Social Promotion In Blogging

The school system has been working within the concept of social promotion for quiet some time. Self esteem is so very much an important factor in life that you would never want to do or say anything that could make someone feel as if they are less than the best. It might hurt their feelings to know that there are people are out there who may be stronger, faster or smarter than they are. We wouldn't what that.

We make sure to give out participant certificates just for showing up to any given contest. After all, 90% of success in life is just showing up. We don't keep score in t-ball and we dare not ever hold back a failing student. They will excel at a faster rate if we allow them to finger paint their way to the 5th grade, before we expect any crayon work from them. The powers that be have even finally come around to understand that students should be given partial credit on standard testing for wrong answers and/or a lack of answer - it shows the student is at least thinking about the question.

I think that we should adopt these same principles into blogging.

Using myself as an example of proper implementation of this concept, I'll explain to you what I mean.

I write mostly garbage, hence your current reading pleasure, a modest little blog, you may have heard of it (Hint:you're on it right now.) but I showed up and wrote something today. I should get an award and 207 extra comments today out of the deal. You wouldn't want my feelings to get hurt.

I have been writing this blog for almost 2 years now. That alone should be enough for google to boost my ranking all the way to 7th grade. I could get discouraged after 2 years without enough outside promotion.

Companies should want to advertise with me and give me money, even though my audience is not large enough to pass the cost/benefit analysis test, because I am here and I am established as a mediocre blogger. They should want to cheer me on for trying my best.

I play nice with others in the sandbox that is Twitter follow me @WeaselMomma and for that you should be compelled to award me with constant link love and re-tweets to my blog posts, even if you think my writing is, well, meh. After all, I offered to share my sand covered lollipop.

I haven't earned should be granted 300 more followers and subscribers today on World of Weasels, just click the widget thingy in the right sidebar before you leave, because if you have the read this far along into this nonsense excuse for a post, you're diggin' it, you want to come back for more and just think how soon it will promote me up to being trusted to use safety scissors and we all know that safety scissors will boost my self esteem.

Now excuse me while I go dine on some fantabulous paste!

I Won't Be Bullied

No one likes a bully, but we all have to deal with them at one time or another in our lives. There are playground bullies, school bullies, neighbor bullies, work bullies, etc. Basically, in any and every aspect of our lives, we can find bullies.

I for one, while not advocating violence, refuse to let myself be pushed around. I will stand up for myself, never back down from defending myself and take physical action when I have exhausted all other options.

The other day, yours truly was taunted. It started out subtly. I noticed myself being stared down out of the corner of my eye. I gave no reaction, but carefully kept monitoring the situation.

Soon things became more blatant. The staring was more obvious and in much closer proximity. I made full on eye contact to show that I was aware of the presence and the hostility. I needed to show that I was not intimidated.

Before I knew it, we were only about 2 feet apart. I continued watching my back, unafraid and going about my own business. Then I heard it, "You want a piece of me? You think you can take me?".

Surprised and extremely irritated, I did what had to be done.

I showed that cheesecake who's boss.

I'd like to see it just try and taunt me again.

Pre-Mature Father's Day

Let's say it out loud gang I'm poor and I'm cheap, the economy is in the can. We are all having to tighten our belts which is really hard as my waistline expands and be frugal about, well everything.

So when Red Envelope.com offered to send me an offering of my choice of their Father's Day wares for review, I jumped and said yes faster than your Senior Prom date. (That's your FTC disclosure) I could get Mr. Weasel the gift that he wanted for Father's Day and not chunk out the cash that I don't have.

Use the offer code 10offred to save 10%.
I visited the Father's Day Link from Red Envelope and to my surprise, they had lots of cool gear for Dad at really reasonable prices. Everything from novelties like a beer holster to cuff links. Lots of choices and prices that make frugal gals like I happy. I personally picked out The Mr. Beer Home Brewery would you expect any less of me. The Mr. had been wanting one and here was a great opportunity to get it for him.

When it came in the mail yesterday, I said "Happy Father's Day". His face exploded with joy when he saw this:

He tore open the box to see all the contents with the gleam in his eye of a 12 year old boy who had just seen his first Sports Illustrated Swim Suit Edition.
There is enough mix to make 2 full gallons of homemade brew and reusable bottles and barrel shaped fermenting container. It takes about 2 weeks to make a good brew or just one for beer I would drink. By the end of that time frame, I expect that Mr. Weasel will be looking as happy as this guy:

It's not to late to order from Red Envelope and have it time for Father's Day. Check it out. I did and I'm not just saying that because I got a freebie. That's my honest WeaselMomma seal of approval.

