Listening To Someone Else's Mp3 Player

seems like either a gross invasion of privacy or a glimpse inside their soul.

Before Dexter got his iPod running, he was taking my Mp3 player to school and listening to it between classes.

I warned him. I said, "Dex, you know, you may not like anything on there." I was surprised when he told me, "You know, Mom, I like a lot of stuff on your Mp3. Lots is shit, but I like a lot, too."

Twenty Five Songs On My Mp3

1. My Mistake, The Kingbees
2. Add It Up, Violent Femmes
3. I'm Miss World, Hole
4. Been Caught Stealing, Jane's Addiction
5. Used To Love Her, GNR
6. Bob Roberts' Society Band, Jimmy Buffet
7. Theme Song From The Sopranos
8. Blood & Roses, The Smithereens
9. Five O'Clock Somewhere, Alan Jackson
10. Strong Enough, Sheryl Crow
11. Pretty In Pink, Echo & The Bunnymen
12. Only The Good Die Young, Billy Joel
13. All Summer Long, Kid Rock *
14. Brand New Cadillac, The Clash
15, Rudy Can't Fail, The Clash
16. Ripple, Grateful Dead
17. Dance, Dance, Dance, Steve Miller Band
18. Jump Around, House Of Pain
19. I Touch Myself, The Divinyls*
20. Katmandu, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
21. Friday I'm In Love, The Cure*
22. I'm Alive, Love N Rockets
23. Real Fine Love, John Hiatt *
24. Tennessee Plates, John Hiatt
25. Girlfriend, Avril Lavigne

All of the songs marked with an asterisk remind me of specific things that make me happy.

I Went To The Colts Game

Even though I've been sick as a dog, I rallied enough to attend the Colts exhibition game tonight against the Eagles. The Lucas Oil Stadium is pretty incredible. We only stayed until the second quarter. Martin's not a huge football fan, although I was enjoying it. Martin's company has a very nice suite. I could easily become a Colts fan. I think I already am. But sometimes, when you attend a company event, either your children sit like angels and watch the game, or you leave them with a babysitter.

Indiana really needs to enact and enforce hands free cell phone driving. I have seen so many people do so many really stupid things lately, all with a cell phone stuck up to their head. Don't many state already have this law? Isn't it like seat belts, common sense? If you get pulled over for not wearing your seat belt, you get a ticket and it's basically a Stupidity Fine. I think cell phones should be the same.

Sometimes I think I live in Boys Town. You know, like the place in Nebraska or whatever, the Mickey Rooney movies? He's still alive, by the way. You don't have to check Find A Death or google him. I checked. Yeah, I couldn't believe it, either. Anyway. Dexter is on a short leash. It's not just short, its teeny tiny, like the length of a toothpick. As a result, he sits on the couch a lot of the time with his buddies or up in his room, playing the Wii or the XBox 360 ( I think that's what it is, anyway.) I know why their parents kick them out of the house. Teen age boys are stinky, sloppy, surly, and they have insatiable appetites. They get loud. They cuss incredibly. I'm thinking about putting up the Swear Jar. Seriously, me, putting up a Swear Jar.

My theory is that I'd rather run Boys Town then have Dexter, or anyone else, as a matter of fact, running the mean streets of Southwest Indy.

I'm being sarcastic when I say "the mean streets of Southwest Indy". We live in a very middle class, diverse area. It's pretty quiet. Part of Indy's charm is that you can drive five, ten miles, in any direction, and find a cornfield. I know this because trying to take a short-cut back from Wal-Mart, I drove through several areas just like that.

The short cut didn't work.

My Notes Of Solitude

• SOS scouring pads are great to scrub our sinks and tub and shower that are made of what seems to be a strange distant cousin of the Formica/laminate family.
• I accomplished so much today; as much as it would normally take me three days to do.
• It is heaven having a huge washer and brand new dryer.
• Dryer balls are strange but magic.
• Mia got off the bus and we sat on our steps for a few minutes talking about school. We went inside to call her Daddy and Grandparents. She ate a PBNJ, turned on Sponge Bob and promptly went to sleep.
• The kids' new shower curtain is an Amazon scene (the jungle, not the bookseller) and it's very busy. They love it.
• Dexter came home from school, hung with his buddy Mike for a bit, went upstairs to play X Box 360 and promptly fell asleep
• I read about the fantastic case of Connie Converse and I'm hooked on the story and I like her music. I have a million questions.
• There was not one point today that I heard the line, "But what if Mom and Dad/Spence/Mr. Crabbs finds out?" during a television show. I didn't turn the tv on. I wanted to listen to music, but someone swiped my earbuds for his iPod.
• The inventor responsible for Legos needs one jammed in his bare foot. Of course, Legos have been around for quite a while, so there is good chance he or she is either a really old fart or dead.
• Luna is the sweetest little dog. She loves her mumma. She followed me everywhere. She's so mischievous. She was stealing the small cleaning tools I had within her reach. A scouring pad, a dirty rag, the thing I used to pull the hair out of drains. (Ew.)
• My sink was not full of dishes by 2 o'clock today. I used a paper plate for my lunch and used the same glass for both my water and my iced tea. I rinsed it between uses. Amazing idea, no? Perhaps I should share that with my family.
• Dexter hoards towels.
• I thought all day, about first days of school. How nerve wracking and exciting they were. How I could barely sleep the night before. What was I going to wear? I always wanted to wear a new sweater and jeans, even if it was in the 60s in Michigan. It would be ridiculous to send Mia or Dex to school like that in August in Indiana, they'd be prostrate with heat stroke. I didn't buy them new school pants, I bought them new school shorts that they will be in until at least late September.
• Both my kids looked super good and clean and well-pressed and were happy with their outfits.
• School rocks.

All Over Indy, Parents Are Rejoicing

Because it's the first day of school. I was surprised when I woke up to find that Dexter had already started his coffee and given Mia some breakfast. He was also dressed, groomed, and ready to go. I asked him if he was excited about going back to school and although he denied it, he did tell me he hadn't slept at all last night.

I, however, slept the sleep of the angels, knowing I would have the whole house to myself all day.

Note: Yes, these are crappy dark pictures because I took them with my phone. And yes, that is indeed a pile of crap in the corner. It was designated as Mia's spot in the living room, a.k.a The Home For Battered Barbies and miscellaneous junk.

It's 73 Degrees with 78% Humidity

so guess what I'll be doing today? Yes, the pool beckons, after I finish my Becky Home Ecky chores.

Although I missed my high school twenty-fifth reunion, I did get to go out to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse with my friend Tiffany for a birthday dinner. We got dressed up, and went downtown and had a fabulous time. Aren't Tiffany's shoes fabulous? And yes, I really am that plump. Anti-depressants keep me happy, but plump.

My children start school on August 12. Next Wednesday. I can not wait. Both of them will be out of the house for several hours each day. I will not spend my days making PBNJ, doing paint-by-numbers Disney Princess paintings, hearing Call of Duty or Wii sports or Sponge Bob in the background of the soundtrack of my life and saying, "I'm sorry you're bored. Go clean your room." My living room will cease being decorated in Legos and the big screen tv will be mine, all mine, again. At least until 3 o'clock.