So Tracy & I went to Jersey Gardens on the spur of the moment yesterday. Saks was having a BOGO event, which I blogged about probably 2 years ago already, maybe three. Buy one Get One Half Off is a very frustrating predicament. I mean, it's always a huge challenge to find items so close in price, that it makes the discount proportionally best....and all must be purchased in groups of two. What a fiasco. I cannot blog about what I purchased for my hubby for Valentine's Day, as I cannot be assured he won't read this. But suffice it to say that I purchased my son a pair of Joe's Jeans (pearls before swine you may ask??? And I would respond, "probably") which on sale for a tag price of 99 dollars but rung up as 57 dollars. Ugh. This was perhaps the only time that I actually wished they were NOT on sale, LOL.
I purchased this hat for the girl child, but am having a bit of a problem letting this go. I love it. I don't just love it, I adore it. I can't give it up, even though I really don't see wearing it outside of snow days and inside the house. What to do? Me thinks I shal go back to that Jersey Garden's kiosk and purchase another in black - because after all, another color bear hat never hurt anyone!
So yesterday night Tracy & I went to see the documentary, Race to Nowhere at Ridge High School. The upcoming showing at Millburn was sold out, and we had the opportunity to attend so we grabbed it. After an hour of hearing what we already knew (that our kids were overprogrammed, overscheduled & overhomeworked) I left depressed, wondering if there is anything we can do about it? I think the entire school administration here (and everywhere) should view this film, as it acurately represents the feelings of the nation's future movers & shakers. Burnout at fifteen??? I've seen it, and I fear it. I can't even imagine how I would feel by 18, if I did 3 varsity sports per year (as a FRESHMAN) and had at least 6 (at LEAST, not even on a test day) hours of homework per night in an all accelerated schedule. Shudder. I can't imagine, yet my son is living it. No answer I suppose, but wouldn't it be nice if the amount of homework was in line with what would create the best educated student? This movie presented research that showed that what we all felt is true, after 2 hours there is diminishing returns. Deminishing.
Enough soap-boxing. On to lighter topics. Here's my top ten for Thursday...
1) Exercise is key, even when the temperature is 19 degrees. I don't know where or how, but I WILL exercise today.
2) I love diet soda. I know, the new study out that correlates is excessive consumption with heart attack and stroke, but alas I cannot stop this train. It is fueled by Diet Barq's Root Beer & Fresca black cherry. Ugh. Now I will consume it AND feel guilty, b/c it certainly won't stop me from consuming it.
3) The Preppy Handbook is now going to produce a NEW EDITION! Gosh, Muffy, a new book for us!
In 6th grade we went through a phase of using our "Prep" names.... I'm not ashamed to admit mine, Bunny, followed me until mid middle school. I am not entirely sure I shouldn't still use it.
4) Staples rebates - must file those. They're worth a lot, and I am basically letting that ship sail if I don't actually sit down and do this. I know, you don't care.
5) I love skinless/boneless sardines in water. I have blogged about this before, but I will keep saying it until the world eats them for lunch every day like I do. I had one person tell me this past summer, "If that's what it takes to be thin I'm destined to a lifetime of obesity." One of the funnier comments, but I beg to differ. I love 'em.
6) My office remodel/reorganization is going well. All that is left is the organization part, LOL. Oh, that and putting up the wall cabinets/shelves. Finally I can see that I may be able to live in here.
7) I love Vietnamese food. Considering Pho for dinner. I know I'm jumping the gun on dining out, since it is NOT a weekend yet. But the summer rolls beckon. (Picture Homer Simpson saying....uhhhhhh summmmeerrrr rooolllllsssss).
8) Yesterday I shortened some adorable distressed denim from my BOGO event purchases. Gosh I love jeans. I am nothing shot of obsessed with them. I have a very expensive jean habit and I'm not affraid to talk about it. True Religion classic jeans, how I love thee.
9) I love my new design client. She is dynamic, fun & loves design as much as I do. I will be doing a lot of work for her for her upcoming party (from invites, to RSVP cards to faux magazine covers for tables to their sign in board) and I'm so excited about it.
10) Somehow I think I may be turning into my Mother. No joke. I used to look at her chaotic walls with art from floor to ceiling in different mis-matched frames (or lack therof). Now I look up, and see walls full of art and various things....and I LOVE IT. I love the color, the eye candy nature of its placement and most of all, what each individual piece speaks to me. Now, to avoid her signature statments like "see you around like a donut" or "don't take any wooden nickles." I think her statements are safe from my adopting them. I hope.
I am now off to try to get my ass to exercise in sub 20 degree temps. What is the liklihood that it will happen? I would say the attempt is 100%, but seeing it to fruition (3 miles)? Not quite as high.
Boneless skinless sardines in water, I'm not expecting that to become a trend anytime soon
Burnout, not sure what anyone can do about that. Teachers are under pressure to teach more get better results (see Bloomberg just recently), admins are under pressure to have more results (higher SATs, more national honors, etc), parents want kids to have it all, and the kids want it all. Each side thinks that it's the others that need to change.
You ever wonder what happened to all those wooden nickels? They must have been epidemic at some point.
Posted by: Scott | February 11, 2011 at 10:06 AM
I'm with you 100% on the over-homeworked kids. They essentially can't have an outside, non-academic life. It intrudes on everything -- holidays, family time. It's not healthy for the kids.
Scott's correct about the pressure put on everyone to pursue higher grades, but it's more a function of how difficult it's become to get into colleges. And that's due to the never-ending government subsidy for college education, which has pushed up the price of a college degree beyond anything related to an inflation rate. So you have more and more kids trying to get into essentially a fixed number of schools, particularly at the upper echelons, while just about anyone can get a government-backed student loan.
We need a movement to reign in the unjustified cost of college education.
Posted by: Jeff | February 11, 2011 at 03:11 PM
If "merit" pay passes, and judging from my NJEA emails, it's on it's way, teachers will be forced to push even more for the higher test scores. Teachers will become competitive with one another, and the kids will suffer. In my opinion, this is only the beginning, and it's going to get worse. In my district, teachers are already being held accountable in ways that surpass the normal observation. It's all about the test scores!
Posted by: Em | February 12, 2011 at 08:11 AM
And I do LOVE your hat. I will be going to my local mall kiosk and purchasing a similar
one today!
Posted by: Em | February 12, 2011 at 08:13 AM
I saw this post about the sardines and when I walked past them while grocery shopping I picked up a can. They are actually pretty good and will be added to my lunchtime rotation, though the dogs expect me to share. silly dachshunds
Posted by: michelle c | February 21, 2011 at 05:26 PM