Banji Ganchrow
Bio
Self-proclaimed writer, masters in social work. Has driven 3 sons to 22 baseball stadiums. Hopes, because of this, they will never put her in a nursing home.
Stories (45/0)
Holy Crap I'm 40: Boys Will Be Boys Edition
Just because you are older, doesn't mean that you are wiser. Especially when it comes to your children. Even more so if you are raising boys when you, yourself, are a girl. So here I am, a 40 year old, and it still amazes me that boys/men are able to aim, shoot and pee in a straight line... with nothing dripping from the actual stream. I find the science of that absolutely incredible. Especially since women are not designed to 'go' like that. And yet, I had to toilet train my three sons with no help from their father. I would put cheerios in the toilet and they enjoyed peeing on them. Target practice for two and a half year olds. Great fun for everyone.
By Banji Ganchrow7 years ago in Longevity
Holy Crap I'm 40: Yoga Edition
Exercising in your 40s is very important. A body in motion tends to stay in motion and a body that sits in a recliner, tends to rarely get up from the recliner. So even though I am a fan of eating, I have always been a fan of exercising. And when I say exercising, I mean walking and spin class. I walk because it is my therapy, hence the number of pairs of sneakers I go through in a year. I enjoy spinning because the room is dark and no one can see me. No one should have to see me on a bicycle from behind, unless they are being punished for something. And the music is so loud that it drowns out the thoughts in my hear. The sweating doesn't hurt either.
By Banji Ganchrow7 years ago in Longevity
Holy Crap I'm 40: Sagging Edition
I am writing this one right after turning 40. The reality has set in. This is it. I am not going to anymore sweet 16's, unless my sons decide that they want to have one. I will not be making out with my high school boyfriend anymore, for many reasons. One of which being husband #1(still my current husband) will probably be very upset. And I will not be sobbing on the floor of my childhood room, listening to Rick Springfield albums, well, maybe I will still be doing that from time to time.
By Banji Ganchrow7 years ago in Longevity
Holy Crap I'm 40: Aerobic Edition
There are some amazing looking women in their 40s. How do they do it? I know that it is important to keep moving, which is ironic because it gets so much easier to hurt yourself as you age. If I bend down to carry the laundry basket upstairs, and I move the wrong way, I hear an unpleasant noise, and my back will be in spasm for the rest of the month. Same thing with exercise-it is important to keep doing it, but you have to be so careful not to hurt yourself. Such a double edge sword. But you really do feel better after a workout. Or just keep telling yourself that...
By Banji Ganchrow7 years ago in Longevity
Holy Crap I'm 40: Invention Edition
Over the course of 40 years, lots of things happen. Good things, bad things-because when you think about it, 40 years is a really long time. In 1965, when Maxwell Smart was talking on a shoe phone, no one thought that could ever be a reality. And here we are, all of these years later, and people are walking around with shoes on their feet, but with phones, that can do almost anything, in their hands. On a more serious note, in 1952, Jonas Salk and his team at the University of Pittsburgh invented the first effective Polio vaccine. This saved millions of lives. I am kind of hoping that within the next 40 years, someone invents a cure for cancer, or ALS, or one of the, unfortunately, many disease that affects so many people.
By Banji Ganchrow7 years ago in Longevity
Holy Crap I'm 40: Fat Mom Marathon Edition
When you only have boys, and they ask you to spend time with them, you say yes. Because you never know when they will ask you again. So when my eldest asked me if I wanted to do a half marathon with him, I didn't even hesitate. Well, maybe a little, but he didn't notice. People seem to be in so much better shape nowadays. How hard could it be for my 40 year old self to run 13.1 miles? Pretty hard, so I trained to walk it. And hoped that I didn't finish last and would have people pointing and laughing at me.
By Banji Ganchrow7 years ago in Longevity
Most Narcissistic Politicians
The definition of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, which is no longer used as a diagnosis because too many people have it, is, “a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this make of ultra confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that’s vulnerable to the slightest criticism.”
By Banji Ganchrow7 years ago in The Swamp
Best Presidential Books
Throughout history, there have been some fascinating people in the Oval Office. For some, the interesting parts of their journeys took place well before they were elected President; for others, life after they left Washington was worth examining. All in all, it's a very selective group of people that help the position of most powerful leader of the free world. Here is a list of the best Presidential books.
By Banji Ganchrow7 years ago in The Swamp
Holy Crap I'm 40: Road Trip Edition
The wise Ferris Bueller once said, "Life goes by pretty fast, if you don't take the time to look around once in a while, you might miss it." This becomes more and more true as you get older. If you are blessed to have children, you really want them to like you, because you want them to spend time with you. Yes, this is bad parenting, but when you turn 40 you realize not to sweat the small stuff. Be the best parent you can, or face the consequences-a really stinky nursing home. This is why, for 8 summers, I, along with husband #1(still the only husband) piled in the car with our three male heirs and drove across country to see baseball stadiums. And because I am so practical, and learned from shlepping suitcases on our first road trip, we now pack in garbage bags. Why? Because then they become laundry bags. (Don't knock it until you've tried it!)
By Banji Ganchrow7 years ago in Longevity
Holy Crap I'm 40: Denial Edition
It is so important to be young at heart, especially when you are over 40. The glass half full mentality needs to get you through the fact that when you get out of bed in the morning, almost every part of your body hurts. And not in a good way, or because you were out partying the night before. You think you are young, but you look like you aren't. And that is ok.
By Banji Ganchrow7 years ago in Longevity
Holy Crap I'm 40: Gym Edition
When you turn 40, you become many things-fabulous, fantastic, fearless (or fearful, depending on your anxiety level), but you only become fat at 40 if you were fat before 40. Now fat is a relative term. Even the skinniest people sometimes think they are fat (and I usually want to force feed them cake), but, for some of us, weight has always been an issue. We can still fit into clothes, for the most part, we can still exercise, but we will never be walking down the street in jeans and a tank top for fear of scaring people or getting approached by a plastic surgeon who might say, "I think I can help you with those bat wings." So, it is really all relative.
By Banji Ganchrow7 years ago in Longevity
Holy Crap I'm 40: Young and Hip Edition
As part of my never ending 40th birthday celebration, my sister and I went to Vegas for a few days. This was the perfect vacation. She and I have a lot more in common than husband #1 and I do (husband #1 still being my only husband, for better or worse or just for the moment). We both love shows and spending money. As soon as we got to the hotel, we upgraded to a nicer room that came with a daily newspaper, free wifi and cocktail hour. Husband #1 does not drink, even after having been married to me for all of these years, go figure.
By Banji Ganchrow7 years ago in Longevity