It's the evening of Valentine's Day and in spite of making promises to myself ("I promise to listen to myself") today not to comment or focus on romance/love/chocolates/greetings - all things Valentines - I've got fingers on the keyboard and sharing.
One of my earliest brushes with romance was at the age of eight...maybe younger. Although he lived on my street, he attended another elementary school but always dropped by on his bike every day to visit after school was out. Together we sat on the front steps and discussed life as viewed through the eyes of youngsters while watching the world go by. Although I liked him as a friend, romance was the furthest thing on my mind and I had no inkling that he had feelings for me. As was our usual daily habit we were sitting on a stair and suddenly, without any warning, he bent over and kissed me on the cheek. Horrified, instinctively I pulled back, whipped my hand behind me and as if in slow motion, brought it forward and slapped him smack accross the face. His expression of shock is as vivid now as it was back then. He grabbed his bike, got on and peddled away and out of my life, forever. Every day I sat on the steps waiting for him to appear but he never did, neither did he ever respond to numerous phone calls. Hurt feelings especially when we're young, aren't easily patched up.
As is the case with many teens, I had a crush on an "older" guy who was in his senior year, a.k.a. Mr. Popularity. From my perspective, he paraded his latest female conquests in front of my eyes since our lockers were accross from each other. Visually, he was good looking with dark eyes, thick black hair and a broad, warm smile. In retrospect and me being a mere 13 years of age, he didn't know I existed. After school and at home, I phoned his house to hear him say, "hello" and then hung up. In my eyes and head, we were destined to be together. This illusion ended when he focused his attention on one girl and the word was out that they were seeing each other.
Since he graduated before me, the romance was forgotten until a chance "meeting" at the airport years later, at the arrival gate. Waiting at the gate was a vaguely familiar face and my memory was suddenly jolted back to high school. The eyes were the same but that was the extent of the familiarity. His thick, wavy hair had all but disappeared, replaced by a bald, shiny scalp with some bits of grey hair at the back of his head. The lack of hair emphasized a long nose that I hadn't noticed when my love for him blurred any physical imperfections. For the first time our eyes met one-on-one and I remember smiling at him. He returned the gesture, assuming perhaps that we knew each other, but my smile was one of smug satisfaction.
Sometimes we have to wait until we're adults to fully savor the fruits of childhood romance - and clear vision.
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Monday, February 14, 2011
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Queen Elizabeth orders her swans counted
Given the state of the world today what with loss of employment globally, famine, homelessness, war, you have to wonder about the timing of this news.
Queen Elizabeth, she who rules England, has ordered a counting of the swans, known as the annual "Swan Upping." Perhaps some people might use these words as a means in which to express their thoughts about the activity. Seems that the counting of the swans is a British tradition that dates back to the 12th century involving the counting of the swans on the Thames River.
One wonders why somebody - especially a royal - would want to know the amount of swans on any river, actually.
So y'see, the process involves the official Swan Marker, one David Barber, rowing up the Thames for five days(!) accompanied the the Swan Warden, one Christopher Perrins of the University of Oxford, wearing the special and traditional swan counting scarlet uniforms while counting, weighing and measuring adult and cygnets.
One wonders once again, if duplication could enter into the picture. I mean, how can one be sure that swan "A" for example, won't swim down the river and be counted as another swan. But I digresss.
According to custom, Britain's sovereign owns all unmarked, mute swans in open water, but the queen now exercises the right only on stretches of the Thames and its nearby tributaries.
Oh the angst of having one's swans limited to a territory!
This year Queen Elizabeth herself will be joining her team of Swan Uppers for part of the cencus. She will follow them up the river and visit a local school project on the whole subject of swans, cygnets and the Thames.
Yes but will Queen Elizabeth actually count the swans or just smile and do a royal wave?
Here's an older photo of a Swan Upper in full uniform checking (or counting) a swan and a story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/oxfordshire/3906385.stm
Just wondering why it's necessary for a/swan uppers to wear a uniform? British tradition one surmises.
Still, would have made a great skit for Monty Python.
Queen Elizabeth, she who rules England, has ordered a counting of the swans, known as the annual "Swan Upping." Perhaps some people might use these words as a means in which to express their thoughts about the activity. Seems that the counting of the swans is a British tradition that dates back to the 12th century involving the counting of the swans on the Thames River.
One wonders why somebody - especially a royal - would want to know the amount of swans on any river, actually.
