School Daze (Blogisode One)

We’re back. Year Two.

Ladies and Gentlemen, after a two month hiatus, we are back.

Here’s a reminder for those of you who are new (welcome!).

The rules:

There are no rules.  This is a space where I write whatever strikes me as funny or important that day.  As my blog grows I’ve noticed more and more people start to tell me something and then they say, “Don’t blog about that!” Also, when I start to tell a story people say, “I know, I read it on your blog.”  I find these things enjoyable.  I find blogging enjoyable.  I found taking two months off enjoyable.  That said, I’ve been in a terrible mood because I miss summer….but that is another story for another day.  Soon enough I will announce a couple of user friendly changes, but for now, we’re back and everything is the same with the exception that the blog posts will be shorter.  Remember how I told you I wrote more words last year than the longest Harry Potter book?  That was an eye opener.  Too much.  We’re shortening it, and publishing 3 times a week with the occasional Friday vlog with Jake.  Okay?  Okay.  More on all of that at a later date.  The format remains the same; part one is devoted to whatever daily hijinks are happening, and part two is the story we’re telling with a big cliff hanger at the end.  Okay?  Okay.

Timeout for sports:  I am watching the Steelers Broncos game as I type this hoping against hope that Peyton Manning

An orange jersey. Weird. But who cares, just throw touchdown passes. Thanks.

has some life in that arm after being out for a year.  Why do I care, you might wonder, especially since I grew up in Cincinnati and now live in New York.

Maybe I am just rooting for a really talented guy sidelined by an injury in his prime.

Maybe I always root for the older football throwing son of a football star.

Or

Maybe he’s the quarterback of my Fantasy Football team. Which is correct GO MANNING!  He is also throwing against the Steelers and I (as a general rule) always root against the Steelers and that stupid terrible towel.  Let it be said that as much as I love Rob Meffe, he is a Steeler fan.  Huge strike against him.  Huge.  Someone could put an eye out flinging that ugly towel around.  It’s a health hazard.  Death by terrible towel.

But I digress.  As I do.  I love that I am already off topic before I even picked a topic.

But now, let’s get going.  Everyone clear your desks and take out a number two pencil.  It’s time to start our first blog story of year two–School Daze.  Do you think you aren’t interested because you don’t have kids?  Do you think this doesn’t apply because you live in Michigan or Cincinnati or Australia.  Wrong.  The great thing about this story is that at the end of the day–you have to remember (because you will start to forget) that this IS NOT ABOUT APPLYING FOR COLLEGE.  We’re talking high school.

Since we’re talking about school and I enjoy a quiz, let’s start one.  POP QUIZ!  Please keep your eyes on your own paper.

This is a catalogue the size of a phonebook. This is to get into high school. The type is about 8 point and you need a magnifying glass to read it. True or false?

True or False

1)  Let’s start with an easy one.  In New York City all eighth graders must go through a high school selection process because New York City’s high schools (all 5 boroughs) are “unzoned” and if you don’t “apply” via the selection process you will not get into a school.  True or False?

2)  Just that question alone made you go “Huh?”  Exactly.  Keep reading.

3)  There is a uniform selection and application process for all schools.  True or False?

4)  Your child will most likely go to the high school closest to home.  True or false?

5)  New York City schools have school buses?  True or false?

6)  Peyton Manning just threw a touchdown pass, pulling me very ahead in my fantasy football game against my brother-in-law?  (That is true.  Go MANNING.)

7)  There are many information nights with parents about how to apply to high school, starting in during the 7th grade.  True or false?

8)  Mike Wallace, a Pittsburgh Steeler is part of my fantasy football team, and he just scored a touchdown causing me to get more points and momentarily cheer for the Steelers.  True or false?  (That one is true that he scored a touchdown, but false that I am cheering for the Steelers because I am only cheering for my player, not the team as a whole).

9)  The New York City high schools are often specialized, meaning, the focus on a particular thing like a vocational school.  True or false?

10)  The good news is that at least after you’ve gone through this whole process, you get your acceptance letter in February and that is the end of it.  True or false?

And the answers to this quiz, Ladies and Gentlemen, will come throughout the story.  I will answer these questions one by one and add in some delightful tidbits including a brief but serious flirt with a move to San Diego.

Let it be said that our kid has good grades (honor roll) but not the best grades (that is high honor roll).  She went to a fantastic honors middle school.  She is articulate and friendly.  She has enthusiasm.  She’s a kid who should easily navigate the system.

But seriously, even with all that going for her, this process just about took her out.

(For the next blogisode in this series, go here)

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