Some LOST news is in order:

First of all, make note: LOST has a new time! 10/9 central rather than 8/7 central! That isn’t great for this household, because we get up so early. Of course I am still going to watch it!

 Here are some goodies you can watch until Feb. 7th…

Lost music video: 

Too funny:

I’ve been a little out of the loop with the Lost Experience and the Hanso Foundation stuff lately, but I found these interesting finds on youtube- wish I had seen them months ago when they were posted! So those who haven’t seen them, this might help enlighten some of the stuff going on with our little islanders:

Like spoilers of LOST? Check them out here.

The Oscar nominations this year leave me with the feeling that I’ve been hiding out in no man’s land. I think I’ve seen one or two of the films mentioned. This is sad. I plan to take the day Sat or Sun this weekend to watch at least a few more that are out on DVD, (are any?) to fill myself in. I definitely liked In Pursuit of Happyness and Little Miss Sunshine was okay.

I’ve got a good LOST post cooking over in my draft area for tomorrow evening- stay tuned.

Also to come- Thursday hop on over for mama’s lesson on unrefined eating!

The attendance at the Polk Blogger Meet-up is probably a great sample cluster of the blogosphere; throw in some techies, a consultant, a reporter integrating blogging as a news forum, and an online operations director for the local paper- and then there’s me, representing the “mommy blog” genre rather humbly! Great conversation- what a wonderful way to collaborate, share ideas and knowledge, and just plain get to know other people who have a similar interest in blogging. As I’m sure there will be other mentions of this on their blogs, along with possible photos, I will link here when it becomes available.

If my blog starts to get a little better, you can all thank Chuck and Josh! Those guys are like a well of wisdom when it comes to that stuff, and to think, I got to sit in on it! You ever think, “Hey, I wonder what it would be like to be a fly on the wall for [such and such]“? That’s what tonight was for me. Like I got to hang out in the stall of the boys locker room and hear what they really talk about — except not exactly. Although I was the only girl!

No drinking games, and Chuck did not come in his tie-died skirt and colorful platform shoes. Good job, Chuck!

So thanks, guys! We gotta do it again sometime! Maybe even start a real meet-up?

UPDATE: Here is Chuck’s rendition. Gawd I hate candid photos- that’s me flinching oh so cooly. HERE is Billy’s “scoop”- at least there are no photos!

Lil’ E has never had a cup of milk. I used to worry, but now I am beginning to think he knows something most American’s don’t.

Here’s the suggestions for diary intake at roughly his age:

Suggested intake – children 2 to 5 years of age:

• cow’s milk
• 6 servings/day
• one servings equals:
• 1/2 cup milk, yogurt, pudding
• 3/4 oz. cheese
• 1 cup cottage cheese

I fed my son yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese as often as I could, thinking that it was the only way to get the great source of calcium, proteins, and select vitamins that he was lacking by refusing milk. Yogurt, after all, is a great source of pro-biotics, living enzymes that aid in digestion.

Then I learned about Casein. This stuff is poision, its like glue in your system. Milk is 80% casein, and even wiki’s article on casein states its been linked to tumor growth, that it binds on to molecules in tea (when adding milk to tea) thus blocking the positive effects of tea, AND that a casein-free diet is used sometimes for parent’s of autistic children and significant improvements to their behavior follow. (Which makes me really wonder about other behavior “disorders” that our nation’s children suffer from, such as ADD and hyperactivity, ever since the refined sugar and dairy industries have fed us their lies!) 

Being lactose intolerant myself, I also sort of figured humans were never meant to consume the amount of cow’s milk we currently do in western culture. Its been linked to so many symptoms and illnesses, yet there on my TV this morning is another “MILK WILL MAKE YOU SLIM” US propaganda. I know, I know, I sound like an anti-milk fanatic using words like “lies” and “propaganda”- but seriously, what else should I call it?

This week I decided to try something new. Though goat’s milk is similar to cow’s milk, (and I don’t know the exact molecular make up in comparison, or the casein differences), it can be a viable alternative from what I have been learning. Wild Oats grocery store has goat’s milk, yogurt, cheese (obviously), and even ice cream. Just looking on the nutrition facts, goat’s milk does have the 30% daily recommended intake of calcium like an 8 oz cup of whole cow’s milk.

