For the first 6 years of my adult life (21 forward), I lived with roommates in apartments and rental houses paying 300-400 a month for my share in housing. Then at some point, I decided I needed to own a home and my housing expenses doubled. My husband and I bought one, we were both making good money at our jobs and I figured we could afford the place if one of us lost our jobs. Both of us lost our jobs. I could go through all the things we did to try and save our house, we had two roommates, cut every imaginable expense. But when it came right down to it, we bought in good times expecting…
Childfree
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Childfreelife's Weblog
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My Downsizing Story
22 Dec 2009 | 10:31 am -
Free Time
14 Dec 2009 | 10:39 pmI was enjoying a post by Brit Girl about how childfree people spend their time. A year ago, I was very very busy. I was in school part time, worked full time, participated in religious activities, and played weekly theater games. Contrasted to now, I am unemployed, quit the theater games, and I finished school? I seem to have a lot of free time, and yet I feel no compulsion to have children to fill it. I have been painting pictures and selling them with my free time. I have been going to cultural events, I have been taking temporary contract jobs in the legal field, and I have been looking… -
Biggest Environmentalist Impact: Childfree lifestyle
6 Aug 2009 | 1:22 pmMany childfree people have cited environmentalism as one of their reasons for not having children. An Oregon study confirms this reasoning. A choice like not having children has 40 times the positive impact on the environment as actions like recycling. The study My family tries to recycle, drive fairly gas efficient older cars, and reduce our emissions in other ways, but we often forget or aren’t perfect. I am glad that my choice to be childfree is also in line with my values, including environmentalism. -
Bankruptcy is our Universal Healthcare
3 Aug 2009 | 8:50 amA lot of discussion about universal healthcare pros and cons are going on right now. And I wanted to point out, that in many ways the US already has a plan for paying for healthcare: bankruptcy. Its a sneaky little tax that filters through several levels until it gets back to tax payers. 62% of bankruptcies filed are predominately medical debt. I worked in the bankruptcy field and I looked at a lot of bankruptcies–I have heard the arguments that folks are bankrupt because of wastefulness, credit cards, luxuries, nice shoes, nice cars, what have you. It frankly is not true most of the… -
Job Search Mecca
6 Jul 2009 | 5:45 pmconstantly job searching - photo by Aaron Edwards So I have to provide company names and addresses for at least three job contacts (not temp agencies) per week to comply with unemployment. This has been incredibly difficult for me. It shouldn’t be so hard, my neighbor who is unemployed doesn’t have as much time to look as I do, he has to watch his six kids. No job, no daycare. I have quickly filled up my free time with volunteer work and internships as well as painting commissions to make a little cash. I thought that I had mad internet skills for job finding. Like many of my…
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Childfreedom
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A Pile of Parental Smugness Under the Christmas Tree
26 Dec 2009 | 1:54 pmTo those of you who celebrate, Merry Christmas (a day late)! I hope you had a joyous day as I did.We spent Christmas with my family at my parents' house (yes, my mother and I ended our estrangement and things seem to be going well so far). My entire family was there - my 2 brothers and their wives/girlfriends, their children (4), my parents and us...a total of 12 people. The presents were piled -
I'm Dreaming of a Equitable Christmas
20 Dec 2009 | 3:13 amOkay, how do I vent about this without coming across as a petty whiner who has no perspective on the true meaning of Christmas? I am not sure, but let me say up front that I am keenly aware of the true spirit of Christmas - that's it's not about materialism and consumerism. In fact, I've been the one in my family to push for cutting back on the consumerism and focus more on the non-material -
Frazzled, Frenetic Friends
14 Dec 2009 | 7:35 amOne of the main reasons I do not want to have children is that I do not want to have a manic and chaotic lifestyle. I have no desire to run around like a headless chicken all day and collapse into bed completely exhausted every night. I have no desire to live in a home that is filled with noise and commotion 16 hours a day. I have no desire to have every minute of my day filled to the brink and I -
Sanctimony and Santa Claus
9 Dec 2009 | 6:03 amSanctimonious, self-righteous parents.How often do we childfree people have to endure their self-congratulating and their holier-than-thou conceitful arrogance over how selfless they are and how their life was so meaningless before they had children and how NOW they are Mother Teresa incarnate because their life is all about their children and taking care of their children and putting the needs -
You May be Surprised
4 Dec 2009 | 11:48 amA couple of posts ago, I discussed my dismay at the fact that in our culture, "family" = couple + children, and childfree couples are not thought of as a family. I posted a link to a recent Redbook article that addressed the question of how many kids a couple should have, completely disregarding the option of "none".I posted a poll asking what you thought - is a married couple without kids a "
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I'm Not Kidding
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Makitstop!
