thefutureisred

Photo of the Day: Nothing Like A Man On A Horse Charging A Bull

Suddenly, there were bulls running through the streets of this sleepy town of the beaten path between Avignon and Nimes. What a way to start your round-the-world trip!

South of France, July 2007.  We had just arrived in France from NYC and were staying with our friends Ronnie and Michael in Meynes. They used to live in the same building as ours in Brooklyn, and both were deeply instrumental in helping us make the decision to break free from the life we'd known there.

"Yes," Ronnie told me often enough over glasses of wine or cups of coffee. "You've been here long enough. It's time to go." He and Michael made travel a way of life long before travel blogging came along to make it a viable thing to do. They were also my first model of people who happily open their house to travelers.

This particular day, we walked down to the central square of town during the Meynes five day festival to find the streets barricaded with spectators crowded behind, beer or pastis in hand, waiting for the bulls to run back around. 

I stood with John -- another guest of Ronnie and Michael's -- each of us with our own beer and marveling at how the way men in Meynes dressed, they would most definitely be taken for gay in NYC. 

John works for AirItalia as well as runs Duck Diver Tours -- adventure for gay travelers -- with his partner Edvard. They, too, are inveterate travelers.

Someone let the bull free at the far end of town, then a group of men on horses corralled the animal down to the main square while another group of men on foot wrestled the horned beast to the ground. Testosterone at its best. Both John and I easily agreed on that.

Lila took this photo while sitting on Noah's shoulders.

Photo Essay: Even the Sky Celebrates Argentina's Win Over Mexico

We began at a Cuatro Siglos, a cafe right on 9 de Julio -- the main square of Salta -- to watch the Argentina-Mexico match. After, people poured onto the street bearing celeste y blanco Argentina shirts, wigs, face paint and flags. Even the sky cooperated by displaying the national colors.

The light in the cafe made it difficult to see people's faces, just silhouettes jumping around and screaming. During the game, the streets are dead. Not a single person to be seen. After, everyone goes outside.

Turn left from Cuatro Siglos to see the street filled with people singing, dancing and blowing horns. On a normal day, you'd come to this block to visit the Museum de Arqueologia de Alta Montana and the Centro Cultural America.

Turn right to hundreds more people outside the Cabildo Historico del Norte. Take a closer look for wigs, hats and face painting galore. Everyone gets involved.

Even the dogs.... Check out this guy parading down Avenida Belgrano.

I love the look on this guy's face. You know just what he's thinking. This dog isn't mine. It belongs to my girlfriend.

Gotta love this family, smallest to largest, all painted blue and screaming at the top of their lungs.

The happiness is palpable. You can't help but feel the same way.

I just got word the Netherlands beat Brazil 2-1. Can you imagine what will happen if (when!) Argentina wins the whole shebang? 

We're leaving Salta to drive to Buenos Aires next Thursday. I'm all nervous about tomorrow's game with Germany, but also have high hopes of driving through the country, watching games and celebrating with people from all over the country.

We leave the day after the final game.

Dale! Dale! Argentina!!!

Breastfeeding Is Creepy: The Middle Ground?

Earlier this week, I published an article on Matador Life titled Uberboober VS Formula Funbag: Choose Your Weapon. Who knew by the end of the day, I'd be interviewed by the BBC because of what I wrote?

 
Yes, it did bother me to hear Kathryn Blundell, deputy editor of Mother & Baby Magazine, call breastfeeding creepy. Why? Because it feels like a personal attack. I breastfed Lila for almost two and a half years. So then you must think I'm creepy too?

As I read more about Ms. Blundell's article, I began to see beyond the surface layer of words and to what I think is the core of the matter. We moms are too often put in a position of defending our parenting choices. Most times, it feels no matter what we choose, we will be wrong.

While still living in Brooklyn, I started a mother's group. Ok, it was for all parents, but rarely did a dad appear at our get togethers. We met for coffee, play dates, nights out, but mainly it was a place to go for support. In my two years running that group, I never once heard a woman badmouth another mother's parenting choices.

Common experience leads to common support, not discord. That is how it should be.

Then I Got the E-mail from Claudia Bradshaw

Claudia produces the BBC's World Have Your Say live radio show. She asked if I'd be willing to go on air and discuss Kathryn's statements.

Abso-freakin-lutely!

You can listen to or download the entire program on the WHYS website. It will only be available until next Wednesday when a new show airs and you have to scroll down to find the Breastfeeding is Creepy download link.

The Discussion Continues

Another woman speaking on the show with me, Morgan Gallagher, felt she was not allowed to discuss what she wanted. When she brought up the dangers of formula feeding, she was cut out of the show altogether, and thus did not take part in the African broadcast segment of the show. 

Since then, a Facebook group called The Final Straw, sprung up to support Morgan. They ask that the BBC apologize and grant her the right to share her views, particularly to the African population. Since she was not able to share on the radio, she tells her side of the story in her most recent blog post. You'll note in the comments, Chloe, one of the World Have Your Say producers and Ros Atkins, the show's live moderator, respond to Morgan.

I do not see the situation in quite the same way as Morgan. I tend to see a middle ground, but I would love to continue the discussion. Morgan has expressed the same on her post.

I look forward to talking more.

Photo by James Kendall of the Pistoleers and Random Duck