Media Alert

A couple of days ago, Jace asked me if it was true that media caused him to lose brain cells. I said--Absolutely!--as this was the perfect moment to manipulate him into realizing that he needs more creativity in his life. I giggled to myself as he spent the rest of the evening playing. He chased Piper; he danced and jumped; he read and drew, creating cartoons that involve violence and smashing (but they are genuinely clever). He steered clear of the computer.

The next day (yesterday) Jace came home from school and informed me that both he and Josh (his good buddy) are worried about how many brain cells they have destroyed from all of their media expeditions. These two boys spend hours on the computer together. They put each other on speaker phone and then play an online game--yelling and laughing and taunting and all kinds of boy stuff. It's hysterical--and sometimes annoying as Jace can be so loud that I can't hear myself think.

So when Jace told me his lack of brain cell concerns, I shrugged and said, "Yeah, that's a legitimate concern. You may want to try to build some brain cells by doing activities that involve creativity." And so I watched him spend the evening trying to balance media with other things.

I wonder how long I can keep this gig going. (You can thank me later, Erin.)

Media Alert (cell phone exercise app + music): Yesterday I took a walk down Holcombe Cove Road for the first time in far too long. My lack of exercise recently was evidenced by the embarrassingly slow pace I "maintained" up that hill, listening to Taylor Swift bemoan her latest lost love. The air was crisp and I felt so alive...until a lady about my age passed me up, jogging with determination and purpose. And then I didn't feel so alive. I cursed her in my head for being so fit and having legs of a 20 year old. But of course--that's a different story.

Media Alert: I also skyped with Dee for at least an hour. Dee has been my friend for forever and when we talk, it's like comin' home. She knows me well and I am so thankful that no matter the crisis or joy, she is there with a listening ear and just the right words.

Media Alert: I perused facebook some though I didn't post. It drives me a little crazy honestly--sometimes I wish I had the discipline to completely delete it from my life. But evidently I would miss those Candy Crush invitations and teenage woes and "selfies" that seem to "blow up" my newsfeed as I still check it multiple times each day.

Media Alert: Once dinner was complete and dishes done, I nestled down for some time with my iPad. I played a really ridiculous game for a bit; I did some online research on what happened to Jan from The Brady Bunch (she and "Marcia" are engaged in a very long feud that was instigated from an allusion to a lesbian affair in a book "Marcia" wrote years ago and they haven't spoken since; in fact, this feud gets in the way of any Brady Brunch reunions. It's amazing the things one can learn online).

So basically while Jace fervently drew his cartoons and I snickered, I am wondering how many braincells I lost today.

Well done, Vonda. Well done.