Happy Nerdy Mother's Day

Honest to God.

I have learned, after many years, that it's best if I plan my celebratory days, because sometimes, even with the best of intentions, they get ignored, forgotten, whatever, if I don't.

For many years, Mother's Day was about a brunch at a lake club we used to go to, and an afternoon of planting, which usually included unmitigated disaster (flooding, all the plants dying within two days, discovering a hornet's next).

Last year was a lovely departure - Happy Girl was in town, and she got together with Cool Chick and Swimmer Boy to make a lovely Mother's Day dinner for me, Cool Chick's mom, and another friend. That was very nice. I was also presented with a gorgeous photo piece by Cool Chick, which was a frame with the words "family" cut out, and underneath were pics of her, Happy Girl, Swimmer Boy and Fantasy Boy. Very cool, indeed.

This year, however, I decided to throw away anything that even smacked of gardening and give in to my true self - nerddom.

Growing up, I was an astronomy geek par excellence. I knew every nook and cranny of the Hayden Planetarium (conveniently located just a few blocks from my apartment), took classes at the Museum of Natural History and even braved my least favorite subject, math, to work toward my eventual goal of being an astronomer or astronaut. (I swam a lot too - prepping my body for weightlessness - an idea which appealed to me on many levels).

In any case, the arts called more strongly as I got older and good old astronomy went by the wayside.

But I still like the idea of it.

And I still like planetariums.

So when Pioneer High School offered to open their planetarium with their state-of-the-art projector system, I was the first caller for reservations. For Mother's Day. At 2:30 p.m.

And there we were, at 2:12, able to get in a bit early and get choice seats. I watched as beleaguered-looking moms piled in with excited dads and kids on hyperdrive. And the moms didn't look happy. I hope they were. It was Mother's Day, after all.

But I was happy. And as I sank into the seats that allowed for adjustment so that you could more or less comfortably crane your neck for a full hour, and the lights came down, and the stars came up, I smiled with the bliss of childhood.

I hope all the mothers who read this had an equally lovely day!

P.S. My boys did very well by me in terms of remembering through a lovely dinner and a jointly-bought and chosen present which also was well suited. Don't want to forget them! Or the joy of my life - Fantasy Boy. Thanks for giving me a Mother's Day for 13 happy years!