Mistakes!

What is going on with my mind?

I am going crazy here folks. The volume and seriousness of mistakes I've made recently are of real concern!

Check this out:
Richard and Joe are heading off this weekend to super-important fencing tournament in Portland, OR. Of course, I made all the arrangements (isn't that how it works in your family?) Anyways, I THOUGHT I booked a flight up to Portland at 10:30am the day before his first event. But no. No. No. No. I booked the flight at 10:30pm.

Perfect! Great! Wonderful! They arrive in around 12:30 (middle of night), and have to find their way to the hotel which will probably take another hour. Sleep will not be happening for the guys before, say, 2:00am.

What time is registration for his first and hardest event? 7:00 bleeping am! So, not only will they be sleep deprived, bleary, and confused, they'll have to check-in and get all his equipment to the armory to be checked, and geared up and prepared to fence in one hour, by 8:00am. (not to mention breakfast in there somewhere)

Super! I've created the perfect conditions for Richard to feel ready to be lightning fast, strategically smart and have enduring energy. Don't you think?

I also arranged my own trip to NYC in a few weeks. I'm afraid to discover what mistakes I've made on that one!

Language Acquisition

There is a special phase in a child's life, somewhere from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 years old, when they start "trying on" the language. They can make sentences and understand almost everything you say. But their "understanding" of words and sentence structure is quite curious.

Basically, they say the darndest things!

You always know exactly what they mean, but the way they say it is so laughably ingenuous. For example:

"Dis cold is jes tireding me up." - after having a stuffy nose for a few days.

"She can't come on." - referring to someone who couldn't come for a walk with us.

There is another syndrome that occurs almost (but not always) simultaneously with all this. I call it the "contrary just for the fun of it" stage. It must have something to do with their growing awareness that they are no longer completely one with mama - that they have a separate and unique identity. What better way to express this than to disagree and/or contradict mama at every possible opportunity? Behold:

MARIE: Mama, I found a paper outside. See what it says!
ME: OK....Hmm...it's notes Daddy left outside. That is great that you found it!
MARIE: I did NOT find it! (marching away, indignant)

ME: Would you like a pear for your snack?
MARIE: NO!
ME: How about a banana?
MARIE: NO!
ME: OK, do you want some crackers?
MARIE: Mama (exasperated), I want a PEAR!

How could I be so obtuse?

Lastly, this phase of life includes what I call "fixations". They are really fun. Marie's particular one has to do with hair. She absolutely refuses to leave the house unless I have neatly brushed her hair into a pony tail ("with WATER Mama!). She will scream and cry and fall down flat rather than venture out with her gorgeous, blonde, loopy curls unrestrained.

Paradoxically, she can't abide me to have my hair up. If she see's a clip in my hair - look out. And if she's in reach, she'll pull it right out. "I don't want your hair up!" She states matter of fact.

Somehow this is fair and just in the mind of an almost four year old.

Since she's my third child, I can now enjoy, laugh and cherish these silly quirks. This time I don't have to pull my hair out, wonder "what I'm doing wrong", or consider my child as an aberrant freak. They ALL do it. At least all of mine did.

And then there are the just plain endearing things they say.

Last night I was reading a bible story about God being a helper during times of need. At the end of the story there are questions to ask the child. Our dialogue went something like this:

ME (scripted): Did David need help?
MARIE (yelling): YES!
ME: Who helped David kill the lion?
MARIE: GOD!
ME: Who helped David kill the bear?
MARIE: GOD!
ME: Who helped David kill Goliath?
MARIE: GOD!
ME: Do you need help sometimes?
MARIE: YES!
ME: Who is your helper?
MARIE: MAMA!

I guess I stand in for the Big Guy Upstairs for a while in her little psyche. I'm happy to do it.

Big change!

I did it.

I went for the gusto.

I made a major break with the past. I forged a new path for myself.

I got bangs.

Yep! Last night I saw my super-duper hair lady Carla. Not only did she produce beautifully colored hair for me (which most people think is natural!), she gave me some bangs.

Now, you have to understand what a huge transition this is for me. I had the rack of hair on my forehead for all of my childhood and well into my adult life. In fact, it wasn't until after my third child that I decided I was DONE with them.

Tortuous months of growing out bangs ensued. They flopped in my face. They itched my cheeks, then my chin, then my neck. But finally, they were long, long, long.

I must say I enjoyed having them long for three years. In one way, my hair looked pretty good. And it sure is convenient to put ALL of your hair back in a pony tail or clip. But in another way, it was bad. Too severe on my face. Too harsh.

I'd been considering the change for some time. The wrinkle farm on my forehead was growing. I felt I needed a bit of softness around my face.

I knew the risks (have to wash and style hair more often), and the downside (roots show more, and they take forEVER to grow out). But I decided that it is good to change. Joe likes change. He loves it when I change my hair or clothes. And I like to mix it up a big too these days.

