We've Got a Fast Car and Other Ramblings

Tommy's Cub Scout Pack finally had it's Pinewood Derby race this past Saturday. All three biys made cars to race. We entered one scout car and two outlaws. Tommy's car lost a wheel the first race. It didn't do well at all. Charles' car on the other hadn was a fast fast car. He was second place among the outlaws. The outlaw cars were faster than the scout cars. Joey's car was a middle of the road car.

Then, this week, Charles science fair project was due. After four years of science fair projects, I am still not sure exactly WHAT the purpose of this is. The paper work the school sends home says it teaches the scientific method. whoopdeedoo. That's what science class is for. I think the real purpose of these stupid projects are is to teach kids how long they can procrastimnate before the due date and still get a good grade. The expectations set on these "projects" are almost impossible for a kid to do it on his own. So for the past two weeks we've been working on this stupid project. Last night, it took us three hours to get the board presentable and then, we realized we had two elements in the wrong order. So we (meaning ME) had to peel those little crappy plastic letters off the board, off setting my centering- that we carefully measured.

I remember when I was a kid, yes that far back, project posters were done with crayons and markers, not computer generated graphics and pictures of the project. There's always a little note that says projects don't HAVE to be typed. BUt, any wise parent knows, only those typed projects will take top marks for neatness. This year, Charles is finally old enough to know how to do this on the computer and finally is a fst enough typist that he did most of the work himself but still.

Science fair projects are like classes like trigonometry and calculus. The only time you ever need to know this crap is when you have to help your children with their projects. So children, learn these lessons now. The real reason you have to take classes like calculus and do science fair projects and book reports is so when you have children of your own, you can help them do their homework. I have never had to make a science fair project board for kudos in the adult world.