A bedtime story before dying

Me, after hearing M crying upstairs as Jamie was helping her to get ready for bed: What was all that crying and stuff about?

Him: She was saying she was going to miss me when I died.

Me: WHAT? Oh no!

Him: And she asked if I'd still be alive when she was 6.

Me: What brought that on?

Him: I don't know.... maybe something to do with that book about dinosaurs you two were reading. Extinction, all that jazz...

Me: Oh yeah. Aww, poor sweetie!

. . .60 seconds later:

Me: Saaaaay... why wasn't she worried about when *I* was going to die, huh?

Him: Oh she asked about that too.

Me: And you told her I was going to be alive a long, long time?

Him: No, I told her that you were already dead inside. I said: “Mommy's been dead since the day you were born.”

Me: Great. That level of honesty is going to cost us at least two more years worth of therapy down the road, you know.

. . . . . . . . . .

Aaaaand speaking of things that are dead: the Sweet(ney) Talk column -- as a partnership with True Mom Confessions -- is no more. I know, I know: the internet grim reaper's scythe is swift and merciless, no? Without getting all into it and shizzle, it came down to some irreconcilable differences, so I've opted to move along, for the betterment of all intarwebkind. Finis.

HOWEVER, I do quite like the Q&A format -- it's tasty and refreshing, like a lovely afternoon aperitif, served with an appetizer of brie and sarcasm. YUM! So here's what i'll do: I'm gonna open up comments on this here post for y'all to typey-type any questions you'd like me to respond to, with nothing being off-limits. Questions can be trivial or deep, serious or not-so-much, about me/my life/my family or for my opinion on something, inquiries on my plan for world peace and universal health care -- ANYTHING, GEDDIT?

You've got burning questions? We've got answers!

I'll respond to a question or two once-a-week, with shameless pimpage of questioner's blogs (where applicable). It'll be fun! C'mon, you know you wanna...

. . . . . . . . . .

Finally, I'm again making the Sweetney Holiday Mix available for your downloading pleasure. If you didn't snag it last year, don't miss out and be a loser this year. There's still time to rescue yourself from loserdom via my mix CD stylings, people! heh. Anyway, the mix is a splendid one, so if you'd like to download a copy please leave a comment here saying so (with questions for me! Lots and lots of questions!), and I'll email you the link (I need to monitor bandwith at this point, but if things appear hunky-dory and my site doesn't go KABOOM!, I'll in time just go ahead and make the link public).

[UPDATE: I've had to move hosting off-site, so I can now post the link: GO HERE to get the mix! (Note: this does not absolve you from the question-asking! I mean, you like owe me now and stuff! snort.)]

I give until it hurts, people. Almost like I can't help myself, and may need to see a doctor or get on some sort of medication to control the giving. AND THE VOICES. OH MY GOD THE VOICES.

Comments

[Kelly]

Kingston wants to talk about my eventual demise all the goddamned time. I know it's because he has questions but dude, can I like, LIVE awhile first?

I'll be needing some holiday mix bizness.

I have a question for you: how many Palomas does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

[Kaleigh]

Oh yes, the four-year-old death obsession. Ours happened right after my husband's step-sister's husband (stay with me) died quite suddenly at 31. After that, my daughter was all obsessed with death. Didn't help when, a year later, one of my best friends died.

She's just figuring out the whole mortality thing. Didn't her fish just die? The phase, fortunately, ends. Well, for most of us. Except maybe Harold and Maude and all of Depeche Mode's fan base. So maybe you have that to look forward to.

[foodmomiac]

Yes I'd love the link please! I still listen to the one you sent out last year.

And a question: You mentioned the other day that you are vegetarian. What kinds of things do you guys have for dinner? As you know, I pride myself on my kitchen skills, but my kids are wearing me down, and I'm about to change my blog name and just give them Kid Cuisine every night. I'd love to hear what meals others serve to their kids, and I'm especially interested in those of the vegetarian variety.

