Category: Life

In the News

Drug Tests for Welfare Recipients, Parents Blamed for Failing Kids, Dept of Education is Armed?

Karen

What should America be focused on — sex scandals or the sorry state of our country right now?

Do I really need to answer that?

While the rest of America has been transfixed on Wiener Gate …

(Seriously people — he’s a sick man who has proven he can’t exercise self-control in his personal life, let alone his professional life and by the way, I listened to a debate on Hannity’s radio show yesterday where the guy was actually trying to convince America that what Wiener did was normal by today’s standards. Now granted, there is a lot of sick stuff that goes on via the Internet but I would HOPE it’s not considered NORMAL behavior. WOW. JUST WOW).

… other, more important, things have been happening.

I spent WAY too much time yesterday and this morning looking up interesting news stories. Stories much more interesting than yet another sex scandal by our sleazy politicians. (I blame reality TV for America’s obsession with distasteful sex stunts).

I’m going to post my tweets here (the links are clickable) and my thoughts on each.

Ready? Brace yourselves. A lot has been happening:

http://twitter.com/#!/writefromkaren/status/78154531497705472

From Biblical Conservatism:

Last week, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into a law a bill that requires drug tests for welfare recipients.

As you can imagine, Democrats are going nuts over this.

Their [Democrats’] only reasonable claim is that this law is unconstitutional because it is forcing people to take a drug test without probable cause (a supposed violation of the 4th Amendment). This may sound plausible at first, until you understand the Constitution better. First and foremost, the Constitution provided against unlawful search and seizure in terms of accusing someone of a crime, not as it pertains to receipt of public money in benefits (considering the Founders never intended the government to handle those situations anyway). Secondly, many, many jobs require a person to pass a drug test as a condition of hire.

Here’s the point: Those who are employed are receiving other people’s money in exchange for performing some sort of physical or intellectual labor (that is the simple definition of a job) and THEY are frequently asked to take a drug test as a condition of employment. Those receiving public assistance are receiving other people’s money WITHOUT performing some sort of physical or intellectual labor (aka free money) so why shouldn’t they be required to prove that they are not using drugs?

I completely agree. These programs exist to assist people who truly need help. The food stamp program does not exist in order for people to purchase lobster and steaks and then resell them later. If we assign/enforce restrictions on government assisted programs, then perhaps more of these programs would go to people who TRULY need the help and not to people who choose to make a living mooching off the taxpayers.

http://twitter.com/#!/writefromkaren/status/78484784921313280

To an extent, yes. Parents are responsible for making sure their kids get to school, stay in school, do the work they are required to do, and dole out punishment for not following through. (Which translated into us taking away the boys’ entertainment for us – video games, computer games, TV – until they focused their energies back onto their studies).

Parents are also responsible for teaching their children personal responsibility and the value of education. Parents need to teach children the importance of taking it seriously and doing well. It’s also crucial for parents to stay involved with their children’s scholastic life. I think too many parents view school as a make-shift babysitter. Just because our children are away from us for six hours doesn’t mean our responsibility ends for six hours.

If you have a few minutes, the comments on the article are definitely worth reading.

http://twitter.com/#!/writefromkaren/status/78485404944310272

After the Department of Education raided the home of a Stockton man Tuesday morning, officials said the search was part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

The search warrant is part of a criminal investigation and not because of unpaid student financial aid loans.

However, the official would not say why the department is investigating the Wrights.

Source

Question: why does the Department of Education even have the AUTHORITY to raid your home to begin with? Why does the Department of Education, as an agency, even allowed to have guns?

The Department of Education?!?

The couple is separated and the wife, who this whole ordeal is about, wasn’t even living with him. Could they not have investigated that before breaking this man’s door down and scaring his children half to death?

From Mark Levine’s radio show on June 8, 2011:

“Did you know that the Department of Education has agents that are armed? Did you know that most of our federal departments do?

Which departments have the power to send local police to send in SWAT teams?

What’s next, debtor’s prisons?

Someone in the House of Representatives needs to look into the power behind these agencies. And how many of them actually have armed agents? Because most of them shouldn’t and don’t need them. The Secretary of Education has some answering to do.

Can you say “nanny state,” ladies and gentlemen? This is just a preview of how our country will be run, how we won’t have the freedom to make our own decisions before long, if we don’t put a stop to our power-hungry government.

This stuff is real, folks. It’s happening right now, all around us. It’s time we said STOP.

http://twitter.com/#!/writefromkaren/status/78567748128616448

I find it incredibly sad that parents have to be taught how to play with their youngsters nowadays.

