We've had a mellow past few months, nothing too exciting to report. When your last entry is 'We survived a freaking hurricane', somehow chronicling our weekly trips to the grocery store just doesn't seem to be blog worthy, even with the occasional movie rental on a special week. We really have mismanaged expectations here. I blame myself - I should have known better.
It's like my theory for birthday parties for the kids. You've got to start very small, offering almost nothing - no friends, maybe a cake but only if it's carrot, meaningless gifts that you pick up for free at tradeshows or in hotel rooms, etc. Then every year you can add a little something something to make the celebration even better than the year before. A friend may be allowed. Frosting may be added to the cake. Maybe a balloon or two. By the time your child is 16, he or she will be thrilled just to have store-bought invitations and Hawaiian Punch.
But if you make the critical error that most parents seem to make of hiring a clown, renting an inflatable jump castle, allowing live animals of any kind, dropping $281 in Party City for balloons and other decorations, purchasing extravagant gifts like bicycles or video game consoles, inviting enough kids to populate the Children's Choir of Omaha, offering free curbside valet; all this when your child turns 4 - well, then my friend, by the time he's 16, half of the high school will be invited to the lakeside condo you rented to hear the private Jonas Brothers concert you had to pony up for. That will be the expectation anyway, hence the show My Super Sweet 16 on MTV. You've got to set yourself up to be able to improve, allow some wiggle room, see.
Now, we have fallen into the birthday party trap just like everyone else. But only because my wife of 9.6 years is so weak when it comes to these matters. I tried to convince her we should actually pretend to forget the kids' birthday for a couple of years just to help them really appreciate the giant numeral 7 candle when they finally got it. Alas, my arguments fell on deaf ears.
Anyway, I'm going to post a bit more this year. It's a goal for 2009 (and it only took me 23 days to start!) Maybe it'll end next week like all of my other goals for the new year, maybe it will last a couple of months. Who knows. Maybe, just maybe, I'll make an entry every week that will blow your very mind such that you'll monitor our humble blog with unwavering hourly regularity because you just can't wait for the next masterpiece to unfold right before your thirsty blood-red eyes. But in the spirit of managing expectations, I wouldn't count it.
Happy New Year to you all and a much belated Merry Christmas!
