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Welcome to a New Editor: Bethany Mandel
Before I start posting here at Ricochet, I wanted to take the time to introduce myself to readers, members, and listeners. You may already be familiar with me because of my role on LadyBrains and the newly launched podcast with my husband Seth, called That Sethany Show.
I’ll be editing here part-time, cleaning up member posts and helping podcasts and other posts get on the site. In addition to that editing, I’ll be writing a few posts a week, on politics and cultural trends.
A bit about me: I’m a full-time mother, home with my three kids. I don’t use their names online because the Internet is a dark and scary place, and we want them to develop their online identities separate from us. My oldest is four, and her online nickname is Cookie; you may have heard unexpected guest appearances from her on LadyBrains over the last year. My middle son is nicknamed Pat because he was born on St. Patrick’s Day; he’s almost three. You may be familiar with my youngest’s birth story; his nickname is Altima, because that’s where he was born, in Seth’s Nissan Altima on the side of the highway. (You can listen to that whole story on this episode of LadyBrains).
In addition to my Ricochet duties editing, writing and podcasting, I am also a Senior Contributor at the Federalist and a columnist at the Jewish Daily Forward.
Before my daughter was born, Seth and I both worked at Commentary Magazine. After she was born I started freelancing from home, and plan to homeschool our children. Seth has since moved on to become the op-ed editor at the New York Post. We live in New Jersey with our kids and have no spare time; though if I had that, I would continue trying to teach myself how to crochet and be far more crafty and put together than I am.
I look forward to getting to know all of you; please introduce yourselves in the comments!
Published in General
Welcome! And thank you a thousand times for this.
I started a bullet journal this week. Please write a post that will help me get the most of it.
Don’t give her the Weinstein, KP.
(calm yourselves, people. That’s a joke)
Glad to see you join the party, Bethany!
Welcome, Bethany.
Bethany, I’m Spin. I’ve been around Ricochet since about 2010, but I’ve taken some breaks, recently. I live in the great PNW, married 25 years with four kids (24, 18, 13, 12). I work in IT, and I’m a smart ass. All the time. Nobody knows whether to take me seriously or not. I mean, most of what I just wrote is a lie. Or is it? I can’t really remember.
Oh, I meant to add: I was a “never Trump” during the primary season, like you. Now I am just glad there’s no more Hillary (unless they reanimate her) and I’m warming to the accomplishments of the Republicans with Trump in the White House, if not to the man himself. I am optimistic about the next year at least.
I misread that as “ballet journal”.
I was very confused for a moment.
I think @spin would look good in a tutu.
Just finished listening to your premiere podcast. It seems my phone gets everything a day or three later than Mrs. OS’s phone does. I guess she would have a smarter smartphone than I could ever have ;>)
Any way, I did like the banter between the two of you and am looking forward to more. I have to be selective about my podcast listening else I’d never have any time to read books. And my books to read list just gets longer all the time. Right now I have about 352 years worth on that list so I may not get it all done.
When I want your opinion, I’ll give it to you.
No, this is Rob Long’s yacht:
That will fade with time as you get to know us better. Hehe . . .
You forgot one:
5. Magnum (preferrably concealed)
Gud. One thing we kneed is a spel chekker . . .
Have some more wine . . .
Given the rest of this conversation (and site), I believe the proper response is, “You’re a menace!”
Welcome aboard! Ricochet is an amazing community, and populated with a wide range of fascinating and wise people.
You will find no shortage of experienced homeschoolers here, either (I am second generation, and we have a runt for each day of the week).
It is great to have you join us!
By the way, our family also routinely hosts Meet-Ups for Shabbos (Friday evenings rather than Shabbos day) – quite a few Ricochetti have joined us (we are being entertained by Simon Templar tomorrow).
Let me know (via PM) when you are in the land of Freddy Gray, and we’d love to host you!
A great addition to Ricochet!
My cousin Janet, the 8th of 8 in her family, was born in the car – but they had made it to the hospital, just not inside. My uncle wanted to name her Alice, as in “das ist Alles,” but was overruled. My wife and I also homeschooled our three, and wouldn’t trade those years for nothin’. You may meet some of them here.
Oh, by the way, welcome to you!
Greetings and welcome Bethany. I’m currently in prison, but by the end of the work day I’ll be out again; wash, rinse, repeat for the next couple of decades. Married with children, life is good. Ricochet keeps me sane/insane, I can’t remember which one…
Bethany,
I have been a member of Ricochet since March of 2011. I do have some info on my bio and I just gave you little more background in your marriage post. I have made it a point to meet as many members as I can. I have also probably met quite a few of the folks in your circles from my National Review Cruises trips, CPAC events, and Ricochet meet ups. I primarily share my little bits of coherent ephemera in the PIT. I rarely post on the member feed because as a semi literate engineer (we are known mostly for designing/solving/fixing stuff, not writing) I doubt that our editors could repair the pain I put onto the page.
That said I have to say I really enjoyed reading about, then hearing your Lady Brains first hand account of Altima’s child birth al la Nissan. I remember when those car were produced by Datsun. That would would have been a much better internet moniker for your little boy.
“He came too soon, in my Dat Soon, Dat little Soon of mine.” (spoken in your heaviest pseudo German accent )
That’s for certain.
Welcome, Bethany! I’m a huge fan of your writing on faith, culture and family (although still troubled about making a bullet journal). And I love following your husband on Twitter. Do you have a twitter account? What great additions to Ricochet!
I am thrilled that you were a NeverTrumper during the election season.
I have shifted to a 1.5 on the Trump Affinity Scale of 1.0 being an absolute NeverTrumper and 5.0 being an AlwaysTrumper. (I love Trump’s policies on judges, taxes, regulations and fighting ISIS and can’t stand the man whenever I see or hear him.)
Welcome aboard. If you are in Flagstaff, Arizona, please give me a call so I can take you to lunch. (This is a standing offer for all Ricochetti; it is lonely in my very liberal county.)