28 Dec 2009 | 7:46 pmMy mom sent this to me today for a Monday laugh (if there is such a thing). She knows me well. -
Babies and Facebook
16 Oct 2009 | 5:41 pmAs I get older *sigh*, it seems as though more and more of my friends are jumping on to the baby bandwagon. I know it was inevitable but that still doesn’t mean I have to like it. Facebook has obviously allowed a lot of us to keep in touch with current and past connections and this can be a good…and bad thing. Below are just a few observations I’ve noticed on my daily FB newsfeed. 4-D ultrasound pictures or any ultrasound/sonogram picture for that matter as your Facebook profile picture. And it begins… Not only are they creepy as hell (everyone with me on… -
Back from the Dead
20 Sep 2009 | 9:10 amWow…has it been a while or what? I want to apologize for my lack of posting for the last few months. This year has been…let’s just say, not what I expected. I need to do a little background info and venting so be prepared for a bit of a ride. First and foremost, I am now single once again. Basically, my husband and I decided that our relationship was no longer a positive factor in either of our lives. Fortunately, it was mutual and easy to handle so in the grand scheme of things, it was fairly quick and relatively inexpensive. I still have the house and… -
You don’t say?!
9 Apr 2009 | 7:51 pmIn my daily rundown of news articles, I came across a particularly interesting one today on MSNBC.com. While the majority of childfree folks already realize that not having kids eliminates a huge stress that is added to a relationship and see it as an added perk, this is news to many others. And while I agree that not having kids does not automatically mean your marriage will be successful (as I am finding out), it does seem to automatically tip the odds in your favor. After all, sadly, many marriages today are not built on firm foundations and once you add a child into the equation, it can… -
There Should be Leash Laws for Children…
22 Feb 2009 | 8:54 pmSorry for the long absence. I’ve had a lot going on lately with work, personal issues, etc., but anyway, on to the topic du jour! I’ve mentioned before that I have shown horses since I was 8 years old. One of my pet peeves is when people just turn their children loose at these events. Not only is it annoying, but it is also extremely dangerous both for the kids and others around them. This is a common complaint among many people but there are many parents who just don’t seem to care. There have been times where I, as well as other people, have been in the show ring…
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Like It Is
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Merry Christmas. Season’s Greetings and Happy Holidays Childfree Readers
23 Dec 2009 | 9:04 pmIt is that time of year again. Christmas, the Holidays, the end of one year, and the beginning of another. While Christmas can be a joyous time for many it can also be a time of stress for others too. I happen to love Christmas, the hustle and bustle, putting up the tree, lights, decoration, [...] -
Childfree? You Must Have SO Much Time on Your Hands!
14 Dec 2009 | 7:44 pmEver had that lobbed at you when you say you’re childfree, or that you don’t have kids? I have. Recently, after telling me how looking after her 3 kids left no time for going out and doing non-kid things such as going out for dinner, a chance acquaintance (and I use the word very loosely) [...] -
Brave, Wonderful or Just Plain Irresponsible?
4 Dec 2009 | 7:41 pmThis link was sent to me by a reader some time ago, asking me what I thought of this situation so I thought I’d share this for your childfree thoughts and views. World’s Smallest Mother Risks giving birth In brief Stacey Herald, called the world’s smallest woman, is “risking” giving birth to a third child. Reading the [...] -
Childfree – Happy Thanksgiving!
26 Nov 2009 | 10:05 amAs this is American Thanksgiving I thought it would be fitting to focus for a while on giving thanks and counting our blessings – childfree and otherwise. I try to always remember how blessed we are. And I want you to know that I extend the same blessings to you that have been bestowed upon me. Having you in [...] -
Childfree – I want a Child and That’s all That Matters…
11 Nov 2009 | 1:51 pmDoes the fact that someone is childfree merit such a lack of respect between partners? I’m thinking especially of this thread On Men, Kidults and Not wanting kids where, among other things we’ve read how somehow wanting a child seems to be more important than anything else, certainly more important than the other partner and the [...]
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Childfree Clique
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Dear Breeders At The Theater- Please Fucking Die.
