772nd Friday Blog Roundup
It’s Friday the 13th. If you look back at all the old Roundups, you will see that I have a compulsive need to point out that it is Friday the 13th every time the Roundup falls on the 13th. Telling you this serves zero purpose.
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I wanted to see Frozen 2, and ChickieNob agreed to go with me last weekend. I pointed out to her that when I was growing up, the only thing Disney offered me were princesses who didn’t resemble me who spent their time singing about princes. They were mostly running away from vs. running to–or, really, sleeping or waiting–and they were the animated personification of vanilla pudding.
She gets complex heroes who are finding their own way in the world and discovering on their adventures that they are “enough.” Complete. Their damage is where the light gets in, and their differences are cherished and celebrated because those traits save the day.
Plus they get better music now.
And I like Olaf.
I would have gone to see it alone, but I’m glad she came with me so I have someone to sing “Into the Unknown” with while I drive.
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Stop procrastinating. Go make your backups. Don’t have regrets.
Seriously. Stop what you’re doing for a moment. It will take you fifteen minutes, tops. But you will have peace of mind for days and days. It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.
As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments in order to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.
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And now the blogs…
But first, second helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week. In order to read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:
- None… sniff.
Okay, now my choices this week.
Hopelessly Infertile and Surrounded by Fertiles has a post about being invited to a baby shower-ish event. What non-Jewish people don’t realize is that our baby events come after the baby is here. So the baby is at the event. I mean, they often get tucked away in a quiet space so perhaps it’s not as in-your-face as a big pregnant belly. But I always found Jewish baby events hard because the baby is present. She writes, “I’ve now received several invites to this event, like the new mom is somehow worried I’ll miss it if she doesn’t use every available avenue to deliver this invitation from text message to post. Or maybe she just wants to beat me over the head with it. THUMP. I’m a mom! THUMP! I’m a mom! THUMP! Did I mention I’m a NEW MOM!” Laughing and cringing at the same time.
No Kidding in NZ has four rules for getting through Christmas. It is literally a holiday about a baby. It may be really hard for you this year. But, as she points out in the first rule, it’s just one day. It’s all great advice: go dive in.
An Unexpected Family Outing also has advice for Christmas for grieving parents. I love the idea of an ornament swap with another grieving family. Or to hang a stocking. She has 19 ideas for how to remember your child during the holidays.
Lastly, Inconceivable! has a post about what she did after wrapping up her family building efforts. She writes, “When Arthur called an end to our efforts on trying to conceive, I found myself in the midst of a bit of an identity crisis. I’m not sure why this surprised me – I’ve spent the better part of a decade trying to get pregnant and then stay pregnant in ways that were invasive, emotional, time-consuming, and expensive.” She makes space and fills herself with music. It’s a lovely little post.
The roundup to the Roundup: It’s Friday the 13th. I loved Frozen 2. Your weekly backup nudge. And lots of great posts to read. So what did you find this week? Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between December 6th and 13th) and not the blog’s main url. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week? Read the original open thread post here.
8 comments
Currently on the train to NYC and realized it’s Friday the 13th.
I never saw Frozen, just bits and pieces, so Frozen 2 isn’t on my list. Good to hear Disney is doing better on the Princess front.
Knives Out was spectacular. Only started going to the movies again due to a buy one get one through my wireless carrier. But man, what a Well done movie. A cool little old-time feeling mystery.
I can never remember that one word that has Friday the 13th in it and describes a phobia (which I don’t have) but I always think of it as treska-deska-phobia and it makes me smile just to say it.
I, too, was going to put forth Mali’s 4 rules post!
I loved Frozen 2. I love that my daughters get to see sisters who save each other and save themselves and don’t wait around for someone, anyone, to come to their rescues. “You are the one you’ve been waiting for” is the best line in any Disney song ever, in my opinion.
I feel very strongly about these very empowered animated characters, apparently.
Related to that, my 8 year old is in the midst of the Harry Potter series and is loving that Hermione is so often the real hero because she’s smart and thoughtful and knows that, when in doubt, you go to the library.
Strong characters who could be us or our children are so important in our books and our movies.
Thanks for choosing my post for the week. I love your other choices for this week too.
I liked Pamela’s post and article in the NY Times about IVF add-ons, and how these aren’t backed up by decent research, yet cost the earth. I feel for the women/couples who are vulnerable and stressed and don’t know what to do when these are suggested/pushed. Once again, I am reminded that the limited choices I had in NZ, due to strict industry regulation, were not necessarily a bad thing. https://blog.silentsorority.com/ivf-add-ons/
Oops. Meant to add on her (Pamela’s) post on Medium, about the socially unacceptable nature of our grief around infertility. https://medium.com/@pamelajeanne/a-socially-unacceptable-grief-a28caf6a00e1
We haven’t seen Frozen 2 yet, but probably sometime over holidays. Frozen isn’t my favourite Disney movie but it’s ok. Of the modern ones princess ones I like Tangled and Moana the best, probably.
I don’t agree about the traditional princesses, though. Well I haven’t seen them all, I admit. I didn’t grow up with them for the most part. But I saw Cinderella with my oldest daughter recently and I really like it. So does AJ. I don’t think Cinderella is passive. She’s in a fairly intractable situation but stays positive and kind to those around her. Pretty damn heroic I think. I like many of the contemporary characters but do not belittle the more traditional characters to my kids.
I have been known to sing Love is an open door at the top of my lungs. And I have edited some of the princess books when reading to my kids—like saying Ariel was 26 when she got married, not 16… we also liked Frozen 2. One of the best parts was Olaf reenacting the first movie. Unfortch we didn’t stay for the credits so we missed the last part.
Thanks for the inclusion!
Have been contemplating seeing Frozen 2, but probably will wind up seeing it when it gets to video or Disney +. I loved the original, though. Even if I maybe cry a little every time right at the end ;). I really do like that the newer Disney princesses save each other/themselves and are much more active participants in the story.