Archive for the ‘High School’ Category

Hi! I know, I know, it’s been pretty silent around here, and I am totally 100% to blame. You see, after I pulled my hermit bit, I then did something silly, and got myself a day job. In doing so, I went from spending every waking moment sitting on my (considerable)ass in front of the Computer Screen like a NORMAL person, and instead spend 9 hours a day on my feet in the Digital Photo Lab at our brand new Walmart. It’s been quite the switch, as I’m sure you can imagine, and I’ve been missing my daily games, and doing the unthinkable and actually going to bed at decent hours. Sometimes even before the teenagers.

INORITE?!

But, today? I had to write, because I just got a few text messages from Peppermist that made me so INCREDIBLY PROUD of that girl of mine. She is AMAZING in every sense of the word, and some days, I wonder how she’s managed to grow up so perfectly. And then I take all the credit. Because I’m her mom. And I can. Even if I’m a bad blogger and should have known about this already.

You see, today is apparently a National Day of Silence, to protest against Gay Bashing in schools. Today, across the nation, hundreds of thousands of students took a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in their schools.

And my daughter? was one of them.

If you only knew how that girl LOVES to talk, you’d know what strength she possesses to take such a vow! She and Micki wore signs all day today, and though she’s going to the movies after school with the Twins, who would like her to talk after school, she has decided to continue on because according to her text to me: “That’s not the point, to just do it during school. I’m not going to stop until tonight.”

Damn, but that girl makes me proud to be her mom! So tell me, what will YOU do to end the silence?

Counting down, Letterman style…

5. Power Tools Make Boys Happy.
Now, I’m sure they make girls happy too, but well, we’re talking about The Boy here, and he has that gene that makes his eyes light up when he plugs in a power tool. That evil little gleam that he inherited from his father, that says “I can TAKE STUFF APART with this!” I always wondered why that gleam didn’t also say “I can FIX THINGS with this!” too.

4. I never worry about him NAPPING in shop class.
For the boy who prefers to sleep his way through high school, this is a plus. A love of Power Tools and Many Loud Noises means he’s not sleeping in at least ONE class this semester!

3. It’s useful stuff, they’re learning!
This isn’t algebra, where you are sure you’ll never use it again – never in the history of EVER, even. This is a class that teaches them how to fix things around the house. AKA: Make Mom Happy. In theory, anyway, as that doesn’t mean they ARE fixing stuff around the house. It just means they CAN fix things around the house. With their power tools. That they love. And use to dismantle entire rooms.

2. They teach them stuff about CARS too!
Like, more than “this is where the key goes, car goes vroom!” stuff! That’s the extent of my car knowledge, but the boy? He’s rewired The Beast’s wire harness, fixed headlights, tail lights, checked fluids, rebuilt full engines, done oil changes… this is all useful stuff for my son to know! Why? Because…

1. He VOLUNTEERED to take MY CAR to school today for an oil change!
That’s right. I bought the oil, the filter, and handed him the keys, and I get a free oil change from the boys at school. Even without all that other stuff? That would CERTAINLY be reason enough to have you’re kids take shop class, right? EXACTLY right!

… I wonder if I can get Peppermist to take shop class next year…

Think if I bribe her with the picture above – and promise her that’s what ALL the boys in shop class look like that – think that’ll work?

So, after years of choir fees and lunch money and field trips and lab fees and classroom fees and school clothes and books and so on and so forth – you’re baby is a SENIOR, and that means…

…wow. They’re gonna squeeze every last dime they can out of you before you get the delight of watching your baby cross the stage – hundreds of dollars for that infamous 50 foot walk, and tassel-turning! Of course, we all know it’s totally worth it, because it means we’ve done our job right, they’ve completed that first definitive step into adulthood, and other folks can look at ya and nod.

“She done good. Lookit that, her kid crossed the stage, got his diploma, and handed the administrator the bribe money slicker’n'snot on a glass doorknob. Well done, mama.”

Meanwhile, Mama is crying because MAH BABY, and also thank gawd he didn’t trip and the robe covers the fact that he never pulls up his pants and whew he didn’t moon the whole audience!

Graduation. It’s an experience.

So, the packets came home yesterday, and I discovered that 1 – my kid is only walking in graduation because I insisted that this family might wait until they’re in their 30s before getting a college degree but BY GOD we graduate high school ON TIME, and B – he wants a class ring. Color me shocked! Now, we’re not a family of means, and I know that in these times, so many of you aren’t either, so here’s some of the ways that WE are gonna handle the cost. Maybe some of these tips will help you too.

