Random”Stuff”

Welcome to my Limited by Truth and Facts Serious and Silly Civil Community of Common Commentary.

If you like what you read and I make you think, laugh and smile then I did something good for you so why not do the same for those in your world by sharing my stuff with them!!!

When our kids were in elementary school field trips to the zoo, nature preserves and parks occurred one or twice a year.

Prior to the years when doing so would embarrass the kids, I volunteered to a tag-a-long parent accompanying the kids and staff on their journeys. I would never do this once they reached middle school age but as elementary school students it was still “fun” to have Mom or Dad be part of the occasion.

My first field trip found us gathering at the school about 7:30 in the morning. The kids were excited for the days travel and for most it was their first visit to a zoo.

The commotion at the school leading up to boarding the bus, equipped the all important bathroom, was quite startling. Clinging parents filling the backpacks with snacks, tissues and and extra inhaler, hugging and kissing their kids goodby as the parents shed a few tears which I always thought were tears of joy freeing the parents for the day to do whatever they do while their kids are learning their ABC’s and 123’s, socially interacting and learning life skills at the same time and let’s not forget the time spent in front of a screen. Alas, the screen.

This story occurred about twenty years ago as technology was in the beginning stages of what has become all consuming. Screens – Screens – Screens and MORE Screens. I screen. You screen. We all need, must have and cannot exist without our beloved SCREENS. It’s enough to make you SCREAM.

As the kids and chaperones got in the bus, not ON the bus, teachers were guiding the kids to their seats making sure that this kid can’t sit next to, near or anywhere close to that kid and making other similar accommodations to eliminate any possibility of hurting someone’s feelings. There was the expected and usual noise, chatter and tears from a few who cried at most anything.

The bus is getting ready for departure. Everyone is seated. Wait a minute. Time to buckle up. Oh we can’t since the bus does not have seat belts. How can this be? So much for consistency. Yet another mixed message just what kids need. Don’t smoke. Don’t drink? Don’t do drugs. Okay say the kids. But wait. Where is Ms./Mrs./Mr.__________. Oh the kids are told, Ms./Mrs./Mr.__________ is sick today and will not be going on the trip with. In fact Ms./Mrs./Mr.____________ failed the random drug test, has smokers cough and is drying out from a binge drinking weekend with college “friends”. Oh those mixed messages.

The bus is on its way with us somewhat safely secured inside yet there is still some restlessness on the part of the kids. Ah, the wisdom of experience. One of the elder teachers was prepared and brought along several VHS Movies which once inserted and “PLAY” was pushed quieted the crowd for the one and a half hour ride to the destination. It was calm, controlled and a comfort like macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese with tomato soup or your “jammies” and fuzzy slippers.

We had a fun, educational, eye opening day at the zoo.

For the bus ride back to school yet a different movie was used to calm and soothe the spirited and energized kids. Within fifteen minutes of departure from the zoo QUIET filled the air as all the kids, save one or two, were asleep exhausted from the fresh air, running around the somewhat open areas and in general having fun which is a missing ingredient in school, in fact, in the lives of most folks. Sad isn’t it. NO FUN. NO PLAY. Just MEDICATE the kids and they will calm down behave, perform, stay on task, focus and concentrate but in the long run pay the price of popping a pill to control and manage behavior, attitude, performance and PAIN which prior to all this they never knew they had. Screens with their savers, not saviors as advertised, continue to erode the fiber of ones self, ones being, ones soul and life in general.

Yes I know I am a hypocrite since if it were not for the screen upon which I am looking and writing my commentary mess I would have no way of making my message available to the masses, if in fact anyone ever reads my stuff.

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Have you noticed the degreed, credentialed, certified, licensed experts who have all the answers for parenting, education, relationships, morals, ethics, making millions from your home computer, weight loss, exercise, dieting and all the other trendy topics thrust into our world are single, childless, heirs, fat, lonely, abusive, liars, frauds, cheats, scammers, hustlers bellowing their venom pointing their pointer finger at us as they point three fingers at themselves and who have never spent a day in the classroom but know how it “SHOULD” be done. Their claim to fame is their genius until they get caught. Everything is wonderful until it is not. Everyone is a winner until they lose. Everyone is THE BEST until they are not. Everyone is believable, honest, trustworthy, loyal, dedicated and respectful until they are not. Everyone is everything until the TRUTH comes out. Then they are NOT.

