Are Okies really just that dumb?

When I was driving back yesterday and I entered Oklahoma, I saw a sign that I have seen many times, and again asked myself, "What does that really mean?" The sign said: Do not drive into smoke. So, here are the questions that go through my mind when I read this.

1. If there is smoke from a far off fire (like there was last night), what am I supposed to do? Stop on the side of the turnpike immediately??? Turn around on the turnpike??? Get all of the other drivers to stop until the smoke clears???
2. If the car in front of me is emitting smoke from its exhaust pipe, should I just drive the minimum speed limit until there is clean air between me and this car? Generally these cars aren't going much over the minimum speed limit anyway; what then?

Seriously, are Okies really so dumb that they have to post this sign all along the turnpike? I have not travelled too much, but I have never seen this sign in any other state. How is this sign protecting people? If a person really is so dumb as to drive into thick, black smoke and then ultimately through a fire, maybe that person shouldn't have a driver's license to begin with. Most likely that person wouldn't be able to read the sign on the side of the road anyway (was that too harsh?). I really would like to understand the purpose and/or history of these signs.

Reminiscing and regrets

Well, spring break has almost come to an end, and I find myself back on the road again today back to Tulsa. I took an extra day this year so that I wouldn't have to rush to get ready for Mandy's wedding, which was beautiful!!! Zack was the ring-bearer in the wedding and looked so handsome in his little tux. He wasn't so sure about the little, white pillow that he was supposed to carry (he thought it was girly), but after Gloria convinced him it had super powers inside, he came to really like the pillow and even played with it throughout the week. :)

Seeing Mandy get married this past weekend has made me very reminiscent all week. Mandy was my best friend in high school, and I can't even imagine how different my life would be if we hadn't met. We used to stay up half the night talking about our weddings and the men of our dreams; I am so glad that she has found hers. Somehow our paths parted. I went away to college and became consumed with my college-life--school and work. Even when she came to the same college two years later, we rarely saw each other. I truly regret not staying in touch. Our friendship is important to me, and yet I put my busy life ahead of it. I am glad that I did get to celebrate her wedding day with her and Jeff, and I hope somehow to figure out how to stay in touch better.

Mandy is not the only close friend that I have lost touch with over the years. I don't understand why I have such a difficult time maintaining friendships across the miles. I am very much a relationship-oriented person, and yet the distance between me and many of my friends keeps pulling us apart. Why in the days of cell phones and no long distance charges and instant messaging is it so difficult for me to remain close to my friends and even my family? It frustrates me to have known a person so well and then to let them become a stranger. I even feel this way with my family a bit, but I'll save that for another post.

So, before I hit the road today, if you are one of my friends I want to let you know how special you are to me and that I love you.

A "Do-Nothing" Attitude

I don't know about you, but when I was in school (which wasn't ALL that long ago) it was never acceptable to not do one's homework. I never remember kids not turning in assignments. I don't remember complaining about having homework on a Friday. Homework was just part of life; part of the learning experience.

Sometime, between 10 years ago and now, that has changed. A teacher can never expect that her students will do an assignment because it was assigned. If the students do not want to do it, then they will not, and who cares about a zero anyway?

Every assignment I assign as a teacher has a purpose--usually a dual purpose--to teach new concepts and review old ones. I give a lot of review work. It isn't that the kids cannot remember the material, rather it is the fact that maybe if I give three different reviews at some point maybe everyone will have done at least one of them! I kinda feel sorry for the kids who diligently do every assignment; generally these kids are bored in class because of the ignorance and dreadful laziness of their peers.

I read an article last week about how this current generation is not prepared for the workforce. They are not hardworkers, and they just aren't cutting it. Whose fault is this? If you blame the educators, I ask you to think quite seriously about the pressure that the government has put on us. We are required to make sure every student learns in spite of economic situations, learning deficiencies, intrinsic motivation, family background, etc. We are encouraged to not give zeros; if a kid is willing to make up the work, then maybe he will learn the material for the state tests and at least he will have learned it at some point. Excellence is not required anymore because education is now the land of second-chances. I allow students to correct mistakes for full credit; I allow students to re-take tests for full credit. You must think that I have really high grades in my classes. Haha! I could count the A's on one hand (out of approximately 125 students), and that includes my Pre-AP class which has only ONE A! However, I digress. . . . Do we blame the parents for the lazy attitudes of their children? Possibly. Do we blame the media?

