This American Life

Mondays are my favourite walk-to-work day, because that's the day I listen to the This American Life podcast. Today's episode was intense. It was a story about how things can go wrong in families, told by a mother whose daughters rebelled against her, ran away from home, started using heroin... Hearing the pain in their voices - mother and daughters - made me realise just how easily things can go wrong in ordinary families; how seemingly simple decisions can trigger reactions that spiral out of control.

The episode seemed particularly poignant, since yesterday was Mother's Day here. I was thorougly spoiled - and the gifts were all the sweeter as I hadn't realised that the children were planning anything.

So the weekend was lovely. Blue skies and gold daffodils everywhere, and good family memories. But work today was rather exhausting, to the extent that I'd happily go to bed right now if I didn't have marking to do and - if I can keep my eyes open long enough - the episode of the Ladies Detective Agency that I missed last night to watch. I plan to get up early tomorrow morning and go for my run, though, tired or not. I started the last week of the couch to 5k program on Sunday; I'm now up to running for 30 minutes. And the weird part is, I actually enjoy it! Hope it lasts!