<p>DH, DD and I were joking over dinner tonight - thinking about Star Wars, what if Darth Vader found his kids and tried to raise them. And what if a CPS representative were sent to determine if he was a fit parent ...</p>
<p>"Mr. Vader, the birth certificate lists Anakin Skywalker as the father. Just how are you related to the children?"</p>
<p>"Mr. Vader, you seem to have difficulty breathing. Are you healthy enough to raise these children?"</p>
<p>"Mr. Vader, I understand that you use force. Will you be using force on the children?"</p>
<p>"Mr. Vader, you seem to have anger management issues. Would you be willing to attend counselling for this?"</p>
<p>"Mr. Vader, please lower your arm ...Mr. Vaderrrrr (ark)"</p>
<p>I am sitting here on the stupid computer because DH is watching the US OPEN highights on tv, and d and friends are watching Harry Potter again. So, I am reading a book, shopping on line and glancing at this site. Oh, the glass of pinot helps quite a bit</p>
<p>And its one of the rare nights I don't have to go pick up one or the tother of my offspring. </p>
<p>Ah, now to wrestle the remote from the golf addict</p>
<p>DH and I are invited to dinner by friends, a Korean couple who have a S in my S2's class. Lovely meal. Lots of chatter.</p>
<p>Afterwards, couple start talking about the virtues of a Barrister Course their son took, saying that the course really matured him. Wonderful course, they say.</p>
<p>Hmmmm, me thinks to myself. Why wasn't S2 invited to take this Barrister Course? He could argue paint off the hood of a Chevy. Did S2 ignore all announcements and posters, per usual? Or was their S, a brilliant cello playing, uber-student, handpicked by the masters? </p>
<p>Then they tell us that the course was only $40. $40 for a Barrister course? I am incredulous. What a deal.</p>
<p>Yup. The course was held at a cafe.......</p>
<p>Ooooooohhhh. The 'Barrister' course was, in fact, a 'Barista' course--mispronounced with a distinct Korean accent. <em>restores her S2 to pedestal even though he does not play cello and is not an uber student</em>.</p>
<p>I'll have a Hot Toddy because it's freezing outside....</p>
<p>I guess I should know this, but my brain is full and I am looking for knee lenght skirts for Ds online, long story, so I can't look it up or I will have too many windows open </p>
<p>My D and are friend are sitting next to each other on the sofa with their laptops IMing mutual friends and each other..sigh</p>
<p>barista = knows the differnce between a macchiato and a capuccino.</p>
<p>or someone who is from Seattle but I couldn't tell you why the small is called tall, the medium is called grande and the large is called venti.</p>
<p>I just went to see traveling pants movie with my 15 year old and 4 friends. Originally it was going to be just me and the 15 year old.
hmm
That movie reminded me of how high the hormone level of teens is.
I had a fantastic summer after I turned 15, but I plan to keep a sharper eye on this one.</p>
<p>citygirlsmom, don't diss the Harry Potter movie watching. Two days ago my d. won a free round trip airline ticket to her destination of choice by winning a trivia game against a group of contestants. Jeopardy-type game against a larger group, where the points went to whoever had the answer first. It was all pop culture questions, and she knew every one they asked - the winning question involved identifying Daniel Radcliffe. Anyway, that's one college-visit trip paid for because we can all name the full cast of every Harry Potter movie in our sleep. ;)</p>
<p>Darn it! I can't believe that I did not read this thread earlier. Its length was too intimidating, but now that I have gone through it, I have realized how many wonderful posting opportunies I have missed. Here is a child cursing story about my friend that would have fit in near the beginning:</p>
<p>When my friend was two years old, she was in a grocery store with her M (hehe). They were in the vegetable section, and her M left her near the peppers. When the M was getting some other vegetables, she heard her D scream "Those f<strong><em>ing colors!!!!!!!!!!" The M said, "What did you say????" The D replied, "I said THOSE F</em></strong>ING COLORS!!!!!!!!" And many AKs who were even older than all of you were nearby!</p>
<p>Back when D was in pre-school, I came to pick up D and one of the teachers had that "just been laughing" look. Apparently she had had it for much of the day, ever since she and another teacher had been discussing the asphalt out back. </p>
<p>One of the teachers must have pronounced it funny because one little kid said, "That's a bad word." </p>
<p>And then a second little kid said, "No, it's okay to use that word in the car."</p>
<p>The teachers were very discreet. To protect the parents, they never did tell me who the kid was. I thought it was hilarious.</p>
<p>I don't drink coffee, one of my failures, just don't like it...I do hot chocolate. I guess I am a heathen</p>
<p>But I CAN tell you the differences between various dark chocolates, and the best place to get your hair colored and did you know TODAY (OMG) the is a rep from Juicy Couture at Nordstroms!!!! OMG OMG OMG (imitating 14 yo D)</p>
<p>cgm - You might want to drop in at your nearest Starbucks (I know you have average of 3/city block where you are) for their Liquid Chocolate. Mmmmm, and you'll see a barista in action, as well.</p>
<p>I have an anecdote about my seventeen year old recent high school graduate (Should they be off limits for parents repeating cute stories when they reach this milestone?) She recently started her first "real" part time job in the store of a large retail chain, and on her third paycheck, the "Direct Deposit" she had requested began. (She had been worrying about whether the hours they had put her down for exactly matched the hours she actually had worked.) The facsimile paycheck which was directly deposited has "Non-Negotiable" printed across it in large letters. She looked at it and asked me seriously, "Mom, does this mean that I'm not allowed to argue about whether I got paid the right amount?" I know I shouldn't laugh, as everyone has to learn what these things mean by experience, but it struck me as very funny, like something cute a pre-schooler would say :)</p>
<p>OK, here's one from my 16 yo daughter who has been driving for the past six months. She was explaining to my wife how one of her friends had a flat tire. "Mom, she's so smart! She actually had an extra tire in the trunk!"</p>
<p>My 14yo D was so proud- she was offered her first Visa Card- all the free money...woohoo...kind of makes up for the invitations from the marines she got last week</p>
<p>PS_ I am not going gracefully gray- fighting that every step of the way, while dear H, who could care less about being gray, still looks like he did in highschool...I am gonna get some of my hair from my brush, cut it short and put it on his pillow, freak him out a little bit, would that be wrong?</p>
<p>Drifting gracefully. I am blonde so it's sort of working like it would if I "frosted" it. Lighter and lighter (but in a not-wholly-blonde way.) Eventually, distinguished silver grey. At least this is my plan.</p>
<p>Crash, I tried. I am a blond and the grey/white coming in was just too mousy! I added some highlights recently and am more happy. Eventually I will be all white. You would think grey/white doesn't affect blond as much....not so! The in-between time is not so good.</p>
<p>I have a brunette friend who is doing just that...letting the greying process come naturally. She thinks "real" hair has more highlights and shine. Probably right.</p>