Jeez Louise.....I thought that since my son was out of high school and starting at a community college in the fall, that my involvement in "school stuff" would be minimal. I don't have to buy uniforms or school supples, no more lunches to fix, no open houses, schedules to deal with...I'm out...finished...my job is done....boy was I wrong.
Now my son is no "dim bulb", but not a genius either. A boy with average intelligence, a good boy who has never given me any problems, a hard worker, holding down a job and going to school and pays his bills...but sometimes talking to him is like talking to a wall. I have been assured by other mothers of teenage boys that his is perfectly normal, that the slack-jawed, confused look in the eyes is normal. I'll be glad when this phase is over. Girls seem to be a lot more mature at this age, for the most part.
Getting registered, signing up for classes, financial aid, books, student ID's, parking passes AND changing jobs all at the same time has been majorly stressful. Plus, his new job also pays for college and that involved a lot more forms, forms, forms to fill out and have completed by a certain time. Now all of the above wasn't anything that I personally have to do and I really didn't want to have to be involved with any of it except to offer advice and guidance. HA!
He goes for orientation, that went well. Then it came time to register for classes. He is planning on getting certified for a particular field, but he was told that class was full for the fall semester so he signed up for pre-req. classes in order to get his Associate's degree. When he got home he noticed that a couple of his classes had been scheduled for the wrong time. So, the next day he went back to fix the problem. This time he was able to talk to the guy in charge of the program he want to get into and he got to change his schedule altogether to be in this program. GREAT!! He gets home, the class times are wrong. I asked him if he looks at his schedule before he leaves registration to make sure it's right..."No, I didn't think about it". **sigh**
For the next two weeks he calls the guy in charge of the program, everyday, gets no answer but leaves a message everytime. No call back. I decide I'll try to call and find out when the guy is in, nobody knows. I ask about his schedule, they tell me my son has to call about his schedule. I tell them that I know that, I just want to know who he needs to call. They give me the number of the man he's been trying to call for two weeks. Since my son is now working nights and sleeping in the day, I tell him that I will call the guy and see if I can make an appt. for him. But first I ask him what he said in the messages that he left. He told me, then a light bulb goes off in my head.....did you leave him your phone number? "Should I have?" he asks. AARRGGGGHHHHHH!! I think it might have helped I replied. When I get to work, I call the guy, leave a message telling him the problem and give him my son's phone number, within 45min he calls my son and the problem is fixed. He's been out of town and calling in to get his messages. **sigh**
All the financial aid papers that I had to fill out were done back in February. But on the college website it wasn't showing up that it had been applied to his account. I had to call several times about that. Each time I called I would be able to talk to the "next available representative" and because of "the high number of calls they were experiencing" I waited 25-30min each time, on hold, and a couple of times it would just cut me off. It was making me crazy. But I think it is all good now. **sigh**
My son had to fill out lots of online info in order for his job to pay for his college tuition. "Have you filled it out yet" I would ask. "I will" he'd say. "There is a time limit on this". Next day, "have you finised it yet". "I did part of it" he replied. This went on for days. I know, I know, the conventional wisdom out there is that I should let it be and if he doesn't get it done, it's his own fault. But I cannot pay for his college education so these forms HAD to be filled out on time. I'll back off later. When I went to college years ago, it was a lot different and there was no internet and no online forms to fill out, it just seemed easier then.
Classes start tomorrow, now is the time for me to back off and let him take care of his schedule, classes, working at night and getting enough sleep. He says he has it under control. I am going to take him at his word. I'm, exhausted.
Kathy
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Sunday, August 5, 2012
"Beer Joints"
The city is made up of lots of "neighborhoods", named for their location, which immigrants settled there long ago, what businesses surround it, and numerous other reasons. The neighborhood I live in was settled years ago by German immigrants. There are still lots of people here with German last names, and a lot of the people have lived here for generations. A couple of distinguising features of my neighborhood is shotgun houses and a beer joint on every corner.
Today they would be called bars or taverns, but when I was growing up they were called beer joints. At that time they seemed to be filled with grizzled old men, cigarette smoke and maybe a pool table. The old guys stopping by after work for a beer or two and it was a place to hang out on the weekend. Nowadays, they are filled with young and old, men, women, all ethic groups, and sometimes children are able to come in during the daytime hours if food is being served. And of course, they no longer tolerate smoking, which has been a bone of contention for quite a while, but I think the "grizzled old guys" are coming to terms with it.
Everyone has a favorite beer joint where they like to hang out, they know the owners, the bartenders and other staff. It's the same customers that frequent the place and everybody knows their names, kind of like Cheers! The food is fried, the beer is cold and sometimes there is even a jar of pickled eggs or bologna for sale sitting on the bar. Karaoke is a big attraction also.
