A Well-Trained Mind...

...might actually save me some bucks. I am considering private school for A this year, as we've been assured by the private school consultant that a place is possible ("I am not making any promises, but your son seems to have a few things going for him that elite schools will find desirable"). What with the fee I am paying her, "possible" had better be the reality. And voilà, La Private School Consultante, zat ees her peeecture.

But private school? Oooof. So cher, cherie. LaMai is thinking long and hard on this one, as much as she can before September arrives.

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This news is unnerving to me. I try not to "go there" on this blog, and I try to keep things apolitical, keep things "Oprah." I do not believe in trading kidnapped souls for money or prisoners. As a mother, watching the whole situation is heartwrenching. I have been to Israel and Gaza several times. There are lovable and peaceful Israelis and lovable and peaceful Palestinians (and Druze and Bedouins, lest I forget). And there are horrifically hateful Israelis and hateful Palestinians. And there are mothers there like me, who wish all the madness would stop so that they could see their kids grow up, live prosperous lives and bear children.

Alex and I often talk about situations like this in the context of the Hatfields and McCoys, the Capulets and Montagues. What could possibly break the cycle? It saddens me when people say, "It's impossible to fix." I disagree.

Anyway, we watched the film Paradise Now this weekend, I guess to balance our having watched Munich last week (maybe also because A said he wanted to join the Mossad, or maybe I imagined that?). Both Abu-Assad and Spielberg seemed to do very good jobs at providing fully-fleshed characters, and views which tackle both sides of suffering, and the terrorism operations which result. A enjoyed Paradise Now, and commented that he thought it was a more convincing film that Munich. I will say that each film is different and they are both worth watching. Parental discretion is definitely in order for both of these adult-themed films.

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Remember that French-market felt bag? I am finally finishing it this week.

I also started the green sweater (yes, there's only one) featured in the most recent issue of Knit.1. I figured I'd get a head start on our winter wardrobe...