Friday, April 13, 2012
Let's be honest...
Let’s be honest. My mom isn’t a yoga person. She’s been talking about starting classes for approximately six years. I think at this point, she should just nix the idea once and for all. She “planned” on taking prenatal yoga, that didn’t happen. Then thought she could make up for it by taking mommy-baby yoga, which again, failed. And now that I don’t like staying in one spot for longer than 15 seconds and prefer making tons of noise rather than quietly centering my core, yoga wouldn’t include me, so it’s back to plain old yoga for adults. My mom thinks yoga fits into the “cool young mom” category, which is what she’s going for. I hear it often when she’s shopping for clothes, “is this good weekend wear that says I’m a ‘cool young mom?’” On the rare occasion that she and my dad go out or she has a night with the girls, she’ll ask, “do I look like a cool hot mom?” Apparently taking yoga would further promote her ideal “cool young mom.” But let’s face it. Yoga isn’t for her. It’s not our [the Stansfield’s] style. When we relax and “center” ourselves to find our “inner-peace” (or whatever it is you do in yoga) it typically involves sitting on the back porch with a glass of wine, beer or milk and a book, or lounging on our big comfy couch watching our giganto t.v. Okay, really anything that involves sitting (or being lazy) will suffice. I think it’s fair to assume that because my mom has been talking about taking up yoga since 2006, it’s not going to happen.
I’ll tell you what does make her a cool young mom though. She takes me running with Bear and doesn’t wear mom jeans and most recently, started learning to play the ukulele while I practice my awesome tambourine and maraca skills. We rocked out last night to some Wilco, Woody Guthrie and Willie Nelson. Next up is Paul Simon. We actually had a skype sing-a-long session with my Grandad and Grandma Marcie. Did some “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” which is my personal favorite. The Old Town School of Music is where we belong. Not at some urban yoga place filled with wealthy, overly happy, peaceful, super skinny moms who have full-time nannies and single 20-somethings who do yoga to sweat out last nights’ intake of alcoholic beverages. Okay, so maybe that was an example of thoughts you’re supposed to keep to yourself, but I just say it as I see it. I’m only one – I’m not at the age of sugar coating things yet, and don’t know that I ever will, seeing as my mom and dad are pretty blunt, opinionated people. I’m sure you all have, at one point or another, incurred the wrath of a truly honest kid – if you have a pimple on your face or you’re wearing pants that are too tight or we don’t like the way your hair looks, we are going to let you know and we won’t cushion it with knee pads to help with the impact. Anyhow, back to how my mom is pretty awesome. Every Sunday morning I get to fo to the Old Town School of Music with my mom to play ukuleles, shake all sorts of noise makers, dance and sing with other people my size. That’s our style, and sometimes a mimosa and nap follows, which sounds much more fun than this yoga business.
Until next time.
Friday, February 24, 2012
So, what is this all about…
As I am soon to embark on my second year of life, I have decided that with almost one full year of life and wisdom under my belt, I am ready to engage in a social experiment. “Life from the Ground up: 18 and beyond!” is a project to see how much money I can raise in the next year to go toward my college education, or should I decide that college is not for me, it will support whatever life-enriching, socially and fiscally responsible endeavors I may choose to tackle.
It is my responsibility to keep this as transparent as possible, meaning I will do my best to paint an accurate picture of myself, my family and this project.
My financial goal, or “The Ask…”
I have a goal of raising $10,000 within the next twelve months leading up to my 2nd birthday. This money will go directly into my savings account and will not be accessible to me until my 18th birthday, March 19th, 2029. I ask that you contribute whatever amount you deem appropriate.
How it works…
After you read the information that follows, if you are intrigued by and identify with me, my family and the concepts and principles of this social experiment, “Life from the Ground Up: 18 and beyond!” you can make a contribution to my savings account (which may turn into a 529 plan). ChipIn uses the PayPal method, so your information and our information remain completely private and secured. You simply click on the ChipIn link and follow their directions. I would ask that if you like this project, you forward it along to one or two of your contacts who may also be interested and ask that they do the same. That is how we will start the “snowball” effect.
This blog will allow you to get to know me and my family better and will enable you to track my progress, growth and development over the next year. My blog will provide you - my funder, my mentor, my investor - with a venue in which you can share your comments or thoughts and pose questions.
