Sparkles

On By scottpetersenIn Sparkle ban, Sparkles

I am an anti-sparkle guy.  You know – those little shiny whatevertheheckyoucallthem thingees that get all over the table, all over the floor and all over everything.  I do not like “sparkly” Christmas (or any other kind of) cards.  I do not like sparkly ribbons.  I do not like sparkly paper.  And I most of all do not like those folks who – when they put their Christmas card in the envelope – think it’s festive to fill the card full of sparkles.  So when you open the card, sparkles fly into the air and fall onto the table.  Just think about inhaling a lungful of sparkles.  Or worse yet your child or grandchild inhaling sparkles.  Or eating sparkles.    

I remember having meat loaf a few years ago and I remember looking at it.  It sparkled back at me.  Meat loaf that sparkled.  Now the recipe called for Italian bread crumbs, seasoning, and salt and pepper.  But no sparkles.  Then I remembered having opened a Christmas card which was full of. . . .you know.  And I looked at my sparkly hands.  Since then, I have been on a campaign to ban sparkles from all ribbons, gifts, cards, wrapping paper and whatever.  Write your Congressman.  Senator.  The President.  If you have a sparkly card or a ton of sparkles, send it all to Congress.  Or the Senate.  Or the White House.  That may get some action. . . .   

Winning the Lottery

On By scottpetersenIn Augustana College, Boy Scouts of America, MIsericordia, Winning the LotteryLeave a comment

You hear about the Mega Millions Jackpot reaching 300 million dollars. The Powerball is 400 million dollars. Everyone in the world buys at least a “quick pick.” Hoping. . . .  But the big question is what happens if you win?  If you take the money (often paid out over 20 years), when all is said and done, your tax will be about 50%.  Or more.   So you win 300 million smackers — the feds and your state will karate chop your hand before you get a nickel.  And then anything you earn on the retained amount is taxed like there is no tomorrow. . . .

I have a theory.  Let’s say you win $300 million.  You pick your 5 or 10 favorite charities:  Salvation Army; Red Cross; Augustana College; the Boy Scouts of America; Misericordia; and so on.  And you belly up and tell them “Look.  Here’s the deal.  You agree between you to split the $300 million.  You pay no tax because – voila – it’s all charitable income.”  And you hand them the winning ticket.  Those charities will be on this like a football player jumps on a fumble.  But what about you? 

You tell the charities that their ownership of the winning ticket (don’t call it a “gift”) is informally conditioned on them providing you each year with a stipend (perhaps the max you can give an individual without tax consequence).  This amount can be paid each year to yourself, your spouse, children, etc.  It’s way more than enough to incentivize the charities.  The IRS will bite its knuckles and the state(s) will growl.  But who knows?  It might just work.  Everybody wins.  🙂  Accountants I’ve spoken to suggest that such an arrangement would be challenged.  But ain’t it worth the try?  I like this.  All the money is used for charitable purpose instead of paying off debt to China or paying the salaries of bureaucrats.  I look forward to considering this when I win the Lottery.  Again.    

The Doyle Family

On By scottpetersenIn Doyle family, VIkingsLeave a comment

In my post of December 16, 2011, I spoke of the Viking era (790 A.D. – 1066 A.D.).  And I mentioned that the Vikings who raided – and remained behind in Ireland (often because they had met young women) – were given the name “Doyle” which is from the Celtic Ó Dubhghaill, which means “son of the dark (or evil) foreigner.”  This is the name that indigenous Celts called Danish Vikings who started settling in Ireland and Scotland beginning in the 9th Century. 

