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By funsherpa, June 1, 2010 8:42 am

Dana seeing without the rose colored lenses

Funsherpa chats with Dana Lynn Formby to discover the world of a blue-collar playwright.  Dana shares her interest in giving a voice to the working class and uncovers the secret three E’s of theater.  Her play, Inherit the Whole, will be starting a run at the Mortar Theater this Friday.

F: You’re often described as a ‘blue-collar’ playwright.  How did that come about and why make the distinction from other playwrights?
D: I call my self a blue-collar playwright because my father is a pipe-fitter and my mother was a hairdresser.  They loved and supported me and struggled with money their entire lives.  They rightfully told me I could be anything I wanted… I was an American.  Through the struggle of growing up, I learned, what the media told me I wanted was different from the reality staring me in the face.  I’m interested in taking off the rose-colored glasses I perched on the end of my nose as a kid.  I carefully assembled my glasses out of clippings of American dreams found anywhere from Glamour to Fortune 500. I write plays that question this rose-colored-cutout-pasted-collage, in hopes of preventing certainties that arise when blue-collar economics beg you to stop at your gender.  I do this to look past what the 2D American dream promises, and aim for the impossible.  Through my art, I strive to dismantle the barriers put up by economic classes.

F: We saw another online feature of you that mentions your fondness of listening to Cake to get into the writing mood.  Do you still listen to Cake to get yourself into the writing mood?  Or has your musical taste evolved since then?
D: Cake!  Absolutely!  There is something about how raw and dirty the sound is, that puts me in a nice bit of anger at the world.  This helps me see the obstacles my characters need to face.  Also, I love me some Chris Isaac.

F: As a playwright instructor with the Chicago Dramatists, how would you describe your teaching style?
D: I am a cheerleader.  I wish to empower my students to allow themselves the right to write.  I encourage them to ask questions.  I also ask them to teach each other what I have taught.  I believe the true path to learning is to teach what you know.  When you are forced to do this you realize you didn’t know it half as much as you thought.  And when you have to explain what it is your teaching, you yourself gain a deeper understanding for it.

F: How do you deal with hopeless students?
D: Hopeless is a strange word.  If you mean they don’t do the work there is not much I can do.  If it means they feel they can’t write, than it is my job to empower them.   As a writer there is always this critic sitting on your shoulder yelling at you, “You can’t do this!  You have no right to do this.  This is stupid.”  I encourage them to tell that critic to go eat a bag of chips because work needs to get done.  The critic can come back after you finish a draft.

F: Can you talk to us about your play at the Mortar, called Inherit the Whole?  Why talk about Vietnam now?
D: My father is a Vietnam Vet.  There is no me without Vietnam.  I honestly believe that half of him is still over there.  War causes a separation between all of the survivors of the war.  The country is at war again.  There are daughters and sons who will grow up with this same disconnect with their parent if they have served in battle.  Theatre has the ability to connect strangers through catharsis– through witnessing the journey of a character on stage.  It is my hope that writing about the past– Vietnam, we can quell the taboo’s of war for our soldiers coming home.  I hope lessen the gap between soldier and citizen. This gap will always exist but I believe through art, we may be able to reach over that gap.

F: Why did you bring in the element of the trunk of gold?
D: Honestly?  When my Granddaddy died, his brother’s came to his house looking for a big old bag of silver that my cousin Danny went with him to pick up at the train station back in the seventies.  We never found it.

F: Who did you create the play for?
D:  This is a rough question.  It’s something that an artist must ask themselves but is difficult to answer honestly.  This play came out of the chaos of living paycheck to paycheck.  I wish to give a voice to the working class.  I hope with “Inherit the Whole” Mortar Theatre is able to bring together people from different social economic backgrounds so that we can see our similarities are more in common than we think.  It is through our commonalities that humans find connection.

F: Who do you think will enjoy ‘Inherit the Whole’ the most?
D: People with a good since of humor who can laugh and get angry at the absurdity of life.