This project isn’t for everyone…
Money is definitely not a subject everyone likes to talk about. My mom asks people for money for a living, so I guess it’s not quite as uncomfortable for us. If you do not agree with this project that is fine and is your choice. If you would like to share your thoughts concerning your reservations, we would be glad to read them, which may allow us to see a common theme or pattern. Please share your comments on this blog.
The overall goals…
Why do people donate money? Because they identify with the “ask” and they have some personal attachment to the cause, foundation or need. I would like to see if people I know, as well as those I do not know or may never get to meet but who will become privy to this experiment through social media networking, identify with me and my family and believe in this project enough to contribute financially. The concepts, principles and questions on which I hope to gain clarity through this project include, but are not limited to:
-Does modern society still believe it takes a village to raise a child?
-Why does society place such emphasis on higher education and advanced degrees when they are not easily accessible, nor appeal to a large part of our population?
-On whose behalf do we tend to act?
-Middle class families: Too rich for children to receive financial aid based on need, too poor to provide each child with all the funds necessary to attend college.
-529 Plan vs. Savings Account conundrum.
Not only do I want to raise money, but I also seek to further understand the above points to draw conclusions or hypothesize answers. I hope to present this project in a light that allows you to see the values beyond that of a dollar.
Background Information...
Now that we have the basic guidelines down, let me give you some background information to help you better understand this project, who I am and what my family stands for.
I come from a very loving family, which extends beyond my mom, dad and two dogs – Bear and Lucky. I have never had a shortage of people to care for me and love me. I heard my mom say to my dad last night that if wealth could be measured by the amount of laughter and smiles I have brought into their lives, they would be some of the richest people around. My dad’s response was, “It depends how one defines wealth.” At no point in this project, is it my intention to make you think I come from an under-privileged background. I ask that if you read into, or over-analyze anything, it be the key points mentioned above, not my story. I tend to over-analyze Arthur and Angelina Ballerina on PBS…it only seems to make life more complicated.
My mom received her undergraduate degree from Knox College, which is where she truly began to master thinking outside of the box. After teaching special education in the New Orleans Recovery School District for a couple years, she decided it was vital to her personal and professional growth that she pursue a master’s degree in social work with the goal of returning to New Orleans to continue her work of rebuilding the city through education and social work. In May of 2011, my mom received a Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University – Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. Her experiences living and teaching in New Orleans, coupled with the wealth of knowledge she gained while at Case Western, her need to serve and advocate for those who often are not given a voice in society only grew stronger. After seeking employment for close to a year, my mom is finally gainfully employed and currently works for a non-profit serving children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. We still fully support her dream of moving back to New Orleans, should the opportunity present itself.
My dad. He’s awesome. I am pretty confident in saying he was born thinking outside of the box. While his IQ is off the charts, he never finished his bachelor’s degree. After giving it a valiant effort, and trying a few different schools, he ultimately decided college just wasn’t for him, and that’s okay. (My mom says he marches to the beat of his own drum). Unfortunately, our society has made it nearly impossible for individuals who do not have a degree or letters to put after their name, to gain any respect in the professional world. Being afforded the opportunity to prove himself and his worth to potential employers was made a daunting task for my dad due to his lack of socially acceptable credentials – degrees and letters. (Let’s not forget the tough job market my family and many others are forced to confront on a daily basis). When I came along, my dad felt it was incredibly important for the stability of our family, that he find a salaried position with benefits – something he had never had before. He landed his full-time salaried position slightly less than one month ago and we are very proud of him! I really look up to him! (Maybe because he’s 6’4” and towers over me. Luckily I’m like a monkey and can scale up his legs. My mom on the other hand…vertically challenged, but moving on).
My mom has a significant amount of debt solely due to her undergraduate and graduate loans (she did receive a full-ride academic scholarship her second year of graduate school). My Gramps and Nana were unable to help out financially, but because she knew she was paying for her college career, she eventually learned to appreciate her educational opportunities that much more, as the money for each credit, each paper, each presentation was coming out of her pocket. It also taught her to fully recognize the value of a dollar (well, that and the fact that Gramps used to charge her 10 percent interest when she was growing up and would borrow money to go to the dime store). When it comes time for me to go to college, I want to be able to contribute financially, as I believe the financial strain that is placed on parents is far too great and while most parents strive to provide their children with the best, it is made difficult with issues such as the rising costs of college tuition.
