Maura read three books, with some difficult words, to us, in their entirety tonight. 

While the reader was interesting, sadly, the content was apparently not, as Dayna fell asleep on my shoulder on the couch.

While, Mo, like many her age, enjoys a good princess, I’m pleased that she has never been fully ‘princessified.’

I was pleased that tonight at bed time she asked that I e-mail Santa a couple suggestions, they are as follows:

1.       A new bicycle (20 inch) with black wheels.  She wants it to be an Avril bike (meaning, black and pink).  Kewl!

2.       She wants a poster of Avril Lavigne.

3.       She wants a cool scooter like the one Avril rides in the ‘I don't like your girlfriend’ remix video with Lil’ Mama.

*sniff* I’m so proud!

Here’s what Santa is thinking!

And here is the video link:  Watch and see if you can spot the scooter of which she refers! (copy/paste link - p.s. she only gets to see the 'clean' version)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAoo71VEYhs

I note that in the world at large, the old guys walk the halls with other old guys, the cute twenty-something new moms shop with the cute twenty-something new moms, and the Asians walk around any college campus with the Asians and so on. 

Regardless of how far we’ve come in overcoming preconceived notions and biases, we still must be tribal to some certain extent.  You rarely see the pink hair goth chick hanging out with middle aged semi-pro scrabble players or a hunter with a PETA member (unless they intend to eat the PETA member of course).

(SIDEBAR:  I would love to be vegetarian, I drool at the prospect of being that pretentious…it’s like being a hard core recycler times ten! – The following video I stumbled upon paints a good case. 

https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1810

So while I will not patronize the Colonel’s, unless they can get a tomato to taste like bacon, I may not have to ability (translate ‘As Dr. House is to vicadin, Rob is to breakfast meat’) or will power, it’s still something I aspire to….someday) Sidebar OUT!)

Okay – so ‘tribal’, right. 

As a driver, I consider myself fairly courteous.  I don’t honk if the moron in front of me is too busy texting to see the green and go…no, I leisurely wait for the a**hole to note they have the ability to move.  When some kindly senior citizen has lost the cognitive ability to understand a traffic circle, and Grandpa dipshit is going the wrong way or is stopped in the middle of the circle as if they are at a four way stop, I don’t express my displeasure with the wave of a well chosen finger, no, I simply scream and go backwards as fast as I can.

I joke: at the traffic light by our sub, for example, where two lanes become one, I consistently do NOT whole shot the green, allowing those on my right the ability to move over before they hit the turf.

So it comes as some surprise to me that every day, as I leave my subdivision, that I really, really hate the back ups caused by the nearby Charter school.  Especially when someone in front of me, who intends to turn right into the school, executes a perfect pick, stopping traffic so 10 or 20 of those in the ¼ mile long left-turn lane can cross traffic and get into the lot…thereby, adding crucial minutes (minutes people!) to my commute.

Seriously, normally this is courteous behavior I would applaud.  But there, it annoys the heck out of me.  I can only assume that it is evolutionary tribalism rearing it’s ever evolving head as the spouse of a public school teacher. 

Tomorrow I shall seek behave better (at least until I can get a louder horn installed).

“I’d rather have a rectal examination on live TV by a fellow with cold hands than have a Facebook page.”- George Clooney

Proud of Brod tonight.  He got the wind knocked out of his sails at gymnastics, a scare/injury that might otherwise have convinced him to quit in normal circumstances.  Tonight, he took the time to recover, then went right back into it, listening even more concertedly to the coach and trying even harder.  He even asked to stay the additional half hour after class for some more instruction and practice.

Really proud of him for deciding that take that hiccup as a challenge to try harder then as an indication to quit.  

On most mornings, it takes the kids less than five minutes to start bickering. 

“Daaad!  Brody’s looking at me!”

“No I’m not, but if I did, it would be because you’re so annoying!”

“Daaaad! Brody called me annoying!  I wish I never had a brother!”

“Oh yeah? Well I wish I didn’t have a sister!”

“Oh yeah?...”

And so it continues…most likely until Brody goes to college or one of them wants a date with one of the other’s friends in high school…

As such, you can understand my curiosity and apprehension as this morning I awoke to them helping each other clean their rooms; they were fully dressed in the suggested attire (Mo usually tries to negotiate a last minute change); and they even played a joke on me (Brod told me Mo wasn’t up yet, I went to check on her, and it was a large stuffed animal under her comforter).

