A Secret to Success as a Working Mom: Turn Burn Out Into Bliss and Embrace Joy

Last weekend my youngest was committed to going to the "Water Steps" a man-made water fall in Pittsburgh by the rivers. (Fun Fact: Three rivers converge in Pittsburgh--The Ohio River, The Monongahela River, and the Allegheny River.)  He kept asking. I knew he was serious when he said, "If you won't take me, I'll ask  daddy!" Given that it was highly unlikely that would happen on an unscheduled day, I relented. So, we went. It wasn’t planned in the way most things in my life are. No calendar block. No checklist. No “productive” purpose attached. And, so in some respects it was uncomfortable. And yet, it seemed necessary. It was the idea of my 8-year-old—offered with the kind of urgency only children possess when something is profoundly important to them.

Channeling Carrie [Bradshaw]


If you have read this blog you have probably deduced that I am a "Sex and the City" fan. Not only am I a fan, I own all of the DVD's. In the past six years, most of which I was too cheap to buy cable, I watched the DVD's repeatedly because my TV had such terrible reception. I enjoyed the show for many reasons, one of which was the show's main character, Carrie Bradshaw.

While Carrie Bradshaw was a fictional character, she influenced a generation of young women who were coming into adulthood. She taught us all how to date fabulously, live in New York, and run up our credit card bills in the process. She's not a role model, but she did have a great time.

I don't live in New York and I have good credit. However, much to the chagrin of my mother and men whom I've dated, I have been inspired by Carrie's outfits on more than one occasion. And while I have never purchased a pair of Manolo Blahnik's I do lust after them. I understand intimately why Carrie exclaimed, "Hello Lover" to a pair of shoes. Unlike men, shoes are always reliable and a really great pair can get you excited!

Some young women have embraced her character more completely than I ever attempted. They have even made career choices and live in New York in order to emulate Carrie's lifestyle. Attached is a link to an article that discusses a real life New York girl who is "channeling Carrie."

Channeling Carrie - New York Times
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