He went to a local school and got his associate’s degree, but is now going to Temple University to finish his bachelor’s. We’ve known this for a long time, of course. But now it’s about to freaking happen, and whenever I think about it my stomach drops. Not that I worry about him getting into trouble (not really), or being able to do the work (not an issue). It’s something more vague and murky than that. It’s more to do with the fundamental change to our family that’s fixin’ to occur. It’s time, I know, but that doesn’t help with the emotional side of it. It’s always sad when one chapter closes, ya know? The current situation is sometimes irritating (God knows), but the thought of it changing? I’m not really a fan o’ that, either. It’s all emotion, nothing to do with logic… I know we’ll survive, but it’s taking its toll. The older boy is having a harder time with it than anticipated, too. It’s going to be a rough couple of weeks.
Because of the virus, the move-in process is nothing short of ludicrous. I know that might be hard for some of you to believe. But we have a one-hour window to get him all set up, then we have to go. No lingering… no long goodbyes. We’ll just have to sprint in and out of his building with baskets of bedding ‘n’ shit, and hit the highway. Maybe that’s better? Also, our appointed hour starts at 8:40 am on Sunday. So, we’re going to have to leave our house at some impossible hour. Like six in the morning? Sweet sainted mother of Al Hrabosky! And only one parent can be in the building at once. So, when Toney’s up there, I’ll have to wait outside, and vice versa. It’s going to be one weird-ass day. I’m going to propose Cracker Barrel afterward, just to get ourselves centered. I hope I’m not blubbering straight into my hash brown casserole.
He’s going to have three roommates. Four of them together in one dorm/apartment. He knows nothing, has not been in contact with any of them… or even creeped on their Facebook pages. I find that incredible. I’d be all up in that shit. Oh well. And every student has to be tested within 24 hours, then weekly thereafter. There are testing centers on campus, and it’s up to each student to keep up with it. And if they don’t… their badges will be turned off and they won’t be able to scan into any of the buildings. That’s a pretty solid incentive. Right?
Also… Temple is in a not-so-great area of Philly. That’s another small concern. The campus is safe, I’m sure. But the surrounding area? Not so much. Hopefully he’ll be careful. He probably will be. But it’s fuel for scenarios. And I’m a master at conjuring the tragic scenarios. I have a black belt in it.
So, that’s going on. Also, my car is in the shop: water pump. It supposedly requires four hours of labor to replace it, and is costing us $476. Grrr… It overheated a few nights ago, while I was driving home from work. My dad told me it was almost certainly the thermostat or water pump, and said the latter would be more expensive to fix. So, there you go. My nipples are exploding with delight. There’s nothing I enjoy more than handing over large sums of money to get us back to where we were three days ago. Man, that’s good stuff.
And speaking of ball-crushing… I need to get ready for work now.
I don’t really have a question, just a quick check-in. I hope you’re all doing well.
I’ll see you soon.
Support us with a monthly $4 donation at Patreon, and get an extra podcast episode every week! We’re also at Venmo (@thewvsr) and PayPal (jeff@thewvsr.com). Thank you, guys!
First? Our younger kid just got her own place, so there’s this thought that goes through my head – is this the rest of my life now? Yep, this is it until I die. It takes some mental adjustment.
I work at a University. It’s going to be an interesting semester.
Yeah – we’re moving the youngest down to James Madison this coming Saturday. The middle one (the daughter) went back to Radford yesterday (and got a flat tire as soon as she arrived, but at least she made it). My wife says she’s ready for an emptier house (the oldest is still with us; which is long story I won’t get into) but it’s going to be weird. Honestly I won’t be surprised if both are back with us within 6 weeks because of on-campus outbreaks at both universities.
cheese steaks are philly’s only redeeming characteristic
Yet it’s an important one. I weight it heavily, so to speak.
Philadelphia: gateway to Horsham.
Now THAT’S some funny shit !!!
That’s cool that he gets to do that. And you too.
I watched my older brothers and sisters do this college living sprint.
I did not have that. I skipped college and went straight to the Army.
My move to “college” was a backpack with some underwear in it. Get dropped off in Shreveport, LA by the recruiter, spend the night in a hotel , then take a bus to Fort Leonard Wood MO. the next day.
Never got to do the dorm thing.
In a squad room with 9 other guys I’ve never met before or since, some of them wanting to stab you for no reason. Some of them stealing from others for no reason.
There was one guy who stole bleach and drank it to try to get out of basic training.
another guy who never showered or washed his cloths. His socks were so loose they flopped over his boot tops when he was getting dressed.
One guy was always being hollered at for walking around naked. He had a huge swinging hammer and like to let it air out.
Oh man. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to go into college dorms after I finished basic training and AIT. Instead I did the National Guard thing and just got an apartment in the Baton Rouge ghetto when I finally got back home.
—–
Oh, that was bus ride to Basic Training was my first non-school bus ride.
Through north Louisiana, Arkansas, and South Missouri. Middle of nowhere wood land in August 2001.
A bunch of dazed and confused dead heads coming and going off the bus.
At one point we stopped at some gas station in Nowheresville. A blind guy came on the bus selling homemade sandwiches. Just white bread tuna fish sandwiches in saran wrap being sold by a blind guy in Arkansas. Weird stuff.
Yea – I did something similar in the mid 1980s.
I took my youngest to university on Friday, an eleven hour drive. Thank goodness she is in a safe part of the country, not one of the shitty parts. We had a half hour to move into the dorm. A quick goodbye before either of us cried.
Our daughter will be a junior at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (a FANTASTIC area to go to school) about 3 hours away. Fortunately, my wife and I have a great relationship with her and she lets us track her phone. Freshman year I’d diligently check it several times during the day and would totally freak out when it wouldn’t give an immediate location because of a bad signal. But she is such a great kid with a maturity and level-headedness that I never had in college and she has grown so much. College has been the best thing for her. Still doesn’t keep me from checking on her before I go to bed though 🙂
I don’t even remember the Younger Secret graduating High School, let alone has 2 years of college under his belt! Where does the time go?
I commuted to college so never did the dorm thing. I did spend a weekend with my sister in her dorm room college days and it was fun but I don’t think I missed out.
Good luck to you and Toney when the day comes. I’m sure it’s going to be tough. Hang in there, Jeff!
Hey Jeff – you know what I think we need? Another fine rendition of one of your classics “Blues Singers in the… (pick a room or location)”. Some of those responses were absolutely hilarious.
Whaddaya think folks?? Who needs a few laughs?
Yeah, I know that people like to make fun of this site as an obituary page, but we lost Justin Townes Earle today. In his 38 years on earth he had made some damn fine music, following in the footsteps of his dad Steve Earle. Anybody partly named after Townes Van Zandt has some bigass footprints to fill, and the young man was on his way to doing so. Like his dad and like Mr. Van Zandt, Justin’s music was a little hard to categorize, so most people just called it Americana.
Shit. I believe it’s time to call in the dogs and piss on the fire. The world is too much with us, late and soon.
John
Justin Townes Earl was on Mountain Stage here in Charleston several times. Yesterday, a local radio station interviewed Larry Groce, host of Mountain Stage, and he said that he was only sober for one of his performances. They were all very concerned about him. He was a great musician.
On another note, anyone other than me, miss a big bowl of MF corn? Yep, that’s what I thought.
I do. Don’t forget the eggplant. A man of size weighing in here.
Jerry, I feel you; the posts were funny and bordered on art, but there’s no money in corn these days. And, as Green Lantern said to Green Arrow at the DC orgy, “It’s all about the long green.”
jtb