Kids are resilient. And playing around with them teaches them limits, what to do, what not to do, and how to respond if they get hurt. It also teaches them about their bodies and shows them their physical limitations.

Have we coddled our children so much that we now have to be taught how to physically interact with them?

I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I find this bizarre.

http://twitter.com/#!/writefromkaren/status/78861239777886208

Our president is poison to our economy, people. It’s time for a POSITIVE change.

http://twitter.com/#!/writefromkaren/status/78863836576362496

This seems a little “out there” for me, but the underlying message is legitimate: we have become a sedentary nation. As I tell Dude, day after day after day, (after day), our bodies are not designed to sit around all day long. We need to get up, move, exercise, etc.

“You’re tired because you haven’t done anything all day.” (A common sentence in our household).

Just a friendly reminder to leave your computer once in a while and LIVE your life.

http://twitter.com/#!/writefromkaren/status/78934623949815809

Once again, Obama proves that he thinks himself above the law.

This man has GOT to go.

More from Write From Karen

Relationships

Is An Emotional Affair Cheating?

Karen

I’m not even sure calling it an “affair” is the correct term. Sure, it can turn into one, but I think the initial stage is more of a connection – an emotional connection with someone other than your spouse is a dangerous door to peek through.

This is my response to the following Momversation video, which, incidentally, you’ll have to click over to watch if you’re reading this via email or RSS feed. Sorry about that.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

“I’m his wife, not his life.”

That line probably ranks as one of my favorite top-ten sayings. It packs such a punch, don’t you think? And I would have agree. Kevin and I are close, but I wouldn’t presume that his world revolves around mine, nor mine his. He is free to do things with his band buddies, and I’m free to pursue my own interests.

Within reason, of course.

I tell him everything, whether he wants to hear it or not. I know that a lot of what I tell him, my thoughts, feelings, hunches, and mundane details of everyday living goes in one ear and out the other. I can tell when he’s not really paying attention and only humoring me and I’m generally okay with his lack of interest – after all, it IS boring and a lot of times I’m spewing just to get it off my chest or I’m trying to work something out in my own head.

I tell him everything because he’s all I have. I don’t have a close girlfriend to confide in and sometimes I just need to clear my head or it will explode. And that’s NEVER a pretty sight, let me assure you.

I tell him everything because he’s my best friend. So I guess I have trouble understanding why a woman wouldn’t WANT to tell her husband everything because I have a hard time understanding why a woman would marry a man she didn’t at least consider a close friend.

And I’m talking emotionally, not physically.

Hey, I get it. Men are not emotional creatures. I don’t expect them to be, I wouldn’t WANT them to be. I like my men to be MEN, thank you very much. (Which loosely translates into a male who is confident with himself, with his opinions and beliefs and who isn’t wishy-washy or squeamish).

However, women are very much emotional creatures. Women connect first and foremost via emotions, so when a man attempts to connect with her on an emotional level, then that relationship is taken to a whole new level.

Whether you’re married or not.

I think we need to differentiate between what you would tell a friend and what you would tell a lover. I really like what Maggie said about there being a difference between “emotional sustenance” and “having an affair.” Women crave emotional sustenance. It’s how we’re programmed. The key to opening up any woman is to tap into her emotional needs. And by that I mean, listening to her, making her feel special, respecting her opinions, being playful with her (without being too sexual, at least initially, men have to build that bridge before crossing it), making her feel sexy and beautiful THEN, and only after THEN, can a woman fully respond to sexual advances.

Just like with orgasms, women take a while to reach that heightened pleasure because it’s not about physically teasing her, (though that certainly HELPS), but rather about emotionally teasing her first.

So when a woman feels like she can connect with a man on an emotional level, she’s instantly attracted to that man (and not necessarily physically, but on a deeper, more intimate level – remember, it’s about emotions for women, not physical), she has to be very careful how far she allows the attraction to advance. Especially if she’s committed to another person because it’s soooo easy to fall into an emotional trap – especially if the woman’s emotional needs aren’t being met at home.

(Which is a lesson for you men out there – fill your woman’s emotional cup up and you’re pretty much good to go on every other level).

When you have an emotional affair with someone, you’re allowing yourself to value that person’s feelings more than your spouse’s feelings. You begin to think about that person more than you think about your spouse. You begin to pay attention to your appearance because now that that emotional abyss has been crossed, the next step is a physical validation. You know that special someone is attracted to you emotionally, now let’s see if they’re physically attracted to you. You have reserved a spot in your heart for that special “friend” and before long, there is no longer any room in your heart for your spouse.

