"Sex and the City" is coming soon, are you SATC'd out yet?

I don't know that there are many folks who are bigger fans of SATC than me. I have been waiting for this movie for months, heck years. But now I'm worried that the extremely energetic ad campaign will do it in!

The girls have been on Oprah, the commercials are non-stop and with two and a half weeks to go until the opening date (May 30) it doesn't look like it will be slowing up!

I admit, I'm part of the publicity fray, I have a story running very soon about the movie, so I'm not helping keep the movie on the down low.

I was with a friend yesterday who said she was sure it was going to be a fun movie, but they're acting like it's the biggest event of the year. The sad thing is, for some of us it kinda is.

I watched the HBO series from the beginning, and while I will never have the same kind of life as these city-dwelling ladies, I related to their ups and downs, bad dates, lonely nights, break-ups and break downs. Having a chance to revisit them four years later is so much fun!




The day the movie opens is also my daughter's college graduation day. No, I'm not blowing off graduation to go to the movies, but I have to say, I know she and I will be seeing it the next day. We watched the show together through her high school years - yes, I'm probably a horrible mother that my daughter and I watched the envelope-pushing show together, but she seems to have turned out just fine with values firmly in tact.

So I guess I will go back to the beginning of this post wondering if there's been too much "Sex and the City" out there in the world. I think my answer is, just like the real thing, there's no such thing as too much "Sex."

In Celebration of Mothers

I love being a writer, it's my passion, but it pales in comparison to how I feel about being a mom.

My three children are my favorite people in the world, and I love them more than anything. I feel very lucky indeed that I really like my kids as well as love them.

It wasn't always that way, sometimes in the tween and teen years there were moments of wanting to be anywhere else, but the angst was always worth it.

It's not easy being a mom. There's lots of hard work, and not too many accolades. It's a pretty thankless job. If you're in it for the awards you'll surely be disappointed.

A friend of mine told me a couple of weeks ago that when she announced to her family that on second thought, she was going on the family hiking trip, her son was not pleased and said she was a "kill joy."

Mothers are often looked at as the kill joys of the family because we're the ones who want to make sure teeth are brushed, homework is done, that you eat your vegetables and say thank you.

I love being at the stage of life I'm at because it's no longer my job to tell my kids what they can and cannot do. Sometimes they ask my advice, but I no longer have to be on them about anything. Well, except picking up all the stuff they leave everywhere. I will never cease to be amazed how long all of them can walk past a pile of their stuff on the stairs floor and counters for days at time, oblivious to what's right there.

If I had to do it all over again I think I'd lighten up. A lot. I was reading on blogs (mostly written by men) this week about how horrible it was that Suri Cruise still uses a baby bottle at two-years-old. One of my sons used a bottle until he was about three and a half. He went on to be an A student, captain of his high school football team and graduated college with honors last year. As a very young mom I was influenced and intimidated by the pediatrician and other moms who told me he was "too old" for the bottle. Really, who cares? I have yet to see any child go off to college with a bottle.

The same son hated nursery school, but I kept insisting he go. I had worked at the school and knew it was good, but again, who cares in the long run if you're a successful nursery school student? When he was applying to college it never came up.

Maybe part of the reason moms appear to be kill joys is because we take the job very seriously, and if we're not hard enough on ourselves there are plenty of other people willing to take a shot. Other moms can sometimes be just an older version of mean girls waiting to let you know how you and/or your child aren't good enough.

If I was to become a mom now it certainly wouldn't be anything goes, but I'd realize now, more than when I was 21, what's really important. I wouldn't stress about potty training, bottles, blankies and binkies. Life is hard, there are times I could use a good binkie, and if I had one I certainly wouldn't want anyone taking it away.

Maybe this Mother's Day the best gift we can get is the one only we can give to ourselves. How about this year we tell ourselves that we're good enough just the way we are. It would make Mr. Rogers very proud.

I Heart Madonna, Even Though She Kinda Scares Me

I have been a Madonna fan since the 80s. I have always been impressed, but also a little intimidated by her power and drive.

I've seen photos lately of her leaving the gym with Gwyneth Paltrow, and I can only imagine the pressure of working out with Madonna. I was thinking about that yesterday when I was at the gym, doing my workout which seems to be not challenging enough, and I cowered at the thought of how Madonna would totally kick my ass. Very scary.

