Beauty and the Geek

Oh, the joys of high school!

And more specifically, the SCHOOL DANCE. This dance is called Tolo and I think it is similar to our Sadie Hawkins' dances we had when were growing up but this generation seems to take everything up a notch. The theme this year, "Beauty and the Geek", leaves behind the overalls and cowboy hats of our past but they have kept the tradition where the girls ask the boys.

A few weeks ago AB's stories from school were full of giggling girls, clueless boys, helpful teachers (who assisted by sending certain boys out of the classroom at opportune moments, etc.)...all the girls with the ultimate task of asking someone to the big dance!

AB's method of asking? She wrote a sonnet!

Here are her words, along with Shakespeare's, in an email she sent to me:

Hola, Madre!
For all your embarrassing mom uses, here is my sonnet:

A heavier task could not have been imposed
Than I to speak my griefs unspeakable
Yet, that my words will now my heart expose(d).
I hope to earn a prize forever keepable,
A keepable beauty from Syracuse,
(Where is Syracuse anyway; is it Greek?)
But whatever, for this sonnet my muse,
I ask them to find their inner geek
And join me February 27th, at a gathering of the social sort.
Will you, Matthew, go to Tolo with this drama nerd?
I apologize for the rambling on the literary part,
But fourteen lines of iambic pentameter are damn hard to rhyme...
And since the fact is I have no beau,
Will you go to Tolo, dear Dromio, yes or no?

The first two lines are the beginning of my monologue in the play, Matthew's part in the play is Dromio of Syracuse and I kinda gave up on the iambic pentameter at about line 4...

AB

Needless to say, he said yes and arrangements were made. Dresses and plaid clothing were purchased, socks and sandals found and excitement rose for the big night. The plan was for the girls to dress at our house and then it was my privilege to pick up "the dates" and drive all these beautiful geeks to the restaurant for dinner and then on to the dance. Along the way they took photos, recited many digits of pi and then some Shakespeare...no, really...they did...it was quite an experience...they are very fun kids!

Here are some photos that parents take of the evening:

AB and LZ dressed for a night out! Don't you love the plaid sweater that her mother found in a consignment shop! :)

LZ and NM with the corsage photo.

The "dates" - no, those are smiles not grimaces!

Goofy girls!

The whole geeky group!


These are photos the kids would post:

The star recently returning from rehab...?

In the car hijinks!

Academic Games?

Just when I think my kids couldn't surprise me anymore, my son tells me that he's signed up to participate in Academic Games with his school against other schools in the area! SO last Saturday we went down to the school district building and were introduced to this fun event.

Basically, the kids are on their school teams and answer questions ranging from literature to math to science to popular culture...there were many questions I didn't know the answer to! They have buzzers and shot clocks and it is similar to a sporting event. The game is broken up into 4 quarters with different participation of team members in each round. EB was on the presentation team (as of yet he has not seen the first two quarters of the game.) The judges give the presentation team a question/issue and they go out of the room and prepare a convincing presentation, complete with poster boards, etc. From what EB told me they couldn't get adult help or use the internet and knowing this, the presentations were pretty good.

His team lost both their games but they are really still learning how to play the game (waiting to be called on, recognized and not blurting out answers is a biggie!) The last game was against a team that went on to nationals last year and they were good!

Anyway, they have another event on Feb 28 so wish 'em luck! And I'll try to get some pictures too!

Who knew?

AB has had pretty long hair for a while now and so I was surprised when she said she wanted to get it cut. We went and got a couple inches cut off last week but she still was saying it wasn't short enough so we went back again and here is the result! Who knew her hair had so much curl to it...these pictures are not enhanced at all...well, I mean, she didn't curl it or anything! This is natural...who knew?!

Almost makes me want to grow my hair out again to see if it would curl like this...NOT! :)