chicago '08

we spent labor day at a clam bake on the sound. that's what you want to hear, isn't it? well, we really spent labor day eating an enormous breakfast at 11am at an Ilona-tastic diner in a nearby small town. breakfast was followed by a nap so long that it took 3 hours to shake the grogginess.

I reunited with Abe. he's back from 3 weeks in the czech republic. he gave me an enthuiastic hug that, were he 10 years younger, would have bordered on creepy. (he once told Hugsband that 'I don't like skinny girls; more like that is good' with a gesture towards me. compliment? I think not.)

I finally got my sherry hour invitation from the director of the clinic. turns out sherry hour is in the middle of the afternoon, and I will see clients after. I love doing play therapy with alcohol on my breath.

Hugsband is in the process of calling all of the parents of his students. it's very cute to watch. all of the parents are pleasantly surprised and a little chatty. the school is quite racially diverse (35% white, 31% black, 9% latino, 25% asian), and the grade levels are divided by ability. they might as well be divided by skin color. it's really terrible. I don't understand why in 2005 such disparities still exist, and I really don't know why the school would insist on separating kids by 'ability' (it should be called 'experience') when the curriculum is the same for everyone. one of Hugsband's colleagues was calling the classes 'high' and 'low', and Hugsband suggested they find something else to call them. sadly, he could call them 'has means to get out of town in case of natural disaster' and 'would be stuck because of limited resources'. certainly, I saw things like this is LA and chicago, but the disparities in new haven are even more striking. it's enough to send me on another month long vacation on my ranch in texas with my head up my ass.