Greetings ... been a while!

First …  it has been a long time since my last post. Sorry about that, but, sometimes, life takes over and the living of it becomes priority #1. This has been a very busy week – regional semi-final volleyball game, starting up basketball all by myself with 23 wide-eyed and eager young ladies, a nail-biting football game Friday night with serious playoff implications (no, I don’t coach it anymore, but it’s still nerve-racking since I remember all of the time and the effort that those kids and coaches put into a game each week), state Cross Country meet, where our school was well-represented on both the boys and girls sides (individual 3^rd place medalist and overall 3^rd place team medalists – our best finish ever). Oh, and that pesky little thing last Tuesday – National Election Day. My US Government and Economics students conducted an election for our district students in conjunction with the regular election. They were the election workers, the ballot counters, the poll-takers; they even crafted campaign signs complete with original slogans to hang around the polling stations – they did it all (except for arriving at school at 6 AM to help me set up – I suppose there are limits to what I can ask seniors to do). This being Texas and all, the results of the election were not surprising – all four of our campuses would have elected Governor Romney quite handily. That bit of information, though, was not what really came through as being unique to me about this particular process. What has been so gratifying to me, as an adult and as the teacher for this bunch of kids, is the fact that there was an approximate 60/40% split among my seniors for Governor Romney and President Obama. And while all of them had differing reasons for supporting their particular candidate, through the entire Fall semester leading up to the election – through the nominating conventions, the speeches, the campaign stops, the debates – these students were able to debate, press their point of view, respectfully listen to the other students’ opinions, make an informed decision, and even collaborate and assist with other students projects who were on opposite sides of the issues and whose beliefs were different than their own. As I watched the final few days of the campaign unfold, and as the talking heads of the networks, the journalists, the pundits, and the talk-radio liberals and conservatives continued to sling mud and bring total negativity to the entire process, this small sampling of students had taken to heart the real meaning of a free and democratic society – that the majority does, indeed, rule, that the minority views and rights must be protected, that everyone has the right to be free to express their own views, and that just because you have political differences, it does not mean that adversaries have to be enemies, that respect for the opinions of others is the right thing, and that when the process is over, we are all, still, in the big picture, Americans. Proud, very proud, of my kids.

… and 10

1.     There oughta be a law against NFL games ending in a tie.

2.     I realize we live in Texas, but can we at least get a little bit of moderate? As in temperatures? It is always hot, until it gets cold. At some point in the Fall, it oughta be just plain cool.

3.     Fire ants are all over the place – is this a banner year for fire ants?

4.     On the bright side, seems to be a good pecan crop this year.

5.     As we look forward towards this Christmas season, has anyone ever actually seen a lord a leapin’, much less ten of them?

6.     Ever wonder what possessed the person to take that first bite of blue cheese?

7.     Anybody besides me have the problem of the Gasoline Phantom? You know, you have plenty fuel the night before a major cold front comes through, then the next morning, when it’s 10 degrees, you discover all your gasoline has been siphoned by the Gasoline Phantom?

8.     Why can I never find a stamp when I need one, but when I don’t need one, there are 700 of them scattered about?

9.     Ever wonder if Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the elves eat much venison?

10.  Oregon Ducks #1 in AP poll – Quack, Quack!!!

Maturity ... and language.

