It’s a strange, but folks in East Texas tend to be self-segregating.
If anybody can explain this phenomenon, I sure wish you’d write in and educate me. I don’t get it.
I was reminded of how hard it is to break old patterns last year when I pulled up to drop off my son on the first day of middle school.
“It’s a third, a third, a third,” was the answer when we asked about the demographics of the school. In other words, the school is pretty nearly equally populated with white kids, black kids, and Latino kids.
Heck, I don’t even know the politically correct way to describe the groups. Caucasian? African American? Hispanic? Whatever.
Personally, just cus a person’s skin is pigment-challenged does not mean they relate to some region in Eastern Europe. I generally describe my ethniticity as Texan and leave it at that. I even write Texan in the box marked “other.”
Anyway, this mix of demographics seemed like one of the advantages to us in choosing a school for our son. Since he is a people person, we saw the advantage to him of learning to be comfortable with folks from all backgrounds with varying perspectives.
But on the first day of school, there it was plain as day. Yep, we’re in East Texas all right.
“See how the kids divide themselves into groups. The white kids are over there. The black kids are over there. And the Latino kids are in the middle,” I pointed out the obvious to my son as we pulled up in front of the school.
I really hated to call attention to the fact. I felt a piece of his childhood would be over forever when he recognized that there were self-imposed differences. It would complicate friendships that in elementary school had been unpolluted by race issues.
On the other hand, I couldn’t see any advantage in pretending that the lines don’t still exist. Within days, he would get the picture clearly from kids who would try to keep him on his side of the divide.
“Your job this year is to cross-pollinate as many friendships as you can. Seek out friends from each group, please, and honor your friends to each other.”
And than I added the phrase I send him off with every school day.
“Oh yeah, don’t forget, you’re the best young man in the whole world.”
So, okay, maybe I’m a little prejudiced on that particular point, but, hey, I’m a mom.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Monday, August 31, 2009
TV-Challenged
There was a time when I could turn on the TV all by myself.
That was in the days before Wii and VCRs complicated my life and introduced a set of at least three remotes into our household.
Maybe it’s just me but I call this phenomenon “Tyranny of the Remote.”
Occasionally, I get really fed up. My thinking goes something like this, “I am a college- educated person, for heaven’s sake, it can’t be that hard.”
After punching endless button combinations and resisting the urge to throw the annoying devices through the TV screen, I finally do what any sensible, college-educated person would do.
I call my son.
When he quits laughing, he walks me through the process again.
This never happens when he is home for one simple reason; the men in my life wouldn’t trust me with the clicker even if I did know how to use it. That’s because they tend to view the History Channel as a quick blip on the screen between Walker, Texas Ranger and Psyche.
I’m doomed to endless reruns of tough guy, manly stuff; superhero cartoons for big boys.
I like the fact that my men are so simple in their approach to TVs. They simply want the biggest, brightest, loudest one they can find.
Yes, sirree. They simply march in, make the purchase, take it home, then fiddle with the buttons until it does what it is supposed to. No technological challenge is too overwhelming; it distract them for one minute that there will be endless cables to hook up or programming to install.
We recently bought a new cabinet to hold the TV.
My biggest problem with it is that it came with a gigantic, gaping hole for the flat screen. Plus, there’s no way our extensive collection of John Wayne movies are going to fit in a few small drawers. And there’s no place in it for all the boxes we save.
I don’t really get the logic of holding onto the shipping boxes. I guess my brain shuts down as I try to figure out where to put them without causing a fire hazard.
Then, as I rack my brain, surveying the collection of corrugated cardboard in the attic, trying to remember which Sony and RCA products we actually still own, it suddenly dawns on me!
Maybe the reason my guys have brain cells for using the remote is because they aren’t distracted by Life’s Peripherals.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
That was in the days before Wii and VCRs complicated my life and introduced a set of at least three remotes into our household.
Maybe it’s just me but I call this phenomenon “Tyranny of the Remote.”
Occasionally, I get really fed up. My thinking goes something like this, “I am a college- educated person, for heaven’s sake, it can’t be that hard.”
After punching endless button combinations and resisting the urge to throw the annoying devices through the TV screen, I finally do what any sensible, college-educated person would do.
I call my son.
When he quits laughing, he walks me through the process again.
This never happens when he is home for one simple reason; the men in my life wouldn’t trust me with the clicker even if I did know how to use it. That’s because they tend to view the History Channel as a quick blip on the screen between Walker, Texas Ranger and Psyche.