At the same time, my family holds the belief that college is not one-size-fits-all. While my parents will encourage me and would like to see me go to college, they also recognize it may not be for me. My parents are still in debate over opening a 529 plan for me. What if I decide not to go to college? They have done some research on 529 plans, and by no means am I saying they’re experts, but cannot find information regarding how I would gain access to the money if it was not for academic pursuits and do not want to pay a penalty, fee or percentage to take my money out for non-academic related purposes upon my 18th birthday. It is a touchy subject around our dinner table.
If you’ve made it this far in my narrative you may actually be interested, which makes me hopeful.
I believe that whatever I choose to do once I turn 18, will be productive and will help me find a meaningful place in society. I also trust that I will pay it forward. The generosity I hope to experience from those who choose to contribute to this project is exhibited in the trust I have in human nature (I’m only 11 months old and still believe in the goodwill of people everywhere). I also do not take for granted those who show their generosity in non-financial ways, which are sometimes the richest and most important contributions. Generosity and kindness, breeds generosity and kindness…
I look forward to the many relationships I will have as a result of this project.
Until next time.
As I am soon to embark on my second year of life, I have decided that with almost one full year of life and wisdom under my belt, I am ready to engage in a social experiment. “Life from the Ground up: 18 and beyond!” is a project to see how much money I can raise in the next year to go toward my college education, or should I decide that college is not for me, it will support whatever life-enriching, socially and fiscally responsible endeavors I may choose to tackle.
It is my responsibility to keep this as transparent as possible, meaning I will do my best to paint an accurate picture of myself, my family and this project.
My financial goal, or “The Ask…”
I have a goal of raising $10,000 within the next twelve months leading up to my 2nd birthday. This money will go directly into my savings account and will not be accessible to me until my 18th birthday, March 19th, 2029. I ask that you contribute whatever amount you deem appropriate.
How it works…
After you read the information that follows, if you are intrigued by and identify with me, my family and the concepts and principles of this social experiment, “Life from the Ground Up: 18 and beyond!” you can make a contribution to my savings account (which may turn into a 529 plan). ChipIn uses the PayPal method, so your information and our information remain completely private and secured. You simply click on the ChipIn link and follow their directions. I would ask that if you like this project, you forward it along to one or two of your contacts who may also be interested and ask that they do the same. That is how we will start the “snowball” effect.
This blog will allow you to get to know me and my family better and will enable you to track my progress, growth and development over the next year. My blog will provide you - my funder, my mentor, my investor - with a venue in which you can share your comments or thoughts and pose questions.
This project isn’t for everyone…
Money is definitely not a subject everyone likes to talk about. My mom asks people for money for a living, so I guess it’s not quite as uncomfortable for us. If you do not agree with this project that is fine and is your choice. If you would like to share your thoughts concerning your reservations, we would be glad to read them, which may allow us to see a common theme or pattern. Please share your comments on this blog.
The overall goals…
Why do people donate money? Because they identify with the “ask” and they have some personal attachment to the cause, foundation or need. I would like to see if people I know, as well as those I do not know or may never get to meet but who will become privy to this experiment through social media networking, identify with me and my family and believe in this project enough to contribute financially. The concepts, principles and questions on which I hope to gain clarity through this project include, but are not limited to:
-Does modern society still believe it takes a village to raise a child?
-Why does society place such emphasis on higher education and advanced degrees when they are not easily accessible, nor appeal to a large part of our population?
-On whose behalf do we tend to act?
-Middle class families: Too rich for children to receive financial aid based on need, too poor to provide each child with all the funds necessary to attend college.
-529 Plan vs. Savings Account conundrum.
Not only do I want to raise money, but I also seek to further understand the above points to draw conclusions or hypothesize answers. I hope to present this project in a light that allows you to see the values beyond that of a dollar.
Background Information...
Now that we have the basic guidelines down, let me give you some background information to help you better understand this project, who I am and what my family stands for.
I come from a very loving family, which extends beyond my mom, dad and two dogs – Bear and Lucky. I have never had a shortage of people to care for me and love me. I heard my mom say to my dad last night that if wealth could be measured by the amount of laughter and smiles I have brought into their lives, they would be some of the richest people around. My dad’s response was, “It depends how one defines wealth.” At no point in this project, is it my intention to make you think I come from an under-privileged background. I ask that if you read into, or over-analyze anything, it be the key points mentioned above, not my story. I tend to over-analyze Arthur and Angelina Ballerina on PBS…it only seems to make life more complicated.