First … I find myself wondering lots of times about the decisions people make when they absolutely know that there are other eyes upon them, watching and seeing their true character shine through. There have been several instances in the past that have caused me to reflect on certain behaviors that folks exhibit, but the most recent example, and perhaps the most perplexing to me, is the inappropriate language that otherwise mature adults tend to exhibit while on social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. I’ll admit, I enjoy visiting Facebook and having electronic conversations with friends and family that I don’t often get to see. Lately, I have begun to enjoy Twitter even more since it is much more abbreviated and it allows me to keep up with more serious topics such as news, weather, and commentary. What really steams me when I visit these social networks, though, is the amount of profane and inappropriate language that people intentionally place into print! Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t live in an ivory tower; as a 20-year professional educator who also happens to coach, there’s not much “slang” that I have not already heard in my life either in the hallways or in locker rooms. Nor is it my intent to throw stones when my own house is made of glass; I am not perfect by any stretch and my language has been known to be “colorful” in heated moments. I am not proud of that; as a life-long red-headed firebrand, I have struggled with my temper my entire life and am never proud when my temper goes over the edge, when a word comes out of my mouth that I have said in anger or that I know is inappropriate, or when my words or deeds cause pain or heartache to another person. Those types of situations are not what I am talking about in this instance; what really pushes my button is when adults who are not in a heat-of-the-moment situation have the time to think about it, have the time to choose their words, and still make the choice to TYPE profane and inappropriate comments on their social networking sites knowing full well that they will appear on the wall or the feed of everyone they are friends with. What’s worse, children view these pages, and people seem to take great delight in saying things just to show off in front of others. Guess what? That language doesn’t make you appear tough, nor does it make anyone think you are cute. It simply reaffirms that you are, in fact, a crude and selfish boor who lacks the good sense or the good judgment to be able to convey your thoughts in a professional and civilized manner without resorting to the crutch of profanity to get your point across. Inappropriate language is never acceptable, but it is totally offensive and deplorable when it is done intentionally, by adults that you would assume should know better.

… and 10

1.     For whatever reason, the flu shot didn’t work this year!

2.     You shouldn’t have to fire up a WeedEater in February, even in Texas!

3.     For the life of me, I don’t understand the purpose of toenails. What exact purpose do they serve besides having to clip them and being ingrown?

4.     Had a sip of Fresca the other day … first time in 20 years. I immediately remembered why it has been that long – NASTY!

5.     Presidential election year --- and these are our choices?

6.     A reminder to my wife and son – less than 5 years remain until it is time for the custom-made boots I requested for my 50^th birthday.

7.     Why would anyone put a slice of pineapple on a hamburger?

8.     Valentine’s Day = stupid holiday designed for females to get more stuff and for males to get in more trouble for not getting females more stuff.

9.     My pair of eagles were back last week – this time, both were perched in the top of the dead oak in the pasture below the house. Huge, regal birds, they are.

10.  Ten years after my great-grandmother’s passing, which, I assumed, meant the end of her wonderful Oatmeal Cake forever, a great friend arrives at school with a piece of Oatmeal Cake! With recipe now in hand, baking on tap for the weekend …

Of Generals, In-Service, and Childhood Memories ...

