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I am…Warrior Jogger!

    I jog. Not run, definitely jog. I don’t race. I don’t train for races. I don’t aspire to race. I jog regularly, slowly, and outside if at all possible for lots of good reasons mainly centered around my sanity. I’ve jogged through blizzards and deluges and a tornado watch on Tuesday night. You know who jogs through a tornado watch? A mother desperate for time to herself, with a surprise 60-minute window very likely to become a 30 minute window when the soccer practice gets called halfway through due to lightening and tornado watches. Fellow… Read More »I am…Warrior Jogger!

    Working from home with kids this summer! Getting worked over by kids at home this summer!

        “eat some turkey too”   This frantic scrawl communication during my conference call, in response to children mime-eating cupcakes, then shrugging shoulders at me with questioning hands and innocent-tilting heads from my office doorway. Translation: “Cupcakes, s’il vous plait? Maman, for it’s way past 10:00 am! This fine morning has nearly bid us adieu sans frosting!!” The “eat some turkey too” protein missive passed to their eager hands, I nod. I need at least twenty more minutes on this phone call. Eyes widen. Earnest head bobs YES YES TURKEY WILL ROUND OUT THIS DIET… Read More »Working from home with kids this summer! Getting worked over by kids at home this summer!

      Mending

        This summer my eleven-year-old son learned to use a needle and thread. Grouped on a track at College For Kids with his first choices of Rocket Science and Physics, Recycled Textiles never held great allure for him. None of us realized he’d learn to hand-sew and surprise us with gifts–a denim jean purse for me, a wallet for his dad, and a pillow made from a Minecraft t-shirt for his younger brother. The Minecraft throw pillow–once full of cushion-promise for even the weariest gamer–started loosing its seems. It sat for weeks, exposing its stuffing guts,… Read More »Mending

        Join me Sunday at Arcadia Books! Also, LTYM Video Release!! Lastly, Washington Post!!!

          DUCK AND COVER! I am coming at you on allllll of the platforms… VIDEO: Big news! Listen To Your Mother released our 2015 videos, adding 450 new stories of motherhood to our LTYMShow YouTube channel! Now our archives houses nearly 1500 videos from five seasons of LTYM shows. You can watch videos from the 6th annual Madison show here, then skip hop and jump around by city, reader name, keyword, or topic! Most enormous gigantic thanks to my business strategist and video producer Deb Rox plus online content manager Stephanie Precourt who’ve spent the past… Read More »Join me Sunday at Arcadia Books! Also, LTYM Video Release!! Lastly, Washington Post!!!

          My Life in Hair: A One Act

            From long to short, from head to toe, I present MY LIFE in HAIR, MY HAIRSTORY! Scene 1: 1974; 6 pounds, 13 ounces OF HAIR Scene 2: No More Tears – Half a bottle of conditioner, one small girl Scene 3: Under the bubble dryer the acoustics are excellent! Scene 4: Off With Her Braids, On With The Bowl – From Fraggle to Hamill   Scene 5: If You Perm it, They Will Laugh Scene 6: Tales of a Fourth Grade Hairy Lou Retton Scene 7: Wedges Are For Lettuce Scene 8: Orange Is The… Read More »My Life in Hair: A One Act

            Perfectly Dad

              My earliest memories of Dad: I sit by his knee as he strums his guitar and slaps the baseboard So hoist up the John B sails, see how the main sail sets, send for the captain ashore, I want to go home… and You’ve never seen such a sight in your life, and the little ones chewed on the bones-o bones-o, the little ones chewed on the bones-o. He blasts a trumpet to wake us on our birthdays even though he doesn’t play the trumpet. His cheeks feel scratchy just like the dad’s face in… Read More »Perfectly Dad

              You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Life-Saving Magical Turban, Annie

                I grew up rapt with the musical Annie. Like hordes of other 1980’s girls in love with nasal voices and sunburst arms, I dedicated my single-digit life to becoming Annie. I had an Annie sheet cake for my 9th birthday. I tortured my family with Annie. Annie became a call and response, with me serenading IT’S A HARD A KNOCK LIFE, FOR US! while doing imaginary back-handsprings (I could do the part at the end where you stand up) and my older siblings answering SHUT UP SHUT UP DAD PLEASE MAKE HER SHUT.UP. I sang… Read More »You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Life-Saving Magical Turban, Annie

                Why I Look Ten Pounds Lighter

                  Recently, I saw my friend Araceli Esparza. She remarked “You look ten pounds lighter!” My head immediately dropped to scan my body with curiosity. “Noooo, silly. You are always flaca, I mean you look like a new person–relaxed.” Araceli saw this: Instead of, say, this…   Araceli nailed it. Two weeks after LTYM 2015 ended, I did feel ten pounds lighter, and every ounce of it off my shoulders. Listen To Your Mother 2015 came with an enormous load of responsibility including the Weight of Tremendous Beauty. What is the Weight of Tremendous Beauty? Ann,… Read More »Why I Look Ten Pounds Lighter

                  Sunday in The Park With Nancy

                    Over twenty times in the past three days interviewers asked me questions like: Do you listen to your mother? What’s the best advice your mother ever gave you? Is your mother still with us? Do you think your mom had any influence on your creating Listen To Your Mother? Describe your mom in one word. Considering the seven years I’ve written a mom blog and the five years I’ve invested in a massive motherhood storytelling project, I share relatively little about my own mom. To start: I listen carefully to my mom. Then I often… Read More »Sunday in The Park With Nancy

                    I looked up the meaning of Ann because there isn’t enough going on with a new book and 38 shows.

                      I know you are so busy, but have you googled the meaning of your name? Look what I found for “Ann!” Talk about uncanny. I mean it’s close, but for the skeptics out there–I’m an Ann who knows how to spell “mouths.” *** Other things I’ve kept busy with when not haranguing you with unwarranted life-coaching: 1. You guys the book launch–well, it is so much more than a book and it was so much more than a launch. I wrote all about it here, and you can see gorgeous photos by Anna Palmer of… Read More »I looked up the meaning of Ann because there isn’t enough going on with a new book and 38 shows.