Today I spent some time at Johnson County Community College talking to ninth graders from the Olathe school district about being a writer.

One of the first kids who came up to me asked me if spelling was important. I considered it for a while, then said YES, BY GOD, IT IS. Then he asked if I write things out longhand, and I said, "No," then heard myself uttering, "Although I did when I was your age. We didn't really use computers then."

This kid looked at me as though I were fossilizing before his very eyes.

A series of flat-ironed blond girls streamed past. "What's the demand for your field?" one asked, popping her gum.

"Well," I said, "By the time you're out of college, I think we'll have that all figured out. Right now, it's pretty bad, actually." I paused. "But writing will never be outsourced to another country. Think about that. And corporations aren't really as evil as you'd think." Gah gah gah gah gah

At this point, I looked at the arborist sitting next to me with a giant chainsaw and asked for some of his Purell. All I could hear was the blood pounding in my ears.

DON'T TOUCH YOUR FACE. DON'T TOUCH YOUR FACE.

As I waited for more kids to approach, I heard one large boy ask the arborist, "Why would you need a chainsaw that big?"

An alert-looking girl ambled over. She skipped the questions on the preprepared form and went straight for the blogging. "How do you build your following?" she asked. "How long did it take to get one?"

I thought back to 2004, when I had a good day with 30 hits. "It took a long time," I said.

"I have a huge following on DNL," she said. I think that's what she said. I have no idea what DNL is. It must be something the kids are doing these days.

"I push a lot from Twitter," I replied. One of the other girls flipped her hair.

"I don't know how to make Twitter work," said the other girl.

You and most of America.

A teenaged boy came up. "I'm sorry," he said, before he'd said anything. Then he looked nervously at my sign, which said "writer."

"I like to write," he said, "but I don't think I'm very good at it."

"You know what? Nobody's very good at it in ninth grade. If you like it, you're probably better at it than you think. Keep going."

I got into a conversation about Ray Bradbury with an earnest-looking wanna-be reporter. Most of the kids looked through me at the window beyond.

The organizer kept getting on the loudspeaker.

THERE'S NO WAITING AT GARMIN!

The crowd began to rustle.

THERE'S NO WAITING AT THE EDUCATION BOOTH!

No shit. They're in ninth grade. Educators are still "other."

I sat back and listened to my thoughts:

• I had those same elf boots when I was in ninth grade.
• These girls are so lucky they won't regret their high school hair later in life, unlike us unlucky schmucks who came of age in the eighties.
• DON'T TOUCH FACE! DON'T TOUCH FACE!
• Why is your field not in demand? Why don't more people pay you to write?
• Their feet look so BIG.
• Why are these girls so good at liquid eyeliner? Could I learn?

Another girl approached my table. "So, um, how many things have you written?" she asked, looking bored. She scanned my portfolio, flipping the tear sheets and the Sleep Is for the Weak coverage.

My computer hard drive flashed before my eyes -- thousands of individual pieces. How many posts are in this blog? 1,296. I just checked.

How can I tell her the volume of words it takes to get better?

It's overwhelming how much work it takes to get good at something. What should I say?

So I said nothing. I smiled and signed her Career Fair form.

"Hey," I called as she walked away. "Go to school for what you want. There are a lot of great-paying jobs that'll kill your soul."

She smiled, flipped her hair. "Thanks," she said.

And then I flipped back through my portfolio, remembering every single piece.

Get ready for some pumpkin party hopping. Tomorrow, October 29, you can celebrate Halloween at any or all of three free, fun events in Boston. Enjoy trick or treating, crafts, and dance at the Hill House Halloween Party from 3-6pm (and spread the festive mojo by bringing a box of pasta, rice, or canned soup for their food pantry drive to benefit Boston families). Carve and decorate pumpkins and enjoy face painting and fall treats at the Fort Point Pumpkin Pageant from 12-4pm. And experience locally farmed pumpkins and apple cider at the Greenway Pumpkin Party from 12:30-2pm.

