Back to School

Like all good things they must eventually come to an end. Yes Moms and Dads it is back to school time. For some it is a time of celebration, the kids will be out of the house for most of the day and you don't have to hear the dreaded words, "I'm bored", or "(S)He's touching me!", or just screaming in general. However there is always a twinge of remorse (or so I have heard from some parents) that they can't just be with their kids and go out on adventures or play at the park all day.
I for one am happy that another summer is ending! It means I get to go back to work at a school where your darling little dears get to harass me all day. Sarcasm aside, I do love my job. Just like kids I need the mental stimulation that comes with book-learning or teaching as the case maybe. While I don't enjoy the paper grading, indoor recesses, smelly/sweaty kids, and clamor that is lunch, I do enjoy watching their little minds grow, make connections, and listen/watch them interact and have to remember I was once like that.
With this new school year it will be one of change. My student (now in 4th grade) will be moving half way through the school year to a new country(!). I am not excited about the potential anxieties and emotional turmoil that will come as it gets closer. It did not go well when he first found out.
It will have its challenges since the class as a whole will be starting into the mutant stages of being a preteen. They will be treated more like adults and not little kids. This will mean more personal responsibility for work and the condition it is turned in as, having to deal (more) with their own problems and finding an acceptable solution to them. Oh growing pains. So glad that I have gotten passed -most- of them.

On to completely different though slightly connected tangent! With the start of this new school year it also marks the beginning of the end for my dear sweetheart and his school career. Jake will only have two semesters left and then he graduates with a double bachelors in Accounting and Finance! I am so excited to see he walk this spring. It will be nice not to have to buy books or pay for tuition for awhile, at least until he decides he wants to get a Masters. By then hopefully he will have started a "real" job and the company can help foot the bill. We only need to get through the next nine months. I am hoping we will have more wonderful news to spread as the months pass.

"I'm old enough to know what I like!"

First and for most I am going to state that I'm really not that old. With that said I feel like an old lady. The reason behind this statement is that I am turning into one of those people that is slowly hardening my resolve to like the current trends, mostly in music. When I am in the car or listening to Pandora I find myself shuffling through my stations until I find a song that doesn't sound like...well noise. I can't tell you how often I have been listening and all the sudden I don't hear music anymore, but noise and it makes my teeth go on edge.

I was talking to Jake about this and he just laughed, agreed and then said "'I'm old enough to know what I like.'" 

This came from one of the best shows I've come across in awhile Modern Family. To give some context to this quote I'll briefly (or try to) the episode or segment(s) that this comes from.

Gloria is trying to get Manny to eat scrabbled eggs. Manny is saying he doesn't like it. Jay walks in and tells him to try it. Manny says he doesn't like it. Jay asks if he has tried it before. Manny hangs his had and says that he hasn't and concedes to try them. Fast Forward. Jay, Gloria, and Manny are going to a concert. Jay sees that it is for a classical concert and not a rock band. He stops and says he wont go in. Manny asks if he has ever tried it. Jay promptly says no. Manny then pulls the same tactic of trying new things. Jay simply and firmly says, "I'm old enough to know what I like!" This is when Jay storms off.

I am by no means trying to say that I am completely set in my ways, just in certain things (like my music). I just watch those who are older (grandparents, parents, aunt, uncles..etc) than me and find it funny how set in there way they are. This doesn't mean that it is a bad thing, just interesting how they perceive the ever changing world around them. I know that I'll be (am) set into certain patterns of thought and actions eventually. I am just a little taken aback that it has happened so early. Oh well. 

I guess what it all comes down to is comfort in familiarity.