Triangle Mamas

Open letter to the City of Raleigh

Dear Parking Gods of the City of Raleigh,

Last week, I went shopping in downtown Raleigh. It's something I used not to think twice about - going downtown to eat or shop. That has now changed.

I understand the need to increase revenue in the city. Everyone is hurting for money, and that includes Raleigh. I get that. When every single 2 hour parking spot in downtown Raleigh disappeared and was replaced by meters, I only groaned a little bit.

On this particular rainy morning, I parallel parked on Martin Street. It was raining. I left the baby in the car, ran to the meter, and fed it all of my spare change. I had over an hour running on the meter. I ran back to the car, sat and waited for the store to open, and then went in to do my shopping.

Being the first customer of the day, I had to wait a little bit for the shop owner to process my transaction. I watched the clock, and knew that the meter might be about to run out. However, I was almost done, had the baby with me, and it was pouring down rain.

Ten minutes later, I got back to my car and found a ticket. The parking person was two cars up from mine; he had just left the ticket for me. I didn't argue with him. I'll pay the ticket. I was over my meter by five minutes. I understand that.

So, dear City of Raleigh, you will get your $20 because I didn't drag my infant back out into the pouring rain to feed the meter another nickel. What you will also get here though, is someone who is reconsidering renewing her membership to Marbles because of parking. You get someone who won't pop downtown to pick something up from Square Rabbit on a whim anymore. You get someone who won't choose to eat in a restaurant downtown when she can go to North Hills and park easily for free.

As I was driving away, I counted FIVE parking people writing tickets. In the rain. FIVE. And I wondered how much it cost to pay those people, and surely there was some sort of balance between wasting money on an army of ticket writers and bringing in $20 parking ticket fees.

There are so many things I think you get right, dear City of Raleigh. This, however, is definitely not one of them. If you don't work downtown, it's already hard enough to figure out where to park to begin with. Now, you've put predatory parking vultures out on the street to give tickets the second the meter expires.

Sure, it's fair. I'm not saying that I should have let my meter run out. But is it encouraging me to come back downtown anytime soon? 

Absolutely not.

Sincerely,

One peeved Mama

 

This is an original Triangle Mamas post. You can find Marty blogging the 30 Days of Truth over at Don't Take the Repeats. Her more random thoughts and favorite Etsy finds pop up on Tumblr, and she chit chats on Twitter and Facebook. 

Friday Round-up

As I sit here downing Halloween candy, I can't help but wonder where the week has gone. (Likely the same place as the Whoppers. I swore I still had two left in that pack.)

It seems the weeks run together and that early start on holiday shopping I swore I was going to have has vanished with the Fall leaves.

It's Friday again and here it is -- our ninth week of rounding up the best from all the Triangle Mamas. This week was marked by a Congressional election, an additional temperature drop that sent me scurrying for my scarves, and the start to NaBloPoMo. Many of the Triangle Mamas are taking advantage of a 30 Days of Truth meme to boost their publishing rate up to the daily mark while others are feeling a slump in their bloginess since real life is keeping them busy.

That's the case with Andrea over at Lil Kid Things. She's busy trying the fit the entire contents of her house into boxes in preparation for a move to a new place at the end of the month. The transition is causing her a bit of inner turmoil.

Meanwhile, Susie, over at At Home with Me, is breaking her year long bloggy silence by jumping in the deep end. She's participating in the 30 Days of Truth and getting honest about her flaws in Something I Hate about Myself.

Ilina of Dirt & Noise, on the other hand, is not about to remain silent. She's made her opinions heard loud and clear by casting her ballot. Did you make sure to have your voice heard?

Sue from Motherhood & Me has been been quiet, but she was sure to draw a winner for her Scandanavian Child giveaway. Did you enter? Maybe you're the big winner.

Nikki from a small song may not think she's preparing for Baby #2's arrival, but it seems to me that she's doing her best to mentally be ready. She's wondering if the new baby's arrival will change her as radically as her eldest Abby's birth. No matter what, she knows something good this way comes.

