JudgeLynn.com

Hello everyone,

I am at the airport ready to ride the tube. I have it together more than usual this morning although my stress level was so high last night that it seeped into the air around my house and infected everybody. I put everyone on edge. I had been home so long between trips I lost whatever flight cool I had. In addition I find that though I prefer to stay home when I do it to much Worry Lynn has a field day.

E was funny this morning. He said “I am going to miss you but you need to go.” And he is right. Sometimes you have to push me out of the house.

I am heading to NYC to do a spot on CBS’s Early Show on my new book, The Sane Approach. Don’t know what time the segment will air. If I get a heads up I’ll let you know. Also scheduled to do Tom Joyner on Thursday and Fox NYC on Thursday. When I have exact info I’ll let you know.

Welcome to Christine J. We’re a good group. Hope you enjoy.

I will think about the motivating teenaged boy question. If I can’t give you some kind of cogent help I should be ashamed I am on teenage son #6. I have to warn you though I am old school and we started really early with 18 and you’re out. My phrase is “If you’re not earning or learning you can’t live with me.”

Wish me luck and smooth air!

Peace

That’s when I woke up. Yet again, not a good sign. This time instead of roaming the halls like a zombie, I painted a picture. Funny thing, that which looks good in a 2:00 am haze doesn’t come across so well post-coffee at 7:30 am.

But it isn’t the product, it is the process for me, so it served it’s purpose.

I would like to tell Micca, I too, appreciate her constant engagement on this site. Youthful input. Very helpful. But I must say – she’s comes across as awfully mature for her age. Loving that!

I’ve asked this before but I’ll ask it again: Are we too girly on this site? Any fellas out there? Just holler so I know you’re reading.

I was just becoming used to my new calm water serene state. I painted a great deal yesterday. Made what actually looks like a flower. Hadn’t intended on it but it kinda turned out that way so I am going to go with it. Anyway, I was really starting to get into ENJOYING a relaxed state. . . .

Then the kids came home.

Little one is sick. And he’s like his dad. It makes him angry that he’s not well. Keeps trying to say I’m okay when he’s not. Turns his nose up at medicine. He walks around the house saying ‘I’ m bored’ Gets in everybody else’s bed when I’m not looking. Had to change all the sheets. I am going on my book tour next week and I don’t need to be sick.

Then 17 gets home finds out that sick 14 has been in his room and gets mad that we make him change his sheets before he can take his (now get this) after school nap. He said something very teenagy.

I said ‘excuse me?’
Though he did not – to his credit – repeat his first comment he did say ‘I don’t know why you can’t control him.’
I say, “just change the bed.”
He starts mumbling about how I can’t control my own kid.
I say, a bit louder this time, “Change the sheets.”
He says “Stop yelling.”
I say, “whose house is this?”
He says nothing. I repeat it.
He says, because he is an intelligent boy, “okay.”

I made spaghetti and hot garlic bread for dinner. You would have thought I had put these people on bread and water. Then 14 says, ‘I don’t want spaghetti’ (which has been his favorite for years- which is why I made it because he’s sick and I want him to eat) “I want Ramon Noodles.”

I said nothing. Got him some spaghetti. He looked up at me like I was a waiter who messed up his order. I said, “It’s all pasta and it’s all I’m cooking” He ate it.

Now, of course, none of this is a worry thing and it is certainly trivial. But it just goes to show you, you should keep your mouth shut about peace and calm. Just enjoy it.

Peace.

I feel a little odd this morning. Not currently worried about anything. I feel all adrift and what not. Part of my continuing PIP is to put to bed all concerns that I can’t work on. I have been surprisingly successful.

Still have problems like everybody else but I am so serene. Conflict is the mother of so much of my creativity. You know what I mean, a movie isn’t any good unless there is a problem to solve.

But I tell you what – give me a couple of hours – and I will find something to get all in a dither about. Then maybe I’ll have something interesting to post about. Until the. . .

Yours in brevity,

Judge Lynn

Last night was a first.

It wasn’t my birthday or mother’s day. I wasn’t just home from a long trip. I was not ill. I just said I wasn’t going to and so I didn’t.

This is the first time in 17 years (when none of the aforementioned applied or when there is some miracle move on my husband’s part like the other evening when he decided to cook) that I have not either personally cooked or otherwise made arrangements for dinner.

Deeper still, this was my husband’s idea.

I was on the couch, my mood noticeably darkening as the dinner hour approached. I’m trying to think what I have on the kitchen and is it something I can really cook. I wonder which one will eat what. I wonder if I have butter. ( I cannot tell you how often I get half way through a prepackaged meal and realize I don’t have some essential ingredient).

So there I was brooding silently.