A couple of downpouring weekends ago, Laurel and I visited Clay Dreams, a pottery painting studio in Arlington. Simply pick from a range of functional (e.g., dinnerware) and decorative (e.g., pumpkins) pottery options, choose your paint colors, and create. At first, the cost ($5 fee + Laurel chose a $12 large plate and $8 mug) seemed a tad steep for an hour of entertainment but Laurel absolutely adored the experience. (And really, could I spin those pieces and fire them up myself for $25?) And she wasn’t the only one; in addition to various kid/adult pairings, one table was exclusively grownups.
While the experience itself was fun and relaxing, I was particularly won over when we picked up Laurel's pieces. On application the paints look rather pale and unremarkable, but they turn utterly vibrant once glazed and fired. I'm also intrigued to learn how to create some of their professional looking finishes, such as those shown in this image. (Our almost 10-year-old wedding dishes are all chipped up and could stand replacement.)

We're so going back to create holiday gifts for the grandparents. And since Laurel kept the plate and gifted the mug to Jon, I'm really hoping she makes me a piece next time too.

Clay Dreams, 183 Mass. Ave., Arlington; 781-641-3000

Something seemed a little off as we approached the Sprint Center last night. It was 7:15. Springsteen was supposed to go on at 7:30. But there were no people.

As we got closer, we could see people inside folding t-shirts. Beloved tried the door, but it was locked. So he tried the next door, and the next. I asked if he was sure we had the right night. We looked around for help.

Two red-coated security guards approached us. "Hey," said Beloved. "What's up?"

"The show's cancelled," said one.

"Shut up," we said.

"Okay," said the guy. "But the show's still cancelled."

We found out later Springsteen's cousin and assistant road manager had been found dead at the Intercontinental. But last night, it was just Monday night with a babysitter and no wish on either of our parts to party hearty after missing The Boss.

So we drove home and got some dinner so the little angel could play with her beloved babysitter, as going home early would've just thrown her off. It was still nice to talk to each other uninterrupted, without having to say SIT UP AND EAT even once. But a pall kind of hung over the evening.

My sympathies, Springsteen family and friends.

As a foodie, eco-geek, and mom of a kid apparently prone to cavities, Halloween causes me some angst. I don’t want to deprive Laurel and the neighborhood kids of candy but I don't like buying the preservative laden junk; I want to purchase good stuff (e.g., organic, fair trade) and candy alternatives without breaking the bank and/or getting my house toilet papered. I queried folks on Facebook and Twitter yesterday and got some great feedback. Below are some ideas from the community on alternatives to offer instead of – or in addition to – traditional candy. See also handy back editorial including Michelle’s tips for greening your Halloween and Tracy’s tips for promoting an allergy friendly Halloween.

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Alternative Snacks:

@prillyp: “No one ever knocks, but I always have something in case. This year: Annie's Bunny Gummies because I'm OK eating them if no one comes.”

@dcrmom: “I'm doing a small bag of pretzels AND a small candy bar. So it's not ALL bad.”

@mamacooldog: “Pretzels...and candy. I don't want to be the house every kid hates.”

Susan from Boston: “We hand out UTZ Halloween pretzels packages. My son is allergic to nuts, dairy and eggs so I try to be the "allergy-friendly" house. We have also handed out small containers of play dough in the past.”

@thriftymommy: "My aunt used to teach and she had a box of new kids meal toys left from her prize box. I'm giving those out as a kid-approved alternative to candy. I also have some fun size bags of Oreos, Teddy Grahams, and pretzels."

@FairlyOddMother: "I think it would be hilarious to do jello shots for the adults. Or maybe Dixie cups of hot cocoa and Baileys. Other than that, candy! But, I've also done Halloween-size packs of microwavable popcorn and that was a hit, especially among the tweens. I got them in bulk at Costco the year we did it."

