Story time…

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful blue planet called earth.  Lots of wonderful things evolved there, dinosaurs, trees, flowers, fuzzy things, birds, scaly little ones, all kinds of things.   Then a new species came along.  One that walked upright and couldn’t fly, or dig, or do much of anything at all.  They couldn’t run fast or jump high, and they weren’t very bright.  They almost became extinct, which would have been better for all the other living things, but they persisted.

That species eventually grew into you and me, but back then, they couldn’t speak and they hadn’t made up all the lies that people believe today.  But they were violent and when they met each other they fought and killed, just like they do today, so that part hasn’t changed.  They didn’t have the weapons we have now, but they made do with rocks, branches and anything else they could find to get the job done.  They may not have been smart but knowing how to kill was part of their programming.

So, jump ahead…the dinosaurs had been dead for a long time, protohumans rose up and started moving over the earth, and all that stuff…and now…we’re here.

You and I are the result of those beings that crawled out of the ooze, or were planted here by aliens, or whatever, but none of that really matters because we’re here and that’s a fact.  I mean no matter how you look at it, we seem to be here, right?

Anyway, we went through a lot of stages to get to be the most violent thing on the planet.  We didn’t even need weapons to poison the air, water and earth, ourselves and everything else.   We didn’t even think about it, or care.  We developed guns, split atoms, to make fabulous bombs that could destroy cities and everything the lived.  We have all kinds of toys to wipe out anything we like.  But we never paid attention to what we were doing, since we were always too busy wondering what we could kill next.

So no one was watching the governments we set up, which were evil and all about power over others and slavery and hate and evilness.  Early on people were burned at the stake, then books, then all kinds of bad and disgusting things took place.  Those things never went away. some of them changed, as far as how they looked, but the bottom line was always the same.  Greed and power.

Other animals moved away from us, sensing our wrongness.  We cemented over the earth, building parking lots and big stores, deli’s and shoe shops.  We killed animals and ate them.  Tortured, terrified them, and heard them scream, but no one stopped them from dying.  It’s happening right now and your parents fed you that death and all the hormones that went along with it.  So heart disease and all kinds of sickness came from eating living beings who never harmed anyone in their entire lives.  People skinned beautiful animals and wore them for status.  Covered their feet with their skin, their furniture and car seats as well.  Instead of burning woman at the stake they burned pigs, but burn they still do.  Women, pigs, anyone or anything, they don’t care.  As long as they can kill something, they’re happy.

We are killing the forests, that let us breath, as well as the animals who live there.  We have poisoned the air, water and the earth.  We kill each other on a daily basis, the government has gone insane and no one can stop it.  The weather has changed and is warming up.  Water is rising, and the plastic that floats in it, is growing, as well.

And then the virus hit, keeping people off the streets, for a short time.  Animals moved in, the air cleared up and dolphins were seen in the canals of Venice.  Things were settling down.  Even the earth stopped trembling from all of our trucks and pounding.  On the other hand, people started getting sick and dying.

Now we’re up to date.  The government has gone mad.  Run by a sociopath and his evil followers, people are dying in great numbers.   Using the power bestowed upon him by the evil white men who came before him, the psychotic president threatens everyone who will not bend to his will.  No one seems to be able to stop what’s happening.

People are protesting and getting teargassed and beaten by other Americans in uniforms, who have been sent to teargas them and beat them.  Basically to shut them up and make sure nothing changes.

Kids are risking their lives to go to school.  Federal funding will be withheld if schools don’t open, placing not only kids, but teachers, staff, bus drivers, and workers, in danger. The mail is being tampered with, by the bad guys, so people will not be able to vote by mail.

Truth and lies are the same thing now, so you won’t know what’s real and what isn’t.   Everything is dangerous, including dating, working, libraries, and everything else.  Babies don’t see people smiling at them, because a lot of people are wearing masks, not everyone, of course, because some people aren’t smart enough to wear them ALL THE TIME.

We may be up against another extinction right now, at least for humans, and if not, who knows what your future will look like?  If your animal instincts take over and you have kids, good luck.  This is the gift past generations are leaving for you.  And, while some of us care, we didn’t do enough to stop any of it from happening.  So good luck, if there is a future, hopefully you’ll be smart enough not to do the same things we did, although I seriously doubt that will happen.

