Annoyed

I am annoyed. Some are petty annoyances, some are major annoyances. Is annoyances even a word?

First, the place John is staying called wanting to know if I would sign something giving him permission to smoke. Two days ago he told he he didn't want to start that bad habit again. He has never had our permission to smoke and for another month he isn't even legally old enough to buy cigarettes. I'm wondering now how he was going to be getting them. Anyway, I told them that no, he wasn't going to have me give permission for him to smoke. In 28 days he'll be 18 and he won't require my permission. If he still wants to take up that habit again he can. He hasn't had access to cigarettes for 6 months, so I can't see how starting again could possibly be a good plan.

Second, the ferret. Well, I'm just not even going to talk about the ferret. If I do, I will push myself over the edge.

Third, I was at Baker's Square using their Wi-Pie service this morning with Kari. Kari had to leave because she couldn't get her computer to work with that internet, and the air conditioner was set at I think about 24 below zero, so I got too cold and had to leave. When I got home I decided to work from the dining room, but I couldn't get it to work there for some reason. So I'm back in my office sulking.

Fourth, after wrestling with the wrong password because he gave me the wrong one, I got into Rand's college account. He told us that his summer class was covered under last year's tuition. Apparently, he was wrong and now he owes several hundred dollars that he doesn't have. And he doesn't qualify for much financial aid next year, only loans and work study. His grades are not good at all and he won't ask for help from the Academic Support Center, which the tech college here is "famous" for. He could be getting extra help, he isn't asking for it. So we have to decide what to do. Last year we had two kids in college and so he got lots of grant money, but with Kyle graduating, he didn't qualify for any grants for next year. Do we let him continue to go and go into debt, with us cosigning the loans, if he isn't even willing to get extra help and he has poor grades? Or do we say he can't go back and has to wait a year? He's living here without having to pay room and board. He finally has a part time job... and is taking summer classes. Maybe we should make next year contingent on this summers grades. He still has a good 4-5 weeks left and if he really cares about staying in the program, maybe he should ask for some academic help. it's annoying, to say the least.

And finally there is Tony and Boy Scouts which is a constant annoyance to me. Bart blogged about it several weeks ago and sometimes just the mention of boy scouts bugs me. Bart is working on stuff for him to go to camp this summer. And so then I have to think about how he hasn't earned more than a badge or two and he has probably lost them and ... and.... and.... and.... sigh.

Sometimes I admit to going through the grieving that Bart talked about on that post and that others commented about. We certainly could have chosen a road that led to Eagle Scouts, and over-achieving talented children who were committed to excellence, and rock-solid academic achievement. Instead we are dealing with jail terms, probation, group home smoking policies, and a kid failing a college class he can't afford to pay for at the technical colllege.

I'm not saying that I don't want to live my life. I just wish I could live two lives. At the same time. So I could see how the other side felt, maybe just for a few days.