As I mentioned last week, 2024 has been a crazy year filled with big distractions—the most debilitating of which was my ankle getting carved up like a Christmas ham. Another distraction, no less huge, was that my boy headed off to college.
I know, right? That wee little fella, best known as my Semi-Annual Blog Raffle Winner Picker Outer, somehow grew up and graduated high school without me noticing.
All right, I did notice. How could I not? There is just so much to do when a kid is college bound. The applications, the scholarships, the campus visits and the jillion other things that take up way more time than you could possibly imagine.
And then there’s all the things you gotta buy. Expensive things. Like a $195 online textbook.
Yes.
A $195 textbook.
That’s online.
Call me old fashioned, but if I’m gonna spend $195 dollars on a book, I want the creation of said book to be a big rigmarole. It should involve the murder of trees and the noisy operation of an offset printing machine. A $195 book should be big, heavy, hard to find, and exist in three dimensions.
Not gonna lie. I feel a little violated here.
We bought other stuff, too. Clothes, for example, because Alex thoughtlessly decided to grow again. And he didn’t just grow, he grew taller than me, which is disrespectful.
And we bought luggage to hold those big clothes.
And we bought a fridge and a footlocker and all the other whatsits and provisions that everyone says you can’t head off to college without.
Then I had to buy a big thing to strap to the roof of my car to carry all those things.
Okay, I’ll just come out and say it. I consider Alex’s desire to further his education both selfish and cruel to his old father, who finds him much too fun and interesting to leave home.
He’s my good boy.
And I think I have a little dust in my eyes.
My eyes have been getting pretty dusty these days.
Allergies, I’m sure.
Hey, Look! A Writer Fellow! 
A happy sad adventure. I hope the allergies clear up soon Mike!
Seeing that my boy is happy at school has cleared up my symptoms quite well!
Nice!
And maybe after getting that dust in your eye taken care you rediscover your home, your spouse, and maybe, just maybe, you think it’s gonna be okay.
I only have one child, so I was never distracted from Ellen. And, as a House Husband, the house has never been taken for granted.
Such a thought-provoking milestone as a parent!
Dang, you ain’t kidding!
And there are more yet to come:)
oh, jeez.
I know…
Wow — he grew up fast! And it sounds like you handled it quite well. Congratulations for reaching this milestone with him! Sorry about your ankle. Haven’t been around much because my husband hasn’t been well for hearly two years. Miss connecting with everyone!
Thanks, Patricia. And I’m so sorry to hear about your husband. Here’s hoping he improves soon.
Awwwwww……love that kid and hope he’s having fun! ❤️❤️More time for you to work on your blog!
And he loves you!
Alex is doing very well, I’m happy to say. He’s got a good group of friends, is already involved in extracurriculars, and is enjoying his classes. Best case scenario, really.
Congrats Alex! On the plus side, surely there are plenty of bookstores that you can visit when you attend Parent’s Weekend, etc!
Amherst doesn’t have any awesome bookstores (that I could find, anyway). That said, I was at a New Jersey bookstore just last night…
The Eric Carle Museum! Let’s do a reading together, okay?
Plus, awesome cider donuts at Atkins Farm!
Oh, my God! How did I not know about this?! Yes, by all means, let’s do a joint reading in New England!
That wee lad drew my name once. I can’t believe I have been reading you long enough for him to become such a grown man. Oh, it seems my allergies are giving me a turn as well 😉
Those allergies are contagious, apparently!
Don’t despair. You will have all new adventures with him at this age. Each age is to be celebrated, but also mourned. How dare they grow up?Also the $195 online book? I do understand it. I’d like to hold something for my money. I had to shell out $400 for one book when my youngest was in school. How can one book be worth that?They’re thieves and robbers. Brigands!
And you can’t resell an online book!
They are beyond brigands! They are scallywags, ne’er-do-wells, and nogoodniks!
These colleges are out of control.
Online books indeed. Do you have the rights to this book until the end of time?
My investment in our son’s books purchases is this: he is supposed to take care of me when I need to be taken care of. Somehow I don’t think that’s going to happen.
Ne’er do wells is a great description as is nogoodniks.
Is an active scallywag, a scallywagger?
If an active scallywag is NOT a scallywagger, I don’t want to know!
😊
Your allergies will never clear up. Take it from me. Your ‘boy’ is handsome (no surprise) but I see a twinkle of humor as well. Again, no surprise. He survived his good ole dad writing about him and using him as props in his blog. 🙂 I wonder what college he is attending. Yes, I do find it disturbing. We want our kids (and the kids of our friends) to always be young. Cause if they grow up, what’s that say about US? Fortunately, we don’t age as quickly. Well, maybe we get a little shorter. But wiser, for sure. Hope your foot/ankle is coming along, Mike.
He is a handsome boy! And he has more than a twinkle of humor in him, I can assure you of that. The Boy is currently at UMass-Amherst and is having a terrific time, I’m pleased to say.
There is still the matter of who will pick out future blog raffle winners, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Oh, what a great college!! I was JUST talking about UMass/Amherst in my writing class today. One of my students went there (she’s 70 now) and it was known as an Agriculture school then. Now it’s got a great reputation in many fields, but I guess still in Agri too.
Ummm, could you knock on your neighbor’s door and ask them to pick out the raffle winners? THAT could be interesting. 😉
A neighbor raffle-picker could be interesting change of pace, but I’m working on another idea…
By the way, there will soon be a raffle to get a free copy on my new book, so stay tuned!
This is putting dust in my eyes too. “who finds him much too fun and interesting to leave home.” So sweet. Getting taller than you is disrespectful. Ha! I should tell that to my daughter! And then she dares to gloat! My other daughter (respectfully short) is a senior, and I’m keeping myself in total denial about my impending doom.
Also enjoyed your description of that book and how it ought to be three dimensional after trees were murdered. Well written, and I wholeheartedly agree. What gives?!
Your daughter is a senior in HS?
If so, you’ll be going through what I went though–and you’re gonna get my thoughts and prayers right now.
Super sweet of you. Thanks.
Lol, it’s always great to read your posts.
I remember when I was once the lucky one to be chosen at your raffle and got your book. Still have it in my shelf. My daughter is too old now she says to have that in her book shelf! Kids! It’s a piece of art with a signature, I said. She just shrug her shoulders and continued to make more room for her chapter books.
Congrats on the graduation and I know your surgery went well and you are healing.
Wow to all the college stuff. Makes me want to keep my kiddo from ever graduating high school! Hahahaa!
I’m sure your daughter will understand the error of her ways and cherish my book with every fiber of her being in the not-too-distant future!
How old is your daughter, by the way? I’ve written chapter books, too, ya know!
And, yeah, the college thing was a big, arduous deal, but I’m pleased to report that My Boy is doing well at school and having a wonderful time. And, if I am forced to find a wee silver lining in his absence, my laundry responsibilities have been greatly reduced.
What? No way! How did I not know about your chapter books!? Please do share more info.
My daughter is a teenager and changes likes and dislikes on a weekly basis, hahaha!
Glad you have less responsibilities, which means more time to write, right? 😀
All change! But glad working out.