Updates

Okay... So.... Ummm.... WHO THE FUCK DOESN'T LOVE VCU RIGHT NOW????? Yep, headed to the Final Four, after winning over top-seeded Kansas this afternoon by ten points. The game today wasn't as climactic as the game on Friday night, which was won by one point in overtime with about ten seconds remaining. So now there's all this chitter-chatter on facebook, of which I have contributed, VCU! Rams! There's all kinds of post-game analysis of what did VCU do right (they won) and what did Kansas do wrong (they lost), predictions of the VCU-Butler match-up, how long it'll be until Head Coach Shaka Smart moves on, what this means to Richmond, blah blah blah. Of all the pre-game predictions that I came across, the smartest and most succinct was from a blogging homeslice of mine who basically said that the Kansas team has a tendency to implode at the most inopportune time and today was that day.

I'm somewhat annoyed about the discussion of the bandwagon fans. If you're alumni, you're not a bandwagon fan. Either you or one of your relatives paid dearly in the form of tuition to be a fan, whether it's a diehard or sometime fan. Or maybe VCU paid your way in the form of a scholarship, or maybe the Feds paid your way in student loans that have since been defaulted on. Who knows and who cares? My little birthplace has a spot in the Final Four and I don't think that's ever happened before. We've seen almost-major-league baseball and hockey come and go, arena football teams float around (does Richmond even have one anymore?), a short stint with the women's pro basketball league, and we've watched all the Northsiders charge mad money every May and September to all the Nascar fans for the right to park in their front yards. Other than that, Richmond hasn't been represented much. So yeah, lots of bandwagon fans who aren't bandwagon at all - they just like seeing one of their hometown teams go big.  And mad props to everyone on Friday night who at the end of University of Richmond game pulled off their UR t-shirts to reveal a VCU t-shirt.

After a consultation with the older daughter's psychologist, I'll be seeking an outside educational assessment from someone, yet to be determined, to figure out what's going on with her reading. He agreed that I probably can't count on the school system to step up at this point, and I understand that. They have to deal with the worst case scenarios first, and then work their way down. I have a feeling that my older daughter's reading issues are pretty minor in the grand scheme of the enrollment at her elementary school, which is about 990-ish students. But that's fine, because my personal enrollment is exactly two, so I'll step up where the school system can't. I haven't bothered to tell The Ex this yet, but since he can afford a new sports car to go with his new mid-life crisis, he should be able to pay for half. The only thing missing from his mid-life crisis is a baby, and I doubt he'll bother to get his nuts untied for that.

And, on the same vein, The Ex reported tonight when he dropped the children off that there was a problem this past Friday with Mrs. Second Grade Teacher having to address the older daughter twice in class for playing with an arts and crafts kind of thing she snuck into school. Apparently Mrs. Second Grade Teacher told the older daughter that she needed a note from her parents regarding the matter so that she would know that the older daughter told us about it. Here is the type-written note to Mrs. Second Grade Teacher from the douchebag that I married. Obviously I have replaced real names with my special little nicknames I use in my blog. Obviously.

"Dear Mrs. Second Grade Teacher,

My older daughter told me about an incident that happened in your class on Friday. It is my understanding that she was playing with some "arts and crafts stuff" during instructional time and that you took it away. I further understand that it was returned to her and that older daughter said she would not play with it any more. Older daughter stated that she broke her promise and continued to play with the "arts and crafts stuff" during class and that it had to be taken away again.

Older daughter and I talked extensively about how important it is to pay attention in class and also how important it is to keep a promise not to do something, especially after she was given a second chance. I believe older daughter has a full understanding that her behavior was unacceptable, and that by reneging on her promise she was actually lying. She understands that she made poor choices and that her behavior must be corrected immediately.

Please feel free to contact me if my discussion with her about this poor behavior choice is not immediately corrected.

Thank You,

Dickface"

And here is my hand written fantasy letter to Mrs. Second Grade Teacher that will accompany his type-written letter on the printer that I let him keep.

"Dear Mrs. Second Grade Teacher,

As you can see, it's March and this is the first communication you've received all school year from older daughter's father. Upon reading the letter, you will probably note that he is trying way too hard. I disagree with his claim that reneging on a promise is actually a lie, but he still has issues with the fact that I decided after taking my vows that he was really a complete dickhead and I really didn't want to be married to someone who would randomly demand that I perform oral sex upon him. But that's his issue and I pretty much told him that fact. I have also spoken with the older daughter, and probably in a more effective manner than her father, since he doesn't bother to get involved in much of what she's doing other than playing Wii, and she understands that she cannot take her "arts and crafts stuff" to school anymore, which she snuck in to begin with. Since you are such a shitty teacher, I've decided that just speaking with her is enough of a punishment, as the real punishment for her is having to deal with you day after fucking day. If you review her father's letter, you'll notice he's provided no contact information for you to get in touch with him. This is because he really doesn't care to be involved other than providing lip service, and because I haven't listed any of his information down on any of the repetitive school paperwork I've filled out. This is because I know he's not going to do shit. So if you have any other issues with older daughter, you can reach me in the normal fashion, which is to press Speed Dial #1. And upon reaching me, I will give you hell like I do every other time you've reached me.

Sincerely,

Mommy Extrodinaire"

Yep, that's my fantasy letter to Mrs. Second Grade Teacher. However, instead of sending in my fantasy letter, I will simply send his letter in with a sticky note from me on top that says "You can reach me on my cell at 123-4567 if you have any other issues. Mommy."  Despite all else, Mrs. Second Grade Teacher knows who is actively involved in the older daughter's school work and school issues. A sticky note will suffice.

Had a great weekend with Guy #1. It was very rudely interrupted by reality, which came at about 5:20 this evening when I had to come back home and wait for my kids to get back from their weekend with The Ex. The Ex has started having The Girlfriend spend every weekend with him, even if the children are with him. And no, I'm not okay with this, but I've talked about it with the child psychologist and he's basically said that I can raise hell and go back to court and demand this and demand that, or I can just roll with it and continue to be the responsible adult in the children's lives. I've decided to just roll with it, because I don't want to deal with whatever The Ex might say to the children if I take him back to court, and because I don't think anyone would emerge victorious. All in all, I'm just having a really hard time of not falling into whiny mode of "it's not fair", because for real, it's not. The Ex doesn't miss anytime with The Girlfriend, but because I have not introduced Guy #1 to the children (and because they don't even know about him), I get to go for about nine or ten days without seeing Guy #1 and goddamnit, it's just not fair. I think I have done really well not falling into the pity party that lives in the back of my head, but it's been extra hard today. I'm so pissed that I'm the one who has to be responsible and has to be concerned about the children all the time. I'm pissed that I can't squeeze a little extra time in with Guy #1, and I'm pissed that Guy #1 also gets the short end of the stick. But I have to keep remembering that the children are the priority right now, and at the end of the nine or ten days will be Guy #1, waiting with a big hug. I can make it, I swear I can.