I'm Back. Now Let's Get To It...

Merry blah blah and Happy New blah. Too late for all that...

No time for a holiday recap, and frankly, you'd get better at a million other blogs. I do have a good story to tell about Xmas day (and following weekend) at the Mungus house, but I'll save it for the next post. I've got an issue and it ain't gonna wait.

I've got two sons. The younger is 3 years old. He's in pre-pre-school (next year pre-school, following year Kindergarten) and is a joy and a love. I've written of him before. Never have I seen a creature so trusting and unconditionally giving of himself. So innocent and full of joy. He's got this awesome devious side as well, which eases my concerns that the world will chew him up. He'll be fine. I am already sure.

My older son is at the ripe old age of 6 and in his fourth year of school (two years of pre-school, etc...). Last year was his first in our local public elementary school and our first to receive reports of concern from his teachers. "He is having trouble paying attention in class" and is sometimes "disruptive." Uh-oh. They started using the buzzwords every parent of a son (or any kid, I suppose) dreads. We met with the Kindergarten teacher last year and she assured us that although she had her "concerns," in all likelihood he would "grow into" the structure of school. But she did warn us that if he was behaving similarly in First grade, it would become a serious issue. "The expectations are raised at every grade change, and behavior evaluations become more stringent" she said.

So here we are in First grade. Hell, the year's 2/3 over... and THE NOTE has been sent home from the teacher: Little Mungus jr. "has had to be spoken to on several occasions over the past few days to calm down and focus on the activities of the class." Oh shit. They're diagnosing him.

Missus Mungus spent yesterday afternoon discussing this issue with a few other Moms outside waiting for the kids to come out. She spoke to five Moms. Three of them have put there kids on medication after "concerns" from the school. She was shocked as am I.

So what the fuck? First thought is: it's all that acid I ate in the early nineties coming back to haunt me. Now my kid is broken. The I look at these round peg in a round hole Moms and think, "there's no way she ever did acid or any other hard drug ever." No basis in fact that one, but I'm pretty sure it ain't that.

So is it something environmental? Town water supply tainted? Maybe it's like mold in the school or some shit? Because I refuse to believe that an entire generation has now evolved out of normalcy and must be drugged to assimilate and function.

Barring environmental causes, here's what I believe has happened: kids haven't evolved, teaching styles have. Back in the good old days of the forties and fifties, teachers were allowed some minor corporal punishment. Kids were scared of their teachers and didn't act out as a result. Thanks to the hippy dippy sixties, everyone said "hey man, relax. They're just kids. You can't go hitting kids... School should be a place where they find out who they are, man. They need to find their inner spirit and set it free..." Then the law suits started, school freaked out and now we're at a place where they are afraid to discipline at all. Geez, they're so afraid of getting sued for "emotional trauma" they don't even declare winners and losers during kids sports anymore. "Everyone wins because we all had FUN!!!" Shit.

My kid is a good kid. He listens (for the most part) at home and we can generally get him to do all the stuff we need him to do. And yes, sometimes he's a little scared of us. Not because we hit. We don't. But he knows when we say fucking do something, you better do it or there will be consequences (usually we just take away a favorite toy or some other deprivation of fun for a span of time).

The school is scared to discipline so they are drugging all the kids.

Let me end by making an admission: as a result of the note, my wife and I called our doctor. He has arranged for our son to be "evaluated." The facility that evaluates kids is so backlogged with requests that we were unable to get an appointment until mid April. It's a fucking epidemic.

In our minds, we dream that this evaluation will prove our son to be labeled "normal," like the last minute DNA evidence that shows up minutes before they pull the switch on the electric chair. Then we will have this document to prove to all the future teachers that yes, we have heard your concerns and our team of experts has assured us that it is your problem Mr. Education System, not ours.

My son's "keep off of drugs free" card has yet to arrive. Let's see if I have the balls to give you an update in a few months when the verdict comes.

FM vs. Reality will resume it's regularly scheduled programming after the end of the 2008 X-Entertainment Advent-ure is over. Please stand by...

I guess we'll see...

I was the first one to vote in my town. I was standing out there at 5:10am - an hour before the polls open. I was there before the volunteers showed up to set up the folding tables and stuff. Sounds extreme, but in reality I'm usually at work by 5am. I got to sleep in for this.

At 6am, when the polls opened there were over 300 people behind me. It was pretty intense. People were having political discussions and debating the referendum questions and shit. Crazy.

I was discouraged from the start. I am a conservative for various reasons and live in an extremely liberal area. In effect my vote doesn't count every year. But I vote religiously every year, local or national. So I voted and my vote didn't count. Obama will be President.

