Motherly Lessons, Part II

My mother taught me LOGIC... "Because I said so, that's why."

My mother taught me FORESIGHT... "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident.

My mother taught me IRONY... "Keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about."

My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS... "Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"

My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM... "Will you just look at the dirt on the back of your neck!"

My mother taught me about STAMINA... "You'll sit there 'till all that spinach is finished."

My mother taught me about WEATHER... "It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."

My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY... "If I've told you once, I've told you a million times - Don't Exaggerate!!!"

My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE... "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION... "Stop acting like your father!"

My mother taught me about ENVY... "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!"

Motherly Lessons, Part I

My Mother taught me LOGIC... "If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can't go to the store with me."

My Mother taught me MEDICINE... "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they're going to freeze that way."

My Mother taught me TO THINK AHEAD... "If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job!"

My Mother taught me ESP... "Put your sweater on; don't you think that I know when you're cold?"

My Mother taught me TO MEET A CHALLENGE... "What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you...Don't talk back to me!"

My Mother taught me HUMOR... "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT... "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up.

My mother taught me about GENETICS... "You are just like your father!"

My mother taught me about my ROOTS... "Do you think you were born in a barn?"

My mother taught me about the WISDOM of AGE... "When you get to be my age, you will understand."

My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION... "Just wait until your father gets home."

My mother taught me about RECEIVING... "You are going to get it when we get home."

And my all time favorite thing- JUSTICE... "One day you will have kids, and I hope they turn out just like YOU..then you'll see what it's like."

My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE... "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside - I just finished cleaning!"

My mother taught me RELIGION... "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL... "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

Take the Poll

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Fox News Beating Obama on NPR Poll

It's pretty sad when Obama can't even win on an NPR poll. Fox News has recently pulled ahead in a poll that asked NPR listeners, "In White House Vs. Fox News War Of Words, Who Gets Your Vote?"

The poll is close right now, with Fox News ahead by a little less than 25,00 votes or 6%. Of course, a vote for Fox News supports the First Amendment and sends a clear message the President's job is not to put a news source on an enemies list. Protect the First Amendment and Fox News right to present the news. Obama is out of his league.

You can cast your vote at http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2009/10/in_white_house_vs_fox_news_war.html.

H/T to Bungalow Bill Conservative Wisdom for this!

Wealth!!

The Joys of Growing Older!

Silver in the Hair

Gold in the Teeth.

Stones in the Kidneys

Sugar in the Blood.

Lead in the Feet.

Iron in the Arteries.

And an inexhaustible supply of Natural Gas.

We never thought we'd accumulate such wealth!!

The Teacher Applicant

After being interviewed by the school administration, the teaching prospect said, "Let me see if I've got this right? You want me to go into that room with all those kids, and do the following:

1. Correct their disruptive behavior
2. Observe them for signs of abuse
3. Monitor their dress habits
4. Censor their T-shirt messages
5. Instill in them a love for learning
6. Check their backpacks for weapons
7. Wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted
diseases
8. Raise their sense of self esteem and personal
pride
9. Teach them patriotism and good citizenship,
sportsmanship and fair play
10. Teach them how to register to vote
11. Balance a checkbook
12. Apply for a job
13. You want me to check their heads for lice
14. Recognize signs of anti-social behavior
15. Make sure that they all pass the state exams
16. Provide them with an equal education
regardless of their handicaps
17. Communicate regularly with their parents in
English and Spanish by letter, telephone,
conferences, email, homework hotline, web
page, midterm newsletters, and report card
18. You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk,
a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few books,
a big smile, and a starting salary that
qualifies me for food stamps
19. You want me to do all this and then you tell
me I CAN'T PRAY?

-- Submitted by Ed Bradley

Monday Musings 09/10/26

Words of Wisdom

"How well we communicate is determined not by how well we say things, but how well we are understood." -- Andrew Grove

"It's not what happens that will determine our destiny; it's how we react to what happens." -- Mac Anderson

"Life is too short to waste. Dreams are fulfilled only through action, not through endless planning to take action." -- David J. Schwartz

"Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results." -- Willie Nelson

"I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle." -- Winston Churchill

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble." -- Helen Keller

The New Game of the Year

The object of the game is to destroy American capitalism by having the government take over everything! Wanna play? No??? Too bad, you're already playing... "Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others." Geo E.