Here is a pretty good definition from About.com:

An emotional affair can lead to a physical affair
An emotional affair begins with the exchange of personal information. As the people involved get acquainted, the information becomes more personal. Some argue that an emotional affair is harmless because it is more of a casual relationship than traditional cheating; however, the intimate nature of the communication, plus the emotional investment made by the people involved, places an emotional affair on the same level or worse as traditional cheating.

It is much more dangerous for a marriage should your spouse connect with someone emotionally than physically. Anyone who finds himself or herself drawn to another person on an emotional level should consider the possible consequences of such an affair. Emotional affairs are just as likely to lead to divorce and physical affairs.

The danger of an emotional affair
While it is healthy and normal for people to have friendships outside the marriage with men and women, an emotional affair threatens the emotional bond between spouses. Friendships are based on attraction, in that we are drawn to various qualities of our friends. Healthy friendships and attractions don’t need to threaten a marriage at all, but add richness and enjoyment to life. When an attraction turns into an obsession or into an affair, it can become harmful to everyone involved and nothing is more harmful to a marriage than the breakdown of the emotional bond marital partners have for each other.

It really boils down to respect. I respect Kevin too much to put me, or him, in an emotionally charged situation. Hence the biggest reason I haven’t “friended” any old boyfriends on Facebook. That’s just not a door I’m not willing to, nor should, open. Ever. I expect the same from him. Once you’ve opened yourself up to another person, then it’s just too easy to go down that same road again.

It’s better just to block off that road altogether.

Keep friendships with the opposite sex platonic. If it feels like it’s crossing the platonic line, then cut it off, no matter how painful it might be. Your spouse deserves the chance to fill the same void that “friend” was filling. And that can only happen if you open the lines of communication. TALK to your spouse. Seek marriage counseling if the two of you can’t bridge the communication gap. All marriages deserve at least one fighting chance.

Think you might be heading toward an emotional affair? Here are some warning signs then build a relationship with a foundation of friendship and trust.

Here’s a comment from the momversation page that addresses Rebecca’s “I’m his wife, not his life,” comment.

The way I see it is if one shares feelings, secrets, and precious thoughts with someone else either than their spouse then the marriage is in trouble to begin with. I would be heart broken if I found out my husband did not think that we were at that intimate level and had to find someone else to share it with.

I completely agree.

We all crave a deep, emotional bond with other human beings – whether it’s a platonic connection (close friends) or a deep emotional connection (a serious relationship). I would propose that if one is not getting that deep, emotional connection with one’s spouse, then there might be some underlying problems that deserve further attention. I don’t think willingly having emotionally “satisfying” relationships outside of the marriage is exactly a wise decision.

Yet another argument to slow down and choose your life partner carefully. If there isn’t an emotional connection to begin with, then maybe that’s not the relationship for you.

Just food for thought.

Politics

Dear Mr. President – Do You Even Possess a Guilty Conscience?

Karen

Vodpod videos no longer available.


(RSS readers: another disparaging video showcasing our clueless president).

Do you think Obama feels guilty for some of the beliefs he’s trying to cram down our throats? Do you wonder if he’s even aware that a lot of his policies are in direct conflict with the Constitution? Do you wonder if Obama even cares?

I do. Sometimes. Most of the time I just avoid the man at all costs because he annoys me so much.

But whatever. I’ll respect the office. He’s the president.

For now.

I stumbled across an OUTSTANDING blog: it’s called Biblical Conservatism and it’s exactly what the title says. I haven’t stumbled across a post yet that I’ve disagreed with.

Before you turn your nose up at the recommendation, go read a few of his articles THEN get back to me. He’s fair, logical and quite concise.

I dig it.

Here’s his latest excerpt from the article: Freedom of Religion Doesn’t Mean Freedom FROM Religion

So Liberals, and atheists of all political bents, please hear me: Get over yourselves. We have the right to express our faith. You have a right to not listen. You have a right to debate with us. You do not have a right to silence our constitutionally protected religious speech. Get over it.

Can I get an AMEN?!? You really must read the rest of the article – once again he says what I’m thinking. Love it.

Also? Mr. Bastedo’s post on gay marriage is SPOT ON and I couldn’t agree MORE.

I think I have a blog crush.

Life

The Summer School Countdown Begins

Karen

Hello.

Just documenting more of my life as it occurs … you look tired. Here’s a pillow. Take a rest, won’t you?