Look at it this way…if we are gone, everything else will rejoice and grow again, so there is a silver lining, just not for us.  Have fun being home schooled, or taking your life in your hands by showing up to class, wearing a mask and staying away from everyone else.  Either way, have fun while you can.  I’m not sure how, but things will keep evolving and no one will have real friends any longer, just faces on a screen.  But all of that will become the new norm and no one will miss what they never had.  More aps, video games, where you can still kill things, or save the princess.  You’ll just see pictures of everything, that’s all.

Anyway, this is today’s lesson.  Tomorrow’s lesson will be about hot air balloons.  Until then, stay on line and live the life your elders have made for you.  And don’t eat bats.

 

College…

I just found out that one of the big colleges around here, will no longer accept credits from two-year Jr. Colleges.  They want the MONEY for all the classes.  So they will not accept English, etc., from those colleges.  They would rather kids take out loans that can sometimes never be paid back, than let them attend Jr. Colleges for the basics.

I hope no one goes there any longer.

Looks like they are going to close schools in Illinois and Ohio until September. This year is pretty much shut down. I’m thinking other states will follow suit but, of course, I have no idea if that’s true. Meanwhile, my grandson is out partying. They are also going to close bars and restaurants, except for take-out…because the kids won’t stop partying. They are also telling people who can, to get their kids out of daycare. My daughter’s friends, daughter has a fever and she called the doctor but he won’t give her a NUMBER to get tested. Apparently you need a number to get a test. He said to wait and see what happens. In the meantime, if she does have it, she can be spreading. The Health Care System is not set up for things like this. It can overwhelm the system and people who are sick, for other reasons, may have a difficult time getting treatment. It’s kind of a mess. But my point was, school might be over for this term.

Image

Okay, so…school killings

So, eight more dead in school shooting in Texas*.  The solution…have SWAT bring kids to school in armored vehicles.  School would be a bunker with no windows, of course.  One door in, one door out, SWAT at the entrances and exits.  Camera’s on the roof, no trees or shrubs within 10 miles of the building.  Kids would be frisked and x-rayed in the lobby, their books and backpacks searched.

NO MEIDA COVERAGE for shooters.  NONE AT ALL.  Some people kill to get famous, get attention, or see themselves on TV.  If coverage is necessary is should be one line:  8 killed in school shooting in Texas, and THAT’ it.  Anymore than that and we are feeding the ego of the shooter and giving violence loving people what they want to see.

We could try to change the society in which we live.  Raise kids to be respectful of EVERYONE.  Actually do something about bullies and crazies, instead of constantly talking about them and adding meaningless rules to the school agenda that do nothing at all to stop what’s going on.

But we aren’t going to do any of those things and kids/teachers will continue to die and people will mourn the death of their children and things will stay exactly the same.  Home schooling may come into vogue and that would be catastrophic in so many ways.  Socialization would die a quick death and kids would be isolated and crazier than ever.

The kids who kill should not have had access to guns and kids shouldn’t have to wear bullet proof backpacks, not in a civilized world, at least.  Parents shouldn’t have to wonder if they will ever see their kids again, when they put them on the school bus, or drop them off.

The violent and moronic men/boys/whoever, are getting more and more power and people are hiding and shrinking away, instead of doing anything about gun control and strange kids with strange behavior.  Kids who are weird enough that other kids notice them.

The kids from the last shooting, their rallies, marches, pleas, can now be joined by kids from this school, and the schools before them, and the schools where shootings will take place in the future because we continue allow guns  to be part of our culture.  We allow bullies to bully and do nothing about either one of those things.

I don’t know if you noticed but lots of kids are dying in our never ending wars, in schools and we are adding up the numbers for suicides.  I think that should tell all of us that something is wrong.  When you’re child can’t be in the yard alone, has to be monitored constantly, because of predators I would think that would be a strong indication that something is REALLY wrong.

I’m not sure how bad things can get but I think we’re going to find out.  While we destroy our resources and life in general, we have no one to blame but ourselves.  I don’t think the best is yet to come, unless that “best” time is millions of years away and seriously, who can even imagine that we will make it that long.  No one, right?