F: The story almost seems quite ‘melancholic’.  Is that an accurate description or is there more to what is presented in the play’s synopsis?
D: It is actually quite funny and quickly paced. I mean, men digging a hole in a living room!  Funny.  Dennis Zacek, the Artistic Director of Victory Gardens, keenly taught me the three E’s of Theatre.  First: a play must entertain, the next step is to enlighten, and finally, if we are lucky, the play will take us to a level of Ecstasy.  I believe all three are touched on in this play.  I also believe that I will learn so much about the play by witnessing how the audience reacts to the play.  I believe a production of a play is the playwright’s actual first draft.  The reason I say this is because the play behaves differently when it is on its feet moving around in three dimensional space.  Theatre is a collaborative sport and I am so thankful to have a place to play ball in front of a crowd so that I may grow past what I learned in graduate school.

F: How did you decide to share your play with the Mortar Theatre?  What was it like working with them?
D: I am an Ensemble Member here and I feel we are a great fit for each other.

F: What’s in store for your future plays?
D: Right now I am working a play called The Eve Maneuver.  The play is about a girl named Veronica,18, who wants to uphold the proud Semperfi tradition of her father, a Desert Storm Vet.  Determined to march in his footsteps, she unearths what it means to do or die, leaving her finger on a trigger as she decides between her patriotism towards her father and the heart she found as a child going to Sunday school.

F: Anything vastly different from the plays you’ve created?
D: Looking at what I just wrote above this question it would appear that I tackle the subject of war quite a lot.  I cannot deny that I am moved and feel a need to write about this subject.  But other plays I have written, do not touch on war.  I write very much from my heart.  It is hard for me to see the trees for the forest on this one.  I feel my plays are all very connected. Gender is something I choose to tackle as a writer. Some would say I have masculine plays and feminine plays.  I guess I have to say without one, the other cannot exist.  It is through my definition of masculine that I understand feminine and vice versa.  It is my goal to stretch myself as an artist while maintaining the honesty of my experience in the world around me.

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By funsherpa, May 7, 2010 8:00 am

Balancing Life with Stacey

Don’t forget to give Mom a huge hug this weekend as Mother’s Day is on Sunday!  Before you scrounge around for some last minute gifts for Mom, check out our final feature in our Mother’s Day series.  Funsherpa sits down with Stacey Hoffer Weckstein, the Chief Mom Officer of the Mom Renewal Project to share some of her fun spots in Chicago and her secrets in balancing a hectic Mom life.  Stacey has built an amazing community to recharge the body, mind, & spirit – so you can live your best life as a woman, mom & partner, so when you have a chance, check out The Mom Renewal Project.

F: What are some of the things you’ve learned from other Mom bloggers?  What have you taught other Mom bloggers?

S: Mom bloggers have taught me the power of a virtual community and beauty of blog karma. Women all across the globe are creating lasting bonds via blogs, Twitter, and Facebook. Knowing I have an online community that supports me and will listen to me when I need to share my voice is a gift that the mom blogging community has given to me.

What have I taught other Mom Bloggers? I hope I have encouraged them to take more ME time more often. I hope my social media influence gives mom bloggers (and all moms) permission to reconnect with their authentic selves so they can live their best lives as women, moms, and partners.

F: How do you balance being a mom, writing a blog, living your life, and enjoying what you do?

S: How do I balance it all? In one word, it would be passion. My passion drives me and fuels me. I have passion for being my children’s mom, for blogging, for offering life coaching programs and services, for being a social media strategist, and for spending time outdoors. I focus on my passions and all of the other things fall into place. My house is not spotless, my mail sometimes piles up, and sometimes it takes over 24 hours before I can respond to email messages. This is not because I’m lazy – it’s because I’m prioritizing my life and practicing the art of life balance.

F: You also started a coaching business while being a mom.  What were some of the challenges involved with that and how did you deal with it?

S: I think the number one challenge in starting a business is time. Life is busy. I work full-time, have two young boys, and have to take care of regular home routines. As a “mompreneur”, life coach, and social media strategist, I find my time early in the morning and once my boys are asleep. Once a week I have a mom’s night off and sometimes I also use that time to move my business forward.