Sara from Ireland: "We're definitely doing candy - but all that gummi bear stuff because I hate it...I know I would have felt seriously cheated if I was given non-candy as a kid. We ration it out here so it lasts nearly until Christmas...I grew up near a Frito Lay factory and Halloween was the only time I ever got to eat little bags of Fritos. Mmm...Fritos (goes into greasy salty snack reverie...). Eating candy is one of childhood's great pleasures."

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Crafts, Toys, & Trinkets:

Janelle from New Hampshire: “Both of my girls love crafts, so whenever we have a gathering, my gift bags are craft related... I've given necklace making kits, birdhouses to paint, puppets to make, etc. The kids love this idea as it's something different, and the mums love it because it's not candy, and not another plastic ring, yo-yo, etc., that ends up being immediately lost or tossed. While these ideas may sound extravagant, they really aren't. I am a huge AC Moore, Michael's, and Christmas Tree shopper...you can find all the ideas that I mentioned for under $1 a piece.”

@MoreThanMommy: “I thought about doing temporary tattoos, but we have too many older trick or treaters. Really they just want candy…[Also] I have given out glow necklaces in the past. Michael’s has 12 glow necklaces for a dollar."

@WhollyMothers: “Mini-playdoh is on sale at Target now.”

@the3Ts: “Halloween stickers for the young kids and sugar free gum for the older ones!”

@seaweedgirle: “Halloween-themed pencils, stickers, tattoos, and eraser puzzles.”

@beclarke: “We have a bowl of candy and a bowl of little toys (inexpensive goodie bag toys). Kids opt for the toys.”

Judi via Facebook fan page: “We hand out stickers, since we are gluten free (which, btw, pretzels are not). Oriental Trading all the way!”

Vanessa from Boston: “I'm doing plastic fangs.”

@rookiewhitney: "I bought non-candy stuff and my husband said ‘Don't hand that out.’ We live on a busy street and get very few trick or treaters, and will probably not be home for them anyway, so I will likely leave a bowl of the skull rings and plastic spiders I bought and not worry about it."

@rookieheather: "I bought candy but also pencils and superball-eyeballs. Rumor has it that sometimes kids pick the pencils. I will test that rumor."

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Bonus Points For Encouraging Good Deeds & Habits:

Susan from Vermont: “Don't forget change for UNICEF! Folks can still get boxes at Hallmark stores.”

@LizPW: “All the kids hate me…seed packets. They want candy, I want them to grow veggies.”

@WellesleyDental: “We're handing out toothbrushes and also collecting unwanted candy for troops Nov. 2 - 13 at our office.”

@pumpkinpetunias: "Always stickers for the little ones; also have done Halloween-themed yo-yos, toothbrushes (my fave), and glow sticks along with candy."

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Other advice:

Joan via Facebook fan page: “Have you heard of the Switch Witch? She's sort of like the tooth fairy. The idea is that a kid can leave all his/her candy on the doorstep when he/she goes to bed, and that night, the witch takes the candy and leaves a toy in its place. I'm thinking about trying that idea out on my kids.”

Kim from Boston: “Oh, if you're watching your girlish figure - do not buy any candy until the 31st AND buy the kind you do not like so you won't be tempted to indulge! So for me, I never buy chocolate - I buy Dots and Sweet Tarts that the kiddies like but I don't waste my time on!”

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Thanks everyone for these great ideas! Since we'll be out trolling the neighborhood so Laurel can show off her spectacular mermaid costume (generously sewn by her aunt Stephanie), I'll probably leave out a basket with a mix of organic candy, candy alternatives (e.g., pretzels), and small toy/craft items (e.g., stickers) and see what takes. Ultimately I'll buy things that I'm OK having around the house afterwards (so, yes to crafty items and no to tchotchke). We also will keep to our 1-2 piece of candy per day rule + brushing immediately following (due to aforementioned cavity issues). We've found that the nuisance of brushing often curbs Laurel's desire for sweets.

