The Processional
 

You know, whatever one does in the pursuit of knowledge, or perchance in a veritable marathon of studying, does not give others opportunity for derision. There is, or at least should be, something more to one's studies than simply stocking a tool box. It's a profession for goodness sakes. So those of us who take to it fully and embrace its nuances are wank-offs? If so, pass me the vaseline.

I almost posted this anon. but decided to post open so as not to imply there is actually something to hide in possesing the degree.

The Processional
 

You can make kids get those instead of paying for it yourself? Whooo-hooo!

Oh, and

Hank had an SJD! Hank has an SJD! Na-na-na-na-Na-na!

The Processional
 

Well, I'd call you Professor, but, you know, the successful law professors tend to have a dozen articles published by the time the SJDs get their degree.

http://www.lggwg.com/wolff/gilligan.gif

(That's Hank on his knees. And that's me between dtb and ncs.)

The Processional
 

Cute bag. I love the flowers, and it goes with your hat nicely.

Spraypaint
 

I do NOT have stretch marks, Damn you!

S_A_M

The Processional
 

Jeez! Combine that with the degree in SCIENCE, and I'll have to start acting suitably impressed.

S_A_M

The Processional
 

Hank Chinaski
'89 Law '92, 94, 98

Thank goodness
 

little league season is over.

Thank goodness
 

Kid didn't make the all-star team?

:D

Thank goodness
 

All-star wasn't a goal. Native Son is pretty good defensively (pitcher, catcher, 1B, awesome arm in CF) but can't hit (although he was 5-for-5 laying down the bunt).

Just tired of the schlepping and practices and games and league/team politics. Kids sports are like child-birth, you look forward to it, major pain during and you vow to never do it again, and then memory fades by the time it comes around again.

Next year I'm going to coach too - aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh, kill me now.

Thank goodness
 

I hope all the articles I've been reading about little league et al. are depictions of the outliers. When I played, we showed up, practiced once a week and played twice a week. A few parents were there, but not too many, and it was all pretty low key. Orange slices for between innings, or maybe that was halftime for soccer only.

Now, you have parents swinging bats at umpires/refs, arguments over who gets playing time, travelling team issues. It's disgusting. Is it that way everywhere?

Thank goodness
 

From what I've read on the baseball boards, yes, it is that way everywhere.

Our league tries to keep parental/fan bad acts to a minimum with a strict code of behavior. In 5 yrs I've seen only a few verbally abusive parents or coaches. They were dealt with by either other parents telling them to stop or asking the coach to tell them to stop (obnoxious parents in the stands) or reporting to the league commissioner (verbally abusive coach).

Fortunately I've never witnessed or heard of physical violence in our league.

OTOH, I have seen way too much emphasis on turning little kids into MLB wannabees even in the recreation leagues (i.e. no try outs, everyone gets to play). My son changed teams this year because coach of the first team was one of those 'win or else' coaches. He would have a huddle after the game where, the parents thought he was congratulating the kids who made good plays, but after 4 games my son finally told me that what he did was yell at the kids who didn't play to his standard. Mind you, we're talking 10 year olds here and he yelled at them for failing to turn a double play. He yelled at them for "making him look like a bad coach".

This jerk would sign for the kids to steal when they were ahead 18-0. He'd even have them steal home on a wild pitch.

He'd make the kids take a lap around the field AFTER the game (after he finished yelling at them in the huddle).

See what ya'll have to look forward to.

First Time Home Buyer
 

I figure some of you `rents are homeowners and I'm about to become one (oh the machinations I've gone through in this seller's market). The place is small, and could use some work, as well as decorating and I'm very very bad with these types of things having been a renter all my years. Example: the back yard (not too large) has some nice grass on the right but because of a HUGE tree on the left, the whole left side of the yard can't grow grass (it's in shade) and also has a lot of tree roots here and there so it's not like I can plant flowers. I have no idea what to put there. Dad say "throw some wood chips there". Huh? Just randomly? Or in some sort of "wood chip" garden. Oh I'm hopeless.

Considering the place is a very very modest cape code style home, would it be silly to hire an interior designer on a small scale just to give me some ideas? I would like to reupholster (sp.?) some armchairs which I'm sure she/he could help with. And help pick colors to paint the rooms. But would this be costly and how do I find an inexpensive interior designer? And would they be able to give ideas on larger renovations like making it so the dishwasher is not on the other side of the room than the sink, facing a wall (don't ask).

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Viet_Homegirl

First Time Home Buyer
 

Congratulations!!! First home is a big step -- exciting and very stressful.

Re: back yard - wood chips are a big no-no with small children about. Think slivers, tough on bare feet, knees, and hands and Vietbabe could eat her weight in chips. You may be able to find a grass seed specifically for shade, but then you can't mow around those tree roots. You could try shade tolerant plants like hostas by planting between the major tree roots. Or you could thin the tree (judiciously, please don't give it the poodle cut) to let more light reach the ground. If you want more specific suggestions please PM me -- I come from a long line of gardeners and my yard is the one on the block that people stop to comment on. When I moved in 6 yrs ago there were 2 trees and all grass. I'm sure I could come up with something relatively easy, inexpensive, and child-friendly.

Re: interior designer - check for a local interior design program at a junior college, university, or design/arts school. Often the senior students have to do a project to graduate and will work cheap. Alternately, the school's version of career services or administration may have contact info for a recent grad who will work cheap to build their clientele/portfolio. I did something like this about 20 yrs ago on my first house with a landscape designer. He came up with a design and drew up the blue-prints for a fixed fee. We purchased and installed the plants and hardscape as we could afford it. It worked great.

First Time Home Buyer
 

What kind of trees?

Some trees have root systems and canopies that will virtually preclude much at all being planted there, in which case my suggestion is a good old-fashioned tire swing (make sure you don't just throw the rope over the tree, but put something like a chunk of an old tire between the two to keep the rope from cutting in to the branch) with a nearby bench for Viet Mom over a mulched area with some nice shade plants on the side, in raised beds or boxes if you must. If you get good mulch the mulch will mostly avoid the slivers wood chips bring, and, if they get a few little ones, hey, that's child-hood. It is often also possible to grow moss in such locations, which can be pretty funky.

If, however, you have a tree that lets some light through and doesn't completely choke the plants, there are a lot of possibilities. Beyond hostas, think brunnera (beautiful little blue flowers in a cloud), bleeding hearts, ferns, violets, and a whole variety of different kinds of ground covers.