March 7, 10:09 Pm

The genesis of this blog is twofold

One is a challenge my wife threw down to me this morning (for the 38th time or so)...is to write, bill, write. You waste too much time reading blogs on the web; you need to write instead. 

She's right, of course.

Of course, reading blogs is like skiing downhill; writing is like climbing up hill with no chairlift or rope tow. You work so hard to achieve so little.

The other challenge behind this blog is my daughter, the bipolar princess.

Much like I am avoiding the act of writing, I am also avoiding the act of meaningful interaction with my daughter. This is in large part because said interaction has become extremely frustrating. An average encounter involves yelling and borderline rudeness. A below average encounter involves her kicking and screaming and pulling my hair. A really below average encounter involves yelling and shouting and pulling her hair.

My girl has been diagnosed with emerging bipolar disorder.

And ADHD.  

And she can be really, really, mean.

There are times when I feel like an abused, battered spouse after below-average encounters.

Her teachers like her.

When I drop her off at school, sometimes she heads for a group of friends and becomes Ms. Popularity, or at least Ms. Cool to Be Around.

Sometimes she insists on me walking with her to the classroom. I honestly do not know why.

She likes to dance. She likes Katy Perry. and Hannah Montana.

She likes makeup.

She doesn't like to go to church.

She steals our money.

She is nine years old.