[Meghan]

Long live the SweetneyMix! (and well, long live Sweetney too.) Please send me a link, I love last year's link and just finished adding my holiday music back to ye olde iPodde. Can't wait!

[sarah]

Where would you go on your dream vacation, and what would you do? (Or have you already been? And if so, tell us about it! haha)

Oh, and I want the mix!

[Janet]

Please send that link my way! Getting your holiday mix cd is just as important as the Macy's Day Parade in letting me know Christmas is almost here ;) Anyway, here's my question for ya: I'm moving into a new house from an apt so I need furnishings. What stores or websites do you suggest?

[Strizz]

Q: Why does my 3 year old insist on turning the TV volume way louder than it has to be? Also why does she steal the tub of sprinkles from the top shelf of the pantry like some sugar addicted monkey?

[Angela]

I would LOVE the link to the holiday mix. And I will be thinking of questions...

[brooke]

I definitely want a copy of the holiday playlist!!

[picklemommy]

Love love love to have a holiday mix. And why do people hang Christmas trees upside down? (Will come up with an actual question forthwith.) Thanks!

[sarah]

I want the mix!
I also want an answer to the question "Why do people (you & Jamie, specifically) want children?" My husband & I are in our early 30s and while I always saw myself as having kids & rocking the whole mom thing at this age; however, the more we think about it, the more we're like, WHOA! That looks like a big deal! And like it might be difficult! And we're happy now, sooo... Why?

[Jenn]

I would love a link to the mix!

And my question is how did you and Amy from amalah.com meet? I recently discovered both of your blogs and am curious if you knew each other before blogging or met after the blogging started?

[Daily Tragedies]

If you could designate ONE food to magically be fat-free, calorie-free, guilt-free (in short: you can eat as much of it as you want, without silly repercussions like ending up as an addition to your ass) what would it be?

[Ree]

Yes please, on the mix.
The question:

Is there anyone from your past that you would absolutely DIE (not, literally, y'know - in light of M's question) to meet back up with? Ex-boyfriend, the bitch friend that you want to tell off? Who?

[Jillie]

I could really use a holiday mix.

[Lisa]

Sorry to hear about you and TMC. But that's how I found your blog, which I love!

I'd love the link to the mix!

[Lisa]

Holiday mixiness needed please!

[Amy]

YAY! Holiday mix! Yes, please. :)

I've often wondered about M's name. For years my husband and I said we would name our future daughter that. For some reason, once faced with the actual task of naming a child, we went with Phoebe instead. How did you pick that name? I've always loved it.

[Sherry]

Mix me up some Sweet(ney) Holidays.

[BaltimoreGal]

I would very much enjoy the holiday mix!!!
Oh, and do you still need me to dogsit?

[Oh, The Joys]

Sign me up for the download, dead one.

[Rebecca]

I'm adding my voice to the masses: more mix, ma'am!

[Mintea]

I'd like the holiday mix pleas.

Ooohh, I love this random questions. Ok, here's mine:

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

[ozma]

Yeah, my 3 1/2 year old is worried about this and about GETTING OLD!

She is already worried about getting old. Kid things ahead to whatever in the future might be bad. Chip off the old block, I'd say.

[B]

Hit me up with da mix!

Kids are weird sometimes… my three year old is worried about the old thing too (like ozma's). She started crying when we told her everyone gets old. oops.

I just found you through amalah and your photo-fest

[Jeezalou]

I'd like the mix, please! I work at a Christmas store and holy crap do I ever want to hear a good Christmas mix. My mix was deemed annoying by a co-worker (which makes me play it even more) and I can only hear Alan Jackson's "Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk This Christmas" without wanting to tear my hair out. That means I can listen to it once a season, basically.

[michelle]

oh, the sweetney mix has been my favorite for the past two years! yes! i'm so lame!

i want you to comment on this: somewhere along the line there was a shift in the way america views food. It used to be that homegrown, local food was designated to the farming and rural class, while prepared and packaged foods, where available, were only in the realm of the upper class. Now, organic, homegrown and "whole foods" ahem. are meant for the wealthy, while fast foods and processed foods are so cheap and readily available that they are the new "food of the poor".

discuss.

