A Chip Off Whose Block?

W is in college majoring in Television. Yes, you read that right. You can actually major in Television, though I don't think you can get that baccalaureate degree for the "watching" of Television.

He wants to be a script writer. Somehow he has found and tapped into his long hidden sense of humor: witty or sarcastic, sometimes down right dirty, but always funny. He's called me up lately to read me his "latest" and I am usually quite impressed. He's got a great vocabulary, (this is the kid who spoke in full sentences at 15 months of age) and look out when he aims his rapier wit in your direction.

It's been interesting, flattering and fun getting these calls. They tell me he's well, focused, reasonably happy, and doing something productive. He's actually taken my "suggestion" and now uses the "f" word less often. Yes, many of today's comedians are very funny and still keep the f bomb flying, but I told him he might be even funnier with well placed, well thought out zingers than through the cheap shock value of an oft repeated vulgarity. It's working for him too, he's sort of combined the two and today's piece had me laughing out loud. A real LOL!

The reason he calls to read them to me is because we have an agreement and I do not read his MySpace where he posts these "short stories." He has it set up so that you have to be one of his (hundreds? thousands?) of friends to read anyway, so even YOU might not get past his electronic bouncer. He's gotten back in touch with old friends through MySpace and while we all know the computer can be somewhat isolating if we allow it, I don't see it as much of a problem for him yet. He gets out plenty, though I'll be glad when winter is finally over this year so he can come over and we can hang out over dinner, inside or out on the deck with a fire going. I miss him, at last, an adult son!

Anyway, I might ask if I may post an entry or two of his one of these days but not yet. I just thought I'd mention (brag) about a son who is doing well at the moment, and another writer at that (if by writer you mean someone who taps away on the computer for his own catharsis or the entertainment of others.)

Ah, tomorrow: MHW!

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Answers to your questions:

J does contribute to his college education. He took out his own loans, as much as he was allowed to borrow as a student, and after the first year worked too. He's still paying his, I'm still paying mine, Hex is still paying nada. DePaul is a private university, tuition was high, even based on the income of a single mom's FAFSA. But don't think I need anyone's sympathy or the hat passed. I managed then and I'll manage again. I was just venting because, well, because it's my blog and that's what it's for!

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And once again from the You Can't Make This Stuff Up files:

I noticed Floyd missing today. When I'm lying on the sofa with the fuzzy Peruvian blanket on me, he always jumps up, lays on me and licks the blanket awhile then falls asleep. Like he's nursing. I missed him and wondered when I'd last seen him. Yesterday. I heard a soft meowing but couldn't track it down. No one remembered seeing him since then. Unlike Fally, he's not a talker and meows very quietly. I am so attached to him, that after searching everywhere, I called the police. Sure enough, they had a cat of his description impounded! (The officer actually said they had a "mixed breed cat. He's black and white.") There's no fee (bail) for impounded cats, only dogs, so we drove over to get him without having to stop at the police station first. "Please let us know if he's not your cat." (Like I would be insane enough to pick up yet another [someone else's] cat!)

The building was dark and cold, there was one barking dog in a cage and one barely recognizable black and white cat, meowing loudly. We heard him from outside the building. He was beyond filthy and stunk to high heaven, but he sure was happy to see us. I handed Stinky right off to StW and he had 3 sink-to-sink baths when we got home, scrubbed until the water was clear. He almost didn't mind it. He's getting a collar tomorrow, as apparently they don't check for implanted micro chips.


That leaves StW and Fally as the only males in the household who haven't spent time in the Pen.