<p>OK mommusic now I can’t get American Pie and the bandgirl out of my head…</p>
<p>Alu–Ewww…sorry about that.</p>
<p>Costa Rica…The agony and the ecstasy: </p>
<p>First, the agony…17-y/o SluggyD went when she was a junior in high school. No problemos, except that she had to babysit the fartheads in her group who were all younger and determined to hit the nightclubs while the directors of the program drank margs in their hotel rooms. Better directors/chaperones = A better program for the kids. </p>
<p>So, in the time you have left before the trip, and if you haven’t done so already, get to know the adults who will accompany your student on this trip. Let them know that you are their new best friend (a.k.a. Godzillamom), for now and forever, and you have large fangs, and you eat slacker chaperones for brunch on Sundays. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Now, for the ecstasy…Costa Rica is a true ecological paradise. For such a teensie country, it contains 5 percent of the world’s biodiversity, and 25 percent is set aside as protected forests and reserves. As much as teenagers have a tendency to complain about…well, everything, there will be some moments that are exquisite and memorable. SluggyD came back with pics of herself and a friend in a local marketplace being shown how to open raw coconuts with a machete. This falls into the <em>memorable</em> category, since that is probably the only time in the life of any high school student that a non-insane adult would hand a teenager a machete and encourage him or her to hack up an object.</p>
<p>In the exquisite category, photos of a happy SluggyD hugging a baby sloth. And, pics of the horses they rode up to the zip lines in the cloud forest. Collecting sea turtle eggs is stinky, according to SluggyD, and they have to get up real early --another one for the <em>memorable</em> category. Yadda yadda on smoking cigars. </p>
<p>It’s been five years since we packed up our sluggprincess and sent her to Costa Rica for two weeks. She’s a scientist, now, and to this day, she marvels at the country’s natural wonders and the warmth and humor of the Costa Rican people. Panama, not so much…but, Costa Rica – five stars. :)</p>
<p>We would have sent sluggboy to Costa Rica except that we were 99 percent sure that he’d end up being chased by giant polar bears on LOST island. ;)</p>
<p>slugg, so happy to hear that your family has trod the path to Costa Rica already!! Love the tips, too. Many thanks! Problem: TSFS will BE one of the fartheads; hopefully someone else’s nice D will watch over him?</p>
<p>Starting tomorrow, TJFS!! though I’m hoping for a “TJWGHST” growth spurt that has been promised by my drinking buddies.</p>
<p>It sounds like a couple of CC boys are going to have an amazing summer…</p>
<p>Rescuing from page 2. D - (having pretty much recovered from her appendectomy 2 weeks prior to graduation) has landed safely in Moscow and will tour around for a day or so before going to work as a camp counselor. Another kid with a far more exciting life than that of the parents . . .</p>
<p>^^ Yeah no fair how they go to the cloud forest or the Kremlin while we go to Trader Joes!!</p>
<p>Alright, for all of you philosopher barflies out there, here are a couple of jokes (okay, three jokes, but who’s counting?):</p>
<p>How do you get a philosopher off your porch?
Pay for the pizza. :D</p>
<p>* What do you get when you cross the Godfather with a philosopher?*
An offer you can’t understand. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Descartes is sitting in a bar, having a drink. The bartender asks him if he would like another. “I think not,” he says and vanishes in a puff of logic. :p</p>
<p>:D = Hahahaha!
:rolleyes: = Yeah, yeah…pass me the corn nuts.
= ::::blurp:::: I’ll have another…</p>
<p>Happy weekend, everybody!</p>
<p>Sluggy-
Groan!! I didn’t know philosophers had a sense of humor ;)</p>
<p>DS is preparing for his 21st b’day party tonight. We managed to pull off all the things we’d intended-- cookies in the shape of giant beer steins with frothy tops delivered yesterday, a birthday cake from a local baker delivered to him today, and his yard is covered with pink flamingos and buzzards, with a big sign that says “Happy flockin’ birthday”, and a tombstone that says “you old buzzard”. I am hoping that the party-goers don’t get too “friendly” with the yard birds. I will get charged $10 per bird if any fly the coop.</p>
<p>DS #1 is going to NYC next week, courtesy of Google! Google is feting the top US teams in the int’l programming competition held last March in Japan. Son’s trip is even longer cause he’s going there from Seattle, his summer home. </p>
<p>Loved the philosopher jokes, sluggy!</p>
<p>Happy Father’s Day to all fathers, grandfathers, and father-figures! May your day be perfect, with good food and drink always near to your hammock or recliner. :)</p>
<p>Guess what DH wants for Father’s Day? A family car wash?!? Three cars, currently dusted with pollen, all lined up in the driveway - DH,DS and me sponges and hoses in hand. That’s what floats his boat. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Who am I to argue? </p>
<p>Maybe we’ll throw in a water fight. 
</p>
<p>Mommusic
Congrats to your son! Both on internship and competition.</p>
<p>Alert! SA’s latest Brush With Fame! </p>
<p>The NY Times Magazine profiles various people with Avatars, one of whom is in Second Life!</p>
<p>Is it someone we know, SBmom? I looked thru the slideshow online and while there were maybe 3 or 4 Second Life avatars (and their human creators) shown there, I didn’t see anyone I recognized from SA… or are there SA SL residents who are being coy and not telling us? :)</p>
<p>No, I was just thinking Second Life in general…</p>
<p>Emergency rescue from the pit of page 3! Come on, peeps, we can do it!</p>
<p>Whew, thanks, Moominmama! I was beginning to think the Alley had disappeared sometime in the last few weeks, but I guess I made it to page three about the time you bumped it back to page one.</p>
<p>Well, the in-law visit is almost over…three weeks is a REALLY long time. I wish I could regale you all with funny stories, but it hasn’t been very funny. But I have started to develop a taste for schnapps, so I guess that’s an unexpected benefit. </p>
<p>I decided the time had finally come to take a break from cook/entertainment director/tour guide duties and see what’s up in CC. Binx’s son’s journey was amazing–glad it all worked out OK. Best wishes to all who have travelling offspring!</p>
<p>That’s OK Renee. We listen to in-laws from hell stories too. Just ask sluggbugg. Be sure to check in here if you have to cook Thanksgiving dinner with them…</p>
<p>Is SL worth doing? I’ve been wondering.</p>