Dear Roger;Playing Well With Others

Well I did it! I went out yesterday and I had coffee with a couple of friends in a public place and hung out for over four hours! We laughed and talked about all the things we have in common, mostly our love of the funky little band, and those that revolve around it, music and movies. They are vastly younger than me, but I dont really relate to people my age anyway. You dont find to many 41 year olds that still want to be down in the mosh pits or racing dirt bikes or doing other things that could potentially create mayhem. We made plans to go do other things like finally, for me, go to Powells Books! We are going to go on Thursday and I am pretty damn excited about that, even though I dont have a dime to spend there. We are also going to a concert on the 31st at the Doug Fir! I have friends now to do things with that I like doing, and that is pretty damn cool.

Things are as usual around here again, kids are back in school,(THANK GOD!), I am looking for a better job, and we are flat assed broke. So its pretty much SNAFU as usual. The weather is pretty damn cold and that makes getting outside not a lot of fun, but we are coping and we have enough hats and scarves and things to outfit a small army. I'm not a big fan of the winter hats, in fact I think they make me look a little dorky, but once my ears get cold, I quit giving a damn about the dorkiness of it all and I put the frakking hat on. My son is the one that chooses to freeze on a daily basis. I bought him hoodies, beanies, a hat with ear flaps, gloves and a black wool pea coat, but all he wears is a hoodie and maybe some days his fingerless gloves. I am amazed he hasn't had something fall off.

My son has been all weird again. I dont know if him and his girlfriend are fighting or what, but hes been so damn cranky and irritable and no fun to be around. His room smells like a YMCA locker room for transients, and he shaved himself again...totally. I dont get why he does that and it drives me a little crazy. I figure that maybe that is why he is a little cranky, after all, when all that starts growing back out, it has to itch like hell, but he shaves himself totally and its just weird. He hangs out in the house in his boxers, so its not like a big secret that hes normally a hairy guy. But he came into the kitchen yesterday and it was all gone, and even his sister noticed. "You shaved your chest and belly! EWWW!" and then I noticed that even his legs were bare and I was just a bit nonplussed. First I was distressed wondering if he had swiped my razor again, and then I was wondering what would compel a boy that should be thrilled to be physically more mature than guys his age, to do that to himself? I know they are doing swimming during gym class this section, but geesh! He just grabbed his plate and disappeared into his room after snarling at us to mind our own business. I just sent him a video file of the transformation of Jackson Rathbone into the 'Amanda" character on Criminal Minds" to his gmail. I heard him open it, but then he opened the door to his room and flipped me off and said,'NOT FUNNY,MOM!" I thought it was, he likes that episode and watches it every time it comes on. Boys are weird. I just gotta say that. I love him dearly, but I just dont get him some days.