Hello again, world. I have been blissfully disconnected during the holidays, but now I’m back. With vigor and verve! (I hope.) There’s much to catch up on in my electronic parenting world, but I’ll start with the invasion of the iPods.

In mid-December, Andy bought himself a nano with the Best Buy gift card he earned from selling wrapping paper for school. I thought, “How lovely that his world will be filled with music.” But within a day we lost him to his earbuds. When addressing him from behind, I’d never know if he could hear me or not. Then he’d turn around with earbuds in, take one out and mutter, “What?” The snakey white cord wound through his sweatshirt as a clue that the nano was hidden somewhere. Earbuds in the bathroom. Earbids in the car. Earbuds at the dinner table. (Until we required they be removed. We turned into MEAN parents, according to Andy.) Finally, Joe and I began discussing how annoying this was and considered how we could put some limits on the incredibly irritating earbuds.

Meanwhile…the day after Christmas, Joe embarked on a project he’s been planning for at least two years, which is when I gave him a nano as a gift. He’d always dreamed of creating “the sound track of his life.” And iTunes would make that possible. He began by creating a spreadsheet of songs and artists that he’d loved at various periods of his life. (In Joe’s world, if it can’t be massaged in Excel, forget about it.) For a year, the spreadsheet grew. And finally, the day after Christmas 2007, Joe began tackling what for him was the hard part — dealing with the technology. (Thank goodness for the 10-year-old tech consultant on staff.) Joe set up the nano, downloaded some songs, imported others from CDs, and (approximately two days later), successfully synched his “sound track” to his new/old iPod. This was his own private Christmas. I mean, I can’t even begin to describe how happy he was. Which made me happy. Until I noticed that every time I looked up at him, I saw the telltale white earbuds. Earbuds in the car. (Lecture from me — no driving with them.) Earbuds during dinner. (Previously-mentioned lecture — reframed and repeated.) The last straw: earbuds in bed. Which is when I became MEAN wife.

This earbud thing really hit a nerve with me but took me by surprise. After all, I’m a big fan of music, and I was so thrilled to have two important guys in my life taking that to the next level for themselves. But there’s something about those white earbuds that meant they were going into their own private worlds. Without me.

A few weeks later, all is right with the world again. Speakers have been purchased. Cables have been plugged in. And we all appreciate listening to music together, earbud-free. Well, except every once in a while. But never in bed and never when driving.