Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

  • They MIGHT Be Giants

    I had this conversation with my toddler a while back: Me: [singing] Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch / Who watches over you / Make a little birdhouse in your soul… Him: Mama?  Who’s singing this song? Me: It’s a group called They Might Be Giants.  The two main guys are named…

  • Yes, I Used My Son’s Potty!

    I can’t believe I’m about to admit this.  Some of you might think it’s hysterical.  Some of you may think it’s gross.  Some of you may have done it yourselves and many of you may have thought about it. My kids sleep in the car – a lot.  I drive around for hours a day…

  • The Power of Mom

    Have you heard stories about mothers who muster up super-human strength when their children are in danger? I have often wondered (but hope never to be in the position to find out) if I would find that power within me if it were ever needed. I realize, though, that there are little moments each day…

  • The Sad Tale of the Paper Towel

    Today I wrote a grocery shopping list on a paper towel.  Then I forgot and used the paper towel to sop up some spilled water.  Then I threw it out.  Then I remembered.  Then I took it out of the garbage and rewrote the list on an actual piece of paper.  Then I left the…

  • Mamas Can Fix Trains, Too!

    I fixed the train table.  I did it.  Me.  All.  By.  Myself.  The train tracks have been both a blessing and a curse in my house.  I found a train table on the curb one day.  It wasn’t in the greatest condition, but I figured with a little love, we could fix it up and…

  • The Kindness of Strangers Experiment: Pizza Delivery to My Car

    How many times have you been stuck in the car with a sleeping child while wishing you could run errands, get something (anything) accomplished, or go into a store or restaurant while he or she napped? In my case, it’s almost daily. Although I’m not proud of it, I have had my fair share of…

  • The Kindness of Strangers Experiment (Because We All Need a Helping Hand Sometimes)

    Being a mom with a toddler and a baby is a difficult job, there’s no denying that. As hard as it is, it is also difficult to admit sometimes that we occasionally need a helping hand. We are all supermoms in our own right, so to ask for help can be frustrating and make us…

  • When a Typical Monday Becomes UN-Halloween!

    June 4, 2012, 4:00pm.  “Mama, is it Halloween?” asked my three year old son as he looked in the toy closet and discovered the green plastic pumpkin that he used to collect candy last October.  “No, honey.  Halloween is in the fall when it’s getting colder out.  It’s springtime now and getting warmer out.  We…

  • A Public Service Announcement from a Toddler

    We all look for teachable moments.  Of course, toddlers always have a knack for asking questions very loudly and not always with tact.  “Mama, where is all that man’s hair?”  “Mama, why is that lady in a wheelchair?”  The possibilities for awkwardness are endless. My three year old son is notorious for this.  I always…

  • The Flower Child: A Poem I Wrote 22 Years Ago

    I recently came across this poem that I wrote when I was a freshman in high school – May 14, 1990 to be exact.  Just thought I’d share it.   The Flower Child A child is a flower That opens up to bloom Just like a little seed Still in its mother’s womb. As time…