Another challenge is the lack of quiet time. As a social media mom, my life is rather noisy. It is filled with some wonderful noise like children laughing and meaning conversations online, but my day-to-day routine is pretty over-stimulating. To be able to focus on my coaching business and on my natural inner wisdom, I take at least 5-10 minutes of quite time each day to help me recharge. This daily stillness gives me the opportunity to listen to my personal wisdom – without this time in my life, I don’t think I would have discovered so many different aspects of my business.

F: What do your kids think about you writing a blog?  Do they play any editorial roles?

S: My children are too young to understand what the words blog means, but they do know I love my computer. My six year old son’s definition of passion is “something you love”. So he thinks my passion is blogging just like his passion is playing Wii. As my favorite author SARK says, when my boys are older, I hope they understand the value of “gifting the world with your words and stories and creating the time and energy to actually do it”.

F: Can you share some Chicago activities that you enjoy doing with your kids?

S: My family loves Chicago, especially all of the natural spaces around the city. If it is above 40 degrees, you can find my family outside at the beach, the Chicago Botanic Garden, walking around Grant Park and Millennium Park’s gardens, biking along Lake Michigan at Northwestern University, or bird watching at Montrose Point. My three year old son’s favorite place in Chicago is the Butterfly Haven at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum where we can hang out in a greenhouse with over 1000 butterflies.

F: Any special message you’d like to share with other Moms this upcoming Mother’s Day?

S: Chicagoland Moms – On this Mother’s Day, I send you the gift of reclaiming, rejuvenating, and re-balancing your life. I give you permission to reconnect with your authentic self, to practice self-care, and to remember who you are above and beyond your role as a mom.

I want to remind you that moms who are physically tired, emotionally drained, mentally unfulfilled, and spiritually disconnected to their natural inner wisdom cannot fully be present in their own lives or in their children lives. So, I invite you to recharge – body, mind, and spirit – so you can live your best life as a woman, mom, and partner. I invite you to put yourself back onto your priority list because you and your children deserve it!

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By funsherpa, April 30, 2010 6:48 pm

Forget transient flowers and stale chocolates. Chicago moms have other things in mind when they open up their presents this Mother’s Day. We have curated a Mothers Day Gift Guide for the Chicagoan with the most wanted list of gift ideas from our experience store. No matter what your mommy’s style is, we have got you covered, from sub-$100 experiences to an extravagant dinner at top ranked Alinea, but all sure to make mom smile. So, this May 9th, show Mom you didn’t forget about her and give her something she’ll never forget…or simply brag about during her next bridge game.

The hungry food critic mama – your mom a big foodie? Did she raise you with the best organic meals and do you need to thank her for saving you from fast food health problems? Browse unique gourmet experiences in Chicago, from French cooking classes to a dining treat at Alinea.
For the glamorous mama – mom’s want to be glamorous. They were probably a lot more glamorous until they had you. Find spa experiences perfect for skin restoration or facial rejuvenation. Restore that youthful vibrance that mom once had and treat her to our special organic facial or makeup lesson.
The stressed out mom – if mom is still burning the midnight oil and working hard, give her a spa day to eject the stress. From the Blueberry Moon to the Peninsula Spa, we’ve got you covered and know that she’ll come out on cloud nine.
The P90X workout crazy mom – is your mom more fit than you? Does she wake up before the crack of dawn to run down the lakeshore and end the day with yoga? Our active experiences have only the best instructors in Chicago to take your mom’s physical stamina and strength to the next level. Who knows, mom might start her own yoga school and outrun you in this year’s Chicago marathon.
For the don’t break the bank experience – there’s no need to splurge to shower mom with a gift she won’t forget. We have dozens of memorable experiences that mom can check out from tennis lessons to a lazy escape down the Chicago river that will leave you with enough dough to buy dad his perfect father’s day gift too!

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By funsherpa,

Supermom Sara Surrounded by Family and Technology

Sara Fisher, the creative talent behind the Self-Made Mom, demonstrates to Funsherpa how mothers juggle their personal and professional lives to provide their families with the best of everything.  A self-professed ‘former corporate hack’, Sara gives us a glimpse into her transition from the professional scene to motherhood.

