<p>Since we talk about our ages...ahem...here quite a bit....I thought you guys would like this one (I know I did)....I was just traveling alone and had to take three planes across the country. While on a long layover in Chicago, I had lunch in the airport and ate at the bar and ordered a drink with my lunch. The bartender CARDED me!! I had to thank him profusely. Carded? I am 49! </p>
<p>Slugg....sorry about the car incident with son......glad he is not hurt...sorry so much to deal with! The stains on the driveway do not apply here...we live on a dirt road and have a dirt drive!</p>
<p>Speaking of younger sons-- mine asked casually the other day, "Mom, what do you know about BU and BC?-- isn't one of them Catholic?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, S, BC is. Why do you ask?"</p>
<p>"Cause I think I want to go to college in Boston."</p>
<p>Inwardly I am partly thinking, "you and every other BWRK in the country..." But I figure I have 3 years to sell him on Ohio, Minnesota, Houston, Memphis, Baltimore. </p>
<p>Mostly I am just happy he's actually thinking about college! :)</p>
<p>SB - Hello! I have been swamped in trade shows...Can you say buffet? I didn't know you all have a Catholic connection? You know I, the atheist of all atheists, brought up Episcopalian by culture but never went to church, sent both my peewees to a Catholic high school here. When D first went to visit, she came home saying, "Mom, it's a beautiful place, and I really like the kids, but there are all these Jesuses on a stake everywhere."</p>
<p>Seems we had neglected to discuss crucifixion here. Ooops. Never mind, the school made up for our negligence:).</p>
<p>No, we don't have a Catholic connection....</p>
<p>I think he asked because he was worried he'd be disqualified from a Catholic school. (DS considers himself "100% Jew"; bar mitzvahed. We are a mixed mariage of an athiest, raised by athiests, and a Christmas tree Jew, raised by wolves.) </p>
<p>Your story reminds me of my mom taking D to a church, to bring food donations to a food pantry, when D was about 5-6. D took one look at the gruesome 20 foot tall crucifix with bloody, arrow-pierced Jesus and her eyes went wide with fear.</p>
<p>Grandma (worrying she'd scared her GD for life): Oh honey, don't worry about that. The people here are really nice. That statue is from a story that happened a long time ago... and sometimes people weren't very nice a long time ago.</p>
<p>DD considers this information...</p>
<p>DD: But I think they were nice in the dinosaur times.</p>
<p>Your D sounds like a true optimist. As one myself, I believe that trait should stand her in good stead.</p>
<p>And I thought I remembered the bar mitzvah etc in your house. We are nothings in this house, but my sister's husband is observantly no Xmas trees Jewish and I am really looking forward to the bat mitzvah for their D. It is in my experience tied with Christmas morning as my favorite religion-associated ritual.</p>
<p>Guess I better get off the topic of religion. It's not my strong point:). Did your in loco parentis wolves use marmots as babysitters?</p>
<p>Yes, she is a great, plucky optimist. I completely agree optimism is 90% of happiness in life.</p>
<p>Both D's bat & S's bar mitzvahs were PINNACLE events in our family's life. (They were small, intimate, & low key-- and not, as one of my friends memorably zinged a particularly showy event, "a wedding for one.") </p>
<p>It is sooooo moving and beautiful to see the culmination of all your child's hard work as they stand up and sing for an hour in a foreign tongue... </p>
<p>But the absolute best part of the whole affair is when the parents & siblings get to stand up before the entire extended family, and closest friends, to formally and publicly express their overwhelming love and pride. You can just see the honey pouring out and bathing that child. </p>
<p>I will never forget my H bursting into loud tears as he told our D "you are steel and rose petals."</p>
<p>I will never forget my own S weeping as I spoke to him of my love.</p>
<p>Yeah, even for an athiest, the Bar Mitzvah spiritual and powerful!</p>
<p>After minutes of no serious thought whatsoever, I have decided that I am a Cornish goddess worshipper. :p Mainly because they like to hide out and chant in subterranean rooms, which is where I'd like to be until SluggJr goes off to college (or, wherever) in September.</p>
<p>My dearly departed grampa, Uther, told me that my people were Celts. Bravehearted, blue-faced, Iron Age warriors who charged into battle with spears and shields against invading armies of Saxons, Vikings, Normans, and English Kings. Defenders of the homeland, enigmatic builders of Stonehenge, tough guys named Gruffydd, pals of King Arthur, Merlin, and Gueniviere -- rebellious, poetic, self-sufficient, and magical.</p>
<p>And, yet I am paralyzed by the second to the last Last report card that will arrive here on Saturday. Last night at dinner, SluggJr told us to expect two D's and an F. Un-effing-believable. :o I'm going to tie this sluggkid up in a Celtic knot and throw him in a bog! Grrrrr! </p>
<p>According to my pre-Christian Celtic calendar, I've missed Imbolc (February 1st), the feast celebrating the lactation of the ewes. So, I'll be in the back booth celebrating with a kettle of grog. :::tossing a nickel into the wishing well (a.k.a. the hot tub)::: If Velda the Prophetess wanders in, lemme know... :)</p>
<p>slugg....the good news is that your son honestly told you what he was getting! The bad news is.....well, it sucks and it is a serious case of senioritis. Get him to the doctor, lol! Let's put it this way....the college acceptance angst will be for naught if he doesn't pass....let him chew on that medicine. Meanwhile, belly up to the bar or hot tub....you earned it!</p>
<p>Not to rub salt in it, but my D finally got her merit award from MICA in Baltimore. She won: an A.R.T.S. scholarship, an Academic honors scholarship, the Thalheimer scholarship and a Trustees scholarship. Grand total of $18,000 per year for four years :)</p>
<p>I'm buying, and I'll even pay for those fancy drinks with the umbrellas!!</p>
<p>Sorry slugg!! we'll just give you a morphine pump to spare you any more hills and valleys between now and June.</p>
<p>By the way, today I went to my local A$$land and noticed a peculiar proliferation of new-wavey, unisex-looking kids in ultra-skin-tight jeans & asymmetrical rocker hairdos... Like a whole HS full of "Stray Cats"... has that look made it to the East Bay yet?</p>
<p>Well, that look seems actually to be big in Taiwan...from what I see on TV. Am back in Shanghai - wouldn't say it's made it to PRC. BTW, Slugg, I say send SluggS to Shanghai for the summer. He obviously isn't challenged enough. Funnily enough, I mean it. I am dying to read about SluggS when he hits USWeekly in 5 years...China would give him the shock of the new. </p>
<p>Actually, heck with it. Leave him home and you and SluggH come over. I'll raise a soju to you. As I said, Korean food and drink are big here. Along with very tight jeans and high heels on the girls...</p>