Researchers in Ireland have distinguished two separate groups among the Viking raiders in Ireland.  The Lochlainn were the Norwegians who were described as “fair.”  The Danair were Danes who were described as “dark” because they wore chain-mail armor.  Beginning in 830 A.D., the Norwegians began sporadic raiding of the British Isles.  In 852 A.D., the Danish Vikings took control of Dublin and founded the Danish Kingdom of Dublin which continued for 300 years until the coming of the Anglo-Normans.  As might be expected over the course of occupation, the Vikings were absorbed into the social, religious and political life of Ireland.  They adopted the language and customs.  And they intermarried.  And it was those Danish Vikings who remained behind when their brethren left who were given the name “Ó Dubhghaill” or Dubh-Ghaill.”   The names McDowall, McDowell, McDuggal, Dowell, and McDougal all have a relationship to the Dubh-Ghaill – Doyle – family. 

When I referenced “Popeye” Doyle in my post about picking your toes in Poughkeepsie, little did you know that he was descended from Danish Vikings. 🙂

Don’t You Like Our Looks?

On By scottpetersenIn Don't you like our looks?, Galway, Ireland, Manuscript Society, The Quays, The TribesmanLeave a comment

Some years ago, Donna and I were in Galway with some friends. We decided to go exploring with another couple.  We reconnoitered the town and saw a pub called the “Quays” (pronounced “Keys”).  It was night.  Raining.  The place was off the beaten path.  Donna and I and our friend Ivo and his wife walked in. The pub was dark and filled with smoke.  Big men.  Heavy.  Bellied up to the bar.  Beards.  Black leather jackets.  Noise.   Many of the occupants turned to give us the eye.  Have you ever been somewhere and gotten that feeling you just don’t belong there?  Once inside, we looked around and we all got that feeling.   

As we moved toward the door, a loud voice from a corner booth holding about 8 people caught our attention “what’s the matter?  Don’t ya like our looks?”  Ivo and I looked at each other and I – respectfully – pointed out that the place was “very crowded” and there was no room for us to sit.  The chap who’d called us out started to move – “sit here.  We’ll make room for ya.”   And people began moving.  Shifting.  All watching us.  I looked at my friend.  He raised his eyebrows like “let’s see where this goes.”  And we moved into the group – squishing ourselves into corner seats. 

They were curious about where we were from (Chicago/Edgartown, MA), why we were there (a meeting) and where all we were going (we detailed).  They bought us drinks.  More drinks.  And refused our offer of reciprocity.  After an hour or so, Morris – the chap who’d called out to us – invited us to join him and some of the others at another pub.  The Tribesman.  Where he was playing a horsehide drum in an Irish band.   At that point, how could we say no?   We walked a few blocks.  The Tribesman was packed.  Morris shooed people away as he pushed his way to the small alcove stage with us in tow.  He set two small stools right in front of the band.  Donna and I sat.  Listened.  Enchanted.  Then we traded seats with our friends who’d been standing in the back.  It turned out to be one of the most memorable evenings I’ve had.  It could’ve all turned out verrry differently if we’d said “gosh thanks anyway.”   And left. 

Ever Pick Your Toes in Poughkeepsie?

On By scottpetersenIn Breaking the Pattern, Dealing with first offenders, French Connection, Pick your toes in Poughkeepsie?, Rehabilitation, Situational dynamicsLeave a comment

There is a poignant scene in the 1971 movie “The French Connection” where Gene Hackman as Detective “Popeye” Doyle chases down a suspect and asks “did you ever pick your toes in Poughkeepsie?” The question wasn’t meant to be funny.  The reason for doing so was to disorient the subject and change the situational dynamic. Next time you have a disagreement with someone, ask a random – unrelated – question (at the right moment of course). And see what happens.   

When you read of the failures of our prison system and the collateral damage of incarceration, you wonder if changing the dynamics of rehabilitation might provide better result.   Breaking the patterns of troubled youth might be just the ticket.  For first and even second offenders, this could include mandatory programs for:

Socialization — Learning to sing, act, dance, debate, do stand-up comedy, counseling others, and so on;

Scholastic — The reading, writing and arithmetic but also languages, computer programming and skills like cooking;

Discipline — Toeing the line.  You’re in the program and you cooperate;

Sports — Learning the atypical:  golf, tennis, skiing, squash, handball (no basketball or football);

Responsibility — Caring for plants and animals; working with therapy dogs; visiting senior centers; getting jobs;

Nutrition — Just that.  Not just eating healthy but learning why you eat healthy. 