I’m doomed to endless reruns of tough guy, manly stuff; superhero cartoons for big boys.
I like the fact that my men are so simple in their approach to TVs. They simply want the biggest, brightest, loudest one they can find.
Yes, sirree. They simply march in, make the purchase, take it home, then fiddle with the buttons until it does what it is supposed to. No technological challenge is too overwhelming; it distract them for one minute that there will be endless cables to hook up or programming to install.
We recently bought a new cabinet to hold the TV.
My biggest problem with it is that it came with a gigantic, gaping hole for the flat screen. Plus, there’s no way our extensive collection of John Wayne movies are going to fit in a few small drawers. And there’s no place in it for all the boxes we save.
I don’t really get the logic of holding onto the shipping boxes. I guess my brain shuts down as I try to figure out where to put them without causing a fire hazard.
Then, as I rack my brain, surveying the collection of corrugated cardboard in the attic, trying to remember which Sony and RCA products we actually still own, it suddenly dawns on me!
Maybe the reason my guys have brain cells for using the remote is because they aren’t distracted by Life’s Peripherals.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Pledge to the Moms of Girls
Here’s my pledge to girls’ moms: “I promise to teach my son that breaking your daughter’s heart is a big no-no.”
Having raised two girls I have some pretty strong feelings on the subject.
So does my husband and all his friends with daughters. Their ideas usually involve starting to polish their guns on the day that first baby daughter was born.
“Well, how do you expect them to find a husband if they don’t date?” asked countless parents surprised when they learned that we didn’t see the point of dating.
“How does dating a thousand Mr. Wrongs get them any closer to Mr. Right?” I always asked, but apparently that is a trick question because no one ever bothered answering.
Now the shoe is on the other foot, and I am trying hard to teach my son to be faithful to a wife he doesn’t know yet.
Apparently, I’m not the only mom that has noticed that girls can be aggressive, even in middle school.
If you have a daughter that age, she may be interested in what moms like me are telling our sons:
-Yes, son, many of the girls are annoying because they are so boy-crazy. Please be kind to them as you ignore them.
-When a girl hangs around and acts silly, please say something clear, but gentle like, “I am hanging out with the guys. Please find some girls to talk to.”
-Girls act boy-crazy because they are needy. They are needy because they are not getting enough attention at home.
-Yes, I know that girls dress in new and creative ways, calling attention to the fact that they are female. Hmm…let’s hope their parents aren’t aware of that particular outfit because that would mean that they don’t care about her enough to say no.
-No matter what happens, you are responsible not only for your actions but also for your thoughts. Girls make the decisions they make. You are the boss of your decisions and thoughts.
-If you choose to honor a girl with your attention, you don’t get to reject her later. So choose your friends carefully.
-It’s silly to date in middle school. In fact, it’s silly to date unless you are prepared to explore the commitment of marriage. Period.
That’s just the beginning. The foundational ideas. The ones I can put into print without embarrassing my son.
And this is only middle school. I hate to think how complicated high school will be.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Having raised two girls I have some pretty strong feelings on the subject.
So does my husband and all his friends with daughters. Their ideas usually involve starting to polish their guns on the day that first baby daughter was born.
“Well, how do you expect them to find a husband if they don’t date?” asked countless parents surprised when they learned that we didn’t see the point of dating.
“How does dating a thousand Mr. Wrongs get them any closer to Mr. Right?” I always asked, but apparently that is a trick question because no one ever bothered answering.
Now the shoe is on the other foot, and I am trying hard to teach my son to be faithful to a wife he doesn’t know yet.
Apparently, I’m not the only mom that has noticed that girls can be aggressive, even in middle school.
If you have a daughter that age, she may be interested in what moms like me are telling our sons:
-Yes, son, many of the girls are annoying because they are so boy-crazy. Please be kind to them as you ignore them.
-When a girl hangs around and acts silly, please say something clear, but gentle like, “I am hanging out with the guys. Please find some girls to talk to.”
-Girls act boy-crazy because they are needy. They are needy because they are not getting enough attention at home.
-Yes, I know that girls dress in new and creative ways, calling attention to the fact that they are female. Hmm…let’s hope their parents aren’t aware of that particular outfit because that would mean that they don’t care about her enough to say no.
