More shopping? Of course more shopping! Should you be looking for a birthday gift or even a gift for yourself, here are some of the thing I lust after.

I know plenty of people who are totally into the statue of the Bird Girl from the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, but this statue would gleefully be placed on my desk (along with 5000 other random bits of stuff I already have on it. She looks a little like the Bird Girl, come to think of it.

Warm water makes these vases sculptable into any shape you like, and then they fold flat for storage. Fresh flowers on the desk… for the cats to chew on!

This reminds me: it’s time to clean off my desk. 

Greetings from Morag’s feet. We’re rather particular.  Morag has flat feet but high insteps, and after 16 years of ballet and 6 years en pointe, well, we won’t even discuss it. But suffice it to say that we, Morag’s feet, are lesbians. We only tolerate comfortable shoes.

Flats are right out. Ow.

Heels are nice but not to low in the toe because then it cuts across that pesky instep.

Our favorites are the Dansko clogs, which are comfortable beyond belief. We wore them through two pregnancies and three jobs. But while they’re lovely, they aren’t the most flattering or professional.

Today, however, we are wearing these shoes: the Dansko, with heels. And oh, my stars, they are maaaaaahvelous. After weeks of saving up to buy them (because let’s be honest, they are holy crap expensive) we are so so pleased. And since we’ve worn the clogs for at least five years, we hope these will last just as long.

That doesn’t meant we’re not shopping for the next pair. We like these, but we also like these. Oh, and these

I’m starting to think ahead to holiday gifts, and I’m making rules for myself. Money is tight in Casa Wendell this year, as the addition to our house, the new kitchen, and the collapse of the financial market have all put the squeeze on our nest egg. So I’m thinking creatively.  Here are my rules so far:

1. No clutter, tschotckes, or things that will do nothing, add nothing, and amount to nothing. Jewelry is different. Jewelry lives in a jewelry box (if you’re me) and is a simply, happy way to decorate yourself. But things that serve no purpose: not happening.

2. Useful.  MUST be useful (see above re: jewelry)

3. Recycled. That would be awesome.

4. Inexpensive, or, if expensive, going toward the creator, manufacturer, or artist as much as possible.

5. Consumable or otherwise experiential enjoyment (see “useful” and “not cluttering")

6. Simple. I’m not going crazy this year.

7. Charitable: some of the organizations I’m thinking of include Heifer International, the utterly destroyed Rosenberg Library in Galveston, and Feeding America formerly known as America’s Second Harvest, the national food bank. Any others you love? Let me know. And if you know me personally and have a charity you adore, don’t be shy. Let me have it. I have to put together a “Got $5 you wanna give, here are some ideas” entry on The Other Site, so I’m happy to have more links.

Honestly, when it comes to gifts for my own children, I’d most like to give them the money that they lost in their 529 college funds back. But that ain’t happening. So I’m hoping I can at least encourage easy, simple, enjoyable gifts. I know Freebird loves to cook with me, so cooking stuff for him would be easy and fun. I could paint a set of bowls with his name, and get him a personalized apron for cooking. As for Baba O’Riley, he loves books, music, and everything his brother has. I have to do some more thinking there.

As for me, I want the vise that’s around my life to ease up a bit and stop squeezing the time and energy from me every day. I’m so incredibly blessed and so incredibly busy! I need to breathe more. 

If you know my other site, you know I review books - romances and books of similar ilk. Since this is a book for parents about making better food choices for kids, I don’t have a reason to review it there, since the audience would be like, “Ok, what are you smoking?” and someone might decide it’s time to launch a lecture about modern parenting and nutrition and I so don’t want to hear it.

But oh my hopping john this book is in fucking credible. If you’re like me, and you do sometimes buy processed foods and packaged meals for dinner or lunches, and you’re short on time when it comes to making quick meals for dinner, or you (Holy Cow!) go out to eat at chain restaurants, this book will rock your socks. As one of the review quotes says, once you pick it up, you cannot put it down. It gives you a very simple visual chart comparing the overall nutritional balance of various foods, restaurant meals, and packaged items, from cereal to yogurt to pastas. It’s freaking awesome and so interesting, particularly the explanation of why some foods you might think are “not bad” nutritionally are holy shit terrible in terms of the balance of fat to fiber to calories to sugar.

Seriously. This book is amazing. Check it out. 

Keeping with my eco-ranting, here are some clever gifts should you be looking for a reasonable and conservation-minded gift for yourself or someone else.

Recycled maps made into stationery and envelopes? Cool! A set of 25 sheets with 85 envelopes for $20? Even better! I love stationery and I might be using this as an incentive gift to motivate myself toward doing something.

I love the typewriter jewelry, especially the bracelet, and here’s some on sale. Cufflinks and rings, though you don’t get a choice of every single letter.

And finally, if you want a basic primer on how to greenify yourself (because green, like bitch, is the new black), I’m digging the sample of this book, which says you should use your dishwasher because it conserves energy and water. Which I first learned in Consumer Reports but you’d be surprised how many self-important pretentious assmonkeys look down their noses at me for using it.

Wait, one more thing. Tired of nothing but celebrity news masquerading as real news, and then reading the real news only to find yourself incredibly depressed? Bookmark the Good News Network and read daily. That’s “good news” in the “not totally depressing” sense, not the “Good News of Christ, would you like some humble literature” sense. Jesus and I are homies but I wouldn’t pimp his ride on my site. I keep my religion to myself and appreciate when everyone else does, too.

The Lands’ End Packable Tote looks awesome - folds up into an itty bitty square, but big enough to haul home some serious business.

Seeing as I’m a Member of the Tribe, I’m done with my holiday gift giving for now. So here are a few ideas for gifts for children that are (a) not hideously expensive and (b) passed the my-two-year-old-loves-it test.

The LeapFrog Fridge DJ. It’ll drive you nuts, but Freebird LOVES to dance to the music and play all the songs. Just don’t hate me when “Annie Ooo” gets stuck in your head.

We are...The Laurie Berkner Band DVD. Catchy kids music that encourages dancing and stomping. And if you can figure out why the HELL Laurie Berkner is wearing espadrilles and high heeled shoes in every. Freaking. Segment. I’d be very grateful. Is she 4’11”? What the hell is up with the shoes?!

And finally, the most treasured piece of clothing in Freebird’s wardrobe - and I’m nervous that I had a hard time finding one outside of the Wiggles site selling them in Australian dollars - the blue wiggle shirt.