Over at Adventuroo, Mel is worrying about raising gentlemen. She's worried that etiquette and role models won't be enough. What do you think it takes to turn boys into gentlemen?

Erin over at Tales from a Marketing Mama used the 30 Days of Truth to admit her own personal goofiness. She's the kind of girl who's willing to hitch her pants up to her neck if it will emit a laugh. This is, Erin admits, one of the things she loves about herself.

A little girl who's willing to hand out lots of compliments but share none of her candy? That's Pippi. Cyndi is sharing a story of her second child over at My Convertible Life.

While Marty, over at Don't Take the Repeats, is busy thinking about renewal and new life with her son's baptism approaching, she's still struggling with letting go of an old hurt. She's not yet ready to forgive in her Day 4 post from the 30 Days of Truth.

And, since I've been struggling with blog topics for My Sweet Babboo as of late, I too decided to try the 30 Days of Truth. Like Marty, I'm struggling to forgive except I'm not just holding out forgiveness from one person but a whole group of people. It's been ten years, will I ever let it go?

 

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Hey, while you're here, don't forget to read this week's Triangle Mamas posts. Both Cyndi and Andrea shared stories.

Friday Roundup 8

Happy Halloween, y'all. It's Friday Roundup time again here at Triangle Mamas. Let's see what the ladies have been up to this week.

Melissa has a great summary of her Momcomm series thus far. I'm particularly excited about the post on plug-ins, but all of them have been helpful.  

Ilina is participating in the Avon Walk again this year. She could use your support in her efforts to raise money for breast cancer research. 

Erin and Marty are both gearing up to do the 30 Days of Truth challenge on their blogs. It's a great way to tackle National Blog Posting Month in November. How about playing along?

Sue is tackling weight loss through a Nutrisystem program. We are hoping she already knows that she is beautiful, and wish her luck in reaching her health goals.

Andrea's impending move is coming together, and she is declaring her new livingroom a toy-free zone. What? A room just for grown ups? I have heard of this in far away lands . . .

Cyndi is sharing a recipe for the most purple risotto ever created. It sounds delish, and I'm eager to try it out on my family. Even if it looks like Barney had some evil hand it making it.

Abby has another post detailing her decorating genius. Seriously. I wish she would just come over and play Extreme Makeover at my house. Click on over to see how her son's room has evolved from office to nursery to toddler bedroom. It's adorable.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend full of candy and boos!

This Friday Round-up Brought to You by the Number 7

Hey, hey everybody. It's Friday and that means it's time for a round-up.

I figured since Marty was gracious enough to label me a "co-editor" on our business cards, it was about time I contributed a little something. So, here it is without further ado - Round-up #7.

 

It seems many a Triangle Mama is bearing her heart and mind this week.

Cyndi, over at My Convertible Life, is admitting that honesty is a good thing even if it hurts a little. It seems her friendship is going to be a lot stronger for it.

Ilina made me cry with her Milestones post. Her little Deal is growing up and it's hard to watch the baby-ness go. I'm tearing up just thinking about my little guy no longer being a baby.

Meanwhile, Sue is dealing with a green-eyed monster who's struggling with some new transitions in his life. Poor little guy just wants to snuggle and feel better, and it's all his mommy can do to try to find the time. My heart is breaking for them both because balancing the needs of a family is a very hard thing.

Some of Nikki's best writing over at A Small Song centers around international adoption. As a child of adoption herself, she opens my eyes to issues I've never even considered (though we all should). Issues of children who do not live or move in circles of people who look like they do. Her latest post is in regards to a pair of staring children, and why she believes they were staring at her.

And pouring out her everything at Don't Take the Repeats, Marty shares why she thinks she's broken beyond repair. She's in need of our love and understanding. If you've ever felt like running away and never coming back, please go tell Marty that she's not alone.

Over at Lil Kid Things, Andrea is flexing her strong, independent-thinking woman muscle in support of Team Juan. She is talking openly about free speech and whether NPR had the right to fire a journalist for it.

