On Tuesday, Janice Holder — long a lawyer and judge in Memphis, who’s been on the Tennessee Supreme Court since 1996 — was installed as CHIEF JUSTICE of the Court, the first woman in Tennessee to have that job. (Though I was interested to read that she is one of 18 female Chiefs throughout the country.) Janice is more than a smart, capable, hard-working judge, though she’s certainly that. She’s a third degree black belt in karate (love the photo), and a fascinating person. All the best to her in her new, vital job. You can read more about her in this month’s issue of skirt! Click on the button to the right to find out where to get your free copy.

It seems like the only political story breaking to me, but how important is John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, to you, and what parts of her story have affected you most?

I have to say that I’m particularly focused on her family choices. Since she (and the McCain campaign) brought them up — her infant with Down syndrome, her eldest son shipping out for Iraq, her status as a “hockey mom,” and (eventually) her pregnant teenage daughter — what do you think? Can you raise five kids and have enough time to be Vice President? Leaving aside her experience and political views for a moment (we can talk about them later), does the shape of Sarah Palin’s family, and the attention it requires, affect your opinion of how much time she can/should spend on politics?

I’m still thinking about whether it’s a good idea to buy Boy Wonder (maybe I should just call him BW) a Nerf Longshot, the brightly colored gun that shoots foam bullets I wrote about in my column this weekend. What I’m REALLY wondering about, though, is how an Airsoft gun is good for any kid. Thoughts?

OK, so this morning I actually bought yet another brand new backpack for the Boy Wonder (this one with wheels), because I have felt so bad seeing him stagger into school this week with his huge, heavy school backpack and his soccer practice backpack. TWO separate ones, and both full to the top.

I know this is old news, how much our kids have to carry to school, but this new backpack thing has really pushed all my buttons. And not just because I’m annoyed that I didn’t buy a rolling backpack first. Read the rest of this entry »

Actually, past the last minute — read the story, here. And here’s my favorite picture from the medal ceremony — real soccer moms Christie Rampone (left, with Rylie Cate) and Kate Markgraf (with son Keegan) flank Carli Lloyd. Oh yeah, Carli was the one who scored the game’s only goal. Congrats to the women of the USA Olympic soccer team. I know Mia, Julie, Brandi and the women of the storied 1999 World Cup team are smiling today. This first-generation Title IX athlete is smiling, too. Big.