Friday, 31 August 2012

On... Errol

Errol turned one last week.


He's ace.

PS: This is interesting. I think having a baby should be life-changing, but not personality-changing. And the mother-mono-focus she talks about is something that's bugged me for a while.... I mean, I can talk about baby sleep techniques for hours, but I'd rather talk about books and shoes and movies and restaurants and travel and you know, everything else in the world.

5 comments:

  1. He's adorable! Congratulations on the first birthday of your little one! And congratulations to you too for making it through it as well. :P

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  2. I gobble up almost everything thing you post, Gemma, and Errol is a real sweetie, but I’m not so sure about your latest link. Usually I’m howling with lafter, but this article is generic, patronising, parent-bashing diatribe. I can’t stomach this ‘I-judge-thee’ type of thing at the best of times, but this article isn’t even well constructed. It builds from sweeping assumptions on how our parents parented us, on how all us men approach parenthood, and presumes a concrete psychological value to profile pictures. This is a million miles away from a given. I see regular profile pictures of household pets, or even new cars, or any number of things. Is this really a subconscious abandonment of the self? I think not. The internet is disposal and transient.

    The quick development from there into a full blown (incredibly condescending) attack on baby Smalltalk is even worse. Admittedly, I swore off talk of my own kids, because I know how boring it can be for others, but I constantly have to fight my instincts (because Emma takes up so much of my free time) and I completely understand parents that give in and go with the flow. It’s just a temporary phase of life, so embrace it with a smile on your face and say whatever boring old shit comes from your heart. If you want to, anyway. It’s better for your sanity. True friends don’t judge you for that. If self-righteous assholes want to point and sneer, then they can gather up their poison and find another corner of the party quick sharp. All things being equal, my friends can be how they want to be, thanks.

    So No, I say. No. This article wants to be pro-feminist, but it more regularly descends into totalitarian rant. Be how I say you should be! Do what I would do! You are a disappointing embarrassment! Fuck off, Katie Roiphe.

    No?

    That’s my two cents anyway ;-)

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    Replies
    1. Hi James, thanks for your comment! I think perhaps we took different things away from the article... I simply thought it was about the importance of not losing the non-parent things about me that make me ME. I agree, we should enjoy every second of babyhood. And who cares what people put on their Facebook photos? I don’t even look at the damn thing... gx

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