On the lighter side of things, Mel is celebrating her 1st blogiversary. So be sure to head over there and give her a virtual high-five.

Erin is looking back 10 years ago to the good old college days and laughing at her younger self's idea of stress.

Meanwhile, I'm writing about my son's choice of Halloween costume. It's pink, fluffy, and made of tulle. Should a boy be wearing tulle?

 

There you have it. It's round-up #7. My apologies to anyone whose post I summarized in an inaccurate way. I read them all, but may be lacking in the eloquence of the real editor.

 

Friday Roundup, the sixth one

One thing I'm liking about the Friday Roundup is that we always know we'll have a post at Triangle Mamas at least once a week now! We tend to be very busy women, you know. Here is what we've been up to this week:

We are keeping fingers and toes crossed that everything with Andrea's home buying and selling delicate dance works out perfectly for her.

Elections are coming up, and Ilina is already reminding people to vote on or before November 2nd. Even if you don't like her "Friendly Neighborhood Liberal" sticker.

A few weeks ago, we welcomed Kelly's beautiful new baby girl to the world. This week, Kelly is writing about life with two.

The Wake County School Board practically imploded on itself this week. It's no surprise that members of the new majority turned on each other. They haven't exactly demonstrated the ability to play nice with others thus far. Don't take my word for it though, Cyndi has a much more eloquent reaction over at My Convertible Life.

I love a woman who is willing to share her tricks to success. Abby is just such a woman. Recently, she shared the secret to great painted furniture, and this week, she is giving some tips on capturing great pictures of your little one.

Melissa has some beautiful pictures up of her recent trip to the Biltmore House. Happy 10th Anniversary to Melissa and Daddy Roo!

Sue has a heartfelt thanks for the support of good friends. It's a great reminder that I should do the same. 

As for me, I'm chatting about anatomically correct crayon drawings of my two year old. Boys do love their penises, don't they?

How about you? Are you going to the State Fair this weekend? What's new with you?

Friday Roundup, the fifth one

Happy Friday, everyone! Or, if you are a languishing SAHM like myself, Happy Day That Feels Like Every Other Day!

The mamas in the Triangle have been busy again this week. I'll spare you my pontificating over it and get right to the links.

Andrea is asking one of my favorite questions, "Is there a wrong way to blog?" She has some terrific insights and her commenters are kicking it too. 

Ilina is giving us a peek in to her purse. I dare say I have many of the same items - including the handheld video game, although it  is a Nintendo DSi and not a PSP. Go sneak a peek. It's like getting to look in someone's medicene cabinet without the guilt.

Poor Erin got rear ended last Friday. It's hard not to giggle at her picture, but really, I'm just sorry she got hurt. She sure pulls off a good pout though.

Sue found herself waving the white flag of motherhood one day this week. I can totally empathize. Totally.

Cyndi wants to know if you would send your kid to school in this shirt. I wouldn't, but we all know I'm becoming a bit of a stick in the mud.

Melissa unveiled Big Roo's new modern outdoorsy bedroom devoid of plaid and flannel. It looks fantastic. I'm kind of wondering if she and Abby should get together and start a business. Because they are both awesome decorators.

As for my blog, I wrote a letter to cancer and urge you to do the same. Varian will donate $50 to the American Cancer Society for every letter written. It may be October and Breast Cancer Awareness month, but there are plenty of cancers all year long that are stealing the lives of people we love. I hate cancer.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. And as always, if you are a mama in the Triangle who has stories to share, we are always welcoming new writers. We'll reward you with lots of love and links and plenty of community.

Friday Roundup, the fourth one

Welcome back to the Friday Roundup, actually occurring on Friday this time! We are on the ball here at Triangle Mamas.

I loved Abby's post about being a bloggy fan girl. We all have certain bloggers that we would love to meet, and Abby talks about her encounters with two of them at the Type-A-Mom conference last weekend. Go by and weigh on who your "must meets" are in the blogging community.

Andrea devoted a post to her experience at Type-A-Mom as well. She came back with an arsenal of information and a fire for doing great things with her blogging. It's contagious. Makes me think twice about my own blog and what I might do with it.

