For a long time, the raging working-mom story is that all the moms were quitting the career track for the mommy track. But now, apparently, the trend is reversing—and the moms who were at home are hitting the job market, thanks to concern about shrinking 401Ks or their husband’s job security (or lack thereof).

I’m not exactly sure this is the case. First of all, where are the jobs that these women are supposedly nabbing? (From what I’ve heard and seen, the job market is exceptionally tight.) And second of all, I haven’t seen any such trend amongst my friends and family members. Yeah, there are a few who did decide to become SAHMs, but it seems to have nothing to do with the lack of corporate support. It was strictly a personal preference. The bigger trend, at least among my friends, is to quit the corporate lifestyle and become entrepreneurs. Of my close circle of mommy friends, only a few is holding down a traditional, in-the-office, sick-days kind of job. The vast majority call their own shots, which makes it easier to make it to morning dropoff or that all-important preschool play.

I do think that corporate America is failing families big time, by refusing to allow their workers the flexibility they need to have a healthy work-life balance (and make them much more motivated to work hard for their employer). As an entrepreneur, I put in plenty of hours (probably even more than I did in my corporate job)—but because I’m my own boss, I’m able to make adjustments to my schedule to accommodate my family. And I feel very, very lucky for that. —Lisa Milbrand

At a studio in the heart of the fashion district, large glass doors opened to reveal giant mannequins covered with origami paper designs that seemed to dance to the eerie Asian-influenced soundtrack playing in the background. Racks upon racks of clothing lined the walls – ethereal pastel tunics were juxtaposed with darker, structured skirts and coats. And then the bubbly, yet reserved designer Jen Kao stuck her head around the corner to decode the mystery behind her multifaceted creations.

The contrast of ultra-feminine fluidity and street structure is mirrored in Kao’s own story. She spent her high school career focusing on becoming a doctor. But after she graduated, she pursued a double major in ceramic sculpture and studio art at New York University and a post-graduate degree at Parson’s the New School for Design. “My parents really didn’t want me to go to an arts school first,” she said. “I think they were kind of hoping I’d change my mind, but they’re so supportive now.”

Kao’s innovative line has caught the attention of many since its launch in fall 2007. A designer on the brink, she has been featured both on Style.com and in New York Magazine. This year, she had the opportunity to show her collection during New York fashion week.

Kao draws the greatest inspiration for her designs from her family and her heritage in Japanese culture. She said it bleeds into many different aspects of her work. Her past and the competing sides of her personality are reflected in the ideas behind her clothing. “People think of Japanese as very minimalist, but I’m very into embellishment too. Piecing goes with Japanese culture too and I’m very into that,” she said. “I also have a balance between something that’s feminine but is also not. I like there to be an ease and peace to the clothing, but also a life to it.”

Kao revealed how much Japanese culture really is embedded in her creations. She is obsessed with Japanese animation and cartoons and described Tokyo today as “a crazy collage of ideas.” She said the cartoons illustrate this crazy world with stories about young women, like herself, who are on the verge but are still growing. Kao said she designs clothing that would suit this young girl’s life. “Who’s the muse? I don’t really have that,” she said. “It’s usually about a young girl who’s unapologetically evolving. It’s this person I would want to be and others would hope to be.”

Her own style icons also embody this ever-evolving female protagonist. Kao said she would love to style actresses Cate Blanchett and Angelina Jolie. “They dress with simple sophistication, but look good in everything,” she said. “They embody the type of character I’m trying to reach out to and build.” Kao has already dressed singer M.I.A. and enjoyed the experience because she felt the songstress was a style icon on her own who wore her designs well. “Part of my collection is always this – blah!” she said, shaking her fists. “Not everyone can embody that.”

Like the Japanese cartoons, Kao’s collections make up a never-ending story. After discovering a boutique in Tokyo whose image matched that of her line, Kao tried dipping her toes into the retail world. The boutique picked up her collection and her designs have since exploded in Japan. With her clothing already in place overseas, Kao hopes to take her line nationwide across the United States next year. Everything she designs is a sign of her personal life and experience. “It pours out from my life and whatever I’m feeling. The collection is in itself a layered story – a collage of whatever’s inside me right now,” she said. “Even though the story changes it’s always about the unapologetic evolving girl – somebody who’s always growing.” —Jackie Perry

Wow, President Obama has been all over the place lately. Last weekend he went on all of the major Sunday news shows, plus he sat down with David Letterman on Monday. Not to mention he’s been stumping for his health care plan across the country and spoke before the United Nations last week. Boy, this guy’s been EVERYWHERE.

What’s that, you say? That’s not really news? Well, the media sure as hell is acting like it is. In fact, there’s been considerable debate as to whether or not the President of the United States has been overexposed. To borrow a phrase from SNL’s Seth Meyers and Amy Pohler, REALLY!?!? The guy is the leader of the free world! Shouldn’t he be all over the place? I mean, considering that we’re fighting two wars, our economy is in turmoil, we’re fighting over a major overhaul of the health care industry, shouldn’t we be seeing his face on TV telling us what he thinks? One of the knocks on President Bush was that his White House was secretive and inaccessible. Now the media is complaining about having TOO much access to the President? Or perhaps there’s no real “juicy” angle to the President laying out his vision for health care reform or explaining why his foreign policy agenda is the correct path to world peace. The news media today needs to boil everything into quick news bites and by God, it better be sexy and exciting! Don’t believe me? Quick – what was the major story that emerged from President Obama’s address to Congress on health care? The fact that the bill will make it illegal for companies to drop you when you get sick or to deny you coverage due to pre-existing illnesses? No. It was Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) shouting “YOU LIE!” at the President. Nobody gives a damn about policy. They just want a juicy story. And the President talking about policy isn’t a juicy story.

On the other hand, I can totally understand the news media’s concern. I mean, for every minute of air time the President takes, that’s one less minute they could be devoting to Jon & Kate or Michael Jackson’s corpse… –Ron Motta

I spent this weekend curled up on my couch with what could have been the swine flu—achy, sore throat, low-grade fever, general malaise. And I wonder how I could have caught it.

Because even though I have two daughters in school (AKA the giant petri dish), the schools are going absolutely crazy about cleanliness these days. We aren’t allowed into my youngest daughter’s classroom until we show proof that we’ve washed our hands. My oldest has hand sanitizer in her classroom, which they’re apparently using with wild abandon. And even though I’m no germaphobe, I’ve started becoming a lot more fastidious about cleaning my hands a lot, and started looking askance at anyone coughing out in public.

Apparently, the coughing and the sneezing is the real danger, spreading tiny droplets of virus to anyone in a circle around you. In fact, experts are saying all this hand washing may not do the trick at all.

And based on my weekend, I’m kind of thinking they’re right. —Lisa Milbrand

Last night was the premiere of the newest Ken Burns documentary, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, on PBS. Though the reviews of the show have been mixed, one thing is certain: You only have to watch a few moments of Burns’ footage to experience an intense desire to visit a park. And this weekend I discovered a contest that will give winners a chance to do just that. Amtrak Vacations is giving away a trip for two to Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. Log on to www.amtraksweeps.com, and enter to win a nine-day train trip. The journey starts in Chicago, wending its way across the US to Seattle before heading north to Alaska. The trip includes sleeping car accommodations and hotels where appropriate, as well as tours of Chicago, Seattle, and, of course, the National Park. —Jen Dennis