The Myth & The Majesty

The daycare is far too heavy an influence on what I write here, but that doesn't really bother me. The topic today: playground games. I have come to realize that these kids I watch have, by and large, no imaginations. Their games reflect it; they play house, collect critters and play ball tag or four-square. Other than that, I get more "I'm bored"s in one recess time than I ever wanted to hear in a single summer. And somehow, it's easy to understand; they can't come up with anything new, and regardless of the game, they will argue about the rules. This is where the complaining begins. The one single game I can't watch is four-square. Why? I have many fond memories of playing this in middle school, but my friends and I were, shall we say, rather competitive. We played to get to the server's square. If you took too long to get to the square, you didn't play. If you left the game, you were done for the day. If you screwed up, you we...

I'm going to have a cruel moment here; I have one kid at work who I have to keep holding back a, "Holy cow, no wonder the other kids don't want to play with you!" Needless to say, she's getting on my nerves. She seems sweet enough, until she tattles or suddenly goes clingy on you. Then she starts to get annoying. And although I feel sorry for her sometimes, there are equal times I want to kick her in the butt, get her to cut it out and stop ruining the fun for other kids. The only other real complaint I have about these guys involves the older boys. ONE of them is fine. I have no issues with him. Maybe two. The rest of them have a tendency toward general meanness and annoying attitudes toward the other kids and the staff--mostly the other kids. One in particular has this amazing ability to be obnoxious and louder than anyone else I've met (if you know me, you know how loud some people I deal with are). And here enters the Eve 6 song title I ripped. ...

Well, I enjoyed my REAL vacation time. Spent a couple days out in Rapid City (home, sweet home) with Barb. We went shopping, out to Keystone for salt water taffy, through Rushmore Cave, mini-golfing, swimming ... All real vacation stuff. It was great. On top of this, we watched part of a paintball tournament (yay Andy!) and hung out with Ashli and her slightly bizarre friends. (I say slightly only because they were weirded out by my laying under the bed. Now, if they were TRULY bizarre, this would have meant nothing to them.) Unfortunately, now it's back to the usual, but not for long. This week, I get to work in the morning, then go to VBS at night ... and then it's August. Yay! As much as I'm finally enjoying the summer, I miss my friends (well, most of you anyway), and I'm ready to go back home. In the meantime, I'll try not to waste too much time. Nothing ruins a good summer like getting bored, only to realize you could have been doing somethin...

Okay, so I actually left on Tuesday (that was great--I didn't get to bed till 3:30 AM, and at 6:30 Mom felt it necessary to wake me up and inform me we were leaving early), and I got back today. The tournament was interesting ... My sister's team ended up with a win, loss, and tie in the determining games, got put into the upper flight for finals, and then lost in the quarterfinals--after a 1-1 tie, double overtime, and a heartbreaking shootout that ended 4-5. Now, they're done. For good. They've been together for the last eight years, but now ... How odd. This tourney was odd. The hotel was overrun with high school boys. I found it odd that while I was in high school, I was invisible, but now I get accosted. It was pretty funny, too (hi, Lonny, if you're reading this). Hmmm. What else. I feel required to mention that Darren got to play Ireland twice, and lost both times. However, they got second, so congratulations Darren. And, since I've m...

I'm aware that I've ripped that from a movie title, but right now I'm too tired to care. Besides, it's pretty muchly a great description of my life right now, or whatever this strange existence should be called. Life at the scrapes and burns factory is lively as ever. This time, instead of getting squished and doing death spasms, we have a gerbil that likes to pretend he's Houdini. He got out last weekend, and today (well, yesterday--Friday) they found him again. Now, he's stuck in the inescapable aquarium, formerly known as the hampster's home, trying to scratch through the glass. Strangely amusing to watch, actually. Too bad they found him. Umm ... what else is new in the not-so-interesting Ashleyland ... Not much. Things are shaping up for my room next year, although I still need to get a fish. I think I'll name him Walter. Or Lester. Going out to Jesse's tomorrow. Yay! Things are still coming together for school. I hope a...