Momversation
I added what was cut from my footage in a comment:
I know people who cannot fly coach because they have long legs. I can barely fly coach because my knees are always up against the seat in front of me and get crunched when the guy in front drops his seat into my lap. If I could afford business or first class, I would buy tickets there, but as I can’t, I know I have to keep my knees bent and my feet up on something to make room.
I agree with SilverXeno on the standards issue. What didn’t make it into the video was that I believe this issue should not have to come up on the plane, at the gate, or even after the ticket is purchased. There should be guidelines clearly stating seat dimensions on the web site or wherever the purchase is made. If there’s any doubt about being able to sit comfortably in a single seat, then you can have the option of purchasing an upgrade. I think buying two tickets feels… wrong, though I can see the business end of the argument. If you need two chairs, pay for two chairs.
However, there are a few smart business moves/compromises that would attract and retain the “of size” customer base.
1. People could be offered the two seats at the price of a seat-and-a-half. It’s psychologically friendlier, and the difference would be more than covered by the increase/retention in business.
2. If there is an empty seat on a flight, invite passengers to rearrange seating so that the passenger can have two adjacent seats so that they don’t have to be thrown off. If a seat is going unsold, give it up rather than humiliate that passenger in public and destroy travel plans.
3. I’d go so far as to suggest that the airline, when faced with an inadvertent situation like this, offer a $200 certificate to anyone willing to be bumped. That’s just enough money to make it worth someone’s while, and not so much that the airline will miss it. Again, it’s less than the lost business that would result from the negative experience and subsequent treatment in the press.
But that’s just my opinion.
Dating is a precarious enterprise. You might meet a man, date him for three blissed-filled months, and then the bloom falls off the rose… and the man is out of your life. It’s difficult enough for an adult to handle the ups and downs of relationships, but for kids, meeting the boyfriend too soon can create huge problems. Suddenly, their new best friend (and potential father figure) Bill is never seen again. Or maybe John seemed wonderful until he was a jerk to your teenage son… and what child needs a jerk in his life? So how do you know when it’s the right time for your boyfriend and your children to meet? Mindy Roberts of The Mommy Blog asks our panelists and guest Maria Young of Immoral Matriarch, “When do you let your kids meet your new man?
How do you introduce your kids to your new significant other? When is the right time? And do you have any horror stories? Join the Momversation by commenting on the episode.
Marie, this one goes out to you! And to little Hugo, of course.
I want to know what you do when someone else’s kid gets hurt on your watch. That’s right, me. The clumsy one, the one with tattered insurance cards, the one to whom nurses wave at the local ER.
Has another person’s child been hurt on your watch? How did you feel, and how did the other parent react? Join the Momversation by commenting in a related forum:
Your child walked at 5 months? Great! He said his first word when he was barely out of the womb? Super!
What do you think? Is it important to push your children to reach developmental milestones? Or should we all just take a giant chill pill? Join the Momversation by commenting on a related forum:
What do you think? Should your children be privy to the round-the-clock coverage tragedies such as the tsunami, 9/11, and the Haiti earthquake inspire? Or do you have a don’t ask, don’t tell policy? Join the Momversation by commenting in a related forum:
How’s your hoo-hah? Your twinkie? Your flower? How’s your… vagina? Yep, doesn’t quite have the same “cutesy” ring to it. And that’s just fine with Daphne Brogdon of Cool Mom who is not a fan for precious nicknames for private parts (is private part a cutesy nickname?), especially when used by moms. Do these nicknames annoy you, and do you think kids should be taught them? Sound off!
Do you use cutesy names for private parts? Do you use them in general or just with your kids? Share them, and join the Momversation by commenting in a related forum:
See! Momversation.com editors dig up a photo of me from a year ago to show how much weight I’ve dropped! See! Me cringing! See! Me unable to add to three!
What you gonna do with all that junk? You know… all that junk inside your trunk? If you’re in the market to lose a couple of extra pounds (or more), then you have to do it healthfully. And a few tips from your Momversation panelists couldn’t hurt. It’s a new year and a new you, so if you want to get in shape, check out what our mom bloggers have to say. Rebecca Woolf of Girl’s Gone Child asks, “What are your best weight loss tips?”
