Education & Family

Saturday, May 18, 2013

The face

My mother was well-trained in the art of saying "No." She came from an immigrant Italian family with a strong matriarch at its helm.

My grandmother died when I was 5 years old, but the memories I have of her are vivid. She was the boss. Everyone knew it. When she said something, our family understood that they had received the final word on that subject.

My mother inherited that power. As my two sisters and I grew up, the biggest fear we had was displeasing our Mom. She made a face of disapproval when we did something she disliked. That face haunted us.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

The boyfriend from hell

Dear Dr. Smith,

I have read your column for years and enjoy them. I appreciate the advice you give to people. That's why I am writing to you. I'm having a mess in my family and need someone to help me.

My daughter has the boyfriend from hell. She has always been a good girl and a great daughter. She graduated from high school with honors and got a job instead of going to college. She said that she was tired of studying and wanted to earn some money. She doesn't have a very good job and can't support herself yet so she is still living at home.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Banning pressure cookers

Our society is great at locking the barn door after the horse escaped. We find ourselves responding to events in a way that seems absurd to a common sense person.

After those two radical jihadists blew up two bombs made from pressure cookers at the Boston Marathon, we heard some TV personalities calling for the banning of sales of pressure cookers. How dumb is that?

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Having it all - now

We don't watch "The Jerry Springer Show" in our house. Too much drama and yelling and stupidity. But, once in a while, the Dr. Phil show will appear on our TV screen. Dr. Phil seems more normal and intelligent. Actually, a Dr. Phil show formed the basis for this column.

A young, newlywed couple appeared to be headed for divorce before their first anniversary. Dr. Phil tried to get to the root of the problem and help them.

The wife "needed" expensive clothes, a stylish car, a spacious, well-decorated home, and a big diamond ring.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Cami's dream

A few nights ago, Jim and I had the privilege of attending a one-woman cabaret show at the Winter Park Theater here in Florida.

We were excited to see Cami Miller perform. She was one of our Opera House kids when we had the Children's Theater Group at the 1881 Mauch Chunk Opera House in Jim Thorpe, PA.

Cami came into our lives 30 years ago. She auditioned for a part in "The Wizard of Oz," and got the second casting of Glinda, the Good Witch. At the time, Cami was around 8 or 9 years old, but she was tall for her age and had a voice that was awe-inspiring.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Shorthand for life

A friend on Facebook ended her message with "TY" and it took me a while to figure out what it meant. I usually write out the words "Thank You" instead of just using "TY." After I thought about the "TY" for a minute, I got annoyed.

How much longer does it take to write out the whole word than to use an abbreviation? Seconds. And, there's no confusion about what you mean. Plus, the English language perseveres.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Bailiwicks

My Dad had a saying - "That's not my bailiwick." In his explanation of the meaning of that phrase, he told me that it meant "That's not my area of expertise" or "That's not a subject I care about," or "I'm not in charge of that."

Of course, when I became an English teacher, I was interested in the origin of the word. It comes from the term "bailiff." Everyone knows that a bailiff is an officer of the law. When someone said "It's not my bailiwick," in past history, it meant "I have no jurisdiction in that area."

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Old folks driving

Before I begin writing, I must state a disclaimer - I am old. I will turn 73 in May. For the record, I believe that I am still a decent driver. I know my limitations and won't take the wheel in the dark. Also, I stay at the speed limit and follow the rules of the road.

Living in Florida has been a revelation. There are so many senior citizens here that we are bound to have contact with them every day. For the most part, we enjoy that. However, dealing with senior drivers has been a challenge.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Is it love?

A good friend of mine asked me, "How do you know if it's true love?"

Considering the fact that she was trying to decide if she should marry someone, I took her question seriously.

My first answer to that question is usually - "Do you like the person?" If you don't, then it can't be love.

The second answer is a little more involved - "Does he make you feel special, happy, and safe?" If you don't feel special, happy, and safe, then he's not the one for you.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Being green

Perhaps it is because St. Patrick's Day is imminent. Perhaps it is because Spring is almost upon us and the little green shoots are starting to push through. Perhaps it is because tax season is here and we're thinking about money.

Whatever the reason, I'm feeling green. The part of my background that is Scotch-Irish has come to the forefront this week.

I recall a student in my high school when I was the principal. She came to school the week of St. Patrick's Day with bright green hair. Before she even sat down in homeroom, her teacher said, "Go to the office."

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