She’s Back!

Izzy, me, and Shai enjoying a silly moment.

Ok, so I took a hiatus for a few days.  It’s been very busy here.  It’s to the point where I sit down after the day is over and I cannot believe all that I have done in that day.  It’s breakfast, playtime, diapers, work, writing, thinking, lunch, playtime, tv time, cooking dinner time, bathtime, workout time, husband/wife time, e-mails, dishes, bed, and then up and do it again.  What?!?  Yes, this is life.  And in between, I’m trying so hard to keep in touch with family and friends, schedule playdates, ensure that my children are happy, healthy, clean, and fed, and trying to start a business.  What?!?

So then, I ask myself, why not just make life simple?  Don’t work and don’t start a business.  Forget the triathlon and go for a brisk walk every once in awhile.  No way!  What is life without a challenge?  If everything were easy, life would be boring and us humans would have no motivation and no incentive.  Didn’t you ever consider why G-d made us this way?  By nature, most humans are ambitious  We want to do things and to better our living situations.  This is my personality to a tee.  Actually, I think it is why I am so drawn to Judaism.  Once you get passed the potato kugel and dreidels, you realize that Judaism is more about working toward a goal.  And it’s A LOT of work.  However, we all need to keep the faith and continue moving forward.  With religion, life in general, whatever your flavor of the month.  And then, just when it gets all too much, sit down at the end of the day and admire all you did.  Have dinner with your family and laugh.  Enjoy junk tv with your spouse.  You deserve it.

Swim.Bike.Run.Mitzvah

Firecracker 4-miler July 2009

It’s been a few days since I last posted.  Actually, when I looked at my last post so much has happened since then that I don’t even remember being that frustrated.  Funny how life works.

Anyhow, I wanted to take this opportunity to formally “announce” a few things.  For those of you who do not yet know, I am officially training for my first triathlon.  I’m doing it for a number of reasons – to challenge myself mentally and physically, to stay healthy and fit, to set an example for my daughters, and probably most importantly to show that  in almost anything you do you can bring a little bit of holiness into the world.  I’m dedicating my first full sprint triathlon to Chabad of the Lehigh Valley.  And in doing that, I will be publicizing my journey and asking family, friends, and friends of friends of friends to sponsor me so that we can raise enough money to build a safe state-of-the-art playground for Chabad.

There is still much to be done.  First, I need to sign up for a triathlon.  Second, I need to set up a Facebook fan page for myself and figure out a way that I can accept donations online.  Lastly, I need everyone to help.  There is no minimum or maximum donation – just whatever you can manage in honor of my sweat and tears in training for and taking part in the event.  Thanks for your support and stay tuned for more information.

Over and out.

Frustrations Abound

Ok, here’s a good rhetorical question: have you ever felt as if you’re stuck going one way when all you want to do is make a turn onto the next road?  For me, that defines today.  In so many aspects of my life I feel that I need to make some positive changes and something is holding me back.  The scary part is that I think it might be myself.  It’s easy to get caught up in all the little things that happen in life.  It’s also easy to blame everyone else.  Sometimes you lose focus of the big picture.  Now, the better question is what am I going to do today to change all of that?  I think I have a few ideas.  First, I need to clear my head.  Second, I need to figure out EXACTLY what it is that needs changing.  And lastly, I need to stare into the faces of my two kids for strength and renewal.  I have a feeling that then it will all fall into place.  Wish me luck.

Have you asked yourself a rhetorical question lately?

Swine Flu and Other Stuff

In the last week, I’ve heard of numerous cases of swine flu.  Neighbors, friends, etc.  I feel as if it is only a matter of time before that wretched virus finds its way into my home.  It’s quite eye-opening to consider how such a tiny organism can have a significant impact on the world’s most advanced species.  Yes, that’s right, us humans have to be careful of what we put into our bodies and what we do to our environment.  The slightest mistake might just put us over the edge.

With that said, this whole swine flu craze has made me realize just how vulnerable we all are.  One day you’re walking around enjoying the fall colors, and the next you’re laid up in bed taking cautious sips from a bottle of Gatorade.  And when you consider the big picture, it just goes to show you that you must make the most of the time that you do have.  The healthy time when you are able to do all of those things that you’ve always wanted.  If you’re not healthy, then try and think about ways to get healthy.  As a good friend said this morning, life is way too short.  We have to enjoy the time that we have here and conquer everything that needs conquering before it’s too late.

Remember, for each of us these challenges are different.  Just because I chose to take on a triathlon does not mean that every person needs to do that in order to validate themselves.  It might be writing that novel that’s been rattling around your head for years, or being a better parent to your children, or the simple task of calling up your sister or brother to say I love you.  This is what life is all about: taking steps toward being a better person.  We definitely all do get stuck on the way, but the goal is to keep moving forward and never look back.  It took me awhile to realize how this process is supposed to work.  And even though some days I feel the momentum starting to wane, I push myself forward so as not to fall into old habits.  It’s hard work.  However, it’s worth it in the end.  When you get up in the morning and love your life and when your children want to be just like you when they grow up, that’s when you know you’re doing something right.

