Accepting Less

I am aware that it is easy to generalize and make 'blanket' statements. I will therefore carefully construct the following: More often than not public school administrators are overpaid for under-performance while public school teachers are underpaid for over-performance.

Recently, I spoke with a secondary public school teacher who claims that high school test scores would improve nationwide if all schools implemented a no nonsense cell-phone policy. In his particular high school the administration has the following cell-phone policy, which is a rather prevalent policy>> 'Its left up to individual classroom teachers.' In other words, the school district, which has rules addressing athletic code violations, smoking and drugs, theft, bullying, fighting and academics leaves cell phone usage up to the individual classroom teacher. Those teachers who have strict rules are thus disliked by students and parents while teachers who permit cell phone use (checking out social media) are liked by students and parents. The administrators take a page out of Pontius Pilate play book.

Years ago, I asked a high school administrator why we no longer had sport pep assemblies when playoffs began. He said "Pep assemblies are problematic due to the disruptive trouble-making students." I said, "In other words we deprive the good, well-behaved students from fun things to accommodate the jerks?" Those were the years we were giving McDonald's free meal coupons to repeated truant students if they came to school for a week. My two daughters never got a McDonald's meal coupon...they had too good attendance records to qualify.

Save It For Muddled-Head Thinkers

I am amused at the disingenuous gibberish-jabber of America's so-called Christian evangelicals. To coin a sport metaphor, 'they talk a good game.' You often hear verbal chatter about how terrible things are since we no longer have prayer is school. I frequently see messages suggesting that 'we have taken God out of our schools.' This kind of rhetoric gets many older folks and some right-wingers all worked up about the wicked agenda of those evil liberals. You'll remember Bill O'Rielly who was constantly beating the drum about America's great cultural war. You know, those liberal store owners who don't put Christian symbols up when decorating for Christmas and make their employees wish you "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." Why there's a conspiracy afoot to take Jesus out of our culture. Therefore, you best vote for Republicans...THAT family values party. Oh buddy, save me from that numskull group!

 It's all poppycock! Bull-butter! Every time you and I stay away from weekly church services then it's YOU & I who are to blame for the demise of Christ in our culture. We've now had a generation of parents who have kept their children 'out of church' and Christ out of their lives. That said, we are doing a darn good job killing Jesus all over again. On any given Sunday 14-to-18 percent of Protestant Americans claiming to be followers of Christ can be found in Church pews. And we've been in declining attendance for some time. That's correct... Protestant churches across America are experiencing attendance decline...that means liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans 'ain't going to Church!'

Spare me the conspiracy malarkey, please!

Return To Sender

I've been on the precipice of cancelling my mail service. When I explained my reasoning to my wife she was rather adamant telling me that I could NOT do that because of various monthly payments and communications with family and friends. I understood and yielded to her judgment on the issue with one amended agreement; she opens my mail and screens it.

I apologize but I have not given you background information on the matter. Here's the deal: The mail I receive these days is profoundly depressing and stressful. Here's a sampling: 1) Hearing aid appointment offers with 40% discount on 6-thousand dollar hearing aids. 2) Back braces, knee braces and one-day denture offers. 3) hair-growing products. 4) Memory Loss Seminars 5) Assisted Living Facilities costs and 6) Cemetary burial plans. THAT'S DEPRESSING MAIL! I don't want to read that stuff early morning; it sets a negative tone for my entire day.

A recent piece of mail that tipped the scale was a notice from some insurance company with ties to AARP. This insurer informed me that their offer to insure me would be withdrawn in three months "When you turn 80-years of age," it read. I'm thinking this is borderline elderly abuse.
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Return To Sender

When?

Watching a devastated heartbroken father's gut-wrenching news conference addressing his 22-year old son's shooting death, one of 11-Southern California victims, I cannot help but wonder WHEN...WHEN will the leaders of this nation address these frequent mass murders of our civilians by our OWN people. Please understand that I am not dumping this at Trump's feet, instead I see it as Congress' responsibility..

I am not interested in re-hashing the gun control debate. And I don't want to hear attacks on the NRA or poppycock about mental illness or guns don't kill but people kill or the idiotic notion that 'if everybody was armed with guns we could stop the shooter.' Anybody with average intelligence should agree that both mental illness and gun availability contribute 100% to these senseless killings.

