Strollerderby
My Heart. It Bleeds.
At first, I assumed “Mommy’s Going Out,” a column in Cookie magazine, was a joke.
Then, I sorta just hoped it was, because considering the alternatives was giving me a headache.
Then, I realized that Cookie isn’t the type of publication to pull an Andy Kaufman-style prank on the reading community and that, no, this Tatiana Boncompagni must be a real person who thinks she has real problems, what with all the black-tie galas and Chanel bags and free Bobbi Brown cosmetics. Boo-hoo, she says, I only go out once a week to fabulous parties and spend the rest of the time with my fabulous family.
Then, I broke out some Google-fu and found out that, indeed, Boncompagni is for real.
Then, I got very, very sad. Not sad that my own life isn’t like Boncompagni — my free bath salts were of the Epsom-and-food-coloring variety — but sad that such lives exist outside of fiction and that those who live them think their problems can be related to by the rest of us.
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5 Comments
Anonymous commented on Jan 01 70 at 12:00 amI was very excited about Cookie before it came out, and immediately got a subscription. I consider myself to be a hip, urban mom – I don’t know what others consider me to be! I was so disgusted and turned off by the magazine that I cancelled my subscription after three issues. It was CLEARLY aimed at affluent, white parents in major cities, who take major vacations and spend as much on their kids’ clothes as I spend on my utilities. It was the most WASP-y publication I’ve ever had the misfortune to pick up. Never again!
Anonymous commented on Jan 01 70 at 12:00 amCookie — what a waste of time. It makes me glad I’m not in its target market.
Anonymous commented on Jan 01 70 at 12:00 amI haven’t picked up Cookie and after reading this essay I know I have no reason to in the future. Yes, moms (all parents) need time to do their own thing, but this woman’s life is neither enviable or typical. I can only see it causing other women to feel like haggard washed up nerds. I don’t feel that way, cause I wouldn’t know what to do at fu-fu events. But I can see that there are lots of women and mothers who do fall into the consumerist/materialism category and to them this woman must be living the good life. I just want to barf.
mcglory13 commented on Jan 01 70 at 12:00 amWell, I think every woman should have one night a week she goes out and does something fun. Obviously I’m not getting fancy goody bags (I’m actually going to soccer practice). But strip away all the conspicuous consumption and I think it’s fair to discuss the homelife/work/fun balance. But this definitely illustrates that Cookie is not at Texan grad student moms like me.
Anonymous commented on Jan 01 70 at 12:00 amUgh. What self-indulgent gluttonous rubbish. This is a person who does not seem to understand what having a family is all about, she is impressed with others who do nothing and worse, impressed with stuff. I have never read Cookie, but after publishing this story I don’t think I’ll have any reason to pick it up.
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