I’d never heard of this insurance company prior to this campaign–http://www.responsibilityproject.com/

Check out the video where Dad tells the family that things are not going well at work. Some of the other ones are contrived but the dinner table brings it all home.

Honestly, I don’t know if I would have even noticed this commercial on TV if I was gainfully employed. Because I could relate when laid off, it hit a nerve and I will always associate this brand as a company who gets it. I looked for the commercial and found their site.

For three weeks, my 8-year-old thought I was on vacation.  She loved having me attend her dance classes and walk her to school. She beamed from the extra attention and looked rested from actually getting to bed on time!  I was getting to know her classmates’ parents and and even attended a few school functions. Even if I was only impersonating a stay-at-home or part-time parent, it felt pretty darn good to see more of DC’s 2nd grade life.

During one of my daughter’s dance classes I shared my layoff story with one of the moms.  Karen is my close friend and she empathized as her fiance’ has been out of work since Q4 of last year.  During the break between dance classes Karen and I went to an early dinner with our girls. Her fiance’ called during the dinner and she surprised me by announcing my layoff to him on the phone in front of DC.  She just assumed that I told her the news.

DC immediately burst into tears, “you lost your job, Mom?  Why didn’t you tell me!”

Of course Karen felt bad. She assumed that I’d told my kid.

I was surprised by the impact the news has on DC.  I assured her that everything was going to be OK and that I would find another job real soon.  Still, she just sobbed and I thought Karen might cry, too.

DC had been to my office several times and talked to everyone. She loved standing on a chair and writing on my white board. She made cards and snowflakes for everyone who worked there, even in July.  And she especially loved all the free snacks that lined at least two bookcases.

She continued to cry and was either getting into the drama of it all or just sad.  I apologized for not telling her sooner and said that I’d learned a lesson.  After a few minutes I pushed her to talk and she said with complete sadness and seriousness, Mom,”Will your next job have as many snacks in the kitchen?”

3 Things I did Wrong

1. Lack of Professional Development.  I gave 110 percent to my job over a year and a half and did not network or pursue any professional credentials. I basically just drove to work and home.
2. Trusting my Instincts. A couple days before my layoff, I could not sleep. I felt something was going to happen.  My boss was clearly avoiding me and senior management started giving me these polite smiles like I was the weird neighbor. My body knew before my head. Still, I kept trying to rationalize it all… “no, don’t be silly. Think of everything you’ve accomplished- they love you!”
3. Crying.  Yep, I let her rip. Oh well.

2 Rights

1.  Listening and Linking In. Even though I was in shock and blubbering like I’d just been sent to the principal’s office, I listened to the details.  I could tell that my boss felt bad and he offered to give me a reference and to review my resume. I specifically asked him (and our CEO) for a Linked In reference and they agreed.
2. Accepting the Help.  I swallowed my pride and took my boss up on his offer to review my resume.  He made valuable suggestions that led to a much improved presentation of my work.

1. Naps.
2. The gym is free of sweat smell at 10 a.m.
3. Yikes, I’m my own tech support?!
4. People will still pay for old stuff. We made over $600 in a yard sale.
5. Inviting hubbie home for lunch has pleasurable perks.
6. Oprah has some cool stuff on her show. This dude grew back the tip of his finger!
7. Free brain space is not a luxury, it’s there every day.
8. Friends and colleagues follow through.
9. Paul Westerberg’s song, “Good Day”.
10. My daughter, aged 8, still holds my hand on walks to school.

Two months ago I got out of my car at my office on a windy day and the bluetooth got tangled in my hair. I swear I unraveled it and tucked it into my coat or purse pocket. This was two months ago!

Only Children need to represent(!) and fast before Nadya Suleman becomes their spokesperson. In “The Birth Order Connection”, Dr. Kevin Leman describes the negative aspects to being in a relationship with an only child.

“Only borns live with a staunch sense of entitlement. If you marry an only child, keep in mind that you’re marrying someone who has never had to share toys with siblings, compete for attention with his/her parents and always had center stage…This is a person who is used to getting her own way.”

