For All the World to See: Protecting your children

My article at the Wet Noodle Posse ezine is up for the month of March. Here's a preview of the other pieces in this issue (courtesy of Kiki Clark, as usual!):

Okay, who doesn't want to see pictures of baby kangaroos and koalas? Anyone? No. That's why this month's SuperHeroine column is about Rosemary Duffield, rehabilitator of adorable critters in Australia. Written by Rosemary's daughter and our own Noodler, Trish Morey, this article will have you baby-talking to your monitor in two seconds flat.

Speaking of pictures, one look at Mary Fechter's photos of NIOSA (Night in Old San Antonio) will drop your jaw and have you on the phone reserving flights to Texas. Spring in San Antonio means oyster bakes, the Battle of the Flowers parade, torch-lit marching bands in the Fiesta F lambeau, and yes, food on a stick. But antichuchos are a far cry from corndogs, amigos. Get on down there.

"Don't talk to strangers." That may be all our mothers and fathers told us about avoiding trouble in the big, bad world, but that piece of advice is actually counterproductive. Colleen Gleason describes the real conversation you need to have with your children to keep them safe, along with actions and signals that head off trouble before it starts.

Arguing with your significant other is unavoidable, unless both of you have had frontal lobotomies (and have duct tape over your mouths). But if you start out with a valid complaint and end up apologizing, something is very wrong. Dr. Debra tells you how to recognize and deal with that most slippery of men, the Twister.

There are very few girly things that can't be improved by sticking a ribbon rose on them: a shower present, the front of a dress, a flower girl's noggin. And it turns out ribbon roses are easy to make! Delle Jacobs gives you step-by-step instructions, bunches of tips, and bonus pictures of her kitty, Jinx.

When Sean Connery or Ewan McGregor says, "Och, lassie, I'm that famished. Could we no have some skirlied potatoes tonight before makin' mad, passionate luve?" - you want to have that recipe handy. Enter Sandy Blair, writer of Highland romances and cooker of the aforementioned potatoes, plus Beef & Bacon Pie and Plum Pudding with Whiskey Sauce. You'll be sprawled on the heather in no time.

Jenna Ness wants you to look your best, and she will make it happen with Ten Tips for going from Frump City to Hot Mama. Do these tips require a membership to the gym? A new diet? A billion bucks? They do not. If you aren't amazed by these tips, we will return your frumpiness at no charge.

Tragically, Priscilla Kissinger was born without a frump gene, and will never know the joy of bad hair. March's Noodler of the Month can often be found singing onstage in her local community theater, when she's not screaming her lungs out at a Cubs game. Get to know this fun writer and mom.

Writers talk about their muse a lot. Sometimes in a happy way ("My muse struck yesterday and I wrote twenty pages!") and sometimes in a frustrated way ("I looked for my muse in a quart of Haagen Dazs, but she wasn't there.") Maureen Hardegree found that the key to finding your muse is to listen. When she did, her muse turned out to be hairier than most, and had a southern accent. It's her husband. Find your muse with a little help from The Writer's Life.

Hey, Batter, Batter, Batter!!! Our Top Ten Faves this month are sports. Astonishingly, given the fact that we are writers, there are some gung-ho athletes in the Posse, especially when it comes to tennis and martial arts. Bowling also gets a look in, for some interesting reasons.

WetNoodlePosse.com -- Be good to yourself, or else.