We never used to say grace at the dinner table.  Until two years ago.  That’s when we had two Japanese exchange students stay with us for a week.  The two teenage boys introduced us to a family tradition in which everyone at the dinner table talks about “one good thing” and “one bad thing” that happened to them that day.
 
It could be something as profound as my nine year old son’s two (ex) friends taking a vote that they don’t want to be his friend anymore, or as trivial as me finding a killer parking spot (it’s sad how many times “killer parking spot” shows up when it’s my turn).  

I like this prayer, if you can call it that – it’s not asking us to think about just the good or just the bad – it’s both – like life (warning: if I ever write the words “like” and “life” next to each other, you know I’m about to get preachy and maudlin).  So before I do, let me simply throw out this week’s Three Good Things, Three Bad Things. 

I hope it goes without saying that I would love to hear about a good thing, or bad thing, or both, like life, oh shut up Alfredo, from any of you. 

Three Good Things: 

1. On Saturday I saw the video of “Surprised Kitty.”  The word to describe this degree of cuteness hasn’t been invented yet.  If you’re not compelled to watch this thing at least twice in a row, you need to have that lump of coal where you’re heart’s supposed to be removed. (see image above)
2. This morning I walk into my favorite coffee shop and all the inside tables are taken.  It’s an ice cold morning, but I resign myself to sitting outside.  Probably will just scarf my coffee and bagel and run, it’s so cold, but by the time I’ve gone through the line and got my order, one table – just one – has opened up inside.   A killer parking spot for my ass!  
3. My son Gabriel wanted to ride on my back like a horse.  He weighs 105 pounds.  It hurts.  He knew that, and so he placed his feet on the ground and didn’t put his full weight on me as he steered me around the living room.

Three Bad Things:

 1. I DJ at the bar once in a while, and we play it deafeningly loud, especially at the DJ booth.  So I got these expensive custom musician earplugs about a week ago (it’s really just my left ear that gets blown out, don’t even need it for the right, but I bought the pair, anyway).  My first time using them Friday night, I lost one on the way home, probably in the cab somewhere.  Just one.  The left one.

2. Caught my older son Rafael (13) sneaking candy.  I don’t mind the candy, or even the sneaking, it’s the lying that irritates.  And it’s not even the lying so much as the realization that your children – y’know, the ones who are so different from the rest of the riff raff – have the capacity to lie…to you.  He denied doing it, until I confronted him with the evidence: a Snicker’s wrapper floating in the toilet.  (lesson to anyone disposing of evidence in toilets: FLUSH!).  Seems like only yesterday he was riding me like a horse, too….sigh.

3. Took our dog for a walk Thursday night. 

We use plastic grocery store bags to pick up his poop.  It was dark out.  Didn’t see the tiny hole in the bottom of the bag.  Squish.  Washed my hands 13 times when I got home.  Still haven’t used them to eat.  Been a challenge.

ps – and if, say, you don’t have any “bad” thing to share that day – well, good for you.  It doesn’t mean you’re Pollyanna.  It just means you’re having  a killer parking spot day (or at least the wisdom to see it that way!)