-No matter what happens, you are responsible not only for your actions but also for your thoughts. Girls make the decisions they make. You are the boss of your decisions and thoughts.
-If you choose to honor a girl with your attention, you don’t get to reject her later. So choose your friends carefully.
-It’s silly to date in middle school. In fact, it’s silly to date unless you are prepared to explore the commitment of marriage. Period.
That’s just the beginning. The foundational ideas. The ones I can put into print without embarrassing my son.
And this is only middle school. I hate to think how complicated high school will be.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Cheap and Easy Gal’s Night Out
Personally, hard economic times require more laughter.
Any excuse for a party, right?
Lately, my idea of a relaxing night out is meeting girlfriends for sushi. Unfortunately, sushi drives up a restaurant bill faster than double martinis.
Casual get-togethers at home means cheaper fun, but no sushi, right?
So, imagine my delight when I found a do-it-yourself sushi kit at the grocery store. A plan began to form in the recesses of my mind.
Thus, the Cheap and Easy Gal’s Night Out was born.
If you want to have your own Cheap and Easy Gal’s Night Out, all you need is the following:
-Invitations. Okay, if they are your real friends, who needs invitations? On the other hand, text media is the only way to do justice to the idea “Cheap and Easy Gal’s Night Out.” If you’d like a copy of my invitation, I’ll be happy to email it to you.
-Guest List. Keep it to a few close friends. Then, add a couple of new people to the group. New friends add dimension to our gatherings, and our hearts.
-Menu. Sushi kits sell for less than $3 per person. Add a cucumber, an avocado, a bag of carrots, a bag of frozen shrimp, Diet coke, and fortune cookies to the cart. Pocky, a Chinese sweet treat that is dipped in chocolate, is also a good choice.
-Alcohol. Llano wine is cheap and it’s Texas; two qualities that tend to endear me to any person or product.
-Party Favors. In keeping with the cheap theme, I bought fashion magazines for each guest with a subtitle, “Mega Savings Inside!” Perfection, rolled up and tied with a bow.
-Hostess Gift. Well, as long as we’re being casual, I figure why not stay with the easy theme and tell everyone to bring cash.
“No hostess gifts. Bring $5 and we’ll pick a charity.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but I laugh just imagining how local charities will react when they start receiving small donations marked “Cheap and Easy Gals.” Anonymously, of course.
Why not take a Friday night to sit around and laugh with friends for a few hours? Figure out together how to make do-it-yourself sushi and get it to your mouth with chop-sticks.
I don’t care what the economy does; money can’t buy fun or friendships like that.
Simplicity seems to be the definition of fun at my house, and probably yours, too.
I bet your friends won’t complain about being described as cheap and easy.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Any excuse for a party, right?
Lately, my idea of a relaxing night out is meeting girlfriends for sushi. Unfortunately, sushi drives up a restaurant bill faster than double martinis.
Casual get-togethers at home means cheaper fun, but no sushi, right?
So, imagine my delight when I found a do-it-yourself sushi kit at the grocery store. A plan began to form in the recesses of my mind.
Thus, the Cheap and Easy Gal’s Night Out was born.
If you want to have your own Cheap and Easy Gal’s Night Out, all you need is the following:
-Invitations. Okay, if they are your real friends, who needs invitations? On the other hand, text media is the only way to do justice to the idea “Cheap and Easy Gal’s Night Out.” If you’d like a copy of my invitation, I’ll be happy to email it to you.
-Guest List. Keep it to a few close friends. Then, add a couple of new people to the group. New friends add dimension to our gatherings, and our hearts.
-Menu. Sushi kits sell for less than $3 per person. Add a cucumber, an avocado, a bag of carrots, a bag of frozen shrimp, Diet coke, and fortune cookies to the cart. Pocky, a Chinese sweet treat that is dipped in chocolate, is also a good choice.
-Alcohol. Llano wine is cheap and it’s Texas; two qualities that tend to endear me to any person or product.
-Party Favors. In keeping with the cheap theme, I bought fashion magazines for each guest with a subtitle, “Mega Savings Inside!” Perfection, rolled up and tied with a bow.
-Hostess Gift. Well, as long as we’re being casual, I figure why not stay with the easy theme and tell everyone to bring cash.
“No hostess gifts. Bring $5 and we’ll pick a charity.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but I laugh just imagining how local charities will react when they start receiving small donations marked “Cheap and Easy Gals.” Anonymously, of course.