Another thing…after a certain amount of dead kids and teachers, people will stop being shocked.  They will simply accept student deaths as a normal part of life (some are probably already doing that).  We won’t think anymore about kids getting killed in school than we think about war being part of our lives, and the kids who die on foreign soil.  We will come to believe that a bunch of kids and teachers being gunned down is no different than our sons and daughters being killed in  the illegal wars we are fighting.  Part of everyday business.  We don’t rush to read how many kids died in Afghanistan, or anywhere else.  We have assimilated all that boring stuff, and now it’s just background noise, unless your kid is over there, or will be soon, or unless you child has already come home in a body bag.  Same with school shootings.  We’ll get used to them, already are, and soon no one will even talk about, them except in passing.  Because we are used to death.  love and worship it, no matter it’s form.  It’s only the one’s who no longer have their child who notice, while the country continues to look the other way,  while we never demand that our government do something about guns control, or anything else.  The NRA owns part of the government.  The NRA gives MONEY to those in office.  Money is more important than kids.

So, only 8 more dead.  Not a big enough number to tip any scales.  No kids from important families, with money or power, were in the lot, so what’s going to make those people demand any changes?  It’s not happening to them, after all.

Just another day, unless you’re making funeral arrangements, that is.  Just another bunch of dead kids in a culture that cares more about guns than they do about life.

*I don’t watch the news or read the papers.  It’s pointless.  I found out about this incident because somehow it popped up on my phone.

What if…

Felicia, ( http://myvoyagethroughtime.wordpress.com/), told me about a program on Netflix called, InnSaei: the Power of Intuition.  Look it up, since I can’t seem to put the link on here.  Anyway, the program taught me a couple of importnat things.

First, there is a difference between reason and purpose (they did not address reason in the program, this is a personal thing).  My daughter never wanted to make art because she didn’t know what it was for.  To her, it didn’t have a purpose.  She always said, “What are you going to do with what you’re making?”  I told her that I didn’t know and that I wasn’t making it for any reason at all.  So we were talking about two different things.  Purpose has a goal while reason can be for no reason at all.  I don’t need a reason to do what I do, write what I write. It has no real purpose, other than I feel like doing it.  She can’t understand that.  Everything has to have a purpose in her life.  If it doesn’t have a purpose, there’s no reason to do it, or keep it.  So reason and purpose can go in the same direction but mean entirely different things.  I NEVER think about purpose, I do things for no reason.  I don’t care about purposes and she does.

So, here’s the thing.  What if we had a Global Human Purpose. (GHP).  What if, as a species, we decided that we had a common purpose and we all (worldwide) worked toward that end.  As far as I can see, we do not have any purpose at all, not as a group, not as individuals.  I never believed that we had a purpose but what if we make one up.  What if we all got together and decided, as a PEOPLE, to stop violence.  We could agree on  an agenda (a simple one, that’s for sure, since everyone has different problems) and then make it happen.  See, I never, until this morning understood the word purpose.  I don’t use that word.  I don’t write that word because I never think about that word, or what it means.  So, this program got me thinking about it (the word purpose was only said once or twice at the very end of the program).  I still won’t use the word because it doesn’t work for me, but I can understand it if it’s used in a much bigger picture.

Second, the program spoke about what we have lost over the last many years (intuition).  So here’s the thing about that.  In other countries (America wasn’t mentioned) some schools are teaching children how to get in touch with their intuitions.  That’s what the program is about…the loss of intuition.  The teachers are trying to teach children to go inside themselves and calm themselves down.  To get in touch with their inner selves.  They are also trying to teach them to put themselves in the other person’s position, to avoid conflict and foster understanding.

One teacher was using The Three Little Pigs as an example.  She asked the children to look at it from the wolf’s point of view.  Some kids said he was just hungry, or even starving, and that he wasn’t bad.  But here’s the thing about that.  They understood the wolf’s point of view BUT THEY DIDN’T TALK ABOUT SOLVING THE PROBLEM, WHICH WAS: HOW TO SATISFY THE WOLF IN A WAY THAT WOULD MAKE HIM NOT WANT TO EAT THE PIGS.  One girl said maybe he could eat fruits or vegetables but they did not focus on solving the ONLY real problem there was.  How to settle the conflict so that both sides were satisfied.   THAT is what kids are never taught in schools.  That’s why we don’t know how to get the idiots out of Washington.  That’s why we NEVER  KNOW WHAT TO DO.

We don’t teach children how to work on their own behalf, or work to change the system, or the world, because that is dangerous  and threatening knowledge to have and the guys in power and the status quo will not allow it.  We can’t teach them because no one ever taught us.  We can read about things and try them out but it won’t make a difference if we’re the ONLY one learning it.