Instead we must listen to the hysterical fear-mongering language, which demeans immigrants 'invading' our nation with "bad people," "thugs" and "terrorist." Can we put aside the divisive political rhetoric and address OUR NATION'S problem with mentally ill people capable of getting guns?

While the President begs for a border wall and sends thousands of military troops to the Mexico  border to stave off the immigrants marching towards America seeking safety and a better life,  Americans (inside our borders) are killing one another in churches, synagogues, school buildings, theaters, bars, restaurants and dance venues. While people lock horns over a woman's choice, our children, brothers-sisters, parents and neighbors are getting murdered by folks who look like us.

When...WHEN will fools like you and me (from the left and right) stop bickering on Facebook about 'who is right' and with one voice demand that our elected government officials 'GET IT RIGHT?'

As the saying goes: "Keep doing the same thing or keep doing nothing...you should expect the same results."
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Stop The Killing

Be Alert Folks

If you are one of the millions who try to follow the political 'goings-on within our government,' I would kindly suggest that in the next few weeks, 'DONT STAND IN FRONT OF THE FAN!'

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When The Ship Hit The Sand

Move Kindness Month

You may have missed it and I'm sorry if my blog-reminder saddens you but DID YOU KNOW that October was 'Kindness Month?' Perhaps if you are among the millions who failed to respond to the month's charge-message to do daily 'acts of kindness,' you can blame it on the long and depressing mid-term political campaigning climate. It's fair to say being kind in that environment is difficult.

I'm not so naive to believe political campaign ugliness is something new. A visit to the Lincoln Museum (Springfield, IL.) will document the incredible nasty attacks by the press and political opponents towards Abraham Lincoln. Just the racist cartoons targeting Lincoln is terribly sad.
That said, I believe the current times with extensive social media availability and Facebook comment posting and the plethora of unsubstantiated facts woven into negative attacks gives rise to anger, hatred, vulgarities, and mean spirited attacks, which promotes emotional depression and stress.

Personally, I think the selection of October as 'Kindness Month' is problematic. The leaves are falling, plants are dying, the cold winds and rains reminds us of winter's pending bleakness. I think our 'kindness month' should be moved to May. The month of May is spirit lifting as we feel a warmer breeze and watch the landscape come to life with the renewal of fabulous colors. Personally, I'd like to see 'National Kindness Day' placed between 'Mother Goose Day' and 'National Candied Orange Peel Day.' When moving 'Kindness Day' to May we must establish a date far enough away from Cinco de Mayo Day due to our entrenched dislike for Mexican 'thugs, rapist, and job stealing evil immigrants trying to invade our country.
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What a Difference a Day Makes

Everybody's Got A Primrose Lane

A recent research study suggests that one of the best medicines for stress and depression is nostalgia. Of course, one man's nostalgia could be another man's stress. Perhaps we should therefore state that a good 'stress/depression buster' is a walk down one's OWN memory lane.

It appears that when we embrace those carefree and delightful things we experienced in our past, we actually have affectionate recall most generally. Nostalgia counteracts depression. Often times people of their own accord will seek those past experiences when they are feeling depressed. Specifically, a person might wish to watch a classic movie from the past, i.e., 'A Wonderful Life,' An Affair to Remember,' or perhaps 'Christmas Vacation.' I find my nostalgia in music. I suppose that's why I have a collection of hundreds of vinyl record albums, thousands of vinyl 45's and numerous catalogs documented music history while offering the unique trivia. When I retreat to my office/den, I actually travel way back in time, which likely helps me keep my faculties in these times.

Most often people enjoy remembering nostalgia from their youth. Nostalgia allows us to go back in time when life was 'in the moment' and predictable; there was little uncertainty. There was little pressure because there was little expectation.

On a personal note, I have always enjoyed the practice of reminiscing, which is surely the act of embracing nostalgia. Occasionally, I have been accused of 'living in the past.' I refute that accusation but I'm not offended by it. To be upset with such would ask for worry about my psychological well- being, which could stress me out and cause depression.
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Lost In Nostalgia