SOS is taking trumpet lessons now.  Louis Armstrong is his hero.  SOS blows out sounds that only his moms could think were dulcet tones.

Although he doesn’t read my blog (thank G-d), he wanted me to take a picture of his trumpet and post it here.  I told him that when he is older, I will post a picture of him wearing awesomely cool sunglasses and playing the trumpet.  He really liked that idea.

I was telling a friend about SOS’s new avocation.  She said, “THAT’S what you need!  You have too many things going on in your life.  A hobby will relieve the stress.  Either that or yoga.  Because you look like hell.”

Sidebar:  Friends try not to let friends look like hell.  I guess. Also, if I have too many things to do, how is adding another thing going to help?

I recounted this story to another friend.  She thought for a moment.  She got serious.

“I have two comments.  One, you really don’t look that bad given all the things that you are balancing and how sick you have been and —

Sidebar:  Damning with faint praise.

two, some people can do yoga or play an instrument or collect stamps.  You and I?  We are stress collectors.  That’s what we do.”

Finally, an avocation, with a built-in diagnosis and guilt relief.  For a middle-aged New York Jewish woman with Woody Allen-like angst, it is a cultural trifecta.

And I am already doing it.  Phew, what a time saver.

Too bad it doesn’t come with a prescription for the migraines and illnesses that never seem really to go away.  Paging Dr. SOB.