Flux-Capacitor....Fluxing

Last night I went to the high school football game with Dear Friend Taffy and her good husband, Mr. Garth. We sat with some other delightful friends from the stake. I had one of the best evenings I have had in a long time.

Even if Genius Golfer says that I am not as cool as I think I am.

I haven't been to a HS football game since I was in high school, so needless to say, it has been a while. I noticed some differences right away.

When I was in school, I don't recall a lot of parents and grandparents and neighbors and community adults showing up.

When I was in school, the cheerleaders were more of the skankilicious and big boob variety, with reputations closer to those typically depicted in teen movie scripts.

When I was in school, the players thought they were all that. And they didn't let you forget it when classes began again on Monday.

When I was in school, the marching band played at half-time and the drill team was the off-shoot, dweeby little sister, of the marching band with blue and gold and white flags, plastic rifles and shields bearing the letters G-H-S.

When I was in school, the students with activity stickers on their student body cards got into the game for free--and most people did.

When I was in school, I think there might have been a concession stand. I really don't remember.

Last night, almost all those things were just the opposite.

The stands last night were filled with students, parents, grandparents, neighbors and community friends.

The cheerleaders last night were athletic and in great shape, like they take their activity to be a sport in and of itself. Better yet, they were fairly well covered--for cheerleading.

The players last night gave their parents and siblings hugs on the field after the game; they waved to their friends; they congratulated each other with high fives and hugs. They hung out before heading into the locker room and they talked--to all kinds of kids.

The drill team last night was a group of jazz dancers that performed with precision and not a pelvic thrust or plastic rifle in sight.

The people attending last night all seemed to be paying the $5 to get in, and were happy to do it.

And last night, the concession stands were grilling up some delicious smelling hamburgers. It smelled like the burgers at the rodeo during Strawberry Days. Yummo.

My visit back in time, was pleasantly surprising and a whole lot of fun. I loved the company--Thanks, guys!--and the obvious differences from when I was in school were a welcome change. Oh, and our boys won 48-10! Can't beat that!

I Shouldn't Have Asked

I know "what's next" now.

I have a girl with a fever, sore throat, stuffed up head and up all night. She's not going to school today.

I have a boy with a stuffed up head, who had to get up to put up flags today with scouts, who needs more sleep, and who has a test in his 4th period class. He might make it back for 4th period.

I guess this is what I get for complaining via the blog about my crazy day yesterday, and then having the audacity to ask "what's next"! My bad.

What NEXT?!

Thursdays are becoming the most muddled day of my week. I know they get messy, and still I am surprised at how I feel as the come and go each week. Today was no different. In fact, today had some added reasons to worry. Like these:

I got kids off to school, and everyone was in a good mood--including me. Then I walked for a full hour...new route...longer than I expected...very sore and now hamstrings are revolting. Oh, and a baby toe blister showed up. Not sure where that came from. [How painful do your hamstrings need to become before they just snap? I think I am worried about that now.]

The Girl needs to have a 9th grade PE class in order to graduate from High School, eventually, and the HS swim team doesn't fulfil that requirement for her so I needed to make an appointment with her counselor to move something around next semester to get that taken care of with her. The guidance office secretary tells me that the counselor makes his own appointments and when I called he was teaching a class so I left a voice mail. So far, no response. [How early is too early to worry that your child isn't going to graduate from HS?!]

Then I had PTA phone calls I fielded today. Luckily nothing major, but they weren't in the plan today. Inconceivably I imagined that I could scrapbook today. The stuff is out all over my desk, in fact. I was very optimistic...big mistake. [If I don't appear for several days check to see if there was an acid free avalanche in the office downstairs.]

Then I saw Tammy today. Her voice is weaker and more slurred than even last week. Mr. Rick is usually right off to work when I get there now, but he was having work drama via the Internet and didn't take off until later. Tammy asked for her meds a half hour early and then wanted another does of morphine at the appointed time. That makes me very concerned, and worried that I will give her too much and make her worse off than she is. In a call to Mr. Rick, in consultation for the early meds she asked for, he jokingly told me to "drug her". I know that isn't what he really meant, but the words still sting with emotional disconnect and lack of tenderness. [Usually this is the only worry I have on Thursdays.]

Then The Boy had a paper he HAD to turn in today, that he had left at home, so right after school he needed me to run him back over to turn it in. Then on the way to his orthodontist appointment he tells me he has a D+ in English at the moment and kind of shrugged it off. I controlled the urge to go completely postal on him, and talked to him as rationally and calmly as I could while merging onto the rush hour freeway in a vehicle propelled by squirrels. [If I might blow a gasket if this keeps up, then why am I trying so hard to exercise everyday if the kids just put me over the edge anyway?!]

I returned a call to my sister who was essentially checking in but had new comments about court demanded counseling sessions for one of her boys (whom were just given back to her with full custody following her divorce three years ago and subsequent custody battle). [I always worry about them. There are reasons to worry here.]

Then Genius Golfer came home a little early to tell me that a new employment opportunity we have been talking about for a few days was making him sick to his stomach today. So, in my world, that would be a sign that I shouldn't do something, but he must read that differently. [Please note here that this means I WILL begin to worry about work stuff, again, right...about...now.]

