I don't have much time as I'm writing this, but I thought I would start the post. My first trip to D.C. was about a week ago, and I went as a chaperone for a group of RJHS 8th graders on a school trip. I will eventually add to this, but my three favorite sites were Ford Theater, Lincoln Memorial, and Washington's Mt. Vernon plantation.
7-25-19
Okay, I now have a little time to expand on this, and to be honest, I feel like writing a little today - perhaps because it's raining out; perhaps because I have gotten a lot of little "to-do" things done around the house this week; and perhaps because I've read all of my summer books I purchased.
D.C. had a some profound effects on me. Let me share a few.
1) The absence of Indigenous American tributes. In the time we were in D.C., we didn't see any. I'm sure they exist somewhere, but if I put myself in the perspective of an Indigenous American, and I look around and see what I see, I imagine I can't be disappointed. For example, we visited the Holocaust Museum, and it was AMAZING. A lot of design, planning, effort, money, and vision was put into that memorial so that visitors could learn and experience and hopefully develop a better appreciation of the event. How many people were dislocated and systematically killed off by the Hitler and his Nazi Party? Didn't the United States perform something similar with Indigenous people? Didn't actions like the Indian Removal Act intentionally and systematically dislocate thousands of humans? So I suppose opponents would argue that Andrew Jackson, though, didn't load these folks in cattle cars and execute them in gas chambers; therefore, the U.S. can't be compared to Nazi Germany. History does reveal, though, that instead of loading them up and executing them, the U.S. moved them to remote and unwanted (at the time) desert lands and virtually let them fend for themselves to survive. The U.S. provided a "show" of concern and assistance through contracts and treaties that were consistently broken and still does to this day.
All of this didn't really hit me until we were at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. To be honest, this memorial was also a bit deflating because of its size and particular position in the grand scheme of the layout of that part of D.C. At least, though, I felt like African Americans were somewhat "at the dance" of commemorating who and what is the United States. It's a beautiful monument, even though to me it seems somewhat hidden and pales in comparison to Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson. But at least it's there. I feel like Indigenous Americans deserve a place like that too "at the dance". Maybe there is something, and we just didn't visit.
2) D.C. made me feel patriotic, and it made me question our current political landscape. I have no doubts that all the "biggies" that have monuments and museums had weaknesses and weren't perfect human beings. I kept finding myself asking, though, how in the heck did our country elect a human like Donald Trump after a history of such amazing people and events? How did that happen? Walking around and seeing all the monuments and documentation of greatness and achievements and patriotism and passion for the United States was incredible...and then I see the White House and think about who is living there and in charge as President, and it's all just confusing.
3) Words really do matter. As an English teacher, I value the power of words, and I get frustrated with my students when I can't seem to get them to appreciate the importance of language and what communicating with each other can do. Everywhere, and I MEAN EVERYWHERE were words etched in the monuments of the more famous and inspirational words and phrases communicated by these folks. How leaders communicate and what they say has the power to move peoples and nations and history. Humans will ALWAYS need people that are gifted and trained in the use of words - to inspire us, to heal us, to sympathize with us, and to comfort us. Words do matter - then, now, and beyond.
4) Everyone U.S. citizen should visit and tour our nation's capital at least once. We pay taxes; we follow laws; we contribute our votes; we are either descendants of our founding fathers or our ancestors traveled here because of the opportunity that existed. I'm sure like the center of other countries, D.C. is who we are.
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Weening Off The Meloxocam
The recent news about the explosion of opioid use in America has me a bit unnerved, since I have been on a very weak pain/inflammation medicine for about a year now for the joint problems I have in my right knee. Don't feel sorry for me...I deserve what I'm getting because I have virtually tortured my body for a long, long time. I've always said that when it's my time to die, my body is going to have nothing leftover.
Having experienced sports, officiating, marathons, ultra-runs, trail runs and being overweight for the past 20 years really has taking a toll on the old knees. And the Meloxocam, as explained by my doctor, is like an extra strength Tylenol.
Well, I've actually tried to take myself off this medicine in the past, I didn't actually last very long. Typically at about day 2 or 3 I experience joint pain, headaches, and just an overall ache everywhere. This summer, though, I've lasted longer. In fact I recently have been officiating basketball and umpiring softball a lot, and I've stayed away from the Meloxocam successfully. I did allow myself to take some Tylenol, but that's over the counter stuff.
If I can keep shedding some weight, I know that will help, but for now the Meloxocam is staying in the medicine cabinet!
