And the "Games" Begin Again

Well, it is that time of the year again.  Minor hockey tryouts.  I am staging a personal boycott this year and trying my best not to attend a single tryout.  Don't get me wrong, I really want to go watch the youngest money sucker.  I really do.  What I don't want to watch is all the crazy ass parents who are at the rink just waiting with bated breath for other peoples kids to really suck, get hurt or leave the ice puking.  No, I swear I am not making this up.  For the last two years I have actually witnessed a hockey mom video taping the tryouts.  Why, why, why does a parent do this?  The only thing I can think of is when her little Johnny gets cut she can go to someone and say, "look, my little Johnny is WAY better than little Billy.  I have it on tape."  No other reason.  I think the Minor Hockey people should tell her to get the hell out.  Some serious integrity is missing in this situation.  What also completely confuses me is when hockey parents drive all the way to the rink to watch the tryouts when their kid is NOT even on the ice!  What does that tell ya?  To much time on their hands?  So bored they would rather watch unrelated children tryout for hockey?  (Side note here - one must keep in mind that all hockey parents have no time for anything because they are so busy.  So, so busy.)  No.  I am sorry.  These are the parents who are only at the rink to watch because they want to see how much better their "Sidney" is than the other children on the ice.  Oh look, there is that word again: Children.  These are children people.  Get the hell over it.  We all want our children to try hard and succeed but is it really setting a good example when we don't cheer on and hope the best for other children as well?  What are we teaching these kids?  Since this is my second go around with this whole tryout stuff I am taking some lessons from some of the first go round parents and proceeding with class, dignity and maybe a couple glasses (read: bottles) of wine. 

Back to What?

This by all accounts should be the happiest time of the year for me and a gajillion other parents.  I should be skipping the isles of Staples buying school supplies and dreading making lunches for the next ten months.  Am I doing those things?  Hell no!  Now I am not trashing either side of this ridiculous dispute however I do have an opinion about the lengthy amount of time the "negotiators" took off to enjoy their summer.  If I ran the place (and don't get me wrong here, I keep checking the ads to see if the job comes up) I would have immediately told the two sides that they were promptly forfeiting their freaking vacation until they came up with some kind of agreement.  Six weeks off to do nothing does not fly with most of us.  Get in there and get the job done.  A huge portion of the population only gets three or four weeks of vacation a YEAR so there is no reason why vacation needed to be taken during a major strike.    I don't get to take vacation when there is major stuff going on in my job, why should they!  I am almost positive that the "negotiators" would have pieced together some kind of agreement in a hurry because the pressure would have been on!  Pressure from the teacher, parents and government?  NO.  Pressure from their kids, wives (and or mistresses - yes, I just went there) and others because they had a trip planned.  They would be in France enjoying their vacation and I would be skipping the school supply isles.  Win.  Freaking.  Win.

 

I have been asked by many people what I am going to do with the school age money sucker if the teachers don't go back the beginning of September and my answer is oh so not very popular.  I am going to find the teachers address and drop the monster off in the morning and pick him up again in the afternoon.  THAT will put the pressure on! 

 

Grind 2014 - Done!

Just in case you can't read the sign it says "Third Annual Birthday Grind with Mountain Goats".  That was pretty much the last time I saw those two.  I must say, working out like a mad fool in order to not have a heart attack in the middle of the mountain DID make the climb easier this year.  I did not have to stop and lie down even once!  AND I finished in under two hours (yet another miracle!)  I did, however, make the mistake of leaving the sign and the sharpie with the goats.  There were many pictures taken with derogatory remarks written down but this one was my favourite......

Ha ha, very funny.