My mom received her undergraduate degree from Knox College, which is where she truly began to master thinking outside of the box. After teaching special education in the New Orleans Recovery School District for a couple years, she decided it was vital to her personal and professional growth that she pursue a master’s degree in social work with the goal of returning to New Orleans to continue her work of rebuilding the city through education and social work. In May of 2011, my mom received a Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University – Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. Her experiences living and teaching in New Orleans, coupled with the wealth of knowledge she gained while at Case Western, her need to serve and advocate for those who often are not given a voice in society only grew stronger. After seeking employment for close to a year, my mom is finally gainfully employed and currently works for a non-profit serving children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. We still fully support her dream of moving back to New Orleans, should the opportunity present itself.
My dad. He’s awesome. I am pretty confident in saying he was born thinking outside of the box. While his IQ is off the charts, he never finished his bachelor’s degree. After giving it a valiant effort, and trying a few different schools, he ultimately decided college just wasn’t for him, and that’s okay. (My mom says he marches to the beat of his own drum). Unfortunately, our society has made it nearly impossible for individuals who do not have a degree or letters to put after their name, to gain any respect in the professional world. Being afforded the opportunity to prove himself and his worth to potential employers was made a daunting task for my dad due to his lack of socially acceptable credentials – degrees and letters. (Let’s not forget the tough job market my family and many others are forced to confront on a daily basis). When I came along, my dad felt it was incredibly important for the stability of our family, that he find a salaried position with benefits – something he had never had before. He landed his full-time salaried position slightly less than one month ago and we are very proud of him! I really look up to him! (Maybe because he’s 6’4” and towers over me. Luckily I’m like a monkey and can scale up his legs. My mom on the other hand…vertically challenged, but moving on).
My mom has a significant amount of debt solely due to her undergraduate and graduate loans (she did receive a full-ride academic scholarship her second year of graduate school). My Gramps and Nana were unable to help out financially, but because she knew she was paying for her college career, she eventually learned to appreciate her educational opportunities that much more, as the money for each credit, each paper, each presentation was coming out of her pocket. It also taught her to fully recognize the value of a dollar (well, that and the fact that Gramps used to charge her 10 percent interest when she was growing up and would borrow money to go to the dime store). When it comes time for me to go to college, I want to be able to contribute financially, as I believe the financial strain that is placed on parents is far too great and while most parents strive to provide their children with the best, it is made difficult with issues such as the rising costs of college tuition.
At the same time, my family holds the belief that college is not one-size-fits-all. While my parents will encourage me and would like to see me go to college, they also recognize it may not be for me. My parents are still in debate over opening a 529 plan for me. What if I decide not to go to college? They have done some research on 529 plans, and by no means am I saying they’re experts, but cannot find information regarding how I would gain access to the money if it was not for academic pursuits and do not want to pay a penalty, fee or percentage to take my money out for non-academic related purposes upon my 18th birthday. It is a touchy subject around our dinner table.
If you’ve made it this far in my narrative you may actually be interested, which makes me hopeful.
I believe that whatever I choose to do once I turn 18, will be productive and will help me find a meaningful place in society. I also trust that I will pay it forward. The generosity I hope to experience from those who choose to contribute to this project is exhibited in the trust I have in human nature (I’m only 11 months old and still believe in the goodwill of people everywhere). I also do not take for granted those who show their generosity in non-financial ways, which are sometimes the richest and most important contributions. Generosity and kindness, breeds generosity and kindness…
I look forward to the many relationships I will have as a result of this project.
Until next time.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
No Big Deal...
I had my 11 month “birthday” just a few days ago. Trust me, it was no monumental occasion. I guess we’ll be having a party next month for my 1st birthday. I overheard my mom talking to my dad as she was addressing my birthday invitation envelopes and she asked what it meant that her 11 month old (me) has more people to invite to his birthday party than she would…I guess I’m just way cooler. Anyhow, my original due date was March 18th, which is one day after St. Patty’s Day, so my aunts and uncles were all trying to get me to come on March 17th so they could forever have a keg of green beer at my birthday parties. To their dismay, I showed up two days late. However, to compensate for my tardiness, we are officially having my 1st birthday party ON St. Patrick’s Day! I hear they are going to dye the Chicago River green, just for me! My gramps (a.k.a., Good Ol' Tim) is coming in from the East Coast and I have some “aunts,” i.e., my mom’s friends, coming in from San Fran, Cleveland, Madison and maybe Oklahoma. I have a real aunt and uncle coming in from Indy…I got people in lots of places and I’m only 11 months old, which brings me to my next update.
