August 25: First Day of School for Zoey

Zoey doing a doodle game at the retreat

Zoey's senior year began with a retreat in Ramona, about 20 miles from our home.  It was just an overnight stay and the seniors got to come parading into school the next afternoon playing wacky instruments.  Zoey had Aidan's banjo.  Zoey's closet friend from her first two years at LJCDS, grades 7 and 8, returned to LJCDS after three years at La Jolla High.  During those years, she wasn't the best long distance (25 miles) friend and Zoey had her heart broken a little bit.  She tried to keep up, but it wasn't mutual.  So, now she is back and hanging with a sketchy crowd, a few cheerleaders, etc. Not Zoey's social circle.  It's going to be an adjustment for Z to have her back and figure out how to have a casual, passing friendship with someone who once meant so much to her.  On that note, another friend who Zoey was very close with throughout high school has drifted away but still acts like they are as close as ever.  This girl has always been a compulsive over achiever and do-er, staying up past midnight most nights working on homework.  She was late to the retreat because she was finishing her last day of an internship, for what, who knows.  Zoey is a bit like a guy when it comes to personal details....  Anyway, she feels awkward around this girl as well and is feeling a little emotional ache as she learns to navigate these changing friendships while being true to herself.  And her true self is a genuinely nice one who doesn't like to be indifferent to others, but, she is realizing that she can't put herself out there and expect any returns with these people either.

Charlene, Zoey and her co-editor-in-chief Adrienne at yearbook camp this summer (Pepperdine)

On top of that, she was in tears yesterday because she learned that, not only is the musical this year going to be a review, it will be put on in the winter, thus conflicting with waterpolo.  This conflict occurred in 10th grade and, although Zoey got permission from the dean of students to do a sport and perform in the musical at the same time, the director, Mr Goh, the dance teacher, did not cast her.  She was devastated but knew that he probably didn't want to deal with a student who would miss rehearsals for games.  So, she feels like she has two strikes against her this year.  Again, another learning experience for her and us.  My first response was to step in and send an email to someone, but I quickly realized that she has to handle this on her own and might have some cachet being a senior.  I also told her I would go in and act like an entitled rich person and demand that she be cast since we are paying (half) of the big chunk of money that is tuition.

Zoey's schedule worked out so that she has two free periods this semester and one free next semester.  At first Bill and I thought this was crackers, but she explained to us that most kids have free periods as seniors, even the dedicated students - except her once friend.  After we calmed down and stopped yelling about getting out money's worth, she explained that one of the periods would be used to work on the Palette, the school newspaper of which she is Editor-in-Chief this year.  She is also the Co-Editor-in-Chief of L'Esprit, the school yearbook.  And she has to writer her college applications this semester.  Two free periods began to sound like a VERY good thing.  Zoey also has some laziness issues and often needs to be told to get off facebook and get some work done, be it school work, cleaning her continuously messy room or going to the gym.  Since I don't work on Mondays and Wednesdays right now, I figured I could afford to let her have the car on those days occasionally and maybe Bill could ride his bike to work sometimes as well.  This means that, when driving herself, she can arrive at school as late as 10 am on Wednesdays.  I am sure she would like the chance to sleep in once in a while, and her brother would like the chance to not ride the bus, but this is going to be a privilege she has to earn by keeping up with her actual life instead of avoiding it for her cyber life.

REGIME

Speaking of her life, she was part of a really amazing event this summer.  Her longtime friend, Matt, is a drummer and Disney freak.  He started a band a few years back called Regime and Zoey has been a back up and co-lead singer off and on.  Matt decided to do a charity night for the Make A Wish Foundation featuring local performers as well as teachers from LJCDS who write and sing their own songs.  It was a very cool night and I do not really like music, least of all live music of all kinds.  Follow this link, Concert for Wishes, for the description in the San Diego Magazine Event listings for the month...  After expenses, they raised over $4000.00!