So, these schools are teaching conflict resolution and they used one boy as an example.  He learned how to control his anger.  He taught himself (through what he learned at school) how to calm himself down.  Because of the example he set, his father felt bad about his own behavior and is trying to learn from his son.  The brother breaks this boys toys and instead of fighting the boy goes into another room and talks himself down.  They didn’t say his behavior had any effect on his brother.  He seems to be the poster boy for this issue.  No other children were mentioned with regard to changes in their behavior.

So, I’ve said it before, schools do not teach us how to fight against our own government to protect ourselves from what they do to us.  But they don’t teach us how to solve any problems at all.  They punish kids who are out of line, they do teach them a new way to see.  Punishment, labeling and control, that’s what education is all about.  Adults fight because they were never taught how to do anything else.  They were not taught NOT to fight.  Fighting is conflict resolution for many.  Video games, films, all media is about fighting.  Who would go to a movie to watch people sit and breath, or quietly talk to each other until they solve their problem?  No one, that’s who.  We teach FIGHTING, in every way imaginable.  We watch it and learn from it.

So, not everything needs to have a purpose.  Something things are done for no reason at all and have absolutely no purpose at all.   But see art is all about INTUITION.  That’s why it is not at the top of the pyramid in education.  Intuition is another dangerous thing to the power players and to the status quo, that’s why it is not celebrated and encouraged.

I still think having a GHP is a good idea.  I mean, think about it, there’s like six insane guys pushing billions of us around.  Well, now that I wrote that, I have to ask: who are the insane ones, them or us?  There are more of us than there are of them.  Breathing and speaking quietly to the idiot in DC won’t stop him from being an idiot and destroying everything.

We have to face the fact that we are running on the hamster wheel, or acting like trained seals, because we are.  We are letting the bullies take our lunch money and no one is stopping them.  No one taught us how to fight the IMPORTANT battles against THEM.  But we can teach ourselves, if we want to.

Anyway, that’s what I learned today.

 

Kids, Life, School, Living in the woods…

“Sandra got a week taken off Al’s detentions.  It’s her first paying job as a lawyer.”

“Wow.  That’s impressive.  What did she charge?”

“Three packs of gum and a new notebook.”

“What was her defense?”

“She said a month was cruel and unusual punishment for a girl who was only exercising her right to state her opinion.  And while fire is prohibited, it was quickly extinguished and no harm was done.  It was a controlled situation.  She sited two cases from somewhere in Maine, where the same thing happened and all charges were dropped under the freedom of speech act.”

“Sandra is going to go far in this world.”

“We all think so.”

“Al is happy that she did it and happy that she has a week less of detention.  Her parents were angry and they are grounding her for the entire three weeks.  They said she could change her name and she’s going to do it.”

“What does she want to be called?”

“Avenging Angel but she doesn’t think that’s really a good idea, so she has to think about it, even though that’s all she’s ever thought about.  Maybe, Elsbeth.”

“Hard call.”

“Evan saw his baby half brother.”

“And?”

“He said he looks like a prune.  What’s a prune?”

“It’s like a really big raisin.”

“Hahahahahaha.”

“I know, right?”

“So funny.”

“I haven’t told you anything bad or scary today.”

“I know and it feels weird and wrong.”

“You’ll get used to it.”

“I think there was another shooting at a school today.”

“I know.”

“Everyone wonders if it will happen at our school.”

“Usually only happens in high schools.”

“Why?”

“No one knows for sure.  Publicity, puberty, rage, kids who don’t fit in, in a bad way, jealously.  Lots of reasons, including access to guns.”

“Kids shouldn’t have guns.”

“No one should have guns.”

“Why are there so many things that can kill people?”

“Governments love to kill people, even their own.”

“Can we move to someplace far away in the woods where no one will no where we are?”

“Um, not really.  I mean we could but I don’t know how to live like that.  I’m a city person, remember.  I can barely grow a plant, let alone grow food.  Your father is worse than I am, having grown up in the city as well.  I never even camped.  So, I would say no, we aren’t moving far away in the wood where no one will find us.  None of us like bugs and there are no skyscrapers there.  We would be dead in a week.”

“Oh.  I didn’t think about that.  Maybe we could drive into a town and get supplies, like in the movies.”

“Then they would know where we are.”

“Right.  It’s more complicated than I thought.”

