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Every Jewish Mamma's Dream
Oct. 3rd, 2015 09:46 amDefinitely need to fire up that old light box.
Because on the sixth straight day of bleak grey sky, I find myself spending hours reading message threads on obscure celebrity websites. Message threads like, Which celebs have YOU met in person?
King Kong: Much, much shorter than you’d think. Pleasant, but aloof. All about the business.
Godzilla: Really depressed. I thought he was gonna slit his wrists any minute.
Bambi: Complete asshole. Arrogant, self-centered, pompous. Spoke in that special "theater" voice. This was in college, years before that Disney movie came out and he became a celebrity.
Lassie: Manic, extremely friendly, extremely tiny; has an encyclopedic knowledge of classic television.
Clearly, I need to get a life. But, you know, this weather...
###
I’m full into revenue generation. Always boring. I need to buy plane tickets for me and RTT to go Berkeley over Thanksgiving. I gave up credit cards when the Little Store imploded, so every purchase I make these days is on a cash basis. My credit score, though (oddly enough), has crept back into positive territory.
RTT, according to Ben, is supposed to be taking the LSAT today. TWO sons who are LAWYERS! My Jewish mamma’s heart runneth over.
Although, I’m half expecting a hysterical phone call from B around 10 o’clock this morning – because I don’t actually think RTT wants to be a lawyer. I think Ben wants to be a lawyer, and is projecting this on to RTT, and Ben is just relentless when he wants something. Subtly relentless.
My relationship with RTT has vastly improved over the past year, but I wouldn’t say it’s advanced to the point where it has any kind of custodial overtones. Of course, since he will be turning 21 in two and a half weeks, I kind of think a custodial relationship with RTT is somehow beside the point. I’d rather focus on building a good relationship as the adult mother of an adult son.
But since I am so removed from the custodial aspects of RTT’s life – or I have been removed from the custodial aspects of RTT’s life; Ben is kind of a zealous, jealous mother bear on that one – I’ve been completely out of the loop on the RTT law school prep except for one time, last month, when RTT contacted me, hysterical, because he didn’t want to take the LSAT in October.
“This is my life,” he said. “Why can’t I just make that choice myself?”
“Well, I agree,” I said. “And again, all I can say is that his behavior is motivated by a deep, deep love for you – which doesn’t make it any less annoying, I know.”
Can you say, Triangulation? Mister Rogers thought you could!
Ben is confident that he’s won that battle. And maybe he has.
It does seem rather bizarre to me that Ben – who was always complaining about the various stratagems Nancy used to guilt-trip him – is now using those same stratagems to guilt-trip Robin.
But as I say, I’m out of that loop.
I love Robin. I send cash for his support. I bankroll a few trips. I send him gift boxes. I have occasional heated debates with him about politics. I’m told he incorporated all my line edits into his novel-in-progress and that he has a high regard for my writing abilities.
I don’t see sitting on my adult kids as an optimal parenting strategy. Over Thanksgiving, RTT and I will be spending significant amounts of time together, and I’ll get the opportunity to ask him those sweeping parental questions that always amount to the same question: So? How are you planning to spend those next 60 years?
If he asks for advice, I’ll offer it.
If he doesn’t, I won’t.
Because on the sixth straight day of bleak grey sky, I find myself spending hours reading message threads on obscure celebrity websites. Message threads like, Which celebs have YOU met in person?
King Kong: Much, much shorter than you’d think. Pleasant, but aloof. All about the business.
Godzilla: Really depressed. I thought he was gonna slit his wrists any minute.
Bambi: Complete asshole. Arrogant, self-centered, pompous. Spoke in that special "theater" voice. This was in college, years before that Disney movie came out and he became a celebrity.
Lassie: Manic, extremely friendly, extremely tiny; has an encyclopedic knowledge of classic television.
Clearly, I need to get a life. But, you know, this weather...
###
I’m full into revenue generation. Always boring. I need to buy plane tickets for me and RTT to go Berkeley over Thanksgiving. I gave up credit cards when the Little Store imploded, so every purchase I make these days is on a cash basis. My credit score, though (oddly enough), has crept back into positive territory.
RTT, according to Ben, is supposed to be taking the LSAT today. TWO sons who are LAWYERS! My Jewish mamma’s heart runneth over.
Although, I’m half expecting a hysterical phone call from B around 10 o’clock this morning – because I don’t actually think RTT wants to be a lawyer. I think Ben wants to be a lawyer, and is projecting this on to RTT, and Ben is just relentless when he wants something. Subtly relentless.
My relationship with RTT has vastly improved over the past year, but I wouldn’t say it’s advanced to the point where it has any kind of custodial overtones. Of course, since he will be turning 21 in two and a half weeks, I kind of think a custodial relationship with RTT is somehow beside the point. I’d rather focus on building a good relationship as the adult mother of an adult son.
But since I am so removed from the custodial aspects of RTT’s life – or I have been removed from the custodial aspects of RTT’s life; Ben is kind of a zealous, jealous mother bear on that one – I’ve been completely out of the loop on the RTT law school prep except for one time, last month, when RTT contacted me, hysterical, because he didn’t want to take the LSAT in October.
“This is my life,” he said. “Why can’t I just make that choice myself?”
“Well, I agree,” I said. “And again, all I can say is that his behavior is motivated by a deep, deep love for you – which doesn’t make it any less annoying, I know.”
Can you say, Triangulation? Mister Rogers thought you could!
Ben is confident that he’s won that battle. And maybe he has.
It does seem rather bizarre to me that Ben – who was always complaining about the various stratagems Nancy used to guilt-trip him – is now using those same stratagems to guilt-trip Robin.
But as I say, I’m out of that loop.
I love Robin. I send cash for his support. I bankroll a few trips. I send him gift boxes. I have occasional heated debates with him about politics. I’m told he incorporated all my line edits into his novel-in-progress and that he has a high regard for my writing abilities.
I don’t see sitting on my adult kids as an optimal parenting strategy. Over Thanksgiving, RTT and I will be spending significant amounts of time together, and I’ll get the opportunity to ask him those sweeping parental questions that always amount to the same question: So? How are you planning to spend those next 60 years?
If he asks for advice, I’ll offer it.
If he doesn’t, I won’t.
