Yeah, you'll notice how they're not called Self Image Angels. They seek to do you harm.

But Self Image Angels do exist. They're called Buffistas.

Thanks, guys. They are fighting dirty tonight and attacking on multiple fronts. No fairs!

But Self Image Angels do exist. They're called Buffistas.

Yes.

Self Image Angels! I like it. What they said, Sean.

My mother took all responsibility for our actions with the Mom classic - "Where have I failed as a mother?" If we misbehaved it was clearly her fault because she didn't teach us properly. Since her youngest child is now 57 we all have a blast reminding her that it is clearly her fault each time something goes amiss in our lives. Yes, we all get along very well at this point. We were all terrors in our teens.

Unfortunately I think I inherited her feelings, although my kids don't know it. My heart carries full blame for each and every flaw of my kids. The balance is my head being convinced from real world observation that parents have damn little control over kids decisions. (great parents, shitty kids and rotten parent, good kids evidence)

Lots of travel and work commitments today. Have a good Monday.

Just keep reading.

I think I got to the part you meant, and just literally gasped, after rereading the sentence a few times to make sure it meant what I thought it meant.

Ha! Oh man, I can't wait to get to this shit. SOON.

I was joking about safaris and how they should try not to be eaten by a lion.

I was wondering about that, because I thought that Indian mothers were traditionally eaten by tigers.

My mother's mother would look stricken and say, in martyred tones, "You do want you want, but I may not be here when you get back."

Yay, no smoking smonster! Could it be that you should cut yourself some slack while trying to kick one of the most addictive substances on earth?

Sean, Sean, Sean. You've done such amazing things in the last year. Do not let your stupid brain fool you.

Dang. You guys, my brother called me this morning and told me he is going into rehab ASAP. He woke up this morning and was so sick that he just decided this is it. He's never said "I'm an alcoholic" before, but he did this morning. He's quitting his job at the brewery, and my SiL is looking into rehab places right now.

It's been obvious for a *long* time (10 years? 15?) that he drinks too much. And we've all been concerned. But short of an intervention, you can't make someone else get help. So it's enormous that he's getting help.

I'm just completely gobsmacked. I didn't see it coming. Or, I should say, I didn't see everything coming all at once, on a Monday morning. I remember our dad saying that he knew he (Dad) had a "drinking problem" but that he wasn't ready to quit and wasn't planning to. And then eventually he did. My granddad was a liter-of-whiskey-a-night alcoholic for 50 years, and finally quit because his doctor told him he'd be dead in 6 months if he didn't.

So I'm used to these thing happening gradually -- admit you have a problem, but keep drinking for a while, admit you need help, keep drinking, THEN get help. For my brother to compress it all into one morning is...a lot to take in.

And I obviously know that it being a lot for me to take in is NOTHING compared to what he's dealing with right now.

I'm really proud of him. Unbelievably so. And I hope it works. And I feel like I got punched in the stomach. Literally, physically, my stomach hurts.

Oh Steph, much love to all of you. I'm glad he's getting help.

Wow, Steph. I can't help but wonder if your deep conversation with him recently was a help in his decision.