My Ability to Twink

I am slowly loosing my ability to think. I have pondered for some months now what is happening to me. Then, as I drove Talon to school this morning, I realized why.

A few days ago a kid in his class gave him Twinkie Bites. They are like Twinkies that have been cut into 3 pieces. I don't know why, maybe less mess. Talon, of course, thought they were great. Like my friend Jennifer in Tyler, I guess I have deprived my son because he didn't know what a Twinkie is.

In Kindergarten the kids take turns bring a snack for everyone because they eat lunch at 10:20. Talon was telling me that on his next snack day he wanted to take "those things he ate the other day". One reason I am loosing my ability to think is because when he said "those things I ate the other day", I knew what he was talking about. My brain is full of this Mommy decipher code that causes others, even Dad, to turn to me when my children say something so that I can translate. Therefore, when people speak in clear, understandable language, it is foreign to me. I told Talon that they were Twinkie bites. Then, I tried to tell him what an actual Twinkie is. Reason two for not thinking: I have to come up with ways to describe what a Twinkie is, what "twang" is in a Country song or why Sea World will be exciting (you can't just say the fish jump out of the water and it is awesome).

Talon's next question brings me to reason #3. "Mom, what is a twink?" And so begins the argument with a 6-year-old boy who knows it all while actually knowing nothing. We discussed for most of the ride that twink was not a word, that I didn't know where the name Twinkie came from and that not everything had a meaning. But, he was insistent. So, I told him that twink meant to argue with your mom when she has answered your question until she finally gives up and gives you the answer you want. Talon's very serious reply: "Mom, you told me that twink didn't mean anything".

I rest my case.

I did a little research on the subject. According to Wikipedia "In role-playing games, the term "twink" is used to describe someone who, within the confines and reastrictions that a game provides, attempts to maximize the effectiveness of his character in one or more categories." So, my definition wasn't too far off. The confines and restrictions of our game were expanded when he continued to demand a definition. And, obviously, becasue he believed me, it did maximize my effectiveness as a mom.

A little more Twinkie trivia: According to the Washington Post, the Twinkie is almost 80 years old. In 1930 James Dewar, the manager of a bakery in Chicago invented the cakes and named them after "Twinkle Toe" shoes that he saw on a billboard. They were originally filled with banana cream. Due to a banana shortage during WWII, they changed to vanilla filling.

So, twink yourself today, or, at least, eat one.