It's time to go back....back...back to school again

Am I the only one that feels the need - er ah - urge to go buy "Back to School" supplies?

I'm a pen whore from the get go, so when it's this time of year I have to walk down the pen aisle. I tell myself it's to "just see" what's out there. But I know that there's a 95% chance I'll leave with a new pen - of which I don't need.

And let's not forget back to school clothes shopping. A friend of mine has kept this tradition for herself every year. Even now when she's in her 30's - she still buys "Back to School" clothes. I like that tradition. I might have to jump on that bandwagon.

As I sat behind a school bus yesterday letting kids off after their first day of school, the oddest thought crossed my mind. "Do they still make GarAnimals?" And if they do, why don't they make them for adults? Because I gotta tell ya, I know a few fashion (maybe color blind) people who could use them. The marketing genius around GarAnimals was the matching of the animals. Lion pants matched with Lion Shirts. Oh sweet simplicity!

Remember how exciting the first days back to school were. By the end of the first week you would have worn ALL your new cloths and had to go back to the "last year" models. And how for the first week you'd actually do your homework on time, and try to write perfectly in your new notebook - and swear that you'll write perfectly all year so it looks nice and neat.

Then somewhere after the first month you just don't care anymore. School somehow becomes a drag (can you tell I wasn't the brain in school?). Suddenly you long for the Christmas break. And you wonder how on earth you'd ever make it through. Oh the drama.

Of course, for me, starting a "new" school happened rather frequently. My parents will be celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary this Friday. (There's a point here I promise). As I was doing things for their party, like figuring out how many miles they had traveled together, how many houses they owned, etc. I started thinking about how many schools I went to. Here's the break down.

Kindergarten - I don't even remember going to Kindergarten. Maybe I was a super genius and I didn't have to go learn how to paste and color.

1st Grade: Two (I think) We were in Minot, ND and we went to a public school and a Catholic school. I suspect we went to a public school after the Catholic School, but I don't recall.

2nd Grade: Two - I think - its blurry. It was a long time ago. I think 2nd grade started in Minot ND, but ended in Great Falls, Montana.

3rd Grade: This was the grade to end all grades. FOUR schools. All in Great Falls, MT, but 4.

4th Grade: Two - started in GF then moved to Lancaster, CA. Promptly got a D in California History, which I argued was fair considering we'd only been in CA for like a month.

5th - 6th Grade - Same school Can you believe it? El Dorado Elementary

7th - 8th Grade - Same School - Piute Jr. High. Home of the Warriors

9th Grade: Antelope Valley HS

10th Grade: TWO: Crossed borders and went to rival school Quartz Hill High. Then we moved to Redmond, Wa and I went to Redmond High for the remainder of the year. Best part about this was I got an A in Geometry. We covered the same stuff I had already covered in CA. So there's a whole half of Geometry I never learned.

11th Grade: Started at Redmond High and ended in Switzerland at The American School in Switzerland.

12th: Same School

So by the time I graduated I had attended - wait I have to go back and count - hold please.

15 schools. Is that a lot? Feels like a lot.

And let's not talk about how many places I've lived in my 37 years. That's another blog for another time. Besides, I hear there's a Back to School Sale going on at the local drug store...gotta go.