I don't go to a beer joint very often, but when I do, there is a particular one that I like. It has been operating since before I was born, still in the original building (with added improvements) with a loyal clientele. They serve great food, fried fish, chicken, great chili and quite a few other items. The funny thing about ordering food is they take your order and when it is done, they just come out of the kitchen and holler "CHILI" or "CHEESEBURGER AND FRIES" and you motion to them that it's yours and everybody seems to be able to keep it straight. When I was in college I worked at a bakery that was right across the street from this joint and at lunch time you would see so many businessmen and lawyers coming from downtown to eat there. It seems to be pretty well known throughout the city.
Last night a friend and I went out and ended up there and it just so happens that Saturday is Karaoke night.The place was packed, which it almost always is but it was a blast. The singers were really very good, a few people got up and danced. and a lot of people knew each other and some of the people were people that I had seen the last time I was there. There was a mix of young and old, although the later it gets most of the older folks leave and the college age kids start coming in.
I love watching the old folks dance. You can tell that they have been dancing together for a long time because they mirror each other's moves and they are so smooth about it. It always gets me to thinking about how long has this couple been together, they've raised their kids, have grandkids, all the good and bad times that they have made it through, they're retired and here they are enjoying a Saturday night out at a neighborhood beer joint. Sometimes it makes me a little sad because I wish I had a long history with the same person as they have, all the shared memories and adventures and sorrows and they have made it through together. But I still love watching them together.
These beer joints also double as sports bars with multiple flat screens, sports bar munchies and large crowds supporting the local college teams. I've never been to my favorite joint to watch a game, but this year will be different. I have a friend that likes to go listen to local, live music and I have gone with her on quite a few occasions and I have really enjoyed it. She has told me several times that she would go with me to something that I really enjoy doing. So here in a few weeks when college football starts we are going to my favoritte beer joint and watch the game and I am sure it will be a good time. I am really looking forward to it.
So here is to all the local, neighborhood beer joints, let's hope they never go out of style.
Kathy
Today they would be called bars or taverns, but when I was growing up they were called beer joints. At that time they seemed to be filled with grizzled old men, cigarette smoke and maybe a pool table. The old guys stopping by after work for a beer or two and it was a place to hang out on the weekend. Nowadays, they are filled with young and old, men, women, all ethic groups, and sometimes children are able to come in during the daytime hours if food is being served. And of course, they no longer tolerate smoking, which has been a bone of contention for quite a while, but I think the "grizzled old guys" are coming to terms with it.
Everyone has a favorite beer joint where they like to hang out, they know the owners, the bartenders and other staff. It's the same customers that frequent the place and everybody knows their names, kind of like Cheers! The food is fried, the beer is cold and sometimes there is even a jar of pickled eggs or bologna for sale sitting on the bar. Karaoke is a big attraction also.
I don't go to a beer joint very often, but when I do, there is a particular one that I like. It has been operating since before I was born, still in the original building (with added improvements) with a loyal clientele. They serve great food, fried fish, chicken, great chili and quite a few other items. The funny thing about ordering food is they take your order and when it is done, they just come out of the kitchen and holler "CHILI" or "CHEESEBURGER AND FRIES" and you motion to them that it's yours and everybody seems to be able to keep it straight. When I was in college I worked at a bakery that was right across the street from this joint and at lunch time you would see so many businessmen and lawyers coming from downtown to eat there. It seems to be pretty well known throughout the city.
Last night a friend and I went out and ended up there and it just so happens that Saturday is Karaoke night.The place was packed, which it almost always is but it was a blast. The singers were really very good, a few people got up and danced. and a lot of people knew each other and some of the people were people that I had seen the last time I was there. There was a mix of young and old, although the later it gets most of the older folks leave and the college age kids start coming in.
I love watching the old folks dance. You can tell that they have been dancing together for a long time because they mirror each other's moves and they are so smooth about it. It always gets me to thinking about how long has this couple been together, they've raised their kids, have grandkids, all the good and bad times that they have made it through, they're retired and here they are enjoying a Saturday night out at a neighborhood beer joint. Sometimes it makes me a little sad because I wish I had a long history with the same person as they have, all the shared memories and adventures and sorrows and they have made it through together. But I still love watching them together.
These beer joints also double as sports bars with multiple flat screens, sports bar munchies and large crowds supporting the local college teams. I've never been to my favorite joint to watch a game, but this year will be different. I have a friend that likes to go listen to local, live music and I have gone with her on quite a few occasions and I have really enjoyed it. She has told me several times that she would go with me to something that I really enjoy doing. So here in a few weeks when college football starts we are going to my favoritte beer joint and watch the game and I am sure it will be a good time. I am really looking forward to it.
So here is to all the local, neighborhood beer joints, let's hope they never go out of style.
Kathy
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