I may not be posting to the blog for a few days. We are in the last days of college selection and it has been narrowed down to two schools. I've cashed in frequent flyer miles and Lucy and I are flying to NYC for a quick visit to Columbia University. At this time of year, parents of smart girls all over the US are in a state of high anxiety. Thick envelopes convey congratulations. Thin ones tell either of rejection or the "wait-list." Society puts so much pressure on children to go to the right schools. The cost of an education has escalated to an enormous sum. Even with financial assistance, the amount of "expected parent contribution" can be staggering.

There was an article in the New York Times last week about the challenge facing smart young women in America. The mother of one 17 year old girl described the process as inducing "anorexia of the soul," and while I can't exactly understand what was meant by the term, the anxiety involved in making what seems to be a huge decision in Lucy's life has us all sleepless and stressed out.

It seems we all know things are twisted and yet it also seems that we are incapable of doing anything about it. For instance, a recent survey found that 70 percent of teachers thought that there was too much standardized testing disrupting normal classroom activities. Seventy percent of parents thought there wasn't enough. So, as I think I've stated before in the blog, we have become a nation of idiots.

If I get a chance to post between now and Tuesday, we will both be surprised. On Tuesday, the 1st through 4th grade students at Clear Spring will be making looms so they can do some weaving as a classroom activity. The parts are ready for sanding and assembly. Sometime in the next week or so, they will have results to share.