Ah, the first week of school. Fall is in the air.

No, it’s not. This is Texas. Sweat is in the air. And on my upper lip.

But still, the first week of school. Mothers everywhere are rejoicing in a few kid-free hours each day. And other mothers everywhere are judging them for rejoicing. And the first set of mothers is muttering, “Ha. I just painted all 10 fingernails at one time, rather than over the course of nine hours like I have to do when I’m the snack supplier, sunscreen applier.”

Wait right there. This is not a parenting styles or school choices debate. You won’t find that kind of thing here, because it’s rotten when anyone is self-righteous about their choice or judgmental about someone else’s choice. We all know we’re the right one anyway, so why bother? (You could read that as a deep thought, as in: you’re always right because it’s your choice and nobody should make you feel wrong. Or you can read it sarcastically. Either way, you’re right.)

Whether you are in favor of home school, traditional school, or the school of hard knocks is none of my business. I’m not here to be self-righteous. I’m certainly not speaking out against home schooling. In fact, if you are doing it and your family is happy, then I think you’re amazing. My family – and by family, I mean me – would be in jail if we attempted it, so more power to you.

I’m also not speaking out in favor of traditional schooling. It’s our choice right now, and there are a lot of upsides (for us), but there are also things like ineffectual administrators that make me want to scream. I believe that’s another post for another day.

So. What am I speaking out in favor of here?

Nail polish, for one. I’ve been doing my own nails, trying to save a little cash. I was never much of a mani/pedi girl to begin with, so Mark argues that this sudden interest in my nails is actually costing us money. I saw him eyeing my new bottle of the perfect fall-ish pink polish. I don’t think it was a “That is going to look amazing on my beautiful wife” eye, either. Well, he can just deal with it, because now I have time to paint my nails and he can’t stop me with his side eye.

I didn’t say I was good at this.

What else am I in favor of?

Learning new things. By mid-November I’m going to be an improv comic. Now that, right there, is the best joke ever, isn’t it? Seriously, though, I’m taking an improv class with my friend, Carol. I don’t have my heart set on Second City. Don’t worry. I’m taking the class to develop my voice (creatively, not vocally), and work on character, story, timing.

I have a grand total of seven more hours each week than I had last fall and spring, thanks to some extra preschool days for the little dude. It’s not a ton of time, but I plan to spend those hours working at my craft (read that sentence with some oozing pretense, okay?). I realize, especially if you’re not in a creative field, that what I just told you sounds like bunk. That’s alright. It’s my bunk and I like it.

What else am I in favor of?

I’m in favor of quite a bit, actually. So much, in fact, that I often think, oooohhhh, I want to try that (or buy that or do that or be that). I hope my extra seven hours each week help me silence some of the noise. Maybe I’ll finally decide what it is I’m most in favor of doing, being, trying, buying.

So even though it doesn’t feel like fall yet, and likely never really will because this is the land of two seasons (hot and hotter, har har), I’m feeling good. Aside from the sweat, that is. I’m feeling good, looking forward to learning new stuff, to tackling the school year alongside my kids. And to painting my nails in peace.

Oh, gosh, just thought of one last thing I need to tell you today.

I’m in favor of saying goodbye to Wonder, Friend. You read that right, sister. I don’t have an exact date for you, but Wonder, Friend is going to the big archive in the sky – or Al Gore’s house or wherever it is the internet lives – and I’m moving my blog to a new site. It’s simply time to move on.

I’ll keep you posted (literally, as in I’ll write a post about it, not the new figurative literal. What is up with that?). When the time comes, I’ll do all those annoying blog-related things, like ask you to like my Facebook page, subscribe to the new blog, etc., etc. And then I’ll do all of that again in case you miss it the first time. I may even do it all a third time.

And with that, I’m in favor of ending this post. All that fall sweat in the air means that, whether I’m in favor of it or not, I have a lot of laundry to do right now. As soon as my nails dry.