A Timely Article

I thought it strange this morning when I heard on the "wake up" news that two random acts of violence had been committed overnight.
First, a shopping mall in Utah and second, a board meeting in Philadelphia. Two individuals bursting on the scene with guns blazing--the split hair reaction of people's live gone awry. What motivated them to do this? What incident was so traumatic, hurtful, or frustrating that they felt the need to suddenly destroy others' lives?
When I began to read my email, I also received an article through an automated mail service to which I subscribe. There was an article by John Hollon about Professor Robert Sutton's new book entitled The No Asshole Rule which points out just how badly behaved we have become in the workplace environment. This article is worth reading and I cannot wait to read the book or least a synopsis of the book.
There are many toxic workplace survivors that will attest that living with venomous supervisors or even co-workers can drive less stable individuals to the acts that were spotlighted on the morning news.

College Testing Money Makers

I usually help one of my high school friends test for SAT and ACT on Saturdays. This particular day there were many 7th graders as a part of the Duke Talent Search. Let me just say this: I have 28 years working with students--14 of those years were spent working with 7th graders--7th graders have no business taking the SAT or ACT in the same classroom as 11th and 12th graders.
Smart they may be....but they just simply don't have the maturity to be in the same classroom for college testing as juniors and seniors. They are fidgety, they don't follow directions, they are needy and want help with the questions (which they cannot receive help because this is a standardized test!) I actually had one student say: "when they say signature-do we have to put our last name?"
As a counselor for 14 years, no one, I repeat, no one ever even looked at these scores that "gifted" seventh graders paid for.
Which leads me to believe this. January and February are very "slow" months for Collegeboard and ACT because most 11th and 12th graders test in June or in the Fall---could it be that these supposed non-profits are trying to "drum up" business during their "slow" months.
At any rate, I think it is a direct disregard of optimum testing conditions to place 7th graders in with 11th and 12th graders--the Junior and Seniors have high "stakes" for their testing because this is their score that will be reported to colleges to which they will apply. 7th graders have no stake in a high score--they are usually there because their parents want them to be.
Shame on you Collegeboard and ACT....shame on you.... shame on you....you are just as mercenary as the rest of the world and we expected more from you than this!!!!

Why Bother?

The Iraq Study Group. A group of seasoned commanders. The House. The Senate. Popularity Polls. These groups might as well forget about any change in Iraq policy. Mr. Hard Head has made up his mind--he is after all--"the decider".... why did he go to all the trouble of studying these groups' research---in the end he did exactly what he wanted to do anyway. He has got to be the stupidest man to ever hold public office. What were people thinking when they voted for him??? Remember that movie Being There ? Remember the children's tale "The Emperor's New Clothes"? These are all screaming out at us from our past--and no one is listening!!! Get rid of this imbecile--impeach him already--Clinton was almost impeached because he got a blow job from a fat girl--why can't we get rid of someone who has increased the national debt and indirectly killed 3500 American citizens--all to settle a family score!!! He has broken every tenet of the constitution (which when he took the oath of office two different times--he swore to uphold!!) He makes me want to barf!!!

EN-Lighten Up !!!!!

I was feeling pretty "marooned" this morning, as I have been for the last four weekends because of snow, ice, fog, and cold weather....The sun peeped out for just a very precious few minutes as little tiny snow flakes were falling, illuminating each one as they fell to the ground. With the emergence of the beautiful sun, I was illuminated too.
You know, when God looks down on us, he must feel pretty disappointed (kind of like the line by Alice Walker in The Color Purple-- "God gets pissed off when we don't notice the color purple") when we don't realize that he has created an opportunity for enlightenment for us and we turn it down. He gives us winter as rest from planting, growing, and harvesting. In winter, we "turn down the noise" to rest, reinvigorate, and renew ourselves as to our purpose in the journey through life to heaven. We have to "turn down the noise" aka--life's daily trivia--to see the bigger picture and the bigger purpose.
It takes a lot to get us ready to go to a perfect place like heaven--if we didn't have that "prep time" we would not fit in when we got there. Every little detail that we create (or don't create) in our lives is designed for one thing--to mold us, change us--to allow the ultimate evolution of our souls.
This is the day the Lord has made--I will rejoice and be glad in it. So simple, yet so difficult.
Suddenly, I am grateful for another weekend of solitude and look forward to using the new tools I was given in winter to cultivate my new growing things in spring.