So I’m a little nervous…if no one hears from me by day’s end, call for help.

I may make fun of D on occasion regarding clothing, but truly, she doesn’t have an excessive amount of clothing; she doesn’t talk about it all the time; or even go shopping with great regularity.  She does like shoes, but has never had a Carrie Bradshaw-like fascination; rather it was a frustration seeking stylish shoes in her size.  Now, it’s finding fashionable shoes, in her size, that are also good for her feet.

Yet, somehow all this responsible behavior seems to have passed our daughter by, as she LOVES clothing and shoes!

First, upon receipt of her allowance, she choose to go to Claire’s (or ‘trinkets and trash for the tween’).  She was selective and ended up purchasing hair pins that had an entire ROY G BIV library of colored hair attached.  So now, she can insert highlights to match any outfit.  Today, she has a green one and an orange one in.  I see a young lady who often lets her friends color her hair during sleep overs!

She also purchased these punk rock glove like things for her hands.  They have no fingers and a cut out for the thumb.  She choose a very demure HOT PINK. 

Must be a cotillion coming up.

Then, we took a moment to visit our local Sears to get the kids some britches.  Mo is in need of some shoes, as all she has is pair of biker boots or a pair of fubu-like skechers.  We were hoping for some sporty ballet slippers or rubber soled mary janes.  Something that looks nice with dresses, but can be used on the playground safely.

Nope, Mo would have none of it!

She hopped up on the stool at the end of each aisle, putting each suggested shoe through a series of tests.

Test 1: The click-clack test.  She would pick up the shoe and then tap it against the shelf.  If it didn’t ‘click’, No Go!  She wanted hard soled dress shoes, not rubber soled orthopedic shoes for losers with plantar fasciitis!

Test 2: Heel height.  Did it have a high heel.  She is DYING for high heels – which we are NOT (I repeat N-O-T) getting her.

Test 3: Did Mom hate them. 

If they clicked, had a heel and annoyed Mom – it’s a keeper!

Needless to say, one can conclude the following:

First, we didn’t buy and shoes.

Second, the teen years are going to be hell!

In case you were worried, The right Reverend Horton Heat has a new album out.

Got to ride the motorcycle for a while Saturday. 

Every time I pass a cop I get this quick tinge of fear because I’m not wearing a seat belt.

Note to self: Avoid local paper for a few days.  Tea Party was in town and I seem to have difficulty grasping their silence during eight years of record deficits under Bush to fund a war, based on an intentional lie, that resulted in the deaths of thousands YET they are outraged over a proposal to provide health care.

Killing for oil – OKAY

Healthcare for US Citizens – BAD

Seriously, the level of stupidity of the average conservative is embarrassing.  The rich and the insurance lobby’s are laughing their asses off as the middle class fights their battles for them, even though what they are fighting for isn’t even in their own best interest.

Kids have had their first couple days of school.  Both looked adorable, of course. (See D’s facebook for pics).

Mo, having only had one teacher thus far, a young, warm individual, is having a bit of a time adjusting to an older teacher who is obviously done putting up with shenanigans (her angular features probably don’t help).  Mo was quite displeased to have her the first day.  Yesterday afternoon, I asked her how her day was and if she liked her teacher better. 

I have to admit I didn't like her much the first day either: the school supply list said 'one cassette tape.'  Who the hell sells cassette tapes in this day of itunes?  Well, let me tell you who doesn't (CVS, Walgreens, Target, Kroger, and even the Dollar Store).  Seriously, put 20 bucks in your budget and buy a pack for the whole class!

She said she did seem to think better of her but that she would ‘wait and see’ before she made a final decision.  LOL  As if she has some recourse!  I’m sure by Friday, they’ll be best pals.

Brody, now that he is in the oldest grade in the school is acting like a senior.  He said to me, the third graders look so young!  When I was a third grader we looked much older.  He likes his teacher, so thankfully she’s not be put on notice as has Mo’s.

...  arms week – donut tink I kin tipe vare gud fore now.  SaD, ass I wud lovvvvvvvv to talke aboat huking up wee to innernut an dunlowdnG spas nvedars.