So, voila - they're here:



Welcome friends. Treat me well, and I'll take grand care of you.

Richard's Review

Guest writer today. My son Richard (oh how I wish I could use his real name) wrote this movie review for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!


Last night we watched V for Vendetta, a movie about a man who has a vendetta on the totalitarian state that rules England. I rate this movie 5 out of 5, for amazing action, a supreme storyline, easy to like characters, a nice dash of comedy, and great directing.

The action is supreme. V’s preferred weapons are knives, which he can throw with great skill, and a sword. He wears a facemask, which hides his identity as well as protects from punches and other mêlée weapons. V also wears a bulletproof breastplate.

The writers created a storyline that fits perfectly with real life. The United States has descended into anarchy, and England is ruled by a totalitarian state (1984.) The Norsefire Party, which rules England, has been researching bio-weaponry. They tested batches of patients, most of which died. Except for one man… DUN DUN DUN…

The writing creates characters that you are bound to love. Evey is smart, nice, a bit naive, and lovable. V instantly emerges as a poetic, shadowy, and humorous. This quote characterizes him:

“And view a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain, by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation is stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance, a vendetta, held as a votive not in vain for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add it is my very great honor to meet you and you may call me V.” V while introducing himself to Evey.

Great alliteration, huh?

They throw a nice touch of comedy into the movie. For example V plays the 1812 Overture while blowing up a statue.

Overall, V for Vendetta is a movie worth watching.

Here are some screenshots showing the ultimate coolness of V:

How to Disagree

My son found this and I think anyone who reads, gets information, posts or argues on the web should check it out.

It is an overview on the methods of disagreeing, from calling names to refuting your opponent's central point.

More tomorrow.

Sunny Day on the Coast

It was a sunny and beeeaUUUtiful day on the coast today.

I hauled my kiddos out for a forced march up into the hills by the beach. The sky was robin's egg blue, with a streak of white from a jet. The balmy breeze ruffled our hair and felt luscious. We hiked up the trail, warmed by the sun and by our exertions.

My three kids exhibited age appropriate responses to their surroundings:
Richard, 11: "Let's go! Why are you so slow? I'm done. Can we go now?"
Rose, 8: skip, skip, run, run, twirl...."I'm tired now. I'm tired. I'm tired."
Marie, 3: "Mama LOOK! A bug!!!!! MAMA!!!! A flower!!!! Mama hold my hand. Mama waaaiiit!"

Sorry this one is sideways (any ideas ogblay?)
Notice Marie enraptured with a pill bug or some such creature down low:

Look out for the poison oak!!

Montara Beach and part of Montara

looking north

Marie's dress after she made "dirt angels" (like snow angels, but in the dirt - nice)

Me - happy!
Before big kids started fighting, requiring way too much parenting when I just felt like breathing and appreciating the beauty we live in....oh well, that's parenthood.

It was still a great hike.

Freedom Rocks!

Lately I've been reading and learning about so many different times and places in history when people (especially women) were oppressed. I don't know why it is all hitting me at once. Maybe it's just the period of history that we are studying (modern) and the books that seem to fall into my lap.

Afghanistan under the Taliban, Nazi Germany, Vichy France, China today, Saudi Arabia today, England in the futuristic V for Vendetta.

Reading about how scary, restricted, boring, painful, how soul crushing life was/is under these regimes has been making me feel so grateful to live in a free country.

I can come and go as I please. No documents. No Non-Jew papers to carry. No curfew at night. Don't need my husband's permission to go the market.

I can read whatever I want! Classics, comics, trashy novels, newspapers of all stripes. I can read them all. No mind control. (propoganda? yes. control? not so much)

I can pray whenever and wherever I want. There is no legal restriction on who I pray to, how I pray, when or where I pray.

I can listen to music. Whatver kind of music I care to hear. Beethoven, Beastie Boys, Basanova....it's all open to me!

I can teach my kids whatever I see fit to teach. We can be lefty, vegetarian, tree-hugging, eco-conscious folks. Or we can be conservative, religious, meat-eating, barely recycling people. It's our choice!

I can openly disagree with my local, state and national government. I can write articles, letters to the editor, whole books condemning my government. Whoo hoo!

And....I can leave! If I don't agree with the direction my government is headed, I am free to move to Jaimaca. Or Belgium. Or Chile. My country doesn't care if I stay or go!

Travelling freely from state to state is another, added bonus of freedom.

These are just some of the things that come to my mind. I'm sure there are other freedoms that I haven't mentioned. (must be careful, this is a PG blog)

So, at the risk of sounding corny, I've just gotta say:

I LOVE AMERICA!

And I love freedom! It totally rocks! And not just because I enjoy the convenience of not having to wear a burka. I truly think a free society makes us a better country (though I readily admit we have huge problems as a culture and a government). It certainly saves us from being a boring country. Am I right? or am I right?