Babble

a magazine and community for the new urban parent

ToddlerTube

Earth Day NJ: Mommy Flips Out

Posted by Susie Felber

Jumbo Shrimp.  Brooklyn College.  And now, improbable as it seems, the deliciously oxymoronic Earth Day New Jersey. The man unit was working this past Sunday and I'd been too busy to plan ahead with friends, so Hugo and I had to find a way to entertain ourselves.  I loathe shopping, so during naptime, when I read about the park with Earth Day Fair and promised children's activities, I said what the hay. Check out my thrilling quest through Satan's arse NJ.  Driving less than 6 miles, took an hour. Oi. Sorry Earth, my bad!

In other news, I lost 3 pounds this week with moderate diet and exercise.  Which is super impressive if you hadn't read about last week's scandalous weigh-in.  Oh well.  Keep on keepin' on...

Coming this week, stay tuned for a peek or three into our wacky, fun, drama and food-filled Seder at Grandma's. 

See you soon Internet friends.

Kisses,

me

UPDATE:  Turns out Earth Day celebration was Saturday, not Sunday and the emails alerting me to the event just showed up late.  But in my DUH-fense, before I went, I swear I checked the park's website.  As you can see the website for Liberty State Park is one page with no links.  But I dug and found the park's calendar of events, which you can see, hasn't been updated since 2001 (!). 

Still, being caught in traffic and having a little girl in a pretty dress spit on my dog* was cool, right?

* The mother of the little girl didn't say anything to her daughter when/after she spit on my dog and since the mother was obviously a Muslim (she and what looked like the girl's grandmother were wearing the headscarves), I was too intimidated by my guilty liberal conscience to say anything/get visibly angry.  But when after she spat twice, the little girl made as if to stamp on my dog like he was a little ant, I said, "No, we do not threaten dogs."  But I said it in a really soft way as she wasn't my daughter and again, I didn't want to seem like I had anything against Muslims, because I don't. 

I know, I'm an idiot for going to Earth Day the wrong day and possibly for being so careful I am incapable, in the moment, of giving minorities the same "me" I'd give anyone else.  


Comments

 

MidLifeMama said:

Rock on with the weight loss. I think I found the ones you lost though. Sadly I think we can lose and gain 5lbs in a day, just from water retention or whatever. Sigh. Seriously funny video about the traffic. I planted this weekend in the yard, will be posting pictures soon! That was our nod to Earth Day. M

April 22, 2008 9:28 AM
 

Lee said:

What's with the dig about Brooklyn College?  I can't decide if you're implying something about all Brooklyn people (as though being from Brooklyn would not also allow you to attend college) or if it's about Brooklyn College specifically.  Since I am from Brooklyn and got my Master's at Brooklyn College, I think I'm a little miffed either way.  

April 22, 2008 1:43 PM
 

Susie Felber said:

Thanks M.  I love your dispatches and everything to do with gardening.  Looking forward to it.

And Lee:  I've nothing against Brooklyn.  Or Brooklyn College.  I was invoking an old joke so crusty it was told when the Mayflower landed.  Namely, that "Brooklyn College" itself is an oxymoron.  It's so stupid and ancient, it's funny.  And it's not a statement about Brooklyn.  I can not believe you attended without ever hearing that.  But, wonders never cease.

Seriously, it's a joke that's been around since the earth was still cooling and dinos ruled the land -- I didn't write it.  Ditto to my "Jumbo Shrimp" -- the oxymoron which is a hack comedian premise that one invokes when describing hack comedy.

Make more sense?  Less miffed?  Hope so.

April 22, 2008 2:03 PM
 

Susie Felber said:

Also Lee -- like I, in NJ, can pull rank on/insult ANYone.  Come on.

PS I reserve the right to delete all comments by peeved NJites.  

April 22, 2008 5:36 PM

About Susie Felber

I am a pro writer and comedian. I've got a Brit husband, toddler, dog, fish and I currently write and stuff for truTV.com.

in

GROUP BLOGS

  • Strollerderby

    The smartest, funniest, most exhaustive parenting blog in the blogosphere.
  • drool.icio.us

    The top million must-have baby products.
  • FameCrawler

    Your daily baby celebrity fix.
back to blog homepage