My niece Kristin, wrote in a recent blog about making face to face reunions with Facebook friends. You can read her blog at http://www.fairtimiddlinkcg. blogspot.com. The following is my comment to her blog.
"Seeing FB friends in person is a great idea, and you have been hard at it. Each story is unique and personal.
I love the June Ellenburg reunions. It is normally the only time that my parents, aunts and uncles that are left, nieces and nephews + their children, siblings, children and grandchildren get together. The fact the we had family from Pineola, Charlotte, Easley, Seneca, Nashville, Murfeesboro, Conway, Myrtle Beach speaks to the pull of the event. I especially like how you and the young people often get together that night for more time with each other. One other remarkable thing about is that, if all the regulars come, there will be around 20 children there, pointing to the fact that we are positive, hopeful, and forward-looking family. So niece, I am with you on that point."
I like Facebook because I can re-connect with people I've known over the years through it. High school and college friends, former students and colleagues, parents of students with whom I've worked, family and friends all comprise my friend list. I can and have; discussed a book with Jake James, a former student and Lee, my nephew; politics with Kristen; enjoyed the beautiful pictures my sister-in-law Jane takes or the pictures of my grand nieces and nephews in Florida; and read blogs by former students like Kim Kunz Princess of Sarcasm or Scott Sanders The 41 year Old Curmudgeon. One of the big issues in retirement is connectivity. All these opportunities remind me that my life has been rich and it still is. Thanks, Kristin, for reminding me of that.
The Ellenburg special reunions are always the first Saturday in June at Oconee County State Park. Most of the time, three of my dad's sisters attend, along with some of my cousins. I love seeing Dale and Randall and Lane with their families. Growing up we were together often and my memories of time spent with them are fond. As Kristin noted, we recently added Fred and Ellie to the roster. We share an ancestor and have loved getting to know them. Since connecting, we have collaborated on research together with Dad and my brother Tom into family history. With all my Ellenburg nieces and nephews and their kids, it makes for a right lively gathering. As I have said on many occasions, there is usually no shortage of opinions expressed. Can't wait till the next time. The cast members will come and go, but the play will go on. One thing I have learned is that Ellenburgs are smart and resilient, and not afraid to work. Along with these traits, we are loving and loyal to a fault. It's the mill hill in us - take one, take on all. Although I still miss my friends at work, staying connected has not proven to be the issue I thought it would be. If it had, I might be blogging all the time, instead of just when I feel like it.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Behind the Times
I admit that I am a relic of a bygone era. Although I invested 34 years of my adult life in education, I always said that BubbaSpeaks would not be an educational blog. Despite using it for a book study while at JN Kellett, I remain persuaded that resisting comment on educational matters is good for me. Occasionally the call is just too strong, and resisting the urge to comment is futile and frustrating. According to my granddaughter in first grade we have begun to test all first graders using the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) in the very near future. There is talk about testing kindergartners as well.
While MAP provides good information to teachers about individual students, unlike statewide tests, I can't help but wonder what we hope to gain. Sure, we can teach them to produce better test results, but can we teach them to be better people? It has long been my belief that children need better childhoods more than they need better test scores. I realize the the State Accountability Act and NCLB indicate that the state and federal governments feel differently. I question the wisdom of involving five and six year olds in such high stakes testing. Test scores will rise, but children will suffer from more pressure, less time outdoors, and learning at that tender age that they don't meet our expectations. Children at that age should believe to the core of their being that they can do ANYTHING. To involve them in this grownup game of Gotcha is not appropriate. What's next? How about a test for newborns so we can really get a jump on all this testing? We could even just e-mail their parents at birth to advise them that many will not meet our testing targets, thereby relegating them to second class citizenship. Oh, and b the way, good luck and welcome to the world. All this testing has already gone too far and should reduced or eliminated altogether. It does no long term good and may very well do long term harm to children. Just my humble opinion.
