Is there a difference between teaching and preaching? I'm not sure.
Sometimes when I blog, I get a little preachy. I really want people to think about what they are doing. I'm not sure that I want to change them....except maybe to get them to think more.
I used to wonder why a child with a 27 cumulative average in biology would tell me they wanted to be a pediatrician. I would talk to them about how a college decides who would be enrolled. They were supposed to learn the biology in ninth grade, so they could learn more and more. You really don't get do-overs as a doctor. A 27 in biology doesn't cut it. You have to learn 70 percent of the subject matter to get a passing grade.
Grades are such a touchy subject. Let's say a student does nothing....I mean.....nothing.... during a semester. I promise you at the end of the semester, a parent will call the principal and tell them that Betty Jo needs another chance to make up their 57. They didn't know that missing tests, not handing in homework, and being an absolute jerk would be held against their child....
And if they're graduating.....they whine, "Grandma has already bought a plane ticket from Michigan."
So, what will we tell Grandma?
Tell her that Betty Jo has been screwing around and it caught up with her. Take Granny to the S & S and have a good meal. This is a life lesson.
See, the schools and the teachers HAVE been telling this to Betty Jo. She thinks that they are blowing smoke. She'll tell her momma and momma will make it right.
Well, here's where the preaching comes in. You can talk about doing the right thing or you can do the right thing.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Rock, Paper, Scissors
Many times I think....how the heck did I wind up where I am?
Makes a person go......Hmmmmmmmmm......
Yes, I had goals. Yes, I met my goals and set more....but sometimes....life just happens.
For example, Bill and I looked all over Macon for a house when we moved there in 1986. We loved a house belonging to the guy that was going to take Bill's job in Milledgeville.....so we bought our home from.....the Telegraph.
I met a lady down the street that has become one of my best friends....ever. We were supposed to be in each other's lives. AND then we worked together. And her dad worked with us at Georgia College.
But sometimes, I wake up and wonder, how did I get to 62? Where did the time go?
Bill and I play the game "Rock, Paper, Scissors" -- we've been married since dirt was invented and we don't squabble over tasks....we gamble for the power to say, "You do it."
I am a lousy "Rock, Paper, Scissors" player. I rarely win. But, I keep plugging on. I might win. I might be able to fake him out. But, he knows me so well....Bill watches me think and immediately knows what I'm going to pick...and then simultaneously he picks the winner.
I plug on in life. How did I get here?
Makes a person go......Hmmmmmmmmm......
Yes, I had goals. Yes, I met my goals and set more....but sometimes....life just happens.
For example, Bill and I looked all over Macon for a house when we moved there in 1986. We loved a house belonging to the guy that was going to take Bill's job in Milledgeville.....so we bought our home from.....the Telegraph.
I met a lady down the street that has become one of my best friends....ever. We were supposed to be in each other's lives. AND then we worked together. And her dad worked with us at Georgia College.
But sometimes, I wake up and wonder, how did I get to 62? Where did the time go?
Bill and I play the game "Rock, Paper, Scissors" -- we've been married since dirt was invented and we don't squabble over tasks....we gamble for the power to say, "You do it."
I am a lousy "Rock, Paper, Scissors" player. I rarely win. But, I keep plugging on. I might win. I might be able to fake him out. But, he knows me so well....Bill watches me think and immediately knows what I'm going to pick...and then simultaneously he picks the winner.
I plug on in life. How did I get here?
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Welcome to the New Central Alumni
Hey, Y'all! You finished with the day-to-day grind of high school and now you're on to bigger and better things. Congratulations! By being a Central graduate there are certain standards that you must maintain.
1. Central grads are diverse. We like diversity. We encourage diversity. We like each other.
2. You will be a life-long learner. Maybe you went to Lanier, Miller, A and B, just A, Vocational and JROTC or the new building....but Central students don't stop learning. We know that the world is a big place and it's always changing. We change with it. If you're not growing, you're dying.
3. We try to do our best to maintain our planet. We take care of ourselves, our families, our country and our future. We aren't all alike. We do different things. But the key is that Central graduates DO SOMETHING.
4. Central grads not only do things, they go places. One of my favorite bulletin boards was located in the cross hall of A and it had a map of the world with these words-- "The Sun Never Sets on Central HIgh School." There were little flags representing all the places that our current students and teachers were from--marvelous. Central is represented all over this big, old world.
5. We believe in making the world a better place by making ourselves better people. We give back to others. We serve our country. We go places and do things. We teach in foreign countries. We meet other Central grads and they're like long lost friends. We get jobs. We have families. We enjoy life.
6. We dance. And we like to dance.
7. We bleed orange and blue.
8. And we know "Whose House? C's House!"
AND NEVER FORGET WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU CAME FROM! We Lead; It Can Be Done! Central High School.
p.s. The Charger is the horse!