The Boy has soccer practice tonight followed by a Scout planning meeting directly afterward that was supposed to happen last night but didn't. Which means he will not be eating dinner tonight, which means he will be cranky and ornery when he does get home in time for bed. [Maybe if I go right to bed now I won't have to deal with his attitude when he gets home.]

And The Girl just walked in from a visit to our local downtown park where she spent all her allowance money on "handcrafted" jewelry being sold by local "artisans" at our city's Promenade, the local Farmer's Market but with jewelry booths too. [I hope she gets to take the HS's financial literacy class before she doesn't get to graduate.]

I really just want the day to end and let me begin again. On a Friday. With no worries. Is that too much to ask?!

Crikies! It's 9-9-09!

Today is 9-9-09...you know...the 9th day of September, the ninth month, in the year 2009. Kind of cool, right?

I learned this morning that in England, and the UK generally, if you need emergency assistance you dial 9-9-9 there, rather than our standard 9-1-1. So today is the unofficial Emergency Responders Appreciation Day--but only in the UK.

So hug your local Bobby, Ambulance Driver, Fire Fighter in London, Sussex, or Derbyshire today. I'm sure they will thank you.

Take a Deep Breath, Everyone...

So the President of the United States is going to speak to America's children today. Anyone having a cow about this? Apparently a lot of people are. I thought it was just here in the heart of conservative-always been red-doubts all but republicans--Happy Valley. I guess not.

I think the uproar is ridiculous. Other presidents have commented to America's children--maybe not a full length speech just for them, but this isn't the first time the leader of the free world has spoken to children. Frankly, maybe if these leaders remembered children were listening, they might make better decisions and keep the children of this country in their minds. The kids will have to deal with the fall out of so many of our decisions, they might as well be invited tot he conversation.

Anyway, the speech will made available to my kids at school today and I welcome it. I think this is a fantastic platform for quality dinner time family conversation. What better way to discuss what is going on int he world they live in? What a great idea to talk to my own kids about how I see the country's progress and potential! I look forward to listening myself, so I can talk to the kids about what they heard in their classes today.

The people that seem so uptight about anything this president does--at least around here--generally don't seem to take the time to find out for themselves just what he said or did in the first place. They rely on second hand, usually biased, political spin then complain loudly about the indecency or radical socialist behavior. It makes me crazy.

The president, being the focal point for any given administration, has no more power than the congress gives him. The Congress is elected by the people--supposedly--and should be in session representing their constituency. Sadly, this is where the major breakdown seems to occur. So many representatives and senators are there as a career, rather than to serve the people of their state. At least we know that a president is only there for a maximum of 8 years--like him or not. If anything, we the people, ought to be outraged at our congressmen and senators! I don't hear a lot of enraged buzz for any of them around here.

So, let the president talk to the kids. It might engage them in this country's business. It might make them feel a part of what is happening around them. They might feel some personal sense of responsibility to take action and make the changes they believe in.

As a parent, I am looking forward to the follow up conversations with my kids about the president's speech and the opportunity to speak directly to them about my own feelings for our country and the direction we are headed. And I thank the president for the chance to do this with a heightened awareness nationally.

Labor Day, Alright

Monday holidays are really kind of bunk. I don't get a real holiday. I still have laundry to do, groceries to get, kids to pack back and forth. Not that I am complaining. But a holiday is really only for a few. A lucky few.

"Labor Day," The Girl asked me earlier, "celebrates what, exactly?"

I told her something about it is a recognition of America's work force and the unions that protected the workers rights. Then I realized that I didn't really know. I was feeding her a logical line, but I didn't know for sure. So I looked it up. Wikipedia style.

So here is the official Wikipedia explanation:

The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5" in New York City. In the aftermath of the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the US military and United States Marshals Service during the 1894 Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with Labor as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. Cleveland was also concerned that aligning a US labor holiday with existing international May Day celebrations would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair. All 50 U.S. states have made Labor Day a state holiday.

The form for the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday: A street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," followed by a festival for the workers and their families. This became the pattern for Labor Day celebrations. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civil significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the Labor movement.

Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the Summer. The holiday is often regarded as a day of rest and parades. Speeches or political demonstrations are more low-key than May 1 Labour Day celebrations in most countries, although events held by labor organizations often feature political themes and appearances by candidates for office, especially in election years. Forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events. Families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer recess. Similarly, some teenagers and young adults view it as the last weekend for parties before returning to school. However, start dates for schools vary widely, beginning as early as July 24 in urban districts such as Atlanta, Miami, and Los Angeles. In addition, Labor Day marks the beginning of the National Football League and College football seasons. The NCAA usually plays their first games the week before Labor Day, with the NFL traditionally playing their first game the Thursday following Labor Day.

Feel better now, don't you? I'm off to finish laundry and grocery shopping and schlepping kids.

Video Sunday, Plus

Well, after Genius Golfer's "You're not as cool as you think you are" comment I thought this was an appropriate video today. We all think we a re a little better, smarter, prettier, cooler than we really are. Right?

No posting yesterday as I was busy picking neighborhood garden tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and squash, bottling 7 quarts and almost 4 pints of tomatoes, posting a dozen or so Halloween costumes on Ebay, and then watching BYU squeak on ESPN out a win against #3 ranked Oklahoma at the new, crazy-huge Cowboy Stadium in Dallas. Whoa, what a game. Go Cougars!