I knew the time was coming.  School supply shopping.  I remember it vividly from last year - the anxiety, the frustration of the stupid list of required items.  I remember it all too well.  But a lot has changed in a year, so while the list was the same (except requiring more) and while the store was the same, the woman doing the shopping is not.

• Glue, no color, no glitter, no no-run.  Whatever.  All of it says "no run".  I throw it in the cart.
• Folders, solid, two pockets with brads.  There aren't any solids with brads left.  There are a million with Hannah Montana, Hello Kitty, and High School Musical on them.  Apparently only girls get the choice of characters on their folders.  I opt for the somewhat disturbing and annoying "boy-targeted" ones knowing whatever or whoever that is on the front of my son's folders is nowhere near as disturbing to me as the Hannah Montana and High School Musical folders.
• Scizzors, Fiskars only.  I opt for the pretty blue and green scizzors and don't give it another thought.
• Crayons, Markers, Colored Pencils - Crayola is the most durable.  Obviously these authors of the list do not have children.  It doesn't matter how "durable" the marker is if the user is notorious for leaving the lid off.  That is kryptonite for all markers, even the Superman of markers, Crayola.  To top it off the Crayola is at least $1.50 - $2.00 more expensive.  These are hard economic times, School District.  I have to put gas in my SUV to go to the store to get these stupid markers every time he leaves the lids off.  Gotta sacrifice.
• Spiral Bound Notebooks - solid, wide ruled.  Again, solids are only college ruled.  I opt for the same disturbing character of anarchy that is on the folders because if he's going to have a anarchist on his folders he should mirror that on his wide ruled spiral ruled notebooks.  I like to send the same messages with my folders and my spiral bound notebooks. 
• Two Black Dry Erase Markers, Low Odor.  The thing is that there aren't two black in one package, unless I buy the 10 pack with the eraser and the cleaning spray.  Last year I bought the whole pack.  It's $12.00.  The thing is that these markers aren't for Will.  They go into a supply pool for our teachers.  I buy the $2.00 black and blue marker combo.  I don't know if it's low odor.  I don't care.  The thing is, School District, sometimes you just have to play the cards dealt to you.  Flexibility - you push it on parents all year - "We're just all going to have to be flexible...." well, here's your chance to put it to practice. 

The rest of the shopping went much the same way.  I did my best to accomodate.  But instead of following every letter of The List I inserted what items were available, what was practical, and what was financially reasonable.  Because the main difference is that last year I was an assistant 40+ hours a week.  I did as I was told, and I did that very well.  This year I have had a career change.  I'm sorry about that, School District, but I just can't spend all day and all of that gas driving from store, to store, to office supply chain hoping to make you happy.  The thing is that I have to get the supplies where I get my eggs, my milk, my raisin bread.  And I'm busy, School District.  There's only so much time in the day to sit out by the pool and watch the kids practice swimming. 

I checked out and threw the items in the SUV.  Will and Gigi were elated.  We drove back to the pool where we intend to stay until time comes to use those stupid supplies.