1. You know what I’m gonna say, don’t you? TALK TO YOUR KIDS. They’re practically adults now, and this is a really good time to let them know that hey, soon you’ll be paying your own bills, and you’ll understand. Give them a budget that you can afford. If they have a job – let them help pay. If they don’t have a job, suggest they get one so that they can help pay. Working a couple weekends a month can got a long way toward easing the ouch in the pocketbook. Welcome to adulthood, chickadees – pony up the cash!

2. Start with the basics. Cap, gown, tassel. Those are necessary. Check the package pricing, and what it includes. Do they NEED a Class of 2010 t-shirt/sweatshirt/keepsake box/specialized personalized photo album? Embossed announcements? How many invites do you really need? What would be the least expensive way to get what they want? Double check and see if the Senior Rings and Cap/Gowns are from the same place – if so, they often give a discount on cap/gowns if you purchase a senior ring.

3. Consider designing your own announcements/keepsake albums/memory boxes. Yes, the official ones are pretty. Yes, they’re standard and traditional – but is your kid standard and traditional? Do you know you’re way around photoshop? Around Kodak Gallery? Around any number of online places where you can design your own?

My dad was a printer – and I think I broke his heart a little when I went traditional from the school – if I had it to do over again, I’d let him do them. 20 year later, it just wasn’t that big a deal, you know? But to HIM, it would have been something he could do for his little girl. So, if you have someone in your family that designs/prints, etc, consider asking them what they’d suggest, and how much it’ll cost – you might even get them gifted! It never hurts to try!

4. The Ring. I’m sorry. This one is gonna hurt. I’m astounded by the different ring styles no days! We had two choices when I graduated – mens and womens. INORITE? I’m flipping through this catalog and just DROOLING. I didn’t even know my kid WANTED a ring, but he does – so here’s what you do. Let them design what they want, with the understanding that it WILL be adjusted to fit your budget. You’ve pinched pennies for years – so help them redesign it to a lower cost that will still have the same impact they’re going for. Also: payment plans. They’re a good thing.

5. Compromise. Remember this is THEIR BIG DAY. You want to make it memorable for them. Talk over the decisions, make sure to listen to them, and take their feelings into account. They’ve worked for this for the past 12 years. Time to reward them, don’t you think?

So there ya go – five ways to ease the cost of Graduation. What other ways can you think of? Hit up the comments, and let us know!

Here’s an earworm for mom…

Which is really just an excuse to post senior pictures of my son. I let him wear what he wanted, I let him be HIM – and he and Todd, an old friend of mine, had a good time together. It’s hard to believe that the little chubby cheeked smiling toddler is a senior. a SENIOR. Planning his first TATTOO for when he turns 18.

I DEMAND A RECOUNT!

Sigh.

As I’m sure ya’ll have figured out by now – I’m very much a pro-express yourself kinda gal. I dig piercings, tattoos and body modification, and find the extremes weirdly fascinating. I dig people who know what they like, and have the inner strength to do as they please with their bodies as canvas, and even their dress code. I’ve always been a BIG supporter of allowing teenagers to express themselves through various means – hair color, mode of dress, etc. – with just one rule: Keep it tasteful, beware the slut factor, and for the love of all things holy, son, please pull up your pants so I don’t have to see your crack.

Not all parents/adults are as tolerant as I am, and that’s come to a head at the North Cobb High School in Georgia. Jonathan Escobar recently transferred after moving in with his sister. His preferred mode of dress includes skinny jeans, women’s flats, make-up, and wigs. He was told by school officials last week to either dress more “manly” or choose home schooling, citing the dress code rule with prohibits attire that is “disruptive to school activities.” It seems that the pink wig on day three is what was deemed too over-the-top, after a group of students surrounded Escobar in the lunchroom.

Now, I’m not against having a dress code at any school – my kids school has one, and I went through years of an extremely strict dress code (including uniforms!) at private schools. My kids aren’t to wear shirts with sayings that are deemed vulgar, there are no ‘belly shirts’ or sleeveless wear, etc. Other than that, the floor is pretty much open to dress as you please. We have everything from uber-fashionable, to goth to hippie to jock, you name it. It can all be found within those guidelines. I’m not sure how my town would react to someone with Escobar’s flair for fashion, though. Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure they’d fall in line with the Georgia School Board – and that bugs me.

