Weekend and Stuff
This was a surprisingly busy weekend for me. On Friday, I was pretty much in radio silence because Mason had a school concert on Friday morning.
Shawn and I spent the day doing all the "Parent Involvement Day" -- things like drink the caffeteria's horrible coffee and eating frigthening pastries. After the class concert, we were invited to hang out with Mason's class while they went to the library to listen to (seriously) a guest lecturer talk about her job in HR (human resources.) Then, we went back to the classroom where kids read the stories that they'd been working on. Mason's story was amazing. I may have to post some of it here, but the funny part was his "teacher" demeanor before he began. He sat in his chair and admonished fellow students that they'd have to sit still and be quiet before he started. Ah, my little controlling nerd! So adorably anal!!
Saturday, Mason had his swimming lessons. We always arrive early and Mason sits and reads before class starts with his goggles and glasses on. (Note: you can also clearly see a page of my Shonen Jump.)
Sunday, we ended up having an impromptu sleepover because Intersession has begun at Crossroads. Mason is going to be home with me now for about a month. But, this also means all his friends are off school now as well (or at least those who chose not to do Intersession classes--plus most of the Mondays are off this Intersession for everyone for some reason, too.) At any rate, Mason's friend Donte wanted to come over again, so we had him come.
I thought that the snow and sleet and rain might keep them away, but they braved the weatther. As a bonus, thanks to Donte, I got to watch most of the new Spider-Man movie. Shawn declared this to be her new head canon, but I was less convinced. I did like scientist-Peter Parker, because that's one thing about him that I'm glad Bendis and crew always remember in the New Avengers. Maybe they got Peter too right, because I'm not a humongous Peter fan typically. I really, really liked JMS's Amazing Spider-Man run, but partly because he built on the history of all that had come before. But I also tend to like grow-up Spider-Man over angsty teenage Spider-Man so that may have been part of it. I shall think thinky-thoughts.
Mason, my little ambassador of geekiness, desperately tried to convince Donte that he wanted to become a Bleach fan. He showed Donte the first episode, but it... (gasp!)... failed. (This is truly amazing to me because even Eleanor Arnason found the first episode compelling while trying to watch it in a busy coffee shop at Mason's insistance.)
I think, perhaps, the subtitles threw Donte more than he was willing to admit. Donte isn't a huge reader, and it can be daunting to have to try to read while watching TV. Mason, my baby-otaku, would rather DIE than watch Bleach dubbed into English, so there was massive fail.
I note this because usually where there is this...
...zanpakutou names get shouted out at high volume (in Japanese) around my house. It was almost eerie to hear Mason not call shikai on any of his favorites. But, he did use ice powers at some point, which I'm fairly sure are NOT standard Force Powers in the Star Wars universe (which is the common fandom that Donte and Mason share).
It was incredibly darling to listen to Donte and Mason chat all night (well past midnight) and FINALLY we had a taker for the top bunk. Mason has a bunk bed specifically for this reason--to have a bed for a sleepover friend. However, in the past, sleeping bags have gotten piled on the floor and no one has wanted to try the top or the bottom bunk. This time Donte decided it was THE COOLEST THING EVER. And they sat together up there for several hours telling each other jokes.
But now everyone is cranky and tired. Donte left at 8:00 am this morning because we had to get Shawn off to work. Mason and I have already had a squabble over the TV (though we did manage to watch 3 more episodes of Bleach.) And in about fifteen minutes we're going to have to pack up to head off to Mason's dental appointement.
My life is truly glamorous, no?
Oh, yeah, and later I have to FINALLY get to the revisions of Samurai High.
Shawn and I spent the day doing all the "Parent Involvement Day" -- things like drink the caffeteria's horrible coffee and eating frigthening pastries. After the class concert, we were invited to hang out with Mason's class while they went to the library to listen to (seriously) a guest lecturer talk about her job in HR (human resources.) Then, we went back to the classroom where kids read the stories that they'd been working on. Mason's story was amazing. I may have to post some of it here, but the funny part was his "teacher" demeanor before he began. He sat in his chair and admonished fellow students that they'd have to sit still and be quiet before he started. Ah, my little controlling nerd! So adorably anal!!
Saturday, Mason had his swimming lessons. We always arrive early and Mason sits and reads before class starts with his goggles and glasses on. (Note: you can also clearly see a page of my Shonen Jump.)
Sunday, we ended up having an impromptu sleepover because Intersession has begun at Crossroads. Mason is going to be home with me now for about a month. But, this also means all his friends are off school now as well (or at least those who chose not to do Intersession classes--plus most of the Mondays are off this Intersession for everyone for some reason, too.) At any rate, Mason's friend Donte wanted to come over again, so we had him come.
I thought that the snow and sleet and rain might keep them away, but they braved the weatther. As a bonus, thanks to Donte, I got to watch most of the new Spider-Man movie. Shawn declared this to be her new head canon, but I was less convinced. I did like scientist-Peter Parker, because that's one thing about him that I'm glad Bendis and crew always remember in the New Avengers. Maybe they got Peter too right, because I'm not a humongous Peter fan typically. I really, really liked JMS's Amazing Spider-Man run, but partly because he built on the history of all that had come before. But I also tend to like grow-up Spider-Man over angsty teenage Spider-Man so that may have been part of it. I shall think thinky-thoughts.
Mason, my little ambassador of geekiness, desperately tried to convince Donte that he wanted to become a Bleach fan. He showed Donte the first episode, but it... (gasp!)... failed. (This is truly amazing to me because even Eleanor Arnason found the first episode compelling while trying to watch it in a busy coffee shop at Mason's insistance.)
I think, perhaps, the subtitles threw Donte more than he was willing to admit. Donte isn't a huge reader, and it can be daunting to have to try to read while watching TV. Mason, my baby-otaku, would rather DIE than watch Bleach dubbed into English, so there was massive fail.
I note this because usually where there is this...
...zanpakutou names get shouted out at high volume (in Japanese) around my house. It was almost eerie to hear Mason not call shikai on any of his favorites. But, he did use ice powers at some point, which I'm fairly sure are NOT standard Force Powers in the Star Wars universe (which is the common fandom that Donte and Mason share).
It was incredibly darling to listen to Donte and Mason chat all night (well past midnight) and FINALLY we had a taker for the top bunk. Mason has a bunk bed specifically for this reason--to have a bed for a sleepover friend. However, in the past, sleeping bags have gotten piled on the floor and no one has wanted to try the top or the bottom bunk. This time Donte decided it was THE COOLEST THING EVER. And they sat together up there for several hours telling each other jokes.
But now everyone is cranky and tired. Donte left at 8:00 am this morning because we had to get Shawn off to work. Mason and I have already had a squabble over the TV (though we did manage to watch 3 more episodes of Bleach.) And in about fifteen minutes we're going to have to pack up to head off to Mason's dental appointement.
My life is truly glamorous, no?
Oh, yeah, and later I have to FINALLY get to the revisions of Samurai High.