December 6: Nature of the Beast, Another Final, Another Potluck

Last night, I was driving my daughter home from dance.  We were having a great time.  I had Christmas music on the radio.  We stopped at Wal-Mart, and I bought her a bag of her favorite, white chocolate Lindt truffles for her birthday.  She was in the back seat, playing with her iPod.  Then I made the mistake.

"Do you have any homework to get done tonight, sweety?" I said.

From behind me, I heard a groan followed by sounds of possession.  Then silence.

I waited for my daughter to answer.  After a few moments, I said, "Did you hear me, honey?"

I heard a bark from the back seat.  "Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!" my daughter said.  "I have homework to do!"

"Do you have a lot?" I said, thinking I was still in the happy, father-daughter mode.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!" she said again.

"What's wrong, honey?" I said.

"I HATE homework," she said.  "Can you please stop talking?!"

And that was it.  For the rest of the evening, she was a completely different animal.  She became an almost teenage girl with almost teenage hormones surging.  It was a battle.  I know that's the nature of the beast, especially at the age my daughter is.  It just caught me off guard.  I went from being the best daddy in the world to a grunting Tim Allen character (minus the cars and tools and guns).

Today, I have another final to create.  Mythology this time.  I already did some work on it, so I'm hoping it won't take me quite as long as my Good Books final took me to put together.  I just want to be done with teaching right now.  I'm tired and still a little under the weather.  If God wants to bless me today, He will let me finish this Mythology final in about an hour's time.

I also have another potluck today.  This time, it's the Christmas potluck for the entire medical office in which I work.  I made another quiche, less the broccoli.  Some people don't like little trees with their cheese and chicken.

It's going to be another long day.  However, I don't feel quite so pressed for time as I did all day yesterday.  I'm not sure why.

Saint Marty needs to find an exorcist for his almost teenage daughter.

Get me some holy water!