We all have those sayings that are said to us when we are kids, that make us roll our eyes. For me one of those was when my parents (especially my mom) would say that I needed to have an attitude adjustment. I can remember her saying it to me a few times.
One of those times, was when my birthday fell on the same day as I was showing my hogs in the 4-H fair. It didn't go as well as I thought it should have. I remember I went in to the poultry house to 'get away' from it all. She walked in and I said "This sucks!" I got the glare that only moms can give so well, and quickly changed my statement to "This stinks!" I got lucky that time though, because as soon as she said, "You need an attitude adjustment", my grandpa walked in and all was right in the world in my eyes.
The majority for the time though, my attitude adjustment wasn't so quick in changing. I remember having that statement told to me many a spring/summer Saturday morning. These were the Saturdays that I was sure the grass hadn't grown enough for me to mow our family friend's yard. Of course I would be wrong. I would go there thinking that I would get the morning to relax, enjoy crackers and cheese and watch cable. We would show up and discover (my parents would discover, I never wanted to look) that the grass indeed needed a mowing.
I had different tactics to try and get out of it. It was too hot, I could come back later in the week, whining that my sisters got to take turns and I had to do it all by myself. I can even see why these were all bad tactics now but back then, I thought I would be golden and get away without doing it. Sometimes the tactic of coming back would work with my parents, but really it was just silly for me to do it in the afternoon and not the morning. Oh, well. At times parents would 'threaten' to let someone else do it and make the money. That usually worked on me and I would begrudgingly get the mower out.
I always knew that there was no getting out of it when I got the "You need to get an attitude adjustment" line. I don't know if my parents know it or not, but once I got the mower out and started, there were quite a few times my attitude adjusted in the wrong direction. Looking back, I'm surprised that the mower lasted as long as it did. I would never intentionally try to break it (and I don't think I ever did break it), but I also didn't treat it respectfully. I would pound my fists on the handle bar and I would many a time, push the handle bar down towards the ground lifting the front tires off the ground and then I would just let go. The front tires would slam to the ground. I would do that over and over. I'm guessing that's not the attitude adjustment my parents wanted from me.
There are times I catch myself thinking that one of my students/athletes needs an attitude adjustment. Or I hear in my head, my parents telling me that I need an attitude adjustment. Instead of rolling my eyes, I now nod my head in agreement. It's funny how your parents become 'smarter' the older you get. ;)
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Grounded
I've been very hard on myself this week. This is nothing new to me, but it takes weeks like this for me to remember that it's not all going to fall apart because I didn't get something done or get someone called back. I remember one time in particular that I 'tried' to ground myself even.
We were working on a family tree book for English my freshman year of high school. On my dad's side of the family we have the Courter Family Book. I somehow talked my parents into letting me bring it to school, with a strict warning from my father about how important it was. So what did I do? I left my back pack on the concession stand outside of the gym while waiting for the pep bus. I just wanted to see what the other kids were doing in the gym.
When the bus showed up, I went to grab my bag and it was gone. I looked around and tried asking people if they saw someone grab it. No one knew anything and the bus was about to leave. I climbed on with a sick feeling in my stomach, not knowing how I would explain this. As luck would have it as I was walking up the drive-way, my dad was just turning in and stopped to pick me up. I don't know how I told him, but somehow I did. He was disappointed and he and my older sister went back to the high school to look for my bag.
I decided to 'ground' myself to my room. The sick feeling not going away. After a while I went to tell my mom, that I had decided that I didn't deserve to go to my thespian induction that night. In hind sight, I now see that I probably did that so that I would go, but at that time seeing people was far from what I thought I wanted. My mom decided that it was best for me to go.
After explaining to my drama coach (who happened to be my English teacher) and getting some support from my drama friends, I ended up having a good time. Though I never quite got rid of that sick feeling in my stomach. My dad and sister came up empty handed, but a couple days later, it mysteriously showed up.
Maybe I'm a little over dramatic when I don't live up to mine or someone else's expectations. To this day I still get a little teary eyed when I think of that day, even though all turned out well. I am still learning to forgive myself for my shortcomings. A tough lesson to learn, but one that will never be forgotten once it is learned.
We were working on a family tree book for English my freshman year of high school. On my dad's side of the family we have the Courter Family Book. I somehow talked my parents into letting me bring it to school, with a strict warning from my father about how important it was. So what did I do? I left my back pack on the concession stand outside of the gym while waiting for the pep bus. I just wanted to see what the other kids were doing in the gym.
When the bus showed up, I went to grab my bag and it was gone. I looked around and tried asking people if they saw someone grab it. No one knew anything and the bus was about to leave. I climbed on with a sick feeling in my stomach, not knowing how I would explain this. As luck would have it as I was walking up the drive-way, my dad was just turning in and stopped to pick me up. I don't know how I told him, but somehow I did. He was disappointed and he and my older sister went back to the high school to look for my bag.
I decided to 'ground' myself to my room. The sick feeling not going away. After a while I went to tell my mom, that I had decided that I didn't deserve to go to my thespian induction that night. In hind sight, I now see that I probably did that so that I would go, but at that time seeing people was far from what I thought I wanted. My mom decided that it was best for me to go.
After explaining to my drama coach (who happened to be my English teacher) and getting some support from my drama friends, I ended up having a good time. Though I never quite got rid of that sick feeling in my stomach. My dad and sister came up empty handed, but a couple days later, it mysteriously showed up.