You read of boot camps where young offenders are pushed by drill instructors.  They do pushups, lift weights and toe the line — just like they would in prison.  But just think about getting young men to learn ballet, play golf, prepare spaghetti carbonara or perform in a Shakespearean drama.

It seems to me that modifying situational dynamics for a lot of things (marriage, politics, parenting, academics, business) may provide enhanced levels of success.  Creative thinking – inside and outside the box – is usually worth the effort.             

Protecting versus Insulating Children

On By scottpetersenIn Protecting versus insulating children, Skyline RanchLeave a comment

When I was 10 years old, my parents put me on a train – with 4 other 10 to 12 year old boys including my friend Kurt – headed for Denver, Colorado. We were going to a camp in Estes Park.  Skyline Ranch.  The  five of us were alone.  No adult supervision.  My father admonished “don’t get off the train ’til Denver.”  That was it. 

Once there, every day, I rode horses, shot BB guns, hiked, swam and shoveled sand. Yes – sand. After winning a junior rodeo, I was given the task with Marvin B. (also 10) of rounding up the horses each morning.   We had to rise at 5:30 a.m., walk out past the corral, fence off a dirt road and walk into a high plains pasture of several hundred acres. There were cows, horses and a bull. “Flap your poncho at the bull if he charges you” was our advice. So two 10 year old boys headed off alone on foot into the high grass, looking for horses in the gray mist of dawn.

The cows paid us little mind.  The bull mercifully stayed away (“it’s those punks“).  When the dozen or so horses would see us, they would cock their ears back (“danger”) then forward (“huh”?) then normal (“oh it’s them“) and begin galloping past us toward the corral. They knew we would feed them. So we hiked the mile or so back to the corral with a weather eye on the bull – who kept a weather eye on us. All the horses – Arab, Bubbles, Dakota, Eagle, Indian and the others – would be standing at parade rest in the corral. Marvin and I would put 2 cups of oats in each feed bag and slip it over their ears. Then we’d lead them (“come on Bubbles“) to the fence, tether and saddle them.  No adults were even around. 

It seems that kids today have a little tougher time developing independence.  You don’t need to do it on a ranch – at dawn.  With a 900 pound bull giving you the evil eye.  But I believe there have to be challenges for kids to face or they will have trouble as adults.  Today, we move in the direction of no grades (“oooh – it can damage ego“), helmets for everything, no playing tag (“too rough“), no dodge ball (“too violent“), no pointing your finger like a gun (“eeek!”), teachers cannot raise their voice at or touch a child (“don’t you dare raise your voice to my little Dwarfus”), and of course no – often deserved – corporal punishment (see posts of 11/23/11 and 2/1/12).  It’s one thing to protect.  It’s quite another to insulate.  As I see it, insulating kids from developing independence and resourcefulness has negative result in the long run.     

How Children Succeed

On By scottpetersenIn Education, How Children Succeed, Paul ToughLeave a comment

I just finished a wonderful book How Children Succeed by Paul Tough, a journalist and former editor of the New York Times Magazine. Mr. Tough addresses the controversial question of why there is an achievement gap between underprivileged students – and those who aren’t. 

The quick answer is that most educators believe that academic success relates to cognitive skills – the kind of “intelligence” that can be measured on IQ tests. However more and more, there is an understanding that non-cognitive skills (curiosity, socialization, character, self control, self confidence and “grit”) are better predictors of academic achievement.  The success of a student has less to do with “smarts” than with more ordinary personality traits such as the ability to stay focused and to control impulses. 

