Category Archives: obviously

On education.

[Allie is reviewing an arts school application and is reading about the Dance Dept.]

“…All children study creative modern, theatrical jazz, and national dance. Ballet is an optional program.”

[Looks up in horror]

OPTIONAL BALLET????!?

On the night before school.

[Allie is laying out clothes before bedtime.]

By now, you see, most kids will have established a routine, and I want to do that, too.

On future plans.

Mum. You know that I want to attend Cambridge University.

Yes.

I feel like I need to take some steps to make sure I get there. Would you help me with that?

Absolutely.

Do you have any advice for something specific I can do right now? It’s very important that I get started.

On history.

[Steve was talking about how the US’s natural enemy switched from the Nazis to the Soviet Union after World War II, and then I mentioned something about the nuclear stockpiles/deterrent.]

[Affects a serious look.]

Ahhhhh, the Cold War. Yes.

On stuffies.

Mum, you know what?

What’s up, kid?

I wish I had a Kenneth Branagh stuffed animal. You know, just to squeeze.

On parental supervision.

MUM. I’ve been trying to surprise you every morning, but you keep noticing me.

YOU REALLY NEED TO BE A LITTLE LESS ATTENTIVE.

On precision.

[Allie is gently squeezing clementine pieces and then moving certain ones from the pile to a neat stack on the other side of her plate.]

What are you up to, kiddo?

I am palpating each segment, and then filing them. These ones [indicates the tidy stack] require further attention because they contain seeds.