because you wouldn't be juggling your class schedule around it, etc.

Yeah...this is a tough one. I have my pros/cons list here, and it really is about equal. Usually when I do that exercise it shows me definitively which way I should go. So, I sent off a cover letter/resume to them. If nothing else, it could be a good interview practice. We'll see what happens.

It's funny the messages this stuff sends. I feel like our stroller (a Maclaren) needs a sign saying, "Grandma bought it," because it's by far the poshest bit of baby gear we own. We really do get totally different looks from other parents if I happen to have Annabel in the sling (transforming me to Granola Mommy) or the cheapo stroller (earning looks of vague pity).

It's totally weird! I tend to pick gear based on how it works for me and how sturdy it looks--followed by affordability. I read From Here to Maternity last week and it's made me laughingly notice things that I hadn't noticed before about the Mommy status symbols. Not even when I was shopping for O's stuff or registering for the baby shower.

Also, I don't suppose any church you're interested in has a Sunday night service?

Park Street has two Sunday evening services...they're at 4 and 5. I wouldn't be able to make it to either of them. I thought that Vineyard had a Saturday evening service, but it looks like it doesn't. I must have made that up. Oh, actually, looks like Park Street does have a 6pm service on Sundays. That could work...Hmmmm...

All my gear that people saw came from my baby shower. I didn't register or anything, so I had an unmatched mish-mash of stuff. I think our stroller was from Play-Skool. It converted from a baby carriage to a stroller. Once we were in serious-sitting up age, I bought an umbrella-style stroller from the now defunct Ames for about ten bucks. I used the diaper bags I got from people, and not one of them went with anything else I had. Eventually, I abandoned them for a tote bag I got free from LL Bean or some place like that. On the upside, nobody could accuse me of thinking of my kids as accessories to my outfits.

It's totally weird! I tend to pick gear based on how it works for me and how sturdy it looks--followed by affordability.

Isn't it, though? I pick which stroller to use or carry the sling totally based on what's practical for the circumstances, so it cracks me up to know I'm giving off a totally different vibe just because I hate waiting on elevators at the ballpark (hence the sling rather than the stroller) or don't want to trust the fancy stroller to the tender mercies of an airline (hence the cheapo stroller).

Oh, Park Street. They've always had a great name, around here. Where's there a Vineyard near you? Are you open to a charismatic church? I'm only asking because that's my impression of Vineyard congregations, not because I have any problem with them.

What's a charismatic church?

It's totally weird! I tend to pick gear based on how it works for me and how sturdy it looks--followed by affordability.

I choose gear based on Consumer Reports. Thus, we have a Graco Metrolite travel system, and when we do finally get a crib, it'll be the Delta Luv model they selected as their best buy rather than something stunningly attractive and expensive.

Oh, Park Street. They've always had a great name, around here. Where's there a Vineyard near you? Are you open to a charismatic church? I'm only asking because that's my impression of Vineyard congregations, not because I have any problem with them.

Yeah...I've heard good things about Park Street too. I actually even like the looks of their singles' program...and I HATE singles' programs. I didn't realize that Vineyard was charismatic (not that I'm opposed to that either). There's one here in Cambridge. They used to be on the way to BU at a high school, but they just moved into their own building, which is somewhere around Alewife, I think: [link] I HATE their new advertising campaign that they've got on the T, though. It's too pop culture for me. I may be new-fashioned in my thinking, but I'm old-fashioned in my church service liking. I like hymns and stuff. I'm just not into the new contemporary services.

What's a charismatic church?

From Wikipedia: Charismatic is an umbrella term used to describe those Christians who believe that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit seen in the first century Christian Church, such as glossolalia (known as "speaking in tongues"), healing and miracles, are available to contemporary Christians and ought to be experienced and practiced today.