Scattered Thoughts . . .

I've been meaning to write about this topic for approximately four or five years now. Somehow other topics pushed this topic to the side time and time again. I've mentioned this topic a few times in other blog entries so I really need to make an effort to put something together to add to my blog... so here I am. As a teacher, as a supervisor, as a leader, I have been in close contact with many adolescents and young adults over the decades and followed them through early adulthood. In order to teach them and guide them effectively, I listened carefully. Over the decades, I was a teacher of music, aerospace, leadership, and various other specialties. It didn't matter which subject I was teaching but providing accurate information about those particular subjects was my primary concern, however, as a teacher and someone who was in a position to guide them, I would listen to their views on anything and everything. It was my job as a teacher and leader to get them thinking log

I can't begin to tell you how much I despise that question no matter how innocently and friendly it may be asked... "Are you a cop?" Especially when it comes as a complete surprise from left field. It is a question which gets me so angry that I cringe, get frustrated, get angry and have to use all my willpower to restrain from unleashing a torrent of expletives, drill sergeant style, on the clearly unobservant and ignorant inquisitor.  Whenever I travel to other states in the United States, everyone...  and I mean  everyone... seems to pick up on the fact that I am either active duty military or a veteran... everyone. I get comments and questions about my military status and experience everywhere we go outside of Vermont. I even get handshakes and thanks for my service from complete strangers. Nobody outside of Vermont ever walks up to me and asks, out of the blue, such an absurd question like, "Are you a cop?" Within the borders of Vermont, however, I

In a previous blog post, I briefly mentioned "The Spoon Theory" which accurately, and yet in an almost heartbreaking manner, describes how I must manage my energy each moment of every day. This spoon theory was written by Christine Miserandino who struggles with Lupus.  In this case, the illness is irrelevant. What is relevant is the fact that most chronic illnesses sap all of our energy and we must figure out the best way to manage and minimize this problem in order to "live", not just "survive".  Although I have always struggled in finding the best way to describe this ongoing problem to family and friends so they can accurately understand my now often flaky behavior, Christine has concisely and eloquently found the words to graphically describe this struggle in energy management in her "Spoon Theory".   Before you continue with what I have written here, I urge you to read Christine's "Spoon Theory" so you will understand