all tied up, with some place to go

Another milestone in the youngster's life came to pass this morning. I just don't know if, in the long run, it's a good thing.

The youngster started 8th grade this morning at his little Catholic school. On Wednesdays they attend Mass, and the boys, from 5th grade up, wear a shirt and tie to Mass. For the vast majority of them, these ties are clip ons, or some variation thereof, but they aren't ties you actually have to tie. Well, this year the youngster decided to wear a real tie. This year, school starts on a Wednesday. He spent some time over the last week practicing with it and today, for the first time in his life, he's wearing a real tie, that he tied, in public. Yeah, he's feelin' all growed up.

Little does he know, that noose will be around his neck for a long time to come. I guess it's a lot like the first time you mow your yard. You get 10 minutes of pride in what you accomplished, followed by 50 years of....oh shit, now what have I done?