Chapter 82.1: So Little Time, So Much to Do

Here we are, in the final week of January, and I feel like I've accomplished nothing. I have valid reasons — who poop and cry and drink bottles like drunken sailors — but it's still amazing to see time evaporate before me.

Anyway, I've been meaning to conduct several interviews for work and haven't even called people to set things up yet. I've got pieces to edit that are piling up in nice messy stacks and I'm only starting to gain the energy to work on them.

So it's nice to see that the world is moving forward regardless of my schedule. The Democrats in Congress have gotten a stimulus package passed despite not having a single Republican vote in its favor. I respect that Republicans might disagree with the amount of money being directed at various programs, including those they consider entitlement programs. But it surprises me that not a single Republican voted in favor of this bill. It's not as though President Obama didn't reach out for their input.

But it's a House bill and this was a stand the Republicans chose to take against the Democrats, who have the votes in the House to pass it. The Senate bill will be different, and if Congress is to get a stimulus package on Obama's desk by Lincoln's birthday, there'll likely need to be compromises made. So much government sausage making.

The way I see it, the issues the administration and Congress are addressing are important, but getting the economy moving in the right direction again will ultimately come down to businesses feeling confident enough in the future to hire people to work instead of laying them off. Big companies like Boeing, and Microsoft, and Target have announced layoffs. These are companies that are relatively strong but recognize that the economy isn't getting better; it's getting worse. So they're bracing for the storm. Friends of mine at other companies have lost jobs, despite having ten, twelve years with their former employers. And the credit card crisis hasn't even hit yet. But it's coming. You can bet your last dollar on that.

It's scary out there. The future looks bleak. Yet, somehow, I think we — my family and those I most care about, including those who are unemployed — will get through it. We'll need to scrimp and save, consolidate things that we used to take for granted, reuse stuff that probably would have been tossed in the past. We'll likely have lots of competitors when we hold a garage sale, and you have to wonder who will be buying. But I think that in the end we'll survive, possibly even come out of things feeling rejuvenated if not a little grayer around the temples.

This is our generation's crisis, and crises mean people step up and do what they need to do. They do what's needed. This is our time to be a great generation. There's no shortage of things to accomplish. We've all heard the ancient curse: may you live in interesting times. Well, at least we won't be bored.

Chapter 82: Matt Recommends – Saving Baby's Life DVD

Geraldine Hickey, an award-winning neonatal intensive care nurse, has created Saving Baby's Life, a DVD with instructions for new parents about how to respond to a choking, respiratory, or cardiac emergency experienced by your infant or newborn. I heartily recommend that all first-time parents get a copy, which provides exactly what it promises: simple, concise, accurate, and effective instruction. Even a seasoned parent who has a newborn and never learned these life saving techniques would be advised to pick up a copy.

I am a certified New Jersey EMT and have served on a first aid squad for more than twenty years, but even I found this DVD useful. There are differences between adult and infant CPR, but Hickey doesn't bog the DVD down with comparisons. She focuses her comments squarely on the infant's care. She gets right to the point and shares her knowledge. Clearly and articulately, Hickey describes the entire process of performing rescue breathing, CPR, and dislodging an object from an infant's airway. When it comes to emergency situations for infants, these are the ones a new parent most needs to know how to address.

She also helps explain when to call 911. Even as a trained EMT, I would call 911 to activate the emergency response system. A child who goes into cardiac arrest, for example, needs to be seen by a doctor.

The creator of Baby Zone & Beyond LLC, Hickey also discusses ways to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, with helpful guidance for new parents such as having the child sleep on its back, keeping infants away from second-hand smoke, and keeping potential obstacles from cluttering the basinette or crib. The stuffed elephant is cute, but it should not be in the crib of an infant.

Again, I recommend that parents of newborns pick up a copy of this professionally produced DVD, which is about 20 minutes long and worth every second. Even those who have had adult CPR courses would benefit from this instruction.

I received no compensation for this review. It's part of my new focus on this blog of products for infants and children — a way to offer my knowledge and initial impressions to those parents like me who are new to this wonderful stage of life. I'm proud to have made this the first product I review on this site. Emergency care is too important to put on the back burner.

Chapter 81.7: Thanks, Happy New Year, and Good Luck!

I was very pleasantly surprised to see the recent results of my latest poll, which asked whether you had made a New Year's resolution. I got six responses in a week, which for this little blog is pretty much record-setting territory.

Not only that, but no one responded that setting resolutions is a waste of time. I used to think they were. I used to say "I resolved not to make any resolutions," but that joke got old. So did I, and I realized that setting resolutions is essentially goal setting, and I have many goals.

I won't go into all of them, but my goals for 2009 include getting a literary agent, finishing my second novel (a tough challenge, with newborns), and doing my diaper duty. (Pardon the play on words.)

Anyone else care to share their resolutions for 2009? You don't even have to be among those who responded to the poll.

Chapter 81.6: Hot Dog and Rice

The Baseball Hall of Fame will have at least two new members. In my opinion, both Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice deserve the laurels they will finally wear. Henderson — baseball's greatest base stealer and the consummate leadoff hitter — was a no-brainer. The only issue for him was whether he actually was finished playing.

Though he turned 50 on Christmas day, Henderson probably could still hit .280 and provide 15-20 stolen bases and score 75 runs if he played in 2009. He was always in fantastic shape and his skills hadn't fallen apart like those of many older players. With more than 3,000 hits, 1,400 steals, and 2,000 runs, his election was a foregone conclusion.

Rice, on the other hand, required all fifteen of the annual ballots before he was elected. In my view, he was one of the greatest power hitters of the '70s and '80s. If you look at his numbers, you see that he was quite productive for at least ten years. The ongoing criticism of him was that he didn't get along well with the media. I just don't understand why that should matter so much.

I could write more (and better) on both these players, and hopefully I will, but if nothing else, I say congratulations to two of baseball's greatest.

Chapter 81.5: Matt Recommends

I've decided to add something new to this blog, now that I have a new sphere of important things to think about. It's called "Matt Recommends," in which you'll find links to Web sites of important people or products for caring for newborns.

Periodically, I will offer write-ups of items that I have found useful and which I want to promote so other parents might learn and help their children. The first will be for Baby Zone & Beyond, which produced an excellent video about emergency care for newborns and infants.

I do not get any payment for this review and I will only review companies or products that I have personally used and feel willing to attach my name to. My review is not yet written, but you can find other positive reviews (indeed, they're all positive) at the Amazon page for the video, Saving Baby's Life.