You see, one of my BIGGEST pet peeves is double standards. I’m a BIG believer in what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Don’t tell me it’s ok for a boy to do something, but not a girl, or vice versa because I WILL say something about it. Which leads me to this question: are they telling the girls to dress more “feminine” if they come to school in jeans and a football jersey? Or with combat boots and a men’s button down and tie? By the commenters on the article that have attended Cobb High, or know of it – they are not stopping goth attire, or any other mode of fashion expression which makes this a case of intolerance simply because a boy enjoys vintage female clothing and makeup.

He wasn’t wearing a skirt or a dress. For the three days he attended Cobb High School, he wore skinny jeans and vintage tops, a wig and flats. He wasn’t wearing high heels, a flamboyant wig that was 3 feet high, he wasn’t dressed to the nines as the ultra drag queen. He is a boy, in skinny jeans. His mode of dress is well in line with the clothing guidelines of the school -thus it’s REALLY only an issue because he’s a boy, and they don’t find him man enough.

Jonathan clearly understands that there will be bullying. He is willing to stand up to that, which shows an inner strength that few teenagers show. He’s willing to stand against the prejudices of others, to wear his skinny jeans. Why not use this as an occasion to teach tolerance and acceptance? Why not use this as a lesson in accepting your friends the way they are?

Some say it’s not their job to teach tolerance, it should be taught at home. I agree with you – however, you know it’s not being done in some circles. While it’s not your job to parent, it’s your job to TEACH, and when a situation presents itself, you are doing yourself a disservice if you let it slide by without addressing it.

Face it – in a week, the novelty would have worn off, no one would think twice about what the kid wears. Adults, as a general rule, don’t give teenagers much credit, and their often far more open and accepting than we think they will be. Why not give them the chance to prove it?

We’re not a football family. I know, I know – get out the pitchforks and such now, but it mainly stems from being in a state that doesn’t HAVE it’s own football (or any real sports) team. Sure, we have collegiate baseball, and I think in Anchorage they still have some inside flag football thing, but whatever – we’re just not that into it. Except for the whole Superbowl sunday, and that’s all about the commercials.

But even though we’re just not that into it? This past weekend was all about the kids’ Homecoming Weekend – mostly because the colorguard and drumline were performing, and well – could the team break the Homecoming Curse?

What curse? The one where they win every other game in the year, and then bomb on homecoming because they get cocky. Did they break the curse? No, of course not! It was a slaughter – but that didn’t stop MY kids from having fun.

First off, Friday night, it was the bonfire. Now, you may THINK you’re school has the biggest and baddest bonfire ever (I’m looking at you ‘we do everything bigger in Texas’!) but you ain’t seen NOTHING yet. When someone started the fire early, they turned to our local home depot, and they came through in a BIG way. Check out the before:

Oh yeah. And yes, one of our boys climbed to the top to put the opposing teems banner up there. So after the parade through town – which Peppermist and her colorguard and drumline buds walked in – they lit that badboy up, and within about 30 minutes, the flag was gone and the bonfire settled into something that resembled the surface of the SUN.

Now THAT’S a bonfire!

The boy made his Papa proud – but filling up a large container full of ice, buying a couple cases of soda, and setting up a tailgate party in his truck. He had all his friends, his sisters friends and a bunch of random strangers hanging around – and by the time I left, it seemed he was having quite a bit of fun.

On Saturday, it was the games, and at halftime – the Girl’s colorguard performance!

And of course, the crowning jewel of the weekend, the Homecoming Dance. My son didn’t go, nor did many of his friends, so it was Pizza Party in the Manspace with them. Peppermist, on the other hand, is firmly in the camp of “Date? who needs a date?! I’m going with my GIRLFRIENDS!” And their group of 8 hit the dancefloor together, looking stunning, as usual!

Peppermist knew she looked pretty good when her brother and his best friend took one look and just went “NO! You cannot leave the house looking like that.” Undeterred, she and her friends danced the night away (though she DID forget her jewelry, and I being the nice mom that I am, made a second trip to bring it to her so that her look would be complete. Inorite?!). They even took their pictures together, and the photographer there worked out a special package so that each of the 8 girls would get a 5×7 and 3 wallets, which was pretty damn nice of him since his standard price of $10 per extra person would have cost them $80 and was way to expensive for any of the girls, and the package wouldn’t have divided up right. So good on ya, photographer dude!

