From the Starlight Children’s Foundation website:

Living with illness or injury can cause enormous strain in the lives of children and their families. The pain, loneliness and isolation that sick children feel dominates their lives, and they often miss out on normal experiences that healthy children take for granted.

Starlight provides programs integral to the total care of seriously ill children – while health professionals focus on treating the illness, Starlight is there to lift the spirits of the child, giving them the opportunity to laugh, play and be a child again.

I’ve been aware of The Starlight Children’s Foundation for years. A former work colleague was quite passionate about the Foundation and did a lot of volunteering for them and would often tell me stories of the smiles and wonder on children’s faces. In more recent times, I’ve been reading of their extraordinary work and impact they have on lives and families through the blog of my dear friend, Tiffany at My Three Ring Circus.

Her post, Her wish come true, accounts the day her daughter Ivy was granted her wish of being able to be a ballerina and dance with The Australian Ballet. It was a moving, magical piece of writing which moved me – and many others – to tears. It also spurred me to think of other families who should have a similar experience. This profits promise is just my humble way of trying to spread the word a little further and hope that my small contribution might make a small difference.

Profits Promise 2012 – The Starlight Children’s Foundation is a post from: Miscellaneous Mum - Trying to find the objective correlative, everyday

A couple of hours ago I sent around the email to all the commenters for 2011, thanking you all for your support and contributing to the overall sense of community here at Miscellaneous Mum. If you have commented at some point over the year but didn’t receive the email, it might be an idea to check your spam folder. A few people have contacted me saying the email also contained a phishing warning and I don’t know how to explain that – perhaps it is the nature of the plugin to include it as a security measure given the potential it could have to be sent to so many people, depending on how it is used.

Anyway, in case you didn’t receive it, or you haven’t commented this year (for shame!) (just kidding) I am very pleased to add that this year the Christmas Card Challenge raised just over $240 for BeyondBlue, my Profits Pledge charity for the year.

This is our family, mere moments ago:

Thank you again, for everything, dear readers xxx

I’m off now to celebrate Christmas.

I will be posting intermittently over the coming week and into the New Year. If I don’t ‘see’ or talk to you before then, have a wonderful holiday break.

Christmas Card Challenge for 2011 – Complete! is a post from: Miscellaneous Mum - Trying to find the objective correlative, everyday

To those of you new to Miscellaneous Mum this year, my Christmas Card Challenge is something I’ve been running since 2006.

It began as a reciprocal greeting card bit of fun. Then in later years, in order to reduce my environmental impact, I decided to swap these greetings into email ones. I know this isn’t especially original – or fun, or traditional for that matter – but I felt better about it, especially when I added fundraising elements:

1) Family members receive an email. The unused postage fee gets donated.

2) For every person who has left a comment on this blog since the Boxing Day of the previous year, I also donate unused postage. They also receive a copy of the e-card via email. (I know, lucky them eh?!)

3) Then on Christmas Eve (Australian Time) I send out these e-cards with the grand total of money raised on it.

This year’s fundraiser is for my profits pledge for 2011: beyondblue

So now would be the perfect time to de-lurk! If you’ve been reading for a while, say hello! You’ll be doing your bit for a good cause!

That’s pretty much it. Other people have done their own Christmas Card Challenges over the years, and if this inspires you to do the same, do tell me!

If you are participating in NaBloPoMo leave your name and link URL for the day in Mr Linky. If you’ve blogged about your NaNoWriMo or PiBoIdMo experiences you are welcome to leave your link as well. Please only use the Linky for these reasons and a link back here would be appreciated.

I’m supporting Movember this month. Here is my fundraiser page.

2011 Christmas Card Challenge is a post from: Miscellaneous Mum - Trying to find the objective correlative, everyday

I first read The Axis Trilogy ten years ago. We were living in our townhouse in East Brunswick, located less than fifty metres from CERES nursery. Strange as this might seem, but I particularly remember the time of day when I finished Enchanter. I’d finished work (I was only working mornings at that point) and I usually returned home of an afternoon to read or potter around. On this day I was on our old blue gingham lounge, rushing to finish the book, completely taken with the way she constructed the climatic battle sequence. Unbeknownst to me, the sun had passed over and my eyes were getting tired. Once I shut the book, in an empty, surprisingly dark room, I did something I’d never done before – I got out my stationery set (remember those? I should buy some more) and wrote an author a fan letter.

