Write From Karen

Kevin received the bamboo shades he ordered.

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.

(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.

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.

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

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:

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.

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!!!!

Yeah. That’s right. I’m calling it like I see it. I’ve got one son now driving with these morons and another son on his way to driving with these morons. I’m a TIGER MOM when it comes to driving issues because my BABIES are out in that jungle now.

Ready to watch something that will make you gasp in horror?

*WARNING: Language. But if you witnessed what this man witnessed, you’d be cursing, too.

Or praying.

Or both.

Here’s the thing, people. I have no idea if the person driving this car was texting or not. The POINT is, this person was obviously not paying attention to the road, whether it was texting, some other distraction, or he/she may have been impaired – either voluntarily (drunk/drugs), or involuntarily (medical emergency). It’s possible there was something physically wrong with this person, but odds that it was a stupid, simple distraction far outweigh that possibility.

Let’s be honest.

It absolutely astounds me that people get into their cars and think they’re somehow invincible (or invisible) because they’re in a steel box. They feel like they can do or drive any way they choose because those other steel boxes you see on the road? Aren’t REALLY there. YOU are the only one on the road – those other cars are just obstacles that will SURELY get out of your way if they need to.

*SIGH*

I would totally be this guy filming. (Even though one shouldn’t film and drive either). But whenever I see someone obviously not paying attention to the road, I honk as well. I’m a downright jerk and I will continue to be a downright jerk to people too stupid to understand that they need to put the cell phones, mascara wands, coffee mugs, chicken wraps, etc. down and pay attention to the freaking road.

Driving is a PRIVILEGE. You’re SHARING the road with OTHERS. Be courteous and RESPECT your fellow drivers.

Or kill yourself.

Or kill someone else and live with THAT guilt for the rest of your life.

For the love of God, PAY ATTENTION.

Follow @writefromkaren

I ran across a story today that really made me think.

It also embarrassed me.

And it made me feel guilty.

Not to mention, it hit very close to home.

As in my living room, close.

Fifty-three Percent of Young People Would Trade Their Sense of Smell for Technology

TECHNOLOGY AS A FIFTH SENSE
While technology has often been referred to in jest as an appendage of today’s youth, over half (53%) of 16-22 year olds said they would rather give up their sense of smell than give up their technology. For this generation, technology is not an add-on. It is a tool that enables them to sense the world and make sense of the world.

So important is technology to today’s youth that over half (53%) would give up their sense of smell rather than lose access to it. To them, losing the ability to explore and communicate via technology would be like a blind man losing his stick.

“Young people utilize technology as a kind of super-sense which connects them to infinite knowledge, friends and entertainment opportunities,” said Simpson.

It is clear from the results that technology plays an important role in youngsters’ lives and without it they would feel isolated and uninformed.

Source

Sounds pathetic, doesn’t it? A person giving up a vital sense in order to maintain a connection to the virtual world?

And yet, I’m pretty sure both of my boys would do it.

And I would be tempted, though ultimately would not give up my sense of smell. I could live without the Internet because I’ve LIVED without the Internet. I’d have withdrawals, but I’d survive.

But my boys? Would go nuts. Oh sure, they’d eventually adjust, but it would be hell on Earth for everyone around them until that happened.

I’ll never forget the time period (I think Dude was in 8th grade and Jazz was in 6th grade) where they suddenly stopped caring about school. They started blowing off their school work and their grades began dropping so fast it was as if someone had attached concrete shoes to their transcript and dropped it into the lake. This was unacceptable and we ended up taking everything away from them – computers, video games and even TV until they brought their grades up. Our rationale being, if we got rid of the distractions, then they would have more time to study.

They absolutely HATED us for weeks. (I think it took about two months before their grades came back up). And the tension was so high in our house it was like walking into a room full of insulation – it was hard to breathe and the air was so prickly it made your skin itch. We didn’t WANT to do it, but we really had no choice. They had to learn priorities and responsibility and do you know, to this day, they never allowed their grades to drop that low again and have both ended up being great students because we had the balls to open that door and step into the darkness that is kid fury.

