As beautiful as the morning began the night is filled with thunder and flashes of lightning and the sound of rain is lulling everyone into a cozy sleep.  The dog is hiding under the table at my feet(big chicken) and I am sure as soon as my son walks in the door he will be glued to the window looking for the lightning to strike.  Today was all about getting stuff done and I was on fire today but ready to curl up under the cool sheets myself now.  I have discovered the yumminess of roasting red and orange peppers(we always have plenty on hand) and tonight made a thai inspired red pepper sauce with whole wheat pasta.  Not bad for first attempt.  School starts in another week here and I am not so sure I am excited about it as I have been in the past.  My feelings on public schools are so conflicted.  I grew up the "black sheep" in the family and followed my own drummer as far as my appearance and music and overall beliefs. My parents though not immediately but eventually were amazing in letting my express myself and search for myself.  Not trying to fit me into any mold of what they wanted for a daughter.  I am that way with my son but it seems the schools are so narrow minded and unaccepting of anyone somewhat different I am afraid he is having that creativity squashed by the people he ends up spending more time with during the week anyway.  I remember George Carlin in one of his later shows talking about how the whole school system trys to force our kids to conform and comply and turns them into drones and I do really believe a lot of that.  It really just comes down to wanting your kids to be happy and thrive and wanting to support them no matter what and when so many people think they need to have a hand in others lives you just have to stop and yell BACK OFF I'm the parent I will handle this.  Funny thing is I swore my child would grown up surrounded by art and culture and I would not try to put him into a cookie cutter mold but of course that didn't quite work out that way.  I have managed to instill a love of all music in him and just today he surprised me when a song by Steve Miller Band came on the radio he not only recognized the sound and could name the band he named several of their songs.  This is his last year of middle school I feel I really need to step it up as a parent and be better than I have been in past.