Funny for Sunday

Blonde Convention

80,000 blondes meet in the Kansas City Chiefs Stadium for a "Blondes Are Not Stupid" Convention. The leader says, "We are all here today to prove to the world that blondes are not stupid. Can I have a volunteer?" A blonde gingerly works her way through the crowd and steps up to the stage. The leader asks her, "What is 15 plus 15?" After 15 or 20 seconds she says, "Eighteen!"

Obviously everyone is a little disappointed. Then 80,000 blondes start cheering, "Give her another chance! Give her another chance!" The leader says, "Well since we've gone to the trouble of getting 80,000 of you in one place and we have the world-wide press and global broadcast media here, gee, uh, I guess we can give her another chance." So he asks, "What is 5 plus 5?"

After nearly 30 seconds she eventually says, "Ninety?"

The leader is quite perplexed, looks down and just lets out a dejected sigh -- everyone is disheartened, the blonde starts crying and the 80,000 girls begin to yell and wave their hands shouting, "GIVE HER ANOTHER CHANCE! GIVE HER ANOTHER CHANCE!"

The leader, unsure whether or not he is doing more harm than damage, eventually says, "Ok! Ok! Just one more chance -- What is 2 plus 2?"

The girl closes her eyes, and after a whole minute eventually says, "Four?"

Throughout the stadium pandemonium breaks out as all 80,000 girls jump to their feet, wave their arms, stomp their feet and scream...

"GIVE HER ANOTHER CHANCE! GIVE HER ANOTHER CHANCE!"

The Spell Chequer

Owed Two A Spell Chequer

Eye halve a spelling chequer,
it came with my pea sea.
It plainly marques, four my revue,
miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word
and weight four it two say,
Weather eye am wrong oar write
it shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid,
it nose bee fore two long.
And eye can put the error rite
it's rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it,
I am shore your pleased two no.
Its letter perfect awl the weigh,
my chequer tolled me sew.

Did You Get Your's?

Boobies!

---

so what did you think you were going to see...... it's HALLOWEEN time :-)

Obituary

Subject: This is some Obituary
OBITUARY
Born 1776, Died 2008
It does not hurt to read this several times.

Professor Joseph Olson of Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning last November's Presidential election:

Number of States won by: Democrats: 19 Republicans: 29

Square miles of land won by: Democrats: 580,000 Republicans: 2,427,000

Population of counties won by: Democrats: 127 million Republicans: 143 million

Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Democrats: 13.2 Republicans: 2.1

Professor Olson adds: "In aggregate, the map of the territory Republicans won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of the country. Democrat territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in low income tenements and living off various forms of government welfare..."

Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the "complacency and apathy" phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached the "governmental dependency" phase.

If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal invaders called illegals and they vote, then we can say goodbye to the USA in fewer than five years.



I got this from MAinfo, a very good blog!

Life Is a Gift

I read this today, and it really touched my heart. I hope it does the same for you.

Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to God for a companion.

Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before whining about the distance you drive - Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around.

====================================

This reminded me of my favorite Irish saying:

I used to complain that I had no shoes.
Until I met a man who had no feet.

Wanda's Newsletter

On Monday, I posted an article I received from Wanda's Newsletter. I apologize for not having the correct link for you to start getting her articles. Please use the link in today's post. She has many moving, inspirational things to read.

Ya'all have a great day.

Post Turtle

While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old rancher, who's hand was caught in the gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Obama and his role as our president.

The old rancher said, 'Well, ya know, Obama is a 'Post Turtle''..

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him, what a 'post turtle' was.

The old rancher said, 'When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle'.

The old rancher saw the puzzled look on the doctor's face so he continued to explain. 'You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, he doesn't know what to do while he's up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put him up there to begin with.'

Monday Musings 09/10/19

A 92-year-old petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.


After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. I love it, he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.


Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room...just wait. That doesn't have anything to do with it, he replied. Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged...it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up.


I have a choice...I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away…just for this time in my life.


Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!


Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank…I am still depositing.


Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans.

I received this from Wanda's Newsletter.

If you don't receive it, I would encourage you to sign up for it. She has many wonderful things she presents each week.

More Important Than Money

I thought this piece from The Simple Dollar was refreshing after all the economic woes that we are experiencing today. I hope you enjoy it.

Here are fifteen things I’ve found that are more important than money.

