Monday, January 19, 2015

Freedom

There's no school today. After a three week winter break, two sick days of doubtful veracity, and early dismissal (which is the biggest waste of time ever) my kids are off again today.

I know it's a holiday and I totally celebrate that fact, but I want to point out that in essence, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream was all about these kids going to school. Together. All of them. Should they be home, segregated from other cultures on this day? We all want the same thing here, pretty much, freedom and togetherness and that togetherness not being at my house.

Also, does my right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness come into play at all here, with all of these absences? What about their right to an education? I just think more days off is un-American, that's all, and I'm sure there's a justifiable reason relating to patriotism.

Lady Liberty herself is weeping over my forgotten Netflix queue. Do you even know how much I was enjoying all of the PBS Frontline specials and true crime shows like the First 48 and Forensic Files? That darkly delightful series "Black Mirror"? So thought-provoking and Twilight Zone-like. I also miss my documentaries--my days are long without inmates and prostitutes. Will I ever catch up on House of Cards before the new season comes out on February 27th? I'm the only one saying curse words around here these days.

Freedom, people; mine is being infringed upon. 

Also, I have to work. And when I work, I like it to be quiet which is not a language these kids speak. That's the (only) downside of working from home--it's hard for other people to understand that you're working just as hard as other people even if you don't have pants on. Just because I can take a Netflix break to watch "Bob's Burgers" doesn't mean the jobs I do aren't serious business.

Earlier I could hear the kids fighting in the other room and I yelled for them to knock it off, and Big Kid yelled back that little kid wouldn't get off of him. I told little kid he would have to go to his room if I had to ask them to settle down again.

"THAT'S IT!! GO TO YOUR ROOM," I roared 45 seconds later.

"Mom, he's hitting me this time!" little kid argued back.

"Good. Then both of you go to your room!"

"I don't even care. I just released 11 years of pent up frustration and it felt great," Big Kid exclaimed before retreating to their shared room, where the bickering continued but with a wall and door to buffer the sound.  This is certainly not what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would want on his day.

Tomorrow they will be back in school and I will be stuck at home all day waiting for the plumber, and I am positively giddy at the thought. I will catch up on all kinds of work, without interruption except for the plumber. I will clean up a little and it will stay that way until 4pm or until the plumber messes it up. I will take an hour to catch up on some of my more pressing Netflix needs, even if it means the plumber might hear bad words. I guess I'll wear pants. I wish the plumber wasn't coming but it's as close to freedom as I've been in a long time and I will embrace it.

Spring break is just around the corner. I've got to appreciate whatever I can get. 

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