A New Day, A New Blog, A New Woobie

In keeping with my time-honored tradition of putting things off, thinking about them, and re-tooling them until a great deal of time has passed before things come to fruition, this is my first post in my new blog. I've spent much time wondering what my first post will address: career crisis? family? I think I've realized that the more time I spend thinking about writing, the less likely I am to actually write, which has long been one of my troubles. My first post, after all, does not have to be momentous and incredibly important; as I often tell my students, "Just write. It doesn't matter what you say. Just write." And so here I am.

Yesterday at Ikea, Kate picked up a navy blue fleece blanket and immediately made it her own. She curled up in the shopping cart and used it as a pillow. Much to my surprise, she began calling it her "new woobie." This means, I'm thinking, that she's considering replacing her old, tired, tattered, stinky (despite her father's constant washing of it...which is what I'm thinking has contributed to the "tattered" adjective) woobie that she's had since shortly after her birth.



Her woobie is one of the last remnants of her babyhood and, like mothers everywhere, I am sad to let go of that last thread. She is still very much a baby - she's small and innocent and loves to cuddle - but she's 5. Or, as she began informing me a couple weeks ago, she's 5 1/2. She still loves that woobie, so I know it's not going anywhere soon, but the fact that she's considering retiring it makes me a little sad. But proud.

And if she can give up that woobie, then I can give up habits that have served me poorly (unlike the woobie, which has done nothing but provide warmth and comfort when needed).



Today is a new day. And this is my first post. Nothing big and fancy. But it's a start.