First Comes Love, Then Comes Baby: April 2009

on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky tacky
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes all the same,
Theres a pink one & a green one
And a blue one & a yellow one
And they are all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.

And the people in the houses
All went to the university
Where they were put in boxes
And they came out all the same
And theres doctors & lawyers
And business executives
And they are all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.

This is the song that plays over and over in my head as I walk to my office building every morning, and as I drive home to Grand Prairie every afternoon. There is something absolutely soul crushing about the "daily grind" everyone is expected to participate in once they become an adult.
*You wake up
*grab a coffee
*sit in traffic
*park you car
*walk to work
*look at the same J. Crew blouse and skirt in different variations on different women pulling their rolling briefcases behind them
*sit at your desk
*check your e-mail
*check the time,
*text your significant other
*lurk on Facebook (or on people's blogs, like you're doing right now)
*check the time
*do some work
*go to lunch
*more texting
*more spying
*check the time
*drink a diet soda
*leave work
*sit in more traffic
*debate whether getting a $200 ticket for ilegally driving in the HOV lane would be worth it
*arrive home
*kiss the kid
*kiss the significant other
*discuss dinner plans
*decide on Chili's
*sit in more traffic
*eat at Chili's
*go home
*perhaps a quick trip to Target
*put the kid to bed
*watch bad reality television
*you and the significant other go to bed early with the sexiest of intentions but end up falling asleep as you mumble "maybe tomorrow night..."

Some of you are reading this thinking "and the problem with that is...?" Which is fine. Others of you are thinking "oh my god, that will NEVER be me. i mean i want to get married and have kids, but we're not going to end up like that. we're too (intellectual, pretty, talented, rich, stoned....whatever)." Well guess what, it will happen to you. You know how I know? Because it happened to US. Yes, it helps that our child is the funniest and most beautiful child that exists. Yes, it helps that Adam and I share a love that most people will never find in this lifetime.Yes, it helps that we're just plain awesome. but... IT. STILL. HAPPENED.

No more L.A. parties with Seth Rogen,spur of the moment trips to Mexico,or nights of drinking Sake until one of us shaves their head...It's a trade off of sorts. But eventually, I think you can find a way to incorporate your new family life into the life you once had. It just takes time to find your groove. There's a way out of the rut, if you really want it. I know there is. We just haven't found it yet. So for now we will be content in our little box. It will just be slightly cooler than everyone elses.

-R