[GIRL'S GONE CHILD]

I want some of yo mix, fool. In fact I'll show you mine if you show me yours. Although I will say, my mix isn't very holiday-ish, but I can totally draw a Christmas tree with a Menorah on top on a CD if that helps.

[birchsprite]

I would love this years mix... last years was fab!

Questions?

Ummmm What does your garden look like in the winter?

Now being the proud owner of a garden, I'd love to know if other people manage to keep theirs looking good?

[beautiful mess]

i would lurv the holiday mix, thankyouverymuch. when my ipod died a sudden & horrible death a few months ago, i lost your mix from last year. CURSES!

[Kathleen]

With the great bands you got together for the Rock-n-Romp last summer, I can't wait to see your holiday mix. Sign me up please! And as a vegetarian with a meat-loving husband and a child that only eats air and three peas a week, any suggestions of what to feed these people? What are your daughter's favorites?

[carolyn]

Requesting the mix for the first time, please. :)

Also, my question: can you tell this parent of a 25 month old that it gets easier? I feel like I've got a teenager who doesn't speak English living in the house. Or a mini Dr. Jekyl/Ms. Hyde. One day she's a sweetie, the next day she's flipping out because her milk is in the wrong cup...

[sweetney]

UPDATE! due to technical difficulties (grumble) i've had to move hosting for the mix off this site, so i can now post the link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?6t2dximjdnn

please note: this is indeed the same mix as last year, in case that wasn't clear. there's only so much holiday music out there, and i frankly loves the crap out of the songs on the mix, so i'm keeping this as the standard Sweetney Holiday Mix for the time being, yo.

and keep those questions coming, please!!! okthxbai!

[Lee]

Ohh, mix link, pretty please??

[Emma Leigh]

Please please please send the link for your holiday mix. Last year's mix turned me on to Christmas songs I'd never heard before and a few of them have been added to my list of favorites.

[Neil]

The mix sounds way cool. I'm ready for some holiday spirit!

[birchsprite]

Cheers Sweets!

[Alice]

Will you pretty please tell us the love story/history of you and Jamie? Thank you!

[Alice]

Will you pretty please tell us the love story/history of you and Jamie? Thank you!

[BOSSY]

Ahhhh, it seems like only yesterday we were reading your very first Sweet(ney) Talk column. Wait, it was yesterday.

[sweetney]

(sheds fakey CGI tear for death of Sweet(ney) Talk)

(pours a little out, crosses self)

[kimblahg]

Thanks for the Holiday Mix! I'm listening to it right now. Question... Hmm... What is your favorite flower?

[mom101]

Mmm...brie and sarcasm.

So my question is, what is your favorite cheese? (Not just with sarcasm.)

And I am still enjoying my Sweetney holiday mix from last year very much. Who even knew there'd be another! It's like an embarrassment of melodic riches.

[Alyce]

What should I do with my life?

(small backstory/CV highlights)
34
college educated (does that matter?)
i enjoy cheese and chocolate
i dislike a**holes
I've been a teacher, an admissions jockey, girl friday, controller, admin blah blah.
I do not have any special talents, and I am not musically gifted.

This should be an easy question, right? Go to it!

[Lisa Merritt]

thank God it is a 4-year-old thing and not just my sweetie. When we had to go to my godchildren's grandfather's funeral, no sitter to be found, she asked his daughter, "Why is that man in the box?" When explained, she said, "Oh, like the dinosaurs. Can we dig up his bones?"

Hey, I once went to a costume party where we were asked to come as our alter ego. So, my Q. to you, who (or what) is your alter ego?

[BG]

Yup, I've got one of those... 3 year old that my hubby and I find our selves constantly going 'where did that one come from?' cause I swear we don't do that crap. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAa!