Just Checking In

I have really been M.I.A. lately. I'm still here. Popcorn has been sick and I have been trying to take care of her while making frequent trips to see doctors. Because she was born so early and was on a ventilator for so long, she has chronic lung disease. These factors make her more susceptible to illnesses such as the flu and the common cold. Well, she doesn't have the flu--thank God--but we're not sure if she has a cold, RSV, or a flare up of the lung disease. In any case, she is quite congested and has a truckload of medicines to take. I am grateful, however, that she doesn't seem to feel bad. She has been playing and kicking and "talking" up a storm.

So, I'll be back when I can get a longer moment to write. I wanted to comment on Kanye West's behavior and Patrick Swayze's death when they happened. I still might do so later.

Thanks for the time of my life

Oh my. Just watched the Patrick Swayze tribute on "Dancing with the Stars" and I'm so moved by so much beautiful artistry and creativity. They recreated the fabulous last seen from "Dirty Dancing" and--oh my. Sad and joyful and full of life, all at the same time. Boy, I wish I could dance.

Stay Outta Grown Folks' Business

I question myself as a mother. A lot. Did we pick the right pre-school? Is her outfit cute enough? Am I giving them enough spiritual guidance? Am I giving them too much ice cream? Right about now, though, I'm feeling pretty good about one particular parenting choice.


I almost named my son Kanye.


But I didn't.


Thank God.


We originally wanted a K name, and Kanye had a nice ethnic, original sound and meaning without being weird. Ultimately, we figured that it was just too dangerous to choose a rapper's name. I didn't want to explain for the rest of his life that, no, he was not named after West. After Kanye's ridiculous outburst at the VMAs, he can have that name all to himself.



For those who didn't watch because they don't care (like me), West appeared out of nowhere on stage when Taylor Swift was receiving her award for Best Female Video, snatched the microphone, and basically said that Beyonce should have won. Now I'm no big Beyonce fan either, but I'll give it to her; when she accepted another award later, she yielded her time to Swift so that she could have her moment. That was classy and compassionate. There was no reason for West to steal Swift's shine. Remember that line about opening your mouth and removing all doubt that you're a fool? Nobody asked for his opinion. He didn't need to defend Beyonce's honor. I assume that he didn't have anything specific against Taylor Swift. He's just a buttwipe and everybody seems to agree. Plus, I like that song.


It's a little disappointing to me that he's so unlikeable because his music is interesting. And, truthfully, I just wanted to like him because his mother was an English professor.


Alas, that dream is over. He's a buttwipe. Good luck with that.

First Time for Everything

There's a first time for everything, right? Today marked:

• the first time my daughter spontaneously told me she loves me. I nearly had a sobbing fit. She has said "I love you" to her father and her brother without prompting, but never to me. I spent Sunday and Monday near death and face down in the pillow with migraines, but she came to rub my back; today she kissed my forehead and asked me if I was okay now. I asked why she kissed me, and she said, "Because I love you." I'm crying right now . . . .
• the first time I had a student throw up in class. It was lovely. It was the last class of the day and I was a hand sanitizing fool all morning, directing coughing and suspiciously nasal looking students to sit on the other side of the room. I was inclined to comfort this regurgitating girl from across the room; instead I threw caution to the wind and rubbed her back and felt her head for fever. But I sent a student with her to the infirmary. After all, I'm not actually your mother.

Maybe both have something to with today as the first 09/09/09? Oh, wait--it's not the first, huh?