While MAP provides good information to teachers about individual students, unlike statewide tests, I can't help but wonder what we hope to gain. Sure, we can teach them to produce better test results, but can we teach them to be better people? It has long been my belief that children need better childhoods more than they need better test scores. I realize the the State Accountability Act and NCLB indicate that the state and federal governments feel differently. I question the wisdom of involving five and six year olds in such high stakes testing. Test scores will rise, but children will suffer from more pressure, less time outdoors, and learning at that tender age that they don't meet our expectations. Children at that age should believe to the core of their being that they can do ANYTHING. To involve them in this grownup game of Gotcha is not appropriate. What's next? How about a test for newborns so we can really get a jump on all this testing? We could even just e-mail their parents at birth to advise them that many will not meet our testing targets, thereby relegating them to second class citizenship. Oh, and b the way, good luck and welcome to the world. All this testing has already gone too far and should reduced or eliminated altogether. It does no long term good and may very well do long term harm to children. Just my humble opinion.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Movie Review - How Do You Know
I had high hopes for HDYK. After all, its cast included Jack Nicholson, Reece Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, and others. Nicholson is a genius and Reece Witherspoon is both talented and beautiful. So how in the world did they come out with this mediocre movie that is shallower than your backyard creek. The writing was awful, and the boom mike was visible sporadically throughout the movie. It looked like the amateur hour for film school. Don't misunderstand, Witherspoon is still gorgeous and Jack is still Jack, but the concept had so much potential that the average execution in making the movie seemed to produce a below average movie. For what it's worth, save your $7.50 or see something else. For us, the Tourist might be next. After all, Johnny Depp is a genius and Angelina is beautiful and talented. Hey! Wait a minute.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
A Tragic Story
A friend of mine, Richard, unexpectedly lost his wife, Elaine, three weeks ago. She hurt her back picking up a box, then developed complications that eventually killed her. Imagine losing your spouse under similar circumstances. She got treatment for a common injury; seemed to make progress; and suddenly was gone.
Now imagine that three weeks later your only child dies, too. That is exactly what happened to Richard this week. His son, Seth, had been in the military and was deployed in combat three time to Iraq and Afghanistan. Since he came home to try and reintegrate himself in into life here in the United States, it has been a struggle for him. To make matters worse, the Veteran's Administration has not been helpful at all until very recently. Apparently this is happening all over the country to returning soldiers and their families.
The very idea that we can send young men and women off to war to kill and be killed, and then have no support for them when they come home is anathema to me. We owe these returning soldiers and their families a debt of gratitude that includes meeting their every need as they try to transition from combat to home life. If we can't do that much for those who defend our very liberties, than perhaps we shouldn't be sending them at all.
Pray for Richard, and others in similar circumstances, in the days and weeks ahead, as he deals with the multiple tragedies of the deaths of his family members.
Now imagine that three weeks later your only child dies, too. That is exactly what happened to Richard this week. His son, Seth, had been in the military and was deployed in combat three time to Iraq and Afghanistan. Since he came home to try and reintegrate himself in into life here in the United States, it has been a struggle for him. To make matters worse, the Veteran's Administration has not been helpful at all until very recently. Apparently this is happening all over the country to returning soldiers and their families.
The very idea that we can send young men and women off to war to kill and be killed, and then have no support for them when they come home is anathema to me. We owe these returning soldiers and their families a debt of gratitude that includes meeting their every need as they try to transition from combat to home life. If we can't do that much for those who defend our very liberties, than perhaps we shouldn't be sending them at all.
Pray for Richard, and others in similar circumstances, in the days and weeks ahead, as he deals with the multiple tragedies of the deaths of his family members.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
People I Admire - Wanda Warner
I first met Dr. Wanda Warner in the summer of 2002 when we were both hired for the new Department of Instruction in the School District of Oconee County, SC. She was hired to direct middle level instruction and I was hired to direct early childhood instruction. Since I was on board before her, I was a part of the interview team for middle level instruction. Wanda was brilliant in the interview and was hired. We all wished we were just a little smarter after that interview. Since we both had some elementary grades in our departments we worked together quite often. You may know that we are both quite opinionated, so "discussions on the merits" were vigorous. Never shy about expressing her opinions or sharing her knowledge, she is adept at discussing any issue and is a great listener and consensus-builder.
The first you notice about Wanda is that she possesses impressive intellectual capacity. Her ability to absorb new material and to recall and implement older knowledge is phenomenal. Hardly any problem ever came up for which she had no solution to recommend. Almost everytime, she was right. As accomplished as she is professionally, she is equally accomplished personally. As is often true, there is some degree of resistance to "new blood" but she quickly overcame what little there was. She earned respect and made friends in the district quickly and remains a popular and formidable figure even after her retirement. We are friends as well as colleagues and our two families spend time together. Quite the hostess, she knows that life is too short to let good wine sit idle. She has a heart of gold and will do anything to help a friend in need.