So y'see, the process involves the official Swan Marker, one David Barber, rowing up the Thames for five days(!) accompanied the the Swan Warden, one Christopher Perrins of the University of Oxford, wearing the special and traditional swan counting scarlet uniforms while counting, weighing and measuring adult and cygnets.
One wonders once again, if duplication could enter into the picture. I mean, how can one be sure that swan "A" for example, won't swim down the river and be counted as another swan. But I digresss.
According to custom, Britain's sovereign owns all unmarked, mute swans in open water, but the queen now exercises the right only on stretches of the Thames and its nearby tributaries.
Oh the angst of having one's swans limited to a territory!
This year Queen Elizabeth herself will be joining her team of Swan Uppers for part of the cencus. She will follow them up the river and visit a local school project on the whole subject of swans, cygnets and the Thames.
Yes but will Queen Elizabeth actually count the swans or just smile and do a royal wave?
Here's an older photo of a Swan Upper in full uniform checking (or counting) a swan and a story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/oxfordshire/3906385.stm
Just wondering why it's necessary for a/swan uppers to wear a uniform? British tradition one surmises.
Still, would have made a great skit for Monty Python.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
I say - cricket origins might not be British
Exciting news regarding a report with new academic research claiming that cricket isn't English (gasp!) but imported from northern Belgium.
The basis for this conclusion was a poem thought to have been penned in 1533, suggesting that its humble beginnings were in Flanders. The word attributed to one John Skelton, Flemish weavers are labelled "kings of crekettes" challenging the assumption that the sport evolved from English children's games, according to Paul Campbell of the Australian National University.
King of crekettes? Perhaps - just perhaps - the term didn't refer to cricket but - wait for it - croquettes, the food! I mean, the Belgians are known for their waffles. Somehow, maybe there was a cross or mixup...
Anywaaaaay...to get back to this surprising discovery... The first references to cricket turned up in England in the 1600's when fines were given out for people who opted to play cricket and missed church. A game played by a lot of Englishmen ended up in public schools and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the following century. Furthermore, the first cricket club was formed in Hambledon in the 1760s and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) was founded in 1787.
So now we all know the British origin of cricket. However...
German academic Heiner Gillmeister and an Australian colleague, claim the discovery proves the quintessential English pastime is anything but English.
In an apparent reference to cricket in the 16th Century work, The Image of Ipocrisie, attributed to the English poet John Skelton, refers to Flemish weavers who settled in southern and eastern England described as "kings of crekettes."
Again? Perhaps these Flemish weavers enjoyed croquettes for lunch, but does that make the game Flemish?
The assumption is that the weavers brought the game to England and played it close to where they looked after their sheep, using shepherd's crooks as bats.
Or perhaps they used over-cooked croquettes as balls or something... Go know!
Research conducted by one Mr. Campell, was based on earlier investigations by German academic, Gillmeister, a linguist from the University of Bonn, who believes that cricket couldn't have originated in England.
"There is no way to relate the term to any existing English word," he told the BBC.
"I was brought up with Flemish children and I know the language well. I immediately thought of the Flemish phrase 'met de krik ketsen' which means to 'chase a ball with a curved stick'."
In response, cricket historian David Frith said, "It is hard to deny that this is a breakthrough. This discovery points to an addition to the great history of cricket. It's exciting we haven't yet written the final word on it."
I don't know if this news falls in the "exciting" category but it's thought-provoking. Cricket...croquettes...makes one think, yes?
The basis for this conclusion was a poem thought to have been penned in 1533, suggesting that its humble beginnings were in Flanders. The word attributed to one John Skelton, Flemish weavers are labelled "kings of crekettes" challenging the assumption that the sport evolved from English children's games, according to Paul Campbell of the Australian National University.
King of crekettes? Perhaps - just perhaps - the term didn't refer to cricket but - wait for it - croquettes, the food! I mean, the Belgians are known for their waffles. Somehow, maybe there was a cross or mixup...
Anywaaaaay...to get back to this surprising discovery... The first references to cricket turned up in England in the 1600's when fines were given out for people who opted to play cricket and missed church. A game played by a lot of Englishmen ended up in public schools and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the following century. Furthermore, the first cricket club was formed in Hambledon in the 1760s and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) was founded in 1787.
So now we all know the British origin of cricket. However...
German academic Heiner Gillmeister and an Australian colleague, claim the discovery proves the quintessential English pastime is anything but English.