First … I am a huge fan of General H Norman Schwarzkopf. Read his autobiography a few years back, and came to the conclusion that, even though he doesn’t view himself as a hero, he’s about as close a thing to a modern American hero this country has seen in quite a few years. His deft and masterful handling of the coalition forces in the Persian Gulf War more than two decades ago is legendary among modern military commanders, and the story of his rise from a junior officer in the US Army to head of the United States Central Command in the Middle East is a very compelling story about a young man following in his father’s footsteps to become an incredible leader of men. This past week, I was reminded of something that General Schwarzkopf related in his book, “It Doesn’t Take A Hero”. In December of 1976, then-Colonel Schwarzkopf was selected to command a brigade of the 9^th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington. Upon assuming command, he asked his key staff officers what they’d like to see stopped, and what they’d like to see continued. Since the previous commander had had the troops performing menial and silly drills, the staff chiefs told Schwarzkopf that they’d like to see all the Mickey Mouse drills stopped, and that they’d like to go to the field where they could receive real and practical training. Schwarzkopf listened, and proceeded to train his brigade with meaningful and relevant combat-readiness exercises. By the following year, his brigade, which had been nicknamed the “circus brigade” prior to his arrival, was one of the top-performing units in the Infantry. I mention this only because it came to mind last week as I was attending a training exercise for work. At the end of the day, we were asked to give an evaluation of the day’s program, and the first thing that came to my mind was the response of Schwarzkopf’s staff – “stop the Mickey Mouse and give me some real training that is practical and that I can use in my work to help improve in the job that I am paid to do”. I consider myself a life-long learner; at age 45, I believe there’s a lot left for me to gain knowledge of before I decide to go on full-time crappie-fishing sabbatical in 25 years or so. I have a deep desire to learn new things, I strive to acquire new knowledge, and I really enjoy discovering new ways of doing things that I previously had little or no knowledge of. Give me the chance to try something different or attain new skills and I will jump at that chance. Don’t give me construction paper to fold into a little tent and come up with a tribe name for my group. Don’t show me a picture of a refrigerator and ask me to rate it on how clean it is. Don’t give me paper plates to play with on the floor. Yes, all of those things were a part of our training day. It actually got so bad that colleagues and I were discussing options that we would consider more enjoyable as well as more valuable. One suggestion was a colonoscopy. Another was a root canal. Yet another was that they’d rather attend a funeral. Still another colleague suggested attending his OWN funeral! He was kidding, I think. I’m sure everyone, no matter your occupation, has had the same type of experience; I know that anyone who has ever been a part of a bureaucracy knows and understands what I am talking about. The law requires training and I don’t know of anyone who would not be eager to improve the way they perform their job – as a matter of fact, my superiors (who are wonderful, by the way) allowed me to attend training in November which provided me with some of the best ideas and methods that I have ever gotten in my 20-plus years of teaching. It certainly wasn’t their fault that the outside training provider was not what was expected. However, as most educators are fully aware and as the former classroom educator who was presenting the material ought to remember, not much gets accomplished when there is little to no engagement between those who are there to learn and those who are there ostensibly to teach.  As General Schwarzkopf said in his book, “We have to be able to do better than that.”

… and 10

1. I recall a whipping for using a slingshot to shoot ball-bearings at the mailbox - that one hurt!
2. For those who remember the old Watkins products, I bought a bottle of Watkins White Cream Liniment the other day at a little stand at the outlet store in Corsicana. What a vile and offensive smell this stuff gives off! I mean, it flat stinks! But it sure does work!
3. Saturday evenings + a card table + 28 dominoes = some very good times.
4. Bumblebees, grassburs, and scorpions – useless, all!!
5. Had some great battles with the cousins with a few square bales of hay and a big chinaberry tree!
6. Decided that if chinaberry fights were cool, then horse apple fights would be way cooler. Didn't take long to realize this was a bad idea. No, a VERY bad idea.
7. Had a big worm bed when I was little. Sitting around the other day looking at all those used cow mineral tubs … thinking a couple of those might be useful in growing some big ‘ol fishing worms for the Spring!
8. Has there ever been a cooler pair of shoes than Converse’s Chuck Taylor All-Stars?
9. An awesome childhood flashback! Shopping in Mesquite with Mama, and lunch at Griff’s Hamburgers, Woolworth’s, or Wyatt’s Cafeteria. Great times!
10. Can’t mention shopping as a kid without mentioning BigTown Mall. To a kid, a magical place! Sad now every time I drive by that big vacant space.