Despite some obvious strengths, she also has some fairly obvious weaknesses. One is that she is vehicularly challenged to say the least. She once bragged to me that she had been stopped for speeding in every jurisdiction in which she worked. Having ridden with her on many occasions, I can vouch for the "lead foot". Very soon after she was hired, we were hearing a retention appeal at Code Elementary. Going to Code, I noticed an obvious trail of auto fluids beginning at the railroad tracks at Hometown Foods. I followed the trail to Code to find its end in Wanda's parking space. She had bottomed out her Volvo at the tracks and ejected fluids all the way there. That trail was visible for a long time and was known in some circles as the Warner Trail. While the principal, Andy Inabinet, worked on getting the car fixed, we heard the appeal. Another member of the team prayed for Wanda and her car. As long as any of the team members are around, the story of the Warner Trail will be told. Some details may vary, depending on who is telling the story.
A very important thing about Wanda Warner is that she is a pancreatic cancer survivor. Her diagnosis was a year and four months ago and her surgery was a year ago. While not in remission, she continues to fight bravely against the disease. I always knew that Wanda is tough and determined, but I did not know exactly how tough and determined she really is. She has chronicled her journey as a cancer patient at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/wandawarner for her friends and family. Reading her journal is inspirational. Always positive, she writes a legacy document to show us how one ought to act and feel and live under similar circumstances. The sheer volume and content of the messages from friends and colleagues on her board is testimony to the respect and affection of those who know her. It is my privilege to call this remarkable woman my friend.
The first you notice about Wanda is that she possesses impressive intellectual capacity. Her ability to absorb new material and to recall and implement older knowledge is phenomenal. Hardly any problem ever came up for which she had no solution to recommend. Almost everytime, she was right. As accomplished as she is professionally, she is equally accomplished personally. As is often true, there is some degree of resistance to "new blood" but she quickly overcame what little there was. She earned respect and made friends in the district quickly and remains a popular and formidable figure even after her retirement. We are friends as well as colleagues and our two families spend time together. Quite the hostess, she knows that life is too short to let good wine sit idle. She has a heart of gold and will do anything to help a friend in need.
Despite some obvious strengths, she also has some fairly obvious weaknesses. One is that she is vehicularly challenged to say the least. She once bragged to me that she had been stopped for speeding in every jurisdiction in which she worked. Having ridden with her on many occasions, I can vouch for the "lead foot". Very soon after she was hired, we were hearing a retention appeal at Code Elementary. Going to Code, I noticed an obvious trail of auto fluids beginning at the railroad tracks at Hometown Foods. I followed the trail to Code to find its end in Wanda's parking space. She had bottomed out her Volvo at the tracks and ejected fluids all the way there. That trail was visible for a long time and was known in some circles as the Warner Trail. While the principal, Andy Inabinet, worked on getting the car fixed, we heard the appeal. Another member of the team prayed for Wanda and her car. As long as any of the team members are around, the story of the Warner Trail will be told. Some details may vary, depending on who is telling the story.
A very important thing about Wanda Warner is that she is a pancreatic cancer survivor. Her diagnosis was a year and four months ago and her surgery was a year ago. While not in remission, she continues to fight bravely against the disease. I always knew that Wanda is tough and determined, but I did not know exactly how tough and determined she really is. She has chronicled her journey as a cancer patient at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/wandawarner for her friends and family. Reading her journal is inspirational. Always positive, she writes a legacy document to show us how one ought to act and feel and live under similar circumstances. The sheer volume and content of the messages from friends and colleagues on her board is testimony to the respect and affection of those who know her. It is my privilege to call this remarkable woman my friend.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
People I Admire - Mr. Mo'
I had the good fortune to see my good friend Don Moore at church last night. I met Don 30 years ago when Carolyn worked for him at Keowee Elementary School. He is quite possibly the nicest man I have ever met. Ever jovial, he is a master story teller and has a quick, engaging wit. He is smart, too. I know this because he married well. His wife, Peggy is a retired school principal, as is Don. He has two adult children, Trent and Bess, both of whom are married with children.
We have been members of the Carol Barner Sunday School Class at Saint Mark United Methodist Church together since 1993. We have traveled together to Lake Junaluska, New Orleans, and Phoenix. Don is the same wherever he goes. What you see is what you get. He does not put on airs for anyone. Once we were eating dinner in the Court of Two Sisters in New Orleans when Don asked for bread before dinner. The waiter told him no, because he did not want us to fill up on bread. Don asked again and got the same result. Many people would pitch a fit to get their way, but not Don. He just shrugged and waited for the bread that came with dinner. He is gifted with a common touch that will allow him to relate to anyone from a university president to the parent of a troubled child.
