 to help grant a friend's wish!


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When I was asked to write a post about five fabulous bloggers I said "No problem!" I thought, easy peasy, I can name five bloggers that I think are fabulous while patting my head, rubbing my belly and chewing gum.

I mean, I could do this all day. I could probably name thirty blogs that I read daily. I could name a dozen blog post that have changed the way I do something or the way I feel about a topic. I could tell you about 15 people with whom I have had a playdate or attended a sporting event. I could name seven bloggers who I could call if my car broke down.

Here is the problem. I can only name five.

So, first I limited it to women. No reason. I had to make arbitrary rules and so I did. You can't stop me. Then I thought about who I would be actively sad if they stopped blogging.

Then I still had a really long list, so I just picked five. You were probably #6 or #7 so don't feel bad, but DO read these ladies. You will not be sorry.

Angela from Fluid Pudding - Angela has been a fabulous blogger since I was just figuring out what blogs were. At least that is true in my mind, her archives only go back to 2008. But no! I am certain that I was reading her back in 2005. Actually I know it for sure because I remember being convinced that one of her children was a model for a book that my kids had when they were babies but that was back in the day when I didn't realize you could just e-mail something like that to Angela and she would probably think it was awesome.

One time she posted a video of herself shoving a dozen marshmallows in her mouth in honor of her 38th birthday.



THAT is when I fell in love with Angela.

And when I e-mailed Angela to ask if I could post this video on my site she e-mailed me back in 10 minutes and said of course! That is what I call a fabulous blogger.

Danielle from Knotty Yarn - Danielle is the only blogger I know that has a blog post that is on a college syllabus. Beat that! Go ahead. Of course, if you go around writing posts like this it is bound to happen sooner or later. That isn't even my favorite one of Danielle's posts. Did I mention she is tall and pretty and an amazing photographer?

Deb from Deb on the Rocks - Deb might actually be the smartest woman I know. That is a huge compliment because I know a lot of brilliant ladies. Deb is astoundingly witty and also the reason I know what the word sigil means. She is like Sesame Street for grown people. Fabulous!


Jean from Stimeyland - Jean is truly as funny in real life as she is on her site. She also curses as much as I do and it makes me feel normal. Jean somehow manages to write about autism, parenting, pets and addictions to crossword apps all with equal hilarity. If I had a bucket list one of the things on it would be to go just hang out at her house and watch what happens. Jean is absolutely fabulous.





Laurie from Laurie Writes - Laurie is my favorite writer. She is also my best friend. I think the two are somehow related but it is difficult to wrap my head around. I can take her to a baseball game or a hair metal festival and we have a blast and act like morons but then she writes things like Stones proving that just because a person yells at strangers on a Pittsburgh Street because they are wearing a Sidney Crosby jersey doesn't automatically mean that they aren't brilliant. Did I mention that she is also an outstanding editor? She is. I could tell you how fabulous Laurie is all day long but it would just make her uncomfortable so I will stop now.

Tell me who your five fabulous bloggers are.

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Photo of Sarah and Jean via Mommy Needs a Cocktail - also fabulous.

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Don't forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to support a friend's wish. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.

The Best Gift I Ever Gave

SWAGG is a free mobile app (download here) that lets you shop smarter using your mobile phone. Buy, send or swap SWAGG GIFTS and organize your old school plastic gift cards.

For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) , up to $125,000.

Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! Download the SWAGG app and then visit the Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes site to enter to win a trip for two to the Sundance Film Festival. Entry deadline is January 3, 2011, 11:59pm, PST.

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The best gift I ever gave was mostly stolen.

Well, it was sort of stolen. I did steal the box of old photographs from my mom's house. I did, but I bought the photo albums.

My parents would never have even noticed the box was missing. When I got married in 1999 and my mom developed pictures from my wedding shower there were photographs on that same roll of film from my brother's prom in 1994.

This was back before digital cameras were reasonably priced.

What I did for evenings over the next five weeks was sort through 30 years of photographs. I picked out the best ones and put them in chronological order. Then I took forty or so pictures from my own collection and I added them at the end.

The box of pictures was just this thing that sat up overflowing on a shelf. I was the only one that ever really looked at it.

But that Christmas I gave my mom two and a half photo albums filled with memories starting from her childhood and ending with her first grandchild.

The whole family spent hours together looking at the pictures.

It was magical.

And now my parents can keep them out and look at them anytime.

They could also throw away that old box.

It was the best present I have ever given anybody - I mean, not including the time I gave four people twin grandbabies all at the same time. They seemed to really like that too.

I'm sure if you asked my mother she would tell you that she liked the twins better, but (and don't tell her this) I made them for me. The photo albums, I made those for my parents.

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Learn more about the coolest new app that revolutionizes the whole shopping, gifting, and gift card-organizing experience and Download the SWAGG app to your iPhone or Droid. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.