In an apparent reference to cricket in the 16th Century work, The Image of Ipocrisie, attributed to the English poet John Skelton, refers to Flemish weavers who settled in southern and eastern England described as "kings of crekettes."
Again? Perhaps these Flemish weavers enjoyed croquettes for lunch, but does that make the game Flemish?
The assumption is that the weavers brought the game to England and played it close to where they looked after their sheep, using shepherd's crooks as bats.
Or perhaps they used over-cooked croquettes as balls or something... Go know!
Research conducted by one Mr. Campell, was based on earlier investigations by German academic, Gillmeister, a linguist from the University of Bonn, who believes that cricket couldn't have originated in England.
"There is no way to relate the term to any existing English word," he told the BBC.
"I was brought up with Flemish children and I know the language well. I immediately thought of the Flemish phrase 'met de krik ketsen' which means to 'chase a ball with a curved stick'."
In response, cricket historian David Frith said, "It is hard to deny that this is a breakthrough. This discovery points to an addition to the great history of cricket. It's exciting we haven't yet written the final word on it."
I don't know if this news falls in the "exciting" category but it's thought-provoking. Cricket...croquettes...makes one think, yes?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Whoopee! The sounds of flatulence
I've frequently questioned some members of the scientific community in as far as their knack to acquire funding for - um - unusual experiments or studies. This one stinks - really!
An acoustics professor from the University of Salford is asking the public to rate the funniness of whoopee cushion sounds in order to advance human understanding of faux flatulence - and raise money for Comic Relief.
The professor, Trevor Cox, designed a website that features twenty whoopee cushion sounds. Each visitor hears six of these sounds, and is asked to grade them accord to the extent they make them laugh.
Okaaaaaay... Personally, I don't find flatulence amusing but then perhaps I'm in the minority.
I mean - c'mon - gimme a break! Like - who cares and more to the point, how much did the good professor receive for his study.
Here is the site the professor set up to listen to the sounds first-hand and if you feel so moved, vote: http://www.salford.ac.uk/news/details/831
Why anyone would be interested in studying this subject is also a good question.
An acoustics professor from the University of Salford is asking the public to rate the funniness of whoopee cushion sounds in order to advance human understanding of faux flatulence - and raise money for Comic Relief.
The professor, Trevor Cox, designed a website that features twenty whoopee cushion sounds. Each visitor hears six of these sounds, and is asked to grade them accord to the extent they make them laugh.
Okaaaaaay... Personally, I don't find flatulence amusing but then perhaps I'm in the minority.
I mean - c'mon - gimme a break! Like - who cares and more to the point, how much did the good professor receive for his study.
Here is the site the professor set up to listen to the sounds first-hand and if you feel so moved, vote: http://www.salford.ac.uk/news/details/831
Why anyone would be interested in studying this subject is also a good question.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Political correctness gone too far?
Many people reading this will recall as children, participating in a sack race or three legged race during sports day and ending up no worse for wear. Well that was then as they say, and this is now with a school in Washington banning the two old and popular events due to what they claim is fear of injury.
"PC" school officials who were concerned that the primary school pupils could fall over and suffer bruising, were assailed by critics for banning the two events.
Yeah so what? I mean, so the children fall down and get grass skids...or a bruise here and there. All part of the game and being kids!
Teachers at the John F Kennedy Primary in Washington, Tyne and Wear, dropped the events after talks with Beamish Open Air Museum, where an Edwardian-themed sports day is being held today. The day called for children to dress up in period costumes and play old-fashioned-type games, which included running, hopping and throwing ping-pong balls into pails.
Laura Midgely, founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness group, said: “It’s health and safety gone mad, completely over the top.”
"PC" school officials who were concerned that the primary school pupils could fall over and suffer bruising, were assailed by critics for banning the two events.
Yeah so what? I mean, so the children fall down and get grass skids...or a bruise here and there. All part of the game and being kids!
Teachers at the John F Kennedy Primary in Washington, Tyne and Wear, dropped the events after talks with Beamish Open Air Museum, where an Edwardian-themed sports day is being held today. The day called for children to dress up in period costumes and play old-fashioned-type games, which included running, hopping and throwing ping-pong balls into pails.
Laura Midgely, founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness group, said: “It’s health and safety gone mad, completely over the top.”