Why not take a Friday night to sit around and laugh with friends for a few hours? Figure out together how to make do-it-yourself sushi and get it to your mouth with chop-sticks.
I don’t care what the economy does; money can’t buy fun or friendships like that.
Simplicity seems to be the definition of fun at my house, and probably yours, too.
I bet your friends won’t complain about being described as cheap and easy.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Well-aged and Well-adjusted
Nothing made my Granddaddy happier than an excuse to fish.
He was a gentle man with a small-ish frame and a ready grin. Cataracts had taken their toll on his vision, but not on the sweet way he always interacted with us.
I can still see him standing on the end of a pier with cane pole in hand. There was something so inherently peaceful in his demeanor.
We never heard him say a cross word, although there were a few occasions when he firmly encouraged my grandmother that it was time for their visit to come to an end; she would have stayed indefinitely.
“I don’t believe in retirement,” said the gentleman at the Bullard Kiwanis meeting when I asked for help with this column. He was the picture of why I agree with him, busy mentoring young people, happily contributing to a better community.
What we believe about retirement and aging will shape our future. As I age, I can’t help but notice some of the mythology out there:
-“Retirement means you lose your identity.” What retirement really means is that now you can serve in the way you want to without concern for making the next buck.
- “I worked; now I can play.” I call this RTS, Retirement Teenager Syndrome. The happiest teenagers and old folks I know are the ones who are NOT focused on self-indulgence, but are busy sharing their lives with others.
-“Caretaking is an imposition.” You might be surprised to learn that your kids don’t mind the hours with you at the doctor’s office or the midnight trips to the emergency room. In fact, they might actually savor the quite and tenderness of those moments spent waiting with you.
-“Nobody is interested in the elderly.” The truth is that in many cultures, the elderly are still esteemed for their wisdom. In our own culture, I meet young people all the time who are craving the interest of someone wiser. The trick is to be wise enough to recognize the need and secure enough to offer whatever you can.
My kids and I met a retired gentleman recently at the picture framing counter who is a perfect example of offering whatever you can. He simply congratulated my daughter about her diploma. A few words later and we were pressing him with questions about his experience as a Korean veteran. He is now a friend and a valuable source of insight. All because he took a minute to encourage a young person.
“Drawing closer to the Lord and wanting others to do so too,” is crucial explained one friend, adding with a grin, “at our age, you know you’re gonna face Him sooner rather than later.”
So, what’s the best way to avoid getting caught in the trap of mythology about aging?
Spend time with young people.
If your grandkids live far away, why not adopt some more close to home? Next door. At church. By tutoring kids who need help with school work.
Why not do what my granddaddy did? Grab a cane pole and take a young person fishing.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
He was a gentle man with a small-ish frame and a ready grin. Cataracts had taken their toll on his vision, but not on the sweet way he always interacted with us.
I can still see him standing on the end of a pier with cane pole in hand. There was something so inherently peaceful in his demeanor.
We never heard him say a cross word, although there were a few occasions when he firmly encouraged my grandmother that it was time for their visit to come to an end; she would have stayed indefinitely.
“I don’t believe in retirement,” said the gentleman at the Bullard Kiwanis meeting when I asked for help with this column. He was the picture of why I agree with him, busy mentoring young people, happily contributing to a better community.
What we believe about retirement and aging will shape our future. As I age, I can’t help but notice some of the mythology out there:
-“Retirement means you lose your identity.” What retirement really means is that now you can serve in the way you want to without concern for making the next buck.
- “I worked; now I can play.” I call this RTS, Retirement Teenager Syndrome. The happiest teenagers and old folks I know are the ones who are NOT focused on self-indulgence, but are busy sharing their lives with others.
-“Caretaking is an imposition.” You might be surprised to learn that your kids don’t mind the hours with you at the doctor’s office or the midnight trips to the emergency room. In fact, they might actually savor the quite and tenderness of those moments spent waiting with you.
-“Nobody is interested in the elderly.” The truth is that in many cultures, the elderly are still esteemed for their wisdom. In our own culture, I meet young people all the time who are craving the interest of someone wiser. The trick is to be wise enough to recognize the need and secure enough to offer whatever you can.
My kids and I met a retired gentleman recently at the picture framing counter who is a perfect example of offering whatever you can. He simply congratulated my daughter about her diploma. A few words later and we were pressing him with questions about his experience as a Korean veteran. He is now a friend and a valuable source of insight. All because he took a minute to encourage a young person.
