It's been a long time since I
missed the summer vacations
we had in school.
Something about this
summer was different. There
were several different occasions
when I caught myself longing
to have a few months away from
it all. (Don't get me wrong, I'm
still having a ball publishing
one of the best community
newspapers in Georgia, but a
summer vacation is a summer
vacation.)
Maybe it was the seemingly
endless stream of golf cars
fi lled with youngsters heading
to swim or to the golf course.
Maybe it was spending a few
months trying to figure out
what we could put in the place
of school news in the paper. Or
maybe I'm just whiny.
(As a side note, I'm beginning
to notice that I've become
quite the bitter 30-year-old
curmudgeon during the last few
months, thinking things like,
"Kids going swimming and
playing golf. Hmmphf! They
need to be out working, cutting
grass, learning responsibility."
Of course, I played golf and
swam a lot when I was their age.
But that is beside the point.)
Which brings me to today.
Summer vacation is all said
and done for McDuffi e County's
students and those from all over
converging on Briarwood.
In a revelation that should
come as a surprise to no one, I
wasn't a real big fan of going to
school. The actual school part
didn't bother me a whole lot, it
was the getting up and getting
there.
I've never been even close to
a morning person, and the idea
of having to get up and go to
school every day made matters
worse. Not much changed in
college - hence, a schedule
wrought with night classes
- and the trend has continued
in my professional life.
There's one difference now
though: I can't stay up either.
Used to be, I could stay awake
half the night working and be
just fi ne the next day. I still have
to do that sometimes, but now
I'm exhausted the following day.
It stinks.
But enough about my sleeping
or lack thereof) habits. Back to
back to school.
One upside of the start of
the school year is the start of
various sports seasons, including
football and softball. I attended
more Thomson High School and
Briarwood football games last
year than in the previous decade
combined, and I'm planning to
be there even more this year.
But there's plenty of time
for sports and extracurricular
activities after the school day
is done.
So get to class, kids, and try
to keep your eyes open.
And, most importantly, don't
expect me to have any sympathy
for your early mornings.
If I've got to be up, you should
too.
Whippersnappers.
