Who are you? What are you? Silly questions? Maybe not. I know who my “dream self” is – and of course, what she does. And then there’s reality. So, when asked who you are or what you are, how do you answer? Is your response automatic and factual, based on your “here and now?” Does […]
Parenting is sloppy
I woke early, remembered four extra teen boys sleeping in my house – somewhere – and stopped by one of my favorite spots, trying to hold off on that first dose of caffeine. I dropped in at Kristen’s place, Motherese, where there was a particular cookie. And it looked delicious, and perfect, and made me […]
Are You Superstitious?
When a birthday rolls around, I want a candle and a wish. My kids shake their heads, but I don’t care if it’s a candle in play-doh, a bran muffin, a cupcake, or a piece of fruit. I want to make a wish. Why? Because since my sons were born, my birthday wishes have always […]
Courage
Sometimes our children surprise us. Really surprise us. I remember my older son defending his much littler brother against a bully, a kid who was beefier than both of them put together. But my first-born threw himself into the fray without hesitation, and got the bully to back off. Flash forward nine years. That bully […]
Lucid Dreaming
My younger son leans back in his chair at the dinner table and reaches over to the bookcase. He slips out a glossy paperback and begins flipping through it. “Why do you have a book on dream analysis?” he asks. My son doesn’t normally initiate a discussion. This is a pleasant change. Oh that, I […]
Metro Tickets in My Pocket, Black Cat, Mashed Potatoes
Metro tickets in my pocket I finally drop my weary body onto the bed. It’s nearly 9 at night and my son pops into my room and wants to go out. It’s Thanksgiving break. He’s 16. Of course he wants to go out. Where? To a nearby pizza joint, about two miles away where friends […]
Joy Part 3: Phone, Mail, Doorbell: All Teens Accounted For
Season of joy? Any time, any place. Now go peek at Joy Part 1, and Joy Part 2, if you haven’t. This is (for now) the last of today’s trilogy of tiny moments filled with the best sort of joy. Phone call About an hour ago I received an unexpected phone call from a West […]
I'm writing as fast as I can…
Laundry, permission slips, school lunches, art supplies, driving lessons. Another SAT registration. More credit debt. Writing. More writing. Unpaid bills, unopened mail. Researching scholarships, colleges, college visits. Leaky roof, broken mower, burnt-out printer, dying cell phone. And? I’m dancing as fast as I can More writing, more writing, more writing. Another dose to fight anxiety, […]
Teen Party Planner, the Mad Hatter, Down the Rabbit Hole
Teen party planner “Can I have a few people over?” Excuse me? “Saturday night. Can I have a few people over? We’ll sit outside, in the back.” This was unusual. Four sentences. I realize he can talk, and with animation, but generally only when there’s a girl around, or the girl, the OMG hot blonde […]
The Scene of the Crime, the Pleasure of a Hat, a Mother’s News
Intestinal fortitude. A great hat. A mother’s happiness. Friday was a good day. Need a little back story? Oh, the dilemma of working from home! How we weary of wrestling with isolation; writers in particular need an occasional dose of living beings – especially since that’s generally what we write about. And if you’re single […]