Senior Dues

So we have this wrench at KidPak, and its name is Lucille.  I think the name came from BB King, but regardless, Lucille has been with us for ages.  I mean, every year at Summer Xtreme, I insert Lucille in the skits as a plot device.  This past year, Lucille was thrown at the supervillain in the animated video, but it accidentally hits Dr. Gorilla.  So we had it live action to begin with on stage, and then actually there was an animated Lucille, which is pretty cool.  Anyway, I say all this to say that today we were needing something to tighten this wall hanging, and we were looking around for something to get a grip and... yeah, it came to pass that Lucille was actually used today!

The wall hanging is something that I've been sort of waiting on to get done for a while, but the maintenance staff has been so busy it was sort of left undone for a while now.  So we did it ourselves, a team of inexperts working their brains to get these wall hangings up, and when it got done, there was great rejoicing. We had a Cheez-It party, and blew the celebratory shell horn!  Yes, I have one of those, and it was just a prop (like the wrench, but less useful).  Anyway, it makes a surprisingly loud blare!  I had that out today because the other day we were watching a Junkanoo band, and they were actually using a shell horn as a musical instrument in the band.  Wild!

Check out the decorations Mom set up for the couch in my office.  Really sets up the atmosphere - we're ready for the Toy Box!

Meanwhile, Maddie was at school and she's doing some photographic art, but also getting more and more involved in math and other classes.  In fact, she had homework tonight.  She forgot about that, and wound up starting it later - getting to sleep later.  But she got it done.  In her defense, it was a busy night.  She had taekwondo tonight, teaching little ones with form and kicks, and then of course going to leadership after that.  Conversations with friends there extended a bit afterwards, but we got home a little later, just in time to watch more Olympics, of course.  We saw some American hurdlers, and those of course were the highlights of the evening.  It was so wonderful hearing Sydney McLaughlin-Lavrone testify about her faith after completely dominating the field in a race that wasn't even close.  There were other gold medals - we've been watching the Chinese just on another level with their diving skills all week.  It's amazing how able they are to control themselves in the air, with such strength and precision.  The surprising competition - one we watched the whole thing of, and not just highlights - was the women's long jump.  That was super fun too!

Maddie had a good day today, a pleasant Thursday.  She had her Senior meeting today, excused from one of her classes with three of her senior classmates (surrounded by all sorts of others who weren't seniors in that classroom - she was with the minority there!).  Anyway, the seniors were reminded of their significance:  Maddie is with the first class to go through the entire four years of high school at East Forsyth High School.  It is only four years old, and Maddie's been there all four years.  It's a big moment for the school, of course, and Maddie is a part of a very special group.  

Of course, we found out about just how much senior dues are, and it isn't much.  But yet another company is associated with "senior dues," which also include extra options for more $$$.  Ca-ching!  I picture these companies with lobbyists cozying up to school representatives with dinners and bribes to get all that parent money pouring in each year... and yes, we'll wind up paying more of course, for all these extra options and special moments.  After all, quote: "your child is only a senior once."  Apparently, that justifies us as parents to spend a lot more.  

To sound like an old fogey, we didn't have any of this when I was a senior. We lined up in the library for senior shots.  They slapped on the same robe top, and you wore this hat.  And sure, you paid for it, but it was like twenty bucks or something.  Senior dues?  We went to the football field and parents sat on the concrete steps.  Tickets weren't limited for that, because we didn't have a huge class, and in fact, it didn't cost anything to attend.  So I don't remember senior fees.  I remember paying for the robe and hat, but that's about it.  Anyway, nowadays the senior year is a well-oiled money making machine in some respects.  Because your child is only a senior once, and "you is worth celebrating," right?

So far, some of it has been shocking, but we're blessed because we can do it.  For example, these senior dues aren't near as much as the photography price, which was closer to a mortgage payment.  That being said, we'll be getting Maddie a t-shirt and maybe more, along with those dues, which cover the robe and cap and so on.

Anyway moving on, it was a decent day today.  A quiet one, and a school night:  we read briefly tonight, a short little comic in that "ROTJ" book about Admiral Akbar.  We said our prayers, and then it was time for some sleep.  Goodnight!