Piloting Your Life: In-Flight Entertainment (Do. Or do not. There is not try) (Apr 9, 2019)
Welcome Back My Philosophical Passengers:
This week my son, my eldest child, the baby that made me a mama, is turning 18 and I couldn’t be happier for him. It is a milestone birthday and he is so ready to launch into the real world and test his own mettle.
I am not too hung up on most of this other than I want to make sure he fully understands that as an adult, there are legal consequences to stupid or accidental behavior. His prefrontal cortex is not fully developed so he thinks I am being overly concerned; he’s invincible right? He’s also too busy planning out his first three tattoos and how he can call in and excuse his own absences and tardies at school.
We celebrated my birthday at Magic Mountain in Southern California on Friday. It was a Forced Family Fun day that started at 5 AM as we drove the 5 hours to Valencia and rode rides all day. I love roller coasters! My husband Zeke tapped out on the Viper and said he was retiring from roller coaster rides. This was as he was crawling off the ride warning the passengers following us to save themselves. I couldn’t stop laughing at his running commentary as we rode the ride. It is not my favorite and I don’t need to go on it again but the experience was memorable because of him.
We ended the day with funnel cake (a friend of Rei’s insisted that we try it) after which we got back into the car at 6 PM and drove home via Harrah’s Ranch for dinner. That too was memorable as my son Adam laid into Rei for ordering salmon at a steakhouse and if Rei wanted something lighter, they could have ordered a 6 ounce steak instead of an 8 ounce steak. Mind you, Rei had a burger at Denny’s for breakfast and did you see the size of the funnel cake?
As Adam went and gassed up the car and Zeke used the restroom, the server brought out a piece of cheesecake and Rei sang happy birthday to me. She denies it but I am pretty sure she blew out my candle.
What I loved most about this birthday was being together as a family. I feel like we are at the end of an era and everything is going to change. Change is good, I realize that, but I love the family we have created (literally and figuratively). It’s not easy being parents and if you are like me, you are constantly wondering if you are doing the right thing, making the right decisions, and not fucking up your kids. I guess that’s what therapy is for, and they are both in therapy so they are all good.
Last week for the podcast I interviewed my second born, Rei, so this week, in honor of Adam’s 18th birthday, I interviewed him. I first interviewed him in November 2017 (episode PYL028) and I love having a recorded glimpse into his mind. One day he will appreciate it (and me!). In this week’s episode, he and I talk about preparing to launch, mental health, being an outlier, hype beasts, and learning it’s ok to have and display your feelings. Enjoy the conversation.
If you didn’t enjoy a glass of bubbly last week in celebration of my birthday (or if you did and need an excuse for another), enjoy one and raise a toast to all the mamas out there preparing to launch their kids off into adulthood.
Piloting Your Life (episode PYL097): Waxing philosophical with Adam Mead