I didn’t expect anything in return, so imagine my surprise when a handwritten card arrived less than a month later, from Sara herself, thanking me and answering a few of the questions I’d asked in my letter. I joined the online community she was then running at her website. This Bulletin Board (‘BB’) was my touchstone for a long time, a group of people I could interact with in a city I’d only just arrived in and was still alien to me.

Like all communities there were the occasional tensions and spats between members, but the overall feeling I got was friendship.

I even got to meet Sara once, at an organised meetup at a pub in Southbank, almost a year after September 11 occurred, where we chatted in the almost-naturalistic-but-not-quite way people sometimes do when online and offline lives first connect.

The BB even gave Adam and I a wedding present:

Me, just turned 24 years old, recently married, still with those hideous false nails I stuck on for professional photography's sake.

But paths split, things move on, and eventually Sara closed down the BB because – if memory serves me correctly – it got too difficult to maintain. This is was prior to her move to Tasmania. Later, I heard about her diagnosis of ovarian cancer and had the quiet hope that she would be okay.

Then last month my twitter feed exploded with tributes to her passing which had occurred that morning. I felt a tear prick my eye.

She was only 54. We’ve also seen the recent passing of Steve Jobs, only 56.

Sara used the internet in a meaningful and intelligent way to connect with her fans and was generous with advice and resources (I would recommend to writers her series of posts about writing – I still to this day justify a long soak because she used to take a business-like approach to baths).

Vale Sara Warneke (pen name Sara Douglass)

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This was one of the reasons why I joined up for Frocktober. Some pictures below:

I’ve asked a lot from readers this year, especially for my MND fundraiser, and I would never want to ask too much, but if you are interesting donating to ovarian cancer research, my page is here where you can.

Frocktober, Ovarian Cancer, an Author, and Me is a post from: Miscellaneous Mum - Trying to find the objective correlative, everyday

This one will be a bit of a squeeeeze at the moment. Must. Start. Running. Again.

I can’t believe it’s October. October 1st. Three years since Surprise! was officially released. Amazing. I was going through those files the other week, in the cabinet and my email, and it was a refresher of the process: its pains and pleasures.

The fact three years later I’m still hearing of people ordering it via their bookstores makes me so happy and proud and everything worthwhile.

Now, to business.

My friend Wonderwebby is involved in Frocktober – dressing up for the month of October to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. I thought I might join her. Always up for a challenge like this! Item for item I have more dresses in my cupboard than other clothes, I think, but don’t wear many of them because they’re ‘good’ (or date back to my corporate days). That 80/20 rule when it comes to clothes is true in my case, so I’ll try to expand my wardrobe, even if it means getting looks on the playground once school goes back. Fingers crossed for warm weather! If I don’t wear a dress, then a skirt will be my second choice.

My fundraising page is here. I’d really appreciate whatever support you can afford to give.

It’s quite good timing as I’ve planned to do a couple Thrifty Thursday posts over the next couple of weeks on dress outfits I’ve managed to put together recently: thirty dollar ($30) outfits. Come back and see what I can put together for $30 or less. Can you do something similar? Do post something and let me know!

October is also the month of the World Matters Literary Festival in Eltham. Program is here to have a look. I usually catch a session or two and will try to do the same this year.

Bed(knobs) and Broomsticks

I spent the best part of yesterday and a bit on Thursday giving the kid’s rooms a bit spring clean. One big bag for donations and two large rubbish bags later and I’m quite satisfied with what I’ve achieved. Plus having the added amusement of finding odd things in odd places, like the above.

Frocktober, Lit Fests and More: Weekend Links is a post from: Miscellaneous Mum - Trying to find the objective correlative, everyday

Jeans for Genes Day raises money for genetic research at the Children’s Medical Research Institute and is coming up very soon on Friday 5th August. In order to spread awareness for the day, I have been asked by Ogilvy 360 Digital Influence to mention some of the following ways you might like to get involved.

You could:

• Use the “Patch Your Jeans” Facebook App: Create your own denim patch using the ‘Patch Your Jeans’ app and share it with Miscellaneous Mum readers – we’ve also attached our own patch specially made for you! To check out the app, visit the Jeans for Genes Facebook page.

• Become a Fundraising Genie: Organise a fundraising activity at your home, office, school or community on Jeans for Genes Day.  It could be as simple as asking your group to wear jeans on Jeans for Genes Day and make a donation.  To get a free Genie Kit, visit the website to register.