Experiences Hug someone. Kiss someone. Write someone a letter telling them how you feel. Run (or walk) a marathon. Spend all day making an exquisite meal and eat it by candlelight. Make love to someone. Face the thing you most fear right in the face. The rush you get from experiencing something amazing is one of the best parts of being human, and most of the time the financial cost is minimal.

Wisdom If you think you know the answer, you’re far from wise. Keep learning. Wisdom comes from knowing how little you actually know. Spend some time learning something new, perhaps even becoming skilled at something. You’ll surprise yourself at what you gain, often far beyond the mere knowledge you hoped to attain.

Marriage Accepting another person wholly and intimately into your life is utterly life-changing. Opening up every part of yourself to another person is constantly challenging, but constantly powerful in how it changes you and makes you strive to be a better person.

Friendships The regular companionship and camaraderie of people you care about and share interests with is continually life-affirming. Friendships don’t revolve around the things you have or the activities you can afford – they revolve around people.and shared experiences.

Physical health Health can’t be bought, but it can be helped by the personal choices we make. Exercise. Eating better. Making choices that are less sedentary. Getting involved with activities that get us moving. Practicing proper hygiene. Money pales in comparison to the value of the physical health needed to enjoy life.

Mental health On the flip side of the physical coin is mental health. Expressing our feelings in a healthy way. Finding people to talk to and relate our problems. Addressing the issues that bother us. Seeking professional help when these options don’t change things for the better. Again, money is insignificant compared to the value of mental balance.

Personal passions What activities make you feel truly excited and fulfilled? Those things are the spice of life – every one of us wins by digging into our passions. The best part? Quite often, seeking out and following your passions often means that money will follow in the wake.

Communication The ability to express our thoughts and feelings to a receptive audience is truly invaluable. it enables us to share elements of our inner world with others, something that can’t be achieved by all of the material wealth on this planet.

Self-reliance Money comes, money goes. The ability to survive and even thrive with no money means that money becomes significantly less important. The ability to do things yourself reduces the need you have for money to solve your problems.

Security If we channel our efforts into creating a sefe and secure enviroment where we’re protected from our failures, we create a situation where our fortunes are much less tied to our ability to put money in our pocket. If we put effort into security now, we have true safety later, a type of safety that can’t be broken by ordinary material needs.

Helping others For most people, the action of helping others provides a great deal of personal joy and satisfaction, something that cannot be replaced by any sort of material item. Helping others often requires no financial resources at all and can sometimes generate financial resources – free meals and such – plus goodwill in the community. Good karma has tremendous value.

Personal growth Every single person has countless opportunities to improve as a person – their behavior, their beliefs, and so forth. Working to grow as a person only improves you and rarely costs anything, but it almost always improves your income potential for the future as well as naturally improving your outlook on the world and your self-confidence.

Thankfulness When you move from desiring the things that you do not have to being thankful for the things that you do have, your perspective on the world changes drastically. Your desire for having the latest things goes down while, at the same time, your contentedness with life goes up dramatically.

Hobbies If you can discover personally fulfilling activities to fill your time, you introduce happiness into your life. Many people fall into routines by default, never asking if their choices introduce authentic happiness, then they try to chase a sense of happiness by purchasing things. Step back from this. Try new things, and dig into the things you genuinely enjoy. Often, it’s the simplest things – playing a game with our partner, going on long walks, collecting rocks or leaves – that bring us the greatest personal satisfaction.

Spirituality Does our life have a purpose? Do we have a spirit? Is there something greater than we can comprehend all around us? Digging into these questions through reading, contemplation, meditation, and prayer can bring an incredible sense of calm, peace, and even joy that can be difficult to find in other avenues – and impossible to find with money.

The more of these elements you dig into and discover in your life, the lesser the role of money, materialism, and spending occupies. In the end, you’ll find that you’re no longer chasing money, but that instead money is following you on the path to a much better life.

Sistas

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says~~
"Oh Crap, She's up!"

Prevention of swine flu (not a joke)

I have received this 3 times this week, so thought I'd pass it on! All of you stay well!

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital, Saifee Hospital, Tata Memorial etc.



Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).

The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense and is important for all of you to know


The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):


1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.

5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.


6. Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

My Award

I was so surprised this morning to see that I was awarded this special award! That is so nice!

My blog friend, Gloria,
presented it to me.

Go check her out!

