Teachers are a precious resource. As parents, we trust our teachers to give our children knowledge that will help them succeed in the world. This holiday season, remember your teacher for all that he/she does for your child(ren). If you can't give from your wallet then give from the heart. Gift cards are a great way of showing appreciation but so is writing a kind letter acknowledging your child's teacher's efforts during the year. Bring the teacher a meal that be easily heated so they don't have to cook one evening after a long day with the children. Or, have your child write a note or draw a picture that conveys how much they appreciate their teacher. Whatever you do, do something. They deserve it.
To all of Jack's teachers this year-- Mrs. Dene Shedd (Homeroom), Ms. Lee (Math), Coach Gagliano (PE), Mrs. Scola (Art), Senora Nash (Spanish), Mrs. Crawford (Latin), and Mrs. Fanara (Music) ....THANK YOU!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Your Time is More Valuable Than Mine?
What gives? Why can't people be on time to pre-determined commitments? It's pretty simple: 1. Make an appointment, date, meeting, etc. 2. Be there at the specified time -- not 5, 10, 15 minutes or more late. It's not that hard. If you can't be there, call the person you're supposed to meet... and not five minutes before you're supposed to show up.
Dr. Lynn McKinley-Grant is notorious for making people wait, so much so I'm no longer her patient. Example: The doctor was nearly one hour late for my appointment when two sales people walked in the office and asked to meet with her. The doctor came out of the back and said to the salesmen "sure, come on back for a few minutes." I was stunned! I stood up and said, "Excuse me, but I've been waiting nearly an hour for my appointment. I was here on time, and it's rude, insulting and poor customer service to meet with these people who did not have an appointment before you meet with me." It was the doctor's turn to be stunned. She looked at them and then back at me and said, "you're right." She then asked the salesmen to leave and had me come on back with her. While her response to me was appropriate, her making me wait was not.
I get that doctors double-book to make sure their time is filled if a patient doesn't show up. But, instead of double-booking and penalizing one party if both patients show up, why don't doctors simply charge the person who fails to make the appointment? It's a win-win for everyone: The doctors make their money, the prompt patient gets seen, and the no-show gets fined.
I attended a training class this week that was suppose to start at 9:00 am. I got up early, rushed to get my son out the door and to school and then rushed to get to the class on time. At 9:10 the class still hadn't started so I asked the instructor when it would. He told me, "We're waiting for more people to arrive." @*$#(@)$#@$#@_$! I busted my ass to get to the class on time and was rewarded by waiting for slow people who couldn't get their act together. Unbelievable!
Last night I attended a homeowner's association meeting. Again...I showed up on time. The meeting started 15 minutes late. Again, the reason....waiting for more people to show up. I should've known what I was in for when I looked at the minutes for the last meeting. It was supposed to start at 7:00 but got underway at 7:25.
I get that there are emergencies. I get that there is the occasional traffic jam. I get that sometimes people are running late at no cause of their own. But, people who are chronically late are rude, selfish, and have no regard for other people's time. People, get over yourselves, and BE ON TIME. Better yet, don't commit to an appointment, class, meeting or some other get together if you don't plan on being their on time.
Phew....that was a great vent!I feel so much better.
Dr. Lynn McKinley-Grant is notorious for making people wait, so much so I'm no longer her patient. Example: The doctor was nearly one hour late for my appointment when two sales people walked in the office and asked to meet with her. The doctor came out of the back and said to the salesmen "sure, come on back for a few minutes." I was stunned! I stood up and said, "Excuse me, but I've been waiting nearly an hour for my appointment. I was here on time, and it's rude, insulting and poor customer service to meet with these people who did not have an appointment before you meet with me." It was the doctor's turn to be stunned. She looked at them and then back at me and said, "you're right." She then asked the salesmen to leave and had me come on back with her. While her response to me was appropriate, her making me wait was not.
I get that doctors double-book to make sure their time is filled if a patient doesn't show up. But, instead of double-booking and penalizing one party if both patients show up, why don't doctors simply charge the person who fails to make the appointment? It's a win-win for everyone: The doctors make their money, the prompt patient gets seen, and the no-show gets fined.
I attended a training class this week that was suppose to start at 9:00 am. I got up early, rushed to get my son out the door and to school and then rushed to get to the class on time. At 9:10 the class still hadn't started so I asked the instructor when it would. He told me, "We're waiting for more people to arrive." @*$#(@)$#@$#@_$! I busted my ass to get to the class on time and was rewarded by waiting for slow people who couldn't get their act together. Unbelievable!
Last night I attended a homeowner's association meeting. Again...I showed up on time. The meeting started 15 minutes late. Again, the reason....waiting for more people to show up. I should've known what I was in for when I looked at the minutes for the last meeting. It was supposed to start at 7:00 but got underway at 7:25.
I get that there are emergencies. I get that there is the occasional traffic jam. I get that sometimes people are running late at no cause of their own. But, people who are chronically late are rude, selfish, and have no regard for other people's time. People, get over yourselves, and BE ON TIME. Better yet, don't commit to an appointment, class, meeting or some other get together if you don't plan on being their on time.
Phew....that was a great vent!I feel so much better.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Jaws
I remember my mother becoming furious when she found out I went to see the movie Jaws as a little girl. She probably had a good point: Here's her pig-tailed little girl becoming terrified silly watching people getting devoured by a menacing shark. To this day I still have a bit of trepidation as I enter the ocean. For that matter, I'm still convinced I'll lose my life if I go too deeply into Lake Michigan. (Yes, I realize the man eater in Jaws thrives in salt water. Nevertheless, it's a fear.)
