Making Grown Up Choices...

The high school has switched to a mostly paperless approach this year, which despite the enormous stack of paper that has landed in my recycling bin, means that the more important things, like progress reports, are available online. Except of course, for those in academic trouble, and then hard copies are mailed home.

So it goes without saying that every piece of mail from the high school, which ironically appears daily in the mailbox, sends a wave of panic though me.  This last week's mailings have consisted of notification of the availability of online progress reports, a perfect attendance "award" for the month of September (WTH???) , and notification that PSATs will be on Thursday.

Wait. Whoa.

When did he get old enough for the PSATs?

*sigh*

Oldest turns 15 next month. And I'd love to kick and scream and say we're not ready, but in truth we are.  He's a good kid.  Honor roll student.  Conscientious.  Considerate.  He holds doors and treats girls with respect. And, while he spends entirely too much time on the computer, he equally enjoys hanging out after school with his friends, annoying the crap out of his brother, and playing basketball.

Having always been an old soul, he's aware of the stress and financial "woes" of the house right now. So when I sat him down and asked what he wanted to do for his birthday this year, after great thought he decided that in lieu of a trip to Europe (eye roll) he'd like to go to a Patriots game with Tony, a request that in any other area of the country would be easy peasy.  Except here where Patriots tickets have been sold out since 19 ninety frigging 4.

Just getting on the wait list for tickets is $100 per year, which is crazy.  (Side note: at last release, there were currently 50,000 people on the wait list for tickets.  If you do the math, that's 5 MILLION dollars per year to wait for the chance to buy tickets (for another $100-800 each) to sit in the freezing ass cold, way too tiny seats, and pay $10 for a hot dog.  WTF? )  So this is when it is nice to know people... who know people... who know that a 15 year old and his step father (who will likely not imbibe in any of the bah-ghin priced 14 dollar brews) are not a risk for their long held season tickets, and sold them to us for just $25 over face value.  Such a deal since the row behind them are currently selling for $399 each on Stub Hub. *cough* rip off *cough*

My parents will likely get him some sort of over priced paraphernalia in the form of a jersey or hoodie.  His aunts and uncles will likely do something on the lines of cash for the evening, making it an entire day of football and guy time. If we had the cash I'd put his name on the marquee, but I already have a soft second mortgage on the house so that option is out.  But at the end of the day, none of that matters.

He chose memories for his 15th birthday.

Which is kind of awesome.

Whose kid is this anyway?