Changes

First … 

... I was dismayed this week when I heard about the bankruptcy filing of the Hostess Brands snack foods line. After all, I grew up with Hostess Ding Dongs, Twinkies, Fruit Pies and Sno-Balls being a large and rather tasty component of my school lunch-box fare throughout my elementary and middle school years. Then, as if that weren’t enough to shake the foundations of my forty-something Americana, word came later this week of the agreement between Dublin Bottling Works and the Dr. Pepper Company settling a long-standing dispute over, of all things, Dublin Dr. Pepper bottled with real Imperial Pure Cane sugar. Dublin Dr. Pepper is gone. Seriously? Is there some shadowy entity out there that is purposely attempting to destroy some of the most nostalgic and dearest-held elements of my childhood? I suspect that there exists a vast conspiracy lurking in the seedy shadows of America’s greedy corporate community that continues to seek the demise of many of the really pleasant things that people of my generation have held dear for many, many years. And while there is no imminent danger of losing our Hostess cupcakes in the immediate future, and while Dr. Pepper Bottling Company assures us that the 6 ounce bottles of Dr. Pepper made with genuine Imperial Pure Cane sugar will continue to be produced sans the Dublin label, I cannot help but believe that ravenous and insatiable commercial terrorists are hard at work plotting the disappearance of the next dearly-held and much-loved item from my younger years. What’s next, the Radio Flyer red wagon? The Daisy Red Rider BB gun? Don’t think for a minute that it can’t happen!! After all, when was the last time you saw a Sit ‘n Spin? Or a set of Clackers? Popper Knockers, we called them. How about the old classic Tudor Tru-Action electric football game? How many hours of my childhood were spent sitting at the table, listening to the electric buzzing of that cheap tin football field vibrating on that old formica kitchen tabletop while my brother and I screamed and cajoled and exhorted our little plastic players towards the end zone? So many neat things are now gone, and they are not limited to just toys or snacks. Anyone remember the AMC Pacer, or the Gremlin? I admit they were ugly, but man, back then, ugly was cool. Cool was cool, too, as in the DeLorean. How long has it been since you’ve seen one of those? A long time, I’m betting. Even places are not immune to the great disappearing acts of today. If you are ever out and about and traveling through the western end of Henderson county and drive through Seven Points (yes, Seven Points – the little spot in the road where I grew up and the place where I still call home), look around. There’s an Exxon sitting on the spot where the old Seven Points Grocery used to stand. A better ham sandwich was never made than the BG Ham Special at Seven Points Grocery. A Shell station now sits where Bob Fincher’s Gas and Bait House used to be. I wish I had a dollar for every dozen minnows I bought there before they finally tore the old place down. On up the road, Tin Barn Barbecue once stood close to where the concrete plant is now. Best barbecue ever. The Matex movie theater in Mabank, the Athens drive-in, Mr. Lee’s old livestock auction off  of Highway 175 in Athens, Petticoat Junction – first at the intersection where the bank in Mabank now stands and then, later, across from the old high school – boy, those Petticoat Junction hamburgers were good! Rowan’s Western Wear and before that, Brown’s Western Wear. The list just goes on and on. I suppose my point is that things have changed, things are still changing, and we really should make the most of the things we take for granted while they are still around for us to enjoy. Twinkies and Dr. Peppers are small things, I know, and I realize that they likely don’t occupy as sacred a spot on most people’s hearts as an RC Cola and a Moon Pie or an ice cold 10-ounce bottle of Coca Cola with a 10-cent bag of salted peanuts poured into it – even if you could find a bag of peanuts that cost only a dime anymore. To me, though, the potential demise of such hallowed childhood memories only makes me long for much simpler times, and a wish that all those things that I so cherish will remain around for me to enjoy for as long as I’m around to enjoy them.

… and 10

1. I’ll take fried catfish and crappie, please, with crisp French fries, hush puppies, and ketchup. You can keep the tartar sauce.
2. Enjoying the mild temperatures, but firing up the Weedeater in January? Really?
3. If you haven’t been there, recommend a stop-by at the Bancroft Pecan House in Powell if you are headed that way and you have a minute. Neat little place.
4. Hoping that the weather cooperates for a good berry-picking season this spring. Last couple years have not been good ones around my place.
5. Went close to twenty years without seeing a copperhead snake. In the past year, have seen at least 20 either alive or dead on the road. Guess they are making a comeback.
6. Never did quite understand the game of jacks.
7. Ever wonder why they can’t combine vehicle inspections and registrations? Do both at once and they will expire at the same time each year. Seems simple enough.
8. Biscuits instead of toast, every time!
9. NFL season – about the time it gets even remotely interesting, it’s over.
10. Robert Duvall turned 81 this past week. Clint Eastwood turns 82 this year, as does Gene Hackman. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman both turn 75. Who’ll replace these legendary guys? I’ll nominate Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington to start, but those are the only two I’m willing to consider right now as legends in the making. DiCaprio may yet earn my consideration, but not at the moment ….