I'm captivated by sharks because they seem so mysterious and dangerous. It's rare that you see one out in the open water. The only time I've ever seen one in person is behind glass at the Aquarium. Even behind several inches of glass they look terrifying.
Frankly, the only shark knowledge I get is from watching Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. Seriously, you can't tell me you've never been drawn to the images of a shark attack on a misfortunate seal? What about the surfer who proudly displays the scars from an attack or a missing limb? Yeesh.
My son loves sharks and got two for his 10th birthday. It's an understatement to say he loves his sharks. He LOVES his sharks! He even told me, "these are better than my PSP3!" (You can pick yourself off the floor now -- It's what I had to do.) The only time I've ever heard those words uttered is when he said the same thing about trip to Jackson Hole.
Since getting the sharks I've had to rethink my position on shark species. In fact, they're coming rather fascinating....especially when they're just a few inches long. I like watching them blink -- a wide cover quickly goes down and back over their eyes. Besides how can you be afraid of them with names like Cucumber and Pickle? Yep. That's right. Cucumber and Pickle.
I'm not really sure why he'd name his sharks after vegetables (and, really, the same vegetable...one is just pickled). However the names make them sound much less menacing. I can see it now: I'll be in Hawaii. Bob will be lounging on the beach trying to out-do George Hamilton in the tan department while I'm taking a dip in the water with Jack. I'll see a fin coming toward me and shriek "Help, it's a pickle!" Bob and everyone else on the beach will think I'm nuts. I'll lose a limb and be featured on the Discovery Channel. I can't wait.
I'm captivated by sharks because they seem so mysterious and dangerous. It's rare that you see one out in the open water. The only time I've ever seen one in person is behind glass at the Aquarium. Even behind several inches of glass they look terrifying.
Frankly, the only shark knowledge I get is from watching Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. Seriously, you can't tell me you've never been drawn to the images of a shark attack on a misfortunate seal? What about the surfer who proudly displays the scars from an attack or a missing limb? Yeesh.
My son loves sharks and got two for his 10th birthday. It's an understatement to say he loves his sharks. He LOVES his sharks! He even told me, "these are better than my PSP3!" (You can pick yourself off the floor now -- It's what I had to do.) The only time I've ever heard those words uttered is when he said the same thing about trip to Jackson Hole.
Since getting the sharks I've had to rethink my position on shark species. In fact, they're coming rather fascinating....especially when they're just a few inches long. I like watching them blink -- a wide cover quickly goes down and back over their eyes. Besides how can you be afraid of them with names like Cucumber and Pickle? Yep. That's right. Cucumber and Pickle.
I'm not really sure why he'd name his sharks after vegetables (and, really, the same vegetable...one is just pickled). However the names make them sound much less menacing. I can see it now: I'll be in Hawaii. Bob will be lounging on the beach trying to out-do George Hamilton in the tan department while I'm taking a dip in the water with Jack. I'll see a fin coming toward me and shriek "Help, it's a pickle!" Bob and everyone else on the beach will think I'm nuts. I'll lose a limb and be featured on the Discovery Channel. I can't wait.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Little Men & Women
My little man turned double-digits for the first time yesterday. As part of what turned out to be a four-day long celebration (seriously...who doesn't want to celebrate everyday when you're turning 10?!?), he had a birthday party at our home with several friends. The children all tumbled into the house bearing gifts and wide smiles. Laughter was instantaneous; excitement the underlying current.
After a short time trying to destroy each other with Nerf guns, each quickly grabbed their coat to run back outside for a rousing game of football, paused only when they wanted to out do each other in tree climbing. After tiring, they tumbled in again...this time all muddy...to sit down to dinner.
Turning double-digits is a big deal so dinner in the dining room was required. It must be a natural instinct -- as the plates were filled the conversation spilled forward. From the kitchen I heard the chatter: the occasional mention of Star Wars, the latest video games, and who liked whom. But what surprised me the most is that these little men and women were discussing politics, sports and other current events. At the age of 10!! Go figure.
It was his birthday and moment to shine. He was turning 10. So I just stood on the sidelines with my camera, trying not to disturb the festivities and sometime silliness. I imagine I'll be taking a step back much more often as my son continues to grow, mature, and unfurl his wings. But there I'll be....me and my camera. Trying to hold on to the memories of my little boy becoming a man.
After a short time trying to destroy each other with Nerf guns, each quickly grabbed their coat to run back outside for a rousing game of football, paused only when they wanted to out do each other in tree climbing. After tiring, they tumbled in again...this time all muddy...to sit down to dinner.
Turning double-digits is a big deal so dinner in the dining room was required. It must be a natural instinct -- as the plates were filled the conversation spilled forward. From the kitchen I heard the chatter: the occasional mention of Star Wars, the latest video games, and who liked whom. But what surprised me the most is that these little men and women were discussing politics, sports and other current events. At the age of 10!! Go figure.
It was his birthday and moment to shine. He was turning 10. So I just stood on the sidelines with my camera, trying not to disturb the festivities and sometime silliness. I imagine I'll be taking a step back much more often as my son continues to grow, mature, and unfurl his wings. But there I'll be....me and my camera. Trying to hold on to the memories of my little boy becoming a man.
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