People say having kids will keep you young, but they will also keep you humble. I was on Washington Post media writer Howard Kurtz's CNN program "Reliable Sources" yesterday to talk about last week's "beer summit" at the White House, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin's media bashing et al, and my husband made the kids watch the show (if for no other reason than so they would see why I got up and left the house on Sunday without them). When I got home, I asked them how they liked it and my husband didn't want to tell me, until I insisted.

My daughter was happy, "it's Mommy! It's Mommy."

But my son went right there ...

"This is boring. Can we watch Scoobie Doo?"

So there you have it, big shot.

Speaking of children, this weekend reminded us not to take anything for granted.

I had not mentioned it before now because I did not know if this was meant to be kept private, but as there was a piece in The Washington Post over the weekend, I assume I can share this. We are in a state of deep grief here at NPR. The two sons of our colleague Linton Weeks and his wife Jan -- Stone, 24, and Holt, 23 -- were killed last week in a multi-car collision as they were driving home from Rice University in Houston to their parents' home in Rockville, Maryland. (Read the obituary, for more.)

There are really no words. All one can say is how very, very sorry we all are and that I cannot wrap my head around it. I did not know the young men but their father is a man who radiates warmth and kindness, and judging from the tremendous attendance at the funeral -- there must have been 800 or 900 people there -- these were some very special young men also.

And then there was this ...

Our regular Barbershop regular Ruben Navarrette and his wife Veronica welcomed the lovely Vanessa into their lives -- at 8 lbs, 7 ounces -- last Thursday. Check out her picture:

Vanessa Naverrette. ( Family Photo)

She joins big sister Jacqui and big brother Santi. We are so happy for them.

categories: 'Behind the Curtain' at TMM

4:01 - August 3, 2009

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