This is where I usually provide EXAMPLES which if you have been reading my BLOG Posts know, are the best EXPLANATIONS. No need to this here since all you have to do is find a screen which will undoubtedly provide you more than enough examples of this brief narrative.

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There are two kinds of folks. Those in Recovery. Those in Prevention

EXAMPLE: Always the best.

There are two people. Person A. person B.

Person A has a heart attack and goes to the doctor who tells Person A:

Quit smoking. Eat a healthy diet. Exercise. Lose 50 pounds. Quit alcohol beverage consumption.

Person A takes the doctors advice. Person A joins a reputable, until they are not, gym.

While walking on the treadmill Person A reluctantly and hesitatingly begins a conversation with Person B who is also walking on the treadmill. No screens to watch. No buds in the ears. No headphones for distraction. Oh my goodness what shall be done. Oh well, though it is old fashioned and in person face to face conversation is frowned upon in fact avoided since we have all this a-social media at our disposal human interaction and conversation is an underused vehicle to help pass the time on the boring treadmill.

Person Asks Person B “what are you doing here. Well says Person B (just like President Regan who began most every response with a turn of the head,eyes looking down with the first utterance of “Well” preceding his answer).

Person B tells person A that he, Person “B” comes to the gym 4-5 times per week for a 1-2 two hour workout including cardio, free weights, yoga and a mile swim. “Been doing this for 40 years says person “B” explaining that he Person “B” wants to PREVENT health failures so he does not drink alcohol, gave up smoking before high school graduation, eats a healthy diet as recommended by the gym nutritionist, reluctantly ingests only prescription medications and plans his day around healthy and right living.

Person “B” asks Person “A’: “What’s your story”?

Person A proceeds to tell Person “B” his, Person “A’s story and lifestyle conditions that resulted in Person “A’s” heart attack and membership at the gym all at the suggestion of person “A’s” doctor/s.

Person “A” is in RECOVERY.

Person “B” is in PREVENTION.

When will all The Person “A’s” out there get it or will they, in fact, ever until it is too late causing the biggest of the biggest onions for their families.

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Come on. Admit it. You watch and love the highlights. Top Ten. Top any number as long it is just the highlights and not all the filler. It’s just another numbers game.

In baseball a player who gets 20 hits out of 100 at bat opportunities is relatively unknown while a player who gets 30 hits out of 100 at bat opportunities win awards and will eventually be selected into the baseball Hall of Fame. In fact in today’s hurry up world announcers and media folks often refer to a player, in most any sport, as being a future Hall of Famer when that particular player is playing in his fifth season of competition. Hurry up. You’re six months old. Poop in the toilet, clean yourself, dress yourself and look at a SCREEN. Slow down folks. Enjoy life. The ride can be FUN if you let it.

In the highlights all the shots go in the basket, the ball finds the back of the net, the puck gets past the goalie and so on. Well, (thank you president Regan) life is not like that. The only way to succeed is to fail but screens do not like to show failures unless of course it is of catastrophic proportion like natural disasters, violence and crime which instills fear in the audience causing stress, depression, anxiety and visits to the doctor to get pain medication prescriptions eventually blaming the doctor for what ails ya. Always find somebody to blame rather than taking responsibility yourself. See the pattern and cycle here. Vicious and Wicked isn’t it?

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Kind of serious today. Must end with a laugh, chuckle, giggle and smile.

EXAMPLE:

Like a Penguin with Happy feet

Especially when its October and time for trick or treat

Moving to the drum with a different beat

Gotta work hard, there is no easy street after all it is concrete

Always move forward never retreat

Gotta learn how to take the heat

Need I repeat

You no like, just hit delete!!!

POWER UP YOUR POWER ‘CAUSE THE POWER IS IN YOU!!!

Marty

hamp73@gmail.com