Recent Moments in Parenting (?)

Every, single one of us who calls themselves "parent" has had, or soon WILL have, those moments when, through your giggles of shame, you begin to question your parenting skills. Or lack thereof. If you're a new parent, don't take this the wrong way, but your day is coming, and yes, I'm smiling a knowing, albeit sadistic, smile as I write this. We all BEGIN with perfect little angels that quickly drive the humiliation of their delivery from our minds. (You want to bring a class of students in to watch? Sure!!! Why not?! Nothing everyone else in this hospital hasn't seen! The more the merrier!) These wee bundles of joy could never cause trouble for us! MY child is going to be perfectly wonderful and I am going to be the best mother. I'll never raise my voice to my child or have to discipline them because they'll love me so much, they will want to make me happy! Hey. We've all been there. Enjoy the denial while it lasts. As I might have mentioned, your day is coming.

For me, the most recent Questionable Parenting Skills Moment (QPSM) came while I was weeding the garden this afternoon. I made the mistake of thinking that, because the children had food in their hands when I saw them five minutes before, they would be occupied. (When will I learn?) I caught a short, tanned, streak dash across the neighbors' backyard toward the stream/drainage ditch out of the corner of my eye. There was that split second of my brain processing the message my eyes had sent... Oh... OH!

My dear, sweet, NAKED little boy was heading off to play in the water in the neighbors' yard. Or should I say, the water that backs SEVERAL of the neighbors' homes. The boy has no shame. He must get that from his father. I don't even like to be naked in front of MYSELF!

Needless to say, the little streaker was quickly ordered to go back INSIDE and put some clothes on. I would like to say that I kept a straight face through the process, but I at least managed to cover up the horrified laughter that crept out by pretending to shield my face from the sun. Thank goodness he was too young to realize the sun was actually behind me!

As I watched his nekkid little butt disappear into the house, I looked skyward and pleaded with God to give that boy some modesty and SOON! Send an extra helping for his big sister, too. She's quickly growing out of skirts with shorts sewn into them.

I Need an Android, Too!

I have to come clean about something...

I haven't actually FINISHED the book I'm going to share with you. I do apologize, but between the kids, the cats, the garage sale, and my perpetual battle with the weeds and the rabbits, I don't have nearly as much time for books as I would LIKE to have. This book also has several more pages than "Dawn of the Dreadfuls". If these excuses fail to satisfy, feel free to insert your own as a substitute. However, should you choose a questionable excuse as a substitute, you may also feel free to keep it to yourself!

So...

"Android Karenina"

Considering I am a person whose only real experience with androids comes from the "Star Wars" saga and the Verizon store, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from "Android Karenina". The thought of the Russians having light sabers wasn't really a stretch, but I figured I was jumping the gun a bit by assuming that Vronsky would whip one out and go to town on some rebels. I still haven't read anything about light sabers, but the thought of having my own robot is certainly appealing. Or, at the very least, having a "Surcease" setting on my kids.

Ben Winters done a masterful job of merging the pomp and frivolity of high society with the gears and oil of futuristic machinery. What would be a delicate balance, at best, begins to show signs of distress in the first few pages of the novel. A classic tale of what we have never quite being enough for us. We always want something more. Anna and Count Vronsky's first meeting throws sparks that neither can deny, but neither are exactly in a position to pursue the other. They must both decide if the passion they feel is worth the risks they will take to embrace it.

One of my favorite things in this "new" version, is the way the dances are written. No longer simply dancing, the dancers literally waltz on air. Their Class III droid companions glow in various colors providing a magical light around the ballroom. Personally, the thought of dancing on air several feet above the ground terrifies me, but I can certainly appreciate the beauty of it.

I've really enjoyed this book so far. I'll have to add a followup review when I finish it, because I KNOW I'll have more to say! I'd have more to say now if my brain weren't trying to pull itself in thirty-seven different directions. I just have to survive the garage sale this weekend...

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