One thing I have learned about Don is that he can cook some mean barbecue. A pig-pickin' at Don's is an event not to be missed. The vinegar and pepper sauce is the best I have ever tasted. After one such event I didn't eat BBQ for a while, because it all tasted tame. Don is also a golfer. Having played with him on several occasions, I can vouch for the fact that he can flat out hit it. He has the ability to coach less skilled players as well. During one of our golf outings, I hit into some trees off the the tee. The ball ricochet backwards and rolled to a stop at my feet. In his most earnest and thoughtful vice Don says, "Dickie, I know what you are doing wrong. You're standing too close to the ball." (long, long pause)"after you hit it." Obviously, we all just fell apart and laughed the rest of the way around. None of this beats what is to follow.
Don is also a cancer survivor - pancreatic to be specific. More that two years ago, Don Moore was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. During his treatment and recovery, we saw less of him, and when we saw him he looked sick. That's what makes seeing him last night so special. He looked healthy and more like himself than he has in a long time. He has lost bunch of weight still, but that twinkle was in the eye; that smile broke across his face; and that quick wit were all back. He persevered and beat pancreatic cancer. Thank God for his recovery, for he is one of those people that everyone who knows him would like to emulate more. If we all did, this world would be a much nicer one in which to live.
We have been members of the Carol Barner Sunday School Class at Saint Mark United Methodist Church together since 1993. We have traveled together to Lake Junaluska, New Orleans, and Phoenix. Don is the same wherever he goes. What you see is what you get. He does not put on airs for anyone. Once we were eating dinner in the Court of Two Sisters in New Orleans when Don asked for bread before dinner. The waiter told him no, because he did not want us to fill up on bread. Don asked again and got the same result. Many people would pitch a fit to get their way, but not Don. He just shrugged and waited for the bread that came with dinner. He is gifted with a common touch that will allow him to relate to anyone from a university president to the parent of a troubled child.
One thing I have learned about Don is that he can cook some mean barbecue. A pig-pickin' at Don's is an event not to be missed. The vinegar and pepper sauce is the best I have ever tasted. After one such event I didn't eat BBQ for a while, because it all tasted tame. Don is also a golfer. Having played with him on several occasions, I can vouch for the fact that he can flat out hit it. He has the ability to coach less skilled players as well. During one of our golf outings, I hit into some trees off the the tee. The ball ricochet backwards and rolled to a stop at my feet. In his most earnest and thoughtful vice Don says, "Dickie, I know what you are doing wrong. You're standing too close to the ball." (long, long pause)"after you hit it." Obviously, we all just fell apart and laughed the rest of the way around. None of this beats what is to follow.
Don is also a cancer survivor - pancreatic to be specific. More that two years ago, Don Moore was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. During his treatment and recovery, we saw less of him, and when we saw him he looked sick. That's what makes seeing him last night so special. He looked healthy and more like himself than he has in a long time. He has lost bunch of weight still, but that twinkle was in the eye; that smile broke across his face; and that quick wit were all back. He persevered and beat pancreatic cancer. Thank God for his recovery, for he is one of those people that everyone who knows him would like to emulate more. If we all did, this world would be a much nicer one in which to live.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
October Underdogs
The MLB playoffs have been great this year, even though my Rays and Braves got bounced early. My enjoyment begins with the dominant ptching performances so far. Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, CJ WIlson, and Brian Lincecum have pitched marvelous games already. Cliff Lee has pitched three masterpieces against the Rays and Yankees and Halladay has a postseason no-hitter. Lee has been as close to unhittable as a pitcher can be. His curvball is just nasty. The Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants have surprised me the most. Maybe I wasn't paying attention, but I expected both to be ousted in the first round. I was wrong. Along with the pitching, they both have had clutch hitting. The Giants polished the Braves in short order and led the Phillies 2 games to 1. Ther's a long way to go, but they are at home for two more games and a chance to close the series out. The Rangers have been even more surprising to me. Right now, they look like the team to beat in the World Series. In addition to great pitching, they have a solid line-up featuring Josh Hamilton. They should not have been underdogs to the Rays and they are proving that they are just plain better than the venerated/hated New York Yankees. They lead the ALCS 3 games to 1, with another game at home with a solid pitcher to win it. If not, they have Lee available for a Game 7. I would love a Giants/Rangers World Series. Why so, especially since the two teams I favor were rudely ejected by them? At this moment, they are the two best teams in MLB.
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