Lawyer Mama

What Vets Need to Know

I was recently on the radio program What Vets Need to Know.  This wasn't my first appearance, but the hosts, including the wonderful Hal Donahue, had me back to update them on Blue Star Families, our new non-partisan mission and our latest programs for military families.

Along the way we also talked a bit about funding for veterans health care and their caretakers, the education and health care problems unique to military families and secondary post traumatic stress.  It's a great show and it's available via free podcast.  I try to catch all of their shows.  They have some great discussion about current events and policy affecting the military and veterans.

Season 4, Show 9 - November 9, 2009

Moms Inspired to Change History

8 Women Making a Difference

by Joanne Bamberger aka Pundit Mom

They refer to us as soccer moms. TV commercials still show mothers, not the fathers, as the ones wiping up spills and wiping noses. As important as parenting is, plenty of mothers have more on their agendas -- they're finding their own ways to make their mark and change the world. Here are eight we found particularly inspiring.

Stephanie Himel-Nelson and Vivian Greentree, Blue Star Families
Stephanie Himel-Nelson and Vivian Greentree, each a mother of two young sons, were never political activists until the 2008 presidential campaign. Both had connections to the armed services, though, and wanted to help highlight the many issues faced by military families. From the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, both women played integral roles of Blue Star Families for Obama (BSF4O) -- Greentree as the group's director for leadership, and Himel-Nelson as deputy outreach director.

Read more at MSN....

Now personally, I think Joanne should have included herself in this article.

The Virginia Military Vote in the 2008 Election

Photo by Heidi Kulberg. BSF4O members at Obama rally in Virginia Beach.

I mentioned in yesterday's post that I was recently interviewed by RTE - Irish Public Radio and Television - about Virginia's military vote in the 2008 election.  I've finally figured out how to post these clips, so bear with me!

I've had quite a few interviews during this election season, the vast majority of them as the Deputy Outreach Director for Blue Star Families for Obama.  To keep track of them all, I've started a Press Clippings section in the sidebar.  I am, after all, a legend in my own mind.  Enjoy!

In case no one's figured it out, I've decided to do NaBloPoMo again this year!  What better way to get back into blogging than to jump in and completely drown myself?  Since I'll have no time right around the election, I've got a backlog of posts ready to go.  Please forgive me for cheating.  I'm doing it for the U.S.!

Racism and the Election

Last week I was interviewed by a reporter from RTE - Irish Public Radio and Television.  While the vast majority of the interview was about the military vote and Blue Star Families for Obama, Cian McCormack was also working on a story on race and the election in the U.S.  He asked for some reaction to the story that broke last week about the skinhead plot to assassinate Senator Obama and kill 102 black children.

The first speaker is Rick Kennerly, a veteran and BSF4O member.  The second is Lauren Welsh, a BSF4O member.  I'm the third speaker. It's an interesting and thoughtful piece.  I recommend listening to the entire thing.

You Can Say You Knew Me When....

I'm in my local paper today.  You can see the online version, although you have to click on the photo slide show to see my photo and the answer to what I wore.  I wasn't thrilled to discover that I look ginormous in the selected photo, but at least my scarf is hiding a gratuitous boob shot!

Hollis was a tad bit upset because the photographer also took a bunch of pictures of us reading books on the couch. (Actually, we were reading on of these Leapfrog TAG books.)  Hollis was holding Gary in the couch photos.  All weekend he kept asking me when Gary was going to be in the paper.  I guess in his mind it was all about the kitten!

Anyway, he was still super excited today when his sitter showed everyone his picture in the paper.  Holden, was unconcerned and probably asked for a cookie.

If you've stopped by courtesy of the Virginian Pilot, leave me a comment and say "Hi!"  If you're looking for more of my stuff to read, there's a nice selection of my favorites over on the left hand sidebar about half way down.  Enjoy!  And welcome!

I Need You to Dress Me!

Last week I was interviewed by a reporter from the Virginian Pilot for a story on Mommybloggers, D.C. Metro Moms, and the BlogHer convention in San Francisco.  I think it went well, although you should ask me again after the story comes out, but I have a clothing dilemma.  They're sending a photographer to take some pictures of me and the boys (T has opted out) this evening and I have no idea what to wear.

I was thinking I might just wear what I'm wearing to work today, which is pretty casual for my usual office-wear.  I have on an orange sorbet colored sleeveless shell with an Empire waist and a v-neck that crosses the chest, a fitted cotton navy jacket, a knee length navy skirt with pleats in the front and a very small white cross-hatch pattern on it, my brown suede pumps, and a navy, orange, white & khaki scarf from Ann Taylor.

I don't know if they want to see the Lawyer part of me or the Mommy part of me in their paper.  I suppose I could take the jacket off and put on some khaki shorts & flip flops.  That would be a cross between the two, with the emphasis on casual, but then I don't get to wear cute shoes!  Of course, I don't think the photographer is going to be as jazzed about including my shoes as I am.  And it's a little difficult to chase kids around in heels.

So I seem to have talked myself into the orange top, khaki shorts, scarf and flip flops.  Ahhhh, if only I had some really cute orange wedges....

Lighthearted Photography

...is the winner of the name my photography business contest!   Moondance said, "Lighthearted Photography" would be a good name: It incorporates the idea of light, and that you really put your heart into it.

Perfect.

There were some other amazing entries as well.  I loved the play on my name with Stephanotis.  I also loved A Touch of Light.  In the end, I ended up going with Lighthearted Photography because that's exactly what I want to convey and it will have special meaning to me.  I'll always know that, in my business name, the "heart" = my bliss.

M, thank you and congratulations!  Let me know if you'd like a MOMocrats shirt or a print from my Flickr photostream and email me your contact info.

I think I'm going to use the image of Hollis above, I call it "Free to Fly", to promote my business for now.  I'll also come up with something that shows faces, detail shots, and a combination of color and black and white in a collage when I have some time.

I'm going to have a logo custom created and I have some ideas about that.  I've even got a temporary web site set up while I work on designing a more permanent solution, although I have no idea what that will be yet!

I'm in business, baby!

Lighthearted Photography

Shutter Sisters - The Daily Click

Edited to add: I forgot to mention that I have new photos up on Lawyer Mama Dabbles, including one that is one of my favorite pictures I've ever taken. I'm not exactly sure why I love the photo so much, but it tugs at my heart strings so. See if you can figure out which one it is.

I'm so friggin excited I could pee myself!

The awesomely fabulous Shutter Sisters picked my photo of Hollis's feet for the Daily Click on their photography blog.

Go check it out.

Woot! (Doing the happy dance!)

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I have a new review up on Lawyer Mama Review. It's been a busy week over there. This time it's the Gay Uncle's Guide to Parenting by Brett Berk. It's funny. It's informative. It has practical, realistic advice. Where the hell was this book when Hollis turned two????

In a Lawyer Mama first, I'm giving away a copy of the book to one lucky commenter. Comment by 3/14 and you'll be entered to win!

(I must love this book because I'm doing a give away and I don't have my disclaimers and other legal stuff up yet even though I give other people advice on them all the time! Bad Lawyer Mama. Bad.)

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Try not to be insanely jealous, but I'll be heading up to D.C. later today for a blogger happy hour at The Continental in Rosslyn. If you're a D.C. blogger, or even just a D.C. stalker, we'll be there at 7 pm. Just look for the group of loud people, the big black man, and possibly me dancing on a table waving a martini. You can't miss us!