“Everything is more complicated than we think it is.”

“So we’ll just stay here and get shot?’

“Yes and I hope not.”

“Hope won’t stop bullets.”

“Hope won’t stop anything.”

“What’s wrong with people?”

“We don’t have nearly enough time to discuss that issue.”

“Then I’m going out to play.”

“Don’t forget the cookies.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too, Baby.”

 

 

 

Kids, Life, School, Mice and The play…SCHOOL DAY (I have no idea how to properly write a down a play, so just go with it. Thank you. (this is longish because it a…play)

The mice went back to school.  All of them.  Rehearsals were over, the stage was set, and parents were starting to fill the seats of a sold out house. The kids were taking their places on the stage behind the thick red certain. They were wearing their own clothes but they had a bit of blush on their cheeks.

“You know your lines and you’re more than ready, so just keep it together, do your best and when it’s over, take as many bows as you like.  The kids doing the lighting are real pros and the stage crew is truly amazing.  Nothing to worry about.”

The kids stared at her, terror in their eyes.

“It’s not a big deal.  Just think of it as another rehearsal but with a couple people watching.  Everything will go perfectly.  I’ve worked you hard.  You’re ready.  I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t mean it.”

They nodded and some of the tension went out of their shoulders.

“This is going to be the best play ever and all the money will go to help kids in need.  You’re doing something fantastic for kids who can’t help themselves, so just give it your all and I’ll see you at the after party.”

(music)

“Welcome to SCHOOL DAY!,” shouts a small girl standing on stage, in a spotlight, as she steps backward onto the set.

(the curtain parts and twenty kids sit at their desks, staring at the teacher who is mumbling and writing on the black board)

“Another boring day,” sighs a boy, who puts his head down on his desk.

“Hey,” said a red-headed girl, to a blue-eyed boy. “Pass this note to Joy and don’t read it before you do.”

“How long before lunch?” asks a student.

“TOO LONG,” sing three others, loudly.

(a girl stands up and faces the audience)

“Why do we have to learn things that have nothing to do with real life?  Things we will NEVER use?  What a waste of time.  Everyday it’s the same old thing!”

(the entire class stands and shouts)

“EVERYDAY IT’S THE SAME OLD THING!”

(they all sit down)

“The clock must be broken, time seems to stand still,” moans a student, staring at the clock.

“It’s not broken,” adds another, “it just drags because we are all so…BORED!”

(the teacher continues to mumble and write on the blackboard as several students stand)

“History is a LIE!”

Patriarchy is killing everything.  It’s strangling girls and holding us back,” SHOUTS a student, slamming her book hard on her desk.

(the class stands and one at at a time they starts to shout, each student saying a different line)

“EVERYDAY IT’S THE SAME OLD THING.”

“SIT DOWN, SHUT UP, PAY ATTENTION.”

“MEMORIZE LIES AND THE HATRED BEHIND THEM.”

“LEARN ABOUT THE WHITE MEN WHO DENY THEM.”

“FILL OUR HEADS WITH USELESS INFORMATION.”

“MAKE US READ BOOKS WE HATE TO READ.”

“SPIT OUT FACTS THAT WE’LL NEVER NEED.”

(kids stand on their desks and shout)

“EVERYDAY IT’S THE SAME OLD THING.”

(the students move their desks into staggered rows and three students stand together in front of them)

“Why won’t they teach us what we want to know?” asks a girl.

“They’re getting us ready for the rat race.  They are using archaic teaching methods to make sure we can work on a factory line.  (she turns to the audience)  SIT DOWN, SHUT UP, PAY ATTENTION”

“I want to change the world,” they all say, pointing to themselves.

(all three turn toward the audience)

THEY DON’T TEACH THAT HERE!”

“I want to make the world a better place for women and children.”

“THEY DON’T TEACH THAT HERE!”

(the students move their desks around the stage)

“How do we stop war?”

(everyone stands up)

“THEY DON’T TEACH THAT HERE!”

(two different students come forward as the three sit down)

“What do they teach us?”

“They teach us about wars, conquests, death, battles and flax.”

(the students run back and forth between the desks)

“FLAX!” they shout.”THEY TEACH US ABOUT FLAX.”

(several students face the audience while the others throw themselves into their desk chairs)

“We learn about government but not how to change it.”

“We learn to follow someone else’s rules.”

(all stand and shout)

“EVERYDAY IT’S THE SAME OLD THING!”