1. Central grads are diverse. We like diversity. We encourage diversity. We like each other.
2. You will be a life-long learner. Maybe you went to Lanier, Miller, A and B, just A, Vocational and JROTC or the new building....but Central students don't stop learning. We know that the world is a big place and it's always changing. We change with it. If you're not growing, you're dying.
3. We try to do our best to maintain our planet. We take care of ourselves, our families, our country and our future. We aren't all alike. We do different things. But the key is that Central graduates DO SOMETHING.
4. Central grads not only do things, they go places. One of my favorite bulletin boards was located in the cross hall of A and it had a map of the world with these words-- "The Sun Never Sets on Central HIgh School." There were little flags representing all the places that our current students and teachers were from--marvelous. Central is represented all over this big, old world.
5. We believe in making the world a better place by making ourselves better people. We give back to others. We serve our country. We go places and do things. We teach in foreign countries. We meet other Central grads and they're like long lost friends. We get jobs. We have families. We enjoy life.
6. We dance. And we like to dance.
7. We bleed orange and blue.
8. And we know "Whose House? C's House!"
AND NEVER FORGET WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU CAME FROM! We Lead; It Can Be Done! Central High School.
p.s. The Charger is the horse!
Friday, May 24, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
You Can Go Home Again -- Things Change, but Some Things Remain the Same
I drove home to surprise Mom for Mother's Day. She's 93 years young and every mile was worth seeing many of the people I love. Mom lives in the same home where my dad was born in 1914. So, going home is --going home.
I was raised with the knowledge and belief that Johnny Appleseed planted all the apple trees in the prairie states. In fact, my Grandma's apple tree was one of them. I never doubted the tales that the Malloy's told. Fact and fiction were interchangeable in this big old house.
I loved visiting with my dad's family. They were talkers. They talked about everything. AND they were clannish. We were lucky we were born Malloys, they told us on a frequent basis....you can marry into the pack....but I was Malloy by blood and that was good.
Bathebee's and shillelaghs were a fact of life. The stories that flew around the house were priceless. They talked about the weather, the pets, the children, each other, the CHURCH, the Pope, the Old Country, the crops, the food, the garden, each other all at once. To say it was lively was an understatement. It was a large, Irish, Catholic family....full of love and many alcoholics. (New Year's Eve was called Amateur Night-- I heard it with my own ears.)
I had aunts and uncles that would hide tumblers behind curtains at every family gathering. I was about eight when I slyly tasted it and knew they were drinking beer in the morning...adults should not drink beer for breakfast. I also had aunts and uncles that didn't touch a drop. It seems like in my family we're 180 degrees one way or another.
My dad had thirteen brothers and sisters...seven and seven. He was the baby. When he died at 56 years old, his brothers and sisters, mourned the loss of Baby Dan.
Family is so important to me. My brothers flew from Iowa to my side when Mike died. They got here as fast as they could. Seeing my brothers, Jim and Dan, walk up the driveway after Mike's death, gave me strength. I knew I could rest and they would have my back. I can't explain the connect the three of us have....we just have it. They would be my eyes and ears. They would be on duty. I am still this way with them.
When Dan (my son) was little, a teacher asked the class what they would do in case of an emergency. His answer was simple. "I would call my Uncle Dan and wait." Uncle Dan was 1,000 miles away but he would have taken care of anything...my Dan knew it.
So, Mother's Day 2013 was a hoot. Jody and Kim ( sisters-in-law extraordinaire) cooked-- ham balls, scalloped potatoes, green beans, and a chocolate brownie parfait to die for! Mom loved it-- I loved seeing my Iowan niece and nephews....and I got to see Annie and Lucky, my brothers' dogs. We ate, took photos, laughed and ate some more.
The big house was full of fun and laughter. Two Erins, Raggs Weaver, Two Dans, Great Nana, and Two Jims....and if you look closely, you can see our senior pictures above all of us seated on the couch. The house is older, we might be wiser (and older), but the talking never stopped.
I was raised with the knowledge and belief that Johnny Appleseed planted all the apple trees in the prairie states. In fact, my Grandma's apple tree was one of them. I never doubted the tales that the Malloy's told. Fact and fiction were interchangeable in this big old house.
I loved visiting with my dad's family. They were talkers. They talked about everything. AND they were clannish. We were lucky we were born Malloys, they told us on a frequent basis....you can marry into the pack....but I was Malloy by blood and that was good.
Bathebee's and shillelaghs were a fact of life. The stories that flew around the house were priceless. They talked about the weather, the pets, the children, each other, the CHURCH, the Pope, the Old Country, the crops, the food, the garden, each other all at once. To say it was lively was an understatement. It was a large, Irish, Catholic family....full of love and many alcoholics. (New Year's Eve was called Amateur Night-- I heard it with my own ears.)
