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The Picnic Backpack, or the Best White Elephant Snatch (er, Steal) Ever
I would like to introduce you to my new little friend… The Picnic Backpack! This item was won at my mom’s group Christmas party, wherein a very complex White Elephant gift swap was undertaken. Now, you could either use an item that you bought for $10 or less; or an item you already had around.…
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Parenting Vlog Question: Dealing with Kids’ Tantrums– and Your Own Tantrums
My first vlog question, courtesy of reader Lizzie Ann! How do you keep a 2-year-old from pitching a fit when she doesn’t get what she wants…more importantly, how do I keep myself from pitching a fit when I don’t get what I want?
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‘Tis the Season for Forced Giving
My daughter’s school recently participated in an Embrace-a-Family program with the caveat that the items we donated needed to be newly purchased. I resent the fact that many of the requested items included new king sized comforters, vacuums and expensive video game equipment when – in reality – I can’t afford these things for myself.…
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Things That Will Surely Make the Aliens Blow Us Up
How many random alien believers will this title bring? Do you ever wonder if there’s a race of superintelligent beings someplace else in the solar system who will one day think about demolishing the earth (like in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, for an intergalactic speedway) unless they can find some reason, some sign of…
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Tips for Making Safe Donations to Charities
My good friend Adriane works as a Consumer Fraud Specialist at the National Telemarketing Victim Call Center. The other day, she was telling me about how charities misuse funds. I asked her to write an article with some tips on avoiding bad charities. Here it is! ‘Tis the Season to Give Back: A Guide To…
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Alternative Christmas Shopping
So, since I just wrote a kind of anti-shopping post (over on SD Writing Women, if you didn’t see it) I thought I’d completely switch gears and write a post about shopping! I absolutely friggin love going to the Swap Meet. First, it allows me to be smug about my eco-friendliness, and if there’s anything…
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Happy Post-Thanksgiving!
I know I haven’t been posting much lately, but I do plan to add a lot more in the near future, along with some special contributors! Here’s a Video Blog (Vlog) update; I guess I’ll have to spring for the upgraded WordPress account so I can embed video again… Vlog Update In the meantime, check…
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Writing Wednesday: Playlist II
Ok, so I’m working on a new project, which calls for a Brand New Playlist. It’s part historical fiction, part contemporary women’s fiction. It’s the story of the bad-ass female samurai, Tomoe Gozen, who was either the wife or concubine of Yoshinaka Minamoto, a samurai who lived in the late 12th century. His story is…
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Holiday in Portlandia
This past weekend, I headed up to Portland for a long-planned weekend with genius planner Kristina McMorris (who I hope always stays on the side of good, because her powers used on the side of bad would be crazay-zee!) She invited a bunch of writers up to some luxury condos on Mt Hood. Nine of…
MARGARET DILLOWAY 