BFF: Reflections

Oh look, I haven't written anything in a week. Let me think, what have I been doing?

I've worked all week, which is a good thing. I've been fairly productive, which is a very good thing. I took Mark to the dentist on Thursday, which was not great, but what can we do?

Speaking of teeth, Mark's dentist has recommended a fluoride rinse. Aside from all the stuff about fluoride being a communist plot, it's generally thought to be a good thing for teeth. I read that children (me) used to get fluoride in the water (the communist plot) and their teeth were stronger than those who didn't. Now kids don't drink tap water as much, so they aren't getting the fluoride. Thus, the cavities & the fluoride rinse, capitalist plots to separate me from my money.

I also heard (on NPR, she says in her snooty voice) that chewing gum with xylitol can help prevent cavities. Kids in Scandinavia chew xylitol gum all the time. Being Scandinavians, they don't play with their gum in class or stick it under the desk or in their buddy's hair. So for Scandinavians, it's a good thing all around. Since other studies have shown that the action of chewing gum can increase problem solving ability (has to do with learning styles and mixing motion with thought and all that good stuff), I'm thinking we should encourage kids to chew sugarless gum in class. If we can prevent them from playing with it or sticking it under the desk or in their buddy's hair. What do y'all think?

I, personally, don't like gum. Maybe if I'd chewed it as a child I'd have better teeth and be able to chew gum without it sticking to my dental work (and the places I've yet to have dental work), but I didn't. I always here my mother or grandmother (a first grade teacher) saying, "you look like a cow chewing cud." Dang --- hurt my self-esteem AND my teeth. A two-fer. Oh well.

I wonder if chewing gum would keep people from grinding their teeth. You know, work it out during the day. You don't want to chew gum at night. I won't do that twice three times.

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SC Governor Mark Sanford & his family have gone on a European vacation. That's sweet. It's good to have a governor in touch with the people of SC. He suggested that all South Carolinians who are stressed out about unemployment, lack of health care, the high cost of education, or whatever should take some time off to explore Europe and get back in touch with their families. He said if they can't afford to go to Europe, they should kayak.

Fortunately for SC, the governor doesn't do anything. Unfortunately, he gets paid to do nothing. I'm not sure we can afford to keep him in the style to which he is accustomed.

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Good news: My son Mark will be attending Carolina School for Inquiry for 6th grade. The director and the board brainstormed (you should have seen the lightning!) and came up with a way to solve several staffing issues and have a 6th grade. I'm ecstatic. Mark is too, but he's still in his summer mode so you wouldn't know it to look at him.

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Yesterday at the dentist, the dental assistant told Mark he'd be getting "bubble gum gas" and he gave her a funny look. I thought he was going to say "do you mean nitrous oxide?" He didn't and later told me that he couldn't really understand her cute words but thought it would be smart-alecky to ask her to speak like an adult. Then we talked about how we hoped he did have bubble gum gas because it would be an improvement over his normal gas.

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Joseph (my middle son) is going to Midlands Tech this fall. I'm proud of him for going down and doing what he had to do to get enrolled. I hope we can find the money. He is going to MTC for a couple of years to get the basic classes at a lower price than the University of SC, taught by people with at least a master's degree, in smaller classes. Then he'll transfer to a university. This is a good thing.

I believe that people should go to college when they are good and ready to work at it and not party all night long. Unfortunately (sort of), a lot of people think I'm an idiot for not insisting my kids go straight to college. Some people fill out their kids' college applications. I'm not down with that. But even though I know we are right, it's a pain in the arse to listen to smug parents & not tell them I saw their kid picking up a hooker on Two Notch. Be a duck. Be a duck.

Anyway, I'm glad Joseph is going to school. I hope he finds a satisfying, challenging, fulfilling field. I hope the same for myself, of course. Life is a quilt, not a smoothly woven cloth. At least, mine is.

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It's 8 a.m. so the lawn guys are at work across the street. Today I find it inspiring rather than irritating. I have to get my minivan to the shop, drop off stuff for some clients, clean my house, plan meals, go grocery shopping, do some more accounting, figure out my flexible medical benefits plan so we can get some of the cash that's sitting in the account, crochet a blanket, and bake cookies. Then lunch. Just kidding. I've got two and a half days to get all that done. We'll see.