(a boy walks forward and stares at the audience)

“I wonder if Kathy likes me?” he whispers.

(three girls  standing next to their desks shout)

“SHE DOES.”

(the principal opens the classroom door and the students turn their desks toward him as he stands in the doorway)

“Are you children following the rules?  Do you obey?  Are you good citizens?” he asks, frowning.

(all stand on their desks and yell directly at him)

“NO!”

(the principal leaves in a huff and the librarian sneaks in)

“I have the books you want to read,” she whispers, looking around fearfully.  “Hide them quickly.  If they know that you love to read they’ll take the books away and kill your dreams.”

(the children take the books and hide them in their backpacks, as the gym teacher enters)

“It’s time for gym.  If you don’t do as you’re told you will fail and never graduate because you didn’t DRESS for gym.”

(everyone stands on their chairs and looks toward the gym teacher, several kids tumble across the stage floor, while others bat a volleyball to each other)

“We run around all day long, your THREATS don’t scare us.  We aren’t afraid of you,” say the students

(the gym teacher turns and stomps out)

(the students slide their desks close together and chant)

“If we join together we have power
If we stick together we have power
If we refuse to follow the rules, we have power
Power in numbers
Numbers can make a difference
we want to make a difference.”

(three kids do flips off their desks and all shout)

“THEY CAN’T STOP US.”

“WE KNOW THE TRUTH.”

“WE CAN CHANGE THINGS.”

“WE HAVE PROOF.”

“CAN’T KILL OUR CREATIVITY.”

“CAN’T MAKE US BLAND.”

“BECAUSE WE STICK TOGETHER.”

“TOGEHTER HAND IN HAND.”

(the teacher turns around and looks at the students who are all sitting quietly, their desks turned toward the blackboard)

“Did you get all of that?” he asks.

“Yes,” they all say.

(then they get back on top of their desks and sing)

“We got it all but we don’t care
we want freedom and the right to share
we want something different
something worthwhile
we don’t want your rules
your petty denials!”

(the teacher turns to the audience)

“Kids are getting smarter
they want something new
they simply do not realize
there’s nothing we can do
our hands are tied
in state run schools
all there are
are rules, rules rules.”

(a man in black walks into the classroom)

“Names and addresses.  Now.  You anarchists.”

(the students stare at him and cross their arms in front of their chests)

“Who are you and what do you want?” asks a student.

“SIT DOWN, SHUT UP AND PAY ATTENTION,” hisses the man in black.

(the students look at the audience and shout)

“EVERYDAY IT’S THE SAME OLD THING.”

(then they rise, join hands, walk to the edge of the stage, and say)

“But we’re going to change that.  Just watch us.  Because we are the future and we won’t SIT DOWN or SHUT UP .  We are going to fight back.  WE are going to make a difference.  WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD!”

(the students step back and the curtain closes)

 

The curtain closed to a few moments of dead silence.  Then there was a roar of applause.

Flowers were given and bows were taken.  The after party, in the gym, was sweet and well attended.  The kids were taking the praise lightly, knowing that praise was a way to teach people to follow the rules and obey.  A way to manipulate others.  Lack of praise was used to get people to get in line.

“That was great mom.”

“Thanks, Baby.”

“It was fun too.”

“That’s the whole point of life.  To have fun.”

“I think we all took the words we said seriously.  We want to make a difference.  We want to change the world.”

“You can.”

“Love you, Mom.”

“Love you too, Baby.

 

 

 

 

Kids, Life, School, Variety Shows, Plays and begging…

“Everything is a mess.  We aren’t happy and neither is Mr. Mark.  I’m bring the mice home tomorrow and maybe after a week off, things will be better.  Everyone wants to do something in the variety show and no one is really good at what they want to do.  And there’s not enough time for thirty kids to do things.  We’re thinking of doing the play again.”

“I hear you.”

“I think the play is the best idea.  I never realized none of us could do much of anything at all.  No one wants to hear about divorce and dogs.  People don’t go out to listen to that.”

“I agree.”

“Anyone can dress up like Batman and seriously, not one kid can play an instrument well enough to do it in front of anyone other than their family members.”

“I’m sure the play will be great.”

“Anything has to be better than a variety show.”

“So, Camelot?”

“I don’t think so.  The girls said all the good parts are for boys and Gwen is the only female role in the entire story.  The girls all want to be knights and some of them want to be Arthur.”

