One of Those Off-Center Days

It's been one of those crazy days. Actually, the fact that the election happened almost two weeks ago is probably a good thing. The first week of November coincides with the start of the "busy season" at my place of employment. Above everything else, busy-ness alone accounts for my reduced blogging over the past few weeks, not so much that I was supremely disappointed in the election results. Which I was, but you knew that already.

Anyway, Kate started something a month or so back - Friday family blogging - and it seems to fit the theme of the day. I have to put the world on the back burner tomorrow. It's the start of the great college hunt.

My daughter is a senior in high school. She's always been more in tune with the real world than most of her contemporaries. The girl's got a wonderful head on her shoulders, is near the top of her class, and did well on her college boards. So tomorrow, we're taking a trip into the Big Apple for an open house at Fordham University. She can't wait. I'm dreading it.

Fordham, Hofstra, Manhattan Marymount...all on her "A" list. My wallet is hurting already.

But more than anything, this is the start of the big "goodbye". I guess all parents go through it. The baby wants to fly the nest, and I'm conflicted. It's the start of a big adventure for her; it's the end of a life phase for my wife and me. We're not ready to be empty nesters. We're too damn young.

Change is not always good. Check that - change can be really good, and you want nothing but the best in life for your kids - but it's, well, discombobulating.

It seems like just yesterday that I was matriculating myself. I remember how out of sorts I was as a freshman in college. You go from being top dog (as a senior in high school) to pond scum (a freshman) in a totally foreign setting. In my daughter's case...in a really big city, if she has her way. I'm sure she'll figure it out, just like her mom and I did before her, but...

Damn, I'm not ready for this.

The good news is, regardless of the results of the past election, life goes on. The bad news is, I'm going to need a pipeline to Prozac™ before the next 12 months have passed. Not only for life with Bush Unchained, but for life with Daughter Unchained.

Buy Jack Daniel's stock.