I told the girls I was heading off to Austin this weekend for a big conference called South by Southwest. Nate mentioned that he was wildly jealous…but then corrected himself, reminding us all how he would have gone oh, about 8 years ago when it was actually cool, but now, you know, it’s A Thing, and he hates when things become Things, kind of like Coachella, and besides, they even let mommy bloggers in now.

He was joking. About 88%.

84%.

(And by the way, if you’re heading to SXSW, or the Dad 2.0  Summit on Saturday, please find me or my compadres from Deutsch and say hi! I’m @Mom101 on Twitter. I’ll also be the New Yorker wearing mostly black, and not even black cowboy boots, which I am informed I may be mocked for, Nate-style.)

In any case,  guilt gifts are required for all parties when I’m gone for several nights.

“Austin is in Texas, Thalia. What do you know about Texas? What would you like from there?”

“A gun,” she said. Continue reading →