Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day

October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Everyone knows someone who has lost a baby. Even if you don't know it. Miscarriage is incredibly common, but many women grieve quietly. If you knew some of the things people say when they find out, you might stay silent, too, but that's probably a whole different blog post. Heh. This day is about everyone who knows what it's like to feel the excitement and hope of knowing there is a life inside you and then having that hope disappear. It's entirely unfair. And part of the struggle is that, particularly for women who lose a baby early in pregnancy, others haven't had time to see it as a "real baby." They don't grieve as we do, so the sadness is compounded by a feeling of utter aloneness.

If you're so inclined, this group suggests lighting a candle at 7 p.m. today to remember everyone affected by this kind of loss. The idea is to create a continuous wave of light across the world as everyone lights a candle in their time zone. I don't know that I need the lofty goal of the whole wave of light. But I like the idea of lighting a candle on one day to remember.

Love Purses? Check This Out!

I almost never write about product stuff on this blog, because I do so much of it for my job. But stay with me, girls, because this is fun. Handbag Planet is launching a new site really soon and they're giving away really cute bags to celebrate the launch. So go to HandbagPlanet.com and sign up, choose the bag you'd like to win, and then wait to see if you're a lucky winner. And if you are, you can thank me profusely and let me gaze adoringly at your cute new purse!

Dear AIG Execs

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Story?id=5973452&page=2

You make me sick. Do you realize that there are people who are struggling to even find a job? People who WANT to work? Imagine what more than $400,000 could have done had you stopped thinking of yourselves for one minute and put it towards people who would like to feed their families this week. What about the people who are still trying to clean up after a hurricane? What about the small business owners who are fighting tooth and nail not to go under because there's no credit to be had now? If you can sleep well at night, you're disgusting excuses for human beings.

Oh, and one of my dear friends who is being hugely screwed by the current state of the economy would like her fancy pedicure, too, thanks. It's the least you could do, really.

That Explains Everything!

This afternoon, in the car, on the way to a hayrack ride, Maya was telling my sister-in-law about our new kittens. They are quite cute, but they came to us with ringworm, and one of them is losing her fur as a result.

Maya: Aunt Gaylette, we have KITTENS! And they have... (whispering) ringworm.
Aunt Gaylette: I remember when your daddy used to get ringworm from the wrestling mats in high school.
Me: Well, now he doesn't have to wrestle anyone. He can just get ringworm right in our house!
Maya: So THAT'S how he got bald!