Friday, March 07, 2008
NO SWEARING IN SOUTH PASADENA...AT LEAST ONCE PER MONTH
This community on the edge of Los Angeles has become a cuss-free zone.
Not that police will slap cuffs on you and haul your sorry, er, butt off to jail in light of the proclamation passed Wednesday by the City Council. But you could be shamed into better behavior by the unsettling glares of residents who take their reputation for civility seriously.
"That's one of the purposes of this," Mayor Michael Cacciotti said of his city's proclamation designating the first week of March as No Cussing Week. "It provides us a reminder to be more civil, to elevate the level of discourse."
The proclamation will be in effect until Friday, and then the first week of every March hereafter.
South Pasadena, a tranquil city of tree-shaded cottages at the base of a mountain range eight miles north of downtown Los Angeles, isn't the first to try to rein in potty mouths. Earlier this year, the St. Louis suburb of St. Charles, Mo., proposed banning swearing in bars. Last year, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons called for an industrywide ban on racially and sexually charged epithets.
But what's different about the latest push to stop saying in public the words that Jane Fonda and Diane Keaton recently discovered we still can't say on television is that it was proposed by a 14-year-old boy.
"My mom and dad always taught me good morals, good values, and not cussing was one of them," said McKay Hatch, the founder of South Pasadena High School's No Cussing Club, during a recent break between study hall and tennis practice.
"I've cussed before, I'm not gonna lie to you," Hatch quickly added. "But I try not to cuss any more."
He was in junior high school when he became fed up with all the blue language around him.
He understood why his friends use foul language: "They just want to fit in like everybody else and they don't know how. They figure if they cuss maybe it's an easy way to do that."
But it wasn't for him.
"I finally told my friends, `I don't cuss.' And I said, `If you want to hang out with me, you don't cuss.'"
It took a couple of years, but enough friends finally came around that Hatch formed a 50-member club, handed out fliers and called the group's first meeting, held June 1.
Nine months later, the No Cussing Club has a Web site, claims 10,000 members and boasts chapters in several states and countries. Hatch considers his greatest achievement, though, to be getting his hometown of 25,000 to become a cuss-free zone.
He hopes to encourage cuss-free zones in other cities to improve the quality of life.
Check out the "No Cussing Club" here: http://www.nocussing.com/
D'ya think this club will catch on in other states?
Not that police will slap cuffs on you and haul your sorry, er, butt off to jail in light of the proclamation passed Wednesday by the City Council. But you could be shamed into better behavior by the unsettling glares of residents who take their reputation for civility seriously.
"That's one of the purposes of this," Mayor Michael Cacciotti said of his city's proclamation designating the first week of March as No Cussing Week. "It provides us a reminder to be more civil, to elevate the level of discourse."
The proclamation will be in effect until Friday, and then the first week of every March hereafter.
South Pasadena, a tranquil city of tree-shaded cottages at the base of a mountain range eight miles north of downtown Los Angeles, isn't the first to try to rein in potty mouths. Earlier this year, the St. Louis suburb of St. Charles, Mo., proposed banning swearing in bars. Last year, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons called for an industrywide ban on racially and sexually charged epithets.
But what's different about the latest push to stop saying in public the words that Jane Fonda and Diane Keaton recently discovered we still can't say on television is that it was proposed by a 14-year-old boy.
"My mom and dad always taught me good morals, good values, and not cussing was one of them," said McKay Hatch, the founder of South Pasadena High School's No Cussing Club, during a recent break between study hall and tennis practice.
"I've cussed before, I'm not gonna lie to you," Hatch quickly added. "But I try not to cuss any more."
He was in junior high school when he became fed up with all the blue language around him.
He understood why his friends use foul language: "They just want to fit in like everybody else and they don't know how. They figure if they cuss maybe it's an easy way to do that."
But it wasn't for him.
"I finally told my friends, `I don't cuss.' And I said, `If you want to hang out with me, you don't cuss.'"
It took a couple of years, but enough friends finally came around that Hatch formed a 50-member club, handed out fliers and called the group's first meeting, held June 1.
Nine months later, the No Cussing Club has a Web site, claims 10,000 members and boasts chapters in several states and countries. Hatch considers his greatest achievement, though, to be getting his hometown of 25,000 to become a cuss-free zone.
He hopes to encourage cuss-free zones in other cities to improve the quality of life.
Check out the "No Cussing Club" here: http://www.nocussing.com/
D'ya think this club will catch on in other states?
