Pens, Pencils, and Perturbed People

Over the past 2 days, I have heard of or personally witnessed 3 separate, very angry people from three different communities complaining about the lack of a high school supply list that comes home over the summer.  Each one, let me repeat, was very angry - - hostile even - - about the absence of a list.

My response (which I've kept to myself until now - - 'cuz I don't engage strangers in arguments):
1. Calm down.  Notebooks and pens are no reason to get all in a tizzy.
2. Think.  Your kid is going to have many different teachers - - like 7-8 at my school (woah!).  They all require different stuff.  They'll tell you what it is when you get there.  They really will, and they'll even give you a piece of paper with the supplies/materials all listed on there for you.  Your kid doesn't even have to listen or pay attention to the teacher when he/she tells the kids what they need for his/her class because it will be right there - - on a precious, precious list - - as long as your precious, precious kid brings it home.
3. Stop being so angsty about schools.
4. Check your school's website.  I'm willing to hazard a guess that many teachers have their supplies listed somewhere on their class page.  (I don't, but that's another story.)  If you have your kid's schedule - - check the pages, but be prepared for that list to change by the 1st day of school.  You never know when the teacher last updated the page.
5.  Don't refer to "those damned teachers" to a "damned teacher" or she will unleash her fiery rage upon you on Facebook (or her blog that gets very sporadic use - - like only when her facebook status starts to get too long) where there is no possible way for you to know that she secretly wishes that you trip and fall in a muddy pothole on your way to your car in the parking lot.

Don't make the teacher, who you don't know is a teacher, angry at Target!!

The end.