Madonna isn't the best singer, we all know she's not the best actress, (hello "Shanghai Surprise") but somehow she has had one of the most successful careers in show business spanning three decades. I think it shows a determination and work ethic that is worthy of great respect and admiration.

I'm happy for her that her new CD, "Hard Candy" is getting rave reviews. The paper I write for, the Cape Cod Times, ran a piece today written by my competitor colleague, Ken Capobianco, about pop divas with new albums out. Ken, I have to disagree with you about her first single from the CD, "4 Minutes" being "lame." WTF? Have you seen the video? Compare Madonna at 50 to Britney Spears who is half her age, lamely strolling around a stripper pole wearing torn fishnets and little else.


I know your type, bucko, I gave birth to one of the biggest music critics around. My son refused to watch the video or listen to the single until I forced him on his last visit home. He had to admit it wasn't bad. Hey, you put some Justin Timberlake and Timbaland in, and you've got a great song. The moves that Madonna pulls off in this video is incredible. Give it another listen and watch, Ken. You might find it grows on you.

When I was out walking this morning I listened to the song a couple of times as I hiked around my neighborhood. I closed my eyes and pretended I could leap over cars and have Justin Timberlake pull a corset off of me. Yeah I know it's never going to happen, but thanks to Madonna all we women over 40 can still dream.

Stephen Colbert and Rain Do DDR

I am a big "Colbert Report" and "Daily Show" fan. Sadly, I feel like I get the best news from these two Comedy Central shows.

For a couple of weeks now Stephen Colbert has had a rivalry with Rain, a huge Asian pop star from South Korea, because Rain was ranked higher as an influential person than him. He even did his own Korean music video to compete with the international pop star.

I hadn't heard of Rain until last summer when my daughter returned from studying for five months in China with a computer and iPod chock full of Asian pop music. And now Rain's star seems to be quickly rising. I'm sure it's all Emma's doing :)

Not only is he popular in Korea, China and Japan, he is co-starring role in the new "Speed Racer" movie which is bound to greatly raise his profile.

As the mother of an Asian daughter I am thrilled to see an Asian performer getting this much press. There aren't nearly enough Asians on television, movies and making music. Rain may be a bit of a Michael Jackson knock-off, but I think he's pretty darn adorable and I am thrilled that Colbert has given him as much air time as he has.


Ultimately, Colbert was no competition in DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) and was left in the dust by Rain.

Something tells me though that Rain is not out of the woods just yet. I think that Colbert will continue to keep him on his threat-down list, not as high on this infamous list as bears, ("Godless killing machines") but perhaps a bit higher than Colbert's dreaded robots.

It's Almost International No Diet Day - Lift Those Forks!

Like most American women I am always thinking about what I eat, and not in a good way. It's a delicate balance of trying to be healthy, self-flagellation and a hearty dose of guilt. No wonder I have indigestion.

Tomorrow, May 6, however is International No Diet Day, so I'm planning on a one day reprieve of obsession. Well, I'm planning on it, but I doubt I'll be able to pull it off.

I know I'm not alone in having started down this road as a teen. It started at about 14 with the Stillman Protein Diet. Luckily even though I've flirted with anorexia briefly a few times in my life, I've managed to sidestep a full-blown eating disorder. That said, it still doesn't mean like many that I don't have a bit of a love/hate relationship with food. And that kind of stinks since we all need to eat.

My daughter is one of those lucky people who can eat pretty much whatever she wants and still slip into her size 2-4 jeans. Hey, she's 22. When she's home I have to remind myself that I am NOT 22, and can't have a lovely dinner AND ice cream AND stay the same weight. So not fair!

On Friday night, after a long week, I rented "P.S. I Love You," (my video guy will often give me movies a little early since I write about them). I liked it, but it was a tear jerker, and to comfort myself I had a bowl of cookies and cream ice cream. As I snuggled on my couch, wiping tears and spooning in ice cream, I knew that as soon as the bowl was empty the ensuing guilt would kick in. And it did. When I crawled into bed that night the shaming dialogue took over. "WHY did you eat that? What is wrong with you?!" Oy, it's so not fun.

So I've decided for one day, International No Diet Day, I will give myself a break, do what I want and not feel guilty.

Yeah, and I think a unicorn and sparkly pony will be making an appearance in my backyard as well.

Is it Grace, Serendipity or Just Dumb Luck?

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to have a conversation with Cheryl Richardson, and she was incredibly lovely and sent me a copy of her book, "The Unmistakable Touch of Grace."

