"That" Mom

I think I am going to be "that" mom in Jillian's class. You know the one who barely has it together, forgets to pick up her kid, doesn't go to parent teacher conferences, basically the one that all the other parents look down on and judge. Because the other day I received this email:

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Dear Parents & Board Members,

This Thursday, July 23, at 8:15, there will be a coffee on the 3rd floor of the GTS Primary to introduce teacher. Please RSVP. The coffee is for adults/parent. We will be setting up another time for the children to stop by while teacher is setting up the classroom.

It’s going to be a great year. See you Thursday.

From,
Principal
*******

So I RSVP that I am going to be there and I show up on July 23 at 8:15pm. The school is locked, there is no one in sight. Because, duh, the event was at 8:15am - it was a COFFEE. Yup, don't expect cupcakes on J's birthday class, or me to be organizing field trips. Oh and J likes to tell people about "dada's new friend" and how said new friend "sleeps over" and "likes coffee" but isn't "dada's friend E that used to live with us." Awesome. She will tell the other kids this kind of stuff and I am sure their parents will be mortified. I take my place as "that" mom.

J is right to cover her eyes in shame. And yeah, that is a vegas t-shirt she is wearing.

First Class

Anyone lucky enough to have flown first class, and I get to count myself among that group, knows that sucks when you have to fly coach. Which for me is 98% of the time. This Tuesday I experienced going to a baseball game first class. And it was AWESOME. Yes there is the idea that nose bleed seats and a $10 hot dog next to some fat guy rooting for the other team has its own appeal, but on the other hand, there are diamond club seats at Citizen's Bank Park.

I won the tickets in a raffle a few months ago. I have actually been on a raffle winning streak, I have won every raffle I have entered in the past year - a DVD player, Bose headphones, a set of upscale cosmetic bags, and these tickets. I would trade my luck in raffles for luck in (1) dating or (2) job hunting. But I am happy winning the raffles nonetheless.

Especially when you go to a phillies game and Tommy LaSorda is sitting 10 rows BEHIND YOU. I said hey to him as I walked up to the bathroom. And there is waitress service. And you are sitting almost on the field. And the Phillies win.

It was just awesome. Here is a picture that shows how close we were, but please keep in mind that it was taken at 10:30 pm during the 13th inning. My hair looks cuter in person.

Sesame Place

Today J and I went to Sesame Place because her nanny needed the day off. I have been busy at work, but figured I would take advantage of the extra J time. Plus, our friend A, who is employed by the parent company of Sesame Place, hooked us up with the tickets.

We had a blast. Splashing in the various water playgrounds, trying to chase down Ernie to give him a high five, enjoying an Elmo cupcake. Unfortunately my camera has decided that it only takes pictures of black rectangles. So I have no pictures of the day.

Then we came home and J watched an episode of "Wipeout." You know that stupid show where people try to bounce across red balls and go down zip lines while getting punched in the face by mechanical boxing gloves? J loves it. She watches and shouts WIPEOUT every time someone, well, wipes out. It is hilarious to watch her watch it.

Oh and I cut off all my hair. Over 10 inches. It is really short, but I think I like it. I donated it to locks of love. So hopefully it will help someone else feel better in some small way.

Does this mean I am an adult, like officially?

Today I got Jillian's class list. The one of the kids that will comprise her class in the fall and their parents. And there I am - right under Jillian's name. X is there too. Both of us with are contact information showing our recognizable in Philly law firm emails.

So I am the parent of a kid going to school and the other parents could feasible discern that I am a lawyer.

Totally weird.

Especially because lately I have been trying to channel my chubby fifth grade self, who landed in Catholic school after 4 years in the local public school and thus was the odd kid out. I remember being lonely, and feeling like nothing would ever change, but less lonely than I am now. And being stressed out because I felt like no matter what I did a nun was yelling at me, whereas I had always been a "good" kid when I was in public school.

I coped with my life as a fifth grader - I remember reading alot and having after school activities and finding some relief from the loneliness in those things. Seemed to work at the time, so I am trying to be that chubby girl again. To find solace in a good book, to not care that that the next day I had go to school in my blue plaid polyester jumper and knee socks that would invariably fall down causing the nuns to freak out.

I am not exactly sure it is working, because I can't find the inherent peace of a preteen just accepting that she is kind of a nerd and losing herself in a book. Not really knowing what she is missing. I also don't have my mom to give me a hug and listen to me cry as I tell her about how no one talks to me at recess or how Sister Anne screamed at me because I brought the wrong marble composition notebook to Math (I mean we were only allowed to have black and white marble composition notebooks - they all looked the same! It was a reasonable mistake).

So the arrival of the class list with my name listed as a "parent" was a bit ironic as I have recently rekindled my younger "hey I am not missing anything" self. I threw a little nip of brandy in my tea tonight, to remind me as I read my book that I am an adult.