I suppose we could all point fingers all day. The point is that we have a problem. How do we--educators, parents, and the community--fix this problem?

Dress code

Question 1: Is it appropriate for guys to wear their jeans so that their boxers are visible to the world?

My answer: No. I don't want to see anyone's underwear, even if they are "shorts." Seriously, when did it become okay for people to walk around sporting their underwear as fashion. This is MUCH worse with girls wearing low-cut jeans and thongs!!!! My classroom doesn't have windows, so I never see the sun, but every once in awhile there is a moon. (ha, ha, ha)


Question 2: Is it appropriate for girls to wear shirts that are low-cut, especially to school?

My answer: No. If a girl is a slut, then she may choose to wear such a shirt outside of school, but school should be considered a breeding ground for professionalism. Now, I'm not trying to invoke ORU's former dress code on public school students; I just ask for decency.

And, when a girl is approached on the above dress code violation, it is NEVER appropriate to use the argument that it isn't fair that other girls with smaller breasts can wear low-cut shirts and I'm just getting picked on because I have big breasts. And, why would you want to have this discussion in a room full of guys??? Personally, I do not discriminate based on breast size; I believe that all young females should cover their chest adequately as to not distract the male students (or male teachers for that matter). Call me old fashioned if you must, but I really do wish that fashion designers would limit their low-cut tops to lingerie.

Empathy...A Lost Art?

I went to the doctor today. I'm not sick, just a little unwell. I stopped taking my thyroid meds about 6 months ago when I ran out and was just to busy to go to the doctor. To be perfectly honest, I am not sure they were helping anything all that much. Last week, though, some of my co-workers mentioned that I always seems tired (which I am) and that I should get my thyroid checked. When I shared with them my story, they insisted I call the doctor to schedule an appointment, and believe it or not, I did.

So, today at the doctor, I waited in the lobby and then waited some more in the exam room before the doctor actually came in. Without saying an introduction or anything, she examined the results of my bloodwork and then started telling me what was all normal or good (like my cholesterol). I tried to explain my fatigue. She just didn't seem to believe that my one thyroid hormone level that was low could cause this. It is not that she said that, it's just the attitude that she gave off. She walked out of the room, and I waited for yet the third time in this 60+ minute appointment. She did give me a prescription for thyroid medicine and then said she'd see me in 6 months.

My question is: How hard would it have been for her to show just a bit of empathy? She did ask how long I sleep at night, but couldn't fatigue come from other factors like stress and diet. Couldn't she have said, "After using this for a month, if you are still experiencing fatigue, set up another appointment"? She could have at least faked being interested or caring about my situation. Heck, I am paying her.

Believe me, I have to fake empathy everyday. Do you know how hard it is to be empathetic with kids who don't have their homework because they (a) left their folder in English, (b) their dog ate it, (c) they puked on it, or (d) [make up your own crazy story and I've probably heard it]. Still, even though I've heard it all, to that kid, I need to show that I care and that they do have options. I'm even reading this book about classroom management stuff (it's a great book; let me know if you want the info on it) and it discusses the importance of empathy. I guess our culture is just too busy and too self-focused to really take the time to care about someone else.

Blind date

I bit the bullet last weekend and went out on a blind date with this guy named Jeremy that my friend Tammy knows. Tammy and her boyfriend Rick (aka, Mr. Wescott, my Government teacher at ORU) also went along. I spent the entire weekend shopping, making sure I had the right outfit, that my nails were done, and that all was good.

Let me just say that I really ended up feeling like I wasted two hours of my time, in addition to all the time I spent "primping" for this date. Jeremy works in politics. Rick Wescott is running for city council. Can you figure out what ALL of the conversation was about? Yes, at one point he realized that he was talking all politics and asked me what I did. I got out about a sentence or two.

I was rather disappointed, though, in the whole experience. I stepped outside of my box, and I end up at a nice restaurant, with great music, and a sucky date who didn't even want to get to know anything about me. I wonder if maybe I give off an "air" that shoves people from me. Generally I think I'm a nice person, fairly intelligent, and I have a bit of a sense of humor, though that has been developing for years and it is quite dry. But this is perplexing to me; what is wrong with me? If I knew, I would try to fix it.