The Girl

That’s Nice….Now What?

~ Bon Steele ~ 7 Comments
A small post in which I let off some steam via ranting about a recent conversation.

Monday, all my Finals are belong to you.

And really? Thank goodness. I mean, if only from a clean-and-neat point of view I’d like my desk back.

My slovenliness. Let me show it to you.

 

I’d also like my brain, my fiction, my clean laundry as something other than an afterthought, and my sanity back.

Of course, that last one is unlikely. I do have a teenage daughter, after all.

WUT?

As I sat down to my1 desk this morning, I pondered the reasons that I am going through all of this. I mean – there has to be a good rationale behind my decision to pursue my degree at my semi-advanced age, right?
To wander a giant campus full of people2 that I don’t know?
To put myself through this sturm und drang?
As I’ve been recently asked, “What is the point of getting the degree? What are you going to do with it?”

Umm.
Display it on the wall? Be proud of myself for finishing something that I started? Round out my education and my knowledge? Discover new ways of thinking?

Apparently, those aren’t good reasons. No. There must be a fiscal explanation. A path that leads from classroom to bank, as it were.

I mean, really.
What are you going to do with the degree?
What are your Plans for the Future?
What are you going to DO WITH IT?

Man. That all sounds like lyrics from a terrible 80’s power ballad. Heh. Or a Prince song.  Think about the future!

Basically, you’re asking what I want to be when I grow up, right? Because that’s what the underlying message here is. I’m in school therefore technically I am not an adult. And why? Because I am not currently earning a living.

Not earning a living = Not an adult.

What an utter crock.

Here’s a quick overview of what I can do with my Bachelors of Arts, Professional Writing focus with a minor in Psychology, you pompous asshat.

I like my answer better, though.

 

1 – really, astonishingly messy – the picture does NOT do it justice
2 – The whole cartoon is fabulous. Do yourself a favor. Go watch.

Oh, hey. Milestone.

~ Bon Steele ~ 19 Comments

I was out the other day with The Girl, doing errands. It was beautiful out – the wildflowers doing their final display. We live out in the country1 and the drive was extraordinarily pleasant.  We were heading to the grocery store when she announced that she has a girlfriend. A Girlfriend-Girlfriend, she clarified after I asked.

“I thought you were trying get that verb – what’s his name?  Oh, yeah – Chase! I thought you were going to ask verb-boy out?”

“MOM!”

*snickers*  “Sorry.”
[I’m really not sorry, at all. Teasing your Teen is one of the great pleasures of life. Besides, I have very little wiggle room on this one. I did, after all, name her after a season.]

“Well, he and Best Friend #3 are dating.”

“Ah, I see.”

[We continue down the road in my little car. Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock n Roll” comes on, so we gleefully sing along. When the song stops, I ask The Girl to tell me about her girlfriend.]

“What’s her name?”

“Pretty Girl Name.”

“That’s nice. Haven’t heard anything about her.”

*teenofended* “I have told you all about her, before.”

[I am amused but keeping it on the downlow because this really IS the first mention of Pretty Girl Name.] “Ah. Well, I am sorry. I guess it’s my old brains making me forget.”

“Ah, you’re just 30 years old, Mom!”

[I just snort at this blatant butter-up attempt. After a few more miles, I ask her tell me more about Pretty Girl Name. She does so, with enthusiasm. She is happy and animated. She describes Pretty Girl Name’s likes and dislikes in music, food, clothing, anime. We ramble on, like you do.]

 

I don’t know if this is something permanent in her world2. All the literature I have read 3 says otherwise though. Kids in her age group are just feeling their way through life, trying on different things, seeing if they fit. I didn’t offer her any unasked for advice. Nor did I say anything that could be construed as judgmental. For one, if she does decide this is a life path that she wants to stay on, I would not be fussed about it. For two, being anything other than gently supportive4  is The Wrong Thing To Do with kids her age.

Am I worried about this? Yes, but not in the “traditional” sense. I am worried that it might cause her some social problems. We do live in a small Texas town. I am worried that some of her family might not be understanding or supportive or willing to just step back and let her make her own decisions. I worry about her because I love her and I want to make sure that she is happy and healthy. That she knows she is loved and appreciated.  And that we are always, always there for her.

 

 

 

 


 

Addendum: Wanna have a moment of pure terror? Google “gay teens” and see what the fourth hit (out of 24,000,000) is.

PSA:  This is my kid, on my journal that we are discussing. If you feel that you have to share something ugly or discriminatory? Why, you can cheerfully go fuck yourself.

 

 

1 – Not the boonies. Next door neighbors to the boonies, though.
2 – Nor would it upset me, if it was.
3 –  Minor in Psychology. LOTS of psychology courses over the last three years.
4 – Listening, offering any non-judgmental advice, making sure she knows that Mom is a fabulous sounding board, etc., etc.

Cedar, Thou Foul and Unclean Vermin

~ Bon Steele ~ 4 Comments
Explosive pollen. No, really.

 

 

kaff kaff sneeze

…

kaff kaff HORK! sneeze kaff kaff

 

 

I love cedar season. Don’t you?

Benadryl controls most of the symptoms. Of course, Benadryl ALSO makes me a drooling idiot. If ever I choose to leave the beautiful Hill Country, it will be because of this whole “can’t breathe from late November through early March” thing.

In other, more interesting news: my daughter has gotten more approvals and forms1 for the gifted and talented program at school.  Which is yay-making. I gleefully filled out the extra forms and sent them along. Maybe if she is being challenged in school she won’t do this sort of thing:

Yes, that is her hand.
It IS nifty. And yes, she is very talented. Obviously, she has more time on her hands (hahaha, get it?) than she requires for actual schoolwork.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 – The only form I got was a summons for jury duty.