I truly feel sorry for them. You and your brother (and, I imagine, your sister) are a parent's DREAM. No joke.

This is my thought exactly.

It really is sad when people have everything and can't allow themselves to be happy.

So often, parents succeed in pressing their wills on their children and then have to find yet other things to be critical about. That well is bottomless, tragically.

Someone has to.

And I am more than happy to oblige! I may have actually been told this summer that I was the silliest person they have ever met. I’ll take that label! I'm also the Popsicle Monster, the Grandma Monster, the Tickle Monster, and the developer of a new playground game (at our school, anyways), "One, Two, Three, Blastoff!" Good times.

vw, that's very interesting about the kids and the failure to play. I'm so glad you have given the opportunity to play. It's so important, so enriching and revitalizing.

I know! I mean, I understand it’s Montessori, but they still need to play!

Val: thanks for teaching the kids to play! I have a lot of Indian students, too, but by the time they get to me, they know how to play (which is important in my classes and in life in general) and it's because of teachers like you.

I should clarify that it wasn’t only the Indian children that I needed to teach how to play. There were also a couple of Asian kiddos and one Caucasian that just didn’t know what to do. So, I modeled playing, and eventually they played along, and we had a great time. Kind of makes the job really fun. And seeing how far the kids come—socially and verbally—makes EVERYTHING worthwhile. There were a couple of kids that were like completely different kiddos at the end of the summer—happy, smiling, social, and connected to their peers. I am certain that will make the school year much easier for them this year.

Yay, vw on the board!

Don’t get too used to it! I’ll probably disappear as quickly as I appeared. Life is so much in the way of my Buffistas these days!

I'm glad they've moved forward with diagnosis, Pix, and hope this is all resolved happily soonest!

So often, parents succeed in pressing their wills on their children and then have to find yet other things to be critical about. That well is bottomless, tragically.

The church I've been attending this summer did a series about "good people" in June. In the Good Man sermon the pastor addressed Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

The pastor made a VERY big point that the Proverb is saying to train the child in the way he or she SHOULD go, not the way you want them to go, how you think they should go, how the world wants them to go, how your church wants them to go, etc. Instead, it means to train the child to find his or her own way, and then they will be just fine--if you teach them to find their way.

I absolutely adore that interpretation. It is quite different than any other interpretation I've ever heard, but it also makes the most sense.

Oh, Pix, I'm so glad they're making some progress! How scary. Much love to you both.

Quick return to health ~ma for Drew, and surgery ~ma for Trudy's aunt and amyth's brother. Too many good folks sick.

P.-C., I'm glad you and your brother have each other, and glad your sister has you both! "Closed-minded" means "you refuse to see and accept my point of view!", of course.

My brother thinks she was trying to be the moderator; every now and then she would sum up someone's point in an attempt to generate a proper response, but it was ineffective.

yeesh, this was me when I was living at home. Sometimes still, when my family really gets going at each other. Never works, though.

Tons of ~ma heading towards Pasadena. May the docs figure it out quickly, may their hands work with skill and precision in fixing the problem, and may the pain subside.

Equal tons heading to NY Sloan Kettering. Not the type of Buffista party any of us would have in mind.

P-C, amazing. You. Are. Amazing. It's good to hear your sister was trying to be a moderator. I sense that means she's more likely to see the writing on the wall, and sympathizes with her brothers. Alas, living under the roof of your parents does make it difficult.

wrt to cleaning books. I think I found one for my Mother. [link] She is queen of clutter. So bad, last time I went down to visit her, we didn't make it past the rec room in the lobby. Her apartment was too messy to invite me up. My place is ok, some clutter areas, but plenty of open spaces, and a living room that folks can gather in. She was amazed at how immaculate my apartment was when she visited. Even if you remove some of the exaggerated mother factor, it still points at how messy her place has to be. Of course, that got her wanting to get more stuff for the apartment "because it's so sparse". Um. Yeah Mom, that's the idea.

ION - I was going to head down to work today. But am waiting on the apartment maintenance guy. In theory, he will fix my dishwasher (again). But couldn't give a firm time. Or an eta time. Just "this afternoon". Ugg. Hate that.

{{{Noise and Pix}}}

healing ~ma to all that need it!

And family ~ma to those that need it, too!

Adding to Omnis's book suggestion: [link]

I like the way the book addresses sentimentality. It really helped me get things out of boxes in the garage and either up on my walls or off to Goodwill. We do not honor objects, or our memories of them, but having them hidden. That was so important for me to understand.