You know, I don't have anything against Obama. He seems like a nice enough guy and will probably do an OK job. It'll do wonders for our international PR at the least. And really, things can't get much worse.

So good luck, Mr. Obama. I didn't vote for you but I welcome you as my new President. Congratulations.

An FM Mini Comic!!!

So I'm thinking now that you know more about me than those I share actual space with and such, I'll start giving you a look at the things I create. Here's a mini comic I drew in my little black book a few weeks back. Click on each page for the full hi-res scan. Enjoy!!

The Apocolypse is Here... But That's OK

So I hear it's the end of the world. I hear the economy is collapsing and the country's infrastructure is caving in. I hear that people are miserable and starving and don't have health insurance and the water is bad and the weather is changing and it's all my fault. I find it hard to believe. What the fuck did I do?

To be honest, my home economy is looking up: the job is busy as ever, I have all the overtime I can handle (still working 60+ hours a week), gas and oil prices are going down just in time for the heating season and my biggest worry is trying to SAVE enough EXTRA money for Xmas. Am I just lucky, or is it not as bad as they're telling me?

Unlike previous years, I haven't kept up on the election. I've been a casual observer this time around. Ultimately, I get the feeling it won't really matter either way; Washington is unable to make any real change in peoples lives these days. For all the fist banging and pontificating, not much will change over the next four years (excepting catastrophic event of course). Philosophically, I lean to the right I guess, so I'll vote McCain. I don't like the government having too much of my money and giving it away on my behalf. When I hear that the US gave billions of dollars in foreign aid or to help out victims of some typhoon or something, I feel I've done my part. I no longer feel obligated to give charitably as in effect the government has done so for me. If the government gave away less, and in turn TOOK LESS FROM ME IN THE FIRST PLACE, I would be inclined to give and ultimately be a better member of society. I don't like the government making these decisions for me. I prefer a government that trusts me to do the right thing.

Anyhoo, back to the coming Armageddon... I actually have been pretty worried about the state of things. But really, it's all rooted in what I see on TV. My neighbors seem happy enough as do my coworkers. There's a general state of malaise and melancholy, but again I think it's coming more from what people BELIEVE is happening as opposed to what is happening to anyone. Sure there are tangible signs of bad mojo in the air, but those can always be found when you look for them.

The only real thing that has happened over the past few weeks is the stock market crash. My 401k lost some big potential bucks there. And a lot of other people lost imaginary money too. And I guess that sucks. When you have your hopes and dreams wrapped up in the promise of invisible wealth it must be disturbing to your sleep and lifestyle as the smoke is blown away. Sorta like trying to drink water with your hands: you can get a good gulp now and again, but you can't hold on. In the end it flows through your fingers.

I prefer to keep my dreams close. I will work to the day I die as it is clear there will not be such a concept as "retirement" when I get there. But as long as my sons grow to be men I can be proud of and they proud of me then fuck the smoke dollars. I'll get by and things will be OK. As they are today.

I'm Not Gone!!!!!

Nope. Not gone. Been working like a dog the past few weeks. But I'm still alive. Catching up on bills and getting ahead for Xmas per the plan.

I'll write something substantive within 48 hours. I promise.


FM

A quick look at now

Today is a good day...

I slept more than my usual 5 hour stretch. Woke to the sound of our giggling children creeping to wake us. Had nice breakfast and watched a little quiet TV while the boys played on the floor with trucks. We all went outside and did a little light yard work. The boys rode their bikes in the driveway and sometimes stopped and pretended to fix my car. It was sunny and cool out with a noticeable autumnal bite in the air.

After the yard was done I had a good, hot shower and crawled into some clean, warm clothes. Right now Mrs Mungus is reading a book, the boys are playing video games in the basement and I have a second to write about how good things are.

Next will be dinner and some play time with the boys. Once they're in bed Mrs Mungus and I plan to watch a movie and maybe start picking through some of the crap in our basement to see if we can get a tag sale together.

We have come to the conclusion that money is much tighter than we have believed for the last few weeks. The traditionally over-the-top Xmas we try to do for the boys every year is looking to be a bit out of reach at the moment. So back to the extra long hours and a few months of belt tightening. Today is Saturday. No work today. Tomorrow is Sunday. No work tomorrow. More than a day before I really have to deal with that reality.

Of course it's good to know you're working for a goal. It's also good to know you're working for the goal of making your kids happy. The reality I am faced with (long hours, weekends at work, etc., to have the ability to get a few extra Xmas gifts for your family) could be much worse (low pay, no overtime, inability to pay bills or mortgage, etc).

I am thankful for what I have. Today is a good day...