So apparently the 'New Year' just slipped in... we've had ourselves a little hiatus (always sounds so medicinal) here, and are looking forward to chipping away at all things new and not so.
Perhaps you've had some milestones of late? During the past 12 months, we have both celebrated the 1st birthday of our little people. This feels like a reasonably momentous occasion in which to cast one's (however fried) mind back and consider the journey thus far. In the past few months, you may have found yourself looking at this blog and telling yourself, 'Yup, I'm gonna do that as soon as I have brushed my teeth/had some more sleep/had an epiphany/pulled myself away from Glee' or 'So and so would be perfect for writing something for that'. Or 'I started to write something a while back, and now it's just irrelevant/embarrassing/highfalutin'...
Whatever the thoughts, intentions, resolutions, we're looking forward to receiving your musing. Feel free to email and ask us to gently prod you over the next few months so that you do in fact 'finish that thing that I meant to finish a while back'. We can do it in a kind, non-nagging way. Hey, we can also do nag if that's your flavour.
We think the following is a fairly comprehensive list of topics (listed in random order) for you to chose to muse (write, reflect) on, with room to interpret the topics as you think appropriate...
On life after birth (debriefing the birthing experience) On time On life after loss
On hat-changing
On emotions (your own, emotional responses, emotional shifts)
On faith
On expectation
On disappointment
On achievement
On sleep
On relationships
On priorities
On work
On competition (developmental milestones; with other mothers)
On ‘instinct’ (backing yourself; not knowing what you want to do; listening to your inner voice)
On what to wear (what does it mean to dress ‘as a mum’; the ambiguity of sexuality)
On relationships
On advice
On role-models
On developing a thick skin
On being made of glass (the first time a friend went straight for your child, before acknowledging your presence)
On getting it wrong
On ambiguity (I don’t want to play this game today)
The book is a collection of short stories that explore aspects of the journey of a new mother. The book meanders through a range of thoughts and reflections and ultimately celebrates this myriad of experiences.
Time, expectation, disappointment, identity and priorities are just some of the musings explored.
The 'This Is Not A Baby Manual' book project is finding its wings with Claire and Amanda. The project involves gathering up a collection of short stories exploring the intangible aspects of the journey of a new mother. Embracing the viral and the old school printed book format, we invite you to submit your musings to be considered for this project, as outlined on this wee information portal (see: Blog Archive below).
Claire: 50's furniture. what would CJ Cregg do?. frocks. write it. stitch it. banana bread. Florence Broadhurst. make it up. rewrite. why yes, I will have some more souffle. swim.
Amanda: thinking about thinking. found objects. text. learning. wisdom. paper. grey. assemblage. bikes. freshly baked. side angle pose. making. communication. the sociocultural. handmade. musing.
So apparently the 'New Year' just slipped in... we've had ourselves a little hiatus (always sounds so medicinal) here, and are looking forward to chipping away at all things new and not so.
