happy new year!!!

Jan. 17, 2007 - 10:05 am

There were a few things over the break I wanted to get down, but now I can't remember what they were... oh well. That's why I need to write... so I *do* remember all these things.

Just got back from driving up to my brothers' with the Boys for my nephews' (third) birthday, Quite a long drive for a weekend (7 hrs each way), but they have come down for *both* of my Boys birthdays every year since they moved up there about 10 years ago. So I sort of had to. But it was good nonetheless. I'm glad they understand that it's tougher for me, what with the lack of someone else to drive. Even when we were married, Kathy never went up with me.

OK, so now it�s the next day... I must confess, I have a new addiction, and its all Connor's fault. For Christmas, he got "World of Warcraft," and talked me into creating a character (or two). And I now play every night, sometimes even kicking him off his account so I can play.

That's going to change in a while though... he's grounded right now, but by the end of January I'm going to make my own account so we can play together.

BTW, he's grounded for not turning in homework... I got a notice on the Friday before Christmas break. I didn't ground him for the break (that seemed rather cruel, and he couldn't *do* anything about it during the break anyway), but I added on a day at the end since he was not bringing in the work from his History teacher as I requested... telling him that he was going to miss out on more computer/game/tv time stopped that really quickly.

One thing on that... when he finally did bring in the list of missing work, it showed him getting a D on one of his tests (he said "Rome is boring.") He has a habit of doing the bare minimum to get by, and I keep telling him that's what will elevate you to shift supervisor at your local McDonalds. I also said that he was too smart for that, and that any further D's would result in a week's restriction. He didn't like that ("What happens if I just don't do well on a test?" 'Use that week to teach yourself to study harder."), but he likes being grounded even worse.

I'm letting him watch me as I play WoW (which may be a mistake... grounding should be grounding after all, and I told him that next time he wouldn't see a glowing electron the entire time). His knowledge of the game is almost frightening; he doesn't forget *anything.* That in itself reaffirms to me that he is very capable of devoting that intellect and recall to school as well. If he gave even half the effort to school he gives to games he'd get straight A's

When up at my brothers... my SIL is French, and it's really neat that she talks to my little nephew in both English and French. That really has nothing to do with what I wanted to say, but is a point of information... she's much more liberal than am I (isn't everyone? lol...). As is the case with my sister as well, we just don't talk politics, in order to keep the peace. It doesn't do any good, wouldn't change anyone's mind, and would just create animosity and tension.

Just a couple days before we went up there, one of my favorite radio talk show hosts went on a rant by posting an excerpt from his upcoming book. I am on his email list, I generally agree with what he says, but I didn't do more than skim the article.

While lying down upstairs, I heard Sean starting to read the book aloud to his cousin. In what was probably an over-reaction on my part, I asked him to stop... at least until I could read the book. My reaction was based on having to de-Kwanzaa him this year (and my nephew's school calendar had "Kwanzaa Begins" highlighted... good grief), as well as finding an America-hating "history" book on her shelf just a couple hours earlier.

So after reading the book and talking to her about it (but not the Zinn book... that's just too hot a topic for family), and agreeing that Boortz may have stretched a bit, I finally read the article when I got home. While I can see his point, I still think it's a bit of a stretch. My SIL was saying it's a book about "sharing," but I agree with Boortz that it's more about guilting/ostracizing the fish (or in his interpretation, the child reading the book) into making everything equal, which is the basis of his socialist argument in the first place. But I don't see socialist boogeymen under every rock, or every book.

In cutting to the chase, as is his gift, Connor mentioned that if I hadn't read the email, I never would have thought twice about the book. True enough; that is smarts to his credit, as well as making me think that maybe I don't pay enough attention to what the Boys are looking at.

When I went by to pick up the Boys from Kathy's last week, she asked if I could look at one of her broken toilets. As I have stated, my animosity towards her is long gone, so I said Sure. When I looked at it, Connor noticed that a part was broken, and we'd have to head to Home Depot to get a new one.

Well,. I didn't want to go to Home Depot for her, so I explained what she needed to get and left it at that. She seemed unconvinced, but didn't *ask* me to go to Home Depot for her. I figured this minor project would allow her to get a little homeowner confidence, and when I spoke to Connor about it he agreed.

I have talked a lot with Connor about my relationship with his mother, and his insights are invaluable. I don't bash her, and make sure he knows I want what is best for us all. He agreed with my view wholeheartedly, and expressed his appreciation that I asked for his input into how he sees Kathy and I getting along. I also asked him if he would let me know of any issues he saw without my specifically asking, and he replied, "Of course!"

That's not to say that every one of his insights will be implemented; I have to still be the parent here. But I like hearing what he has to say, and he's old enough to give some valuable insights.

Didn't matter in this case, though... two days later Kathy had her dad fix the toilet when he was over. Not my problem.

Kitchen Ceiling will be painted this weekend (and new lights installed!!!), so it will be done. And although I am not as happy with the haircut I got last week as the one I got in December (which I never posted a pic of), I may upload pics of both next weekend. So stay tuned, and try and hold the laughter... ;P