TSP Show #10 - Interview with Liz, co-founder of Rock-n-Tot / GIVE-A-WAY: 4 Tickets to Rock-n-Tot Event

Listen to Show #10

In Show #10 I interview Liz Weirshousky, co-founder of Rock -n- Tot. Rock -n- Tot is for families with kids ages birth through twelve. We promise that the adults will have just as much fun as the kiddos! Everyone is invited (older siblings, babysitters/nannies, grandparents, etc.), but an adult MUST be accompanied by a child!!

Grab Bag Item of the Week: Our very first GIVE-A-WAY

GIVE-A-WAY:

2 Tickets to the Feb 23, 2008 Rock -n- Tot Event in Wash, DC
Event will be held from 2pm-5pm at the Ultra Bar in Washington, DC

2 Tickets to the Feb 9, 2008 Rock -n- Tot Event in Cleveland, OH
Event will be held from 1pm-4pm at the Velvet Dog in Cleveland, OH

In order to be entered in the giveaway, you MUST leave a comment on this post.
Anyone is eligible. Tickets are in PDF format and will be emailed to the winner.

Music Credits:
Intro: Nobody by Ryan Shaw
Break #1: Dream by Alice Smith
Outro: All Fired Up by Brand New Heavies

Happy Friday: Time for Bubbles & Bubbly

It’s time for Bubbles & Bubbly. Put the kids to bed early, mix yourself a drink and run yourself a bubble bath and relax. YOU DESERVE IT!!!!

Alcoholic Drink Recipe

Scooby Snack recipe

1/2 oz Malibu® coconut rum
1/2 oz creme de bananes
1/2 oz Midori® melon liqueur
1/2 oz pineapple juice
1 1/2 oz whipped cream

Pour rum, creme de banane, melon liqueur and pineapple juice into a stainless steel shaker over ice. Add whipped cream, and shake; until well mixed and sufficiently chilled. Strain into an old-fashioned glass and shoot.

Non-Alcoholic Drink Recipe

Acapulco Gold recipe

3 oz pineapple juice
1 oz coconut cream
1 oz whipping cream
1/2 oz grapefruit juice

Shake and strain into a highball glass with cracked ice.

TSP Show #9: Raising Kids in an Always-On Society

Listen to Show #9

The web has evolved so much that almost everything we do can be done online. Hundreds of social networking sites are popping up everyday; mobile phones are basically hand-held computers. Being online is second nature to tweens/teens. They do everything from join and participate in social spaces like MySpace, Facebook and Bebo, play online games, IM one another, play in virtual worlds like Dizzywood and Millsberry, upload their own videos and watch others on YouTube, etc, etc. How do parents cope? What things do our kids need to be aware of when posting things to their online profile(s)?

This Week’s Grab Bag Treat:

GrandCentral: the new way to use your phones
*grandcentral is still in beta. if you want an invite, send me an email*

Music Credits:
Intro: Nobody by Ryan Shaw
Break #1: C20H25N30 by 880 South
Break #2: Shoes by Toussaint
Outro: Queen of Me by Natalie Brown

TSP Show #8: Reality TV & Your Kids

Listen to Show #8

There are a ton of reality television shows on the networks now. Kids are gobbling them up. Are reality tv shows giving kids a false perception of the life? Do kids understand the different between reality tv and real life? Do you allow your kids to watch reality tv shows?

This Week’s Grab Bag Treat:

B*SH - Finally a place to get it off your chest
http://www.ilovetocomplain.com

Music Credits:
Intro: Nobody by Ryan Shaw
Break #1: Used to Be by theFoundation
Break #2: bread by theFoundation
Outro: Itaikurai by Free Trans Ensemble

2 New Shows for Tales of a Single Parent

I'll be recording 2 shows tomorrow. Call the comment line (571-921-4243) or email (talesofasingleparent@gmail.com) me if you'd like to leave a question or comment on the show topics below.

Show Topic #1: Reality TV & Your Kids

Show Topic #2: Raising Kids in an Always On Society (your kids and the internet)

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Mid-term Anxiety

My 9th grader has mid-terms this week. She and her best friend have been studying their butts off for the last month and a half. I'm trying to remember if we had mid-terms when I was in high school and I don't think we did. I remember we had end of the year exams, but I think that was it.

I'm looking at my daughter and all of her friends and man, they look totally burned out. I feel for them.

On one hand I think, ok, this will help prep them for college and all the exams they'll have to take and on the other hand I think it's way too much emphasis on testing and not enough on actual learning.