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Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I adore Heather Flett & Whitney Moss, the smart women behind the smart website Rookie Moms, a great destination for new moms looking to infuse fun activities amidst the daily duties of diapers and feedings. And I'm honored to now have a place in the Rookie Moms digital files via this guest post I recently wrote: Baby Activities in Boston features a sample weekly itinerary that will make any rookie mom in Boston look like a pro. Enjoy!
Also, for additional ideas, including ones for bigger kids, check out this handy post over at Alpha Mom: 50 Things To Do with Kids around Boston Before They Grow Up.

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Image credit: Christine Koh (Posh Peacock)

Today, April shares a review (and some amazing results!) from Petit Appetit: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: Easy, Organic Snacks, Beverages, and Party Foods for Kids of All Ages:

“What to have for snack? It's the eternal culinary question for a parent who wants choices that are fun, tasty, and reasonably healthy. What about lunch, little gatherings, and festive moments that call for creative bites, drinks, and goodies? It's easy to run out of ideas and get stuck in a rut of cheese sticks, juice boxes, and yogurt tubes.
Lisa Barnes, who wrote The Petit Appetit Cookbook: Easy, Organic Recipes to Nurture Your Baby and Toddler is back with Petit Appetit: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: Easy, Organic Snacks, Beverages, and Party Foods for Kids of All Ages. This cookbook is focused on those little meals, gatherings, and ‘everyday holidays.’ You'll get kicked out of the routine with a collection of ideas that include lunch roll-up sandwiches, crunchy snack foods, sparkly beverages, and special celebration foods to mark things like the first day of snow.

Honestly, the idea of feeding a play group, adding something fun to a meal, or celebrating something almost ordinary (Cinco de Mayo? Losing a first tooth?) can make any parent retreat to manufactured snacks that are wanting in nutritional value—not to mention variety.

Barnes talks about food choices (organic vs. not, eating seasonally, ‘green’ habits, etc.), but does it in a friendly tone, which is so important. She offers up information and point of view the way an informed friend might when you're talking about issues that affect our families and our food. Because of that, the book is a good overview of some food issues, like refined sugars, outside food influences, and instilling good eating habits. She also talks about ways to make food eco-friendly, tasty, packable (for lunch boxes and potlucks), and coveted by everyone nearby who wants a snack.

The recipes are true snack foods, and mighty tasty. Barnes splits the book up into sections like drinks (by kind: juicy, frosty, warmers, etc.), snacks (by texture: crunchy, chewy, salty, etc.), and celebrations (by type: birthdays, holidays, everyday celebrations). For each recipe, she offers nutrition facts, like you'd see on the side of a package—making it all the better to compare a snack made chez vous to one found in aisle 7. We all buy some snacks from the store, but it's a great reminder that each serving has a potential for good and not-so-good. Just seeing the difference in fat and fiber content is interesting. She labels each recipe with icons that make it easy browsing for parents who need allergen-free foods or lunchbox-friendly snacks. But don't get too concerned about "healthy" snack food. In this case I mean "healthy" as opposed to chemical-laden packaged foods that we sometimes feel are the only option.

I like creative snacks, and I never would have figured out how to make chewy granola before reading Barnes' book. Had I tried from another book, I wouldn't have been sure if it was healthier in terms of sugar or fat content than the store-bought kind. I did make it (page 73; see my personal photos below) and it was stellar. Everyone loved it. Everyone. It's so good. Instead of refined sugars and high fat content, she uses brown rice syrup and turbinado sugar—ingredients that enhance the recipe flavors and needs. I changed her recipe a bit—dried cranberries weren't going to fly with some designated eaters, so I used dried cherries and freeze dried raspberries along with her candied ginger. I also found that it needed a bit more liquid than the recipe called for, so I adapted that on the fly. That might be my only quasi-criticism: The recipe ideas and flavors are excellent, but you might need to tweak them a bit, perhaps based on the ingredient brands and humidity differences. So get cooking, but keep an eye on how it you think it should look, keep tasting it, and play with it along the way—it's not hard.

