Walt Whitman once said, “do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.” While I my not contain the kind of multitudes Whitman was talking about (for example, I never worked as a nurse during the Civil War), I do have interests beyond my love of reading, writing and engaging with classic literature in the classroom. For example, I also really love reality T.V. So much so that I was planning to embark on a long-awaited “Tour De Vanderpump Restaurants” for my 32nd birthday this past weekend, before Pandemic 2020 killed my dream. While I’m just self-aware enough to recognize that this personal tragedy will probably not bring tears to your eyes, I’m still a little bummed. So today, I dedicate the Super Unique Reflections (SUR) section of this blog to the hard-working hustlers of Vanderpump Rules, who may also be more multifaceted than they like to let on.
What I’m Reading:
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.
Jackson is the author of “The Lottery,” which is a dystopian short story you probably read in middle school. She also wrote my favorite book of all time: The Haunting of Hill House, which was also recently made into a Netflix series. We Have Always Lived in the Castle is about two super creepy teenage girls living with their uncle in the home they once shared with the rest of their now-deceased family. One of the girls is way creepier than the other, but I’m going to go ahead and call her mutterings about murdering all of her neighbors a red herring, and I look forward to discovering who the real psychopath is.
What I’m Listening To:
The “Reopening, Warily” episode of The Daily Podcast. I would warn you to make sure you’re not out in public when you listen to this, as it will inevitably bring you to tears, but no one has anywhere to go, so listen away!
What I’m Eating:
@Detoxinista Oatmeal Pancakes Literally on repeat, almost every day. I do a double batch, sub applesauce for half of the maple syrup and add a handful of spinach to make them “monster pancakes” and ensure that Margot gets at least a tablespoon of non-carb nutrition that day.
What I’m Wearing:
We’re one week away from summer vacation and I have absolutely nowhere to go and no one to see. So I popped over to Target.com and bought this jumpsuit. Pajamas? Loungewear? Workwear? It’s all the same now.
What I Forgot:
My dentist appointment. They even texted me about it an hour beforehand, and I still didn’t make it out the door in time.
What I Failed At:
One of my main goals at this stage of quarantine parenting is to keep my cool when my daughter goes bananas about the most innocuous of things. I am constantly trying to remind myself that it is normal for 3-year-olds to be completely irrational, and that their over-the-top reactions are actually proportionate to their experience with unexpected events, and the big emotions that inevitably result from them.
However, last week, when Margot lost her mind because I wouldn’t let her spray the backyard sprinkler into her bedroom window, I ran out of patience. I didn’t yell, or even take the sprinkler away, but I was not as compassionate as I wish I had been, and definitely let my frustration show. I know I’m human and won’t always have the energy to validate her feelings, but I also know that I could have risen to the challenge that day and didn’t. Good thing she’ll definitely do it again this week, and I can try, try again.