Maybe I'm a little over dramatic when I don't live up to mine or someone else's expectations. To this day I still get a little teary eyed when I think of that day, even though all turned out well. I am still learning to forgive myself for my shortcomings. A tough lesson to learn, but one that will never be forgotten once it is learned.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
A Bird's Song
I had no intention on writing today. I just wanted to enjoy this BEAUTIFUL spring day. I decided that I would sit outside and enjoy the weather. I brought my book and my dog. Mainly I was thinking a nap outside was the perfect idea for the afternoon. Then I heard it. A familiar song. I don't really know anything about birds, but there are a couple birds that I heard that immediately took me back to the farm.
I remember summers or those few Saturdays in the spring that my parents would let me sleep as late as I wanted. It was the song of these birds mixed with the warmth of the sun coming in my east window that would wake me up. It was the best way to wake up. And usually I would lay in bed for a while longer thinking about what the day might bring.
It usually meant a lazy day for me. I would get to take a walk down the driveway to get the mail, with the dogs chasing each other all around me. And maybe I would feel energized to 'race' them back to the house. I would be able to take a nap in the yard (working on my tan of course). Or maybe I would actually help out and mow the yard. Though to be honest this was yet another way to work on my tan and be productive at the same time.
Maybe it was a day that I would run around the farm playing with all the animals and pretending all the buildings were a little city. Or better yet, building my own city with a stick, a dirt driveway and a whole lot of imagination! I could lay on one of the 'beds' and watch the clouds roll by. What shape would they turn into next. Listening to the old leaves of fall breeze by like natures wind chimes. Smelling fresh air and maybe the alfalfa field down the road. It was all there for me to enjoy. To savor. To remember. And maybe if I got really lucky, there would be a magnificent sunset to finish off the day.
Maybe there is a little country in the city after all.
I remember summers or those few Saturdays in the spring that my parents would let me sleep as late as I wanted. It was the song of these birds mixed with the warmth of the sun coming in my east window that would wake me up. It was the best way to wake up. And usually I would lay in bed for a while longer thinking about what the day might bring.
It usually meant a lazy day for me. I would get to take a walk down the driveway to get the mail, with the dogs chasing each other all around me. And maybe I would feel energized to 'race' them back to the house. I would be able to take a nap in the yard (working on my tan of course). Or maybe I would actually help out and mow the yard. Though to be honest this was yet another way to work on my tan and be productive at the same time.
Maybe it was a day that I would run around the farm playing with all the animals and pretending all the buildings were a little city. Or better yet, building my own city with a stick, a dirt driveway and a whole lot of imagination! I could lay on one of the 'beds' and watch the clouds roll by. What shape would they turn into next. Listening to the old leaves of fall breeze by like natures wind chimes. Smelling fresh air and maybe the alfalfa field down the road. It was all there for me to enjoy. To savor. To remember. And maybe if I got really lucky, there would be a magnificent sunset to finish off the day.
Maybe there is a little country in the city after all.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Grilled Cheese & Nibs
First I should describe what this experiment is for me. I decided that I wanted to write down a memory a day for a year. That hasn't exactly been going well for me, but I thought that if I tried a blog, maybe it would at least make me write down a memory once a week.
I've been thinking a lot about my grandparents the past couple of weeks. It really started when I picked up a package of Nibs at the gas station. For me Nibs are one of those things, that no matter how much time has passed, will always remind me of my Grandma Milly. It got me thinking of all the other ordinary, sometimes everyday things that are now special reminders to me. Nibs don't even mean anything to my sisters, but to me I think of Grandma Milly every time I eat them. They were the last Sunday candy I had before she passed. General Hospital also makes me think of her as does rearranging furniture.
For my Grandpa Wally, I think of John Deere, jam, honey roasted peanuts and the Fourth of July. Another special memory is grilled cheese sandwiches, cottage cheese and milk at the sale barn. My sisters would say grilled cheese sandwiches and chocolate milk, but I didn't like chocolate milk, so I got the cottage cheese.
For Grandma Lynn it's apple juice, greeting cards and crackers. Grandpa Frank it would be polar bears, lemon drops, tic-tac-toe and motorcycles.
I could list items like these for every person I know. And some would mean the same thing to others, and some would be my own personal reminders. I'm thankful for these items and the great memories that they bring me.
I've been thinking a lot about my grandparents the past couple of weeks. It really started when I picked up a package of Nibs at the gas station. For me Nibs are one of those things, that no matter how much time has passed, will always remind me of my Grandma Milly. It got me thinking of all the other ordinary, sometimes everyday things that are now special reminders to me. Nibs don't even mean anything to my sisters, but to me I think of Grandma Milly every time I eat them. They were the last Sunday candy I had before she passed. General Hospital also makes me think of her as does rearranging furniture.
For my Grandpa Wally, I think of John Deere, jam, honey roasted peanuts and the Fourth of July. Another special memory is grilled cheese sandwiches, cottage cheese and milk at the sale barn. My sisters would say grilled cheese sandwiches and chocolate milk, but I didn't like chocolate milk, so I got the cottage cheese.
For Grandma Lynn it's apple juice, greeting cards and crackers. Grandpa Frank it would be polar bears, lemon drops, tic-tac-toe and motorcycles.
I could list items like these for every person I know. And some would mean the same thing to others, and some would be my own personal reminders. I'm thankful for these items and the great memories that they bring me.
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