Many Thanks/Drunk and Shouty/Please Touch Revisited

All, thanks so much for the support on the blog. The truth is a do enjoying writing it and it helps me feel a bit connected to the world. So maybe I will keep it up. Here is the disclaimer though - I AM A WHINER - and if you keep reading the blog be prepared for some whining. Interspersed with not whiny things of course.

DISCLAIMER FOR THIS POST - I have had 2.5 drinks tonight, without eating, and have been laying off the sauce because it increases feeling of sadness, so I feel a bit drunk. Also, my phone just rang (it is 9:52 pm) and I got excited. However, it was my mother calling to tell me that her hairdresser was just on the Real Housewives of NJ. I actually got my hopes up that it was a booty call.

And today a client was making outrageous demands on a closed matter (so I can't bill for my time addressing said outrageous demands). The client is a friend of a 39 year old guy I went out with on 4 dates and then just never called. The guy also never made a move on me and I think he never called because we didn't make out. I am not good at making a move, but I was open to him doing so. I am admittedly hard to read, but seriously, walk me to my door! Anyway, after dealing with this client for a while, I just wanted to yell at him that I wasn't going to help him because I can't bill him for it and HIS FRIEND IS A PUSSY WHO DIDN'T MAKE A MOVE AND THEN DIDN'T CALL AND MADE ME FEEL BAD. Yeah, I just told a story about a guy who didn't call. I am awesome. But really, I have to deal with a friend of his as a CLIENT? That is just dumb luck.

And now the not shouty, but still potentially drunk part of the post: Please Touch Revisited.

Some of you may remember when Jillian and I took our first visit to the Please Touch Museum. It did not go that well. This Sunday we decided to give it another try, as it had moved into a new space in Fairmount Park. Also, I had become a member earlier in the week because the Trinidadian Nanny Mafia was going to roll there on Wednesday. However, there was a water main break in the park causing the museum to close and so they couldn't go. The kids were super disappointed. Jillian actually got on the phone with her friend B. They were on speaker and B goes - "how are we going to have fun now?" J didn't have an answer for that.

Given the disappointment, the newly minted membership, and the fact that if J and I stay in the house all day we drive each other crazy, I took her to the new Please Touch Museum this Sunday. And IT IS AWESOME. Seriously, so much better than the old one. And so much fun. Here is J doing a little painting. Note the importance of negative space in her work....



J also did alittle shopping at the grocery store. We don't know the girl working the register, but I was relieved that J didn't just refer to her as bizarley.



Also in the museum is a toy that I had when I was a kid that J now plays with because my parents apparently saved it for the past 30 years....





J and I explored the museum for a few hours, touching things as the museum asks us to do, and then sat outside and had our lunch. While sharing some delicioso watermelon, J looked at me and said "Mommy, it really is a beautiful day." I smiled at her and agreed. So it really can't all be that bad....

Ok, so I lied....

But here is a bit more insight as to why I am not blogging for a little while. In short, I am a whiner. And I am just not in a good mood 80% of the time. For example, here is what is going through my mind.

- I just finished reading the Penn Gazette (Penn's Alumni Magazine). Apparently, many alumni are really successful, including people I graduated with. While I am happy for them, and my school in general, I read the magazine while watching Wheel of Fortune. I got the bonus puzzle right because I HAD ALREADY SEEN THE EPISODE. That is how lame my life is. I am reading a magazine about the accomplishments of my peers while taking in a rerun of America's Game. Awesome.

- I have to stop watching shows like "So you think you can dance" or "America's Got Talent" and "Top Chef." I find myself jealous of people who have some an actual talent. I wish I had a talent. One beyond something like ridiculous clothes memory. Because I am not sure it qualifies as a talent and there will never be America's Best Clothes Memory where the grand prize is $1 million. By the way, if you DVR America's Got Talent, you can watch the entire hour long episode in approximately 6 minutes. I squeezed last night's in between the end of Wheel and the first dance of So you think you can dance.

- I have realized that I really do not want to be a lawyer anymore. I also have realized after a week at my parents' house in S.C. that if the bottom drops out of my financial life (i.e. job loss, etc.) I cannot move in with them. I would go crazy. I am really at a loss. And I am tired. And stressed. And operating without a safety net. For the first time, I would put "new job" on my wishlist above "decent relationship."

- I kind of hate my house. I love it in a rational way, but for some reason I have never had a good vibe here. I thought the new bathroom and bedroom would make it better, now I just regret it all and the corresponding cash outlay. Maybe there is some feng shui issue or something.

So I am taking a break to safe everyone, actually not super sure anyone reads this anymore, from my constant whining. I am sick of myself.