I also made ginger ale from the beverage section. My daughter sees other kids her age drinking soda, and it's not something we give her. But I made Barnes' ginger-agave syrup with fresh ginger. Just add some soda water to make a spicy and perfect drink. It was so good that I think my husband and I drank most of it, but our daughter clamored for it. The book is full of ideas that are new, as well as foods that remake and revise the standard store-bought options.

I like my daughter to take part in wonderful tastes—and I would like it if she craves foods and flavors that are made from real ingredients. To make that happen, we have to give her tasty foods that are, in fact, made that way. Cakes and cookies are no problem, but snacky, chewy, crunchy foods have been a bit of a challenge up until now. Barnes just made it a lot easier. Snack time is exciting, tasty, and a lot better than mass-produced.”

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Awesome granola photography courtesy of April Paffrath. For more foodie awesomeness from April, check out her blog Wicked Tasty Harvest.

This past weekend Beloved flew to Lansing, Michigan for the Iowa Hawkeye game. Surprise win! One of the best ever! I'm so glad he was there. This Hawkeye is proud of the scramblers.

I loaded the little angel into the car on Friday and drove to my parents' house, where Blondie and I watched the entire Jurassic Park trilogy and Wall-E (I was a Wall-E virgin) and spent the weekend making puppets and carving pumpkins and laughing until my sides hurt and cuddling and eating with our parents and my girl. It was awesome.

I got to see all of my local aunts and uncles and two of my cousins. And -- for those of you who follow me on Twitter -- we did make it five hours round-trip with no DVD player. YES WE DID.

 

My finger puppet is based loosely on Lauren Conrad. Note the Barbie tanning oil glued to her bikini bottoms. Ahem.

 

The little angel's puppet featured freckles.

The little angel's puppet also had a sequined bustle and had recently taken a spring break vacation to Panama City Beach.

Blondie's is going to be in a textbook, so I'm a little worried about copyright posting the photo.

So I'll show you her klassy puking pumpkin instead.

 

Evil lurks on the farm. It gets VERY DARK in Iowa.

Speaking of which, now that I'm out of swatting distance, I will admit that while I was dicking around helping Pa load his wood pellets for his corn boiler out of the Morton Building, I asked if I could take out the riding lawn mower tractor that I learned to drive on. It's larger than a surburban riding lawnmower, and really should be classified as "tractor." Well, I apparently slowed down too much before I popped the clutch into third, and before I knew it? I was doing a wheelie all the way across my parent's yard. Oops. That was exciting.

 

Blondie gave the little angel a princess cowgirl hat, which has totally changed her vision for her Halloween costume. So I just ordered some fake cowgirl boots on the Internets.

Yay, October! It's so important (I think) for couples to have time to play on their own. I'm glad Beloved had his day in the sun, and I had a great time with my family.

Carry on.

And the theme is school kids who can't afford stuff.

I'm doing publicity for a local performance of The Nutcracker. One of my jobs is to call metro schools and ask if they'd be interested in bringing their kids in for field trips (some of the performances are designated for schools and held during the school day). When I called the KCMO school district a few weeks ago, the very nice woman there told me so many of the kids are on the reduced or free lunch program they probably couldn't afford the $4 ticket price. Considering I had to send $5 to school with the little angel last week so she could eat a doughnut, this statement almost made my head pop off with the injustice of it all.

I'd been rolling the whole Nutcracker thing around in my head for some time when I saw Kelly Wickham's post about her kids (she's a vice principal of a school) not being able to carry big purses or backpacks but not being able to afford yet another purse for their lady things.

I'm going to sort through my closet to find a few small purses to send Kelly's girls so they can carry their tampons with dignity through the halls of their big-purse-and-backpack-banning school. If you're decluttering this year, please think about throwing a few tiny purses in a box and mailing them to Kelly. The P.O. box is in the link above.

And I'm going to ask you to consider approaching your employers or yourselves or your families about sponsoring a few KCMO school kids to see a very inexpensive ballet production this holiday season.  If you donate above $50, your name will appear in the program (I have details about levels of sponsorship for companies and individuals), but also, if you donate anything, we can designate it for KCMO kids if we get enough to bus in a few classes.