F: What do you enjoy the most about Mommy blogging? What does your husband think about your blog?
S: I like creative/ humor writing and I think my blog is the best way for me to get out my creative energy. I wouldn’t say that what I do is “mommy blogging” but rather trying to provide a funny lens for people to see my life with two kids through. My husband is a fan of my writing, but not when it gets too personal. Let’s just say we have creative differences on that front!
F: You mentioned that you’ve transformed from a ‘corporate hack’ to a professional butt wiper. Do you find yourself using any of your corporate skills as a Mom? Any good examples?
S: I think I wrote a post about that a ways back. Yes, I feel that there are many times I’m using my organizational skills, my energy, my “get it done” attitude with my kids. Both for good and bad. For instance, I always would write emails or notes to contacts I met through business, and now, I make sure my older son and I write thank you notes for birthday presents. On the negative side, I probably am a little too demanding of my four-year-old. He’s not a 23 year-old account exec.
F: Can you talk about your experience when you first became a mom?
S: Lack of sleep and doing what you want, when you want were really hard for me to adjust to. I like to do things on my own terms, and now I have the little men who tell me what to do on their terms!
F: How do you manage living in a home full of boys/men?
S: Lots of wine. No, just kidding. I love my house of boys. I’m the queen and I don’t have to worry about how anyone is dressed or hair is brushed. Boys can get away with a little less personal hygiene I think.
F: Upon reading your blog, you seem to be quite a net savvy Mom, using Peapod, Ebay Classifieds, Craigslist, etc. Any other web services you’d like to share that are effective in managing home issues?
S: I use Google all the time, but so does everyone. Twitter is key for me to follow news, local happenings and keeping up with friends.
F: How is social media affecting the way parents raise their kids? Is there anything in the way that social media works that you’d like to change?
S: I think Twitter and Facebook have radically changed how we get and use information. For instance, sometimes if I have a medical or baby question, I’ll post it online before I call the doctor (not in an emergency, of course). On the flip side, I think there are some people that way over-share what they put online about their families and kids, and I’m totally not into that. Those babies are going to grow up to be teenagers and I don’t think they’ll be all that pleased to see a photo of their dirty diaper online.
F: Do you have any ‘Mommy’ role models (real or fictional)? If so, who are they and why do you look up to them?
S: Other than my mom who was a much more patient mother than I am, I think I’d have to say it’s other contemporaries of mine who’ve seemed to make it work having a career and being hands-on with their kids. I have not perfected that yet. Not even close.
F: What have some of your best experiences on Mother’s Day? What would make your perfect Mother’s Day holiday?
S: As I wrote last year, the perfect Mother’s Day for me is being alone! I would like to sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast, read the Sunday New York Times and shower for an hour. I love my kids, but I think having one day a year by myself is good for all of us.

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By funsherpa, April 28, 2010 8:00 am

Decoding mommy blogs with Bethany Hiitola

Discover the world of mommy blogging, free things to do in Chicago with your kids, and motherhood with Bethany Hiitola.  Funsherpa sits down with the writer behind Mommy Writer Blog to understand what it is like to be a mom, blog with kids in the house, and find inspiration in creative writing projects.

F: What do you enjoy the most about Mommy blogging? What do your kids think about your blog?
B: I never really looked at it as mommy blogging or anything but an outlet for me to write what I know. I’ve always been a writer and had a few blogs that I sorta maintained off and on for a few years prior to ever being a mom. But, when I had a kid, found myself at home most of the time with no babysitter (and surrounded by mothers who appeared to know what they were doing), I decided to turn to the outlet I always turn to–writing. And thus my blog and website were born (concurrently I also decided to pursue my dreams of writing fiction and getting it published – so they both were jointly born along with the first child).

My kids are still very young– son is 7 and daughter 2 1/2. So their opinion of my online space is yet to be determined. Although my son now can read at a pretty high level, and has his own computer and unfettered access to the Internet–he’ll find me soon. Though, I am not worried. I always try to write from my point of view (not theirs) so I hope they find it fun and entertaining.

