The flight of the social butterflies

August is only four days old and it's already clear that this will be the month of parties. We had two parties to go to today: one we happily attended and one I unceremoniously decided I didn't have the energy for. Tomorrow I'm going to a baby shower and that should be a lot of fun. Next weekend we have three more parties; this month the kids are learning how to be social butterflies and I'm realizing that shopping for birthday presents is just one more of those things that moms are responsible for doing. Mom's never ending to do list... you know what I'm talking about.

My blogging on Mom Writes has been light lately. Besides parties and birthday present shopping, my head is filled with thoughts of Burning Man. I'm planning, organizing, having family meetings, shopping up a storm, and loving every minute of it. This month is going to fly by and soon we'll be on the Playa. I can't wait.

In the meantime, I'm religiously attending thrice-weekly meetings for my outpatient alcohol rehabilitation program. I can't say that it isn't a pain in the ass to go to three meetings a week, but I always leave them laughing and with a smile on my face. I'm learning a lot about reasons why people (including myself) abuse drugs and alcohol. Our addictions might be different, but how we think and react--the reasons why we have addictions--is basically the same. This is where I'd like to insert something profound about the fragility of the human condition, but I'm still working on that one. Anyway, rehab is good for me and is helping me clear my mind. Life, which I sometimes define as living with myself, is getting easier and better every day.

Happy weekend.