always been crazy

Quarantine Life. Actually, it's a lot like my summer life? I miss the girls though. Sometimes, lol. I've been working through my reading list and catching up on netflix and amazon prime (I have lists on hulu and disney+ as well, but cox contour is dumb and doesn't support them so I have to switch to the xbox for them and it requires multiple remotes and I'm lazy), working on some jigsaw puzzles. I miss going to the movies, but one of our local theaters (the Grandin) has it set up that we can "rent" movies and they get credited for it. It's the small indie theater, so it's the special movies. So that's good.

I'm watching Vagrant Queen on SyFy. It's decently fun, I guess. It wants to be Killjoys but it's not. I like the new season of Roswell well enough, even though I wish I would have gotten done writing before season two kicked off. The last episode of Chicago PD was great - I'm all about Atwater getting more screen time and I love him. I admit to skipping several episodes this season because I didn't like the way they handled Jay's injury so I don't know why Hailey has run off to NYC to join the FBI. I want to like Almost Paradise but I'm just not feeling it. Davey and I are halfway done with the final season of Magicians. I don't know what we'll pick up on after that.

Davey is missing the end of his senior year. It sucks. Our school is still finding ways to connect with them and recognize them, and Mr Habeeb promised they'll get a celebration of some sort. But still, no senior skip day, no senior twister, no senior spotlight concert. :( He has zoom classes several days a week. Several schools around here have basically just given up for the year, but Salem was introducing new material this week. And Bridgewater has been doing a lot of webinar type things for new students. Davey's been doing doordash some evenings too.

Ronnie is still working full time. Most of the guys in the shop got laid off, but since he's licensed for state inspections, they kept him on, even though he just started. Both my brothers and their wives are still working as well. And Harley is still getting paid even though she's not working because of the way her teaching contract is. So we're not in too much of a situation yet. We'll see how things progress though.

I have no idea what day it is most of the time, except for Sundays (church) and every other Wednesday (mom's chemo). And my sleep schedule is totally fucked. But I definitely believe that staying home and taking precautions is working and is necessary, unlike some of these yahoos.

I hope everyone else is doing okay! *hearts*

Davey got his FAFSA completed and submitted applications to Bridgewater, Manchester, and VWCC (for the CCAP). I'm not sure I'm ready for this whole kid-in-college thing.

Jordan Staal (aka favorite!Staal) scored his 100th goal as a Carolina Hurricane last night.

Shane Claiborne said on twitter this week: "Christianity is not just a ticket into heaven and an excuse to ignore the world we live in. Our faith is about transforming the world... not escaping it. We want to see God's dream come 'on earth as it is in Heaven.'" (of course, Jarrod McKenna recently said "We're not called to transform the world - that's the Holy Spirit's work. We're called to love." Although these sound contradictory at first glace, I think they actually work together. We transform the world by love and the Holy Spirit works through us and that love.)

Judith Painter, a teacher from Andrew Lewis Middle School, has been to receive the Distinguished Teacher Award for K-12 from teh National Council for Geographic Education. Mrs Painter taught both my kids, and we love her. Here's an article from earlier this year about a trip she took to Antarctic last year through a National Geographic fellowship program.

Links of Interest:

Bilbo the cat apparently has a podcast where he just purrs.

Lil Nas X is first out gay musician to win a CMA - I've been following Lil Nas because he's like Jayden's best friend. Also, I've had to listen to Old Town Road approximately seven billion times this summer.

8-year-old living in homeless shelter wins New York chess championship

Forvo - a website that is a pronunciation dictionary; you type in a word and see how it's pronounced!

Cows swept out to sea by Hurricane Dorian are found months later on the Outer Banks - I mean, we have wild horses in OBX, why not have cows?

LEGO recreation of the Battle of Helm's Deep - someone has too much time on their hands (and too much money - do you know how much legos cost??), but it still looks awesome!

Street artist adds fake shadows to confuse people - Damon Belanger created 20 fake shadows in downtown Redwood City. They look really cool. You can find more of his work here.

