I'm an underachiever

and that's the truth of it all.

This past Thursday, I met a real live bona fide barred homeschooling mom lawyer.  Phew!  Say that three times fast.

I think back story is needed.  And in the great tradition of my ninth grade history teacher,

"Let me tell you a Stir-ry."

So this homeschool mom tells us how she was home contemplating life and was actually on her way to law school when romance started.

From that moment on, every other homeschool mom I met was an almost lawyer.  Whether they met a rancher that sidetracked their plans or whether they accidentally got pregnant and had to delay their life goals, and myriad other reasons, they were headed for greatness.

It's become kind of a trendy catch phrase.  Go ahead.  Try it on.  "I was headed to law school."  Ooo how slippery.

So this past Thursday, I was talking with a homeschool mom that I love.  She's a totally unassuming, down-to-earth, kind person.  So when, in the course of our conversation, she said, "I went to law school", my hackles started rising and my bullshit meter was ready for action.  But it turns out she really did finish law school and passed the bar in another state.

And there probably isn't a real point to my story except that I never had any intention of going to law school, whether real or imaginary.

Then again, I'd sound so much more cool and motivated if I did. 

~R

My Parachute Has Holes

Forget about figuring out the color and because of that, I've spent about 10 years in college.

Oooo, you must be saying.  What did you study?  You must have a PhD by now.

In reality, I have five, that's right, five associate's degrees.  Whoopee, right.

In order:

• Business Administration - took this because when I finally got out of the Navy, I could a get a job anywhere with this magic degree.  Then decided it was lame and stopped at the AS.
• Accounting - once again, who doesn't need an accountant.  I'm good with numbers, I like order.  Nah. Not so much. Besides, some of our taxes are unconstitutional and piss me off.
• Nutrition (certification) - and then I spent 180 hours in the hospital interning and realized the FDA is full of shit and gastric bypass patients have trouble eating a 1/4 cup of anything resulting in a return to the hospital where the staff call them "frequent flyers" behind their backs.
• Nutrition (transfer) - did this in tandem with the certification because ODU promised me I could get my master's in tandem with my undergrad in Human Services.  And the only college that offered an RD only offers the courses when the professors feel like it.  My short attention span doesn't work like that. See above.
• Interior Design - was a three year degree and by the time I finished I was thinking about homeschooling. 
• Oh and I almost forgot to mention all the art classes that I've taken and probably qualify for a degree for that too.

So, here I sit.  Contemplating going back to school just so I can say I did it.  I started looking for the degree that would require the least amount of work.  What?  I homeschool my boys.  Like I have time for this.

Typical BN:  If you are going back to school, at least get a degree that you can use, like Photography.

Typical Me:  Photographers don't need degrees.  They need a good eye and a camera.  And I have both.

The thing is, I have no intention of going back to work.  Not that I'm not employable or perfectly capable of self-sufficiency.  But by the time my kids are are both gone, I'll be 52.  I plan to finally sit on the sofa, eating bon bons, watching smut TV all day and greeting my husband at the door in nothing but an apron.  I jest.

But it still bugs me that I never finished school.  Hmmm.  I'll have to keep thinking about this.

~R

A typical text tryst with BN

Me:  Three hours and counting.  :o)

Me:  Oops that was supposed to go to Pogo.

BN:  Geek alert

Me:  Takes one to know one.

BN: Your mama

Me:  Yours.



~R

Homeschooler's Valentine's Day

It's true.  We homeschooler's don't all avoid the holidays. 

As I said before this is RePete's first Valentine's card exchange and probably his last since he'll be 9 next year and too cool for such things.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the exchange.  Several children, including my own, kept checking their bags to see how it was going.  Oh the anticipation.

Ignore the blobs on the photos.  I had to blur out other children.

~R

Extreme Photography

I may need a new hobby.

Tuesday before last, the moon was gorgeous.  Low in the horizon, slight orange tint.  Gorgeous!

So, I put on the telephoto glass, extended my tripod out fully and proceed to walk down the first set of steps on our deck for a better vantage point.

I missed the last step.  Rolled my right ankle over my toes.  Not to the side.  Of course, if I am going to sprain my ankle, it has to be the weirdest type of sprain.  I won't have it any other way.

Good news is that it was just a bad sprain, no breaks.

Greater news is that I saved my camera.  Probably made my fall worse.

Bad news is that I missed a killer shot.

~R

Sweets from my Sweetie

I love that BN always gets me two cards at Valentine's Day.  One is funny and one is serious.  And he writes which is which on the envelope.

I love that even though year after year, I assure him that I will be just fine without flowers, he still sends them to me.

I love that this year, the note with the flowers said we have reserved seats to see Wicked!!!!

 

I can't wait.

~R

Valentines

RePete has never been to school.  Ever.  Not even preschool.  A couple of years ago, I had a Valentines party at our home and our kids exchanged goodies.  But he's never experienced the thrill of getting a bag full of Valentines from twenty-something of his closest friends. *snicker*  Not that his life would have a void if he never did, but it's a fun thing and I wanted him to experience it.

AND this may be the last year RePete is not too cool to exchange Valentines with his friends, so I took the initiative and set up a craft table at our co-op today to help him grow out of it with style.

And I did it on crutches. (different story for another time)

I bought several sets of different colored bags, markers and lots and (I thought) lots of stickers.  Do you know how hard it is to find Valentine stickers that boys don't think are too "girly"?  But we made do.

I spent about $30 on stickers.  I thought it was a lot of stickers.  I forgot how much girls like stickers.


I'm used to my boys.  One or two stickers, their name and they're done.  The girls spent lots of time at my table today.  Everything was perfectly decorated and coordinated and beautiful.  Luckily, the foam stickers held out until the very last crafter, but next time I work a craft table, I'll know to bring more.  Much more.


I think we ended up with close to 30 kids who made bags that will be used to collect Valentines from their buddies next week.

I can't wait and I need to remember to take a picture.

~R