Quit Your SAHD Whining

There is much whining going on in the media among Stay at Home Dads (SAHDs) in the past few months. Yes, I said whining and I am tired of it. Know that I love dads and SAHDs alike. I have the utmost respect for a man who puts his family before himself and yearns to be involved in his children's daily lives. I love reading blogs from dads. I love networking with SAHDs. After all, we are in the trenches together. However, I am tired of hearing the constant complaints of 'I get no respect from adults', 'I'm embarrassed to say I'm a SAHD in public', 'Moms won't let me into their click', 'I can't get a job because my resume has that missing time line' or 'I'm tired of people thinking I'm a lazy, no good gigolo'.

Let me let you in on a little secret fellas. I have been a Stay at Home Mom for 16 yrs and have experienced everything in that list of complaints personally. It's not because you are a man, it's because the very important job you have chosen to do doesn't come with a corner office and business cards. It says more about you that you have the priorities in life straight than an Armani suit does.

I am the traditional homemaker from the 1950's, sans high heels, a spotless house and dinner on the table when Mr. Weasel comes home. I have been raising my family for 16 yrs. Some days are great. Some days I could pull my hair out. Some days I lose it. Some are depressing and some fill me with a pride and joy that I could not find in any other line of work.

Get a grip on your own Confidence

I occasionally go to work functions with Mr. W. People always ask in conversation "What do you do?", then proceed with the look and "Oh, you have your hands full" in a very condescending tone. Much the same way they did when they find out that we have 6 children and assume I am just a human incubator. Once I was able to feel proud of what I do and state with pride that I am the mother of 6, not only did the looks no longer bother me, but they soon stopped. My confidence level affected the way people perceived me.

Find The Right Moms

There are moms who won't let me in their click either. These are the park moms with designer strollers and purses that cost my mortgage payment. These are the hyper-moms that take infants to the library for story time and not just because they have an older toddler that could actually benefit. These are the moms who only dress their toddlers from the J. Crew catalog and refuse to let them play in the dirt.

Instead, go for a walk in your neighborhood and find the mom who is playing in the yard with the kids and the sprinkler. The mom who is wearing jean shorts and a koolaid stained t-shirt. She's the mom you really want to network with.

There is More to you Than just the Title of Dad

You have interests and accomplishments. You have hobbies and skills. Don't let anyone, including a prospective employer bring you down to the least common denominator of a one faceted moniker of SAHD.

I too have been looking for part time work to help make ends meet. I am willing to wait tables, bag groceries or say 'do you want fries with that'. However, after 16 years at home and a tight economy, I am finding that because I have children I am losing out to 16 year old kids for these simplistic positions. Being a mother, they fear my calling out sick every time one of my kids has a runny nose. So be it. I will find my own niche and my own way if I just keep pushing and continue to have confidence in myself and my abilities. I can't afford to lose self esteem to any establishment that fails to see my worth.

You are NOT a Kept Man

You earn your keep the same as any other working Joe out there. Your job is vital an important to the well being of your family. You are raising children and caring for their needs. You are keeping your homes running as smoothly as is possible and you are building relationships that are more valuable than any paycheck. You are raising the next generation of adults. It only pays in kisses but it is the core job of your family. Anyone who has done the job knows that there is nothing lazy about it.

I have had many people, including my own brother, believe that I am a freeloader and doing the bon bon thing. I know to chalk these people up as being idiots. I work. I work hard. I just work out of love for my family and not a paycheck. You and I alike have sacrificed paychecks and luxuries to do this important job. Don't let the opinion of an idiot diminish you.

Now it's time to man up, quit your whining and start networking with moms like me and some other stay at home dads who do it with style, class and never any whining. Hold your head up high. Be proud of what you do and click these links.

Nuclear Family Warhead
Joeprah.com
BellasDaddy
Big Bad Daddy Rant - Who hasn't posted in a while and needs to be poked.
Clark Kent's Lunchbox
Real Men Drive Mini-Vans

Weekends in Weaselville

Mr. Weasel's crazy and hectic schedule is starting to affect his brain function. This past weekend he had an epiphany - walking across the street for a haircut every few weeks was too taxing of his time and that I should take the clippers to his head myself.

I protested with small and inconsequential details such as, I don't know how to cut hair. I may as well been trying to explain to a cranky toddler why fudgesicles aren't a good breakfast choice.

In total loss of his mental faculties, Mr. Weasel threatened that if I wouldn't do it, he was going to do the job himself. I gave in, much like a would do in the toddler/fudgesicle scenario.

Mr. Weasel removed his shirt and took a seat on a kitchen chair. I plugged in the clippers and went straight to work shaking my head the entire time. About half way through this ridiculous lapse in judgment, there were enough large clumps of hair on the floor to build 3 or 4 bionic gray squirrels.

Monkey Weasel (10) entered the kitchen and stood staring slack jawed at the improbable scene before her eyes, "Dad, is Mom shaving your head or your back?!!!!!!". Complete with outrageous and well timed amounts of laughter from 5 innocent Weasel bystanders.

Mr. W's response was a simple and succinct, "Shut up", followed up with, "BTW, WM, I need you to wax my back today too".

Yeppers, this is what life is like on weekends in Weaselville.