THANKS, GLORIA!!!!!

Tricky Questions for Teachers!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea.... Does that mean that one out of five enjoys it? *~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Why do croutons come in airtight packages? Aren't they just stale bread to begin with? *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~* *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for? *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* * *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* What hair color do they put on the driver's licenses of bald men? *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* I thought about how mothers feed their babies with tiny little spoons and forks, so I wondered what do Chinese mothers use. Toothpicks? *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Is it true that you never really learn to swear until you learn to drive? *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* As income tax time approaches, did you ever notice: When you put the two words 'The' and 'IRS' together, it spells 'THEIRS'? *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* YOU, make it a great day! Lord, please keep Your arm around my shoulders And Your hand over my mouth! Amen May you always have Love to Share, Health to Spare and Friends that Care! "IN GOD WE TRUST"

If you cannot lift the load off another's back, do not walk away. Try to lighten it."

---Tigger

Our Future Healthcare

Let me get this straight.

We're going to pass a health care plan
written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it,
passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it,
signed by a president that also hasn't read it, and who smokes,
with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes,
overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's nearly broke.

What possibly could go wrong?

Abide With Me

Monday Musings 09/10/12

One day, when I was a freshman in high school,


I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.


His name was Kyle.





It looked like he was carrying all of his books.





I thought to myself, 'Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?





He must really be a nerd.'





I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.





As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.





They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.





His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him...





He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes





My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.





As I handed him his glasses, I said, 'Those guys are jerks.'










They really should get lives.





' He looked at me and said, 'Hey thanks!'





There was a big smile on his face.





It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.





I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.





As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before..





He said he had gone to private school before now.





I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.





We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.





He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.





I asked him if he wanted to play a little football
with my friends





He said yes.





We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.





Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.





I stopped him and said, 'Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!





' He just laughed and handed me half the books.





Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends..





When we were seniors we began to think about college.





Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke.





I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never




be a problem.





He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship..





Kyle was valedictorian of our class.





<>I teased him all the time about being a nerd.





He had to prepare a speech for graduation.





I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak





Graduation day, I saw Kyle.





He looked great.





He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.





He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.





He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.





Boy, sometimes I was jealous!




Today was one of those days.





I could see that he was nervous about his speech.





So, I smacked him on the back and said, 'Hey, big guy, you'll be great!'





He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.





' Thanks,' he said.





As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began





'Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years.





Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends.....





I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.





I am going to tell you a story.'





<>I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the
first day we met.





He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.





He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.





He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.





'Thankfully, I was saved.





My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable..'





I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.





I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.





Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.





Never underestimate the power of your actions..





With one small gesture you can change a person's life.





For better or for worse....





God puts us all in each others lives to impact one another in some way.





Look for God in others.

Amazing Grace

Sunday Wonders!

This is a beautiful rendition of that amazing song!

Amazing Grace

"Il Divo" performed "Amazing Grace" in the beautiful arena in Pula , Croatia.

This coliseum (smaller but better preserved than the one in Rome ), where the

concert and recording were done, is one of the most well-preserved Roman

coliseums in the world.

At my very best, on my very best day, I am just a sinner saved by grace.

For My Son and DIL...the Teachers - And All the Other Teachers I Know and Love

I read this this morning, and it shows the impact a teacher can have on the life of a child.

What do Teachers Make?

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?" He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."

To emphasize his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make?" (She paused for a second, then began...)

"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make a C+ by a former D student feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.

"I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for five without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

"You want to know what I make?" (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)

"I make kids wonder. I make them question. I make them apologize and mean it. I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions. I teach them to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn't everything. I make them read, read, read. I make them show all their work in math. They use their God-given brain, not the man-made calculator.

"I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

"I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

"I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God, because we live in the United States of America.

"I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life."

(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)

"Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with my knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant.

"You want to know what I make?

"I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make Mr. CEO?" His jaw dropped, he went silent.