UPDATE - Today is 7/26/19...still haven't taken any Meloxocam.
Having experienced sports, officiating, marathons, ultra-runs, trail runs and being overweight for the past 20 years really has taking a toll on the old knees. And the Meloxocam, as explained by my doctor, is like an extra strength Tylenol.
Well, I've actually tried to take myself off this medicine in the past, I didn't actually last very long. Typically at about day 2 or 3 I experience joint pain, headaches, and just an overall ache everywhere. This summer, though, I've lasted longer. In fact I recently have been officiating basketball and umpiring softball a lot, and I've stayed away from the Meloxocam successfully. I did allow myself to take some Tylenol, but that's over the counter stuff.
If I can keep shedding some weight, I know that will help, but for now the Meloxocam is staying in the medicine cabinet!
UPDATE - Today is 7/26/19...still haven't taken any Meloxocam.
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Accepting Defeat After Giving The Best Effort Isn't The Same As Taking Defeat
I hope to have more opportunities to post thoughts now that the 18-19 school year has ended...thankfully. It was a rough school year for many reasons, and some time off could perhaps be "just what the Doctor ordered".
My post today pertains to defeat. Failing is hard; defeat is hard; losing is hard. Isn't that a good thing? For as long as I remember, I've had a multitude of influences, as well as my own unique human characteristics, develop in me the belief that no one should just "take" defeat. No one should just give up because the odds of success look bleak.
One example came to me recently in a game I umpired. I worked with two other partners that I had never worked a high school game with, and in our pre-game conference I explained to them that one of the teams was expected to win, but I was interested to see how the other team would approach the game. I explained how one of the most exciting things as an umpire or official that I look for is the "fighting spirit" of a team, and I suppose their coaches and their fans too. In this particular game, I told my partners that if the underdog could keep the game close long enough and keep fighting long enough, that they had a good chance of upsetting the favorite.
They did it...the underdog battled and did indeed upset the favorite. It happens, right? And I agree that while I don't really have a solid percentage estimate on how many more times likely the favorite is to win, what I do know is that over my lifetime I've witnessed some incredible, almost miraculous, upsets or come-from-behind wins or last-second wins. Because if you don't keep battling, if you don't keep fighting, if you refuse to give up, something crazy might happen.
More importantly, if you develop in yourself a "never-give-up" mentality, perhaps you always give yourself a better chance of scoring the upset than if you always just "took" defeat.
Before an arthritic knee sidelined my rec league basketball career, I'm sure there were some people that thought I was insane. Even in my late 40's on some rec league court in hot summer temps in a game that for all practical purposes meant nothing to the world, I wouldn't just keep battling, I would vocally push my other "middle-aged" teammates to NEVER give in. When I coached, I would always tell my players that the opponent can NEVER take away our fighting spirit unless we allow it. I would tell them there is nothing wrong with finishing behind on a scoreboard, but we should never just "take" a defeat. Because honestly, what's the alternative? Should we just go through the motions if the outcome looks bleak? Should we just give up entirely? How are those responses anything that anyone could justify as winning attributes?
So this week, yesterday, in fact, a defeat was part of my life. And it wasn't the first defeat of the week; actually, it was the third defeat in this particular situation. And boy was I struggling with it. I wasn't sleeping very well; I'm sure my blood pressure was near aneurism levels; and completing other things was just hard.
And in the end, I suffered defeat. In fact, I was pretty confident that defeat was going to be the end result no matter if I battled or not. I find some solace, though. And I slept better the last two nights knowing that I planned to "play the game" through to the very end. Essentially, I was the last batter in the bottom of the last inning in a game that my team was on the wrong side of a very lopsided score. And I could have just decided to not even go up to the plate. I could have said, "What's the point?"
Atticus Finch never expected he could win Tom Robinson's case. In fact, he took the case knowing he was going to lose and knowing that other people in his own community would think he was nuts even to battle. Mr. Finch, though, felt compelled to try to do the right thing despite the odds stacked against him. He believed that even if he lost, then next person fighting a similar fight might have a better chance of winning or at least gaining ground the next time. I love the book To Kill A Mockingbird.
For me, I must now accept defeat. Oh, it's not easy. It's a challenge to tamp down desires to lash out - to go down the road of sour grapes. But a couple of actions I took in the face of really bad odds for a win help me to have just a little comfort. One, I didn't usurp the process. I respected the process and commented and battled according to the established rules. I didn't attempt to undercut anyone while expressing my views and arguing my case. Two, in the end, I told the winning team I wasn't going to be a part of the consequences.
