I forgot to mention that Schuyler lost another cell phone last week. That's three cellphones either lost or destroyed in six weeks. I cannot keep up with this child. Between the three phones and her last cellphone bill (2,500 minutes to my 90 minutes and Sam's 100), she's paying off her debts until summer. Her favorite show is on MTV - My Super Sweet 16. This is where really rich kids have a whole show devoted to the planning and execution of their over-the-top, grossly excessive Sweet 16 Party. These are teens where money is no object - they get anything they want. Who are these children and what kind of parents do they have??? Hello-ow! Values anyone? I'm watching one with her now where a girl from Staten Island is making her guest list. She's decided not to invite any ugly people. Ooookay. With values like that, I'm surprised she doesn't invite all ugly people so she'll look better by comparison. We watched one earlier featuring a boy who went to Schuyler's camp (yes, that's right, a BOY having a Sweet 16 party). Schuyler actually went to this party. He is delivered to the club where the party is being held in a limo, then he walks up a red carpet where six hundred of his friends await. Of course there's a celeb DJ. And they hold a fashion show where all his friends model clothes he designed (at least I think he designed them, otherwise I don't get it). Poor kid was so nervous about appearing on the runway after the show that he threw up (we hear the retching and are spared the visuals). For his birthday gift, the boy gets a black porsche from mom and dad. In the show we watched earlier today, the girl got a red Mercedes convertible. Anyway, I mention this show because it has set up the most unrealistic expectations in Schuyler's mind for her own Sweet 16 Party. She wants to have 300 kids for a party at the Pierre. Even that means culling her list. I guess she hasn't noticed yet that she doesn't come from a rich family. I keep telling her to lower her sights a bit. How about 15 friends at the local Pizza Hut? We're pretty far apart on negotiations.

Schuyler and I are going Christmas shopping for her today. This is pretty much my most unfavorite thing to do in the world. She wants as many presents as possible within the budget I give her (as opposed to one big present we can knock off in one place). So, we go into store after store on Broadway where she'll buy items for $10, $20, $25. Lower Broadway has all the very chic, cheap stores so this is where we shop. The stores are geared to kids so they play loud, blaring music accompanied by intense drum beating, floors that change colors, light shows. UGH! Totally headache and nausea producing. I can't believe this is the shopping experience that kids want, but apparently they do. My job is to follow behind Schuyler and be the human wallet.

On another topic, I saw some great theater this weekend - The Jersey Boys. It's a new Broadway Show about the life of Freddy Valli and the Four Seasons. If you have a chance to go see it, GO. It's fantastic. I'm going to see The Odd Couple tonight. My brother, Don, was planning to stay an extra day to see it, but decided to go back to Dallas so he gave me his tickets. This stars Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane who were so great together in The Producers. My friend, Brooke, is coming with me. She's one of the front page reporters for People Magazine. Not only is she a very fun person to hang with, but she can tell you the latest on Brad, Jen, Angelina, Brittany, et al.

See you soon. Schuyler's agitating to go shopping now.

Saturday, November 26, 2005

# posted by Karen Quinn : 12:51 PM