Cyndi got inspired at Type-A-Mom too. She is the proud new owner of her very own domain name! Also included in that post is the infamous picture of some Triangle Mamas trying their best to pose like Casey taught them. One of them, I won't say which one but it is probably me, looks completely ridiculous. Like spew your Diet Coke ridiculous. And yet, just by being behind the camera, Casey still manages to make it a good picture. She's amazing.

Someone told Ilina this week that she spent "too much time with her kids" for her business to really go anywhere. Aside from being rude, that is a completely absurd comment. Who, especially another mother, would tell a mother she spends too much time with her kids? Absurd. What do you think? Would you ever say you spent "too much time" with your kids?

Melissa is celebrating her tenth anniversary this week. I adore the picture of she and her husband, then boyfriend, that she posted. It is so awesomely 90's and full of young hopeful love. Happy anniversary, Mel!

I've had to break out my tissues all week for Erin's blog. There is a beautiful post about her sister, but I'm linking to the one about Knobs. A friend lost to cancer years ago. The fact that Erin still writes to Knobs' mother sums up for me what a wonderful woman she truly is.

Of course I have to link to the interview Sue did of Cyndi today on Motherhood and Me. Not only is it a great interview, but it Triangle Mama to Triangle Mama! 

Finally, over at Don't Take the Repeats, I'm going on and on about Katy Perry again, but this time, I think she's actually really funny. Of course, she's on Saturday Night Live and not Sesame Street, so there is that. 

Happy weekend to everyone. If you have a moment, how about leaving a comment about what you are doing this weekend? We'll be laying low around Chez Canape. Moving the kids' rooms around, painting, working on the house. Nothing too exciting. How about you?

Friday Roundup, and yes, I'm aware that it's Monday

When you are headed to a blogging conference, the last thing on your mind apparently, is blogging. I completely forgot to do our Friday Roundup last week, but since Abby actually posted (her words, not mine), I've decided Monday is in fact, not too late.

Don't take it personally - you know, the fact that I forgot about this blog last Friday. I also forgot to take all of my pants to the conference. Except for one pair of unopened leggings from Kohls. The package said large, but unfortunately, the leggings in the package were a small. I, in case you have not seen me lately, am NOT small. It made for an interesting dilemma in dressing myself.

We had a wonderful time at Type A Mom in Asheville this past weekend, even though we didn't get to play Rockband this year. That was a smidge disappointing, but we are going to plan better for next year. Having Sunday be the second full day sort of threw off my whole footing. I don't know why, but I wasn't expecting that.

So last week, here is what we were talking about:

Melissa is continuing her fabulous MomComm Mondays where she gives out tips on social media. Last week she had some great ideas for Twitter. Check out 9 Things to Tweet About from Adventuroo.

Make sure you have a chance to meet Sue's little Queen B. She is such a cutie, I can hardly stand it!

Over at Tales from a Marketing Mama, Erin is contemplating the effects of the addition of another baby to their family. She is due with number two, and feeling a little nervous about it. I can totally relate.

Andrea's getting sentimental about The Price Is Right and completely cracking me up. I love it too, by the way, Andrea.

Ilina's time volunteering at her sons' school inspired her to write a post in praise of teachers.

"You don't slap your own ass in pilates." If that doesn't make you want to go read Cyndi's post on the pole dancing class she tried through a coupon on Living Social, then I don't know what will.

I was delighted to see that Abby posted her guide to painting furniture this week. I was getting ready to paint the furniture for Christopher and Colin's new room, and the only guides I could find on the internet were ridiculously involved. I KNEW my friend Abby had a better way, so I called her to ask. The resulting conversation had me in stitches. Click on over to see her incredibly efficient, effective, and hilarious guide to painting furniture.

And me? Well, I opened my big mouth about the Katy Perry skit that Sesame Street released on the internet this past week. It was a little song she did with Elmo where she was playing dress up in a very adult costume. I wasn't alone in that opinion. Enough parents complained that Sesame Street won't be airing that clip in the new season, but Mel on BlogHer thinks it was a big to-do about nothing. 

