Author Archive
Wordless Wednesday: Three Babies and a Mom
I am instituting a new feature for the blog: Wordless Wednesdays.
Let’s celebrate and commiserate adulthood in a narrative of photo memories.
Still need some inspiration? Our first photo comes to us from my dear friend Jenn. Jenn is mom to an adorable but extremely hyper-active 18 month old, and two precious 8 week old twins.
I give you, My Day: Three Babies and a Mom — proving that a picture truly does say a thousand words.
Here is your challenge, my glorious readers: dig through old photo albums, old computer hard drives, old social networking site profile pictures and tell us a meaninful story in just one photo. Give it a name, or don’t name it at all, and send it along to me at mara@welcometoadulthood.com.
Now looking at My Day, what kinds of things from this narrative speak to you? How amazing is this woman in the image?
To me this narrative reads as a woman who is strong, fecund, resourceful, and resilient. To me, this photo seems to celebrate the power of Mother, and also remind us that motherhood means being present for your children in every way: sacrificing your chin to feed your baby if need be, and sacrificing your sanity to make sure your children are happy, healthy, and loved. This picture, my friends, oozes love in a real, tangible, way. And I know, if I grew up and found a picture just like this of my mom, with me and my brother, I would feel something very powerful. I would think, wow, my mom gave me everything she had, and she was really somethin’ special.
Let’s talk about it! Send me any thoughts in the comments. All you mothers out there, does this inspire you? Or does it remind you how hard it can be sometimes to be a mommy? All you readers with no children, how does this make you feel? Does this scare you? All views are welcome here. Leave your thoughts in the comments.
(Photo courtesy of J.G.J.)
Revamp!
Greetings, dear readers! I hope on your visit to the blog this time you noticed the amazing makeover to the site!
Thanks to the talents of Ms. Sarah Busta (pictured above), the consummate master of graphic design (and pretty much the most fun girl you will ever meet), Welcome to Adulthood has never looked more amazing!
Sarah Busta, who calls San Francisco home, currently works at Union Street Papery as a design consultant for the coolest wedding invitations around. (*Remember this all you brides-to-be.*)She is also the designer for their super cool blog, which has lots of great info for Bay Area brides. Check it out!
(Picture via Ms. Busta’s Facebook.)
Reason #414 Why I Love San Francisco
Where have you traveled lately and what interesting/beautiful/alarming/fantastic things have you seen? Send me your pictures and your travel stories! mara@welcometoadulthood.com
Vows Under the Rotunda
Today I am so excited to feature some pictures on the blog for our first official wedding post!
Elizabeth and Shaik (who live in San Francisco’s NOPA area, those lucky ducks) couldn’t reconcile between having a small, intimate ceremony in the beautiful “Beaux-Arts”-style City Hall Building that they had always admired, or whether to have a large wedding with all the pomp and circumstance. After much thought, Elizabeth and Shaik realized, “Hey, why are we anguishing over this when we can do it all?”
Shaik wanted a traditional wedding in his hometown in Malaysia to celebrate with his 500 close family and friends (he actually has 500 family and friends — that is not an exaggeration!) Elizabeth wanted a classic and elegant wedding in California with her closest family and friends. Travel costs for all family and friends prohibited them from doing one big wedding, so they initially decided on two, big, separate weddings. Through all their planning of the two big weddings they realized something else they wanted: to share their vows of love and partnership in a quiet setting, in the city they adored, surrounded by only a handful of family and friends, Elizabeth wearing a little white dress and her favorite yellow peep-toe pumps, and Shaik wearing his sharpest Navy suit. Why compromise?
On July 3, 2009 they made their first dream come true. They were married in the rotunda of City Hall, under the fifth largest dome in the world.
In case you have never visited the building, here is a picture. It is really stunning!
Here is the couple walking to the City Hall (and there was no fog!)
And in front of the City Hall before the ceremony.
Here is the homemade bouquet that I made for Elizabeth. I wrapped the stems in Elizabeth’s favorite old yellow silky shirt. Though the shirt hasn’t fit for years, Elizabeth couldn’t part with it because she loved the pretty material so much. She knew she would use the material for something special — and did she ever! If you look closely, you might even see the buttons!