Hold On - Hootie & the Blowfish have a new song! And a new album called Imperfect Circle!

South Sudan Promoting Adult Literacy to Maintain Peace

24 of the best Marvel cast moments of the decade

Father-Son Duo Helped Create 51,000 New Beehive Colonies Across the Globe

World Crazy:

Vatican launches $110 'click to pray' wearable rosary -From what I gather, it's like a watch or a fitbit and it keeps track of the number of times you pray. It's weird to me, but then again Catholicism is weird to me, despite my mom's family being Catholic and myself attending quite a few services growing up.

Italian council is flooded immediately after rejecting measures on climate change - karma?

Fic Rec:

Hawkguy and the Devil by titC
Marvel || Clint Barton/Matt Murdock || 35k
It began like a lot of these things began for Clint: with a beautiful lady knocking on his door and asking for help.

Life of Crime by neveralarch
Marvel || Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton, Clint Barton/Carol Danvers, Kate Bishop/America Chavez || 35k
A supervillain AU where Clint shoots arrows at people and gets beat up a lot. So, not really that much of an AU.
As a supervillain supercriminal contract worker with a morality deficit, Clint Barton leads a glamorous life. You know, stolen cars, dangerous women, a really confusing relationship with a meddling do-gooder, the works. It's pretty awesome. Except for, uh, medical bills, the mob, and being on the run all the time. That part isn't all that awesome.
Fun read, lots of snark.

Motion Parallax by Laughsalot3412
Leverage || Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer || 8606
So, apparently Amy's boss was part of a criminal gang.

The Real World: Bed Stuy by jendavis
Marvel || James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton || 143k
This is the true story of two strangers, tasked to live in an apartment building, get their shit together, and have their lives (probably) monitored by Natasha and Steve, to find out what happens when people try to stop being agents and assets, and start getting real.

unexpected tidings by BeStillMySlashyHeart
Roswell New Mexico || Michael Guerin/Alex Manes || 22k
The Evans' adopted two children that day. The third stayed behind. In one universe, the third child finds his way back to his brother and sister after just a few years. This is not that universe. Here, it takes twenty years and a Manes to reunite the three siblings.

Tournament Weekend! Yay! Except, not so much yay.

We've had a couple dual meets and two tournaments before now. Davey went 4-1 the first dual, missed the second b/c of a nasty virus, placed 4th at the first tournament and 3rd at the second. But, one of the kids he wrestled the first week quit. (He specifically said he didn't want to wrestle Davey again, even though that's not why he quit.) One of the kids the second week ended up on the injury list because wrestling with Davey aggravated a previous cracked rib injury. Third week, Davey broke a kid's leg. Not on purpose or anything, they got tangled up and when they fell, the kid's leg got caught and snapped - I swear, I'm going to have nightmares about it for ages, the sound was horrific. None of these things were intentional, and injuries are common in wrestling. But it's been a rough season already, even though Davey's rocking it. He put in a lot of work over the summer and is a lot more confident and assertive on the mat.

Then comes today, omg. Big Orange is one of the most important tournaments of the year for us - lots of great competition, several of the schools we'll be up against for regionals, etc etc. So everyone's excited, despite the fact that it's Christmas break and it's disgustingly cold and rainy outside and the team had to be at school at 6:45 this morning.

Our 106 didn't make weight. He was .2 pounds over, even with the one pound allowance the wrestlers get at this point in the season. Walker is a big point scorer for us, so that sucked anyway to lose him.

During warm ups, Davey (who is 195, in case I haven't said that) was warming up with our 220 (Cameron), and Cameron threw Davey... and Davey landed on our 120 (Riley). I wasn't there for this, but everyone was like "it all happened in slow motion, and we all knew what was going to happen but couldn't stop it." Riley said he felt them hit him, and was shocked for a moment then fell, and then the pain came. So, we got to call for an ambulance before the tournament even started! Riley's foot is broken in multiple places, and the way he fell apparently bent his toes in a weird way and cracked the bone all the way across? Idk, his mom was trying to explain it to me when they came back to the tournament after the hospital. But he has to see an orthopedic surgeon on Wednesday to discuss possibly putting screws in his foot. Also, he's been a big placer for us and has wrestled for years, but now his season for this year is over.

