I have a colleague/friend who is slowly souring. Like milk in the sun. She was always tough, stinging - but lately there is always an edge of mean, of dissatisfaction and we work with kids - they know it, they feel it. I feel it. Someone is always wronging or not doing enough for her. Today she casually tossed off that between her and her boyfriend they refer to me as The Ambivalent Parent. I got noticeably crabby. I am not a gushy wushy parent who obsesses over the joy of parenthood - to your face. But I am crazy crazy in love with my kid. Not every aspect of the life of child raising but most of it. 99% of it. I say I Love You a hundred time a day to her. I kiss her constantly and think of her more. This hurt my feelings, to put it mildly. And isn't a big deal either, but it's a small symptom of a big black cloud she's been under. I've been wondering if I can go to other colleagues and gently inquire if she is poisoning their well too. It's the oddest personnel problem I've had to deal with. Hello, you are always in a bad mood. Stop spreading it around.

So I guess I'm spreading it here. And lamenting and feeling itchy and scratchy about the state of the world and the internet in general.