I assure you, you won’t miss much. 🙂

I rolled out of bed at 6:00 a.m. this morning. Which seems cruel and unusual punishment considering this is the “first” official day of summer.

Well, in regards to school, anyway.

But I had to get up, take a shower, wake Jazz up, make his lunch and then zoom over to pick one of his friends up (who will need a ride every morning but thankfully lives very close to us) and drop the boys off at summer school.

Summer school is hosted at a different high school this year. One I’m unfamiliar with – as in, I’ve never even been inside. When I asked Jazz if he wanted me to go in with him, he said yes.

Further proof that even though you have an independent 16-year old child, he still needs his momma.

I’m not complaining. 🙂

We made good time. We hit all of the lights just right and the morning traffic wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be. When we got close to the school, I started feeling a bit anxious as I had no idea which driveway to pull into.

Luckily, I caught sight of a “Summer School Entrance” sign and was able to pull in, park and walk the boys into pure chaos in no time flat.

Actually. I have to compliment the school – they had large, clear signs telling the students where to go, so Jazz and I easily found his first class (Personal Finance) and then the gym (for P.E. class – P.E. class is so stupid).

I got tickled with Jazz, because as we’re walking through the hallways, looking for his classes, we passed several people and I swear, nearly every one of them said, “Hi Jazz.” There was even a teacher who called him by name!

haha! Jazz is my social butterfly, I’m tellin’ ya.

It’s sort of cool, actually, because a lot of the kids there are in the same boat as Jazz. They’re taking band classes and need the summer to make up a few classes they would normally take in place of band. I was worried about leaving him there, but I’m confident that he’ll find someone he knows.

After we found his classes, I left him with the other kids in the cafeteria.

I ran home, checked my emails (because I didn’t even have a chance to turn my computer on before we had to leave this morning), woke Dude up, allowed him a few minutes to wake up, and then stood in his doorway until he got off his computer and headed to the shower.

Because I’m mean like that. (Hey! He slept in until 8:30 – late enough! He’s not sleeping all day. Grr).

I gathered up some books I had to mail, and then headed out to get my oil changed.

I flirted with the oil changer guy (Shh), and they got me in and out in record time. (I can be charming when I put my mind to it. *snap*). Then I came up to the office.

Jazz called me at 11:30 and sounded tense. But I couldn’t understand what he was saying because he kept cutting out, so I told him to text me. Apparently, we scheduled him for a P.E. class that he’s already had – P.E. One. (P.E. class is so STUPID. Wait, did I already say that?). And if he took that class, he wouldn’t get any credit for it, he needed to take Team Sports.

I responded with: “Do whatever it takes. Don’t waste your time taking a class if you’re not going to get credit for it.”

I haven’t heard back from him, so I’m assuming he was able to get into the class he needs. If not, I guess I’ll be calling the summer school office and getting that straightened out.

It’s always something, isn’t it?

I’m taking Dude with me when I go to pick Jazz up so he’ll know where to go in case he needs to pick him up one day. (It’s also an excuse to get the boy out of the house. My boys are SUCH polar opposites, it’s really quite amazing).

I’m also going to have a talk with Jazz about how you have to learn to roll with the punches. Jazz tends to get uptight and stressed whenever plans go awry (actually, so does Dude. Actually, Dude is worse), but you and I both know that life? Never goes as planned. So we just have to train ourselves to think quick on our feet. I mean, what else can you do, right?

If Jazz wants to be a section leader in band (he plays saxophone and applied for the saxophone section leader position), then he’ll need to practice rolling with the punches. Something nearly always goes wrong and that’s when it pays to have a plan B.

Always have plan B, people, trust me.

Speaking of section leader, Jazz has his first practice tonight. I’m hoping he’ll find out whether he got the section leader job or not. I REALLY hope he does. One, I think he will be an excellent leader – he’s a people person, is compassionate and passionate about being fair. And two, I think the experience would be invaluable.

We’ll see.

At any rate, summer school has officially started. He only has to go until July 1st and I’m sure it will go quickly.

It’s a bummer that I have to get up so early to take him, but you know what? It’s good practice for me, too. I need to train myself to get up, shower up, and get out the door at a decent hour for that job that I WILL get come August.

*crossing fingers*

Okay. I’m done. You can wake up now.

Can I have my pillow back?

Life

Dude Likes His Headphones

Karen

IMG_0773

I laugh every time I see Dude wearing his new headphones.

They’re as big as his HEAD! LOL

But MAN, they are soft, soft, SOFT.

