Category Archives: Causes and Friends

Posts regarding causes–mine and those of some friends.

Causes and Friends, Just for Fun, Learning, Personal Growth, Teaching

My Brains!

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Click to enlarge image.

I suppose this screenshot puts me at some risk of landing in Facebook Jail, but it’s worth it. According to poster Becki Cassidy, it’s a visual representation of her real estate career in “stress squeezer form.”

Sales Agent Course Alumni may recall that I furnished these to students taking the course’s final exam. The idea was that you would have an extra brain to “squeeze” the information from. (Some data suggests that fidgeting (squeezing) improves focus and concentration.)

I really like Becki’s question, “Anyone getting a Wizard of Oz vibe?” I did–on several points. I’m not in Kansas anymore, having left teaching real estate and “repotting” myself. And, of course, “If I only had a brain” is an irresistible hum.

Maybe I’m enjoying this too much because of the fact that the brain is next to a heart, possibly suggesting some important synergy. Brain, heart, and courage do seem to be vital to personal success.

Thanks, Becki. It’s great to know my brains are still out there. Of course, they are now your brains. (Whenever UPS delivered a shipment, I would act excited while taking the box and exclaiming, “My brains came! My brains came!” ) The idea of brains existing outside the body can be fun.

I am humbly trying not to think of myself as a wizard, although we all have some wizard in us. We can “give” others helpful thinking and care and help create courage.

Following the yellow brick road is also not a bad idea. We all would benefit from having and better using our brains, hearts, and courage.

I’m off to see the wizard. Care to come along?

Causes and Friends, Just for Fun, Learning, Personal Growth, Teaching

We’re Already Here

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Regular readers are at least familiar with my dear friend and colleague, Jack Falvey. I recently shared some plans with him and was not surprised by his response. Since I’m about to share those plans publicly, I’ll start with part of his response.

“We spend our whole lives trying to make it. For better or worse, we are already here.”

Jack Falvey

Ironically, as I prepared to write this, Seth Godin, in his daily blog post, notes that what we’re doing influences where we are. He asks the rhetorical question, “What happens when we are here and now?”

All these thoughts about where we are and what we’re doing are a good introduction to a few thoughts about where I am, where I’m going, and what I’m doing. I think some of you will be surprised.

This is not going to be a typical summer in our household. For one thing, we won’t be here for three weeks. How this all came about could be an interesting tale that might include karma and coincidence for those who believe in that sort of stuff.

Our extended road trip includes some time in Holmes County, Ohio, often referred to as Amish Country. On the return trip, we’ll also visit Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and connect with some Amish friends there.

However, a primary goal of the trip is Scotts, Michigan, which is the home of Tillers International. Here, I’ll spend four days learning to train and drive oxen.

Tillers Photo of Oxen Team
Doing things the old way… Photo by Tillers International, and no, that’s not me!

As some know, I’m a huge fan of oxen and ox pulls or draws. I can spot a poorly trained team or a teamster that doesn’t understand them. Tiller’s isn’t training for competition–they have a mission that includes preserving our rural heritage and skills. “We attract many people to our classes that are interested in history, the use of hand tools, nostalgia, and a sense of accomplishment of doing something ‘the old-school way.'”

While I’m going to Michigan, in another sense, I’ll be somewhere else. Maybe even a different time when things were more straightforward and we lived closer to the earth.

I’ve joked that this may qualify as one of the more useless things I’ve done in my life. I have no intention of acquiring a team. But as an educator, I suspect I’ll be conscious of how I’m trained and how I, in turn, train and manage these furry fellows.

Jack’s cryptic writing style is reassuring: “I love the oxen adventure. That is you. Oxen are real. You are in a good place.”

Some of my other thoughts on oxen:

Gee Haw! Meet four-year-old Julia and her two large friends. She had the fine distinction of being the youngest and smallest driver in a special class of oxen pulling…

Thanks, Julia! Seven years ago, Julia had the fine distinction of being the youngest and smallest driver in a special class of oxen pulling I watched. It was both entertaining and impressive. 

If Julia can do it, so can I!
Causes and Friends, Learning, School Programs

Don’t Count on It!

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cute diverse children near school bus
Photo by Mary Taylor on Pexels.com

Here’s a short message for kids and parents everywhere. Things don’t always happen the way they’re supposed to. Let me explain.

I recently stopped for a school bus. That’s not big news. It is an example of things happening the way they should. I was facing the bus and could see past it, noticing that the cars behind it had also stopped exactly as they should.

