Oh, To Be 12 Again

Having established that I'm so normal it's cause for alarm, I would like to state that I am rather attached to the condition. Once the school-year is officially over, Marco goes head-down immediately into a summer program. Clare goes to work. Which leaves John to stretch the sometimes tenuous hold I have on my patience, my sense of proportion (this, too -- like labor -- shall pass), and my sense of humor.

John requires a Summer Activity. Remember the Latin Comic? It's inspiration was the series of comic books John and his friends have written over the years. Hold that thought.

Here in my neighborhood, we have a wonderful resource known as the Hyde Park Art Center. It's stated mission is, and I quote "to stimulate and sustain the visual arts in Chicago. It is the oldest alternative exhibition space in the City and boasts a long record of education outreach in the community." More to the point, not only do they come out and play at the 4th on 53rd Parade and Picnic, they run the Art Club at Marco's School.

They recently opened the doors of a brand new facility, which just happens to be a few blocks from our home.

Guess what one of their summer youth courses is? Cartooning! Guess where John is spending his Saturday afternoons? We get to be members; he gets homework.

Now that we're members, I decided to explore the website a bit. The HPAC offers knitting classes. Knitting qualifies as art under "Textiles & Printmaking". Adults get to take Knitting, or if that's too much of a commitment, there's the mini-course. Should there be need, there's a Crochet mini-course, too. There were even one day workshops, Knitting and Crocheting with Wire (which maybe doesn't interest me so much; wire is entirely too intractable) and Knitting With Beads.

All of which is very exciting, but the kids' course is better. Kids get to "knit something brilliantly creative and unique to keep [them] stylish in Chicago." Not only that, they get to make their own knitting needles and dye their own yarn with Kool-aid. It says so, right here.

No fair.