A nice way to start the day,..

A phone call from my son's school informing me that my son earned a Saturday detention for his 20th tardy since the new Semester started. *SIGH* I have spoken with him, grounded him, hounded him and called his counselor imploring that my son speak to someone at school to give him a good reality check. I also promised him that the next time I received this information that I would be getting up at 5am to walk him to class personally. I think it's time to implement this and tomorrow morning, I will drive my son to school and walk him to class so that everyone can see my 16 year old son walked to class by his mommy. He may hate me for life but I'm willing to take that chance. Parenting is not easy. Even if we have the greatest of intentions, even if we go out of our way to be fair, even if we read every single book on the subject, heed the advice of the majority of psychologists, give the children every conceivable advantage we possibly can, children can stray. Despite all my efforts, they have perceived me as too strict, unfair, and out of touch. Yesterday my daughter insisted that I don't know a thing about her and proceeded to quiz me.
1) How do I intend to do my hair at graduation?
2) What is my nickname, the one that my friends call me at school?
3) What is my favorite band? (Today's favorite band, not yesterdays)
4) WHat is my least favorite color?
5) HOw am going to do my hair for the 8th grade dance? Will I wear eyeliner or not?
6) What are the 4 things I'm most afraid of? I answered storms. She said ok um, the 5 things I'm most afraid of then? (She forgot about that storm one)
7) Which is my favorite cat? When I answered Molly, she said Molly was her favorite cat YESTERDAY.
These things are what Cassie considers to be "Important."

Tommorrow, I will travel downtown for the usual trial bloodwork and vitals. It takes me two hours to get there, two hours to get home again and the whole process lasts 15minutes. It will cost me 4 gallons of gas, 10 dollars in parking, half a day of work and I'm on the placebo. Physically, I feel wonderful. My energy level is great. I have good color. I'm sleeping fine. I"m not in any pain. My appetite is good and I have no complaints. I was a bit worn down last night but I attribute that to 16 hours on my feet doing my retail job and a few nights that I went to bed later than I would have liked. I am slowly realizing that I am not young anymore. As a young person, 3am was going to bed early. As an old person, 11pm is getting late. I am barely making the midnight toast on New Years Eve. I can't drink more than one alcoholic beverage in an evening without feeling light headed and as an out of shape office worker, I can probably benefit by taking a walk each day. My bottom is starting to become chair shaped and keeping weight off is getting harder. The next scan will be in two weeks. I am hoping that these few weeks off the drug did not cause significant progress. I am hoping very much that my diet has helped keep things at bay.