LMG: Every Other Night

Another tip from my future book, The Lazy Mom's Guide to Half-Assing It.

Cook lots of food. Way more than your family can possibly eat in one night (I realize this is probably easier with smaller families). Then you can have leftovers, and you'll only need to cook every other day.

Don't like leftovers? While some things are fine to serve again as they are, sometimes you may need to turn your leftovers into "new food." Here's a short list of foods that can easily be made with leftovers.

• Soup: Shred or cube meat and/or veggies. Simmer with some broth or stock, or put it in the slow cooker. BAM! New food. Crusty bread really takes this to the next level. 
• Pasta dishes: Again, cube meats or veggies. Toss with a jar of sauce and some noodles. To really fool 'em, top with cheese and heat through. 
• Quesadillas/nachos: Cheese, tortillas or chips, and leftovers. That's it. You could also make burritos using basically the same principles. 
• Loaded potatoes: Bake some taters (in the microwave for even more speediness) and top with leftovers. Use big potatoes and put a veggie on the side to make these a whole meal. 

See how easy this is? Now you can cook every other night!

I'm Facing a Layoff

I've posted about work before, but now there have been some significant changes in my situation. So, to catch up:

• I went back to my job after my maternity leave (August 1). But the commute was getting ridiculous, so I remained on the lookout for a new job.
• I found a new job with DealChicken.com, which I started February 4. 
• On March 6, I was told that I'll be laid off effective May 10. DealChicken is restructuring, and nearly everyone in my position was let go (plus the person who hired me, and a number of other people). 

So I'm back on the hunt for a new job. I have some applications in, and I've made a few follow-up calls, but so far no hits. I have nearly six weeks before my job ends, but since I'm not spontaneous I'm looking at my options. 

Work full time

• Pros: Will likely replace my full pay and benefits
• Cons: 40 hours per week gone (obviously this is something I'm used to now, but it's a con nonetheless - there's a reason they pay you to work!), I don't actually have a job. 

Work part time

• Pros: Steady income, free time to be an earth mother or freelance or catch up on Netflix
• Cons: Likely an income hit, I don't have a part-time job lined up, no benefits

Freelance

• Pros: Total flexibility, potential income
• Cons: Lack of security (this is huge for me), no benefits, I will have to hustle and do business-y stuff I'm not necessarily good at/motivated to do

Live off my severance/unemployment

• Pros: Unlimited free time
• Cons: This is a finite amount of money, and what exactly would I do all day? Also, if I give up my daycare spot there will be an added barrier if I go back to work, no benefits

Any thoughts/suggestions? Anyone been here before? Right now I'm leaning toward collecting unemployment and extending that by doing freelance work, possibly taking temp jobs, selling plasma and etc. But if the right job comes along and will take me, obviously I'll go that route. 

Make Quick Cash

Note: I am not affiliated with Delve in any way besides what I've outlined below. I am not being compensated for this post, it's merely useful information I feel compelled to share. 

A few months ago (last year sometime) I signed up with Delve Research, thinking nothing would ever come of it. I figured I'd fill out a survey and promptly forget about it. I don't live in a large city, I'm not a noted expert in any field, and there's nothing in my demographic that set me apart from millions of other people.

But today I got a call about my third focus group opportunity. My first one took an hour and paid $100. My second one took two hours and paid $75 (and I got supper and one to go for Nick). I'm told this one will take about half an hour and pay $35 (this one is via phone). I'm pretty sure that's about the most money I can make legally ... and it's incredibly easy to share my opinion.

Here's a link: http://www.delve.com/. I don't know if there's a way to get referrals, but if there's an opportunity and you feel like mentioning I sent you there, go ahead. Otherwise, sign up. Maybe nothing will ever come of it ... or maybe you'll make some quick, easy cash.

The Lazy Mom's Guide to Half-Assing It

Part one of a series of tips designed to help moms (or anyone, really) look pulled together while doing the least work possible. 