Television

First …

I’ll go ahead and admit it. I enjoy television. I’m certainly not addicted to it by any stretch of the imagination, but I do enjoy watching various programs that I find on TV these days. I’ll also be the first to agree with those who say that, as a society, Americans probably spend too much time watching television and not nearly enough time getting out of their living rooms and being active. After all, I don’t think it’s too much of a coincidence that America’s rapid rise to obesity has come at a time when more and more of the population has become less and less active. It is much easier to sit in a recliner and munch on a bag of potato chips than it is to get up and get moving, even if it is just for a short walk around the block or a half-hour playing catch with the kids or grandkids. That said, I do believe that television today is entertaining and, if watched in moderation, provides a pretty harmless and inexpensive way for a family to spend an hour or two together.

There are programs for just about every taste, and my taste runs across the broad spectrum of the programs that my satellite package provides. First, I enjoy sports, so the college football bowl season has been a lot of fun. Sure, there are way too many bowl games, and several of them have been real yawners, but for the most part this has been a very exciting bowl season for those who like offensive fireworks in college football. I also like Westerns; the classical ones mostly, but some of the newer versions have their own charms and while I don’t necessarily believe that the re-make of “True Grit” will ever surpass the John Wayne version, not being equal to the Duke’s edition did not make the newer one necessarily bad. Speaking of John Wayne, Christmas Day was a great time for his legions of fans in that there was a marathon of some of his greatest Western action films. Christmas Day is always special in its own right, but being able to wake up on Christmas morning with my family, attend church and celebrate the birth of Christ, and then come home for Christmas dinner and watching several different John Wayne movies that afternoon was great! Merry Christmas to me!

I also enjoy the outdoor channel. There’s just something enjoyable about watching fishing shows. I realize that this doesn’t apply to everyone, and that there are some folks who view fishing programs as nothing more than a couple guys on a boat who talk too much and do nothing for thirty minutes but cast and reel. Then they talk some more. But I do enjoy it, simply because there is usually the promise of at least one pretty good sized fish being caught before the program is over. And usually, I am left with a good feeling that some ol’ boy caught a big ol’ fish, and dreaming that on my next trip to the lake, the creek, or the stock tank, that ol’ boy could actually be me. I enjoy hunting shows too, but mainly to watch the preparation that goes into the taking of a big buck, or a turkey, or a moose or an elk. I am not a big hunter; I enjoy hunting ducks and dove and an occasional squirrel. But I do enjoy watching the programming since it gives me an appreciation of how dedicated some of these guys are in pursuit of their quarry. To me, it is exciting television.

There are other things I enjoy as well. The Food Network has some cool shows; mostly, I like the ones that go to little joints across the United States and talk to the owners about what makes their little dive so special. I make lists of those places on the off-chance I ever get to visit there. If I do, I’ll be sure and swing by these little holes-in-the-wall just to see if what looked so good on television is actually as good in person. I can recommend several places that I have seen on Food Network that I’ve actually tried, and they didn’t disappoint. Royers Round Top Café in Round Top, Texas is one of these; try the chocolate chip pie or the buttermilk pie – pricey, but good! Lulu’s in San Antonio is another – try the chicken fried steak and the cinnamon rolls that are as big as hubcaps. No joke, they weigh 3 lbs. THREE FULL POUNDS! They’ll last a week! I’m thinking that a few of these places that I’ve visited have contributed heavily to the fact that I’m now on a drastic weight reduction plan!