Our 145 Zack got a concussion after his opponent pulled an illegal move.

And then there's Davey. Davey's goals for this year are to qualify for states (he was one spot away last year - he finished 5th in regionals and top 4 go to states) and to not get pinned. And he's done super well on not getting pinned - the matches he's lost so far he's mostly lost by points but he puts up a good fight and hangs in there for all 3 periods. So he's up against this kid who was a state qualifier last year, and who has a record for pinning people in the first minute of a match. Davey gets about halfway through the third round, and yeah he's losing like 11 to 4, but he's fighting, and his foot gets caught under the kid when he rolls and there's a pop and ughhhhh. Call the trainer. The worst part for Davey was that the pain (which was sudden and kinda widespread? like around his ankle and up his leg?) made him hyperventilate and so obviously that made everything worse. The coaches and the trainers are on the mat with him, and I can't hear what they're saying but I've got like six teenage boys all trying to hug me at one time (one of the kids who graduated last year but was in for the holiday so came to the tournament was on the other side of the mat and practically tripped over himself coming to hug me) even though I wasn't really upset b/c it's Davey. And also I was a little in shock. But apparently they asked him to wiggle his toes and he started freaking out like "I don't know! Are they still there?" So they get him over off the mat and have his foot propped up and checking it over and stuff, and the trainer and the coach decide it's probably just a sprain but recommend getting it checked out anyway. So I asked Davey if he wanted to go to urgent care and he goes "No, I have another match to wrestle!" He was so upset we wouldn't let him finish the night. (He lost that match by injury, and then because he couldn't wrestle again he lost his next match by medical default, so he's out of the tournament.) Xrays confirm it's just a sprain, but ughhhh. I could really do with a lot less excitement in my wrestling season!

I'm really bad at concert posts, but we'll try. :) I took Davey to see The Used in Charlotte last night. For anyone who doesn't know, Davey is my 8yo. He's completely ridiculous and full of himself and awesome (both my kids are awesome in their own ways, but Ronnie doesn't like music, which is why he didn't go - he and I are going to take a day and go to the aquarium in Baltimore in a few weeks, which is much more his thing) and has been asking me for about a year now to take him to see The Used. So, I took half a day off work, pulled him out of school early, and made the three hour drive to Charlotte.

We got to the venue about ten minutes or so before doors, and it was super cold and windy outside.

( Davey freezing waiting in line for the doors to open )

There were these two teenies behind us in spaghetti strap tank tops whining about being cold. Um, put some clothes on? Idiots.

We made friends with the couple in front of us, though, they were pretty cool. Inside, there were three different tiers of standing room, so after a stop at the merch tables we staked out a spot by the railing in the center of the second tier.

Drive A was, as always, energetic and loud and fun and adorable. I quite adore them, as the use of "adorable" may imply, but really. I LOVE THE BABY BAND! There was a group of teenies behind us talking shit about them at one point, but then Davey turned around and glared at them (while singing along, of course) and they moved off somewhere. My kid is fierce, yall. *g*

( a few pics of Drive A )

I really like the colors in some of those pics, lol. Maybe Davey will win another photography prize with his concert pictures this year at the Salem Fair.

( Davey waiting between sets )

Davey did take a handful of pictures of Atreyu as well, but he wasn't quite as impressed with them. Maybe b/c I don't listen to them much? Idk.

( pics of Atreyu )

Then we abandoned our spot and the guys next to us that kept spilling their beer, and went to the merch table to get Jason to sign Davey's Drive A poster. Jason was the only one out there at that time, although Taylor came out a little later and Bruno was around at the end of the show, but we never ventured back over.

