Working The Juggle

      Last Thursday of the month! Which means the summer is almost over. Although, here where I live, near San Diego, September is one of our hottest months. So, the calendar may look like summer is ending, but the heat will still be here for a while. It seems odd too, because when I was younger, I went to a lot of schools, and with the exception of the one time that I went to a year-round school, class always began the Tuesday after Labor Day. Now it seems like a lot of the schools have different start times, most of which seem to have already begun. I’m not sure where that idea came from. I think having a definitive marker, such as Labor Day, is a good thing. It’s a line in the sand. It’s the unofficial end of summer anyway, it seems fitting. Then people don’t have to try to remember when school starts again, it starts after Labor Day. The past few weeks, every time I’ve been around friends with school age children, they’re all asking about when the kids are going back to school. I’m like “wow,” I had no idea there was so much difference. I guess it doesn’t affect me much, I just thought it was weird. I guess it does help to know. There’s kind of a short cut that my wife and I take through the backstreets of a neighborhood. You have to drive slower, but there are a lot less lights, and it feels like a more direct route. However, it goes past a school. When the children aren’t there, it is a nice hack. When the children are there, it is a nightmare! The other day my wife found out the hard way that school was back in session. Had she known, she would’ve taken a different route. We were together in the car last week, and I was about to take the short cut, and she let me know it wasn’t safe anymore. I changed my mind. I guess while they’re in class is fine, but drop-off and pick-up? No Way!

     Speaking of Labor Day, this one’s got a little weirdness draped over it. We actually had the weekend open. Our friends, the Bessones, invited us over for Labor Day. That’s where we usually go for 3-day weekends. They have a pool, and a lot of cool friends. Originally it was for Labor Day, which we took to mean Monday. So, as mentioned, we were otherwise open. I texted my parents last week, to see if they wanted to get together, that’s when I found out that my mother was having her Atrial Valve repaired on Monday, and she was not sure how she would feel by the weekend. I have heard from her, the procedure went well, and she got home Tuesday evening. When we originally texted, she asked if we could wait to decide about getting together until Wednesday, so she could have time to see how she feels. I said “absolutely.” But now it’s Thursday, and I don’t feel like bothering her. It’s kind of weird because, Monday, I was a bit nervous. You never know what’s going to happen when they start messing around in there. I had to stop myself from thinking about what might go wrong. Wondering if I had already seen her for the last time. And now that she’s out, and alive, I’m like: “Oh, I don’t want to bother her.” I should go over. At least just to say “hi,” and “I love you,” in person. But, back to my point, I’m not sure what’s going on. I bought some stuff to make a kick-ass dinner on Saturday, assuming she wouldn’t be up for a total blow-out. I’ve got no problem with a quiet night at home. Next thing I know, Hustlers want to practice on Sunday. At 4! Geesh! I want to practice, I like practice, but now that it’s getting close to Football Season, I’m starting to wonder if this is a good fit. I like the songs, and the people, I like getting to play, but I’m not sure how I’ll like missing Football.

     Oh well, it is just a TV show, I can get the highlights later. But it’s kind of my wife and I’s thing. Watching Football! I’m not sure how she’s going to like it either. I think not too well. Anyway, I just found out this afternoon that the Bessone’s party got switched to Sunday! At 1! So now it’s like a repeat of 4^th of July, where I get to go for a little bit, then have to leave, then come back! It’s hard to acclimatize yourself to certain situations, when you have to keep changing locations. I’m secretly hoping someone changes their minds about practice. A couple of weeks ago it happened. The morning of too! Which rubbed me wrong. I set my alarm to get to practice on time only to find out, when I woke up, that people were ill! I woke up early for no reason! Well, this time I have a reason, a refreshing pool of a reason. It’d be different if there weren’t already so many questions. But there are. I’m willing to stick it out a little bit more, but I’m still not committed yet. I’m starting to understand the term “creative differences” a lot more now. Some people are just not going to see things the same way. That’s not “good” or “bad,” they’re just different. And I’m starting to wonder if that’s what’s going on here. I guess we’ll see. We just accepted a show on November 2, so that’s good. I’ve got JoZ tonight, so that’s good. I thought we were having full practice, but the drummer forgot it was back to school night. He said he’s volunteering for the theater department, so he has to go. I understand, I was a theater dad too. But now, unfortunately, my mind starts to wander to what that actually means, and how much time of his that’s going to take up. I want my friends to be “good,” engaged fathers, but I also want a drummer who wants to play, and is willing to work the juggle to keep things afloat.