He’s had his eye on these headphones for quite a while now. But he couldn’t buy them because he didn’t have the money. And even if he had the money, he would have had to go through me or Kevin for a virtual card number (because we have found that that is THE best way to prevent someone from stealing our card number; the boys like to order things from unknown [to us, at least] websites and getting a virtual number gives us peace of mind, not to mention has saved us numerous times), and then give us the cash to pay for the transaction.

In short, it’s always been a PAIN IN THE BUTT for the boys to buy anything online because they had to go through us. And a lot of times, I would say no, or postpone their transaction because I knew it would distract them from their schoolwork. (Especially Jazz. Jazz gets OBSESSED with games until he plays them out of his system).

But then Dude graduated and he received some money. Our gift to him was a checking account (with a monetary balance, of course). I wasn’t sure how he would react to this gift – after all, it’s not exactly FUN, but very practical. To my complete, and pleasant surprise, he loved it.

He anxiously waited for his debit card to arrive. And then he checked the mail days afterward for his PIN number. When he finally got everything, he immediately made an account on Amazon and bought his headphones.

He walks a little taller. He acts a little older. He’s growing up before our eyes. He still has a ways to go, and when he gets a job, I’m quite certain that he will transform into a man overnight, but for now, it’s satisfying to see the first glimpse of the man he will become.

My dad had some left over electronic test equipment and he gave it to Dude to sell. So Dude will concentrate on cleaning up the equipment this week, take pictures of the equipment and open up an Ebay account to see what he can do with it. Kevin and I are not helping him. He’s on his own. He’ll make his own mistakes and he’ll be in a position to savor every last drop of this experience.

We had another first in our house this weekend. My nephews came over to hang out for a while and when it was time for them to go home, they wanted Dude and Jazz to spend the night with them at their house.

Dude said yes, Jazz said no.

I was shocked because this was the first time Jazz turned down an invite to stay the night with his cousins. Dude was also irritated with him because they’ve always done things together and it was weird for him to do something without his little brother.

But I could see where Jazz was coming from. Jazz is a lot busier than Dude. A lot. And like I told Dude, you get to a point in your life when you have to start picking and choosing what you spend your time on. Jazz wanted to stay home and play a game he’s been wanting to play. He knew he wouldn’t have a lot of time after Monday because he’ll be in summer school from 8:00 to 2:00 and then he has band practice in the evenings a few times a week.

I wondered if Dude would go ahead and stay the night with his cousins without his little brother. To my surprise, he did. So he took them home and stayed the night and drove home, by himself.

He’s always sort of used his little brother as his social crutch. Jazz is outgoing, Dude is not. He CAN be, if you get to know him, but getting to know him is difficult because he’s an introvert and unless your interests line up with his interests, he doesn’t know what to say. I’m confident his small talk abilities will grow when he gets a job. But for now, he usually lets Jazz do all the talking.

I was proud of him for deciding to do this without Jazz. It’s a small step forward, but it’s a step, nonetheless.

In the meantime, I worried. He was taking his two cousins home, which meant he was responsible for getting them home in one piece. I asked him to text me when he arrived.

He never text him.

I called him – twice.

He never returned my call.

So OF COURSE, being mom, and a mom with an over-active imagination, I started to freak out.

But just a little.

I pray for Dude every day. I pray for God to protect and guide him whenever he’s out on the road. I knew, in my heart, that he was fine. But Satan, he likes to toy with people. And yesterday was no exception.

Shortly after the boys took off, I heard sirens. And I immediately began to picture all sorts of terrible things. So when Dude wouldn’t return my text, or calls, I grabbed my purse, and I followed him out to my nephew’s house.

Which was 30 minutes away.

But I didn’t care. I knew I would not be able to have any sort of peace until I knew they had arrived safely.

I was on pins and needles the entire trip. I took the same route that I knew Dude would take. (He really doesn’t know any other way to get to their house at this point), and when I didn’t see a black Cavalier in any weird position on the road, I began to relax. I arrived at my nephew’s house and when I saw the car, I exhaled with relief.

They were safe and sound. I really KNEW they were okay, but I just had to make sure.

I will never tell Dude about following him out there. Actually, this is the second time I’ve followed him to make sure he arrived someplace safely. I did the same thing the first time he drove him and his brother to school and they forgot to text me that they had arrived. I’m sure I’ll make a few follow-up trips whenever Jazz begins to drive places by himself. It’s a parent thing. You’ll understand when your kids are to this stage.