-- Submitted by Marjory Lacy

Monday Musings 09/10/05

Pilots' Wisdom 1. Every takeoff is optional. Every landing is mandatory. 2. If you push the stick forward, the houses get bigger. If you pull the stick back, they get smaller. That is, unless you keep pulling the stick all the way back, then they get bigger again. 3. Flying isn't dangerous. Crashing is what's dangerous. 4. It's always better to be down here wishing you were up there than up there wishing you were down here. 5. The ONLY time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire. 6. The propeller is just a big fan in front of the plane used to keep the pilot cool. Because when it stops, you can actually watch the pilot start sweating. 7. When in doubt, hold on to your altitude. No one has ever collided with the sky. 8. A 'good' landing is one from which you can walk away. A 'great' landing is one after which they can use the plane again. 9. Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make all of them yourself. 10. You know you've landed with the wheels up if it takes full power to taxi to the ramp. 11. The probability of survival is inversely proportional to the angle of arrival. Large angle of arrival, small probability of survival and vice-versa. 12. Never let an aircraft take you somewhere your brain didn't get to five minutes earlier. 13. Stay out of clouds. The silver lining everyone keeps talking about might be another airplane going in the opposite direction. Reliable sources also report that mountains have been known to hide out in clouds. 14. Always try to keep the number of landings you make equal to the number of take offs you've made. 15. There are three simple rules for making a smooth landing. Unfortunately no one knows what they are. 16. You start with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck. 17. Helicopters can't fly; they're just so ugly the earth repels them. 18. If all you can see out of the window is ground that's going round and round and all you can hear is commotion coming from the passenger compartment, things are not at all as they should be. 19. In the ongoing battle between objects made of aluminum going hundreds of miles per hour and the ground going zero miles per hour, the ground has yet to lose. 20. Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately, experience usually comes from bad judgment. 21. It's always a good idea to keep the pointy end going forward as much as possible. 22. Keep looking around. There's always something you've missed. 23. Remember, gravity is not just a good idea. It's the law. And it's not subject to repeal. 24. The four most useless things to a pilot are the altitude above you, runway behind you, gas back at the airport, and a tenth of a second ago. 25. There are old pilots and there are bold pilots. There are, however, no old, bold pilots.

GEOGRAPHY OF A WOMAN

I don't know what happened to America...maybe we are part of all! Between 18 and 22, a woman is like Africa .. Half discovered, half wild, fertile and naturally beautiful! Between 23 and 30, a woman is like Europe .. Well developed and open to trade, especially For someone of real value. Between 31 and 35, a woman is like Spain , very hot, relaxed and convinced of her own beauty. Between 36 and 40, a woman is like Greece , gently aging but still a warm and desirable place to visit. Between 41 and 50, a woman is like Great Britain , with a glorious and all conquering past. Between 51 and 60, a woman is like Israel , has been through war, doesn't make the same mistakes twice, takes care of business. Between 61 and 70, a woman is like Canada , Self-preserving, but open to meeting new people. After 70, she becomes Tibet . Wildly beautiful, with a mysterious past and the wisdom of the ages.... An adventurous spirit and a thirst for spiritual knowledge. THE GEOGRAPHY OF A MAN Between 1 and 80, a man is like Iran , ruled by nuts.

THE END.

Retirement

----- And they ask---Why I Like Retirement? Question: How many days in a week? Answer: 6 Saturdays, 1 Sunday Question: When is a retiree's bedtime? Answer: Three hours after he falls asleep on the couch. Question: How many retirees to change a light bulb? Answer: Only one, but it might take all day. Question: What's the biggest gripe of retirees? Answer: There is not enough time to get everything done. Question: Why don't retirees mind being called Seniors? Answer: The term comes with a 10% percent discount. Question: Among retirees what is considered formal attire? Answer: Tied shoes. Question: Why do retirees count pennies? Answer: They are the only ones who have the time. Question: What is the common term for someone who continues to work and refuses to retire? Answer: NUTS! Question: Why are retirees so slow to clean out the basement, attic or garage? Answer: They know that as soon as they do, one of their adult kids will want to store stuff there. Question: What do retirees call a long lunch? Answer: Normal Question: What is the best way to describe retirement? Answer: The never ending Coffee Break. Question: What's the biggest advantage of going back to school as a retiree? Answer : If you cut classes, no one can call your parents. Question: Why does a retiree often say he doesn't miss work, but misses the people he used to work with? Answer: He is too polite to tell the whole truth. Question: What do you do all week? Answer: Monday to Friday; Nothing, Saturday & Sunday I rest. Share this one with all the retirees that you know. I'm sure they can relate to some of them! AND, If you have not yet retired, look what you have to look forward to. Happiness is a voyage, not a destination, There is no better time to be happy than... NOW