F: Can you talk about your experience when you first became a mom? What were some of the things you had to learn/unlearn from just being an adult with no kids?
B: Frazzled. When I had my son, labor was about 20 hours, I was up all night, and well, birth was an experience that once you go through it, you are changed (in more ways than you care to share). But I survived. And had this pink wiggly crinkled thing handed to me and then everyone left the room. There was no instructions, no one to sorta sit down and tell you what you might expect from the first few nights, how to really change a newborn’s diaper, how you are going to survive on so little sleep you won’t know how to hold a conversation. And it just stays that way. No instructions. And really, no schedules and constant change.

The biggest difference from life with no kids to having kids is just learning to be unselfish. Suddenly your life will revolve around this new little being. And you have to let it for a while until you and the baby adjust. Sure, this changes as the child grows older and becomes more independent, but overall, you give us things for your kid. Whether that is sleep, time, schedules. Pretty much everything changes. And you need to find ways to make yourself a priority too (babysitters, help from family and partners, time away, etc).

And really just BE FLEXIBLE. The flexible and laid back you are about the kid, and naps, and feedings, and all that stuff–the easier your life will be. And more relaxed you will be. And the easier time you will need/have to adjust to motherhood (or parenthood. Dad’s have to do all this too). It’s all good. And children bring a new outlook on life for anyone. But as a parent they change the way you look at the world. So take deep breaths and just enjoy the ride–no matter how it takes you on little side tracks.

F: You seem to write a lot. Can you share with us some of your creative writing projects? What serves as your inspiration?
B: Is it that obvious? Yes I do write a lot. I always have written but never dedicated so much time with it until after I had children. But, then again, my children are part of the reason why I have dedicated more time to writing. After my son was born I found myself working over 40 hours a week at all hours of the day (to adjust for working from home with a young baby) and I wasn’t happy. I needed an outlet just for me and one that might get me out of the rat race.

I haven’t quite gotten out of the (corporate) rat race yet, but I knew there was no chance I could do that without giving a real, true, honest-to-God effort at writing books for publication. So here I am.

I’m working on a bunch of projects right now. The first is the 2nd technical non-fiction book about open source software. My first book was about creating podcasts with Audacity (you can find it here) and it was fun to write. So I signed up for another that I am working on now! This one is about using Inkscape as a web designer. It is due out by the end of the year.

I write for a variety of places online that you can find from my website and they keep me sane during the week when my work schedule is driving me crazy. For fiction, I have a book that I’m shopping around now, another one in the works, and some small pieces that are being published in quarterly magazines. Just enough to keep me from not going to bed too early in the evenings. And to keep me writing, no matter what my day throws at me.

F: What are some of the things you’ve learned from other Mom bloggers? What have you taught other Mom bloggers?
B: To relax. Have fun. Vent if you need to. And ALWAYS respect your children–as they are a wealth of blogging fodder (both good and bad) and are the cutest things ever. With them at your side, they sorta define that mom blogger part of your life. But you are also you. And Mom bloggers stick together. We have that common bond of parenting and we often share stories, agree with one another, disagree with one another and then always want the best for our families.

I am not sure what I have taught others. Maybe just that you can blog, have a life, be a mom, a blogger and other dreams too. Funnily enough, I have always associated myself as a writer. Before a blogger, before a mom, before a mommy blogger. So, I just hope that maybe that is what people have taken away from reading my blog.

F: If you could change one thing about being a mother, what would it be?
B: The extra 15-20 lbs I still have of baby fat. A magic potion to get rid of the constant large dark circles under my eyes. And maybe an “obey your mom” card that I can pull out and use for nap times, cleaning rooms, brushing teeth and more…

Other than that, I just want to enjoy the ride as much as I can. My son is 7. And honestly, there are times I still think he might be about 3 years old and playing super heroes with capes in my living room.

F: Any advice to new parents in Chicago to ensure their kids get to appreciate the city they live in?
B: Go to museums, shows, concerts, outdoor events. EVERYTHING you want to drag yourself too. This city offers anything from free to very expensive activities. Don’t be afraid to drag your kids deep into the city or to the ‘burbs. They both offer unique experiences that can enrich your child’s lives. And expose them to just about everything from sports games, to concerts, to small events (like free comic drawing classes), culture, and more. Just pick a few items a year and make it happen!