“You need a different play.”

“I know.  We all know.”

“Why don’t you write your own play?  Make it about a school day.  You can add songs and lots of cool things…songs like:

School, School
why do we have to go
they never teach us anything
we really want to know

Something like that.”

“Uh.”

“What?”

“Why don’t you write it and direct it?”

“No way.”

“Why not?”

“I hate stuff like that and it’s your project.”

“But you have great ideas.”

“So do you.  Do it yourself.”

“MOM!”

“NO!”

“PLEASE!”

“I’m walking away.”

“I’ll follow you.”

“I’ll lock you in the bathroom.”

“The lock’s on the INSIDE.”

“That won’t matter because you’ll be tied to something.”

“I’m not amused.”

“Excuse me?”

“I saw that on tv.”

“Just suggest all that stuff to your teacher and maybe that will solve your problem.”

“You HAVE to do it.”

“No.  I don’t.”

“Do you want me to end up in therapy?  Have bad dreams, need medication?”

“Up to you, Baby.”

“Ack.”

“Life’s hard.”

“But it would be easy for you.  PLEASE, I’m begging you.”

“You drive me crazy sometmes.  Have everyone show up Monday at 10:00 in the gym.”

“The school’s closed for break.”

“Ten o’clock.”

“We’ll be there.   I’ll talk to Mr. Mark.  He will be so happy.  He said he’s getting gray hair over this but none of us can see it.”

Tryouts will begin on time.  I need stage crew there as well.”

“I love you.”

“Brat.”

“I know right?”

“I love you too, Baby.”

Kids, Life, School, Helping others and Determination

“I told Sandra about the library books and she grabbed my hand and dragged me to the school library.  She talked to Ms. Lamb and told her we wanted books to send to kids who didn’t have any.  Fortunately, Ms. Lamb thought it was a good idea because I think Sandra  would have jumped onto her desk to make her point.  Ms. Lamb said that the city libraries have library sales, to make money to buy more books.  They sell the old, or unpopular books, for practically nothing and on the final day of the sale, they just about give them away.  She said she would talk to her friends and get a lot of books for us and for our wonderful project.  Sandra gave her a card with her phone number on it and told her she expected to hear from her soon.  Then she grabbed me again and dragged me back to class.”

“Sandra rocks.”

“She said that when people die it’s not like in the movies.  People aren’t wearing make up and they don’t even look like themselves, a lot of the time.  She said dying is not romantic and there’s no music in the background, just crying.  When she’s a lawyer she’s going to try and make movies be more honest, so that people aren’t shocked and horrified when they see the real thing.”

“I don’t think she has a chance on that one but she’s pretty tough.”

“I think the principal is afraid of her.”

“How wonderful.”

“She’s getting straight “As” and wants to go directly into college from our class but Mr. Mark said that even if she was a genius that wouldn’t be possible.  She’s too young to be on her own.  Remember Al, the new girl?”

“I do.”

“Her dad is in a biker gang and he said if we get the toys, the guys will take care of the rest.”

“Fantastic.”

“Al said her dad looks tough but he’s like a big marshmallow.  No one can know that though.  She said he loves kittens and dogs and her.  Sandra said not to be too sure about that but that she hoped she was right.”

“Mr. Mark said he thought his wife was going to have a baby and he didn’t sleep until he found out that she wasn’t.  He said that while he’s used to kids our age he has no idea what to do with a new one.”

“Sandra said,  you feet it, change it and wait for it to roll over, then sit up.  She told him to grow up.  How hard can it be, since every single person on earth started out the same way.”

“He said she was right and he didn’t know what got into him.”

“Did you tell her you wanted to be her law partner?”

“I did.  She said that was fine as long as I didn’t fall in love with her and want to marry her.  She’s never getting married and she never wants kids, which she said before but wanted to make sure I understood her rules.  She told me I was cute and she liked me a lot but romance would just take too much time.  I told her I was okay with that.”

“I can’t tell you how much you brighten every single one of my day.  I love the things you are experiencing and it’s all so very exciting.”

“Really?  It’s just normal to me.”

“That’s the way the world works.  What’s normal to one person is amazing to another.”

