Back-to-School

Our kids started back to school today. They got out the door on time to make the bus (at least I think so... the schools haven't called us to tell us they are truant!) I remembered to go to the schools and drop off their "controlled medications" (aka Tylenol!) to the Health Room.

In my inbox this morning was the annual list from Beloit College on the class of 2011 (the present crop of 18 year olds.) They listed 70 things... I've culled out the ones that struck me. (The complete list is here.)

Most of the students entering College this fall, members of the Class of 2011, were born in 1989. For them, Alvin Ailey, Andrei Sakharov, Huey Newton, Emperor Hirohito, Ted Bundy, Abbie Hoffman, and Don the Beachcomber have always been dead.

#1. What Berlin wall? No, it never existed. But they know about it.

#3. Rush Limbaugh and the “Dittoheads” have always been lambasting liberals. hmmm... no comment.

#4. They never “rolled down” a car window. I hadn't thought about that one!

#7. They have grown up with bottled water. Yeah. Well, since the school drinking fountains are shut down because of lead in the water, I don't mind sending bottled water to school!

#11. Rap music has always been mainstream. Um... not in my river. But OK.

#35. Stadiums, rock tours and sporting events have always had corporate names. Huh. Yeah. Consider this: "Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center" on the campus of Ohio State.

#64. Chavez has nothing to do with iceberg lettuce and everything to do with oil. Funny one.

#68. Burma has always been Myanmar. And my spell-checker STILL suggests I spell it "Mylar."

Great commentary on culture and the future of the church...

Deb

A night at the Opera...

NOoooo.... not THAT one

We went to see The Phantom of the Opera at the Kennedy Center Friday night. Such fun! And even though it was not cheap in the "nosebleed seats" it was still worth it. It was a four-way birthday celebration since we managed to compress our birthdays into two months of the year, June and July!

Our lovely daughters! At left, Reedy Girl and the Harpist pose on the terrace of the Kennedy Center. Our couture was approved and coordinated by Reedy Girl. The Harpist is in a new ensemble she wanted for her birthday. Even Beloved Bearded Spouse and I cleaned up pretty well for this auspicious occasion!

"Masquerade! Paper faces on parade . . ."

I couldn't resist getting them to pose when we saw these masks at the gift shop! (No, we didn't buy them...)

It was truly a magical night. Even if we did drive into Northern Virginia because we missed a turn and ended up on the Roosevelt Bridge... (ooops! that was our turn!) ...did a U-turn to cross back over the bridge again, made another U-turn to go the right direction on New Hampshire Avenue, and then made an illegal left turn to finally find the Kennedy Center parking garages.

Ah well. It was worth every pretty penny!

Deb