May have found something strange enough to merit your looking at. You decide.
Strange. Very strange indeed. I am beginning to really dislike OU. I received this in my inbox this morning.
OUTSTANDING STUDENT FATHER SCHOLARSHIPAll undergraduate student fathers who are currently enrolled in at least 12 hours and plan to enroll full-time for both the spring 2007 and fall 2007 semesters are eligible to apply for this award. Selection will be based on outstanding achievement in one or more of the following areas: academics, university and community involvement, leadership, service and honors and awards. Applications are due Wednesday, October 11, 2006. The selection committee will be composed of the executive officers of the OU Parents' Association. The award includes recognition at the Parents' Association Business Meeting on Friday, November 10, 2006 and carries a $1,000 ($500 per semester) cash award.
Okay... see if my morning time train of logic makes any sense whatsoever. I have no doubt there are some outstanding student fathers. I have no doubt some of them attend OU. I have no doubt some of them are wonderful fathers and still maintain a great GPA and have won awards. But I wonder why an award about how terrific a father one is includes outstanding achievement in: 1)academics 2)university and community involvment 3)leadership and 4)service and honors awards. I was in a sorority, I know how these things work, and to win these things in other competitive fields (I don't know how tight the competition is in the student father field), you have to be really involved. I mean, to the point that you are going to meetings for leadership things at the very very least twice a week at night until things pick up and then you'll be attending every night and doing countless hours of community service whilst keeping up your grades. Thus, amounting to having about a 60 to 80 hour a week job. This is entirely possible for a lot of people. Some people are simply wired like this. But I have to ask myself. . . How outstanding of a father are you really being if you are never home??? I wonder why the categories don't read: 1)generally reads to his child 2)disciplines his child in love 3)has figured out a way to support his child financially 4)loves his child. Oh, right, because you can't count those intagible things up on a computer.
I am simply a student wife and I find that immensely more difficult than my unmarried student state. I have all but abandoned various OU activities and general "student life" to devote more time to my new family life (I am still enrolled full time mind you, I simply don't go to 5 clubs and if it is between talking something out with my husband that we have been fighting about and finishing a project or paper perfectly for the next day.... usually, we talk. And Clint is: potty trained, makes money, and cleans the house (to name a few in an entire slew of things he does for me). Hmmm....
It isn't so much that there is a sholarship and award for it.... it is the categories that one must fulfill in order to win the award. BAH!
I now have a crater in my finger reminiscent of high-altitude photographs of strip mines. It's a lack I love. I would do it all over again if I had the chance--masochistic satisfaction, friends. In fact, I cherish the moment so much, I chose to continue it and even memorialize it through a little something I like to call art. 
