Friday, November 19, 2010

Rah Rah Etiquette


Last night we were at Hofstra, supporting the marching band who were supporting the high school football team as they played the county championship game. Into the third quarter of the game, one of the guys on our squad got hurt and was down for several minutes while he was being examined. During the time he was down, the other team's pep band was playing and their cheerleaders were performing. The other crowd got loud doing their hometown cheers.

Why would it be OK to do this? I found it disturbing that anyone would condone this behavior. Even if the pep band conductor didn't realize that a man on the other team was down, someone ought to have alerted the conductor to stop the music. Ditto for cheerleading; they aren't facing the crowd, but someone could have gotten their coach's attention. Mercifully, a referee finally walked to that side of the field and motioned to them to stop.

Sportsmanship, anyone? Concern for one's fellow man? Does competition really trump all of that?


Monday, November 15, 2010

Ambivalence

I remember an old Dom Irrera standup routine about his hassling his buddy as to whether the buddy would hit his cat or his mother-in-law with his car if he had no choice but to choose one. Talk about a choice.

I'm really torn here. Should I be happy or sad? My business trip to Boston (which I take annually) happens to fall on the week of parent-teacher conferences this time. The high school is Tuesday, and the middle school is Thursday. Hubby will have to do it all this time. It's lovely to think about how I get a break from all that zipping around the school playing Beat the Clock, but I really do enjoy talking to all the teachers and seeing all the other parents who have become old friends over the years.

If I'm happy, I'm reminded that I won't be missing the elementary conference, which is next Monday. If I'm sad, I can console myself with the fact that I still get to do the elementary school deal. What to think? Sigh.

P.S. Son #1 has an orthodontist appointment on the Wednesday night that I'm away, and I can honestly say I don't mind missing that. :-)

Friday, November 12, 2010

Marching Band Mom

Guess you'd better add that to my list of credentials or nicknames. Last night I didn't mind traveling all the way from Eastern LI to Hofstra after work, because Son #1 was in the halftime show at the second round high school football playoff game. I also didn't mind sitting on the bleachers in breezy 40 degree weather, either...and those of you know my body thermostat know that's highly unusual for me. OK well I was wearing two pairs of panty hose under my jeans and four layers.

Part of it is the solidarity of wearing the band parent "school color" sweatshirts and hanging out with the moms and dads who were so wonderful during band camp weekend. It's a group of friends I hope to keep for years. Some have younger kids like me, so we'll cycle through it again together. A really feel-good, supportive club I've joined. And it's a great network to find out what's going on in the school, and with the kids. Of course my own kid tells me precious little. :-)

I was really excited about the actual game too. Jumping up and down for touchdowns, "whoo-hoo" and all that stuff. Good thing we won, and are headed to the county championships next week. Whoo-hoo!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Brrr, It's the Special Olympics

I work with a mom of a Down's Syndrome child who is involved with the Special Olympics. Last year she put the local knitters and crocheters in touch with the scarf project, which provided almost 60,000 welcome gifts for the athletes participating in the winter event. This year we're about to start making more scarves; the special colors of yarn arrived in the office today. Anyone know knitters or crocheters who'd like to help? Send 'em here: http://www.scarvesforspecialolympics.org/

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Fur Flying Down the LIE?

Another license plate, which I saw as I was exiting the Expressway yesterday on the way home:

CRUELLA

Was this tongue-in-cheek or was it a self proclaimed witch on wheels who couldn't care less if people think she's mean? Couldn't get a look at the driver to see whether she was wearing a dalmation coat. We had wet snow yesterday so it could've been fur coat weather according to some people.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Nyah Nyah

I saw this license plate as I was driving home on the Long Island Expressway today:

NOYOUARE

I started giggling, thinking of childhood banter.

"I know you are, but what am I?"

"Am not." "Are too!"

and of course:

"You are." "No, YOU are!"

Is this a parent of several children? Or a schoolteacher? Regardless, cute plate.

Fall Cleaning

Doesn't have that same ring to it that "spring cleaning" does, eh? Well, I'm going with it. Not sure why he was motivated, but hubby spent a good chunk of weekend time (OK not when football or hockey was being televised) cleaning out his office downstairs.

Seven bundles of old catalogues tied up and brought to the curb for recycling. Heaven knows how much paper to be shredded. Old Windows PC that was already old ten years ago when we moved into the house, plus old keyboard, speakers (big ones) and printer.

Not wanting to be a bad citizen, I brought the equipment to work where we have a dumpster that is emptied by a waste management firm that separates computer equipment out for proper disposal. I have to say, however good it felt to bring the stuff out of the house, it felt DAMN good to pitch the printer into the dumpster! (I didn't throw the PC tower in there because it was too heavy; an angel where I work helped with that.) If I can get hubby to bring the old clunky monitor to the car, I'll do the same thing with it later in the week. Yippee!