( Davey waiting impatiently for The Used )

The Used is so fucking awesome, yall. I <3 them. They actually didn't come right out and start with Blood on My Hands like I was expecting. Dan and Quinn and Jepha came out and were just fucking off playing random shit for several minutes before Bert came out. Bert made sure to tell us more than once it was his birthday. ("It's my fucking birthday; we'll play whatever the fuck song I want!" and "Fuck you, bitch, it's my fucking birthday!") The crowd did sing Happy Birthday to Bert, obviously, and Bert said something along the lines of thinking he was going to be another one who died at the age of 27 but fuck that he made it to 28. Which, obviously, all of us are glad for.

I didn't get pictures of The Used because I spent the entire set with Davey either on my back or on my shoulders. But to give you a bit of perspective of where we were, here's a ( picture of the stage before they came on )

Bert said that the night before he had been trying to convince Bruno to smoke pot with him and Bruno kept telling him no, so Bert finally tackeled that motherfucker and blew pot smoke into his mouth til he was fucked up. Then Bert said he really just wanted an excuse to put his lips on Bruno because Drive A is really fucking adorable. <3333333

At one point, Bert asked if anyone's pussy was getting wet and he immediately turned around and pointed at Jepha and was all "I know your's is", which obviously made my mind go straight to dirty. And I missed part of what he said to Dan after that b/c there was something about Dan's pussy being all dry and dusty. Idek about our boys, yall. <3

Davey was ridiculous. I really kinda wish someone had been with us to get a picture of him. He was on my back or on my shoulders just rocking out and singing along and attracting all kinds of attention, lol. I love my kid, yall. Fyi, Davey's favorite TU song is All That I Got (probably b/c it was the first one he actually heard/learned; you know how that one always stick with you?) and he was SO EXCITED that they played it.

Oh, and Dan knocked over his kit at the end of the show? He had almost knocked part of it over when they came back for their encore because he leaned over it to give Bert a hug, but at the end of everything, I think maybe he was trying to climb over it or something but ended up tripping over it and knocking like half of it over, so then he just kinda shoved the rest of it over? idek, yall.

Afterwards, ( we waited around for m&g. )

Davey and Jepha had a conversation about Perry the Platypus, and I didn't get to hear what he talked to Dan and Quinn about, but he made buddies with Bert and got Bert birthday hugs and that totally made Davey's night. He got them to sign his new Blood on my Hands tshirt and also his shoes. I got them to sign a onesie and Jepha kinda laughed when I set in on the table so I explained that my little sister found out she was pregnant just before we saw them in Baltimore back in the fall so technically the baby's first concert was The Used and Jepha was like "that's awesome! a little weird to think about, but awesome!" And Quinn signed it and was like "is this for your baby girl?" and so I repeated my story and he was like "awww!" and took the onesie back to write "the USED" on it and draw little lines that he said were a cloud. :)

( pics of the shoes & the onesie )

And then I drove three hours home in heavy winds and blowing snow. boooooo!! But Davey had a great time, which is really what counts most, and it was definitely worth it. ♥

I need some advice from the mommies/teachers on my list. Or, well, from everyone, but they might have more insight.

Davey has had a habit of chewing on his clothes for a while. I figured he'd grow out of it, since I remember my brother Tim and Ronnie both going through a phase of chewing/sucking on the collars of their shirts but they both stopped. Davey, on the other hand, is getting worse. He's biting holes in his shirt (seriously, I bought him a Perry the Platypus shirt on Thursday, he wore it on Friday, and he came home with holes in the front of it because he had bitten holes in it) and biting/sucking on his arm. He's never been a thumbsucker or one who puts his fingers in his mouth.

I'm not sure what to do with him. I've thought about getting him a chewy necklace or a chewy bracelet, but I don't remember where to get them. (When I lived with Melanie, one of our daycare kids had a problem with chewing on his shirt and fidgeting and we made him a chewy out of like string and aquarium tubing and he was a totally different kid after that.) Any suggestions??