Blowing snow and frigid temps in the burg. Forecast is calling for -10 F windchill tonight and the local school system has declared 2 hour delays for the rest of the week. Days like today make me appreciate what I do for a living — there’s absolutely no job related emergency whatsoever that would require that I leave my warm spot.
Posted by Perry
The NFL, and sports in general, are missing a very key member with the retirement of the Indianapolis Colts’ head coach, Tony Dungy, on Monday.
For those of you who are not fans of sports, you don’t know what you missed. Mr. Dungy successfully led the Colts for seven seasons, reaching the playoffs each year and becoming the first African-American Head Coach to win a Super Bowl. He is more than just an NFL coach – he is the epitome of class.
You see, what Tony Dungy did in his thirty-one year football career was to lead by example. In football, the old adage is that a team reflects its coach. This was evident in the way Dungy’s teams played, always professional, tough, dedicated, and with a respect for the game and their opponents – just like their coach.
Dungy’s impact reached far beyond the gridiron, he is very active in charity work, having been involved for years with prison ministries, Family First, and All-Pro Dads. The NFL certainly has some very big shoes to fill.
I write this not because I love sports, but rather because people like Mr. Dungy are an example to all of us. The way in which Tony Dungy led his teams, and his life, can be used by everyone no matter what walk of life they come from. Professionals, lecturers, laborers all the way down the line can learn a thing or two (or more) from Mr. Dungy and understand that his legacy in sports is a rare one – its not based solely on wins and losses but on HOW he won and lost.
I can’t think of a better person to learn from. Thank you for the lesson Mr. Dungy.
I covered the ‘what I loved to eat as a kid’ theme in my last post, but conversation with a friend today reminded me of some pretty funny ‘mean kid things’ I did. My brother will remember most of them, and could add to the list I’m sure.
I remember my older brother getting hit in the mouth with a baseball and needing stitches in his lip. As a trumpet player, he was worried that his puckering abilities were compromised. I remember him standing in front of the mirror looking at himself – stitched lip lightly pressed to the shining horn. That’s when I did it. I “accidently” bumped the end of the trumpet back toward his tender injury. I think it was attention I wanted — and that’s absolutely what I got.
I also recall a time long ago that Mom had us dressed up for some occasion. I don’t remember if it was church or something else, but I do remember getting out of the car before Scott, and him leaning out to pick up something that he had kicked from the car’s floorboard to the ground. Body still inside the car and his head between the door-jam, I remember his face as he looked up at me and said, “Don’t you shut that car door!” Never tell a woman what NOT to do — even if it’s a little bitty woman. The outcome is never good.
I can remember playing ‘escape artist’ – a game where our Pap-pa would tie our hands behind our backs and see who could get loose first. I think it was some kind of magician thing, since Scott always thought that was extremely cool. Even though I was much younger, I was years ahead of him in coordination skills. I remember freeing my hands, looking around at Scott who was laying across a chair on his belly, hands still behind his back struggling for freedom — his head pointed toward the floor. That’s when I gave him just the slightest nudge. Without the benefit of limbs to break the fall, he tumbled to the floor, and then complained about having a headache for sympathy when it was all over. Oh well…I’m sure he deserved it at the time.
Seriously! He deserved it! I can remember being on vacation and riding in the back seat of the car traveling to some great destination… forever. Always a victim of motion sickness, I was laying down, my head crossing over on my brother’s designated half of the seat. I can remember him calling to Mom, “Mom – Shelley’s on MY side of the car!” I recall my Mom yelling at me to leave Scott alone; him whining more; her yelling more — and me unable to move because my loving brother was secretly holding me down by the hair.
So right now — are you thinking about all the mean kid things you did? Or by chance are you thinking about those times you were simply a victim of mean kid things?
Growing up with parents that owned a grocery store, we simply didn’t have ‘real’ meals served at 5:00 PM where the family gathered around the table. Often times, we picked what we wanted from behind the meat counter, or chose the latest thing from the frozen food section. Me? I always picked up a can of Spaghettio’s.
I love them as much today as I did way back when. Throw some cheese chunks on top and you’ve got a delicacy! No? Then name the one thing you loved as a kid more than anything else to eat — and no cheating…you’re not allowed to say a ‘McDonald’s Cheeseburger’ or ‘Fish N’ Chips’ from Long Johns.
Almost everything that I pick up to read right now has something to say about our current economic climate. It’s been scary for a long time — but it’s hitting home now more than ever before. I know that the results of challenging economic times were visible in other states before I noticed them here, and I know that it could very likely get worse before it gets better.
There aren’t a ton of options available for those who have lost their jobs around this area. If your employer is laying off or cutting back — it’s not likely that the organization down the street is hiring. There isn’t a magic bullet that is going to fix what’s broken, but worrying isn’t going to help either. If you’re like me — you’re not willing to just lay down and give up, but it’s easy to lose clarity when the future is uncertain.
Concentrate on your strengths, focus on your goals, and be thankful for what you have…