By all reports, the dance was a huge success, though there were some confusion with the girls. They had an assembly, and reminded everyone that the same dress code was in effect for dances – which meant no spaghetti straps or
strapless dresses. This is why Peppermist wore a wrap all evening (and also because she’s more comfortable that way.) – but there were some dresses? Woooooooooooahboy. I don’t think I saw ANY with actual sleeves! And a couple elicited one reaction from me: “Hooker, stay away from MY son.” Who the HELL let their daughter wear a strapless SOCK that barely covered her ass, with thigh high hooker boots?! Harumph.

But they had fun anyway, Peppermist and her crew, while dressed APPROPRIATELY, even.

So that’s what we did with OUR weekend. How was YOURS?

I had my first crush when I was five. His name was Jimmy H. and he lived in the house behind us. He was two years older, wiser, and so very handsome – it was destiny that we marry and have many babies that had his dark good looks. We were BFFs and practically inseparable – watching Batman on TV, than acting it out. I of course, was either Batgirl or Catwoman depending, on the episode that day.

I had my first kiss in first grade. While Jimmy H. was still my BFF, there was another boy who lived down the street from me named Doug. He wore a leather jacket, rode a brand new Huffy bike, and was always getting into trouble. He was a Bad Boy, and I was head over heels in love. We played freeze tag. He choose to unfreeze me by kissing my cheek. I was a goner, and thus began my infatuation with bad boys.

I had my first ‘boyfriend’ in 4th or 5th grade. Another Jimmy, Jimmy K. I remember walking the halls all through our recesses at the local Christian School, talking about anything and everything. I still have the necklace his mom made for him to give to me for Christmas that year – it still makes me smile. I cried when he moved away.

My first actual boyfriend came into my life at a sports retreat just before my 15th birthday. His name – unsurprisingly at this point – was Jimmy. Jimmy M. I had my first real kiss that same weekend, and we dated for 2 years. I went on to have other boyfriends, of course, but that’s how it all started.

But there’s some things missing in there, too. I had my first girl crush when I was 10. Her name was Laura, and I didn’t really think about it, because we’d been total BFFs for some time, and it seemed natural and right to want to grow up and share a house and be together forever. I didn’t delve any deeper to see if it meant more than BFF, because I didn’t care. I just knew we’d be together forever. I cried when she moved away.

After that, there was a steady stream of female friends, and looking back now, I can pinpoint the exact time I realized that my girl crushes likely meant I was bisexual. It wasn’t anyone I knew personally, but instead it was Suzanne from the Bangles and one key moment of the Walk Like An Egyptian video. There’s a close up of her eyes, and she looks from side to side on beat, and I’ve never forgotten that image ever. I wanted to stare at her, into those eyes, forever. It was 1986, I was 16 years old, and I never told a soul.

It’s not surprising that I’d choose to keep such a discovery under wraps, considering my background in Christian schools, attending church three times a week, and living in such a conservative town. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever come right out and told my mom that I dig girls, too, (…hi mom! *L*) Though I think she’s figured it out over the years.

So why bring it up now? I ran into an article from the NYTimes today, that discusses kids coming out – as early as Middle School, to their peers, their parents, their classes, their whole school. While there is still a LONG way to go, these students and their families are putting it all on the line to help put a stop to gay-bashing by simply being themselves, and being unafraid to do so. As the article points out, and using my own experience, no one thought twice to ask me if I was SURE I liked Jimmy K in grade school, or if it was just a phase. No one pushed me to identify my feelings, and make sure I liked him, because that is the acceptable norm. So why do we do that to our gay/lesbian/bisexual students of the same age group?

Middle School is a time where kids are discovering their identity, in all ways, including their sexuality. Whether they choose to come out or not at that age, it’s unsurprising that many can pinpoint their first discoveries of sexual orientation at that time, or even a bit earlier. Schools across the country are forming Gay Straight Alliance clubs, where they can meet together – no matter the orientation, and support each other. They understand what should be obvious – you don’t have to have sexual interaction in order to identify your attraction, and expecting our kids to identify strictly as straight because it’s easier isn’t fair to them, or us.

