Rainy Monday

It is raining here in the bubble - so much for mowing the grass :) My beautiful wife (mbw) took care of things for me this weekend while I ran around with the kids. Yesterday was non-stop coming and going. She cooked, cleaned, did the laundry and ironed - I am so lucky - she takes good care of me.

Last week a few kids were suspended from D2's school for cheating on a national standards test. You know the one they teach their classes towards, so your kid places better in high school. She didn't know the details - that is my girl - lost in her own thoughts - doing her own thing. These kids are the "popular" ones. They have been in various bits of trouble - with what they have been putting on myspace and AIM, etc - before. Their parents don't believe that they could be that mean or would ever do those things. Wake up people! I know my daughter isn't a saint and eventually she is going to do something stupid. Hopefully it won't be life-threatening, like driving while intoxicated - but I am not naive about what goes on in middle and high school. If my daughter was caught more than once - I think I would have to accept that something is wrong. I have to admit - the girls left on the volleyball team this weekend were carefree, smiling and having a great time. Something I have yet to see this year.

I was suspended once in high school. My best friend was a cheerleader. She had received flowers at the beginning of the game, and had asked me to take them out to the car. While I was out there putting them away so they wouldn't get messed up - two of my friends were in the front seat. They asked me to pass a beer up - and I did. As I handed it to them, an officer's flashlight was on my face... Busted. Now, I definately was not drinking at the time - but I did have a beer on the way to the game... I was suspended for three days. My parents had to come pick me up. My Mom came. My Dad was playing poker with the "old ladies" - she said she could handle it. The next morning I had to tell him what happened. He told me I wasn't going to be punished because the suspension was punishment enough. I had my reputation to make up, tests that I would miss, and it was on my permanent record. Worst of all in my mind - was that I couldn't play in the district finals for basketball. Like he said - it was all punishment enough. Word got out that I wasn't really drinking - so I was allowed to take the tests that I missed - but I still missed my basketball game and it was on my permanent record. It scared me for quite a while - I don't think I drank again until after I graduated high school.

Somehow, since these kids' parent's don't believe they did anything wrong - I don't believe they had a life changing experience... You never know. Time will tell. I will say one thing - this has caused quite the talk amongst the bubble folk...