• Wear Denim on 5 August and Share Your Pic: Remember to wear denim on 5 August, share it on Facebook and tag “Jeans for Genes Australia” in the photo so it can be shared with supporters of the campaign!

I also have the pleasure to be able to offer one ‘Jeans for Genes Day Prize Pack’ which contains a $250 Jeanswest gift card, official Jeans for Genes t-shirts and gear, and two movie tickets.

Some fine print:

• To be eligible to enter, please leave a comment below sharing your thoughts about the campaign.
• For one additional entry you may tweet ‘Have entered @miscmum giveaway for @jeansforgenesau – further details here [http://bit.ly/NLfih]‘ and come back and tell me in another comment.
• Competition will be open until midday 27th July so the prize has enough time to reach the winner as it is being posted.
• Open to Australian residents only.
• Please leave an active email account. I reserve the right to re-draw if contact cannot be made within 48 hours.

Naturally, I’ll be wearing denim on Friday 5th August. Pictures will follow – hope perhaps to see some of yours!

Edit: Competition has now closed. Thank you all to those who entered. I’ll contact the winner shortly. Good luck!

Jeans for Genes Day – Spreading the Word + Giveaway is a post from: Miscellaneous Mum - Trying to find the objective correlative, everyday

• Air temperature at the beginning of the Run Melbourne race: about nine degrees, possibly more (it was actually lovely running weather)

Photos by my sister

• Amount  of money raised by my sister and I for Motor Neuron Disease as of this morning: $910
• Number of aches and pains throughout my body: about ten. (Something was off yesterday and I ran very poorly. I got dizzy at the 2km mark, and although stripping off my jumper and a sip of powerade drink helped a little I didn’t ready get my stride on.)

• Approximate age at which a child learns to flush the toilet after use: three
• Approximate age at which a child forgets to flush the toilet after use: five
• Approximate age at which a cat decides ‘to hell with kitty litter trays, let the floorboards be MY toilet: two
• Approximate number of times an adult will swear at said cat after discovering these faecal surprises: six

Photo source

• Number of minutes I sat at the table last night helping Keira arrange her cards in the right order in this Harry Potter collectors album from the weekend papers and no doubt many, many of you will be familiar with: about thirty
• Number of times I silently cursed even buying the paper: two
• Number of excited family members who will be lining up to see this movie on the weekend: four

A Numbers-Driven Account of Our Weekend, Including a Slight Detour into the Mysteries of Parenthood and Life is a post from: Miscellaneous Mum - Trying to find the objective correlative, everyday

True to form when it comes to fun runs in July, I have managed to get sick ahead of this coming Sunday’s Run Melbourne. I’m not nearly as worried this time as I was for last year’s half marathon because I’m only doing half the distance, but still. Being sick makes me pouty.

I will take this one last opportunity to beg plead remind you kind folk who’ve pledged to donate to please do so. Here’s our fundraiser page – look at the total amount! So close to that magic 1k mark! My humble thanks to everyone who’s donated and to my sister for getting in there and personalising the page with a few pictures of dad.

As such, this leads me to tell you about our weekend which was pretty quiet. Filthy weather and the aforementioned sniffles kept us (mostly) indoors.

We did venture down to a local Oxfam booksale where I was very, very restrained and only bought two books. Seen here modelled by my daughter who was in a silly mood:

The Aztecs: An Interpretation is by esteemed writer Inga Clendinnen and I’ve been wanting to get my hands on it for years (three cheers for decommissioned library books, like this). The history book is because I’ve been collecting history books about the Regency period since… [quick check]… Amazon tells me 2007. Why? Oh… just because.

Melburnians, details on the next sale here.

Then my mother and the kids got into the kitchen and made decorated cookies. I wanly nibbled on a few, but I was really waiting for this:

Caramel Meringue Pie. Don’cha wish you were here?

Last, mum has brought some of her crafting projects with her. This is the top of a scarf she is knitting for Riley, but Keira decided she wanted start it off. You can see here her work before mum took over; the first eight or so rows. It’s a little uneven, but still it’s a damn better job than what I’d do. (I’m not much of a knitter.)

How was your weekend?

One For The Crafters, Foodies, and Book Readers Out There is a post from: Miscellaneous Mum - Trying to find the objective correlative, everyday

I recently read this HuffPo article which talks about a Yoplait yoghurt ad that had been pulled in the United States in response to complaints and concerns about its content, specifically for those who are suffering from eating disorders.