But in some areas, it’s getting better, and that’s where we need to keep our focus. It’s not automatically assumed that being gay leads to a life of loneliness and heartbreak any longer. Schools that would never allow their students to say “That’s so black!” are finally cracking down on the students that say “that’s so gay!” as well. We’re taking steps toward acceptance, and I find that encouraging! We’ve a long way to go, but movement in the right direction should be applauded.

So if your pre-teen/teenager has the balls to come to you and tell you they’re gay/lesbian/bisexual – don’t ask them if it’s a phase, don’t ask them if they’re sure, or how they could possibly know if they’re not sexually active (because that’s just silly, people!). Accept them with open arms, realize that they are STILL your kid, they’re still the amazing individual you’ve been raising all these years. Support them. It will go a LONG way to ensuring their happiness, which is what we ultimately want for our kids anyway, right?

Right! Make me proud, ya’ll!

You’re going to hit me after reading this, and then reading the title again. It’s ok though, I understand. And you know me, so you’ll undertand that I could not resist. I COULD NOT. Of course, I also didn’t try too hard either, but, well.. that’s me!

So the general gist of the below video is this: Teacher of Senior English (that’s 12 grade, 17 and 18 year olds, keep that in mind) slips in an essay question that has parents, teachers and the school board in an uproar. The question?

If you pushed your brother down, would you urinate in his mouth?

(And now the title makes sense…)
(Waits for jaws to be picked up…)

Here’s the story:

Alright, so – here’s the thing. The interview didn’t say anything about the teacher or her reasoning behind the question as it didn’t have to do with the book they were reading, only that the teacher was trying to stimulate the students into thinking creatively – and of course that there are more appropriate ways to stimulate the creativeness of students.

Me, I’d really like to know what the teacher has to say about the question, especially since she has a track record of encouraging her students to think outside the box creatively.

Don’t get me wrong – I can see why folks are upset, but as Walter Croncrite always said – we need to know the rest of the story before we get all judgy and jump to conclusions. Of all the comments on this page – only ONE approaches it intellectually:

Do you really think that this question is some sort of ridiculous, tourettic yelp from the “living hellscape that is [this teacher's] mind?” It seems kind of obvious that this question has to be some sort of reference to an off-the-cuff remark a student made in class one day. That seems much more plausible to me than a teacher pulling a question like that out of nowhere. -J

Bravo, J, for thinking outside the box there! See, these are Seniors in high school – these aren’t elementary kids. These are students that can make up their own minds, yet still think farts are funny. (Because, you know, farts ARE funny – especially in the middle of the class when it’s not you, but the uber-prep cheerleader girl – preferably in the middle of her speech!) I’d be willing to bet at least one of the kids at some point has threatened about some poor schlub they felt wasn’t worth it, that they “wouldn’t pee on’em if they were on fire!”

My point is this: it had to come from somewhere, and I highly doubt it was just something random that the teacher threw in “From the hellscape of her mind” as the article writer states. The majority of her kids, it would seem, didn’t even blink – only one went to another teacher for help, and THAT teacher reported it. Now, should we be worried about the kids that didn’t blink? Or are then on to some inside classroom joke, that the other one missed? Doesn’t this teacher’s track record of having classrooms of excited and creative kids that know more than txt speak and LOLcat-isms mean more than one question that raises the brows?

There’s more to the story, but I doubt we’ll ever get to hear it. So chime in! What do you think of this, the question, the teacher, and what would you have done? Keep in mind that these aren’t kindergartners, these are seniors who have talked about bodily functions in great detail since they were like, four. And likely have siblings they’ve fartbombed and beat up and done things we as parents really wouldn’t care to know about, too. So setting your visions of MAH PRESHUSH INNOCENT BABIES aside – what do YOU think?

Since my husband died, one of the hardest things to do has been to watch my son grow up without his father. Wednesday marked the end of our fourth year since his death, and while we keep moving on, keep plugging away day to day, his loss is something still very fresh and raw – for my son, perhaps, more than his sisters. He’d never say it, but it shows in little ways – the way he’s determined to help pay his own way, the care he takes of me and his sisters (though he’d never admit the latter, he is STILL their big brother!), the insistence that he take on more responsibility on his own with each little step aimed at lessening my stress level just a touch.

Most of this, I think he does without thinking about it, as that’s simply how he is. He’s always been the friend others lean on, the one who’d give you the shirt off his back multiple times if you need it – but if you fuck him over… well. you’re dead to him. heh. He gets that from his daddy too.

