I just uploaded my first question and response to One Smart Mama. To make life easier for those who don’t subscribe with bloglines or a similar service, I have included an icon on my side bar for One Smart Mama and beneath the icon are the words “latest advice.” I’ll update that link each time I upload something to the new blog. At least until I start updating it daily. Keep the questions coming–anything from fertility issues to marriage concerns to whether or not you should buy that new car.

Right. So that link is updated. And here it is again: latest advice (otherwise known as “The Tangled Web Indeed“).

So this is the part where you click over and read the question and response. And then add your own advice. Unlike other advice columns which provide the questioner with a single point-of-view, the beauty of a blog is that everyone gets to weigh in with their own thoughts. So whether you agree or disagree, want to second a thought or provide an entirely new idea, think I’m brilliant or think I’m an idiot, give your own feedback to Green.

Like my advice? Looking for help? Send questions to thetowncriers@gmail.com and place “One Smart Mama” in the subject line.

There’s a new post on One Smart Mama and I’ve included a link to this new blog on my side bar (look under the movie icon to consider What Would Jane Do?). The first question and answer will be ready either later tonight or tomorrow morning. Then you have a job to do–weigh in with a comment with your own advice of what you would do.

And send your questions to thetowncriers@gmail.com. Put the words “One Smart Mama” in the subject line.

Instead of thinking about my hoohaahooterus or work or anything that remotely makes me sad, I am instead choosing to spend my evenings rereading Harry Potter and rewatching the movies in order to prepare for the full onslaught of Potter this summer. And in case you were wondering what two highly educated, well-read adults do with their evenings–well, we make wild predictions for the seventh book. It makes me feel more British than if I were sitting in London with a newspaper full of fish and chips.

Here are my predictions. Stop reading now if you don’t want to hear what I think. I am well-aware that there are people out there who are more sensitive about having their Potter ruined than they are to learn about a co-worker’s pregnancy announcement first thing Monday morning at work. Not that I have any information about the seventh book that you don’t have. But some people don’t like to play this game.

• RAB is obviously Regulus Black, Sirius’s brother who was killed after leaving the Death Eaters. She mentioned this bit character way too many times at the beginning of book six. Saying a random character’s name that many times at the beginning of a book is sort of like Chekov’s gun. It’s got to go off by the end of the story.
• I think Snape is actually good. I think that he spied for the Order of the Phoenix and was able to trick Voldemort into believing he was entirely on his side (which, I mean, doesn’t that show that he’s a very powerful wizard? As powerful as Dumbledore? And those spells that he created as a student when he was the Half-Blood Prince? I don’t know–I’m thinking he seems pretty fucking amazing as a wizard and no one seems to comment on his abilities). He therefore knew the plan with Malfoy and told Dumbledore.
• Malfoy’s plan (or Voldemort’s plan) was just a distraction. Dumbledore knew he had to die therefore he was telling Harry the whole back story about Voldemort and the horcruxes because he knew he wasn’t going to be around. Snape was able to keep tabs on Malfoy and the two wizards were able to keep a boy in check and thwart all of his attempts until it was the right time. I think that it was planned all along by Dumbledore that Snape would kill him. And either he knew that night that they would have to carry out their plan or he was forced to have Snape kill him earlier than planned because Malfoy brought the Death Eaters into the school.
• Why did Dumbledore have to die? I think it’s total Gandalf the Grey into Gandalf the White. Who the hell knows why they need to die and transform in order to become more powerful and fight evil. But I think that we’ll see Dumbledore again in the next book as a Gandalf the White type character.
• I predict that we’re going to lose a Weasley in book seven. I know that’s sort of cheating on the prediction front since there are so many Weasleys. I’m not sure which one, but if I had to name one, I would predict Ron.

Thank you, J.K. Rowling, for writing the one book that can take my mind off of ovulation stress.

It was so much fun to see who was right with that Grey’s Anatomy episode. So voice your predictions, though I won’t blog again about Harry Potter (at least not about the plot) in the future because I don’t want to crow about how I was right and possibly ruin the book for you. Isn’t it funny how I’ve imbued a children’s book with the same sensitivity that I give pregnancy announcements…

• Everyone who wants to participate will throw their name into the pot. Leave a comment on this post or send me an email (thetowncriers@gmail.com)
• I will then give you the name and url of another blogger.
• You will read through their posts and give me the best one of the year (with the “year” being from July 2006 to July 2007).

Not only is it a great excuse to spend some time with a new blog you never read (or maybe you’ll get one that you already read and love), but the list will be similar to the Creme de la Creme except that the choice is made by a fellow blogger (or blog reader–you don’t need to have a blog to do this) instead of yourself. The big question then is whether or not you should know who read/chose your blog entry. On one hand, the beauty of the Secret Ode is that you can never brush the compliment aside and say, “oh, but they had to say that” for whatever reason. On the other hand, you also can’t directly thank the writer (though it’s cool how people are posting open thank yous on their blog). So…to borrow from the ultracool Tertia, I’ve installed a poll below. The three choices would be (1) that you know who reviewed your blog because I send that information to you in a private email, (2) that everyone knows who reviewed your blog because I link to their blog or mention their name in the review, or (3) the whole thing is a secret and you never get to know who said that particular entry was your best one of the year. Majority rules.

And before we get to actually talking blogs, let’s talk Commentathon. I had so much fun doing that. Believe it or not (based on my side bar), I actually found new blogs. Collectively, we left at least 3739 comments or return comments. And I say “at least” because (1) I know that it’s virtually impossible to remember to tally every single comment you left, (2) not everyone gave me numbers, (3) I got dizzy adding up the numbers so I may have hit “4” instead of “74” a few times. If someone wants to check the math… So this is a low number and we may have even doubled that. Pretty incredible when you think about it.

• Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters 163 (Total)
• My Dusty Ovaries (Leah) 137 (Total)
• Third Time Lucky (Caro) 112 (Total)
• Serenity Now! (Serenity) 126 (Total)
• Inconceivable Journey (Jenna) 103 (Total)
• Still Trying After All Those Pills (Ultimate Journey) 106 (Total)
• Upon Awakening (KarenO) 225 (Total)
• My Perky Ovaries (Karen) 102 (Total)

The most points were raised by KarenO at Upon Awakening who left 70 comments–one on every participant’s blog on the final day.

Woohoo! Three cheers for us. I’m going to set an even higher goal next time now that I know that we can easily clear 3000. I think another Commentathon in the dead of winter when everyone is feeling the blahs of January is a good goal.

Wait, wait, wait, really, only one more thing before we get to the blogs. You may have noticed a new category in Operation Heads Up. Marisa from IVFC recorded this kick-ass series of videos and posted them on YouTube of all the injections she was doing for her IVF cycle. Jenna at Inconceivable Journey also collected them on a page on her blog which you can see here. There is, of course, the standard warning that comes with any of the information under Operation Heads Up–this information is only from a fellow stirrup queen–not a doctor–therefore, keep that in mind when viewing. But personally, I think it’s a great heads up for someone who is about to start injectibles. You can view all these videos by clicking on the links on the side bar under Operation Heads Up.

Okay, and now what I’ve
read in this week’s bloggity blogs:

Kir, from Kir’s Corner, wrote her own secret ode to her husband. Okay, so it was not so secret, but still, it’s a beautiful tribute to her husband and all they have been through together. He sounds like an amazing man and you can feel how much she loves him through her words. So go over and have a good cry. And perhaps write your own secret ode–either to your spouse/partner or another blogger. Oh…and if you write it about another blogger, send it to me because I’m currently compiling the third list! And while you’re at Kir’s blog, wish her congratulations on her twins.

Bea at Infertile Fantasies is so gifted at telling a story. Currently, she is exploring thoughts on friendships–including what we tell or don’t tell–via a series of posts with vignettes. My favourite thus far is “Stillettos and Beer” not just because our dear Bea is showing lots of cleavage in the post but because of this point her friend makes towards the end: “He shrugs. ‘When I was depressed people used to ask me if I wanted to talk, and I used to say no. But I was lying. It really pissed me off when they believed me. The bastards’.” It’s so true. Too many times I answer that everything is fine when what I really wish is that they’d ask me enough times what is wrong so I can open up. Head over and read the whole series since this is actually the 4th post in the series.

Kate at Kicking You From the Inside has an amazing post this week where she sorts out how the emotions from two different situations became tangled together. She writes so eloquently about the two friends (MP and T) and how once MP became pregnant, she transferred her annoyance that she felt over T’s unhelpful comments to MP. She writes: “MP has never said anything insensitive. She never told me to relax or given me advice. She just listened. On the other hand, T told me multiple times that relaxing was all I needed to do and even said, ‘why do you want to have a kid right now, anyway?’ I was so blinded by the pain I felt over MP’s pregnancy that I lost sight of the fact that she had always been a good friend to have.” I just thought this was such a helpful post to read because I know I am constantly guilty of this–transferring frustrations. And she also made me want to get this yoga book that she mentions. The post is a really good read.

Lastly, Kami writes about going back to work next week at Are We There Yet? It’s not a post-maternity leave sigh-fest. It’s a heartbreaking and gorgeous post about how differently she thought life would be and where she should be instead of returning to work to pay for more IVF cycles. Even though it sounds like a good job, it’s what the job represents. It’s who is missing and what should have happened. You won’t leave her blog with dry eyes, but you will nod a lot. And while you are nodding, please leave a comment wishing her good luck and congratulations as she heads into this new job next week.

So–before you click over to other blogs and beyond, if you want to participate in the Roundup Celebration, leave the necessary information either in a comment or email. And vote. And then have a great weekend.

I am a sucker for science books written to the layperson. I love Mark Leyner’s series about why men have nipples and similar questions. I devoured Michael Stein’s The Lonely Patient. I like any book that gives me answers–even if I didn’t know that I wanted to ask the question.

It’s like Soulbliss said so eloquently this week: sometimes you just wish for an explanation more than anything else. At this point, I feel like I could even be at peace with foregoing control (I guess since I have to forego control) if I could just have an explanation.

Enter Suzy Cohen.

While she may not cover my fertility drugs in The 24-Hour Pharmacist (though I hope, hope, hope they make the sequel if there is a sequel), she does an excellent job covering all the major pharmaceuticals and remedies as well as helping you “think outside the pill.” The best part about this book beyond the wonderful information? Every person will read it differently. It’s sort of the Oreo of books–everyone will find their own method to getting the most out of this text.

How did I read it? Well, first I looked in the index for any situation I have or drug I take. Then I jumped to any chapter that concerned my own current health status starting with a lovely chapter titled “Do You Have the Guts to Throw Away Your Antacids?” (do you think I could actually be this high-stress without being a Tums addict?). And I have to admit, she made a pretty convincing argument–enough that I’ve made some minor changes and taken fewer antacids in the past few weeks since I read the chapter. Afterwards, I tackled the chapters that would probably affect me in the future such as heart health and hot flashes. And then lastly, I went back in for the chapters that I was pretty sure would never be an issue such as the one on birth control. We’re sort of past the idea of birth control at this point…

One of my favourite chapters was called “The Most Misunderstood Drugs in America” which ran through a list of what people believe about common drugs such as Xanax or Lipitor and the reality behind what these drugs can or cannot do (as well as how they actually work vs. how you think they work).

Overall, it was a fascinating read and others who have seen it in my house have already called dibs on reading it next.