The more things change...

A wonderful three-day weekend coming up for me, and I don't have anything overly eventful planned. Just the way I like it, much of the time. I may actually *gasp* finish Amethyst Elegance - it's working up very quickly. But otherwise, it'll be a time to relax. Once my chores are done, of course.

Since things have been busy at work and at home, I haven't thought of anything clever to blog about. So, it's back to the time-tested method of picking a meme and running with it. In this case, I'm using this week's Tuesday Twosome - pretty topical considering this was the first full week of school for my girls.

Back To School....(What you prefer now or preferred when you were in school)
Well, my answers for some of these are different, depending on whether I answer as a student, or as the parent of a student! Things look different from the other side of the fence!
1. Cafeteria or sack lunch
Growing up, I tended to pack my lunch more often than not - it was a lot cheaper, and you could at least identify the food.

That said, I think cafeteria food has come a long way since then, so I provide the money for the kids to get school lunches. A lot less hassle for me (I don't have to pack a lunch) and they can get a more nutritious lunch than I could put together.

2. CliffsNotes or read the book:
I always read the book. I don't think I've ever used CliffsNotes in my life, and I would strongly disapprove of my kids doing so. Reading is a pleasure, and I would imagine that CliffsNotes don't give you the rhythm of the language, or the true *sense* of it. Now, maybe supplementing a read by looking at CliffsNotes for themes wouldn't be quite so bad, I suppose. And if one is having to read James Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - well, I'll allow an exemption for that. I had to read it for AP English and I hated it...

3. Uniforms or wear whatever you want:
When I was in school, I preferred to wear whatever I wanted. Now, at least what I chose to wear was well within the bounds of modesty, which is more than I can say for many teens nowadays. Dress code violations, anyone?

In general, I can see arguments for both sides. On one hand, wearing what you want (so long as it stays in dress code!) can be an expression of individuality. And in general is cheaper to purchase than school uniforms. On the other hand, uniforms practically guarantee dress code compliance, and remove a lot of the peer issues - you can't get picked on for your clothes if you're wearing the same as everyone else. Next year DD will need to start wearing school uniforms all the time. (Fortunately her blue/grey plaid uniform jumper looks very good on her coloring). DsD is about to graduate from public school, so it will be a nonissue for her.

4. Math or Science:
Oh, tough call! I always did well in both math and science, so it ultimately came down to individual classes/teachers. The more math-y sciences were best - I loved physics, and chemistry was a blast. I wasn't quite so big on biology - the smell of formaldehyde on dissection days was awful.

5. Homework or detention:
Well, I only ever had detention once, and most of us got let out early because the monitor needed to keep a closer eye on the worst troublemakers. I suppose whether homework or detention is preferable depends on the reason. Detention is a fixed duration, but afterschool detention can really throw a wrench into transportation plans. Homework could be helpful for learning, either curriculum-related, or in making a point. And it could be done at home. But from the student's perspective, it's also a bigger pain in the rear. Writing 100 times "I will not throw spitballs in class" isn't likely to deter hardened spitball warriors, unless it gives them carpal tunnel syndrome.