Many folks today blast television as not being what it once was, and I agree with that wholeheartedly. And, I am grateful that it’s not what it used to be, to be perfectly honest with you. Sure, programming is different these days, just like everything else is different from the way things were in days gone by. But I sure do enjoy watching what little TV I have time for. One big reason is the fact that I have a choice of over 400 channels to choose from. I remember when I was a little boy, we had five consistent television channels – 4, 5, 8, 11 and 13 out of Dallas, and a sixth - if the wind was blowing just right, you could pick up Channel 7 out of Tyler. I remember Channel 4 from Dallas being pretty consistently clear, but there was never anything really good to watch on Channel 4. Channel 5 from Dallas, the NBC affiliate, was spotty – sometimes the reception would be good, sometimes not. Channel 8, the ABC affiliate out of Dallas, was by far the best. It had good picture and sound most of the time and had a majority of the shows that a kid enjoyed watching. Channel 11, the Dallas independent station, was OK for morning cartoons and Slam Bang Theater, but that was about all it did for me outside of Batman and Gilligan’s Island later in the afternoons. I hated Channel 13, the PBS station, as I thought Sesame Street was extremely stupid and didn’t gain an appreciation for it until after I had kids of my own. Sadly, Channel 13 was the only functional channel on nights that the president wanted to address the nation – and I grew up thinking that Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan all conspired to need to talk to the American people only on the nights when Marcus Welby, M.D., Happy Days, Little House on the Prairie, or The Waltons were on. KLTV, Channel 7 out of Tyler? Well, that was an experience. On the rare occasions that the Dallas Cowboys did not sell out Texas Stadium, the blackout rules would be in effect, so outside my mom or I would go to “twist the antenna” while dad stayed in the living room and told us when to stop. We never seemed to quite be able to stop twisting in just the right spot, so, as a last resort, out came the rabbit ears and about 10’ of crumpled aluminum foil and a twisted coat hanger. And with a little luck, and if the Cowboys were wearing their blue jerseys instead of their white ones, you might just be able to make out the silhouette of Roger Staubach as he took a shotgun snap and rolled out to his right ….. just before the snowy fuzz took over the picture for about 20 seconds. When it cleared up, we would generally find out from some excited announcer that the Cowboys had just scored on some miraculously long pass play. At this point, we’d traipse back outside to give the old antenna-twist another shot.

So, for what it’s worth, I am glad that television has changed. There’s so much more to be able to watch, and while I agree that not all of that is good, there is at least something for everyone. You can watch specialty shows, you can watch music videos, you can watch boxing or golf or even sailing. You can watch movies – like Westerns, which I enjoy, or you can take a ride down the dial to the Lifetime Movie Channel (my wife’s favorite) where it seems like federal law requires that the movie “The Notebook” be shown at least once every 12 hours. You can watch cartoons 24 hours a day, you can watch comedy, or you can even watch shows from the Golden Age of television; shows like The Andy Griffith Show, Dragnet, and I Love Lucy. I’ve even enjoyed watching old Walton’s re-runs the past couple of weeks. To me, the good old days are right now – no rabbit ears, no aluminum foil, plenty of channels, and no antennas to twist on a cold December Sunday afternoon.  May everyone be mindful of that next time you grab the remote control (yes, children, we actually used to have to get up and WALK to the television to change the channel) and surf through a couple hundred channels and exclaim to the tops of your lungs, “There’s just nothing worth watching on TV these days …”

… and 10

1.      There’s really no need to question my manhood simply because I enjoy the hand soaps, lotions, and candles from Bath and Body Works. Yes, I like those products, yes, I like shopping there, and yes, I am secure in my masculinity. So there.

2.      I also enjoy Jelly Bellies. A lot!

3.      There are not many things that will bring a smile to your face quicker than a puppy that just wants to love on you.

4.      Saw a rare sight last weekend for this part of the world; a pair of bald eagles soaring over the house as they made their way southwest. I had seen one a couple weeks before, then the pair last weekend. Wow, what majestic birds, and huge!

5.      Somehow, someway, I just wish that somebody could wrest control of the Dallas Cowboys away from Jerry Jones.

6.      Tough last week of December in Kemp with the passing of Mr. Creecy and Mrs. Halbert on top of the passing of Mrs. Duke a few weeks before. Just real good folks, all.

7.      I sure am grateful for these moderate January days and nights – they’ve been a real blessing.

8.      Almost tater plantin’ time. Onions, too.

9.      Speaking of gardens and vegetables, had a big mess of fresh turnip greens the other night. Boy, were they good. (And yes, I said mess, not serving. The amount I enjoyed far surpassed a serving!)

10.  Geaux, Tigers!