Non-cognitive skills  – such as persistence and curiosity – can actually predict future success.  College graduates who participated in New York’s KIPP (“Knowledge is Power Program”) were not so much the academic stars but the ones who plugged away at problems and resolved to improve themselves.  Grit. 

Are we surprised that children who grow up in abusive or dysfunctional environments statistically have more trouble concentrating, sitting still or rebounding from disappointments?  There is neurological/medical reason for this.  The part of the brain most affected by early stress is the prefrontal cortex which regulates thoughts and behavior.  When this region is damaged, a condition that often occurs in children living in the pressures of poverty, it is tougher to suppress unproductive instincts.  Studies show that early nurturing from parents combats the biochemical effects of stress.  The prefrontal cortex then becomes more responsive to intervention and the learning of essential non-cognitive skills.

While throwing money at the problem is always viewed as a solution, psychological intervention may be a better remedy.  KIPP is now experimenting with “character” report cards – designed to show students that such traits can improve with time.  For any educator, this 197 page book is a must read.   

Symmetrical Socks

On By scottpetersenIn Symmetrical socks, Tinkerbell4 Comments

Over the years, I have gotten so many different pairs of socks. All colors. Different styles, some high, some low, different shades of black, blue and whatever.  I have them all in a single “sock drawer” in my closet.  I get up in the dark of morning.  I have my cereal, blueberries and coffee then stumble up to shave and shower.  Then the challenge begins.  Finding two socks that match.  Now mind you, Donna and/or I will both fold laundry and squinch two socks into what seems to be a pair.  Great effort is expended in this regard.  Holding them up to the light.  Waiting until it’s sunny.  However, when I put on two socks in the morning, I sometimes find that I have a knee length sock on one foot and a sock that wouldn’t fit Tinkerbell on the other.  Great.  So I unsquinch another pair that looks similar only to find that one is dark blue and the other a mid-length black.  After several rounds of this, I come up with two socks that look alike.  And put them on.  My feet silently complain – they ain’t the same smart guy.  But I put on my shoes and go off to work.  I leave the unsquinched socks laying in the sock drawer waiting for the weekend for rehabilitation.   

Enough is enough.  This morning, I told Donna I plan to give all my socks to the Church rummage and start from scratch.  Go buy all new socks.  All the same kind, the same size, same style.  And with clearly discernible colors.  Black is black.  Blue is blue.  Pink is pink.   Anyway, I took the first step.  Mental resolution.  To “fix” this situation.  Buy new socks.  Donate the old ones.  It may take a while.  Maybe years.  But at least I now have a plan.     

The New Testament

On By scottpetersenIn Bacio Divino, I Corinthians 3, New Testament, Old Testament1 Comment

In my post of June 11, 2012, I talked about having finished reading the Old Testament.  I referenced some of my favorite verses therein (especially a quote from my father of the bride speech at Lauren’s wedding).  Well I’ve just finished reading the New Testament.  Again.  Quite a trip.  The Gospels are interesting and inspiring as they have been forever.  But there are some verses which I just had to write down.  Because sometimes one needs “special” inspiration.   

I Timothy 5:23 gives sage counsel:  “Drink no longer water but a little wine for thy stomach’s sake. . . .”    So who doesn’t feel obliged to have a little red wine (maybe a nice Bacio Divino cab) now and then? 

I Timothy 4:8 admonishes that “. . . bodily training is of some value.”  So I (sigh) feel the push to go to the fitness center a few times a week.

Which leads to the whole reason for a personal trainer.  I mean it’s right there in Hebrews 12:12 “Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees. . . .” 

But let me be serious too.  There is one very special chapter – that I discovered on a particularly gray day in 1969.  It is I Corinthians 3.  I’m no theologian and you will rightly conclude that I am unqualified to offer incisive comment on the subject of faith.  But for me, most everything in Christianity distills in these 23 verses.  I can read this chapter over and over.  It is an old friend.  I find peace.  And I find calm.  And faith.  If you read it, I hope you will too.