Parents of the HS Class of 2009 (Part 1)

Parents of HS Class of 20xx
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<p>Lots of snow coming down today…which is good, because we need every bit of it. Let it snow.</p>

<p>Exhausted yesterday – Gave a series of three presentations (same presentation to three groups) – one of which was to a spanish-speaking audience made up of folks from three different organizations who had each sent their own simultaneous translator and own equipment. Mentally very tough for me – my powerpoint was in English, and while they could translate what I said, I didn’t know if the slides that weren’t graphics would make any sense, so I decided to read my slides (which I do not normally do) and comment on them. One of the translators offered to take the handout and have it translated into Spanish for the attendees and for me; I just wish I’d had more than a day’s notice so that I could have thought it through better. (Getting the slides translated into Spanish would have been ideal, I think.) And taking questions - yikes. I remembered the courtesy of looking at the speaker asking the question even though I only understood bits and pieces of being asked; I had a harder time trying to respond to that person in English rather than looking at the translator who would then translate what I said into Spanish. </p>

<p>Came home and crashed.</p>

<p>Moda – what an utter and complete downer. Personally, I like allowances. I don’t question what he does with his; he doesn’t bug me about mine.</p>

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<p>Hugs, Moda. If its any consolation, I do know that some “men” (boys?) are more gracious than others in the department of blame-mongering over money, but also know that in the competitive realm of indie-sized business today, it’s economic terror that has them kick the cat :wink: </p>

<p>As strange as it sounds and as unfortunate in terms of long-term net worth consequences, mch and i were in a way blessed to have gone through extraordinary financial pressure and near bankruptcy ten years ago after acquiring a second small company that we shouldn’t
have. While it left us cash-poor and servicing an enormous debt that’s now retired, it did help us learn to get on the same page about priorities, expenditures, and methods of addressing the allotment of resources. None of that makes us feel any better per se when clients are delinquent and young competitors bid at ridiculous, no-margin rates, but at least we now avoid eating each other alive over it :wink: At any rate, maybe your h is feeling a little alone, overwhelmed, and frustrated in the work world, and maybe he needs to find an outlet to work through that. That doesn’t give him a pass for bad behavior, of course. But I know a lot of small business owners who go through it, so it does seem par for the course.</p>

<p>Speaking of husbands and business, have I mentioned the lovely mch is occurring to me as a control freak and doofus at the moment? His brother-in-law passed away and the funeral is Wed. He hasn’t seen his sister in 15 years (always working, etc., and she’s had her own issues around travel) but does care a great deal about her. He had told his best friend he’d babysit his “god-dog” (to whom I’m allergic) for three days starting Wed. Now he feels like he can’t fly down to the funeral, in part because its month-end, and in part because he doesn’t want to let his buddy down. Hellooooo…planet earth populated with humans calling mch,please report to the office for a slap upside the head!</p>

<p>I am certainly more than capable of running the invoices and I’m pretty sure there’s this wonderful invention called a kennel for dogs…but I appear to be in the doghouse for saying so!</p>

<p>I am just thinking if MY 84-year-old father were driving a couple of thousand miles to be with 67-year-old sis, surely brother could fly in for a bit of “family-all-together” time. I mean, if not now, when? Humans! They’re delicious :)</p>

<p>In other news, mcson is a tad disappointed that he did not get an interview even for a job he felt he was well-qualified for. He is beginning to ramp up his application effort, so we’ll see how that goes. One foot in front of the other, as they say.</p>

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<p>Moda, ShawWife has a lot of talent, which is maybe necessary but surely not sufficient. Lots of hard work over 25+ years. She has had over 20 one person shows and 100 group shows. In NY, they want to charge more for her work but thinks it will price her out of the tier of the Boston market she is in. </p>

<p>On food, yup. This was an exceptional meal but we travel a lot and either go out to nice restaurants with clients or friends. Last night we went out with an old friend and former colleague who now runs a foundation that has hired my firm as a consultant and actually talked about a connection I’d made for him with a billionaire who is interested in the sort of thing he has already done, so they will be getting together. Work and fun together. </p>

