Using the tools of the cultural critic during the holiday

My sister Mary and I "bridged the gap today." Starting at the legendary Fort Knox, Bridge the Gap is a 10-mile road race around Verona Island to sponsor RSU #25 middle school students trip to Camp Kiev. It was scenic in places, but chilly and hilly everywhere else. From the bone chilling winds gusting through us while we crossed The Penobscot Narrows Bridge to the mile-nine hills, we ran our ever-lovin' arses off. But today's race wasn't just a trial run for Mary's first half marathon, it was a mile marker in our lives. 

Homestead: Part One

Good news, multiplayers! I'm back from my momentary retreat to the darkest recesses of Valhalla (Thor claims you owe him five bucks, by the way)! To make up for my month-long sabbatical, I'm starting a new series on how gaming has woven its way into my family and the tales that it begat. Hope you enjoy!

I wasn't particularly old enough to remember the momentous event, but it was spoken to me as a young child, passed on like an oral history of our gaming heritage. Whether or not it's actually true, I don't know. But if it's not true, don't tell me, because the tall tale is better than reality.

As we all rush into this holiday season, it settles me to know that to my children, there's nothing essentially different about Christmas. You didn't expect me to say that, did you? The pat response to the yuletide is something like this: 'It's a magical season of joy and giving.' Yeah, yeah, yeah. There is joy. There is giving. We all know they're excited about the presents. My kids love singing a good 'Jingle Bells, Batman Smells' just as much as the next kids do. But, kids, they live in 'fa la la' land all year long.

The next few months will be filled with opportunities to celebrate with friends and family.

Celebrating any event or holiday is about the time shared together and the affection of loved ones. It is not about lists, or things to do, and NOT about stress - especially the stress of finances.

And yet, the stress of finances can be a real issue. Costs for many items, like food, are rising. Feeding the hungry hordes this season can cost some serious money. So let's think about ideas on enjoying a beautiful and frugal holiday meal.

Child Development Services for all families

BANGOR Women today really want to have it all: a career, a family, a social life. But it can be difficult if not downright impossible to find that perfect balance. Many moms struggle with the guilt associated with placing their children in day care, and finding a place that can not only help assuage the guilt but make the parents feel like they're making a healthy decision is key.

Penquis has several Child Development Service centers in Bangor that are open to families of all incomes and offers quality child care to area families.

My four-year-old rhymes incessantly. At first, we were thrilled. Jack had an unidentified speech impediment when he was younger, so speaking in rhyme sounded like rocket science, literally. Our little speech scientist came up with ingenious creations like, 'Cow pow man van cat shat.' We hung on his every paired word.

Whether we made a conscious attempt to turn Jack's rhymes into something more meaningful than 'cat shat,' or just by happenstance, we started listening to country music. Jack's big sisters, caught in the throes of a full-fledged Taylor Swift obsession, played one 'you done me wrong T-Swift song' after another. Jack was able to hear the beat behind all the heartbreak and even spit out a few non-rhyming words. Success!

Every now and again my children surprise me. After spending a relaxing afternoon by the lake, we settled our sand- and sun-rumpled kids into our minivan for the two-minute drive home. I should have known something was up by the whispering.

'We have a surprise for you, Mumma, and we think you're really going to like it,' Meg said. As the middle child, Meg enjoys her role as the 'spoiler of all secrets' her two siblings are foolish enough to share with her.

'Meg, I told you not to tell her! Why do you always ruin everything?' Addie, the oldest, blurted from beside her in the backseat. Eye rolling, foot stomping and pouty staring out the window ensued.