A shift in perspective (finding emo)

I know that sleep deprivation and constant exposure to a toddler can sort of approximate the experiences of let's say a wilder youth.

But the aquarium was an otherworldly experience that inspired the tingling, sparkling joyousness that my mind has missed - particularly where you can walk underneath and through the centre of tanks that are so enormous they feel like universes, not enclosures.

It's something about the low lighting and the giant rays swimming directly above you, their weird little babies' mouths gaping slightly like cherubs with adenoids.

And the dugongs are strangely graceful for all their resemblance to dill pickles (those sailors must have been on something a lot stronger than was available in the 90s to confuse them with mermaids).

My son predictably was enthralled by the sharks (all called Bruce of course) and the clown fish (Emo).

We had an amazing day together after what's been a particularly low point in the mother-child relationship (shrieking like banshees, various people being locked/locking themselves in the bathroom, less sleep per night than fingers on one hand).

It's like we went through the arse-end of tired and came out ... here. We ate ice-cream and grapes. I forgot to feel heavy for a day and had a brilliant time.