Daniel chat and randomness

• So Daniel's having a grumpy day the other day, and when we get to the dojang things aren't going well for him. And he gets miffed at me when I want him to not do his best to get in line in front of Justin. See, we stand in line highest belt first, and if there's two students of the same belt and they care - i.e., they're kids - whoever tested first stands first, and if they both tested at the same time, it's whoever got to the line first. Eventually I had to take him out of the dojang and have a little chat outside, which did not start well.
  
  Daniel: (angrily) But why?!
  Me: Because I want Justin to be able to stand in front of you while he can-
  Daniel: (really angry) But I'm the same belt as him! And I tested the same time as him! And I'm allowed to stand in front of him if I get there first!
  Me: Daniel, who's better at reading, you or Justin?
  Daniel: (impatient) Me, but-
  Me: And who can do more difficult math?
  Daniel: (really impatient) Me, but-
  Me: And who's better at games?
  Daniel: (sullen) Me.
  Me: And who weighs more?
  Daniel: (A-ha!) Justin!
  Me: That's right, that's one area where he beats you. There we go. Now, who's better at science?
  Daniel: Me.
  Me: Who's better at TaeKwon-Do?
  Daniel: Well...
  Me: OK, who had to come and show the black belt his pattern again at the next class, because he didn't do it quite as well as you did for the actual test?
  Daniel: Justin did.
  Me: Who's better at D & D?
  Daniel: Me.
  Me: Who's better at piano?
  Daniel: Me.
  Me: So there's two things Justin beats you at. He weighs more, and sometimes, if he's fast enough, he can stand in front of you in line at TaeKwon-Do. You beat him in everything else. He's always second to you. And you're better than him at TaeKwon-Do, so Daddy and I figure you'll be ready to test about a month before he is, and then he'll never be able to stand in front of you again. So, while he can, we-
  Daniel: (eyes suddenly fill with tears) I'm a terrible big brother!
  Me: (facepalm) No, sweetie, you're not, come on...
  Daniel: (teary) But he never gets to win, and I was trying to stand in front of him and he-
  Me: (not out loud) Jesus but my kids live the NBC motto, "We know drama."
  
  
• Happy birthday, tudorlady!
  
  
• Also happy birthday to my mom, who would've been 64 today.
  
  
• Have had to restart my International Poverty class paper, which is due Monday, due to almost total lack of sources for all four of the loosely-related topics I wanted to write about. And we've been down to two computers (kids and Chris' laptop) for a few months. And now the laptop has crapped out on us again. I hate technology.
  
  
• It's March Break. Doesn't mean much to home schoolers, other than for the love of god don't go out to kid places like the museums or Cosmic Adventures this week. We're used to having them all to ourselves. During March Break it's a zoo out there.