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Fate? Destiny? Boy saves friend's life with Heimlich manoeuver
With all the negative news that the media reports, it's always refreshing and uplifting to find a good news story, especially when it involves young people.
Probably hundreds of thousands of people taking a CPR course also received instruction on using the Heimlich manoeuver to help dislodge a person choking on an object. There are two levels with one for adults and another for children and babies. Few people actually expect to use it least of all a young boy who saved the life of his friend using the Heimlich.
If ever there was a case for fate and being in the right place at the right time, this story will make you a believer.
Last Wednesday, Travis Hayes of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, CA, was in his 6th grade classroom sucking on a peppermint candy when a fellow classmate did something funny that made him laugh. Somehow during his laughter, the peppermint somehow slipped down and became lodged in his windpipe. Upon realizing that the young boy was choking, his teacher used the Heimlich manoeuver but couldn't remove the candyand a trip to an adjoining classroom to get assistance was unfruitful.
Fellow classmate, Tristan Unsworth who was a skateboard buddy of Travis, assumed that his friend might be fooling around but upon seeing saliva dripping out of Travis's mouth and his facing turning red, he realized his friend was in stress and choking. As luck would have it or some would call it fate, Tristan having taken a babysitting course that included a life saving technique given by the school in February, knew exactly what to do. He wrapped his arms around his friend's stomach and dislodged the candy with one strong abdominal thrust. Taking it all in his stride once Tristan saw and heard Travis cough, he cooly walked back to his seat.
Talk about a good friend! As mentioned he was in the right place at the right time...
Fate? Destiny? Luck?
Writers & Friends
www.jrslater.com/forum
Probably hundreds of thousands of people taking a CPR course also received instruction on using the Heimlich manoeuver to help dislodge a person choking on an object. There are two levels with one for adults and another for children and babies. Few people actually expect to use it least of all a young boy who saved the life of his friend using the Heimlich.
If ever there was a case for fate and being in the right place at the right time, this story will make you a believer.
Last Wednesday, Travis Hayes of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, CA, was in his 6th grade classroom sucking on a peppermint candy when a fellow classmate did something funny that made him laugh. Somehow during his laughter, the peppermint somehow slipped down and became lodged in his windpipe. Upon realizing that the young boy was choking, his teacher used the Heimlich manoeuver but couldn't remove the candyand a trip to an adjoining classroom to get assistance was unfruitful.
Fellow classmate, Tristan Unsworth who was a skateboard buddy of Travis, assumed that his friend might be fooling around but upon seeing saliva dripping out of Travis's mouth and his facing turning red, he realized his friend was in stress and choking. As luck would have it or some would call it fate, Tristan having taken a babysitting course that included a life saving technique given by the school in February, knew exactly what to do. He wrapped his arms around his friend's stomach and dislodged the candy with one strong abdominal thrust. Taking it all in his stride once Tristan saw and heard Travis cough, he cooly walked back to his seat.
Talk about a good friend! As mentioned he was in the right place at the right time...
Fate? Destiny? Luck?
Writers & Friends
www.jrslater.com/forum
Monday, April 16, 2007
PRESS 1 IF YOU'RE A PARENT OF A STUDENT
Can't take credit for writing this but I bet many people especially the teaching profession reading this will relate.
"Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school. In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all the options:
"To lie about why your child is absent, press 1.
"To make excuses for why your child did not do his work, press 2.
"To complain about what we do, press 3.
"To swear at staff members, press 4.
"To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several fliers mailed to you, press 5.
"If you want us to raise your child, press 6.
"If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone, press 7.
"To request another teacher, for the third time this year, press 8.
"To complain about bus transportation, press 9.
"To complain about school lunches, press 0.
"If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his or her own behaviour, class work, homework and that your child's lack of effort is not the teacher's fault, hang up and have a nice day."
"Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school. In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all the options:
"To lie about why your child is absent, press 1.
"To make excuses for why your child did not do his work, press 2.
"To complain about what we do, press 3.
"To swear at staff members, press 4.
"To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several fliers mailed to you, press 5.
"If you want us to raise your child, press 6.
"If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone, press 7.
"To request another teacher, for the third time this year, press 8.
"To complain about bus transportation, press 9.
"To complain about school lunches, press 0.
"If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his or her own behaviour, class work, homework and that your child's lack of effort is not the teacher's fault, hang up and have a nice day."
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