Cheryl is one of the most well-know life coaches around, having appeared on Oprah, lots of other talk shows and her own PBS specials.

I had talked to her about that struggle of trying to take a career to the next level - the pressure you feel and what you can do about it.

She told me that when she was initially trying to make it as a speaker and coach that she decided she had to take another job to make ends meet. She interviewed for a job at a college, and before she even started she got several speaking gigs and never needed to take the job.

As I've been reading this book I've been taking special note of when things happen, letting go and what has been showing up in my life. What happened to me this morning was a prime example.

Over the winter there was a storm that was so strong it lifted up a table on my deck and shattered it. I hadn't moved it indoors because it was too heavy for me to move by myself, and I took a gamble that obviously didn't pay off. The table and chairs had been a gift from a good friend who had gotten something new and kindly gave me the set she no longer needed - I was thrilled and my kids and I used it all summer.

I was very upset that it was broken, and since I'm not in a position right now to run out and get a new one, I didn't know how I'd be able to replace it. Last night I was thinking about it and was wondering if the small table with two chairs on my front porch would look too stupid on the deck. I also wondered how my whole family would ever fit around this tiny table.

Yesterday as I left to go to the gym I took note of all the cars lining my street, all there for an estate sale that I didn't know was going to be happening. Feeling like I had more than enough crap of my own I didn't stop. This morning however, when I went for a walk I looked over at the house as I walked by and saw a whole set of deck furniture that hadn't been there yesterday. On my loop back I stopped in and saw there was a glass-top table, four chairs, an umbrella and a chaise lounge. I went inside and asked how much it was, we bartered a little, and I got all of it for $40. I immediately thought of Cheryl's book, and thought this was one of those moments of grace. I'd put it out there that I needed something and it showed up.

I know my cynical children would tell me to get over myself and that it was one big fat coincidence, but I don't think so. These kinds of things happen too often for me to believe that. The friend who you think of but haven't talked to in months who suddenly e-mails for calls, an unexpected check that arrives in the mail, for me these are all acts of grace.

I've been reading the book every night and have been thinking a lot about the act of surrendering and letting go, not easy for a control freak like me. But I'm finding when I consciously let go of the outcome and surrender to what is, things work out and I'm a lot less stressed.

Try it - get a copy of the book if you like (As a life coach I've read LOTS of self help books and this is a very good one) and see where you might find moments of grace in your own life. I know I can't wait to see what shows up next in mine.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Is Making Me Hate "The View"

Since I work from home and write a lot about pop culture and entertainment I try to catch a bit of the various talk shows. Lately I am finding "The View" more and more uncomfortable to watch.

I'll admit it - I'm a liberal (such a dreaded word unfortunately) but it's not just Elisabeth Hasselbeck's ultra-conservative politics that are driving me to click off my TV, it's her smug ignorance and intolerance that are leading me to open up my iTunes file and listen to anything but her.

Granted, I know Hasselbeck isn't alone in her relentless carping on the Reverend Wright, but the tension on that set due to her bulldog-like hold on the topic actually gives me a stomach ache. I doubt most of you will have the 7 minutes and few seconds to watch that whole video clip of yesterday's show, but all you need is a couple of minutes to see and hear how much of a conservative mouthpiece she is. She spews "facts" from Fox News without questioning their correctness, and when presented with contradicting information she won't back down. She's got her talking points and that's all there is to it.

Whoopi Goldberg is a much more patient foil for her than Rosie O'Donnell ever was, she tries to patiently explain to her things like perhaps she can't really understand what it's like to be an African American, and is never condescending about it. I admire her patience because my head would have exploded long ago.

I'm thinking that what it may really be about is I don't enjoy conflict. I like people to get along. I'm not a confrontational person (unless pushed and pushed) and find arguing upsetting. I am apparently a shining example of my WASP-y upbringing, a family where as my brother says, our crest should read - "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" - because no one wants to hear it. I'm not saying this is good, but we sure didn't have a lot of dishes being thrown.

Not everyone should think like me (though I'm pretty nice and think folks could do worse), I just wish that as I look at my mountain of bills - trying to decide, gee should I order heating oil at $3.77 a gallon OR pay my health insurance bill this week, that if there is going to be a debate it would be a helpful one. By people who can do something about it.

I think I will take a little hiatus from "The View" and stick with listening to the birds outside or some good music which by the way, will NOT include Scarlett Johannson's new CD - sorry Scarlett.