We already see a pattern where teachers are forced to rush through the classroom curriculum because of scheduled testing dates.

Have we gotten to a place where kids are only taught to retain information specifically for taking tests? Has the focus changed from learning the material to just remembering certain information required to pass a test? What are your thoughts?

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

TSP Show #7: Setting Goals in 2008

Listen to Show #7

It’s a new year and we all have things we want to accomplish. A good way to put all those wants and desires into perspective is to set goals. More importantly; setting attainable goals is key.

This Week’s Grab Bag Treat::

Backpack: Keep your to-do lists, notes, ideas, and calendar online with Backpack.

Life Tango: Creating, Managing, Sharing, and Accomplishing Goals

Music Credits:
Intro: Nobody by Ryan Shaw
Break #1: Dubcity by SubCity Dwellers
Break #2: I’m So Happy by Bombskare
Outro: My Only Friend by Minus Vince

Happy Friday: Time for Bubble & Bubbly

It’s time for Bubbles & Bubbly. Put the kids to bed early, mix yourself a drink and run yourself a bubble bath and relax. YOU DESERVE IT!!!!

Alcoholic Drink Recipe

Caribou Lou Recipe

1 1/2 parts 151 proof rum
1 part Malibu® coconut rum
5 parts pineapple juice

Shake or serve up with ice in a highball glass.

Non-Alcoholic Drink Recipe

Evil Princess Recipe

1 oz grenadine syrup
2 oz grape juice
1 oz apple juice
1 tbsp vanilla syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice

Pour over ice, stir and garnish with a lime slice.

Are Your Kids BlackBerry Orphans?

Well, isn’t this the question of the tech era? I had to ask myself this very question. I have been dubbed a ‘CrackBerry Addict’ and I admittedly spend a lot of time on my BlackBerry (and my laptop). There have been a good number of articles talking about this and it’s a little fascinating and funny to me. Although, I don’t make this question exclusive to just BlackBerry; it’s any type of smartphone (Treo, BlackJack, Wing, SideKick, Moto Q, PocktetPC, etc - oops, I just geeked out for a second).

I may not feel the need to check my BlackBerry every 5 minutes (it’s more like every 20 minutes) and I may not check it while we’re eating dinner (but I do carry it to the bathroom with me at work) and I may not email and drive at the same time (I do it while at a red light), I’m still a Blackberry addict, but fortunately I don’t think I’ve orphaned my children.

I do manage to put it down while having conversations with them and when I’m at one of their performances or games, I am focused on them (for the most part-I do feel compelled to text my mom or twitter to let folks know how good they’re doing or how amazing the show is) and I even manage to turn-off my BlackBerry every night.

My thought is parents in general are working harder than ever and have huge family responsibilities and many single parents have side businesses to make extra money. Our kids are essentially work orphans. If it weren’t the BlackBerry, it would be regular old email on the computer or paperwork from the office, so either way you slice it; work sometimes puts us in a position where we orphan our kids; not intentionally though - it’s just part of being in the rat race. Things occur without you really noticing they have happened.

I believe the key is balance. Unless you’ve struck it rich and all of a sudden have a major check coming your way (if you do I totally envy you and I DO accept donations) we all have to work to pay bills and to take care of our family. But we can add more balance to our lives so that we don’t allow work/smartphones to contribute to orphaning our kids.

If you have made your kids BlackBerry Orphans, make a pledge to yourself to find and add more balance to your life and learn to TURN OFF THE FREAKIN’ BLACKBERRY!!! (heck, if I can do it anyone can).

Don’t worry; your kids still love you.

Happy Friday: Time for Bubbles & Bubbly

It’s time for Bubbles & Bubbly. Put the kids to bed early, mix yourself a drink and run yourself a bubble bath and relax. YOU DESERVE IT!!!!

Alcoholic Drink Recipe

Mob Witnesses Recipe

4 oz Amaretto Di Saronno® liqueur
12 oz Dr. Pepper® soda

Pour ingredients into a tall collins glass filled with ice. Stir, and serve.

Non-Alcoholic Drink Recipe

Triple Threat Fruit Smoothie Recipe

1 sliced kiwi
1 peeled banana chopped
1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries
1 cup ice cubes
1/2 cup orange juice
8 oz peach yoghurt

In a blender, blend the kiwi, banana, blueberries, strawberries, ice, orange juice, and yogurt until smooth.