I won’t always require a “We’re here!” text, but for now, it gives me peace of mind.

Life

We Found a Table and Chairs for Our Patio, and We Didn’t Even Have to Shop for It

Karen

Kevin received the bamboo shades he ordered.

IMG_0774

He was a little disappointed because he thought they would be a bit more opaque than they are, but we still like them. They will provide a little shade.

IMG_0775

(I think we’re going to look for some hardy [because I’m a BLACK thumb] hanging plants for the ends of the slats next].

Also? Remember when I mentioned that patio furniture was outrageously expensive? Well, leave it up my mother-in-law to find something on clearance. It was at some place in Ozark that we had never heard of before. It was some Farm and Home place that moved in when Wal-Mart moved out. They have some pretty neat stuff there and their prices are VERY reasonable.

So reasonable, in fact, that we ended up going back and buying the table my mother-in-law told us about.

IMG_0776

I’m not sure if we’ll keep it where it is now, but we’ll play around with it and find the perfect spot for it. It’s bigger than what we had originally discussed, but somehow, it works.

IMG_0777

And the coolest part about this table? The table top consists of removeable tiles – just regular, standard-sized tiles.

IMG_0778

Which means we have the option of buying new tiles, if we choose, you know, to mix them up a bit, and give the table a whole new look. We’re pretty excited about that part. In fact, we’re thinking we might do something like our backsplash in the kitchen:

After Back Splash

I really love the contrasting colors like that. But for now, the tiles that came with the table look a bit like leather, which Kevin really likes.

We really like the chairs, too. They’re a bit hard, but surprisingly comfortable and should weather well. I’ve already told Kevin that I will likely be anal about keeping the chairs outside and will likely cover the table top with some sort of cloth so I don’t have to scrub them every time we want to eat outside. I will likely just take them off completely and store them during the winter months.

But get this – you are NEVER going to guess how much this cost us. Go ahead … guess. I’ll wait.

.

.

.

.

.

Give up? We spent a WHOPPING $67.00 on the table, and an another WHOPPING $25.00 on each chair. The whole set cost less than one chair a lot of places we checked out. Now we’re talking!! The best part? WE didn’t have to shop around and find it, we left that odious task (neither Kevin, nor myself, enjoy shopping) up to Kevin’s mom, who DOES love to shop.

So it was a win-win for everyone involved. 😀

Now we’re thinking of buying some sort of lounge chair and small table for the other corner of the patio. Kevin wants some place he can relax and play his guitar on cool, starry nights.

So, in between preparing the school websites for the summer months (and they kept me HOPPING this morning, let me tell ya), picking Jazz up for his last day of school, having a family lunch out together, grocery shopping and buying the patio table and chairs, that was my day.

It was a good day.

Life

School’s Out!

Karen

Today is the last day of school for Jazz! (Remember? Dude graduated).

At least, the last day of REGULAR school. Jazz starts summer school Monday.

At a different school. Further away. Which means more gas. And more money. *sigh*

None of us are looking forward to him going to summer school this year. But since he’s pretty adamant about keeping band (which lasts all year) and Jazz band (which takes up the spring semester) on his schedule, we really don’t have a choice. We simply don’t have enough time slots to accommodate all of the classes he HAS to take in order to graduate.

But hopefully, this will be the last summer he has to take classes. Since he didn’t get all of the classes he wanted for next year (and WOW, Jazz was not happy about that one little bit), he will HAVE to take one more English class, a half credit of math and one full credit of Practical Arts, which translates into an Accounting class, per Jazz’s choice. Other than that? He should be good to go. The one class I’m worried about is the Practical Arts class. He HAS to have one credit in order to graduate but apparently, they only offer Accounting a few times and the class is hard to get into. However, Juniors get first dibs on classes, so hopefully he won’t have any trouble getting into the class next year.

In the meantime, Jazz is scheduled to take Personal Finance from 8:00 to 11:00, then break 30 minutes for lunch, and then take P.E. from 11:30 to 2:30, Monday through Friday throughout the entire month of June. Yeah. Not fun. It won’t be fun for him, and it won’t be fun for me or Dude (because he will be helping out, whether he likes it or not), dropping him off and picking him up all day.

We also need to get busy on Jazz’s driver’s permit. He’ll be taking his test very soon, so we’ll also be busy this summer teaching him how to drive. On top of everything else, Jazz will be attending various practice nights for marching band, so in an nutshell? The kid is going to be crazy busy during June.

Oh well. At least June will go fast and then …. THEN … family vacation time!!!!