15 Dec 2009 | 4:45 pmI guess I shouldn't continue to be surprised or appalled at entitled, inconsiderate, self-absorbed breeders who insist upon hauling their children to ADULT intended venues but dammit, I just cannot NOT be appalled.Recently, me and a group of my girlfriends decided to take in a 10pm screening of an R rated film...Again I don't know WHY I allow myself to be shocked at the ignorant actions of breeders anymore, but honestly you could have knocked me over with a feather when a couple with TWO strollers sauntered into that movie theater and plopped their asses down into the front row of seats.The… -
More of My Pro-Choice Rantings
9 Dec 2009 | 10:43 pmFollowing up on the last post, I wanted to talk more about the tactics of some of the protesters who frequent the clinic because I think it's important to be aware of the lengths these people will go to shame, race bait, deceive, and invade the privacy of PP's patients.I do very much believe that just their presence alone is invading the privacy of the women who visit our clinic. They are there to invoke shame and guilt for something that is no one's business but that of the woman herself.So yes, I do think it's a gross invasion of privacy and while I have no problem with "free speech", it… -
SAHM's: Disrupt Their Delusion At Your Own Risk.
3 Dec 2009 | 3:55 pm*I will be following up on the last post, simply consider this an intermission*Ugh...Facebook Momfia Wars. Why do I keep finding myself in this situation?Lemme tell ya what happened.OK, so BFF posted something to Facebook about how she longs to be a SAHM but has no conceivable way to manage it financially.She hates looking for a job (as do most people) and hates the idea of leaving her baby in daycare.Being that I am a staunch advocate of women being as independent as possible (and not counting on men to "make their lives" for them), I thought I'd recommend the book "The Feminine Mistake"… -
Me & My Pro-Choice Rantings
30 Nov 2009 | 9:48 pmAs many of you are aware, I am a passionate pro-choicer and recently decided to embark upon a volunteer-ship with Planned Parenthood.Well after volunteering for a while, I thought I'd share some of my experiences here as this has been one of the most affirming, powerful things I have ever done.Note: This will probably be a two-parter cause I have a lot to address.While I can't share any patient stories because of confidentiality, I will tell you about the protest activity because I was INCREDIBLY ignorant about what goes on at PP and similar women's health clinics.I had assumed that the… -
Back From Turks & Caicos!
29 Nov 2009 | 6:35 pmWell...my trip to Turks & Caicos was fucking amazing and THANK GAWD I came across little to no children during my air travel and the vacation itself.Whew.I decided to stay at a small boutique hotel on the beach rather than some mega resort and I really think that worked in my favor. Anyway, I found a hot Haitian guy to have a fling with, I luxuriated on the beach, sampled an abundance of wine and fruit flavored margaritas, and met several interesting people. It really was a stellar vacation.When I gave my BFF (yes the one who just had a baby) a full trip report (hot beach sex details…
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All News Articles
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David Tennant takes over!
29 Dec 2009 | 5:46 pmI know he is very popular on here, but he really has ruled the Beeb over the last few weeks! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1239280/How-Dr-Who-little-help-Hamlet-took-BBC.html BTW Did anyone see him on Chatty Man last night? He was very... -
BBC climate change vs kids blog
27 Dec 2009 | 10:49 amerm.... more flannel from the BBC blog site. This is a day or two old now - just out of curiosity are any of you responsible for the deleted, presumably juicy, comments ? :-) If so, what did you say? http://www.bbc.co.uk/blog...l_climate_criminals.html [edit: oops - should have put this in the news articles section!] -
13 year old car thief also charged with drink driving...
23 Dec 2009 | 6:10 amLink In the small hours of the morning a 13 year old scrote steals a car, drives it while drunk and causes damage to other cars, along with his 19 year old mate. What's the betting the 'runts will whine at the unfairness of arresting/charging him? You know those 'runts who let him out late, let him get drunk and can't be bothered with the hardest job in the world/the... -
Ice!
23 Dec 2009 | 1:27 amIt would have been nice if the wintry weather could have waited a week! Snow in Hampshire and ice on the Isle of Wight. The ice is so bad here (rain is falling and promptly freezing) that I gave up trying to get to my temp job and turned back. I am going to give it another go in a bit, but the ice is in for the day, I think, it's -1C here. -
Greedy scrounging family - another one
16 Dec 2009 | 2:36 amI really shouldn't have looked at this today. I'm furious now. I'm struggling to find the money to buy a few little gifts for my family and friends while these people live a life of luxury. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr http://www.dailymail.co.u...ily-23-000-benefits.html
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Childfree Pet Parents
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Tortoise help?
24 Dec 2009 | 3:11 pmSo, a friend of mine has a fiancée who wants a tortoise.She apparently used to own one as a child and they have a good idea about what it entails in lifespan (I've told them to arrange for it's care in their will), space, diet and vet costs. I've found them a tortoise and turtle shelter where they can visit and get more information and two local specialized vets. But I was wondering if anyone here knew a good English book on keeping tortoises. Especially in regards to detailed information as to their diet and calcium intake so they'll have something to reference on a day-to-day basis.Any… -
My doggies in the snow :-)
20 Dec 2009 | 9:22 amI posted a journal entry of pics I took today of my 2 Shiba Inus in the snow. http://crimsonfox79.livejournal.com/30314.html -
A story and some pics
9 Dec 2009 | 8:05 amFirst, a little story my partner posted this morning that I thought you guys might appreciate here.A little boy was with his father on their front lawn. The boy picked up a large hunk of snow and started to come at Dahlia. His father told him not to throw the snow but he did anyway. Dahlia, thinking it was a game, ran after him with tail wagging. The boy ran away shrieking. The father and I thought it was pretty funny--doubt the boy will throw more snow at dogs.I love that even the father laughed at his kid for being an idiot and insisting on throwing snow at the dog. And some pic spam from… -
Kitty Surprise
7 Dec 2009 | 10:58 pmI live in a household with four cats that have finally settled on a group dynamic. I've probably posted pictures before, but I can't really remember.The point of me writing this, however, is that just now, we got... surprised.A little solid black kitty - a girl, if I'm seeing things correctly, and not quite one if we judge by her size - showed up on our back porch and walked right in. We aren't sure if we can handle another cat. I'd like to think we can, but I'm being realistic here.She's affectionate so far, loves to rub and loves to be scratched, but we think she's sore around the ribs and… -
Pic of my Shibas!
6 Dec 2009 | 1:42 pmTook a new picture today of my 2 Shiba Inus that I thought came out nice :-) The red one is Yoshi, he is 10 years. The white one is Ayla, she is 4 years but I have only had her for 3 months. I actually adopted her from a couple who didn't want her anymore because 'they just had a baby and couldn't take care of a dog'. sigh. I love my doggies so much :-)
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Happily Childfree
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Breeders & Holidays
27 Dec 2009 | 9:31 amA few thoughts on the holidays: Point 1: It really makes me ill at how much money people spend on their kids this time of year. These parents today are so afraid of their kids not liking them that they will spend way more than they can afford to give the kids everything they demand. Growing up, my parents were not about to spend all that much on us, and we didn’t dare demand high priced items. I was allowed to give my parents a list of about dozen moderately-priced items I was interested in and then they’d by me 4 or 5 of them and I’d be happy and surprised when I opened the… -
Get therapy not kids!
25 Nov 2009 | 7:55 pmSeen this week on Post Secret: The real reason I do want to have kids is that if I do get divorced or my future husband dies, I won’t be lonely and I can meet new people through them. Really? You’re creating human beings because you have a fear of being alone and a fear of not being able to meet new people without a child in tow? Oh, that’s a GRAND reason to create a person. Why not get some therapy to get over your insecurity issues instead of having children to be your crutch? If you don’t have a better reason to have kids than that, DON’T. I might not like Dr. -
MomsRising=Parents Deserve Special Rights!
30 Oct 2009 | 4:13 pmA rather reasonable friend of mine, who has kids but I wouldn’t consider a “breeder,” mentioned something about the website “MomsRising” to me recently. I’ve heard mention of it a couple of times before, but never checked it out, for fear it was one of those breederiffic mommy-feel-good websites. But when this reasonable friend mentioned it, I thought I might check it out. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t hate everything parent/kid related, and I actually clicked the link thinking I’d find something to rave about. That was a mistake. It is a… -
Looking for NaNoWriMo writing buddies?
27 Oct 2009 | 4:20 pmSlightly off topic, but anyone NaNoWriMo-ing this year? Some of you may not have heard of NaNoWriMo. It’s a project to get amateur writers who claim “someday I’m going to write a novel” to start writing one. You start a fresh novel idea November 1st and the goal is to reach 50,000 words by the end of the month — about 1700 words a day. To give you an idea of how many words 1700 is, it’s not quite three pages in MS Word (single spaced). NaNoWriMo is on the honor system, so you can cheat if you want, but what’s the point? All you get is a certificate. -
Woot! Hate Mail!
19 Oct 2009 | 4:11 pmThat Daddy Blogger that I linked to last week and his people are still not over it (*eyeroll*) so now I got this trolling email. Which is fine but it’s such obvious trolls it takes all the fun out of it. I just wish I could get some GOOD hate mail. It’s been slow around here lately and it makes me sad. The email itself is clearly an obvious troll, but even before I got to that, I knew it was a troll. This rocket scientist set up his email headers to say his name is “Pete Jergen” but when writing emails, he forgets all about this, so instead he signs his email as…
