So since my SMC membership stuff was sorted out, I got on the Forum and started poking around looking for local activities. As I had heard in the Choice Mom meeting I went to some time ago, there is a pretty active Pasadena group. I also emailed the Sherman Oaks contact person (CP) and she immediately wrote back welcoming me and encouraging me to join the Pasadena yahoo group. In the meantime I saw a post from the Single Mother by Choice founder Jane Ma.ttes asking for people to volunteer to be Contact People for their area, and threw my hat in the ring.
We had a lovely chat last night. It's always so weird when you've been reading about/hearing about a person so much and they seem like this huge celebrity to you, and then you get them on the phone and they apologize that they need to turn their TV down, and you think, "they watch TV? Oh my God, I watch TV, too!" Anyway she was delightful and seemed to feel like my email was very serendipitous, since she'd been concerned about the lack of a central-LA contact for some time (LA is funny like that - as you may know, there's no "there" here). So I am now the Contact Person for LA!
What that means is whenever someone emails SMC wanting information about groups or just needs to talk to someone local, they get forwarded to me. So I am kind of like the welcoming committee for anyone who reaches out at any stage - thinking, trying, motherhood. And I can start putting events together if there's any interest. So excited about this!!!
I know how much I would have killed to have someone to meet with when I was trying, and then pregnant. This kind of reminds me of my high school experience - the first year I was totally isolated and miserable; the second year it dawned on me to get involved in some school activities and clubs, and bam! Instant friends. Sometimes you have to make the effort and reach out, you know?
And last night Bumpus went right to sleep and slept normally and hasn't kicked or punched me once. What gives?
We had a lovely chat last night. It's always so weird when you've been reading about/hearing about a person so much and they seem like this huge celebrity to you, and then you get them on the phone and they apologize that they need to turn their TV down, and you think, "they watch TV? Oh my God, I watch TV, too!" Anyway she was delightful and seemed to feel like my email was very serendipitous, since she'd been concerned about the lack of a central-LA contact for some time (LA is funny like that - as you may know, there's no "there" here). So I am now the Contact Person for LA!
What that means is whenever someone emails SMC wanting information about groups or just needs to talk to someone local, they get forwarded to me. So I am kind of like the welcoming committee for anyone who reaches out at any stage - thinking, trying, motherhood. And I can start putting events together if there's any interest. So excited about this!!!
I know how much I would have killed to have someone to meet with when I was trying, and then pregnant. This kind of reminds me of my high school experience - the first year I was totally isolated and miserable; the second year it dawned on me to get involved in some school activities and clubs, and bam! Instant friends. Sometimes you have to make the effort and reach out, you know?
And last night Bumpus went right to sleep and slept normally and hasn't kicked or punched me once. What gives?
I felt the same way when I met Mikki Morrisette. Congrats on being a CP!! & yeah for good sleep!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that I will need to become the CP for the entire state of Nebraska...we don't really have a group at all, and last I heard our old CP is engaged and still doesn't even have a child! Good to know that it really isn't a ton of work.
ReplyDeleteAlso, don't you know by now that any behavior in a baby will change the very moment you blog about it?!
I am a CP for Brooklyn and it's great! very rewarding and also very little work. though you can make it harder if you want to by offering to let folks come over and chat and meet your little guy, which is warm and lovely and very rewarding. but not necessary.
ReplyDeletegood for you!