This is the commercial.

HuffPo reports that Lynn Grefe, president of NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association), said, “the ad’s language, seemingly innocuous to some, could easily serve as a trigger for those vulnerable to disordered eating.”

As someone who is vulnerable to disordered eating – less so now, but it is certainly in my past – I have a few thoughts.

First, some of you might be wondering why the ad was pulled in the first place. Others are as well – go to YouTube or other forums and you will see some people metaphorically scratching their heads as to what the big deal is all about? This kind of polarity, BAD food vs. GOOD food, has been depicted before. What’s so dire about this particular ad?

What’s troubling to me, who for the record doesn’t like the ad and also feels as though I’ve seen it before, in other incarnations, is when I see the other comments: ‘More Americans should learn to rationalise this way – then they wouldn’t be so fat’ or ‘Gee, it’s willpower, how is that so shocking?’ (I’m paraphrasing the sentiments), and I realise that for as long as this debate is conducted as Good vs. Bad / ‘Normal’ vs. ‘Abnormal’ then we come no closer to understanding how sufferers get caught in this cycle and see ‘normal’ people who can easily reach past the cheesecake and grab the yoghurt, right? It’s that easy, isn’t it?

No. It’s not. For some it might be, yes. Others, no.

But I have another point to make. I can only speak for myself here but the inner monologue I had as an eating disorder sufferer is not remotely similar to the nice, expletive-free one this woman has with herself.

No, mine were deeply troubled, filled with self-recriminations and loathing. Not only did I say them in my head, I wrote them down.

I was being calorie-restrictive in this month (1997) so at least I was eating (then). But the day ended badly (“vomited”). Worse than the minute detailing of calories and where they came from (70 calories from a bread roll, 200 from fruit) is the name calling, “What a dickhead… gym for you tomorrow!”

I get so sad looking at this picture now – and I have the diary still, page upon page of similar tallies, and worse ones.

I have been there; I stood in front of that open fridge like those people who object to the ad and I know what runs through the head.

I can stand in front of the fridge trouble-free now but this took many years.

In a press release, NEDA said,

“We applaud Yoplait and General Mills for taking the time to speak with us, listening to our concerns and their quick action to provide a solution. I believe the company had no intent to harm and gained insight into a very serious issue that we hope will influence their marketing decisions in the future.”

I’m sure there was no intent to harm on Yoplait’s part and I’m glad it appears the case has been settled. But for those who think the whole matter was overblown, I’m not sure I wholly share that opinion.

How body image is represented is never simple or shouldn’t be seen to be and more often than not it is a piece of something larger, something uglier: a hierarchisation of worth based on what foods you choose to say yes or no to, which leads to a suppression of instinct and, dare I say it, pleasure.

It troubles me.

I can only hope other companies will have their “marketing decisions” influenced in such a way “in the future”.

For some, that will be too late.

I don’t want to make anyone or anything the ‘evil’ party here, but we all need to be aware of how our bodies are being represented in the media, how to be critical, know what to accept (or reject).

Be sympathetic. Walk a little in someone else’s shoes.

Be educated.

Why They Banned The Ad, Or, It’s About More Than The Yoghurt is a post from: Miscellaneous Mum - Trying to find the objective correlative, everyday

It’s that time of year again – Run Melbourne. I like it because you get to choose which charity you’d like to raise money for, which is different to how some of the other fun runs work.

This year, again, I’ll be running for the Motor Neuron Disease Association of Victoria. And this time my sister will be running too!

I signed up last night and already I’ve received generous donations from Kim and Liz – thank you so much.

If you’d like to help here is my fundraiser page. I’d be eternally grateful.

I will add that this year I will only be running the 10km. Even though I know how to train for the half marathon, I must admit my running timetable has not been flash: with the exception of the 8km Mothers Day Classic, I’ve not done any considerable distances for some time.

This will change, though, as I plan to to the Melbourne Marathon in October. The 21.1km again.

Gulp.

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A little note: if you click through you’ll see that I’ve done a little blog template tweaking. I wanted a larger blog post ‘zone’. I like the sense of expansiveness and was starting to feel cramped before. My thanks to Veronica for her late night counsel

Run Melbourne 2011 is a post from: Miscellaneous Mum - Trying to find the objective correlative, everyday