I should be doing homework

So I have to write a unit lesson plan and I have a paper due by Saturday. I should be doing those things... obviously I'm not. Although I think I'm going to take a lesson plan for my last class (revolving around the novel The Death of Ivan Ilyich) and expand that into an entire unit. It shouldn't be too hard to do. So I have the groundwork done, but have to get into the specifics for this assignment.

I am SO DONE with school. Unfortunately school isn't quite so done with me. I will preserver however, especially after my Uncle Wes' memorial service. We were all reminded that day how much my Uncle prized education (he was a high school Principal) and so my Master's Degree will be dedicated to the memory of Uncle Wes. I'll probably even make the trek down to San Diego for my graduation ceremony (I didn't walk when I got my BA, which disappointed my mother). My ultimate goal is to get my PhD, but I have to wait until the kids are in school before I do that. I can work as a teacher for 6 years and then go back... and then I can be one of those tweed wearing super liberal college professors - only I don't really love tweed.

Speaking of Uncle Wes, the memorial was Sunday and like I noted on Facebook - I really enjoyed spending time with my family, even though the occasion was a sad one. The memorial and the reception afterward were very cathartic, at least for me. I hope that others felt the same. In a lot of ways it reminded me of my Grandpa Vern's memorial, Uncle Wes and Grandpa Vern went to the same high school (Uncle Wes' brother, my Grandpa Larry, was my Grandpa Vern's best friend in high school... in fact, my Grandpa Vern ended up marrying Grandpa's Larry's cousin, my Grandma Ruth. The story is long and involved, but very, very interesting).

Anyway, Wes has grandchildren who were the same age as I was when Grandpa Vern passed - and it brought back a lot of memories about how I felt when Grandpa died. It sucks having someone you love pass away, but quite frankly it sucks even more when you're a preteen/teenager. In my opinion, the most difficult time to loose a loved one is between the ages of 12 & 17. I think it's because at that age you're old enough to understand what's going on, but not yet old enough to be able to process things like an adult... maybe it's puberty that does it. Maybe it's emotional maturity - heck, it could even be brain development. Whatever it is, my Grandfather's death when I was 12 hit me much, much harder than the death of any subsequent loved one. Of course, I'm basing my opinions off of my own personal experience - so I could be totally and completely wrong about the whole 12-17 thing.

Ok, that was quite the tangent... to get back on track: the memorial. I cried, but I also laughed - it's hard not to when hearing stories of Uncle Wes' shenanigans, the man had fun and got into trouble (and had fun getting into trouble). He was very smart, very loud, very opinionated, and very well loved. The high school gym was overflowing with people - and there were still more who couldn't make it that day.

Penelope did pretty well for being 10 1/2 months. Bryan took her out near the end to walk around, but I was proud of her. She thought that the loudspeaker was hilarious and would laugh almost every time a voice would be projected out of it, she would also laugh when we would laugh at one of Uncle Wes' "Wes-isms" (my favorite being: Are you working at being a smart ass, or is it a natural talent?). She didn't get the joke, but she just wanted to laugh along with the crowd, Uncle Wes probably would have found it incredibly amusing.

I am sad that Penny never got to meet him - she would have LOVED him. She'll never get to meet a lot of really wonderful people... but such is life.