A day in the ‘normal’ life of a Nobel Prize winner

Baltimore, Maryland (CNN) — She was folding laundry when the call came at 5 a.m. After she hung up the phone, Dr. Carol Greider went upstairs to wake her children. She had to tell them, even if it meant getting them out of bed early.

National Harbor Events Dec. 2009

Photo courtesy of gaylordhotels.com

My son recently went to see ICE! at the Gaylord National Hotel located in National Harbor. He thought it was the coolest thing in the world. There was a slide made out of ice and a whole lot of ice sculptures. The Gaylord has a ton of stuff for kids this month. Check it out! They also have a package for Grandparents that allow them to stay for free.

You can purchase individual tickets, which range from $10-$24.50.

There are family packages, too, with these perks:

Deluxe accommodations for 2 nights

ICE! tickets (up to four per room)

Souvenir Family ICE! photograph

FREE kids’ breakfast at Pienza (ages 12 and under, with a full-paying adult)

FREE self-parking for one vehicle

FREE pool, fitness center and internet access

Two (2) FREE bottles of water each day

FREE access to our outdoor skating rink

Access to our VIP lounge in the ICE! Pavilion

 

Looking for free stuff to do? The National Harbor also has a tree lighting and light show, a water skiing Santa, and a Spirit of Christmas stage show. Check out the National Harbor events schedule here.

Happy holidays!

Diary of a Single Mom’ Inspires Single Mothers to Get Ahead

Global Nonprofit and Director Robert Townsend Launch New Online Series on the Public Internet Channel (PIC.tv)

Is Mom wasting her college degree?

Being a stay at home mom is a choice for those who can afford it. As for it being a waste of their college degrees, I don’t think so. Just like one of the readers said “Do you really think skills and information you learn can only be useful if you’re drawing a paycheck? Give me a break!”

Manila trash becomes hot London fashion item

MANILA — At a warehouse near Manila’s infamous Smokey Mountain dump, slum-dwellers working for a British-led charity are turning rubbish into fashion items that are proving a hit in top-end London shops.

It’s not always about your box

Remember those commercials or tv shows that portray a new mother or father and they have this epiphany where they realize “It’s not all about you anymore”. I didn’t have that epiphany at the age of 18 when I had my first child. I had things to do and goals to reach and having a child was not going to stop me from reaching them. If anything, it would better the life of my child.

Toothfairy will only leave money if you are clean

I woke up this morning with a distraught 8 year old child. He came in my room, sniffling. I look up at him with a dazed look and asked what was wrong. He said “I went to brush my teeth this morning and when I went back to my room to look under my pillow, the toothfairy didn’t leave me anything”.

The drive to not become just another teen mom

A negative connotation is always associated to being a teen mother. The Women’s Health Channel states the following consequences of teenage pregnancy:

Teenage births are associated with lower annual income for the mother. Eighty percent of teen mothers must rely on welfare at some point.

Teenage mothers are more likely to drop out of school. Only about one-third of teen mothers obtain a high school diploma.

Teenage pregnancies are associated with increased rates of alcohol and substance abuse, lower educational level, and reduced earning potential in teen fathers.

In the United States, the annual cost of teen pregnancies from lost tax revenues, public assistance, child health care, foster care, and involvement with the criminal justice system is estimated to be about $7 billion.

With the statistics already being against teenage parenting, I did not want to become yet another statistic of being a “typical” teen mother. I made sure I did a couple things:

1. I didn’t drop out of school. Although it was tough, I finished school. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I would’ve finished school without the child, so why would I not finish because of the child? If anything, having a son gave me more of a reason to finish.
2. Get a decent job — I had an education to back up what I wanted to do, so why not go for a job that pays well? I mean, I went through all that schooling (and paid enough for it, might I add) and it wasn’t for nothing. That meant preparing a resume and giving it out to anyone and everyone I can think of and a well-written cover letter to go with it. It doesn’t seem like its hard work, but those who are or have gone through job hunting know it takes a lot out of you. It’s frustrating and time consuming, but when I landed the job that I wanted, everything else was cake (well for the most part).
3. Work hard — not just at my job, but with everything. My son looked up to me. He needs to see a role model that can strive to better themselves. Someone who is determined and strong. I was not going to be just another teen mom.

Grant it I’m no longer a teen mom, but I was once. Grant it I had already graduated from high school when I had my son, but that doesn’t matter. Whether you’re in high school or in college, having a child changes things. It can halt your dreams or but it shouldn’t kill it nor should it deter anyone from reaching their full potential as person.