Happy New Year, Eddie Vedder

Saturday morning before the kids awoke and lovingly hijacked the big T.V. for the likes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Yuki Oh 5-D's, I watched part of some psychology show on one of those science-y channels. I'm not sure how I found it. It was way up in the hundreds. Probably one of the few that wasn't showing an infomercial at such an absurdly early hour on a weekend morning. I saw something like this video.

Now wasn't that interesting? I missed the girl in the umbrella too. Or...maybe you didn't. The idea is called, "selective attention." Most basically, the premise is that if the human mind is concentrating on something complex, multi-tasking (or multi-concentrating) is impossible.

Ah ha...well, I do know a little something about that. It has been a bit restful to have a blogging hiatus. I felt as if I had run out of anything to say. And any time in which to write. And there was much too much multi-tasking to be done.

Perhaps the most monumental event was Mr. Lipstick's graduation from law school. It was wonderful and fabulous and exciting and I cried tears of joy from the moment he approached the stage 'til the time he sat down. I took a zillion pictures. Like this one of Mr. Lipstick with Daddy Lipstick. I asked other people to take about a zillion more.
I even crawled on the floor in a valiant (yet markedly unsuccessful) attempt to take a picture of Mr. Lipstick in the processional.
It seems that I am making a habit of crawling on the floor during major events.

In other news, JBB and Pretty Girl are growing like dandelions. I would like to record, video, photograph, and archive every second of their lives. So precious. So beautiful. And with each new shard of independence, the little bitty child becomes lesser and more fleeting. Sigh. Perhaps only mothers mourn such things as the slipping away of chubby child feet and soft angel hair. The lilting voice with quizzical inflection...even in a declarative sentence. Sigh...

I drive JBB to school in the mornings now. It is a short, but beautiful drive, through several winding roads, past a park and some stunningly beautiful houses. It is relaxing and sort of like looking at Southern Living and Architectural Digest all at the same time; great inspiration for ways to decorate my front door. Pretty Girl rides with us, and it is one of my favorite parts of the day. I cherish that time, perhaps more than any other time of the day. I have had to let the battery in my iPod die though. My children have WORN ME OUT with Michael Jackson. 1983 called and wonders what the hell is an iPod and why is it's music permanently stuck on there.

I have had one brief respite from Michael Jackson (whom I love, by the way...but after all those years plus every single morning...just sayin'), and thank goodness that hasn't been John Denver. When JBB was 4, we had to listen to "Country Roads," every. single. day. Now Mr. Lipstick has never allowed such nonsense, but that lilting child voice that I want to record and archive puts me in a trance, and I comply with these tiresome requests.

This musical interlude has been delightful and profound...at least for me. Sometimes I beam with joy when I hear this song and other times the poignancy rips tears from eyes before I even realize it. "Just Breathe" by Pearl Jam.


Lyrics like,
"Yes I understand that every life must end, aw huh,..
As we sit alone, I know someday we must go, aw huh,..
I’m a lucky man to count on both hands
The ones I love,..

Some folks just have one,
Others they got none, aw huh,..

Stay with me,..
Let’s just breathe"
reveal multi-tasking...
multi-concentrating...
to be the worthless pursuits that they are.

Hearing that beautiful song over and over makes me think more soulfully than I have in a regretfully long time. Especially when the kids sing along in the backseat...or when Mr. Lipstick is there singing too. If I join in, the kids ask me to stop. I have to burst out laughing about that.

Amongst all of those deep thoughts, besides the inner commitment to slow down and always look my children in the eye when I am talking to them, and to just not let the laundry get piled up because hey, don't forget that is stressful...I have realized that without eyebrow tinting my eyes look like very boring, yet merely functional orbs, and that I really miss blogging. Also, it is not good to stay away so long; there is just too much to talk about when you get back.


Much, much love to all of my followers. Thank you for staying.