<p>But exercise – not enough at the moment to match the meals at home and out. We are still homeless but we are surviving.</p>

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<p>Meant to add for Shaw, what a lovely day! Thanks for sharing. I will follow your example and use my time well the next time I manage to convince my presently lame girlfriends to do a NYC getaway. This year they want me to return to the rock for a summer visit so they’ve put the kaibosh on interim getaways.</p>

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<p>Mods, on money and men. I figure that the critical thing is to get the big building blocks right and not worry about the little stuff. Big stuff includes a house that doesn’t stretch the budget too much, public v. private schools, vacations on points v. Butterfield and Robinson, retirement saving in the plan, etc. I took some of our wedding money and started saving for kids’ education. ShawWife was flabbergasted as we obviously didn’t have kids. </p>

<p>But, if the building blocks are in place, I don’t have to be tense about spending. (ShawWife is generally frugal, but I did ask real questions about her proposed $17K dining room table purchase, which we didn’t do). If the building blocks weren’t in place, I’d be anxious about the little stuff. At that point, I’d try to get agreement with ShawWife on a plan. We had actually talked about moving someplace with a lower cost of living if my consulting business didn’t do well. Communication about plans.</p>

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<p>kmcmom, Hopefully, your husband will rethink not going to his brother in law’s funeral. What excuse did he give to his sister about not coming? I found out yesterday from my sister that our mother’s last caretaker (in our home for over a year) collapsed and died yesterday morning, leaving behind her 15 year old daughter. She was still working for my sister, helping with cleaning once in a while and she had become close to our family in the over 3 years we had known her. I briefly considered even with that relationship, hopping on a plane to go up there for any service. I’m not going to but it did cross my mind. Not going to the funeral to support his sister may be something your husband regrets later.
Good luck to your son with his future applications!</p>

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<p>Oh, mch is now booked on the plane, believe me, and his sister none-the-wiser about his dithering. I think the guy just needs “strong permission” sometimes to do anything that does not directly benefit the business – eg personal life :wink: Once he worked through that I could take his meetings and do month-end (or he could fix it on the weekend ;)) and that his friend would live with the kennel concept (because the guy doesn’t trust his lab to obey me…which is kinda amusing considering the force I carry in nanny-land) and that I would cancel an out-of-town concert with a pal and dinner with friends to free up the weekend, he was THEN pretty quick to book the flight. It’s just bemusing that he sometimes needs a kick in the butt that way. </p>

<p>I suppose its because I’m not the type to ask permission ;)</p>

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<p>kmc- Glad it worked out that way and your H decided to go. </p>

<p>Was busy all day yesterday with S’s school activity as well as his birthday. I actually enjoy my occasional times of helping at his school as the parents there are really nice people as well as very informative.</p>

<p>sevmom- saw your post about the lemon tree and have no idea what to tell you. I have a hibiscus which has thrived for several seasons wintering in my dining room. So it may be a good sun exposure in that room.</p>

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<p>Glad your H has decided to go, kmcmom.</p>

<p>Thanks,FallGirl, We thought there was enough light in the kitchen and also put it out on the back deck to get some light a few times. I really don’t think it’s ever going to produce lemons. I am disappointed as I thought it would be a good gift. Oh well.</p>

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<p>arabrab, you may have done simultaneous translation before, but three at the same time? wow. </p>

<p>Getting slides translated before may big help, although there is always the question of what do you project. Your slides, which you recognize and cue your conversation, or their slides, which you can’t read?</p>

<p>My mind moves very quickly and I have videos of me in front of a group and I never finish a sentence. Native English-speaking audiences actually have no trouble understanding as they follow some of the transitions I was making in my head. But this is baffling for non-native English speakers. So, I have learned to talk more slowly and to finish all sentences. Works much better. Plus no jokes with word plays or puns. And lots of waiting between the time I ask a question and the time they start to be able to answer.</p>

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<p>Ding, dong the mouse is dead! At least this one . . .</p>

