Tah-key Day

Okay folks, you can officially have a heart attack.

Two Merryman blogs in one day!

But I just had to blog about another experience from my day - cause it's funny. :)

At least, I think so... I'm not as great a writer as Emily, but here goes...

So... NSA, Dennis's arts magnet, is crazy. In so many ways. It's a great school but ever since they opted out of standard school attire allowing their students to wear saggy pants and trench coats - I have to admit I've stopped trusting their decision making abilities.

So NSA is having spirit week. No sports teams. They're going to cheer at their art work. Which I'm cool with. What I'm a little not cool with is "Gender Switch" day. Really? Is that still okay? Because in an art school full of children wrestling with gender confusion already I feel like dress like the opposite sex day is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. We aren't doing these kids any favors by saying - just try this stuff on - it's fun! You'll like it! YAY Spirit Week!

Okay, so you know where I stand on that... :) So Dennis tells me the days... School Color Day (I have no idea what those are because you don't have cheers at games to teach you - probably black and black - emo kids...sheesh...), Pajama Day - (oh Lord, from what I see when I drop Dennis off, this one is going to be a disaster, too.) Then there is Decade Day - you can pick any decade. Chaos - I'm way to theme-y for that... (but I did hear dennis say he thinks he'll wear socks pulled up and his smallest soccer shorts. I told him he'd need Emily's opinion on how to dress like the 80's - knowing she would have just the right way of saying - little shorts show your business - lets keep that covered!) And finally Tah-key day.

So, then I say - "Dennis, what is Tah-key day?" He says - "You know, where people dress Tah-key." So I think (as I often have to - what would this sound like with a bright A sound? Oh, right TACKY Day!) So, without thinking I say... "Why do you need a day for that - it's like every day at NSA - why don't you do something totally wild and dress in standard school attire for old times sake!" (no response - just a look like - "oh, dad...")

So, a few days have gone by, and even after the ridiculous ride to school this morning that Emily wrote about, and me wanting to just open the door in front of the Nolensville Road Salvation Army and say - you're so smart, why don't you find your way to school... he asks as we pull up to school... "Is tah-key offensive?" I say... "Not really, it's not like saying a bad word or calling someone a name." He says, "Okay, good." I obviously have to inquire why he asked... :) He says... "Well, I was making posters after school to get everyone to dress for Spirit Week (good little student council-er like his dad) and I was drawing images on the posters to help visual learners. (He probably heard that from me, Lord...) I drew like man and woman symbols on gender switch and pajama pants for pajama day... and for tah-key day I just wrote NSA.

OML (that's oh - my - Lord!) Jesus help me! So I said... "Oh, Dennis that is kind of offensive!" He asks why. :) I say - "Well, saying someone's outfit is tacky is like saying they're an idiot because they couldn't match their clothes. " "Oh, oh no." he says... :) So I say, "Yeah - it's like saying - look - all of you are stupid and can't dress! YAY! Dress like that today!" (which I pretty much believe but should have never alluded too in front of him - I'm learning to be a dad of a teenager at 31.)

Dennis, dear Dennis says: "But when you get ready to leave the house Emily tells you your clothes look tah-key." I laughed hard on the inside and said... "That doesn't make it kind! Emily does her best to keep me from looking like a fool and dressing tah-key - but you shouldn't tell your whole school that - that's why they have mamas! (even though these mamas must be blind or have no control over their children...)

So he said he was going to go to run to Ms. Miranda, his student government sponsor, and see if he could change it. :) (And don't worry, I did let him know that the appropriate thing to draw was someone in stripes AND plaids, or something like that.)

Why can't they just have Crazy Hat Day like we did! (Man I wore that Goofy hat with the buck teeth from Disney world every year like a champ) :) Or bring back Backwards Day -- remember Kris Kross? :)

So tonight as I get ready to make a pot of chili for my family, I'm thankful that...

1. Dennis is learning, slowly, to say A like cat, hat, and tacky.

2. Dennis is opting out of Gender Switch Day. (cause, student council member or not, I wouldn't let him out of the house even if he wanted to participate)

3. Ms. Miranda hadn't hung the posters up yet.

4. Emily keeps me from looking afright.

chili. hell's kitchen. sleep. :)