Here they are signing the marriage lisence.
The beautiful bride!
I love this sweet candid shot, stealing a glance before the big moment.
On the famous staircase.
And the dip!
So, I guess it is true that for your wedding you really can have your cake and eat it too! Elizabeth + Shaik + a simple, intimate ceremony + an elegant U.S. wedding + a traditional Malaysian destination wedding = total awesomeness. Thank you so much Elizabeth and Shaik for sharing your beautiful and sweet day with us. We can’t wait to see more pictures from your U.S. wedding and your Malaysian wedding!
How did you celebrate your special day? Send me your story and any pictures to be featured on the blog to mara@welcometoadulthood.com
(City Hall building picture credit to Nicholas Shanks.)
Coming Up Next
The perks of adulthood may come in many shapes and sizes…and in this case, it comes in the form of a purple Morning Glory.
‘Tis the Season to be…Wed?
Did I mention so many of my friends are engaged? In fact, another of my dearest friends got engaged last weekend. I am glad I have this blog, because I think this is one of those things that many people can relate to in some way or another. I call it, Rites of Passage In Which You Are Not Included.
I think we get used to achieving rites of passages with our peers. You get your period about the same time as your friends (which is important so you can share some woman-stories and information, not just glean all your information from Judy Blume’s, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.) You go into high school about the same time as your peers, you graduate high school at the same time as your peers, you go off to college, you graduate college, you get a “real” job and all your friends are getting “real” jobs too, and you…get married around the same time?
Maybe that is why I feel left behind. Granted, I am not in any hurry to get married, but I can’t help but feel left behind among the talk of wedding gowns and flower colors.
And then the inevitable question from random people, family members, friends:
“What about you and your boyfriend?”
“What about it?”
“When will you be getting married?”
“Uh, you know. We are just takin’ our time right now and enjoying it.”
Why do I feel like I need to legitimize my relationship status? Probably because I am the one who is left behind in this epic rite of passage. And it is not that I feel left behind in my relationship, but more left behind by my friends. Kinda like if someone had told me when I was 17 that I couldn’t graduate high school for another year or two, and all my friends got to go off to exciting post-high school adventures. Yeah. That is exactly how I feel: like I am sitting in a math class, looking out the window, watching my friends pack for college (yes…it is a reverie: obviously they would not be packing RIGHT in front of my classroom window. And I did graduate high school on time, I might add — with no thanks to my poor math grades.)
I just kind of feel…quiet. Happy for them but quiet inside because I feel my dearest friends will be on to new things. New “married” things. And I will still be quietly here.
What about you guys out there? Do you, or did you, ever feel like this?
The good news about all my friends weddings is that I will be able to start a new topic to file things on our blog: weddings! That means anything wedding you want to share, talk about, etc, send my way! Pictures are especially welcome.
To start off this new “file” in the blog, I am posting a picture of my dear friend, Morgan (also a highly anticipated guest blogger, hopefully!) who is pretty much about the coolest girl around.
Morgan is a cross between a indie fashionista and a hippie, if you can wrap your head around that one. She is a New Jersey girl, transplanted to the beach of San Diego (not too shabby) and is engaged to a handsome fellow named Brant. Brant is in the Navy and is currently deployed in Kuwait. He works for the Navy E.O.D. and basically blows up bombs all day, but more on that later.
Brant proposed to Morgan with this stunning sapphire and diamond ring. The best thing about this ring (aside from that it is beautiful) is that it features conflict-free, ethically sourced, gemstones. Morgan felt strongly about not supporting the proliferation of blood diamonds, and she has always loved sapphires. Here is a picture of the loveliness:
To read more about conflict diamonds, and why it is so important to support purchases of conflict-free gemstones, check out what the U.N. has to say: Conflict Diamonds
And here is an interesting tidbit: A French lady who I used to work with had a wedding ring that was also not a diamond. She told me that diamonds were considered an “American” thing (picture a very thick French accent with a highly pejorative undertone)and in Europe no one really cared for diamonds as they were not as rare as their high prices would lead you to believe (the rareness vs. price is true, not just a cultural bias.) In fact, she even referred to them as “common.”