Don't make cookies. Each one has to be dropped and formed, and most likely they end up odd-sized and/or touching. Make bars - use the exact same batter and press it into a greased pan. It will probably take a few minutes longer to bake, but you're not actually doing anything during the bake time. You still get a tasty, gooey dessert with much less work!

Books: The Round House

The Round House
By Louise Erdrich

The Round House is the story of Joe, a 13-year-old boy living on and Indian reservation in North Dakota (shout out to my home state). His father is a judge and his mother works for the tribe doing tribal enrollment. Ealy In the summer, Joe's mom is brutally raped and attacked. Because tribal law and white and the land around it and the entire system is unnecessarily complicated, there's no real investigation besides the one done by Joe and his father (Mom is rendered helpless by the attacks).

Other main characters include Joe's friends and his extended family (two sets of aunts/uncles and a grandfather). The characters are well-drawn, and life on the Rez is realistically colorful. Joe is a breath of fresh air in that he's not one of these precocious kids usually in books - he thinks and talks and acts like a teenage boy (or at least how I remember teenage boys). The story starts out compelling, but I thought the end wrapped up a bit too neatly - lots of seemingly loose ends. I do agree that the laws in reservations in ND a messy and often things happen without a thorough investigation, but there was too much not followed through.

Does it pass the Bechdel test? No. There are several named female characters, but none of them speak to each other as part of the story (some implied dialog, but it all happens offscreen).

Would I recommend it? Yes. Although I wasn't fond of the end, the story overall was compelling and thought-provoking. I always like Erdrich.

Books: Diary of a Mad Fat Girl

Diary of a Mad Fat Girl
Stephanie McAfee
Paperback

Diary of a Mad Fat Girl is the story of Graciela "Ace" Jones. Ace is in fact a fat girl (although the descriptions of her in the book sound more like chubby) who has a lot to be mad about - she recently broke up with her fiance, her friend dumped her right before a planned vacation, another friend is being abused by her husband, and she hates the principal at her school (she's an art teacher).

The main plot of the book is dealing with the abusive husband situation, although there are plenty of subplots. I was surpsied to learn that the book is not part of a series, since that's certainly how it reads (per the InterWebs, it's apparently a super-popular self-published e-book that was later made into a dead-tree version). There's nothing that happens in the last 20 pages that you don't predict in the first 10, but it's a good ride. Ace and her friends are funny, and the misadventures are wacky without being over-the-top. Then, of course, the good and bad guys get what they deserve and everyone lives happily ever after.

Does it pass the Bechdel test: Yes. Ace and her friends spend A LOT of time talking about men, but they do also discuss other things - fat, work, money, and Ace's chiweenie, Buster Loo.

Books: Defending Jacob

I'm trying something new here ... I hope it sticks, so bear with me.

Defending Jacob
William Landay
Hardcover, 421 pages

I picked up this book on the recommendation of my mother. She described it as a good story with a twist, similar to Gone Girl.

I found it to be more of a legal thriller, as it's told from the point of view of Jacob's father - a lawyer. No spoilers here: Jacob is accused of a crime, and he needs defense. In the beginning of the story the narrator believes nothing but his son's innocence, though some evidence that causes doubt appears throughout the course of the book. Lots of the plot focuses on nature vs nurture -- genetics, daycare, parenting style, what parents don't know about their teens. As a new mom, I admit it freaked me out a bit to think about still more things that can go wrong with my child. Some of the plot points I found a bit unbelieveable.

As for the twist: I won't spoil it. I did think I had it figured out about halfway through the book (and it was kind of obvious that there would be some sort of twist), but I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. (On the right track, but wrong.)

Does this book pass the Bechdel test: Yes. The narrator's wife and a court-appointed psychologist have a conversation that's not about men. Lots of it is about the son, but that's to be expected. Not a lot of named female characters in the book, but it's a pretty small cast and a male narrator.