So the mere THOUGHT of taking all of that away again makes me break out in hives. And even though I know they would reluctantly give up their technology over sacrificing an essential sense, (because I asked them and after much deliberation, they finally agreed that they would rather keep their sense of smell/taste [because it’s connected] over their techno-gadgets), I also know it would be really hard to live with them for a given period.

And let’s face it – it WOULD be hard. Not just for them, for anyone. We’ve all gotten used to our technology. We’ve gotten used to being able to contact anyone we want to contact with a bush of a button. We’ve gotten used to texting quick messages. We’ve gotten used to having this vast amount of information at our fingertips – all without leaving the comfort of our easy chairs. Technology is awesome. And our children have grown up with this technology – it’s all they know.

Whenever I get annoyed with the boys for choosing to spend time on their computers as opposed to reading, going outside or even interacting with us, I stop and remind myself that that’s what they like to do. I like to spend time on my computer and I would certainly resent the hell out of someone who tried to take that away from me.

Granted, it’s essential to teach kids that technology should be plan B – real life comes first. But more and more of our “real lives” are centered on technology. I know I’ve never had as much information about my family as I do now that we’re all on Facebook. We “talk” more now than we’ve had in years before Facebook.

And how many “friends” have we “met” or communities we’ve joined, because of technology? There is NO WAY I would ever have “met” these people otherwise.

Technology is not all bad. And as with anything in life, moderation is KEY. But let’s be honest, the lines are blurring with the introduction of each new gadget: technology IS increasingly becoming part of our real, every day lives.

And I for one, don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing.

But I wouldn’t give up an essential ingredient in life to hold on to it.

Follow @writefromkaren

So how was your Memorial Day weekend?

Kevin and I (and when I say Kevin and ME, I’m really saying Kevin) worked on the pergola. I painted all of the smaller boards and my handyman husband worked his tail end off and put it all together.

I’m thinking it’s looking pretty good! It offers a bit more shade with those extra strips of wood, but we’re thinking about buying a pergola shade (it fits under the pergola and it’s retractable – you can pull it out for shade, or roll it up to let the sun in).

The problem is? They’re freaking expensive! As in, think $5,000 expensive!!

I KNOW! I nearly had a heart attack when Kevin told me. So, um, we may not be buying a retractable pergola shade after all because DUDE, we could buy Jazz a NICE used car for that amount.

That’s crazy.

At any rate, the thing is done and Kevin couldn’t be more relieved. He’s pretty sick of this project and I can’t say I blame the man. Now we’re on the hunt for some patio furniture, which so far doesn’t look like it’s going to be cheap, either.

What is up with the overly-priced patio furniture and accessories? We’ll sit on lawn chairs before I fork over $400 FOR ONE CHAIR.

Did I mention that’s crazy?

I had a gal comment on Twitter about how she was enjoying my updates on the pergola. Though Kevin is extremely clever, he actually learned how to build one from YouTube. Well, and his dad. They built their pergola a few years back so he was able to give him some advice, but Kevin also watched some YouTube videos as well and … you know, isn’t this the coolest time we live in? I mean, in the past, you would have to go to the library (*gasp* walk away from the computer? The HORROR) and look up this information, but now you can simply go to YouTube and find virtually any how-to video on virtually anything.

This Internet thing is so cool, yeah? (I know. I’m like 100 apparently).

Anyway – our pergola is done. (‘Cept I have to paint the bases but *pfft* details, details).

I made a silly little video. Please excuse our roughness. The day was hot, the wind was blowing and my eyes were watering all day, hence the “did you just smoke crack” look you see.

I also had my hair trimmed up over this weekend and I have pixie bangs. *sigh* Yeah. Not sexy. But hey, at least my hair grows really fast and it’s summer, and it’s cooler than having long hair on my neck and I’m done with the excuses.

Thanks for bearing with us. I’m sure you’re just as glad as we are that this dang project is done.

Don’t answer that.

(P.S. I had never even heard of the word “pergola” before this project. So I learned something new. At my age. Go figure).

Follow @writefromkaren