Thursday, May 23, 2013

Education & Family

Saturday, August 14, 2010

On Memorial Day in 1957, I played my clarinet in the Jim Thorpe High School band. This was not a typical Memorial Day parade. It was a parade to honor Jim Thorpe, the All-American Olympic athlete whose name our town had taken a few years before. Jim's Indian name was Wa-Tho-Huck, which means Bright Path.

On that Memorial Day, the townspeople of Jim Thorpe dedicated a $10,000 mausoleum that contained the remains of Jim Thorpe. The high school band led the parade up North Street amid thousands of onlookers who had come to witness the event.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

New neighbors

Our new development – "On Top of the World" in Ocala, FL – is full of friendly folks.

When our moving truck pulled into the driveway, a group of our neighbors gathered on a nearby porch and watched as we unloaded. We didn't expect them to come and help us, since the average age of those watching was about 85.

When we took a break from unloading, we walked over to say "Hi." One of the women said, "Oh my, we have some young'uns on our street!" That made us giggle, since ages 65 and 70 don't seem young to us. However, age is relative, right?

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Dear Dr. Smith

Dear Dr. Smith:

Recently I read your column in the Times-News about "Myself." I liked the poem, but I didn't like the rest of the article. You sound like you're trying to excuse yourself from being an "expert." Having read your work for a few years, I always thought of you as a good writer, an expert, and an honest person. Why are you trying to escape responsibility? Just because your family might have some problems is no reason to make your readers think twice before they contact you. I, for one, don't know if I'll be asking you any more questions.

Disappointed in Weissport

Saturday, July 24, 2010

In the public eye

Whenever I go to a store or a restaurant, I can't help but notice families with children. I watch the interaction between the parents and children and between the siblings. I look for positive signs of healthy family life. Sometimes, I find those signs. Usually, I don't.

You can tell a lot about a family by watching the members in public. For, if the behavior of the family is negative in a public place, one can only guess at how poor it is when they are at home. Let me give you some examples.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Summer brain rot

SUMMER BRAIN ROT One of the worst "diseases" your child can catch between June and September is the dreaded "summer brain rot." Although it is never fatal, this "disease" can slow a child's mental processes and prevent him from reaching his full potential.

Summer is a great time for kids. They love playing outdoors, sleeping late, and taking a break from schoolwork. Family vacations are usually arranged during the summer months and are typically recreational in nature: camping, seashore, amusement parks, and visits to relatives.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

How to get your child ready for school

Too many parents think that "getting ready for school" means buying clothes, notebooks, pencils, and sneakers. It doesn't. Spending money is the EASY part. There are bigger, more important tasks.

What else is there to do? Here's a handy dandy list that you can use from year to year – no matter the age of the child.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Number eight

Now that we live closer to our daughter and her family, we are able to see the kids' athletic events, concerts, and assemblies. Driving 8 hours for a 5-minute piano recital or a 30-minute school assembly might have sounded crazy to some folks, but we did it for years. Now that we're only 90 minutes away, we can get back home and sleep in our own bed the same day.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Get thee to a punnery

In Shakespeare's "Hamlet," the title character yells at Ophelia – supposedly his love interest – that she should get to a nunnery. He was being cruel to her in Elizabethan talk. Going to a nunnery in those days was punishment.

I have stolen part of Hamlet's speech to introduce the topic of this column – puns. For those of you who love the language, puns are a refreshing way to laugh. They use (or mis-use) words in such a way that the listener has to be on the same wavelength as the pun-maker.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Myself

One of my favorite poems of all time is "Myself" by Edgar Guest –

Myself

I have to live with myself, and so,

I want to be fit for myself to know.

I want to be able, as days go by,

Always to look myself straight in the eye.

I don't want to stand in the setting sun

And hate myself for the things I've done.

A copy of that poem has been near at hand for more than 40 years. It reminds me of the kind of person I want to be.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Two-edge sword

Have you ever watched a pirate film or an historic epic from the Middle Ages? Those folks really know how to fight. They swing their swords with abandon – slashing and crashing their way through a battle. From whichever direction the enemy comes, those swordsmen are ready for them. Their swords are two-edged, so they can cut from either angle.

Currently, my life is a two-edged sword. When I swing to the left, I feel excited about moving to Ocala, Florida. When I swing to the right, I feel sad about leaving Pawleys Island, SC. There's a confusing feeling to my days.

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