Even this mom-of-a-boy loved “The Princess Diaries,” and if you’ve got a teen or tween girl, you’re going to want to know about this: Justine magazine, the national magazine for teen girls published right here in Memphis, is bringing author Meg Cabot, who wrote “The Princess Diaries,” “Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls,” and all kinds of other great girl books, to town NEXT WEEK. On June 19, Meg will be the featured speaker at a luncheon and fashion show just for girls at the Memphis Hilton – click here for an invitation and to reserve your spot (seating is limited). Best of all, though, is that Meg’s visit is to celebrate the launch of a new nationwide online book club for teen girls, called Spark, that Justine is starting, just in time to give you and your girls a little extra push through those summer reading lists.

And, oh yeah, Macy’s will put on the fashion show at the luncheon … with prizes and goodies for all. Sounds like a pretty good way to spend a summer afternoon. 

I am currently going on my THIRD week of suffering from shingles, something I’ve never had before, and hope I never have again. It’s quite painful, and unfortunately the meds that make me feel best also make it nearly impossible for me to work, so I only take them at night. In short, I’m miserable.

But I’ve also been surprised at how culpable I feel. “You know, it’s caused by stress,” said one of my pals, helpfully. And yes, the past few months have been pretty intense, with my doing essentially four jobs (you’ve seen Skirt!, right?) for better or worse. Jeez, I keep wondering, did I bring this on myself? Read the rest of this entry »

You’d think I’d be getting use to it by now: The lurch in our lives that happens at the end of each school year, when schedules change and books get put away. Here’s my take on the end of third grade. What’s the most difficult for you as you look at the end of your kid’s school year? What has gotten easier?

Well, there aren’t any advance screenings of the new “Sex and the City” movie in Memphis (I started asking John Beifuss weeks ago), but I’ve already heard of a couple of fun things going on May 30 … the day, as you surely know, that we get to find out what happened to Carrie and Big, whether Samantha still does yoga and Smith, and how Charlotte’s aspirations to motherhood really turned out. In other cities, lots of girlfriend parties are afoot.

Are you and your gal pals going out that night? And what do you hope is going to happen in the movie? (I’ve made a point of not reading any reviews … I’ll love it, if just for the clotheswatching potential.) 

Just like every other mom who is trying to juggle multiple lives and still keep track of what the heck is going on with the last days of school, I am getting inundated this week with notes and pleas for help, hot dog buns and special things needed at school each day. I try to keep track, I really do. Though today feels like a big fat failure. (Warning: Whining ahead.)

Not only did I wake up in a cold sweat, having forgotten to do something I said I would for a neighbor before work, but I flogged Tomas all morning, hurrying him into his school’s “dress uniform,” which involves a button-down shirt and coat and tie. No, I wasn’t very patient. I guess I was such a shrew that on his way down stairs he apologized for having to ask for help. Gawd.

And to top it off, we get to school, and the day for the dress-up, coat/tie uniform thing is TOMORROW.

Anyone else having this kind of day? How do you stop beating yourself up and just move on? Advice welcome.