F: If you could take your kids anywhere, where would you take them? Why?
B: Finland. We will take a trip there at some point, we just haven’t done it yet. But we have a strong Finnish Heritage and I’ve would love to see the country itself. And the small village by the same name as my surname.

But really–I would love to take them all over the world: England, India, Africa. I’d also love to go see the Grand Canyon, the Pacific Ocean. And well just as many new places as we can afford.

F: What have some of your best experiences on Mother’s Day been? What would make your perfect Mother’s Day holiday?
B: I don’t get caught up on the holiday too much. All I really like are hugs, kisses, and some special homemade things from the kids. If I get a few hours of “free time” after a family brunch that makes it all a bit better. Gives me kid-free time to just re-coup and then come home to more snuggles.

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By funsherpa, April 26, 2010 9:22 am

Shari enjoying some tall company

With Mother’s Day a couple of weeks away, Funsherpa is continuing its countdown through featuring local mothers in Chicago.  Aside from being the family champions and all around multi-taskers, these mothers are building the next generation of the city’s inhabitants and caretakers.  Today, we talk to Shari Schmidt, a mom raising twins who writes a blog called Two Times the Fun, and celebrates life in the city by taking her kids to the Green City Market and Notebaert Nature Museum.

F: What do you enjoy the most about Mommy blogging? What do your daughters think about your blog?
S: I blog to create a record of our girls’ adventures. I like being able to record what is happening on a moment’s notice. It allows for very real time observations and emotions. Some day I will take the blog and turn it into a book for the girls.

The girls don’t really understand blogging for the most part. Although, the other day one of them said, “Please don’t tell your computer friends.”

F: Can you describe your typical audience? What do they enjoy the most about your blog?
S: My typical audience member has children. They either understand what we are going through at a certain stage, or have already been there and offer great advice. We’re all just trying to do the best we can for our children, and it is great to be able to share ideas. They are not shy. If they think I’ve screwed up something, they let me know. Sometimes it’s just helpful to be able to let everyone know we’re all in this together.

F: I understand you have twin daughters. What is the coolest thing about having twins? How easy/challenging is it to raise twins?
S: The best thing about having twins is watching the twin bond in action. Many people doubt it exists, but having twins makes you a believer. The girls are so similar in many ways, yet really different. They find great strength being part of a pair. The most challenging thing about raising twins is dealing with everyone’s comments. So many people tell us what to do with the girls. “If I had twins, I’d…,” is a phrase I hear often. Some days I just think, “Call me when you have twins and we’ll talk.”

F: Do you find yourself raising your kids in a similar way to the way your parents raised you or are you doing things the polar opposite way?
S: I think parents always raise their children based upon the prevailing wisdom of the time. When we were children, parenting beliefs were very different from what they are now. Each generation goes with their own beliefs. For example, my grandmother was horrified that my parents allowed us to eat cold cereal. She was certain that we’d suffer if we didn’t eat bacon, eggs and toast every morning. If I fed our girls bacon, eggs and toast every morning, it would be considered very bad parenting by today’s standards. We mix the way our parents raised us with our beliefs about parenting. It’s quite a comfortable mix.

F: What do Mom bloggers talk about when they get together?
S: Our children and motherhood, of course. I spent an afternoon with some of the Chicago Moms Blog writers recently. It was so fun to be able to brainstorm with everyone. I found a couple of other twins moms that I’ll keep in touch with as our girls get older. Another mom blogger gave me a good resource to help me turn the blog into a book for the girls. It’s such a great, supportive network.

F: Any advice to new parents in Chicago to ensure their kids get to appreciate the city they live in?
S: I always tell people to start small. A big problem I see is that new parents expect too much from their children. Little ones have short attention spans. When we are in Chicago , we like to walk around and talk about what we see. Our girls like to see the different buildings, public artwork and different people. We spend time walking different neighborhoods, going to parks and visiting destinations like the Chicago Green City Market near the Notebaert Museum . It’s a big city, but it’s easy to break it down into manageable pieces.