Yet Suleman’s description of her childhood (Mirror Interview ) as powerless with a lack of control of her own environment is contrary to the self-centered boldness to which Lehman alludes. He argues that “the best way to describe only children is to take a first born and multiply him by two. First borns are natural leaders. They represent United States Presidents (including the current one), astronauts, and CEOs by overwhelming numbers. They frequently live with a sense of entitlement and superiority.”

And, we’re supposed to double that birth order wiring for Suleman? She lives on food stamps with six children in an unkempt home and, instead of using her disability payment from a lawsuit to further her education or MOVE OUT, funds eight additional children via IVF with no means of supporting them.

Maybe she watched to much “Brady Bunch” but even fans of the series know that only on TV would six kids in the suburbs share one bathroom.

Since Suleman sees herself as a martyrly Madonna suffering for her beliefs, she may get a chance to ’splain herself. Soon, her home is gong to stink to high heaven.

A 14-year-old boy from California became the last child under LB 157, the state law that designed Nebraska hospitals, police and fire departments as safe havens. On November 21, 2008 the legislature passed LB 1, which limits the age of a child, who a person can drop off at a hospital and not be prosecuted, to the age of 30 days or younger.

A total of 36 children have been dropped off in Nebraska and I predict that when they turn 18, they’re coming after their parents, Stephen King style.

Many of the stories are heartbreaking. For parents without insurance, the options for dealing with difficult or emotionally disturbed children must be overwhelming. Unfortunately, while the media is great at publicizing the problem, I haven’t seen a lot of sites offering resources for a solution. Here are just a couple. Please email me at (katie at barelysaneparent.com) with any others and I’ll add them.

• Boys Town 24-Hour Free Hotline 1-800-448-3000
• Covenant House 9-Line for Teens in Crisis - 1-800-999-9999

These guys represent a mis-managed, backward thinking industry. The fact that Rick Wagoner of GM, Alan Mulally of Ford, and Robert Nardelli of Chrysler are so clueless as to fly private jets into D.C. to ask for a billion dollar bailout redefines gall.

Detroit killed the electric car while waterboarding SUV’s down consumer throats and now it’s time to say goodbye. Let them go bankrupt and offer packages and retraining to auto-workers.

Did we bail out the typewriter industry when computers were emerging? What about Kodak and Fuji Film drowning in the wake of digital cameras?

The greening of America is snowballing and not even a Hummer can stop it. Consumers don’t want the melting of the polar ice caps on our conscience. Still, if our government decides to contribute money, I hope they’ll ask Google or Apple to manage the reshaping and rebranding of the American Car. I’d drive a gas-Googler any day.

“Hey Mom and Dad, I’m not a wussy desk-job girl!”

Part resolution and part contribution, my sister Andrea and I ran a hilly 5K in Calabasas, Calif. today to recognize our friend Travis D. and his family as they fight T’s stomach cancer. Mark drove DC up later in the morning and she participated in her first mile run with me. Mark was our photographer!

After some really major surgery on the 28th, T. is going through six weeks of chemo and possibly radiation. Because of this treatment, he is currently unable to work as an actor and the family is raising funds via the Talbert Family Foundation, who hosted the race today.

T’s family does have insurance via SAG; however, he is juggling co-pays and a gap in income. All donations are tax-deductible. Please see their web site and help spread the word.

Thank you!

When I spend my weekends hurrying from place-to-place, using gas, spending money and brainpower on arriving at a destination or completing a task, I rob myself, and my daughter, of two free days of rest and relaxation.

I transform from shiny, happy Katie into one of those impatient people who snap at baristas. This is absolutely no good for anyone, especially employees of Coffee Bean.

Here’s how I *try very hard* to reclaim my weekends:

1. Stay off the phone.
2. Exercise.
3. Limit lessons. OK, easy for me to say as I forgot to sign my daughter up for soccer.
4. Attend Agape once or twice month.
5. Treat myself.
6. Try to only commit to ONE event per day or weekend.