“I think you have the most productive form of A.D.D.,” he says, giving me his cutest look – the one that worked when he was a child, and still does. I feign a pout as he and his friend laugh. “I love you, too,” I say, standing on my tip-toes as he bends down. I […]
Waste
I threw out a perfectly lovely bran muffin last night. Or rather, it was perfectly lovely several days ago. It had gone bad. Along with a few other items I found in the back of the fridge as I was searching for leftovers. And I hate waste. I especially hate wasting food. Waste Not, Want […]
Sixth Sense
I thought it was over. In fact, I was certain of it. I have two meticulously penned grids that resemble handwritten spreadsheets. They’re taped to the fridge. There are labeled folders, one for each school, filled with notes and documented conversations, all neatly date and time stamped. I had polished off the highest priority item […]
Marching Forward
March 1st. Already. This is a transitional month, a long-awaited month, a count of days that will see an evolution from the biting morning air to warmer and more inviting hours. This is one of my favorite times of the year, and I have always found March to be aptly named. It’s a time to […]
Getting Down to Business
Work ethic is one thing. Never enjoying success is another.
Never on Sunday
Is Sunday your quiet day? Your catch-up day? Your day for domestic duties or family gatherings? Is it a day for rest? Not around here. Sunday comes and I step over teenage bodies – boy bodies – and the count seems to be the same as it was last evening. An excellent sign. All those […]
14 hours
The weekend ahead is promising clear weather and productivity. Especially if I keep the Excedrin handy, along with my necessary comfort foods – breads and teas, and wonderful suggestions of other tasty stews and brews. And I will add that I am entering the weekend’s tasks with something unexpected. Fourteen hours of sleep. Real sleep. […]
Just Say No
It’s Friday evening. My son pops into my room. I’m working on documents – there are papers and folders scattered all over the bed. “Hey Mom.” I look up. “Tomorrow night, I’m going downtown with friends.” I ask for details, and I tell him it sounds like fun. “I want to have a few people […]
Constraints and Open Spaces
I dream a problem to solve: I need a small parking area for my fleet of six jets, he tells me. I am standing in a mall lot, on the upper deck, in the middle of a city. The site includes a spiral ramp on one side, and a poorly lit corner bounded by a […]
Standing Up
Women are frequently more comfortable than men when it comes to expressing emotions, and discussing our inner lives and evolving roles. For some time I’ve been trying to find male voices – those who write beautifully, lucidly, and openly about their discoveries, their doubts, their relationships. I’ve stumbled upon a few (you know who you […]