Orientation

Today was Bobby’s new school orientation. I dropped Theo at camp and we went alone (the H joined until he had to leave for work). It wasn’t mostly useful except to tell us where he has to go Monday morning (the auditorium), how to get a Chromebook (I requested one online while there and was able to get one minutes later - phew), and the opportunity to buy PE uniforms (cash only so we had to leave to find an atm and come back). I saw several familiar parents there - including a guy who plays sax in our orchestra - but B didn’t want to stay for the tour so we missed out on that chance to socialize. I hope I don’t go through this entire school not making any parent friends, either, but I just might. 

On our way in (of course I was the first to arrive - hello, anxiety disorder!) I mused to Bobby how we would look back on this day, how this school will most likely be in our lives until 2032, and how different everything will be, then. 

At least now I know what to prepare for Monday - other than his Chromebook, Bobby doesn’t really need any supplies; I printed out his list of classes and teachers that became available a couple of days ago (he got Spanish and illustration as he wanted) so he has that information - I got him a haircut, and we went to In N Out for lunch. I asked him if he was nervous, and he said yes, he was nervous about not being able to find where his classes are and that he won’t be able to move from class to class in time each day. I can see how moving from one class to another for the first time could be daunting. But I assured him it’s a 100 year old school and it’s set up for him to succeed - they’re not going to make things intentionally difficult or impossible, and that every 7th grader will be in the same boat. I gave him my one piece of advice based on my experience in high school, that once I got involved in the school - joined some clubs, started volunteering for things - I had a much better time and made friends. He’s very much like me in that he’ll hermit himself if nobody draws him out. So hopefully he heeds that.

Tomorrow I have set aside for Theo’s school stuff - I’ll go pick up some supplies (apparently not mandatory at his school - just wish list stuff, so I’ll have to use my judgement as far as what to send him with Monday), and also swing by his school to check if the teacher he’s assigned is actually the gifted cluster teacher, since she’s not the one his teacher last year told me he should get. They screwed this up last year so I want to make sure he’s not put in the wrong class again.

Things were going smoothly with the event - numbers are good; only about 10-15 people off from last year, after all my stressing about it - until yesterday, when the hotel called to say they’d accidentally double booked another event on top of our setup time on Thursday and Friday, meaning half of my space isn’t available for setup until just hours before we need it, and we’ve got two days worth of dance floor and a/v equipment to install. It’s a nightmare. My a/v guy is coming up with a plan on how to try to make it all work - but it’ll cost, and now I’ll have to fight with the hotel over paying that. And it’s just going to stress us all out - I’m going to have to move a bunch of people booked for rehearsals, and we’ll arrive Thursday night with possibly nowhere to put all our stuff. Just, ugh. It’s always something. Let’s just hope this is the worst “something”. Right now, too, is when all the last minute special requests come in - an elderly lady wanting me to raise money to get her a hotel room and also rides to and from the hotel; teachers wanting me to rearrange the teaching schedule so they have more rest time to be in all the contests I really needed them to judge instead; customers asking if the hotel will offer gluten free food options for lunch, a customer who’s husband sadly died a few months ago wanting me to find a worthy person to donate his pass to, etc etc etc. This is 100% my job right now and 100% the reason I have the free time and flexibility I have in my life, so I’m not complaining. But I reserve the right to complain just a little.