F: Is there anything in Chicago that makes it particularly a kid/mommy friendly city? Is there anything you’d like to change about Chicago?
S: This city is very handicap accessible, which is important when you travel with a double-stroller. I never thought about this until we spent time walking with the double-stroller in front of us. Also, there are lots of bathrooms in buildings and stores. I think our girls have visited all of them.

There are so many free activities that you can stay really busy without spending a lot of money. We try to do as many as possible each year, especially the children-friendly activities. Anything at Millennium Park is great because it is a good central location for all our friends to get together. Everyone brings a picnic basket and some treats to share. We can spend a day there playing in the Crown Fountain, walking over to the lakefront to see the boats and listening to music.

I don’t know what I’d change to be honest. I tend to take advantage of what is available, rather than stress about what could be different. There is so much to enjoy, and we try to do just that.

F: What have some of your best experiences on Mother’s Day been? What would make your perfect Mother’s Day holiday?
S: Mother’s Day in our house is very low-key. I like to clear the calendar and see what the day brings. Sometimes we just go bike riding or roller skating and then grill out. If the weather is bad we might see a movie or visit a museum. We spend our days rushing to catch the school bus or trying to make it to dance lessons on time. The rule on Mother’s Day is we cannot do anything productive like running errands or doing laundry. It’s nice to have a day when we just wake up and see what happens.

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By funsherpa, February 1, 2010 1:01 pm

Sharing the fun with the family

This week, funsherpa discovers the family and kid friendly side of Chicago with Caitlin Giles, former lawyer turned professional mother of three and freelance writer.   She shares with us tips on how to take advantage of all the city has to offer for kids and the family.  We also learn a little bit about the mother blogger community.  Caitlin blogs at A Hen and Two Three Chicks and Chicago Now’s Wee Windy City.

F: What motivated you to start blogging and writing the hen and three chicks blog?

C: I wanted to find a way to capture the time with my little ones. As any parent can tell you, kids change so fast and the days can get so hectic. My hope was to create a place where at least some small part of our days together would be recorded.

I was also looking for a creative outlet for myself while my kids were napping.  Kids  are just naturally creative and watching my own little ones really awakened in me the desire to be more creative in my own life.

F: Can you give us some parallels between your former career as a lawyer and being a mom?

Hmmm . . .  that is a tough one. Before I had kids, I worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney in cases involving child abuse and neglect. As you can imagine, this was really emotional and difficult work. After my daughter was born, I couldn’t imagine spending my days in a courtroom dealing with such desperate situations and then still having enough positive energy to bring home to her. I knew that I needed a different career path that allowed for better integration of my home and work life. My work as a freelance writer has allowed for just that.

F: Blogger-moms seem to be overtaking the growth of soccer moms and yoga moms – do you agree?  Can you share with us some of the interesting things you’ve learned from other blogger mommies?

C: Women are the biggest social media users out there –they are visiting everything from blogs to Twitter to the popular parenting websites. I think that women are always looking to connect and these new mediums are facilitating those relationships – especially for new moms who are really looking for a sense of community as they face the challenges of parenting for the first time.  I’ve learned a lot about myself and my parenting approach from reading what other moms around the world have to say about their own experiences.

F: What do kids watch on TV these days? Any kids shows you think adults would enjoy as well?

C: Truthfully, I can not think of one kid’s show that I really love. But there are a lot of great internet resources out there that are taking the place of TV time for kids. My favorite site is called Curious Corner on the Art Institute of Chicago website.

F: Kids seem to enjoy winter a lot more than grown ups do – what are your kids’ favorite winter activities?

C: I just wrote a post about this very topic! For adults, winter means traffic delays, shoveling, etc. For kids, winter means SNOWMEN! SLEDDING! ICE SKATING! I think that adults should all take a cue from our kids’ enthusiasm and get out there to enjoy the positive aspects of winter.

Definitely check out an outdoor skating rink – either at Millennium Park or Wrigley Field. And the city is full of great sledding spots – my kids like Cricket Hill on Montrose.

F: What was your childhood like in Chicago and how different is that from your kids’? Is there anything you wish Chicago still had or didn’t have?

C: I grew up in Oak Park. I was lucky because my parents regularly put my siblings and I on the Green Line to come to the city to take advantage of all of the cultural and recreational resources available here. I think that the family-friendly offerings in Chicago just keep getting better and better.

