I’m done being glum and gloomy over the lack of progress with collecting data and my frustration with the bureaucratic review board. I could live life in a shroud of unhappiness for the next 28 days, but no, I will sweep that rubbage out of my brain manifolds and replace it with thoughts of sunny blue skies, fields of wildflowers, fuzzy kittens, and rainbows. Well, I'll try to, anyway.
Reading about Linda’s son’s interesting day at school reminded me of a funny story about my girls. Someone took Erin, Emily, and a friend to the Paranormal Convention around Halloween last year. Keep in mind that all three girls (15 year olds) have had plenty of sex education in school, and no doubt much more sex education absorbed from TV, movies, and their classmates. Vendor tables were set up at the convention with all sorts of displays, brochures, and cheap trinket give-aways (pencils, keychains, flashlights, etc). They came to a table themed for Aids prevention. Emily said she recognized immediately what was in the large bowls on the table, so she walked on. Erin thought the the items were candy and the friend thought they were Halloween charms or earrings. Erin picked through the bowl, selected a package, then began rummaging in another bowl. The friend picked out two from one of the bowls. All the while, Emily hung back and hissed “Guys, come on, let's go.” One of ladies working the table spoke to Erin and said, “Honey, go ahead and take all you want. We have plenty.” Erin thanked her and cheerfully picked out several more.
So, Erin and the friend turned away from the table and Emily said, “Guys! Really? Seriously?” Erin was puzzled by Emily’s reaction and looked more closely. Horrified at what she held in her hands, she stepped back to the table, dropped all the packets into a bowl, and assured the lady she had no need for them (with beet-red face, to hear Emily tell the story). The friend was equally embarrassed and put them back. The give-away items were condoms in Halloween wrappers.
Changing the subject – I acquired a beautiful gargoyle yesterday. It wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, but it was the best of the three I could load by myself (they had nobody working to help customers load their merchandise). Perhaps it's a good thing because the one I really wanted was much more expensive. My gargoyle looks sad because they made him with chains and shackles. I must now plan the perfect garden to set him in and, of course, do the work to produce the perfect garden. I promised him he could be in the shade part of the day and I would pat his smooth little head whenever I weed around him. What a lucky gargoyle! What should I name him?
This week, I entered an interesting discussion on Linkedin that quickly extended well beyond my knowledge base. I will research the following things:
Prochaska’s change methodology
Universal conscience / super conscience / collective unconscious (these might be all the same thing)
Kolb’s Experiential Learning
Prediction management (Maybe this is the same as risk management??)
Reading about Linda’s son’s interesting day at school reminded me of a funny story about my girls. Someone took Erin, Emily, and a friend to the Paranormal Convention around Halloween last year. Keep in mind that all three girls (15 year olds) have had plenty of sex education in school, and no doubt much more sex education absorbed from TV, movies, and their classmates. Vendor tables were set up at the convention with all sorts of displays, brochures, and cheap trinket give-aways (pencils, keychains, flashlights, etc). They came to a table themed for Aids prevention. Emily said she recognized immediately what was in the large bowls on the table, so she walked on. Erin thought the the items were candy and the friend thought they were Halloween charms or earrings. Erin picked through the bowl, selected a package, then began rummaging in another bowl. The friend picked out two from one of the bowls. All the while, Emily hung back and hissed “Guys, come on, let's go.” One of ladies working the table spoke to Erin and said, “Honey, go ahead and take all you want. We have plenty.” Erin thanked her and cheerfully picked out several more.
So, Erin and the friend turned away from the table and Emily said, “Guys! Really? Seriously?” Erin was puzzled by Emily’s reaction and looked more closely. Horrified at what she held in her hands, she stepped back to the table, dropped all the packets into a bowl, and assured the lady she had no need for them (with beet-red face, to hear Emily tell the story). The friend was equally embarrassed and put them back. The give-away items were condoms in Halloween wrappers.
Sarah got early sex education riding the school bus in kindergarten or first grade (I can’t remember). She showed me a picture of male genitalia scribbled in pencil on a piece of crumpled notebook paper. She asked me what it meant and if I thought it was funny. I asked her where she found it (not quite sure if she had drawn it herself). She said she copied the image from the back of the school bus seat in front of her. She added that it appeared on the back of many of the bus seats on her bus. Yes - it was very funny to see manparts so crudely drawn in such great detail, but I maintained a serious, adult tone and told her what it was and why she shouldn't draw anything like that in public. Changing the subject – I acquired a beautiful gargoyle yesterday. It wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, but it was the best of the three I could load by myself (they had nobody working to help customers load their merchandise). Perhaps it's a good thing because the one I really wanted was much more expensive. My gargoyle looks sad because they made him with chains and shackles. I must now plan the perfect garden to set him in and, of course, do the work to produce the perfect garden. I promised him he could be in the shade part of the day and I would pat his smooth little head whenever I weed around him. What a lucky gargoyle! What should I name him?
This week, I entered an interesting discussion on Linkedin that quickly extended well beyond my knowledge base. I will research the following things:
Prochaska’s change methodology
Universal conscience / super conscience / collective unconscious (these might be all the same thing)
Kolb’s Experiential Learning
Prediction management (Maybe this is the same as risk management??)
3 comments:
How very disappointing that the wrappers did not contain a sweetie. Nothing nice about a condom no matter how well wrapped.
I think you and I can make a little deal. You research your things and I shall research the best icing for my chocolate cup cakes. I think we would actually make the two work very well together when sitting down for a discussion.
The top photo is beautiful. I always love paths amongst trees.
Re the drawing. It is always funny when children do things that need adult handling but are also funny. My son came home with a little piece of paper in his hand upon which he had written the F word .For a seven year old it was such a naughty thing but I have kept it as it is kind of cute as well. Hard not to laugh about it at the time.
When we travelled to the UK I loved the Gargoyles on many of the buildings. I would love a house big enough to have them perched around the roof.
Linda – Icing is the best part of any cake! I use the kind that comes in a can because I’m just lazy like that. If you find an excellent recipe, share it on your blog and I’ll print it off for my girls. They like experimenting in the kitchen.
I’ve oftentimes considered making a large gargoyle out of papier mache. If we had tall ceilings, I would set it on a corner shelf up high overlooking the room. The problem is that every time I imagine making a gargoyle like that, I want to paint him in drag with glitter polish on his talons, shimmery wings, garish eye shadow, lipstick, and ridiculously long eye lashes. I’ve no idea why that comes to mind, and I’d probably be unhappy with the result after putting all that work into him. I lose motivation to start when I think about painting him to look like stone.
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