Morning Update: 07/26/24

Exhaustion reigns as I’ve completely over-extended myself this week. If there’s a theme for today, it’s “Leave me the fuck alone.” Not that I can even hold to that because I have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon, which will, once again, come right in the middle of nap time. It’s one thing to go a day or two without naps, but we’ve missed them three out of the four previous days this week. I came in from getting the kids set up for school yesterday and collapsed onto the bed, not getting up except for necessities. I’m not doing my body any favors by keeping this kind of schedule.

The kids are as set for school as they can be. It still seems odd that neither of them has a supplies list that has to be purchased. Most everything they do is on their school-supplied Chromebooks, so as long as they keep those charged they have what they need. Tipper was especially excited to meet some of her teachers yesterday. She especially likes her math teacher, who is also her advisor, and her biology teacher, who is also her support coach. She has almost too much in common with the support coach, including a love for art and colorful language. The coach actually has a wood medallion with the word “fuck” burned into it hanging next to her desk. She and Tipper are going to get along just fine. Tipper also signed up for the robotics club which may end up being something that makes her brother a little jealous.

I forgot to get a picture of G yesterday, though. By the time we finished getting his things in order, I was struggling to stay upright and forgot all about it. There are some changes in the Lab program this year that give them more space, hot meals from Cafe Patachou (a Lab partner), and a little more direction as to when certain tasks need to be completed. There was some exciting news as his advisory coach got married over the summer! Some technical issues still linger as the legal status of the Lab changed a little, but none of those issues directly affect the students, so we’ll let the administrators work out those bugs.

At the same time, there were these signs that the kids are growing up whether I like it or not. Tipper’s boyfriend showed up while we were at the school and she ended up spending the afternoon with him (with his mom keeping a close watch). They’re going on a sort of date on Saturday evening as well. I have this sinking feeling that this is going to be a more common occurrence than I’m ready to endure. G’s coach was talking strongly with him about college and what he wants to do with his education. That’s a conversation I can’t even participate in because the world he’s looking at holds practically no resemblance to the one in which I reside. My experience is of no practical use to him. I’m glad he has guidance that is better informed than what I had.

My disturbing dreams last night were all apocalyptic so perhaps it is no surprise that I woke this morning to the news that the trains running to Paris have been sabotaged by arson. That is still an ongoing situation so there’s not a great deal of information that is truly reliable. As these Olympics are perhaps the most politically charged since the end of the Cold War, it’s not surprising that something happened. Fortunately, it appears that no one was critically injured. Security is extremely high for the event, though, and especially for its opening parade down the River Seine. We’re going to cross our fingers that everyone stays safe. The last thing we need is a repeat of the 1972 games.

Speaking of security, the Secret Service has to be struggling to keep up. Not only are they without a leader now, but the advent of Kamala Harris to the top of the ticket presents a whole new bundle of security issues that they have to cover. The simple fact that she’s both a woman and a person of color riles a lot of backward-thinking people who can’t begin to accept the idea of the President being anything other than an old Christian white man. Harris’ religious leanings are broad and she certainly seemed to have no trouble telling Netanyahu that he needs to end the Gaza war immediately. All of that gets under the skin of the good ol’ boys’ club and the Secret Service is struggling to make the necessary adjustments to keep the Vice President safe.

Following the theme of religion, remember that whole dust-up about Oklahoma’s state school superintendent requiring schools to teach Bible stuff? At least eight of the state’s larger school districts have said, “Nope, not gonna do it.” Critical to this decision seems to be a memorandum to the state school districts from the Center for Education Law advising them that the superintendent’s statement is illegal under state law, which already allows for voluntary religious education. If you’re wondering whether any of this is a reflection of Project 2025, be aware that there’s no direct link between the two. However, the superintendent’s position certainly falls within the attitude and intent of the conservative plan for dominating government at every level.

Also, be aware that the Orange Felon is attempting to brand VP Harris as a Marxist. Why anyone would take the word of a felon, I don’t know, but there seem to be a few million lemmings who are repeating this rhetoric. If you’re not familiar with the economic and political ideas of Karl Marx and Frederick Engles, you might want to read up on the concept. On the surface, anyone fed up with the inequality of Capitalism may find Marxism interesting. The felon’s comments are likely based on the idea that Harris is committed to addressing inequality and fighting for the rights of the working class, both of which are strong Marxist pillars. However, the devil’s in the details and the VP is most certainly not a Marxist. Take the time to do the reading, please.

Finally, remember those two astronauts sent to the International Space Station aboard a Boeing capsule? Yeah, they’re still there and there’s still no timetable for getting them back home. If you’ve ever taken a trip and had trouble scheduling a flight back home, perhaps you can commiserate with the two astronauts. They’re more than a month late getting back. Fortunately, this counts as a business trip so they don’t have to explain to their bosses why they haven’t been in the office for a while.

That’s all I’ve got. The dogs are back to sleep and I’m considering joining them. Sleeping is the safest thing I can do right now.