So that's what we have been up to. What's new in your world? Oh, and do you live around here? We would love to add you as a contributor. The pay stinks, but the community is lovely. Let me know.

Friday Roundup 2

It may have been quiet around here this week, but our bloggers have been busy at their own sites. I hope you have a moment to click through and check out what they have been up to!

Remember Abby's no-good-terrible-awful run of refrigerator luck? Yeah. That didn't really end. It wasn't enough to just spoil TWO rounds of food and meals, it had to go and beat her up too.

Cyndi celebrated her ninth anniversary with her wonderful husband this week. She spent some time considering naming conventions; who takes whose name, what happens when you take each other's names, and what do the kids do with all of those names later on in life?

Erin is proving her talents in marketing by renaming the hilariously ill-named new double stroller from Bugaboo. Let's just say that they might should check our her resume before they launch any new products. Also, maternity overalls. With hooker heels. Oh my.

Many congratulations to Andrea for her first post as a regular contributor to WRAL's GO Ask Mom! blog as their faith blogger. She had a guest post earlier this summer, and they obviously liked it since they've invited her to come on for a monthly column. GO check it out!

I love it when Ilina dons her cape and takes on the world. Especially the food industry world. And most especially the disgusting bastardization of the Bento lunches that can be so incredibly cute (and no, that link isn't to a Triangle blogger, but could you just DIE from the cuteness of those healthy lunches?). She's on it, peeps, and you should take a listen.

Just how many bags do you have in use right this very moment? Mel's are taking over her home and car. I have to admit, since I pledged never to carry another bag that wasn't made by Holly Aiken or myself, I have gotten a pretty good handle on my bag issues.

Sue has questions. I know you have answers. Hop on over to Motherhood and Me to leave a comment about how you balance your online life in your real life. I haven't left a comment, because has I've demonstrated this year, I suck at it. If my real life gets busy, I just ditch the internet completely. *Ahem* poor neglected Triangle Mamas blog *Ahem*

And me? Well, I finally got my piano moved into our new studio space. That may sound kind of boring, but I assure you, you WANT to click over and see the pictures of the incredibly GIANT man in black who shouldered the main weight of my 900 pound piano up a flight of stairs. It was amazing. Terrifying, and amazing. 

The most wonderful news we have is that Kelly had a beautiful baby girl. Welcome to the world, Stella Quinn. We are so happy you are here.

How about you? What have you been up to this week?

Friday Roundup

You might have noticed that Triangle Mamas has some spurts of silence. That would be because we are all volunteers, and we all have other blogs that we are maintaining. Or, if you are me, you might just be entirely too wrapped up in the delicious baby in your arms to bother with the computer.

In case you are just following Triangle Mamas and not all of its fabulous bloggers individually, we are going to start offering a Friday Roundup which will highlight our bloggers in their other spaces over the week. I hope you will enjoy the links!

Abby is recovering from a truly craptastic month. I hope, at the very least, that the firefighters were really cute and shirtless. 

Cyndi has been pondering the odd things that come out of her mouth as a mama. I never say anything odd like, "Don't paint your penis."

Sue has been traveling. And traveling. And traveling. In her travels, she managed to take my most favorite picture of a cow EVER. It's the first one in the post, and I'm going to ask her if I can have a copy. Oh, and her kids had a great time at the South Mountain Creamery too. But that cow is adorable.

Ilina has been speaking up for all of the children in our community. Poverty is not a choice, and the list of things children living in poverty don't have is endless. 

Melissa wrote a hilarious letter to her sleep fighting baby, but I'm linking up to this great picture of her oldest son and his jedi, Burt.

Andrea has been contemplating diversity within her own life and her home in a transitional neighborhood.

Technically, this is from last week, but Erin has NEWS! Congratulations, Erin!

And me? Well, I've been doing the Facebook purge. It felt great, by the way.

Happy reading! Hope you have a great weekend!