Do you have any tips for healthful eating? Do you find it difficult to lose weight? Join the Momversation by commenting on one of our related forums:
Doing Internet TV with Momversation.com has been, hands down, the most exciting project I’ve worked on in my seven—almost eight—years of doing this. It’s my favorite community, and I get to work with the most astounding people every single week. Some days, it’s literally what gets me out of bed (and looking good from the shoulders up). Happy Birthday, everyone, it’s been a great year. And I signed my new contract, so I can say the madness will continue!
Yep, last November 3rd, we launched our site with our very first Momversation episode, “I Love You, But I Hate Your Politics.”
Ah, we were all so young then, weren’t we?
Since our debut, we’ve had a load of awesome things happen! We were nominated for a Webby. Our panelists appeared on CNN and Oprah. Even Regis was talking about Momversation! Senator Gillibrand answered your questions about health care reform. Host Nancy O’Dell joined us for a discussion about birth plans. And poker player extraordinaire Annie Duke talked homework. And there were about 150 episodes created!
Thanks to our panelists, guest panelists, guest bloggers, and most of all, you, our community! We’re so glad you are enjoying the Momversation. Keep giving us your suggestions, and share your memories. Our Momversation is your Momversation!
As of tonight, I’m back at about 78% capacity, so let’s talk about depression. Why not? I’m sure I wouldn’t feel great about it were I at full capacity, but ten days of swine flu has done a number on me. In that way the latest episode of Momversation.com, Overcoming Depression, is well-timed: I just don’t have the will to worry about what people think.
It was interesting to watch how this episode was cut. We all talked at length on the raw footage. I think I went on for days. It’s the kind of subject that once you’ve opened it for discussion, it is hard to turn off the spigot. Literally, in my case.
I am very grateful to Danny Evans for leading this one, and of course to Heather Armstrong and Alice Bradley, too, for being so open about their depression and giving us hope that it’s possible to get through to the other side, and perhaps even thrive. Or at least tap-dance because, hey, the kids need feeding and raising and loving, and don’t need to see that movie quite yet. I do hope someday, when they are older, they are able to hear about it, understand it, and come to accept it because we’ve taught them compassion and empathy along with the alphabet and how to put a tape in the VCR.
You’ve heard of the phrase, “depression hurts?” It’s true. Beyond emotional symptoms such as guilt, hopelessness, and irritability, depression also has physical symptoms, such as chronic aches, fatigue, and insomnia. It’s not something one can just “get over.” It is an illness that can affect every member of a family. That’s why when depression hurts a person, she need understanding and treatment, not judgment. Guest Danny Evans of Dad Gone Mad and author of Rage Against the Meshugenah joins Heather Armstrong of Dooce in asking, “How do you overcome depression?”
Have you had episodes of chronic or postpartum depression? How did you handle it? What’s your advice for moms and dads going through the illness? Join the Momversation by commenting in one of our related forums:
I’m floored with another! fifth disease! flare-up! and all three of the kids are home sick with various and sundry illnesses. Gooooooo Roberts! I actually took one to school, only to have him call from the office at ten past nine for me to come back and pick him up. Me? Oh, well, let’s see: arms and legs in agony, extremely tired, swollen feet and ankles, fuzzy cognition (shut up). When I put it all together this morning I suddenly realized why my abdomen has been hurting for three days. It’s just been a while since the last flare-up, and eight months since the first. Yep, nothing like childhood diseases in an over-forty body. Comedy gold!
More evidence of impaired cognition and ability to function: I just realized that FOUR Momversation videos have posted since I last updated my episodes, and they are good ones. Some funny, some not so much. And the one I’m to record today on overcoming depression should be an all-out scream fest. What happens when you don’t feel up to talking about depression? Do you just stare into the camera? Put on The Cure in the background?
Did You Take Your Husband’s Name?
Kids and Gun Play: Good or Bad?
Funny Wedding Day Stories (I’m in this one. Oh, yes, I am.)
Dealing with a Miscarriage (Didn’t appear in this one but am all over the subject in the comments.)
Talking to Your Kids About Race (Today’s episode.)
If you need me, I’ll be… not answering email. You might catch me by phone, because the ringing drives me up a wall. Carry on.
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