Today can be the first day of the rest of your life.  In fact, it is.  With the help of G-d, I’m going to make today count so that I can look forward to an even better tomorrow.

Itinerant Book Show in the Press

For those of you who know me and/or follow my blog (see previous post), Sullivan Street Press recently had an article done on its Itinerant Book Show.  Co-owner of SSP and my good friend Deborah Emin is on the road as I type this.  I wish her much luck and a safe drive.  Please see link below.  Thanks for your support.  Things are really heating up for SSP.  Stay tuned.

Independent Collegian Article

Watching it Unfold

For the past several months, I’ve had the opportunity to work with two wonderful people in taking a few ideas and creating a full-fledged business.  And it doesn’t end there because it’s not just a business.  It’s Sullivan Street Press, an e-book publisher that is committed to seeing the new publishing paradigm thrive.

At this point, you probably have no idea what I’m talking about and that’s ok.  But believe me when I tell you we are doing great things.  Things that are not based on just how to make a buck.  It’s more about bringing together people who love reading and writing and restoring that relationship.  It’s about getting little-known writers the recognition they deserve despite what the big boy publishers have to say about it (or not).  The fact is, there are many more great writers out there that we know little about.  Who is going to help them?  Sullivan Street Press.

We are prepared to do something that no other publisher has done and we are going to make our mark with our innovative ideas and dedication to the craft of writing as well as the environment.  Our new website will be up January 1, 2010.  In the meantime you can read about us here sullivanstreetpress.com.

Over and out folks.

21st Century Kids (and Parents)

Maya the Flower

It could be the time change, the weather, the World Series, or just that my kids are going through a stage of life.  However, I’d be lying if I said that the last week or so have been sweet as sugar here at the Goldstein house.  Every time I turn around, Isabel has knocked her sister down or stolen her toy.  Then, when I’m paying attention to Izzy, Maya decides she’s going to ransack my tupperware cabinet or climb on something dangerous.  It’s like a never ending cycle of craziness here and I only have two kids!

In the midst of the insanity, I started to wonder to myself how truly different it was for my grandparents to raise their kids as compared to me raising mine.  Truthfully, our way of parenting is completely different and that’s because a) we are different people and b) the schools of though have changed drastically over the last fifty years or so regarding child rearing.  In fact, I don’t even think they call it “rearing” anymore.  But I digress.

Anyhow, I thought about this question a lot over the weekend.  My first answer was of course it was VERY different.  However, then a few more questions popped into my head.  For instance, are children different today?  Whereas my Grandma might have had to reprimand my Mom for cutting school, parents today have to make sure that their children aren’t starting online relationships with people 20 years their senior.  Scary stuff.  So, does that then mean that my three year-old might be more difficult to handle than say my Mom when she was the same age?

Just to give you a quick idea of what I’m dealing with, Izzy is a precocious three going on twenty-three.  She has full command of the English language and is working on her Hebrew, Spanish, and Chinese.  And, she taught herself how to write her name a few weeks ago.  When she’s not doing puzzles or playing role play games with her dolls, she enjoys long walks on the beach and sitting down with a calculator and adding numbers.  Yes, I’m dead serious.

Back to the matter at hand.  Is my 21st century little darling more difficult than my 20th century Mom was when she was the same age?  I’m telling you, as a mother of two, the answer is yes.  I think that as time and technology progresses, so does the human brain.  What ten year-olds dealt with years ago our five and six year-olds deal with those same, and sometimes more complex, issues today.

Well then, what’s the solution?  I’m not exactly sure, but I can tell you what’s NOT the solution.  We can’t shelter our children.  They are what they are – children of the 21st century.  They will probably learn how to use a computer before they can sit down and read their first chapter book.  They have watched an African-American man become President of the United States and in the 2nd grade  they already know what the word “terrorist” means.  These kids are vulnerable and they need our help.  We can’t leave them out there to figure things out on their own anymore and more importantly, we can’t leave it to their peers or other folks to teach them.  As a parent, I’ve recognized that no matter how hard it gets you just have to keep plugging away.  The reality of it is that it only gets harder.  When I say harder I don’t mean that at the age of 13 you’re going to have to explain the birds and the bees right after you wipe your kid’s butt.  Eventually, they will take care of their own personal hygiene needs and then you, as a parent, will move on to bigger and better things like explaining why people get divorced and why every house on the street has X-mas lights up and your’s doesn’t.

It’s a nonstop cycle of questions and answers.  I don’t think it ever stops.  However, I am almost convinced that our questions and answers are lightyears ahead of what transpired between parents and kids a mere fifty years ago.  After all, a 21st century family warrants 21st century parenting.   That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.