Abstractions - Sydney Shimko http://sydneyshimko.org/blog tagline Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:40:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Animals in the Fridge http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/animals-in-the-fridge/ http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/animals-in-the-fridge/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:40:09 +0000 flickr http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/animals-in-the-fridge/

Animals in the Fridge, originally uploaded by Sydney Shimko.

I made the kids a refrigerator and after a few minutes I noticed stuffed animals and trolls in it. I asked Maia why there were animals in the fridge. Her response, “Those are our meat.”

]]> http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/animals-in-the-fridge/feed/ 0 watering the snow http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/watering-the-snow/ http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/watering-the-snow/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:34:13 +0000 flickr http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/watering-the-snow/

watering the snow, originally uploaded by Sydney Shimko.

I love this photo!

]]> http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/watering-the-snow/feed/ 0 Channeling Papa http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/chaneling-papa/ http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/chaneling-papa/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:18:06 +0000 http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/?p=559 As we were walking into the Audubon this morning Maia said to Tarek, “Let’s run!” He proceeded to step in front of her and saunter. Her response, “So … that’s a crazy-slow run.”

Can you imagine Jason saying that? Yep, me too.

]]> http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/chaneling-papa/feed/ 0 A quick conversion http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/a-quick-conversion/ http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/a-quick-conversion/#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:44:45 +0000 http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/?p=554 After 18 months on the market, we’re taking steps to remodel our house. Maia has heard a lot of talking about it and has met our contractor Bill several times. In planning Maia’s birthday party we had this conversation.

M: I want [so and so] to come to my party.

S: Sweetie, we can’t invite any more people or the house will be packed.

M: But Bill’s gonna make the house bigger.

]]> http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/a-quick-conversion/feed/ 0 A question from Maia http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/a-question-from-maia/ http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/a-question-from-maia/#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:37:20 +0000 http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/?p=550 “Mom, the other day, when you and papa had those friends over for a little party, why didn’t you let one person talk and then the other and the other? You all said ‘blah blah blah’ ‘blah blah blah’ at the same time. Why didn’t you take turns?”

]]> http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/a-question-from-maia/feed/ 0 The Trouble with Parents http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/the-trouble-with-parents/ http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/the-trouble-with-parents/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:32:08 +0000 http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/?p=543 Maia was frustrated because I couldn’t explain jet trails sufficiently enough to please her.

Maia: “Urgh, that’s what I don’t like about having parents! When you guys don’t know what to say when I ask a question … I like when I can be the parent … And I like when I can go bare feet in the grass.”

]]> http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/the-trouble-with-parents/feed/ 0 Sleeping off a cold http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/sleeping-off-a-cold/ http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/sleeping-off-a-cold/#comments Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:26:51 +0000 http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/?p=539 M: Tarek gave his cold to you.

S: Did he give it to you too?

M: No, I got my own cold.

…

M: Where do our colds go when we sleep a lot?

]]> http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/sleeping-off-a-cold/feed/ 0 Travel Pains http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/travel-pains/ http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/travel-pains/#comments Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:37:22 +0000 http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/?p=534 Maia has her backpack on and is planning a to board a plane. First, she told me that some one has to drive her to the airport.

Now that she reached the airport (couch) she said,

M: oh no, I forgot my tax limit!

S: what’s that?

M: a tax … it’s something you need to use for your phone … your phone from the airport … now I won’t have a phone charger

S: because you forgot your tax limit?

M: yeah, it’s a ticket … and I need a tax cord to change my battery to make sure I need it to um … just like you do with your phone when the batteries are dead. I don’t have my phone or my plug …ugghhh … now I won’t have anything to call on!

…

Apparently she’s been in transit while we were talking. Now she’s at the hotel – room 140.

]]> http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/family/travel-pains/feed/ 0 What IS that on your face!? http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/it-is-easy-being-green/what-is-that-on-your-face/ http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/it-is-easy-being-green/what-is-that-on-your-face/#comments Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:46:00 +0000 http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/?p=511 Knowing how many nasty chemicals are in cosmetics and personal care products, I’ve been looking for safer and greener alternatives. Sadly, I’ve found it a difficult search. Many companies that market themselves and natural, safe, green and even organic still use potentially harmful chemicals in some or all of their products. I guess I feel lucky to have never used an abundance of makeup, hair dye, etc. However, even lotions, sunscreens and baby shampoos often contain chemicals with the potential to cause cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and more. Additionally, many products are flagged as containing ingredients in violation of known restrictions & warnings – described as, “prohibited for use in cosmetics, or subject to concentration, use, or manufacturing method restrictions, according to industry safety guidelines and government requirements and guidance from the U.S., E.U., Japan, and Canada.”

Fortunately, there are resources to find better alternatives. Unfortunately, I’ve found many of these alternatives hard to find, hard to sample, or simply not as effective as their toxic counterparts. I have found some products I like and am comfortable with, but my search is not over yet.

Here are some useful web sites to visit:

]]> http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/it-is-easy-being-green/what-is-that-on-your-face/feed/ 2 Toxins in Makeup and Personal Care Products http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/it-is-easy-being-green/toxins-in-makeup-and-personal-care-products/ http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/it-is-easy-being-green/toxins-in-makeup-and-personal-care-products/#comments Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:47:32 +0000 http://sydneyshimko.org/blog/?p=508

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