"Mama Was a Riot Girrrl?"

This is old (2006) but I just stumbled on this article from the NY Times about kid bands. The term "kid-core" is used, so how could it not be a good read?

Pale and thin, with fluffy manes of rocker hair, Lucian and Julian are also partners in a record label, Beautiful Records, which has recorded Care Bears on Fire and Magnolia, using equipment that Lucian was given for his eighth-grade graduation, soon after a baby sitter introduced the two boys to ’80s punk.

“We were into, like, Rancid and Blink 182 at the time,” said Julian, cringing at his junior-high lack of cool. “That ended when we heard Minor Threat.”

I always lament at the fact I didn't give my kid some Stroke-esque name like Julian. It seems maybe it's over used. At least in New York. Phew.

This article also strikes me as cool because my husband and I had joked that we were going to "grow our own band", as in have kids to fill the positions. Like a garage rock Partridge Family.

Internet radio woes for the Mac user?

I'm not a TV person during the day. As a full time mom, it would be easy to have the TV on during the day. But TV sucks, mostly. I'm a radio person. Internet radio is great but since I use a Mac, a lot of places want to stream using Windows Media Player or RealPlayer. Which also sucks.

I found Flip4Mac that plays .wma and .wmv through Quicktime. It's handy. Download it here.

Uber Gross

This morning Tristan is snacking on something that is making my stomach turn. Frosted mini wheats dipped in ketchup.

Before you question what kind of mother I am, this was all his idea! He found a little cup of ketchup leftover from a restaurant in the fridge and wanted it opened. I told him it would taste gross with his cereal but he kept persisting. I thought once he tasted it, he'd spit it out and we'd be done. Oh no. He dunked in the first piece, took and bite and stared and leaned toward me with a over- exaggerated "Yuuummmm!"

Boys.

Yeah, I'm a Twilight freak too.

Okay, so I admit it. I adore the Twilight saga. Although, I did try really hard at first to resist it. I tried to reason with myself that it was for teenage girls and it would be silly of me to indulge in such foolishness despite my fascination with all things vampire. The argument has flaws right from the start as I have trouble remembering on many occasions that I'm not a teenage girl anymore. It might take me until I hit 30 to get that through my head.

I finally succumbed though when faced with a potentially mind-numbing 8 hour transatlantic flight. So I bought Twilight at Heathrow airport. No, I was not proud but it was a relief to stop fighting a battle that was inevitably going to be lost.

I read it. Totally hooked. I had to read the whole saga, which I did. All four books. Loved it to the very end. I will probably read them all again someday. I joked to my husband that he should read them if he wanted an insight into the girly mind. Truth be told, these books are really unfair for guys as no mere mortal guy can compare to Edward.

Now, I have not seen the movie. I wanted to get through the books first. So I'm excited for the DVD release tonight at midnight. I'm secretly hoping my husband buys it for me (did you get that, hon?). :) Reading the books it was difficult to not picture the actors from the movie as the characters since the previews for Twilight were already playing before I read the first book. I'm a little interested to see how well I think they fit.

I have to just mention the author Stephenie Meyer for a moment. She's totally a kindred spirit (to invoke Anne of Green Gables). Her apparent obsession with Muse makes her that much cooler.

So, if you're having a midnight Twilight party, send a hey my way. I can play nice. :)

IKEA offers fabric desktops

IKEA has desktops available for download that showcases some of their new fabric. A fun idea and good marketing! Seven in all.

Download them here.

Photoshop Tutorial: Modern Easter Egg

I found this great tutorial on creating very cool modern easter eggs. I was actually looking for inspiration on real modern easter eggs, but this works too! At PhotoshopBuddy.

Here is how mine turned out:


Feel free to use it/share it. Just please link back or credit Ash @ Automatic Blonde. Thanks!

More changes

Yep, I changed the look of the blog again. I'm just dying for Spring so I thought I would give the blog a more "fresh" look. I hope you like it. :)

Juice and the Indie Mom

Last week, I was included in a story in Juice about "Modern Moms".




Of course, I was (am) flattered to be included, especially since the comments I made that got me into the story weren't seen until it was almost finished. While the article does cite me as an "Indie Mom", unfortunately it does not include what that means to me. Also, what I had said about my husband didn't make the cut, much to his chagrin!

I wanted to share all of what I said here:

I never had any intent on being a mom... ever. I was pretty sure I didn’t have a maternal bone in my body. But, things change and sometimes just for the better at and at the best time.

At 21, I was at a point in my life when I didn’t know what I was going to do. Being a full-time bohemian is unfortunately not an occupation and there is little call for troubadours these days. But then, my husband and I found out I was expecting. A whole new path opened up. What if I could be a really kick-ass mom?

Now, instead of an indie chick, I’m an indie mom. Indie bands are so because they want to have complete creative control over their music and their art; to be able to produce what their vision is. I translate that idea into a parenting philosophy. Except my child is my art, and being a stay at home mom is how I ensure creative control. I also plan on homeschooling. Admittedly, music history will be my husband and I’s favorite lessons to teach... The Clash Appreciation, Britpop 101, The History of Grunge... ya know, the essentials.

Some people might think that being a stay at home mom is very traditional and an antiquated idea but it’s so not the case. Having a “career” was not something that appealed to me. Doing something that is required or expected of me automatically holds no interest to me. I have so much freedom now. Each day belongs entirely to my son and I and the opportunities each day are virtually limitless. It works for me just as it does for my son. I get to be that bohemian now. Largely, in thanks to my awesome husband who provides for our family and makes it possible for me to be a free-spirit and the kind of mom I want to be.

My iPod has a lot more indie-folk and noise pop than punk these days but my Vans and Chuck Taylors are good for running after a two-year old.

:)

Cool Beach Towels

With Spring just around the corner, my mind is already jumping ahead to Summer. So, of course, I think of the beach and then logically what beach towel I should get. And I found some cool ones!

First up, these oh-so-cute pop art beach towels:

Available at Target for $19.99.

Paul Frank Beach Towels:


On sale for $9.99 at Bedding & Bath Store.

If really feel like splurging try this beach towel/bag and beach ball set from Juicy Couture:

$78 at Neiman Marcus.