Dear Diary...

Friday: I took Lucia over to a friend's house for a playdate. It went pretty well until Lucia became obsessive over calling one of the cars in a Richard Scarry book, a "Jupiter car." (At the moment, she's obsessed with planets.) This would not have been so bad, except that she repeated it ad nauseum. Her friend got pretty peeved. When we took the book away, Lucia had a melt-down. Afterward, I sat in the passenger seat of the car and called people on my cell-phone (wishing so desperately that I had brought a book) in an attempt to appear blase while Lucia raged and refused to keep her car-seat straps on. At one point, I looked back and asked, "Are you ready yet?"

Lucia had her hands behind her head and a stubborn set to her chin. "Nope," she replied. I burst out laughing. Soon after, Lucia decided she was ready to go, so I strapped her in and we took off.

Saturday: I've had a sore throat all week. All I've wanted to do is sleep. Nonetheless, I exercised for the first time in days. Afterward, I ignored household chores to work on chord changes. I think the family did something on Saturday, but I don't remember what it was.

Sunday: We went to church for the first time in weeks. We like our priest-- he gives short, compassionate homilies. We sit up in the peanut gallery (i.e. choir loft) with other families that have rambunctious toddlers. Lucia went up to a family in the front row and said, "It's Jupiter! It's Jupiter!"

The little boy about her age said, "No it's not, it's Mommy and Daddy." I silently cheered.

At least Lucia was merry that morning. The meltdowns wreck havoc on my nerves. I understand in a way I never did before how parents can just sit there, zoned out, while their children holler and whine. It's not oblivion: it's lock-down survival mode.

Later on, I worked on some more chord changes, played a few songs, ignored my chores (again) and took a nap. I love naps. Why don't we have naptimes in the workplace? Sleep is key to memory. In graduate school and at my full-time jobs afterward, I had my power-napping techniques down-pat. I would eat lunch, and then konk out on the couch for as long as I had a break. I briefly considered bringing in an alarm clock, but somehow, I always managed to wake up before it was time to go back on the desk.

I've discovered a way to practice guitar without Lucia getting jealous (i.e. crawling on my lap, muting the strings with her hands, etc.). Whatever song I'm working on, I just sing her name in place of the lyrics.

Monday: I gave the bathroom a deep clean. See, I'm not totally useless when it comes to domestic tasks. I want to get paid, though.