The apple doesn't fall far from the tree

We had our parent/teacher conferences this week. No major surprises from either kid (except of course, for the answer to the question "WHO ARE these well behaved children, and what do you do to MY kids once they walk through the door."

Yeah, sometimes either of my kids can be a pain at home, but they are both remarkably well behaved at school. I guess I'd rather have it that way round than the other.

We met with the teacher of Princess (5). Princess is in Kindergarten. She is doing spot on average in most things, she's a little behind in her reading skills. Suddenly I remembered (I really do forget this sometimes :} ) that for the first 2.5 years of her life, she NEVER heard a word of English and she very likely had nobody read to her.

I can't find any pointers to the research, but I know this bears out what the research says.

Now, I don't think this will put her 2.5 years behind -- but it does put her behind her peers.

Another issue -- and this comes as NO surprise -- her teacher mentioned that two of her classmates (male) mentioned that she kissed them on the bus.

SIGH!!!!!!!!!!

A couple of weeks ago she was talking -- she's 5 so she figured that she can have 5 boyfriends. She said that she had one boyfriend when she was one. I said "well, what about when you're 16?" If you guess that she said "16" you are CORRECT!!!!!

That's *MY* daughter.

And I'm SURE I'm in for a LOT of trouble.

bedtime issues

You'd think that a 40+ year old guy could manage to get a 5 year old into bed. But mom gets home at 11 p.m. and the kid is just getting into bed after dad let her stay up and watch tv.

And she's IMPOSSIBLE to get down when she's THAT tired.

No wonder I want to sell the business -- I can't take another season (especially now that she's in school) of getting home after 11 and putting the kid to bed.

And THIS is all I have time for to get something in by midnight.

Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia

King Tutankhamun has been in town this summer. Some say the Irish know how to throw a funeral, but the Egyptians REALLY knew how to honour the departed. Just as a rough guess, I'm willing to bet the take from any Ancient Egyptian tomb could feed a few third world countries for a year or more. I left Princess home and just took #1son to see the exhibit. A mom/son day out.

It was interesting when we got home, and he wanted to tell his dad the details of the organ removals but I would let him describe taking the brain out through the nose during dinner.

Personally, I'm thinking good old fashioned organ donation is more my style.

Then again, perhaps some of the exhibit inspired bling can be my style. I think I'd look good in the Lapis collar. It's only $1,080. (Though I did suggest my son *NOT* buy me, as jewelry, any of the amber that had imbedded insects)

Insanity IS hereditary

Insanity IS hereditary. I now have proof. Many people have told me that I'm nuts. I've even believed a few of them.

Well, I just found out that my sister is nuts. This coming Sunday she will be doing a race for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. Great, wonderful, you go girl. It's November and it's Chicago so you'd think it might get cold but that's NOT an issue with this race. Nope -- it's all indoors.

And straight UP to the top of the Sears tower. If you've ever been in Chicago, and looked UP at the Sears tower from street level, you know it's quite tall, 103 stories, 2,109 steps.

At this time (more on that in another post within the next few days) we're in no position to donate to any charitable organizations, however if you are so inclined [inclined -- get it] .....

http://drcrf.convio.net/site/TR?px=1094721&pg=personal&fr_id=1080

Personally, I think she's nuts. But then she's MY sister.

AND -- this same weekend, if you feel like tossing some funds in another direction, my friend Christina from San Diego http://torreypines.blogspot.com/ is doing the 3 day walk to support breast cancer.

(For some reason - to me it doesn't seem near as crazy to walk 3 DAYS outdoors as it does to walk 103 stories)

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=131547&lis=1&kntae131547=434BA7E4DFC64538883A118E6C797199&supId=5637498

Me, I'll sit in my comfortable suburban home and cheer the ladies on. (Actually, I'll probably also hit up prayer requests in Sunday School - so ladies you'll at least have good thoughts and blister free wishes from me if not actual ca$h).

Dog of the jungle

Back in the late 60s, there was a Saturday morning television show called George of the Jungle. I honestly don't know if I ever watched it, but I do recall in the opening George always crashed into a tree (you think he'd learn - but week after week for three years).

Tonight I was out walking Fuzzybutt. There was another dog across the street, and fuzzy was walking forward while looking at and barking at the other dog.

YEP -- you guessed it -- Fuzzybutt wasn't looking where he was going and walked right into a tree.

Everything I've heard and read says that collies are supposed to be incredibly intelligent dogs. One thing I can say for Fuzzybutt. He hides it well.

By gum I think I've got it

MAJOR stress this week, Spouse is now between jobs. He formerly worked at Lucent Technologies, and they've been going through when the rest of the IT industry has been going through. Actually, moral has been dropping for the past few years, nobody knowing when or where the ax is going to fall next. Spouse seems rather happy - at least he doesn't have to worry about when it's going to hit again.

One thing I've often tried to focus on is the blessings in my life. Sometimes that doesn't work so well, but then I try to realize that I really don't have it so bad. One thing I've learned is that no matter how bad I have it, I don't have to look far to find someone who is in a worse place. At least my kids are healthy (and energetic :} ). So while I'm certainly not happy, I'm at least not totally freaking out.

Okay, I have been expressing some concerns to my friend, Cush. But as I told him - if I start freaking out in front of Spouse or #1son or Princess it would just cause more stress around the family.

and it matters to me because???

I'm a born and raised Chicagoan. I spent the first 21 years of my life living in the city limits, and since then have lived in the state of Illinois, most of that time in the Chicago suburbs.

This year, the Chicago Bears seem to be having a pretty good season. They've only lost one football game. My spouse LOVES sports, any and all sports, and is fairly involved with ANY game that's on a television.

So, today I gave this some consideration. The Bears are having a wonderful season, most people around me actually care about this and consider it a good thing. Maybe, I thought, now is the time to care, to actually attempt to follow the game. It would put me in sync with the rest of my universe, and maybe give me a way to connect with my spouse and family and friends during the football season.

But I just can't bring myself to justify caring. There would be 3 hours a week of watching (I can find other things to do with 3 hours on a Sunday afternoon). And then there's all the pregame and post game shows.

It just seems to me to be far too much effort to put into a bunch of guys running around after a ball that isn't even round.

(Though, I must admit that, at times, it is enjoyable to watch the tight ends :} )