What I’d Really Like to Do is Give Everyone a Nikon and a Cashmere Sweater
I’m holding a contest over on my new blog, and I’ll start by asking you this:
Do you know that feeling of having a party and thinking that no one, except maybe your best friend or mother, is going to show up?
That’s EXACTLY how I feel about doing a giveaway. (For the record I’m fine with others doing giveaways.)
I say I want to do something for my readers..
(I feel like a bit of an arse even referring to “my readers.”)
But assuming there are any. Readers.
Not that I’m assuming there are or anything.
What I’d like to do is give Nikons and cashmere sweaters
to everyone.
Does holding a giveaway make me a subscriber whore?
Goofy, and out-of-line?
Answers: Yes. Yes.
Apparently I want to be Oprah.
And I don’t like Oprah.
What’s with me?
Oh, sorry, I mean, “What’s with you?”
{I may not be giving away cashmere sweaters and Nikons, but I’ve got a gorgeous necklace from LuShae and a rolled canvas from Uprinting. And for each entry I’ll be making a donation to ECPAT/USA (End Child Prostitution and Trafficking)}
OMG, I just realized that this all sounds like Oprah.
So come on over and enter. Please.
Now for the next topic: The College Roadtrip
Dolly and I are going on a college roadtrip next week. The other night we made a list of colleges she’s seen that she’d likes, and a list of colleges she’s seen that she didn’t like. I noticed that I wasn’t there for the colleges she likes, and that I was there for the ones she didn’t like.
You don’t think these things are related, do you? Well, just in case they are, I’ve decided that I’ll go to the information sessions with her where I’ve promised to sit on my hands and not ask questions, but not on the campus walking tours. This is fine with me – all those young people walking backwards make me nervous. Her enthusiasm in letting me know this is fine with her too, leaves me doubly convinced that aliens have indeed abducted my child from her body. If I close my eyes I can still feel her tiny hand in mine as we walked into our first day of pre-K.
I’m concerned I’m making all kinds of bad decisions. When figuring out what schools to visit next week, I ruled out one college because they had nature sounds playing on their website. I feel as if the past 17 or so years have been building up to this and now that I’m here, I’m behaving like someone else’s mother making decisions based on things like how a student tour guide walks backwards and chirping birds. Like a mother who is crazy and thinks her child is in 10 years old because that’s about how many years it seems have gone by.
And yes folks, she’s only a junior. We’ve got at least a year of “they grow up so fast”/pre-empty nest syndrome posts ahead of us. (If the aliens are out there and can hear this, please let her know that we miss her dearly on her home planet and look forward to her safe return in a couple of years.)
Any advice? And did I tell you about the giveaway I’m hosting over on The Travel Belles?
Junior year is when we did the college visit thing too! I can’t believe it’s your time already! WOW!!!!
I don’t adore Oprah…but she can send me chocolates and cashmeres any time she wants…on the other hand…if you were giving out cashmeres — then I would need a new closet (where am I going to get THAT????) and chocolates…(then I would need new pants!).
So, I am happy that you are giving simplicity…
“’tis a gift to be simple, ’tis a gift to be free…”
xxoxox
As hard as it is, it is probably best to let your daughter do the tours by herself. After all, wherever she goes, it will be the first place that she will have a chance at autonomy, and self-rule (which is why we parents nearly pass out at the mere thought). So maybe that’s why she hasn’t been liking the places where you are there, it doesn’t quite fit with her vision of college?
My son stayed home for his Freshman year of college. He started insulin (he’s type 1) during his senior year in college, and frankly he just wan’t quite ready to manage that on his own, by his own admission.
It’s wonderful that you are starting the visits early, the time will actually not fly
Haven’t you ever noticed when you are anticipating something, the days seem to lengthen? I remember this time last year, waiting for our moving date, and every day seemed twice as long as it does now.
I remember reading years ago that the relationship you have with your children is the only love relationship you will have in your life meant to grow towards separation. It sort of scared the crap out of me, actually.
But that statement didn’t contain the rest of the story. Although my son lives at home, we sometimes go days without seeing each other for more than a few minutes. Last week my son popped into my home office and asked if I wanted to go to lunch, something to which I readily agreed, wondering what was up.
Nothing was up. He just said he felt like we hadn’t had a long conversation in ages…and he’d missed me. *THUD* You do lose something as your kids grow up, but you gain something too.
So that’s something else that will be here before you know it, that moment when your daughter seeks out your company for no other reason than she likes having your around.
Look forward to that
I feel for you. I have one son who has been at university 3 hours away for the last four years and will probably be deployed overseas in about another year or so – quite possibly in Afghanistan. It’s not easy but you do get used to it over time. That having been said, I suspect it’s somewhat harder for a mother to let go of her daughter that same way. I only have sons but it’s just a hunch. Yep, I feel for you.
As for the giveaway and the Oprah references. You ought to start calling your blog Ogram Studios much like Oprah has Harpo.
I’ll come over to the new blog, but I don’t do giveaways. I find there are just people who come by just for that–it drives me crazy. Oh, and I don’t like Oprah either. Sorry.
Going there now….
We are looking at colleges too. So scary. No advice….sorry.
I really, really want a Nikon. :0
I’ll enter!
It doesn’t seem that long ago when I was hunting for colleges… but it was almost a decade and a half ago. I will be so freaked out when my kids are that age. Your kids are that age? You don’t look old enough for that, Mama!
Right now I’m thrilled with each new thing with my kids, not at all sad about days gone by… but I’m sure that will change with time.
I hope you find one you can both agree is the very best. Is she looking close to home or far away or both?
Trying to catch up and also catch UP with you! You’re at the other blog and aren’t posting here anymore?
Well I had you all linked up.
On we go.