What do you think? To diamond or not to diamond? Did you know about conflict diamonds and now that you do will you think twice before purchasing a diamond? Lots to talk about today, folks! Sound off in the comments.
(The lovely Gatsby-esque wedding picture is via OnceWed.com, and the others are courtesy of Miss Morgan the Magnificent.)
Defining Adulthood, a continuing discussion. And, YES! Our first GUEST BLOGGER is almost here!
I had a few conversations with some readers today about the idea of “adulthood”, and how yesterday’s posts may have not accurately captured all that is “being an adult.” My wise readers pointed out, it is not just about having a job, or being married, or having kids, or being “responsible” that makes you an adult. For example, one reader, Danna, (soon to be guest blogger, I hope) is 27 years old, successful, and just got a huge tattoo on her back. Another of my dear readers is taking 4 months off work to travel around the world with her beau. Both are embarking on exciting, fantastical, indelible adventures. Making those kinds of exhilarating choices for oneself has to be one of the greatest things about being an adult.
So, we must also include in our Manifesto about Adulthood this: wherever our “adult” path takes us, all experiences are equally valued here. Because, as adults, we have the choice to be accountable and present in our own lives — to live with intention. Adulthood is more than a word, or a cliche. Here, we will reclaim Adulthood as a movement. And that is something that is pretty cool.
Do You Remember the Times?
Today, Michael Jackson passed away. Though I just birthed this blog, I don’t think an incident like this can go unnoticed in the blogosphere.
A few ruminations:
I have learned that the fastest way to obtain the most up-to-the-minute news is through Facebook. Forget CNN, BBC, MSNBC, NY Times, etc. In case of incident, injury, or emergency always, always, always consult Facebook first.
Example 1: When there was a small earthquake in LA a few months ago (I didn’t feel it), everyone on Facebook was talking about it. I checked the news websites, there was nothing about it. Twenty minutes later, the LA Times and CNN finally reported it.
Example 2: When the metro trains collided in D.C. last week, I was just hanging out on my Facebook when all of the sudden I see a handful of status posts about the metro collision, including one person who was actually ON one of the trains that collided. I checked the news, nothing. Twenty minutes later, The Washington Post, MSNBC, and CNN finally reported it.
Today, I am checking in on Facebook and I see about 5 posts about Michael Jackson’s death. I check the usual newswires – all they say is that he is hospitalized. In about 25 minutes, nearly everyone on my Facebook has commented on the death and still not one news source would confirm.
There is power in the ability to report and record events. No longer is it a power reserved for the media, or publishing houses for that matter. We can claim and use information for our own means, and we must! In a small way, this is why I started this blog.
Back to MJ. You know, I wasn’t probably cool enough to listen to MJ’s music when I was really young (I worked for a children’s radio station after all, I am pretty sure Billy Jean was not acceptable programming.) Then, when I reached 10th grade I became buddies with some eccentric friends that loved the 80′s. We would drive around Washington D.C. in my friend Meredith’s little Ford Tempo blasting all things MJ.
To me, Michael Jackson’s music embodies mix tapes and memories. And though MJ faced some tough issues in his life, as an artist he dramatically innovated and invigorated pop music.
How has Michael Jackson’s music been woven into the soundtrack of your lives? How did you hear about his death? Do you care about his death, and the hype of his passing when so many people around the world die every day? How does Facebook change the role of the media? Or does it? Have you noticed these same kinds of reporting trends in your social networking sites? Does this access to information empower you, or worry you? Post any thoughts on these or other topics of interest in the comments.
(Photos attributed to the LA Times and Getty Images)
Calling All Guest Bloggers and JT Eco Project
Let’s share our stories!
I would like to feature at least one guest blogger each week (new or recurring). So far, I have a few really exciting bloggers lined up, and I am very excited to see what kinds of great stories they will regale us with. If anyone else would like to contribute, by all means — send any stories, thoughts, quotes, or pictures my way. What is meaningful to you? What have you learned along the road of this crazy life? Or maybe you just have a good recipe to share or a really cool picture. Email me: mara@welcometoadulthood.com
I feel inspired. I hope you will feel that way too as we watch this little blog…grow up.
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