Abby Off the Record — The scoop on life, writing & raising kids

A Happy Anniversary

October 10, 2011

Eight years ago tomorrow, my husband and I were married on a beautiful fall day in Newport, Rhode Island. As it happens, we were in New England again this weekend, for the wedding of my nephew. I couldn’t help but reflect on how much has changed since we were in those nervous newlyweds’ shiny new […]

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Flashback Friday: Prospering From Personal Essays

October 7, 2011

Since we are on our way to a family wedding this weekend (with a TODDLER, Lord help us!), I am republishing this piece I wrote a while back. New online writing classes start next Weds. 10/12 so if you’re interested, don’t wait to register! Prospering From Personal Essays It’s funny how for us writers, success […]

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Money Madness

October 5, 2011

So, the economy: still bad. What’s up with that? As you can probably tell from my scintillating conversation on the subject, I’m no financial genius. But thanks to my fiscally-savvy parents I did have a savings account at a young age, with my very own bank book. If you were born in the dark ages […]

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Can’t-Miss Kids’ Birthday Gifts

October 3, 2011

It’s that time of year again! The kids are back in school and those telltale brightly colored envelopes are showing up in your mailbox or kids’ backpacks weekly – birthday party invitations. If you’re thinking, “Yay! How fun!” you obviously haven’t been to as many kids’ birthday parties as I have. Listen: I’m flattered my […]

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What the Croc?!

September 30, 2011

One of the many, many funny parts of Tina Fey’s Bossypants was when she remarked on how (paraphrasing here) things that normal people consider no big deal are overwhelming to her. I feel like that ALL the time. Specifically, every single day when I pick up my son from kindergarten. This involves waking my toddler […]

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How to Make Time to Write

September 28, 2011

Sometimes I hesitate to write these “how I do it” posts because I think, “Who really cares when I write and when I do laundry?” But then I always get students in my personal essay class who want to know how exactly I find time to write, teach, and raise my kids. They want specifics, […]

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Another Stint in the School Library

September 26, 2011

Mrs. Peterson was my elementary school librarian. As I remember her, she was an older woman partial to festive seasonal sweaters. She was as warm and calm as you’d hope a children’s librarian would be, with a wonderful reading voice. I don’t recall the exact books she read to us as we gathered on the […]

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Flashback Friday: Celebrity Nanny Tells All! So?

September 23, 2011

The other day a dad at kindergarten pickup struck up a conversation. He said he could tell I was a mom and not a nanny. Huh? What does THAT mean? That I look old? Frumpy? Or just unemployable? Malia said she can spot nannies a mile away because they’re always texting and usually 19. So, […]

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Can We Be Friends?

September 21, 2011

I’m not proud of it, but I’ve written off potential friends for entirely superficial reasons. These include: anti-TV bumper stickers, wearing full makeup at the gym, dressing their toddler in all white, and wearing heels at the playground. We can’t be friends. It’ll never work. We’re too different. As a stay-at-home mom and freelance writer […]

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Brought to Tears…Over Giftwrap

September 19, 2011

My 5yo asked me another stumper in the car the other day: “Mom, do you ever cry? Like, not when you hurt yourself?” “Sure I do. I cry sometimes when I’m tired, or stressed, or when Daddy makes me really mad.” “You do?” “Yes, everybody cries sometimes. There’s nothing wrong with crying.” As if to […]