Yesterday was Neon Moon’s last day of high school. I feel like I should have taken her picture as she went off as sort of a bookend to all of the first day of school pictures that are a tradition in the m(ake)1 household. Her secondary school career really passed in the blink of an eye. It seems like just yesterday that she was off to kindergarten with a backpack as big as she was and, armed with her nap rug, ready to take on the world. She has continued to develop into a poised, articulate, intellectually curious young woman. I am so proud of her, as I am of all of my wonderful children. Look out world!

Yesterday was also notable as Chloe's birthday! Happy Birthday!

My on-deck knitting project has suffered something of a setback. The other day, The Sprite changed her mind and decided the yarn we had selected was now “ugly.” So it is back to the drawing board. Maybe by the time I am ready to actually begin, she will change her mind yet again.

I love this site . It rings so true to my own experience. I still have clothes in my closet from when I was in high school. Alright, I don’t know what part of it is more disturbing, the fact that I have schlepped this junk all over the country or that I will never wear it again because it would never fit me. The other day I was doing laundry and imagine my surprise when I pulled my BU Outing Club t-shirt and my Talking Heads Stop Making Sense Tour t-shirt in among the currently circulating stock. Neon Moon has taken to wearing them as “vintage.” God, I feel old.

This is the time of year that tries men's stamina. This is recital, graduation, pre-camp, end-of-year performance prep time. Our lives are a blur. I live in my car. So far, I have not forgotten a child, appointment or form to be filled out. Yet.

There has been a very disturbing development in m(ake) 1 land. My office has blocked my access to the site. Now I receive a message stating that access is not permitted because of "satanic content, gross or lewd depictions." I ask you? Are we reading the same stuff? Puts me in mind of The Princess Bride when Mandy Potemkin says to Wallace Shawn "I don't think that word means what you think it means." Anyway, it is harshing my mellow..er...muse. So here goes...
I find myself being strangely haunted by The West. It is so big and so beautiful that it is taking me longer than I expected to come to terms with it. I find myself sitting in a conference call thinking of expanses of red rock and cactus in bloom. It must be a part of the American zeitgeist. I mean would have been hands down the worst pioneer ever to live. The mere thought of giving birth in a covered wagon jouncing across the prarie while being pursued by people who were not happy about my being there is more than I can begin to fathom. I mean, who can deal with that kind of rejection? But seriously folks, now that it is safe-alish, why not? Oh yeah. That whole bar admission thing. Well, you never know.

I am always amazed by the way that time expands and contracts. Vacation is always a blur, but somehow reading the 5,000 emails [no, really], two foot stack of mail and endless voicemail messages upon return is endless. Almost all of my vacation goals were met. I finished The Company but am still working on the first sleeve of Neon Moon's sweater. My goal had been to complete it but, upon my return to the office, I find that I will be going to St Louis in two weeks so...more plane time to knit! The funny thing about knitting on a plane is that at least one person per flight tells me how they wished they had brought their knitting but did not think it was allowed. Be bold, my friends!