“Drawing closer to the Lord and wanting others to do so too,” is crucial explained one friend, adding with a grin, “at our age, you know you’re gonna face Him sooner rather than later.”
So, what’s the best way to avoid getting caught in the trap of mythology about aging?
Spend time with young people.
If your grandkids live far away, why not adopt some more close to home? Next door. At church. By tutoring kids who need help with school work.
Why not do what my granddaddy did? Grab a cane pole and take a young person fishing.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Red, White, and Blue and Read All Over
July is the star-spangled time of year when I feel it is my patriotic duty, and my free speech right, to say why I love small town newspapers.
Don’t we all have a soft spot in our hearts for freedom of speech?
This year in particular I am counting blessings when I consider how many of our small towns around East Texas have careful publishers who are crunching the numbers and managing to stay ahead of the recession while the big boys in big cities across the US are closing down due to the weight of interest on old loans.
Of course, any student of history knows that our forefathers recognized that an independent news source would hold government leaders accountable.
Some folks these days think that the web can fill the need for independent news sources. That may be true when it comes to broadcasting news to Timbuktu. But, just ask yourself this….
Who are you gonna call with a rumor you heard from your kids about something fishy going on between a student and a teacher?
When you hear elected officials are thinking about raising sales taxes, aren’t you gonna whisper in the ear of the reporter who came out to the ribbon cutting on your new business? Emailing a blogger just doesn’t quite cut it.
When your county commissioners and state representatives aren’t listening as you helplessly fume about the new state highway cutting through your grandparents’ old farm place, where are you sending your letter to get public attention?
Any day of the week, our small town publishers, editors, and reporters are accessible. You can drop by the office for a free cup of coffee and a chat, run into ‘em in the line at the bank, or see ‘em in church on Sunday. Heck, you probably have their home phone numbers.
Okay, folks, if ever there was a time to vote with our dollars, now is the time to show support for our local newspapers.
If you have a business, buy ads.
If you can sell something in the classifieds, do it now. Not only will you give the paper a boost, but your own budget will get a bonus, too.
If you want to honor someone’s birthday or anniversary, why not do it with an ad in the local paper.
Instead of canceling your subscription, keep it, at least until we get past this recession. Think of it as a donation to a worthy cause. A really cheap donation.
In fact, why not buy a subscription for a friend? Tie today’s edition up in a bow, deliver it yourself, and tell your friend you love them. And you love a free press and a free country. You can sing “God Bless America” to your friend when you deliver the news.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.co
Don’t we all have a soft spot in our hearts for freedom of speech?
This year in particular I am counting blessings when I consider how many of our small towns around East Texas have careful publishers who are crunching the numbers and managing to stay ahead of the recession while the big boys in big cities across the US are closing down due to the weight of interest on old loans.
Of course, any student of history knows that our forefathers recognized that an independent news source would hold government leaders accountable.
Some folks these days think that the web can fill the need for independent news sources. That may be true when it comes to broadcasting news to Timbuktu. But, just ask yourself this….
Who are you gonna call with a rumor you heard from your kids about something fishy going on between a student and a teacher?
When you hear elected officials are thinking about raising sales taxes, aren’t you gonna whisper in the ear of the reporter who came out to the ribbon cutting on your new business? Emailing a blogger just doesn’t quite cut it.
When your county commissioners and state representatives aren’t listening as you helplessly fume about the new state highway cutting through your grandparents’ old farm place, where are you sending your letter to get public attention?
Any day of the week, our small town publishers, editors, and reporters are accessible. You can drop by the office for a free cup of coffee and a chat, run into ‘em in the line at the bank, or see ‘em in church on Sunday. Heck, you probably have their home phone numbers.
Okay, folks, if ever there was a time to vote with our dollars, now is the time to show support for our local newspapers.
If you have a business, buy ads.
If you can sell something in the classifieds, do it now. Not only will you give the paper a boost, but your own budget will get a bonus, too.
If you want to honor someone’s birthday or anniversary, why not do it with an ad in the local paper.
Instead of canceling your subscription, keep it, at least until we get past this recession. Think of it as a donation to a worthy cause. A really cheap donation.
In fact, why not buy a subscription for a friend? Tie today’s edition up in a bow, deliver it yourself, and tell your friend you love them. And you love a free press and a free country. You can sing “God Bless America” to your friend when you deliver the news.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.co
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