Infinite Monkeys

Well, I have a giant box of matchbooks from my parents' travels through the Southwest when I was growing up. I nabbed it when my dad was getting rid of stuff, thinking, "I'll bet Lileks would like these." Now it's officially part of the carrot - my Arizona housewarming (hopefully only metaphorically) gift to James.

Oh - and my girls are Gnat's age. And sweet as can be. Who wouldn't want to have friends like my daughters? :-)

I moved around a lot as a child. A lot. For Gnat's sake, they should move before she starts elementary school, if Mrs. Lileks is amenable. At 9 or 10, it sucks to be separated from the friends you've known since kindergarten, and it sucks to be the new kid amongst a bunch who've been in school together half their lives.

But for goodness sake, spend a couple weeks non-vacationing in your destination town, Jim, in August; you might miss the cold Mays compared with the suffocatingly infernal Augusts, when it is anything but a dry heat.

Also, add a news alert from Google News or on My Yahoo (topix.net) to see what goes on in the Phoenix area schools. (Or if you're not quite thinking Phoenix or Phoenix-adjacent, but one of those other big livable metro areas in Arizona... don't. Check those weather charts before heading to Flagstaff, check those hippy slacker charts before heading to Sedona, check the spontaneous combustion lists before heading to Yuma or Tucson, check if anyone lives there before heading to Winslow.)

Having lived in San Diego and visited both Minnesota and Arizona, I can say that the only person more nuts than Lileks is Monkey David.

Well, at least it's a dry heat?

To mangle an old saw: If monkeys could pray, bananas would rain from the sky.

Tob

I think that praying monkey's been seen last month, too.

James wouldn't have to worry about the school thing if he lived where all the cool kids live, in the east valley. I know a great little classical christian school that Gnat could attend from grade school, all the way through to high school graduation. Did I mention that Harvard and Princeton were after one of our graduates this year? True story. Email for details.

I would offer a non-affiliated endorsement of Brad's school, and follow up by adding that the Phoenix area (and East Valley in particular) are chock-full of alternative education options. Lots of (free) charter schools, lots of good private schools, and a very favorable environment (with a super support structure) for homeschooling, as well.

Ray's right about the "sooner is better" argument, although eight is not a bad age for such an adjustment. I lived in Prescott from 4-7, and moved back down to the valley when I was just shy of eight. Then I never moved again until I moved out.

I was about to then mention that I'm perfectly well adjusted, but that would be a damn lie. But I don't think moving that one time had anything to do with it...

James would be welcome compared to the hacks at the AZ Republic. Just have him put in some time in a tanning booth before he comes. Those people from Minn. are so white that it hurs my eyes.
BTW the West valley is growing faster than the east