I’m Now a Former Employee of a Former Firm.

The law firm whose partnership track I left - as noted in this blog’s sidebar - announced yesterday it’s closing up shop.  As a colleague put it - “It’s kind of like hearing your high school closed down.  You don’t want to go back, but you like knowing it’s still there.”

Practically speaking, and related to blog purposes, I wonder how it looks for a Mommy Tracker when the bulk of her former career was at a firm that no longer exists…  

Posted in Lawyer Life |

The Author’s Marketing Genius

Being short on time, I don’t feel compelled to read the latest cog in the Mommy War machine: Leslie Bennetts’ book The Feminine Mistake.  Plus, having read much of the buzz, I feel confident I understand her hypothesis.  Bennetts argues that when choosing to leave careers for childrearing many women don’t consider the long term economic impact.   By depending on men for income now, Bennetts posits, women may significantly limit their choices later in life - with negative consequences for them and their children.  It’s a common story and an immensely important point, worthy of discussion.  But I’m not entirely convinced Leslie Bennetts really cares about propelling civic discourse.

Bennetts’ titling of the book is simulataneously a clever invocation of Friedan feminism and genius marketing, and I’m admittedly jealous. You tap a nerve, you sell a book.  Still - in every article I read - Bennetts, a savvy journalist by trade, defensively insists she had ”no idea” the book would cause such a “backlash”.   

Sure, Leslie, you put right on the cover of your book: “Hey, Mom, Your Choice Was WRONG,”  and you didn’t have the slightest inkling it would disturb mothers and cause buzz?  The suggestion is disingenuous at best and preposterous at worst. 

Unfortunately, the combination of the savvy title, her defensive response, and the current status of reporting feeds the One-Right-Answer myth and sells news.  We’re back to arguing about who’s best instead of discussing the more important questions … How can we abolish gender and family discrimination in the workplace?    Why do we accept the high cost of childcare while also accepting such low standards of care?  And what action can people take to  care for their children and protect their financial future?

Unfortunately, the real and important questions implicated by Bennetts’ work have been lost in a sea of provocative news headlines and biased blogging.  Too bad. 

Posted in The Fretting Feminist |

Sad But True

A Swedish couple wants to name their daughter Metallica.  (A son, maybe, but a daughter?)   My favorite line in the article is the couple’s argument that the name “suits her.”  … Kong likes to stick his fingers in light sockets, but I don’t think I’d name him ACDC.  Are there any rock bands that would make good kid names?

Posted in Notes on News |

They Don’t Clog.

I’m annoyed by their commercials, but I still wouldn’t mind winning a free Dyson vacuum cleaner.    I wonder, would a fancy new vacuum get me cleaning?

Posted in Everything Else |