I’m walking. No big deal. But were you walking at 11 months and 1 day old? Probably not. Let’s face it. I’m ahead of the game. I read, I speak Spanish (though my parents don’t, so they don’t realize I’m not actually speaking gibberish anymore, but Spanish), I went for a swim the other night in the bath (kind of just dunked my head in and freaked myself out, but we can still consider it swimming) and I go to school (which I talked about in a previous posting and is where I learned Spanish). The things I will have accomplished by my first birthday are significant and have set the bar high for other babies who may join our family in the future. Just a heads up to them: the expectations have been set and they are quite ambitious.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The World Standing Up...
So, there are several things we have to get caught up on. I’ll do my best to cover as much as possible, but I have some older ladies coming over for lunch soon, so I don’t have that much time.
Last time we talked I forgot to mention that my mom started a new job, which means, I started school (okay, really daycare, but school sounds more scholarly). She was unbelievably worried about leaving me in someone else's care for all five days of the working week, but I was pumped. After we visited a few day cares and seeing that my mom was skeptical of EVERY one, she finally decided on the one closest to home. I don’t think there was any science to how she chose, other than time was running out and this one was close. I’m glad to know she was more concerned about my care than the proximity to home…
My dad dropped my off on my first day and I was immediately in baby heaven. Peace out, Dad. I got things to do and babies to meet. (Just for the record, I didn’t shed a tear). There were other little humans, just like me, who were confined to seeing the world either completely incapacitated where their limbs and mind aren’t on the same wave length, or by crawling, though some still have the army crawl going on. They’ll get there, one day. There was a plethora of toys. Way more than my home has to offer and there were three women paying attention to me. I was used to having only one. So if you’d ask me, I’d say this was a total upgrade. The only thing that would make it any better is if there were dogs there, more specifically, Bear and Lucky.
My school is pretty small. There are only two classrooms. One for the “babies,” and one for the older kids (1.5-3 year olds). The older kids get to play with these awesome toys on wheels. Being the mischievous character that I am, I managed to smuggle one from the big kids’ room into our room. Little did I know, these contraptions were going to open up a whole new world for me. After some thought and pondering over what I was to do with my newly discovered, or stolen toy, I gave it a go. I can now see the world standing up!!! These vehicles on wheels are great. No longer do I have to crane my neck to look up at the world around me. I still have to look up a little, as I remain vertically challenged, but I can finally give my hands and arms a rest and let my legs do the walking! While I think it’s great and of course my mom and dad oooh, ahhh and clap when I cruise around the house, Bear seems rather terrified. It’s really quite comical that I have the ability to chase a 65lbs dog out of a room just by doing what my mom says is my impression of an 80 year old drunk man using a walker. It cracks me up. You should check out this video. I’m pretty awesome.
Until next time.
Monday, January 9, 2012
How I came to be...
As my first birthday is quickly approaching, I figured I should share the story of how I came to be before we all forget.
It all started because the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. My dad loves all things Chicago sports, minus the Sox, and so there was no debate over whether my parents were going to brave the crowds to watch the Stanley Cup make its’ way down Michigan Ave. The morning of the parade, June 18th, 2010, was the earliest and fasted my father has EVER gotten out of bed. He had the jugs of margaritas mixed and in the backpack and was proudly sporting a Hawks jersey before my mom was done brushing her teeth. Usually when my dad is rushing (if he is even concerned enough to rush) it’s because he is running late, which is a relatively common occurrence as time and management aren’t his forte particularly when paired together…I digress. This particular morning remains the only morning he was rushing NOT because he was late, but because he was on a mission. A mission to see the Cup.
My parents stepped off the “L” downtown and were greeted by thousands of other parade-goers. After working their way through the crowds, counting the mullets and picking out those who were clearly from the burbs, they found a great spot at the corner of Michigan Ave. and Ohio. The parade wouldn’t be starting for a couple hours so the celebration commenced. It was a great time, so my parents say.
A couple months later as my parents sat in the doctor’s office and were told the date of conception, they scratched their heads and thought a moment and then in unison said, “Ohhhh…” Needless to say, I was not planned.
I guess they could have named my Stanley after the Stanley Cup (or my Papa who also happens to be Stanley…Stansfield…Jr).
My parents at a Hawks game, pre-baby.
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