See the spring of my grandfather clock unwinding

This afternoon, I took my son for a well check exam. Originally, I had scheduled it to happen over the summer so that he could have up-to-date records for kindergarten, but then my ex started to freak out because he was going to lose his spot in the before & after school programs if I didn’t submit all his forms immediately. It turns out that she was exactly right. So I had to give the school medical exam forms from last year, and hurry up to schedule this doctor visit.

I’m not sure how I feel about a system that would rather tick of the box than wait for better information. And when I say “not sure” I mean… on the one hand it seems bad, but on the other hand, even imprecise information is better than none and why let the perfect be the enemy of the good? But, I digress.

Some other things happened today:

• I had a great conversation with my daughter, as we were going to school. Then, she expressed some really interesting ideas when I got her after school.
• I got a text from my ex-wife asking for my help to get her car fixed. I told her what to do to fix the car that I thought she had. It turns out that she has a different kind of car, so probably haven’t helped her at all.
• I saved a deal at work. Somebody else almost ruined the whole thing by trying to be the lawyer. It almost made me late for my doctor’s appointment. “Seriously, I have to leave, get my son, and take him to the Doctor. Sorry, sir, but this really can wait until tomorrow.” It couldn’t, apparently. But I made it all work.
• I put together a gym bag for tomorrow, but I know that won’t end up going.
• I called my Ex to keep her up to date and to let her know how the Doctor’s appointment went. At first, she seemed annoyed that I was bothering her. But then, I told a few funny stories and she seemed happier. But then, the mood became strange. So I hung up.
• I ate three really unhealthy meals.
• Chemistry.com matched me up with a person from League City (far away) and another person from Seabrook (even further away).
  “No thanks you are too far away.”
• I let the kids be happy, but I was afraid to join them even though they wanted me to join their play. Instead, I withdrew; merely observing them out of the corner of my eye. But then, while they were playing, I lavished affection on my one cat who is always a rascal while ignoring my other cat who is always sweet.
• I thought everything was fine but then my sleepy headed son came out of his room with tears welling up because he couldn’t find his build-a-bear puppy. Looking at his bed, I saw three dozen stuffed animals. I realized that he had previously hidden his favorite one so that I’d pay more attention to him by having to look for it, but then he forgot where he actually hid his puppy and got sad. I found his hidden stuffed animal. After I did, he did a dance of joy on the bed, which got him all riled up. So then we had to kiss each of his animals, and then sing them a story song. This is how the song went:

Mary had a little lamb,
(little lamb, little lamb)
Mary had a little lamb,
whose fleece was white as snow.

Every where that Mary went
(Mary went, Mary went)
Every where that Mary went
the lamb was sure to go

It followed her to school one day
(school one day,school one day)
It followed her to school one day
because it loved her so

All the children laughed and pointedatthelamb (pointedatthelamb, pointedatthelamb)
All the children laughed and pointedatthelamb
because a lamb is like “what the…”

The teacher made one of these faces
(one of these faces, one of these faces)
The teacher made one of these faces
and then said “No lambs allowed”

Mary sat down and cried
(down and cried, down and cried)
Mary sat down and cried
because she didn’t want the lamb to wander off

The teacher had a change of heart
(change of heart, change of heart)
The teacher had a change of heart
and said the lamb could eat outside

Outside is a tuft of grass
(tuft of grass, tuft of grass)
Outside is a tuft of grass
on which the lamb can graze

Just then the lamb offered his opinion
(offered his opinion, offered his opinion)
Just then the lamb offered his opinion
that he would rather learn math

But the teacher didn’t speak lamb
(didn’t speak lamb, didn’t speak lamb)
But the teacher didn’t speak lamb
so this is what she heard

“ba ba ba ba ba ba ba
(ba ba ba, ba ba ba)
“ba ba ba ba ba ba ba
ba ba ba ba ba ba”

My son laughed at the “ba ba” and then told me that he missed Mommy,and that he didn’t like it when she picked him up to sleep at her place. Then with the same wistful tone, he said he wished he could have chair in his room so he could eat snacks at his desk. Then he rolled over and went to sleep.

In case I haven’t hit you over the head with my point, today was like my whole life in microcosm.

I had some more stuff here on an earlier revision but like Michael Jackson turning into a panther and dance-stroying a car, it is gone.