A very random thought edition from my whirly, swirly head.

**  This parenting gig can be a red hot mess.  Sometimes I’ll look at one of the kids after they’ve done some particularly exasperating thing and I’ll let something slip – a look or comment that roughly translates to Are you freaking KIDDING me?! – and then the mommy guilt descends. They’re just kids.  They make mistakes.  You’re not perfect either.  Blah, blah, blah blah blah.  It’s exhausting.

**  We could solve the nation’s energy crisis if we could find a way to harness mommy guilt into a viable power source.

**  I’m trying to get back to my regular life, restarting all those things that got put on hold when mom went into the hospital.  As a result I’ve now had three excruciatingly awkward moments with students when my brain has simply stopped working mid-sentence.  There’s something particularly humbling about telling tweens that my brain’s acting a little wonky these days. And something just a little troubling about the fact that none of them question it.

**  There are few things quite as funny as the retelling of a 5th grade political debate, especially considering said “debate” consists of parroted parent one-liners being shot back and forth with nary a fact in sight.  Come to think of it, I guess that describes a lot of adult debates, too.  Sigh.

**  Why I don’t listen to talk radio with kids in the car:  On the 5:30pm drive to basketball a DJ throws out the segue, “Studies show that men think about sexy time about 3,000 times a year.  How often do men actually get sexy time?  The answer when we come back.” Voices chime in from the back seat, “Ewwwww!  I don’t want to hear about yucky time!” (Click. Done.  Who needs the radio when we can count Jeeps instead?)

**  Speaking of, BrightSide and the kids have started playing this weird game in the car. (Picture “punch buggy!” for Volkswagen, except with jeeps.)  It’s like the kids have suddenly developed Tourette’s, randomly interrupting conversations with shouts of “JEEP!!” from the backseat.  Yeah, that’s not at all distracting as we’re hustling on the interstate…

**  Am I the only one who finds it weird that there are no textbooks anymore?  And since that’s the case, how come my kids are carrying 20 pounds of crap around in their backpacks?

**  I vaguely remember a time when I cared about being dressed when someone dropped by. Not dressed as in nice clothes and makeup, but wearing actual clothing meant for the public arena.  I’ve greeted no less than a dozen people in the last two weeks wearing yoga or pajama pants.  Apparently I’ve gotten over my little obsession with fashion.