“I guess.  I told Sandra about the car wash and she ran to the principal’s office and told him we were having one in the parking lot and she would let him know what day.  She said our school does nothing to help kids in need and that needs to change.  She gave him her card.  A card like the one she gave to Ms. Lamb.  She said she had a thousand of them printed, so she could start making contacts and keep her name in the public eye.  When she’s a lawyer, people will remember her because they already have her card.  Evan’s new brother was born.  His name is Milton.  Evan laughed for five minutes over that.  He said he doesn’t want to meet the baby and his mom said he doesn’t have to.  Al and her family rescue Pit Bulls.  She said they are super sweet and if we want a puppy to let her know.”

“Did you do any schoolwork?”

“Some math, reading and we painted pictures like a guy named Van Gogh.”

“So, you had a full day.”

“Pretty much.”

“Ice cream?”

“Definitely.”

“I love you, Baby.”

“Love you too.”

 

Kids, Life, School, Mice, Genetics

“We’re cat people, aren’t we?”

“Most definitely.”

“People are divided on the issue of dogs and cats.”

“They are.  We like both but cats win by a mile.  That makes us cat people.  Cats first and foremost.”

“We talked about grasshoppers today.  They can become a plague and kill crops.”

“See, that’s the thing, Baby.  Anything can become a plague.  One or two grasshoppers are beautiful.  You can sit and watch them and become friends with them.  Unfortunately, when they get together and swarm, they kill things and become a huge problem.  People are exactly like that.  A couple are okay but when mobs and countries get together and swarm, they  can become a plague that also kills and destroys, just like the grasshoppers.  That kind of thing isn’t species specific.”

“I didn’t think of it that way.”

“Anything that’s out of balance, can become dangerous and destructive, including the elements.  Too much snow, rain, or sun, can mean death.”

“I understand.”

“Humans are throwing absolutely everything out of balance and future generations will pay for that.”

“How future?”

“Don’t know yet but I think it’s a lot closer than we would like it to be.”

“Can’t we do something about it?”

“It’s probably too late for some things but we could still make positive changes.  Unfortunately, the government has no interest in saving the planet, or the people, so I’m going to say no, there’s nothing we can do.”

“We recycle.”

“We do.”

“Are we all gonna die?”

“Without a doubt but no one knows when, so don’t worry about it.”

“Okay, I won’t.”

“How was school?”

“Good.  Mr. Mark asked if anyone would be willing to take the mice home for Spring break, so they are coming here next week.”

“Fabulous.  We can make a wee playground for them and hide corn and other treasures in secret places so they can have a scavenger hunt.  I’m so glad they are visiting.”

“You’re going to carry them around with you aren’t you?”

“Maybe.  Just a pocket ride or two.  Maybe a shoulder hitch.”

“I knew you were going to say that.”

“You know I love rodents.”

“I do.  Are you going to get them a dollhouse?”

“Perhaps a cardboard one.  They can play in the rooms and look out of the windows.”

“Nick’s father is afraid of mice.  He said his mother likes them and has to save his dad if one comes in the house.”

“They’re so little.  I don’t know how people can be afraid of them.”

“I have to write a story about ghosts.”

“Cool.  What are you going to write?”

“I don’t know yet.  Any ideas?”

“You can write about a ghost mouse.”

“I love that.  Maybe I’ll have him live in the attic.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Sandra’s not sure but she thinks her dad’s girlfriend might be having a baby.  She said she doesn’t want the baby to get hit by a bus, because it’s not the baby’s fault that her father was a moron.  She said she never wants to meet the baby, or know anything about it.  Her mom said they don’t even know if the rumor is true.  Sandra said that she wishes she could get the part of her father that’s inside of her, out,  but genes are genes.  She called the doctor and he said he couldn’t  help her.  When she’s rich she wants to fund research that can remove the unwanted genetic material from horrible people who happened to be related to you.  I told her I didn’t that that would ever happen but she said she would find a way.  I kind of believe her.  I think she can do anything.”

“Wow.  Sandra is one tough cookie.”

“She has become very intense.”

“Sounds like it.”

“Someone stole the entire lost and found box.  It’s not a big deal.  I think there were only a few mittens and a scarf in it but the principal was upset and lectured everyone over the intercom.  After lunch they found out that the janitor had just moved the box to a different location.”

“I bet the principal felt silly.”

“I doubt it.  I don’t think he even knows how to smile.”

“You might be right.”

“I’m going to start on the Ghost Mouse.”

“You do that.  Take some cookies with you, so you can keep up your strength.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too, Baby.”