F: What’s a good resource for parents to find fun family friendly activities in Chicago?

C: I’ve been writing a blog called Wee Windy City on the ChicagoNow site for about six months now. The blog is basically about why it is great to be a kid in Chicago. I post about family-friendly events and activities going on around town. I also feature guest posts from other Chicago parents to offer a range of perspectives and information.

F: Any advice to new parents in Chicago to ensure their kids get to appreciate the city they live in?

C: Be a positive model – if you get out there and enjoy your life and take advantage of what the city has to offer, your kids will follow your lead.

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By funsherpa, January 13, 2010 8:00 am

Frost Bite with Devin Kidner

When the mercury drops below 32F, it becomes really difficult to do much in this crazy city, unless of course you are making Chicago home, and need to live with the treacherous winter about a third of the year.  To start the new year right, funsherpa sits down with Devin Kidner of Making Chicago Home to talk about her travels, interest in new people, and more importantly, why Chicago is an amazing city despite the harsh weather!

F: How did the blog come about?

D: The blog was started to put aside a certain loneliness involved with moving to a big city. I have lived and worked in a lot of big cities, and there is a paradoxical loneliness when one first moves into a big city.   This blog is all about going out, meeting new people and exploring the city with no reservations.

F: How do you meet all these people?

D: Well, I originally lived in Evanston and it felt like Prison-ston where no one wanted to do anything, so I moved down to the city which makes it a lot easier to move around and meet interesting people – I am no longer limited by the operating hours of the purple line!  Volunteering at the Green City market has exposed me to great people, too!

F: Do you ever get tired of meeting all these new people?

D: No not at all, for me, it is the biggest thrill in life!  People have so much to offer and it is always great to learn about them and what they do.

F: Why do you move to all these different cities?

D: It started out because of my background -- I’m half-English and half-American, so I wanted to make sure that I had roots in both countries. Then it evolved to learning about different cultures and experiencing life changing events.  Traveling helps me learn about myself and opens my eyes to a lot of global traditions.  One thing it definitely opened my eyes to is how awesome karaoke can be!  If I never lived in Japan, then I would have probably never understood how unique this wonderful tradition is.

F: Do you find it hard leaving all these cities you move to?

D: Nope. I do fall in love with every place I live in, and I love it enough to let it go.  Nowadays, it is very easy to stay in touch with the lasting connections I make in each city.

F: If you had an ideal city what would it look like?

D: It would definitely have the diversity and the weather of Chicago.  It has to be large and have great public transportation that links people to each other.

F: Any post-Chicago plans?

D: I want to stay in Chicago for a while.  I feel like it is very similar to London.  It is so vast, there are so many neighborhoods and people from all over the world come here.  There is so much to explore that it will make it very hard for me to leave Chicago.  So the current plan is to stay here!

F: How does Chicago compare to the other cities you’ve lived in?

D: Well, it is much bigger than London and much more diverse, even though the diversity is segregated.  Part of the beauty of Chicago’s diversity is that you have all these neighborhoods where you feel like you are in a totally different place. It allows for diverse cuisine, diverse chefs and so many good chefs that highlight the rich Midwestern local produce.

F: As an outsider moving to Chicago, what image did you have of the city before moving out here?

D: I imagined everyone would talk with the crazy Chicago accent that SNL portrayed in the “Da Bears” skit -- well I’ve never heard anyone out here with a ridiculous Chicago accent.  Before coming out here too, I only saw photos of the Bean and nothing else, so I never really had an image of the different neighborhoods in Chicago.

F: How are you liking the cold weather?

D: I love the cold and love it when it is negative 17! There was a night last year where it was so cold, that I could feel it biting through my boots.  Days like that make me love the city even more because no other place is this cold!

F: What are your favorite places in Chicago?

D: Hmmm…well I really love the Local Option and the Cat Circus that came to the Gorilla Tango theatre! I haven’t really developed any favorite places yet, but I enjoy the Chicago Sinfonietta, the Joffrey Ballet, and will have to do Whirly Ball one day. I really love everything, so one Chicago thing would be really hard.