The lights flashed, the stop sign on the bus opened, and the safety arm across the front of the bus swung wide.

Four or five kids got off the bus. They ranged in size from tiny ones with outsized backpacks to some older ones. They came around the front of the bus. So far, so good.

Some ran, some walked in front of the bus and across the highway.

When they started across my lane, I started yelling at them even though there was no way they could hear me. They didn’t stop or even pause to look up and down the road. Fortunately, everything was working the way it should. Well, almost everything. I think the kids were supposed to look both ways.

Safety shouldn’t be delegrated;
it should be shared.

“Mr. Boomsma”

Sometimes, things don’t work the way they should. I can think of several ways that might have been the case. Several days later, there was a headline from a distant state where someone didn’t stop for a school bus, and a child was injured.

If we want kids to feel and be safe, we need to involve them. It wouldn’t be so bad for them to learn they have some responsibility for staying safe. A few seconds long pause to look up and down the road is just plain smart.

At the start of the school year, perhaps parents should meet the bus and ensure the kids do. I’d be happy if the bus driver kept the window open told the kids to stop and look–at least until they got into the habit. It’s been a few years since I’ve attended a school bus safety program, but I’d be thrilled if crossing in front of the bus was part of that curriculum. Safety shouldn’t be delegated; it should be shared.

Causes and Friends, Just for Fun, Small People

My Sheep!

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I just have to share this story. As many know, I am the program director for Valley Grange of Guilford. One of the projects I get to enjoy is
Words for Thirds–the Dictionary Project. The project involves visiting third-grade classrooms in the area to present students with their very own dictionaries. I’m not always sure who has the most fun–me or the kids!

To appreciate a recent event at SeDoMoCha, it will help to explain that I demonstrate how a shepherd’s hook is used. We then talk about how anyone can become a leader. To achieve the demonstration, I select a student to assist by pretending to be my sheep. Once they’re upfront, I ask them to please try to look fuzzy. This usually results in blank looks from my volunteers, but not so with my sheep at SeDoMoCha.

I suppose this is a “you had to be there” story, but my young volunteer wordlessly reached up and undid her ponytails, then flipped her head from side to side, “fluffing” up her hair with her hands so it covered her neck and shoulders. After serving as my sheep, she put herself “back together,” also without comment. She may have a future as an actress or a hairdresser. She certainly has an ability to “think on her feet!”

The experience reminded me of another one a few years ago–I think it was in Brownville. My selected volunteer had a propensity for accuracy. I brought him upfront and said something like, “So if Johnny here is a sheep…”

He interrupted and said, “I’d actually be a ram.”

Since yesterday’s sheep didn’t say anything, I won’t observe that “Kids say the darnedest things.” But we might all be reminded that it is too easy to underestimate kids. Hang around with them and let yourself be impressed.

Causes and Friends, Maine Life, Mental Health, Suicide Prevention

Resources You Should Know

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These resources came in part from an e-newseltter from Maine Senator Stacy Guerin. All are free and I have “vetted” them.

Anyone affected by the violence in Lewiston is encouraged to reach out and connect with behavioral health support. Incidents of mass violence can lead to a range of emotional reactions, including anxiety, fear, anger, despair and a sense of helplessness that may begin immediately or in the days or weeks following the event.

Seek help immediately if you or someone you know is talking about suicide, feelings of hopelessness or unbearable pain, or about being a burden to others.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.

For those in need of immediate support:

Call or text 988: This suicide and behavioral health crisis hotline is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week by trained crisis specialists offering free, confidential support for anyone. Specialists also can respond by chat at 988lifeline.org. Information for the deaf and hard of hearing is available here.

Text “Hello” to 741 741. (Actually, any word will do!) The Crisis Text Line is data-driven and has an excellent track record. Highly recommended for teens and youth.

Clinicians, educators and first responders can call (800) 769-9819: The FrontLine WarmLine offers free support services to help these professionals manage the stress of responding to disasters from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.

If you’re unsure, contact 211. It provides general information, including how to access behavioral health and social service resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Information can also be found at 211maine.org.

All of these resources provide free, confidential support.

The State of Maine has created a dedicated webpage with these and other resources, including online support and resources for children and families.

Please share this post freely. Be sensitive to your friends and neighbors and if they seem to be troubled, do not hesitate to show that you care and listen. You can even offer to help them contact one of these helpful resources.