Are you a Slasher? Hint: most moms are!

You may have heard of a new trend in career designations recently. The "Slash Career" is gaining acceptance among mainstream workers. The Slash (/) is no longer reserved for the starving creative types, as in Actor/Busboy, Artist/Barista, Singer/Waitress, etc.

Nowadays, the Slash is popping up between more white collar and upper-middle class professional titles, such as Lawyer/Event Planner, and Executive/Life Coach. People who successfully manage dual careers seem to thrive on the variety in their lives. You know, like pretzels dipped in chocolate. I like pretzels, and I love chocolate. But when you put them in the same bite, they're both even better!

Even though today's hip, modern Slash Careers are getting more press, we all know that mothers are the original Slashers. I'm a mom, and I never know what to put down for "Occupation," when I fill out a form. At first, when I was a new mom, I continued to use my former occupation. My "real" job.

It's been a while since then, and I've gotten over it. The older I get, the less I care about what other people think of me. I'm completely consumed, fulfilled, and exhausted by my current profession as a mom working from home. So what do I write on the form? It's hard to sum up what I do in just one word. But when I start listing the things I do for a living, it seems kind of arrogant to try to write them all down. I mean, who do I think I am? Wonder Woman? I just do what every other mom does... A little bit of everything!

So I usually just choose the occupational titles that mean the most to me personally: Wife and Mother. The other stuff is important, too, and the variety of activities is stimulating and delicious. But in the big picture, all the housework, blogging, entrepreneurial endeavors, and even charitable activities, pale in comparison to the significance of the work I do with my family. Yep, Wife/Mother. That's me.

A collection of "I hate Google" stuff

As a follow-up to my previous post about my conflicted feelings toward Google, I have compiled all sorts of rants, complaints, and frustrations, that others have published on blogs, forums, and news outlets. To see it all, stop by best.i-hate-google-stuff.ever.com. You can read the latest "Google stinks" blog posts from around the world, and if you're feeling frustrated too, leave your own 2 cents worth in the guestbook. Go ahead and let it out. You'll feel better.

Google: I hate myself for loving you

Before you flame me and call me a hypocrite, let me disclose a few things. Yes, I use Google's products. I love that I can see my house from space with Google Earth! I've used Adsense and Adwords, and I still use Blogger, Gmail, etc. In all likelihood, I will continue to use Google products. Google is everywhere, and most of the stuff is free -- how can I help it?

But it's getting out of hand. I think about Google all the time -- keywords, backlinks, SEO strategies... What will Google think if I do this? Will Google like that? What if that makes Google mad? I don't want to upset Google!

But I hate that I HAVE to do that! Google's looming Google-icious omnipresence gets on my nerves and under my skin, and I hate myself for having to love Google, especially when Google gives no evidence of loving me in return. Some days it seems like Google loves me, and other days, Google turns all fickle and ignores me for no apparent reason. It's maddening!

Some days, I just want to break up with Google. I want Google to take all his stuff and get out, and leave me alone with my own quiet life. And I can make my place just the way I like it, without having to worry about what Google will think.

But then I'm jerked back to reality. I can't live without Google. Nobody will like me if Google doesn't like me. I'm nothing without Google.

And then I'm back to where I started. I hate myself for loving Google. I hate Google for making me love him. Google, come back! I didn't mean it! Call me!

Geek Gift Idea: Lorem Ipsum...

This is my latest geek design: "Lorem ipsum..." Lots of people won't understand the humor of this one, but if you are someone who routinely builds or uses web site templates and such, you'll recognize the familiar dummy text. I thought it would be funny to put it on shirts and stuff, so here it is. Maybe this would look great on your office wall. Or maybe it would make the perfect gift for a certain someone. Enjoy!

Exploring the mysteries of homemade pie crust

Making a perfect pie crust is a skill that can take years to perfect. How can something made from such simple ingredients be so difficult to master? I don't know! That's why I always buy pre-made crusts! But this year, I am going to figure out the magic and mystery behind homemade pie crust.

I have gathered some helpful video tutorials on pie crust making, along with some highly-rated recipes, and put them all together on this page. I've included video from Alton Brown and Cat Cora, as well as some home cooks.

It's amazing how you can conjure such a delicious, tender, flaky, golden, crispy, soft, beautiful crust from just flour, fat, salt, and water. Sure, some people add extra stuff, but the basics are always the same. I've never had great success with pie crust. Maybe it's because I'm too impatient to mix the cold fat with the flour properly. Or maybe it's because my hands are always warm, so the dough gets sticky and overworked. I don't know. But I hope I can figure it out this season. Otherwise, it's back to the frozen crusts for good!

Artist Website of the Week

Woohoo! I got a mention over at creativetexturetools.com, a site featuring all things polymer metal clay and lots more, including jewelrymaking and online selling. My shop at smallandsimplegifts.com was named Artist Website of the Week! You can read the blog entry here. And while you're there, check out the other useful stuff Elaine has compiled. Thank you, Elaine!

My kids say the funniest stuff: flytraps

A few days ago, I was driving The Mother Ship (minivan) with the kids in the back. The boys, ages 6 and 8, were reaching across the seat between them, going "chomp! chomp!" toward one another. Hoping to avert a brawl, I was about to tell them to keep their hands to themselves, when I heard the younger one say, "Chomp! I'm a Venus flytrap!" I thought that was cute. Then, the older one responded, "Well, I'm a Jupiter flytrap. I'm bigger!" :-)

These rechargeable batteries are awesome-tastic!

I think these little USB rechargeable batteries are going to be huge. They are NiMH cells, rechargeable at any USB port. You don't need a cradle and cable. Just charge and go. Not only are they easy to use, but they are nicer for the environment, by preventing the disposal of lots of regular batteries. I don't remember all the chemistry of batteries in landfills (those grad-school brain cells have been taken over by new bits of information, like the names of all four Wiggles), but batteries in landfills are bad!

In addition to AA cells, they will be available in AAA, 9 volt, and sizes for cell phones and PDAs. Visit usbcell.com for more information.

Great Geek Gadgets: best.geekgadgets.ever.com

I've been working on a new project this week! This one is called best.geekgadgets.ever.com. It's a page dedicated to geek toys, gadgets, gifts, and other things that I think are super cool. Some of the products I've listed so far are a USB lava lamp, a wi-fi detector t-shirt, and some very cute Darth Vader nesting dolls. I love this stuff! If you're interested, stop by and have a look. And if you think of something I should include, please let me know. If it appeals to my inner geek, I'll add it and give you a nod. :-)