I had aunts and uncles that would hide tumblers behind curtains at every family gathering. I was about eight when I slyly tasted it and knew they were drinking beer in the morning...adults should not drink beer for breakfast. I also had aunts and uncles that didn't touch a drop. It seems like in my family we're 180 degrees one way or another.
My dad had thirteen brothers and sisters...seven and seven. He was the baby. When he died at 56 years old, his brothers and sisters, mourned the loss of Baby Dan.
Family is so important to me. My brothers flew from Iowa to my side when Mike died. They got here as fast as they could. Seeing my brothers, Jim and Dan, walk up the driveway after Mike's death, gave me strength. I knew I could rest and they would have my back. I can't explain the connect the three of us have....we just have it. They would be my eyes and ears. They would be on duty. I am still this way with them.
When Dan (my son) was little, a teacher asked the class what they would do in case of an emergency. His answer was simple. "I would call my Uncle Dan and wait." Uncle Dan was 1,000 miles away but he would have taken care of anything...my Dan knew it.
So, Mother's Day 2013 was a hoot. Jody and Kim ( sisters-in-law extraordinaire) cooked-- ham balls, scalloped potatoes, green beans, and a chocolate brownie parfait to die for! Mom loved it-- I loved seeing my Iowan niece and nephews....and I got to see Annie and Lucky, my brothers' dogs. We ate, took photos, laughed and ate some more.
The big house was full of fun and laughter. Two Erins, Raggs Weaver, Two Dans, Great Nana, and Two Jims....and if you look closely, you can see our senior pictures above all of us seated on the couch. The house is older, we might be wiser (and older), but the talking never stopped.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
"I've seen her nut up"
Mother's Day! I would like to issue a formal public apology to Molly, Mike, and Dan for:
1. Allowing swimming to take the place of a bath in the summer.
2. Refusing to allow soda into the house until Dan was in school.
3. Believing that you can roller skate in the house.
4. Encouraging you to jump high on the trampoline.
5. Teaching you not to take school too seriously.
6. Living my faith so you could see it in action.
7. Not sweating the small stuff.
8. Celebrating life each day!
9. Laughing at almost everything-- including myself!
10. Loving my family more than they'll ever know......I should be giving them gifts for getting to be their mother-- wife--daughter--sister.
Thanks, God, for three wonderful children and their terrific father! What a great gift!
PS. The title refers to one time at Central when I was an assistant principal. I had two guys being arrested and they were sitting in handcuffs in my office. Mike came to see me after school and they said to him, "Your mom's a bitch." He laughed and said, "You should see her at home."
1. Allowing swimming to take the place of a bath in the summer.
2. Refusing to allow soda into the house until Dan was in school.
3. Believing that you can roller skate in the house.
4. Encouraging you to jump high on the trampoline.
5. Teaching you not to take school too seriously.
6. Living my faith so you could see it in action.
7. Not sweating the small stuff.
8. Celebrating life each day!
9. Laughing at almost everything-- including myself!
10. Loving my family more than they'll ever know......I should be giving them gifts for getting to be their mother-- wife--daughter--sister.
Thanks, God, for three wonderful children and their terrific father! What a great gift!
PS. The title refers to one time at Central when I was an assistant principal. I had two guys being arrested and they were sitting in handcuffs in my office. Mike came to see me after school and they said to him, "Your mom's a bitch." He laughed and said, "You should see her at home."
Friday, May 10, 2013
Oh, What a Tangled Web We Weave....
Humph! What do you do about people that have talked ugly about you behind your back?
********************
I just cull them from my life like a rancher decides which cow is going to be next in the freezer as steaks, ribs, and hamburgers. Yum. Sacred cows make great steaks!
********************
But, then, the said person sidles up and acts like your buddy, your pal, your confidant.
******************
This makes me want to cough into my hand like John Bulushi did in the movie Animal House while sitting in Dean Wermer's office and say, "Bullshit."
*******************
Look on my resume. Nowhere does it say, "STUPID."
******************
I learned from a master to praise in public, punish in private.
******************
Oh, Ye, who know everything and have an opinion for everything without having all the facts- Bite me.
*****************
Grandma would say I have a bee in my bonnet. I have a hornet in my hat, too!
*****************
Never mistake kindness for weakness.
********************
I just cull them from my life like a rancher decides which cow is going to be next in the freezer as steaks, ribs, and hamburgers. Yum. Sacred cows make great steaks!
********************
But, then, the said person sidles up and acts like your buddy, your pal, your confidant.
******************
This makes me want to cough into my hand like John Bulushi did in the movie Animal House while sitting in Dean Wermer's office and say, "Bullshit."
*******************
Look on my resume. Nowhere does it say, "STUPID."
******************
I learned from a master to praise in public, punish in private.
******************
Oh, Ye, who know everything and have an opinion for everything without having all the facts- Bite me.
*****************
Grandma would say I have a bee in my bonnet. I have a hornet in my hat, too!
*****************
Never mistake kindness for weakness.
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