Four cocks and ...

twenty-four hens.

This was the situation that I found myself in when I decided to stick around for a parent committee meeting after another meeting at TC's school. I figured, if I want certain things from the school, then I need to be active in forming those things. So, off I trundled to this parent meeting, where I suspected would have had mainly female parents participating; I was right. This being an all girls school, it was not to be unexpected. I was just a little disappointed that more fathers did not feel they should be there. Mothers do so much as it is, one would think in these modern times, fathers would want to step up and be counted. Seems only four of approximately 697 of them do. Such is life.

Anyhow, as to the meeting itself, it was a strange mix. There was a bunch of political stuff so I glazed over and worked on my network diagram (reworking the old home network). There was a changing of the guard as a new chair was taking over and elections for the year were held (more like nominations, forcible acceptance and volunteering). I would have tried for a position (the chair because I like power) but I knew I would be over my head so I am going to observe for a year and see what my commitment can realistically be. And then there was a lot of yakking, a LOT of yakking, about this and that. All told, it ran about two and half hours; an hour of which could have been dispelled with if not for all the yakking. Now, ladies, do not tar and feather me as I continue, but this could basically be contributed to the fact that we had mostly women there.

Meeting etiquette was nearly non-existent, besides people talking over each other and cutting off one another's sentences, you had one person (male #4) who HAD to have his phone on. Has he never heard of the vibrate only mode? Male #1 was a fairly boisterous dude that in any other setting may have been seen as pushy or loud. In this setting, the poor man was simply fighting to be heard; literally.

I found it extremely interesting how so many perspectives differ in a group of women. You had the practical folks (just get the damn job done), the artsy group (it has to look just 'so'), and the followers (whatever you think is best). The thing is, all the perspectives tend to lead many times off topic and to beat something to death. It does show the various 'types' of people though. One woman had to show how many connections she has and who she knows. It is one thing to volunteer to get those resources; it is another when the manner comes off as "see who I am?" One woman had to list how many different committees she belonged to and how busy she was. I'm sorry but I had to think to myself, we would be able to do the same if that damn working for a living and feeding the family thing did not get in the way. Yea, yea, I'm a cynical, sarcastic SOB' so sue me.

The strangest discussion of the evening came from the talks about the church (Catholic High School) that the graduation was to be held in. There has been a number of places that the school has held its graduation in over the years. As a tradition, they feel the need to have the mass, the ceremony, and the awards all in one place, along with the reception afterwards. Most school shave figured out that you can hold everything but the reception at the same place. In fact, for grade thirteen, my class invited our more favorite teachers to the party but it was not a school sanctioned event so we paid for it all, held it where we wanted to and had a great time (well, I did for the little time left as I rushed from the airport to the grad having just come back from a geography trip in Barbados). They are so concerned with the tradition that they are missing out on the fact that for a little more fundraising, they can give the grads a truly wonderful party at a proper banquet facility. I don't see the costs being that much different than when I went to school and my family was not rolling in dough but we managed to send me twice. Also, I worked part-time at a gas station so I paid for a bunch of it myself. Ah well, we will see if I can interject any insight into the discussion since I was probably the latest graduate in the room and actually can remember it all (ouch, did I just say that?).

One very interesting discussion was concerning the building of a new school. TC was lucky enough to enjoy her last elementary year in the first year of the new school. She will have graduated, I fear, by the time they figure out when and where to build the new high school. And therein lies the problem. Everyone connected to the school wants the school to be rebuilt on the same site. A lot of schools are having this done, temporarily holding up in portables or vacant schools or sharing low population schools during the new construction. The problem at this site is that there are currently three buildings that are being used to house the high school and I think one is shared with an adjacent school. It is set right in the middle of the neighbourhood but unlike modern schools, it is not on its own plot of land but rather adjacent to old homes surrounding the site. So, it makes construction a challenge as you have noise, environment and traffic issues to work out with the community. I can tell you that they are supportive but supportive people turn unsupportive quickly when they get woken too early, kept up too late, get too dirty or are delayed in the normal course of their day. Personally, I will be working with the group to build on the same site. The place has character and history and that should not be lost on the board.

As a final note, I was both amused and irritated by some of the costume characters that make up this committee. There are Mary Tyler Moore types, Mrs. Kitty Foreman types and the secretary from Ferris Bueller types. The ones that grated on me though where the very smug, snooty Harper Valley PTA types with the fake laughter, over expressive emotional outbursts and cutesy pukesy sayings (oh, that is SO precious... my heart... we could do a scrapbooking clinic). Gawd, gag me with a spoon!

Now, to end this, the highlight of the night was a well orchestrated moment by yours truly. You see, at the start of the meeting, we went around and introduced ourselves one by one. When it got to me, I said who I was, that TC just started grade nine and then I mentioned casually that I had a special relationship with the current principal. Of course, the whole room whipped around to look at me and the "woooooooos" started up. The principal turned red as she said my school name (FL) and I confirmed that it was correct. Now, you ask, why would I do such a thing? Because, the moment I found out that TC was going to this school and who the principal was, I have explained to her, warned her, that I will have access like no one else. It means tighter tabs on her. It means an understanding. It means that fun is dead. Hee hee. Well, she comes home the following day and she is aghast, appalled at what transpired. She walked into a class and a girl she knew that is in her class, but not someone she really knows, comes up to her and asks TC her name. Asks her if my name is her father; she confirms it. Then the girl breaks out into sing song about how she would not want to be TC. When TC asks why, she repeats the words that were spoken that night, says how it means she won't be able to get away with anything, and how her father's brothers (if he had any) must not have gotten away with anything at FL either, or just did not bother to go there. I just laughed my head off. TC was not amused.

Speaking of FL, my LB did not go to the school (he went to the choir boy's school) specifically because I broke it for him. Suffice it to say that I had more than two people's share of adventures and run-ins during my five years of high school. So, when my LB, five years younger, walked into the school (I think it was a parent-teacher night or some other assembly), a few teachers immediately recognized him and a couple even called him by name. When we got home, he stated that there was no way he was going to FL. When I asked him why, he said that because of me, they all knew him and he would not be able to get away with anything. He was toast before he even attempted anything in there and our parents had way too friendly a relationship with the staff. Our father would get off work early and just show up for a "chat" in the middle of the afternoon. I would hear in last period that he was there. Such a nice man they would say. Yeah right. Conniving and sneaky I would say. So, LB went off to choir boy's school so he could wreak havoc on the rich kids with wild abandon.

I love it when a plan comes together.

Peace.