About
My name is Alex Iwashyna. You may also know me as Alexandra, Al, Big Al and of course, Al your Pal (but only when I’m running for office in sixth grade. A catchy slogan that may or may not have been why I lost.) I am also the Alex Iwashyna formally known as Alex Nelson.
I blog about life, parenting, marriage, hating people, spirituality, zombies and Southern people who offend my Yankee sensibilities. In my pajamas. After lunch.
Because early really does suck. So does anything you can’t sleep in. Except shoes. Shoes are great.
I am also a freelance writer and poet. I consult on social media and websites for individuals and companies. I teach the Art of Blogging at the Visual Arts Center and I created a moms group through a local nonprofit here in Richmond, VA.
If you’ve had enough of me (already? because I can go on and on and on), the rest of the family is pretty cool, too.
- S/Scott = my husband since 2003, pediatrician, and all-around soccer-loving, amazingly sweet man
- E = my son since 2006, my oldest, and all-around energetic, sports-loving, music-loving, sweet boy
- N = my daughter since 2009, my youngest, and all-around easy-going, put-in-box-put-out-of-box-loving, sweet girl
We are a Yankee couple who bred Southern children and secretly love living in the South. Except for the fact that our district votes Republican like they pay us (which for some of the neighbors probably isn’t far from the truth). Oh well. We can still annoy them with our yard signs.
I am a Stay at Home Mom and Writer (yes, they are capitalized for no reason) in my early thirties and I worked REALLY hard to get here, just kinda on the wrong path of working hard.
- Graduated from high school.
- Received my Bachelors of Arts in Philosophy in 2000
- Awarded my Medical Degree in 2006
- Realized I want to stay home with my kids in 2006
- Remembered that I love to write in 2007
Oh and my journey also included a conversion: from an atheist/deist/agnostic Republican to a God-loving/slightly-Christian Liberal. Fairly inconvenient when I’m trying to fit into the twitter-verse, blogosphere and outside-ville. (That last phrase isn’t catchy AT ALL. Totally explains why Americans are in front of a screen more than a tree. Tree sounds TOTALLY BORING. And itchy.)
So here we are. Writing. Mostly poetry and blogging. But I have a book of essays that are DYING to come out. I just have to make time for it. Sleep’s overrated anyway.
Here are all the ways to contact me.
I have a few subscription options: Get posts emailed daily, get posts emailed weekly in a newsletter, subscribe by RSS reader, follow on Facebook or Twitter. Who's sick me yet?
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wanted to alert you (if you didn’t already know) about what was happening with the online side of a retailer in Richmond, Franklin Goose. Big deal with my local mommies group: http://thesavedquarter.com/2011/03/franklin-goose-you-suck/
Thought that you and other readers of your blog might want to know what’s happening.
I should be doing other things but instead I’m stalking you.
Because you’re totally worth it.
Hilarious. Now I know why my daughter’s pediatrician almost made me cry about my smoking during T’s first doctor visit.
Ciao – j.
I love how gut-wrenchingly honest you can be about motherhood and all things woman & human. I know things happen the way they’re supposed to and for a reason and all that jazz…but I wish I’d had someone like you in my life when my kids were young. I took it too seriously – tried way too hard…perhaps we all do at times, though. I hope women that come to your site find comfort, knowing that they’re not the only ones struggling to hold it down. I’m glad to know you now. I was actually just talking to someone (ok, a lot of someones – I rarely share a profound concept with just ONE person) the other day about the whole feminist / working woman thing before I even read your blog! (insert oohs and ahhs of amazement here)
i’m definitely NOT a republican and i have been known to swing both ways. i am very embracing of the california/blue state i live in. and i’m quite fond of over-use of the lower caps. how does that make you feel? i generally find UPPER case letters to be offensive and stray away from them unless i’m trying to be serious &/or professional – which rarely happens.
i’m also a stay-at-home mom but am now having to look for work again. other peeps kiddos are far less appealing than my own. i guess i’m just as drained in the attention providing department as you.
keep it up, mamasita.
Why did you have to go and be all witty and stuff? I have too many blogs to read as it is, and I haven’t even posted on mine since April! I’ll have to delete someone now.
Wit and sarcasm? I’m in. We can still talk, one liberal atheist/humanist to a christian liberal, right?
You are my hero. I am not a lesbian either but you are my hero.
Your blog is awesome, your sarcasm is awesome, and I can’t wait to read through your posts today, despite the fact I need to get through piles of work so my boss doesn’t fire me.
So I’m off to read through your posts!!
LOVE your blog. I am not a republican or a lesbian, but I have considered being the latter. I would love to read a blog on your conversion. I am also a God-loving/slightly Christian liberal…that’s what parenting, homeschooling and grad school will do to a girl.
I found you through Kate Hall so it’s not surprising that you’re indubitably and irreverently fabulous. Thanks for the laughs!
I like, this.
This is really good. Not sure how this ended up on my screen, but now I’m here, I’m liking it.
Thank you for finding time to post your hilarious pictures and stories.
I also have a son who was born in 2006 and then a girl two years later and can’t imagine how you’re doing it. I’m still exhausted by them but so glad to have found your posts which made me laugh out loud so hard I started coughing! Congrats on getting picked up by Mamapedia yesterday, which is how I found you.
P.S. Your mess dated my mess and they had a party at my house. Let me know when you find those cleaning robots, we need ‘em here, too!
For the record: I’d be okay if you were lesbian.
In fact, I would be psyched that you like my blog just as much as I am psyched that you like my blog. (that sentence makes sense. yes it does)
ps. oh and I also wouldn’t think you were hitting on me. or i think everyone is hitting on me. so either way, no need to explain anymore.
also not a lesbian.
but i am fucking fabulous and so are you.
takes one to know one.
p.s. Brad Keena led me to you via OS. he is kinda hot so i am very glad not to be a lesbian.
Found you thru Twitter. Like you I’ve got a BA in Philosophy. Got a Ph.D. in Zoology, and now I’m writing blogs and raising kids. I also do a bit of on-line marketing, but am not too good at it yet. Still love to learn…and laugh…and will eventually write.
Thanks for the fun blog posts. I’ll be back.
I can’t believe you were a republican.
I’m also not a lesbian.
I love that anyone that googles “republican” and “lesbian” will end up here. actually, it’s kid of scary.
PS added you to blog roll too
Hey there !
I like you too, and I am a lesbian, but not a Replublican !!!
I like reading anything that i can make sense of..and i sure can understand you !
I like you too.
I am also not a lesbian.
Stumbled across your blog a few days ago and have come back a couple of times since then (added you to my blog roll, too). Love your cute honesty and non-apologetic personality. Keep it coming!
I like you.
I did not mean to write more.
Infer from that what you will.
oops, i meant to write more….you know, so you don’t think I’m some weird blog stalking lesbian. I’m not.
I’m so glad I found your blog. I relate on a lot of levels and yer funny.
I like you.
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