Vertigo

Second day of school. First day euphoria has worn off. Concerts and open houses and meetings start devouring any white space on calendars. Homework is once again evening's tyrannical master. Mornings start early with a flurry and they end late with the disheartening knowledge that everything did not get done. There are last minute trips to office supply stores for the teachers that didn't manage to put a suddenly required item on that 3,000 item "supply list" they sent before school began, and of course newly required supply must be had by the very next morning or detention will be given or 5 points taken off or the offending child's soul will go to the demon who put in the highest bid. The kids start realizing that free time waved goodbye to them when they stepped on the school bus yesterday and they are staging a protest. The dog whines constantly because his buddies aren't around to hang out with.

And I have my annual case of back-to-school vertigo. Do you get it or are you one of those people who functions better on a schedule? I am dizzily fumbling around wondering why I can't get much done. This will go on for at least two weeks. I am convinced it's caused by a virus contained in those brightly colored pieces of paper the kids bring home that "you have to read, Mom." And half of them, sign. Really, I have to get a babysitter for two open houses next week? Um, when I have a babysitter I want to go do something fun. I don't want to pay someone 10 bucks an hour so that I can hear about "curriculum and expectations for this year" but, "not to discuss (my) child's individual needs." Why do we need to shield our children from curriculum and expectations for the year? I would refuse to read or sign the colored papers, but I'm afraid the consequence would be swine flu.

I'll eventually get used to the disorientation. Things won't stop spinning, but we'll figure out how to navigate. There hasn't been a school year we haven't made it through. Yet.