I need a summer break, and it's going to be a great break. But I'm now going to be able to return with what I hope will be another fresh attitude and energy and hope that I'm not sure I would have been able to do otherwise. As I mentioned previously, my mind is calmed, I have slept better the last two nights, and I can move forward. I didn't get the miracle come-from-behind win. I didn't get the miracle upset. That stings. On the other hand, that fighting spirit is still with me, and I can continue to learn and grow and help others as long as that is in tack.
My post today pertains to defeat. Failing is hard; defeat is hard; losing is hard. Isn't that a good thing? For as long as I remember, I've had a multitude of influences, as well as my own unique human characteristics, develop in me the belief that no one should just "take" defeat. No one should just give up because the odds of success look bleak.
One example came to me recently in a game I umpired. I worked with two other partners that I had never worked a high school game with, and in our pre-game conference I explained to them that one of the teams was expected to win, but I was interested to see how the other team would approach the game. I explained how one of the most exciting things as an umpire or official that I look for is the "fighting spirit" of a team, and I suppose their coaches and their fans too. In this particular game, I told my partners that if the underdog could keep the game close long enough and keep fighting long enough, that they had a good chance of upsetting the favorite.
They did it...the underdog battled and did indeed upset the favorite. It happens, right? And I agree that while I don't really have a solid percentage estimate on how many more times likely the favorite is to win, what I do know is that over my lifetime I've witnessed some incredible, almost miraculous, upsets or come-from-behind wins or last-second wins. Because if you don't keep battling, if you don't keep fighting, if you refuse to give up, something crazy might happen.
More importantly, if you develop in yourself a "never-give-up" mentality, perhaps you always give yourself a better chance of scoring the upset than if you always just "took" defeat.
Before an arthritic knee sidelined my rec league basketball career, I'm sure there were some people that thought I was insane. Even in my late 40's on some rec league court in hot summer temps in a game that for all practical purposes meant nothing to the world, I wouldn't just keep battling, I would vocally push my other "middle-aged" teammates to NEVER give in. When I coached, I would always tell my players that the opponent can NEVER take away our fighting spirit unless we allow it. I would tell them there is nothing wrong with finishing behind on a scoreboard, but we should never just "take" a defeat. Because honestly, what's the alternative? Should we just go through the motions if the outcome looks bleak? Should we just give up entirely? How are those responses anything that anyone could justify as winning attributes?
So this week, yesterday, in fact, a defeat was part of my life. And it wasn't the first defeat of the week; actually, it was the third defeat in this particular situation. And boy was I struggling with it. I wasn't sleeping very well; I'm sure my blood pressure was near aneurism levels; and completing other things was just hard.
And in the end, I suffered defeat. In fact, I was pretty confident that defeat was going to be the end result no matter if I battled or not. I find some solace, though. And I slept better the last two nights knowing that I planned to "play the game" through to the very end. Essentially, I was the last batter in the bottom of the last inning in a game that my team was on the wrong side of a very lopsided score. And I could have just decided to not even go up to the plate. I could have said, "What's the point?"
Atticus Finch never expected he could win Tom Robinson's case. In fact, he took the case knowing he was going to lose and knowing that other people in his own community would think he was nuts even to battle. Mr. Finch, though, felt compelled to try to do the right thing despite the odds stacked against him. He believed that even if he lost, then next person fighting a similar fight might have a better chance of winning or at least gaining ground the next time. I love the book To Kill A Mockingbird.
For me, I must now accept defeat. Oh, it's not easy. It's a challenge to tamp down desires to lash out - to go down the road of sour grapes. But a couple of actions I took in the face of really bad odds for a win help me to have just a little comfort. One, I didn't usurp the process. I respected the process and commented and battled according to the established rules. I didn't attempt to undercut anyone while expressing my views and arguing my case. Two, in the end, I told the winning team I wasn't going to be a part of the consequences.
I need a summer break, and it's going to be a great break. But I'm now going to be able to return with what I hope will be another fresh attitude and energy and hope that I'm not sure I would have been able to do otherwise. As I mentioned previously, my mind is calmed, I have slept better the last two nights, and I can move forward. I didn't get the miracle come-from-behind win. I didn't get the miracle upset. That stings. On the other hand, that fighting spirit is still with me, and I can continue to learn and grow and help others as long as that is in tack.
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