But considering how some studies have linked animal protein as the CAUSE of bone loss (hip fractures, osteoporosis, so on), and milk is full of this animal protein, why are we still told over and over again by the dairy industry that this LEADING source of calcium will PREVENT bone loss?

The best alternative is to find these vitamins and minerals in your food. I will be collecting the nutrition facts on fresh fruits and vegetables and showing you how much calcium, vit A & D, protein, and so forth is in these foods that the USDA should be pushing and marketing much more than milk.

Moooooove our dairy industry! Look into this for yourselves, don’t just believe everything the milk campaigns tell you.

And don’t forget, you need to drink 8, 8 oz. of water a day. Your body and skin will THANK you for the cleanse!

Sometimes staying at home can put you in a rut with parenting. Especially if you work from home, it is tempting to work almost constantly and let the TV be the babysitter. I find that putting on a good cd can do wonders for your energy and intentions.

When its playtime in the morning, we put on the Backyardigan’s or Diego and Dora CD, both of which my son just loves. I appreciate them because they aren’t some queer 40 year old folky singer singing “kum-bay-ya” or “Jesus Loves Me”, but rather pretty entertaining for adults too. They get us moving and provide the background noise I crave, but also don’t take our attention the way television does, so I remember to get toys out and actively play with and teach him. For lunch I like to put on the classical radio station. It’s slightly calm and he seems to pay attention to eating better. Then I put Sweet Dreams on in his room, a lullaby CD, which let’s him know it is time to go nigh nigh for his nap.

Play around with different music until you find some that motivate different parts of your day. They can help to stick to a schedule and break up the day into main parts rather than feeling like an endless, boring abyss. Sometimes, for those “party” songs, Lil’ E and I will take out his basket of musical instruments and participate in the music, shaking maracas or drumming to the beat.

Music can be your own little “Mother’s Helper”!

Okay, seriously, I’m slightly impressed with myself. I worked 13 hours of hourly income from employers today, while me and later my hubby (after he got home from work) shared responsibilities with Lil’ E. That and I even made it to the bible study this morning. Now THAT is a gift from God, cause you guys all know I wouldv’e never busted my butt so hard today without His Spirit! Hey, I just say it how it is.

Another excuse to not write a better post today. Hopefully I can get back on the swing of things this weekend.

Wow, I said that WAY too many times in high school. My senior year, I missed 57 days in the first semester alone. School went WAY too slow for me. I still managed to make straight A’s though- and that, ladies and gentlemen, is what’s wrong with kids today.

Anyway, I wanted to offer you people an apology for just taken off like that the last week or so. Right after New Year I headed out of town, (south to Naples area and across to Miami) on a magazine assignment (ew, that sounds so self-important). I got back in Sunday evening and took a few days to adjust. Aside from driving nearly 3-5 hours every day with a one year old, the trip was really interesting! Lil’ E was on his blessed best behavior, even with a cold, and the interviews and pics came out pretty decent. (I’ll share when article is published– Maybe I’m being presumptious!)

So I plan to take a sec to upload a little slideshow of the pictures I took, but my new camera was on crack and several of the miami pics were destroyed, so I’m left with just a handful.

Yeah, I know, you were really looking forward to another slideshow excuse for a post.

Here’s the other thing. I plan to begin to focus the theme of this blog a little more toward parenting and work from home issues. Less of this mindless rambling I do to make myself laugh and chuckle and think I am oh so hilarious while you are very very very bored.

SO- don’t ask when I will get around to changing up categories and what not, but it will be soon. Before Feb. 7th, because I hope to have a sub-domain for the LOST blogs by the time they start again. And I can’t do THAT until Chuck offers his free time to guide me through it. (shameless beg).

Well I’m off to bed! Early bird gets more work done!

Lakeland Local’s Chuck, Empirical Polk’s Josh and I are going to be meeting at Starbucks at Lakeside Village on Thursday, Jan. 18th at 8:00 PM. Bloggers in Polk County welcome!

Look for The Hulk behind the laptop (that would be what is called an inside joke). If you don’t see him, look for me and my books. Maybe I’ll leave the books.

 Don’t look for this guy.

If he’s there, something has gone terribly wrong. Get back in your car.

Ok, grab some coffee. Then get back in your car. Do this quickly.