A Hard Day's Night

Ok, so learning multiplication tables isn't going so well with Adrian Steward. He had a lot of homework tonight, much of which he should've completed earlier in the week but hadn't until now. So, following a stern lecture from Mommy about study skills, and following thereafter a definition of what Mommy meant by the term "study skills," Adrian got mad. Way pissed off.

He promptly posted some notes on his door:

Do not come in. Homework.
Come in and loose your life!
The last thing you see is my room if you come in.
Danger: Really angry/sad boy.

Ok, so things weren't going well. My friend, Jessica, observed that high drama tends to run in the family. I told her I had no idea what she was talking about ;)
Following his bout of mini-rage, Adrian came out of his room and promptly recited all of his 3 times facts. He got pissed. He learned his stuff. 'nuff said.

Way to go, little man.

Then, happy once more, he crumpled the signs on the door, saying, "Bad signs!" as if scolding them.

ah...parenthood!
In today's News From the Motherland: A happy reunion for Shadow, the dog, and his owner.: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/localnews/columnists/sblow/stories/DN-blow_11met.ART.Central.Edition1.4a2e309.html

Oh the Horror

Adrian and his best friend, Henry, took a class field trip today to see "The Nutcracker."
"How was it, guys?" I asked.
They responded point-by-point:
"1. There was absolutely no talking in the whole show. They just danced. and...
2. We had to see men in tights"

This last horror was followed by peals of disgust as they searched for the right words.

"Mommy, I mean, really...the men dancers wore these, ugh....cups and you could see also, um, their butt cracks! GROSS!"

...this, coming from the child who likes to run around the house nekkid.

Alas, the finer points of ballet seem to have been lost on the 3rd graders, at least for now.

Red Alert!

THIS JUST IN!!!!

Driving home from school today, Finn and Adrian assured me that they know, for a fact: "there are people in the world who file their teeth and go on a killing spree."

Apparently the incisors are the most popular teeth to file for said spree.

Don't say I didn't warn ya....

Reminds me a bit of one of my favorite characters:

Bat Mitzvah

November 15 was my niece's Bat Mitzvah. Megan had a big party at the Women's Museum at Fair Park. The theme was Night on Broadway, so each table was decorated as a different show (We were seated at the "Lion King" table). There was a huge, 40 foot video screen that flashed pictures of Megan growing up, plus her name in lights. Lots of food stations representing China Town, Little Italy, and other classic NYC types of food. Finn danced all night (literally) and ended up winning the break dance contest. Jessica Goldstein said Finn beating a bunch of Jews breakdancing is like a gazelle outrunning a tortoise. :)

Here's my favorite picture of the night. You can see the video board behind Adrian and I, and Dad being very silly.

Grieving the Loss

A very sad day in the 'Ham.

After 6 years and 72 articles, my career at Birmingham Magazine is drawing to a close. In this bad economy, they've had to lay off free-lance writers, including yours truly. It has been wonderful to find an audience for my thoughts these past years, whether the topic was buying a new minivan, laughing at Adrian's anger as he had to pay taxes in the game of Life, or commenting on the tsunami. "The View" gave me the opportunity to sharpen my thoughts on the world around me and to share those insights with others.

I am very grateful to the magazine for the pages I got. They were wonderful to work with, and maybe someday the column can be restored.

Will a blog function as a substitute? I wonder.

But tonight it's all big sadness and a little Jose Cuervo. My preacher, Sid, recommended Psalm 5, which I've been reading over and over. My Dad and Helga, and even Mom, have given me sympathetic ears. I know when a door closes, supposedly a window opens somewhere else, but it's hard to see that window today. I'm terrified about the hit to my budget bc I had grown accustomed to counting on that income each month. Being a single mother is, in a word, or three words: scary as hell. And the holidays are just a hard time anyway, so the timing is terrible.

I'll try not to grouse more here, but instead will tell all 4 of my dear readers that perhaps this blog will serve as my platform until I can find a sounding board again.

I have made it clear to the Universe, however, and I will restate this here: No more loss. I've lost enough in the last 12 months, and I fucking mean it.

A "Sign" on Election Day?

Is it a "sign" that on Election Day, the city of Homewood put a sign about road construction in my front yard right next to my Obama sign? Read the two signs together and decode the mystery if you can....

In Today's News from the Motherland...a metaphorical election headline: "Election Studies Prove That Life Goes On For Losers" http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/local/stories/110408dnpollifegoeson.4a9d7de.html

Halloween in the 'Ham

Thurston and Lovey opt for a civilized Halloween while....

On the other hand my beautiful boys, dressed in bleeding masks for God's sake, scared the hell out of this Samford sorority girl, who recovered and then graciously agreed to a photo op.

Yes, it is Halloween in the 'Ham.