There are things that he’s done, though, that were aimed expressly at becoming more independent. First, he got a job in the cafeteria, so that his lunches were free – all on his own. Truth be told, that thought hadn’t even occurred to me. Secondly, he took over monitoring his own grades in an act of defiant responsibility – also known as MOM QUIT NAGGING!

Our school system using an online source where parents and students can keep track of assignments and grades and contact the teachers easily. Last year, The Boy took a stand, and asked that I just TRUST him, and let him take care of it – to believe him when he says he’s passing, and that he’s caught up on the credits he needs, that he was in line for graduation.

It was hard for me to let go of that control, of that ability to peek and nag. I checked in with him often, doing what I always preach up in here – TALKING TO MY KID – but I did not go into his account and double check. I trusted he was telling me the truth about his grades. When I received his report card, I discovered that he was, indeed, taking care of things on his own. It was frightening and exhilarating all at once. This growing up stuff, is HARD. (…for ME.) Hard enough that I admit, while setting up the parent accounts for this year – I peeked JUST TO MAKE SURE that he had the credits needed, though I was pretty sure he did, since he qualified for Work Release. (basically a half day of school.) But I figure I was due ONE peek, after a whole YEAR of being good.. right? Right? (Just nod your head. Thanks. )

This year, he took this whole responsibility thing a bit further. In one of the Senior courses, the new requirement is that you have to clock a certain amount of community service hours. Uh, my kid is not a community service kinda kid. He gets that from me – I’m not a joiner, in any form. While he’ll do something on his own – if it’s REQUIRED and OFFICIAL, he gets a little irritated. So he found another way, helped out by his best friend’s girlfriend who did the same.

After asking my permission, my son skipped school yesterday and went to the HomeSchool office, ordered this course as a home study course, got all of the information on where and how to take the test to get the credit, PAID FOR IT HIMSELF, cleared it with his school councilor, rearranged his schedule to take a different required course that he would have taken next semester – thus increasing his load THIS semester. All I had to do was sign the paper.

While part of me is proud of the initiative he took, and how he completed it all on his own, I have to admit there’s a small part of me that cried. Just a tiny part of my heart wonders just where my little boy went. You know, the one who needed me for everything, the one who depending on me to make things right for him, including nagging about school and helping him rearrange priorities when it was necessary. Not that I’ll stop nagging – but still. What happened to THAT kid?

While I’ll always miss those little arms wrapped around my neck, cradled in the safety of mama’s arms… I have to admit that this growing up thing is kinda cool. Bottom line – I’m proud of the man he’s becoming. And the almost-grown-up-Senior-in-high-school-taking-care-of-business hugs are pretty nice too.

Peppermist is a Band Geek.

Don’t worry, she knows she is a band geek, and it’s one of the ‘labels’ she carries around proudly – right up there with drama nerd, and “PRETTY PRETTY PRINCESS”, though admittedly, she started that last one during a temper tantrum when she was just two years old. She’s played the clarinet since she was in 5th grade, squeaking out note after note as we proudly watched her perform in concert after concert. She’s gotten steadily better, though she’ll never be The Greatest Clarinet Player that EVER lived, because she has this aversion to steady practice. Go figure.

This year, however, she decided she wanted to add something new to her Band Geek status: Drum Line Color Guard – or, as we like to call it, she’s a “Twirl Girl”. She had considered doing it last year, but opted not too, so as not to miss breakfast with her Papa every morning. This year, her Papa is working different hours, and no longer can be there for breakfast (…which somehow translated into ME having to make breakfast for my own kids. It’s like I’m their MOM or something! WTF?!) so she jumped right into the fray.

This is frightening for a number of reasons.
– Practice is BEFORE SCHOOL at the lovely hour of 6:45. AM.
– Practice is also after school until 4 pm.
– 6:45 IN THE MORNING.
– She hasn’t seen 6:45 am willingly since the day she turned 13.
– I have to drive her to school. At 6:30 AM.
– Peppermist is not the most… shall we say… graceful of children.
– They gave her a BIG STICK with a FLAG on it. And expect her to twirl it around, gracefully.
– Without hitting anyone else.
– Or herself.
– AT 6:45 IN THE MORNING.

…this has comedic potential written ALL OVER IT, folks. Just sayin’.