After a months-long battle with the school district, I finally got them to admit my son into the GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) program.  I won’t bore you with all of the frustrating details, but suffice it to say a bunch of stuff happened wherein a comprehensive IQ test was administered to the Munchkin, and wherein the district failed to interpret the results correctly for many moons, despite my prolific (yet always polite) emails describing to them EXACTLY how to fix the problem.

They kept putting me off and putting me off until the week before traditional school was about to start.  After being told that my son’s scores were not satisfactory and he would not be a good candidate, they finally did what they should have done from the beginning and lo and behold!  Wait, your son IS really smart! Sorry we didn’t listen to you ALL SPRING  AND SUMMER  and ignored your emails and treated you with condescension when you visited us in person.  Ooops, he’s in the 95th percentile, we actually DO want him in the program!  Did we say we didn’t? We didn’t really mean that.

And my husband and I, for many reasons, pique being a small part of it, decided against enrolling him at the GATE magnet school and chose to continue homeschooling instead.

I dunno, I’m a rebel, I guess.

But really, I’m probably one of the most normal people you will ever meet.  I just happen to think that given the opportunity, nothing beats a one-on-one teaching ratio.  There is also a big difference in what I do, which is called “school at home” versus “homeschooling.” Mine equals state-approved curriculum and credentialed teacher visits, whereas the other is a bit more free form.

I will admit that it is quite intoxicating to be free of the entire school rut.  I watch as my neighbors rush off in the morning to drop the kids off in time, and then six hours later go to pick them up.  And while I certainly don’t feel sorry for them, I don’t envy them, either.  I don’t miss all of the “stuff” that comes with going to traditional school, from the begging for money school fundraisers to the annoying class projects to having the principal call my home every week with a pre-recorded message, to having to buy all the clothes and supplies at a certain time.   It is all very freeing.

And yet intimidating at the same time.

But I think we’ll get through it just fine.

Because of the 3 day weekend, I decided to push the poll back to today because… Well, because I’m lazy, that’s why.

My last poll back in August asked if y’all believe in astrology, and 48% said they couldn’t help but just a little.  44% said no way, no how, and only 6% could give a rousing endorsement.  I think I have to lump myself in with the majority, but it’s probably more a case of being brainwashed about it from my younger self reading the comics section of the newspaper every day.

Today’s poll is going to address something the lovely AwesomeMom wrote in a comment:

I have always wanted to see a picture of you, but that may be too personal. I guess the worst you can do is turn me into a frog for asking.

Well, the second worst thing might be turning it into a poll question!

And, I’ve got a special manly treat for you over at Manolo Beauty!

I know, I know.

I said I would not abandon you over the month of August, and I was only half truthful.

And not that I’m trying to complain (no way, no how) but sometimes it’s hard to write entertaining things on two blogs five days a week.  I try, but I’m not always as successful as I’d like to be.   So, I thought I’d take a bit of a mental break, so to speak.

I wanted to return refreshed and more entertaining and actually be able to string coherent thoughts of my own together, instead of cobbling them from somewhere else.  Which I really hate doing.

Lots happened while I was gone, like hot-saucing and 7 year olds getting thrown overboard and crazy birthday parties for kids that make me sort of want to weep.   Somehow we caught the kid’s party show and the woman spent almost $28,000 on her son’s tenth birthday party.  My  husband and I turned to our son who will soon be turning nine and said in unison, “DO NOT expect to ever have a party like that.”  Kid will be lucky if we spend two hundred.  Seriously, I’m over big birthday parties.  Let him and a couple buddies hang out and do something cool, and I’ll call it a day.

But anyhoo, I’m back now and hopefully you didn’t abandon me in the meantime.

I’ve got a special treat lined up for your viewing pleasure for tomorrow’s CDF, don’t miss it!