<p>Score: provolone 2, mice 0</p>

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<p>Happily no mice here! I think that would send sabadog through the roof. Or at least digging through the wall. </p>

<p>D came home for a brief visit, which was a lot of fun. I wasn’t expecting it and she just texted Saturday morning to see what we were up to and made the drive home. It made the weekend go a lot faster, for sure. I was too tired to watch the Oscars and frankly was a little turned off by the opening monologue. At least I’d seen some of the nominated movies this year!</p>

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<p>Cheers to dead mice, cq!</p>

<p>So missy, how was the Academy night at your house? Inquiring minds want to know!</p>

<p>I was happy to see Argo do well. I had meant to see many of the others, but in an effort to avoid the inevitable temptation of gargantuan popcorn debauchs, seem to be waiting for them to come out to watch at home. </p>

<p>So this week is shaping up to be a little crazy. My employee just called in sick. I’m going to be like a one-armed cat covering you-know-what ;)</p>

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<p>Traps still out and nothing has been touched. I really must have caught the only two mice in the trash can! Still have all of the cupboards empty with traps in them so my island is stacked high with every dish I own. What a mess!</p>

<p>Had Bunco last night so I missed the Oscar show.</p>

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<p>We didn’t watch the Oscars and haven’t seen any of the nominated movies. I rarely listen to music either since when faced with the choice between sound and silence, I usually decide the sound of silence is preferable (when I can get it; there is a loud leaf blower making noise right now). Unfortunately, my eyes are deteriorating and beyond any more correction so reading is getting more difficult. I don’t think I will ever be able to migrate to listening to books on tape because of the noise factor so once I am totally blind, I suppose I will just live inside my imagination.</p>

<p>Arabrab, that speech does sound stressful. Sabaray, how nice to see your D this week-end.</p>

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<p>Oscar night went better than I would have predicted, but of course, not perfectly. Son was persuaded to watch with us after Cristoph Waltz (sp?) won best supporting actor-he was very happy. All was relatively well until best picture was announced, upon which Son stormed out of the room, but that was obviously at the very end. (His choice for best picture was Cloud Atlas, which was on many “worst of the year” lists.)</p>

<p>I enjoyed all the non-skinny and/or over-40 female singers who were featured…Shirley Bassey (76!), Barbra Streisand (70!), Catherine Zeta Jones, Jennifer Hudson, Adele…they were really the high point. </p>

<p>I wish that Queen Latifa or Octavia Spencer would take Melissa McCarthy under their wings/to their stylists to show her how to dress a bigger body. Queen and Octavia looked curvy and proud and Melissa wore yet another long sleeved, high neck sack.</p>

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<p>TA, have you shared before about your eyes? Will you really eventually go blind?</p>

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<p>My H’s family has a history of macular degeneration. Like both his mom’s and dad’s side. I think they can help stave it now, but eventually it is what it is. H really needs to take better care of himself. He works out all the time, but these big things he more or less ignores.</p>

<p>I started my working out this morning. Not as bad as I thought and you just need plug in your headphones to watch the tv attached to the treadmill. Today we spent at least 10 or my 30 doing info intake, thank goodness, because I was weak as a kitten. Who knew that stepping onto a step and then off it was going to cause my legs to shake. I’ve got a long way to go, this is certain. Still… felt good to get up and get going… and even better than I had to drive all of three blocks to get there.</p>

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<p>My mom’s family has a history of macular degeneration, too. Her brother is almost blind from it. Mom gets injections into her eyeball every 8 weeks, which sounds gruesome but certainly beats blindness. She knows that eventually the injections will stop working but she’s 79 so something else might get her before that happens.</p>

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<p>Back to the Oscars…Jennifer Lawrence is 22 - an August 90 birthday. Wikipedia said that she graduated from high school two years early with a 3.9 average in order to begin a career in acting. I know that people are coming down on her for saying the F word on the red carpet and for admitting that she drank a shot at home before the show, but she seems prettty normal and together for a young woman her age.</p>

<p>Love her comment when asked about her fall.

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