A Real Life Friday Funny

Most times, truth really is stranger (or funnier) than fiction. I was at the gas station this morning filling up, which in and of itself is an exercise in masochism. There I was, jockeying for a spot between day laborers, construction contractors, and lawn service folks, singing the song from Sesame Street...

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

That would be me, by the way. But that’s ok, I’m used to it.

So as I’m settling up with the station pump and fumbling around with the gas cap I overhear three black men laughing and carrying on as they walk back to their truck. Just before they get in the vehicle one of them says,

“She was too old for R. Kelly, but she was too young for me.”

I’ll admit it... that was pretty damn funny.

Classic Film Friday: The Invisible Man

In this 1933 James Whale adaptation of H.G. Wells classic novel, Claude Rains plays Dr. Jack Griffin, a scientist who takes his experiments too far and turns himself into the Invisible Man. The only problem (other than being invisible) is the chemicals used to make him invisible also drive him mad. He becomes psychotic to the point that he instills a reign of terror over the populace, killing hundreds.

The movie features groundbreaking (for its time) special effects, especially when one considers that this was made almost 75 years ago. The Invisible man is a bit short (only 71 minutes) but it makes for a great warm up for Halloween or a double feature.

A Case for Smelling the Roses

I work around life and death. Almost everyday there’s a new tragedy, death, birth, or simple moment in time that changes someone’s life forever. With so many of these kinds of situations unfolding in front of me, it’s easy to take things for granted.

I found myself walking along side two co-workers. One is an older woman in the twilight of her working career, far from her 1st rodeo, defining her as “well seasoned” would be an understatement. The other is a younger woman, closer to her high school graduation than that point we all reach when the bartender or checkout clerk doesn’t bother to ask for ID anymore.

The younger woman was frustrated with the stress of her day and eventually blurted out “I can’t wait for this day to be over” and trudged away. The older woman looked over at me and said, “When you get to be my age, you learn to like the wait”.

That one sentence hit me like sledgehammer. Life really is entirely too brief to shortchange ourselves. There are many ways the younger woman could have made her situation better. Hopefully she’ll figure it all out before she runs out of days to rush through.

Here’s to making the most of your day...

School Briefs

I’ve been pretty busy (still am) and I haven’t had time to properly update in depth, but I did want to at least briefly mention what’s happening in and around the schoolhouse.


Capacity Argument Continues

The district tried to break their high dollar consultant, Kelley Carey, but came up empty handed (sort of). The school district was looking to justify the $35 million dollar North Area High School project (A.K.A. Whale Branch High) by saying the consultant’s capacity numbers were overestimated. The Carey didn’t back down from his original position, but he still says the district needs to spend $200 million.


New Classrooms Open for business

Okatie Elementary added a new wing and bumps its capacity from 550 to 700. Current enrollment is 805. Redrawing of attendance zones remains off of the table.

On a Lighter Note

Last Saturday teachers attended the 2nd installment of the master naturalist program. I’ve mentioned this before but this pilot program is offered by the LCI and gives area educators firsthand knowledge about ecosystems found in the Lowcountry so that it can be passed down to their students.

Bluffton Beer & Brat Fest

I realize there was a big animal rescue event today, but honestly, I'm over it. I'm not against them or what they want to achieve, but I have a life and part of that life is charity, but I don't make charity my entire life. So I didn't save a puppy today... oh well.

That said, the family and I took some time out to travel down to Calhoun St. and check the Beer & Brat Festival this evening. There was all kinds of German beer available (for about $4 a bottle) along with German food and live music to boot. The $10 cover charge was steep and I was a bit miffed by how expensive the event was... until the B-Town Playaz ripped out "Hot Potato"... and then I realized it was worth every penny.

The Good: Live Music and gorgeous weather

The Bad: Expensive everything, $10 for plastic cup seems excessive

The Ugly: In 6 days you can do what cost $10 a head for free at TGI3rdF

Still, the music was great and the beer was cold, which makes for a good time no matter how you slice it.

For those who don't know who/what "Hot Potato" is all about, I give you...

The Wiggles

Want to Hear a Pathetic Story?

There was a party recently at McCraken Middle School. It was a reward to kids who participated in the Summer Readers' initiative. Want to guess how many kids were eligible to attend said party? According to my sources, about 12-13… out of what? Maybe 1000 kids? Of the dozen or so that were eligible NONE were in the 8th grade, 2 were in the 7th grade, and the remainder were in the 6th grade.

That is what most people call a TREND and not a very good one at that. Reading throughout a long summer break exercises kids’ vocabulary and helps them hone everything from reading comprehension and context cues, to grammar and spelling, not to mention expand the horizons of young minds.

The books cost nothing if you simply check them out from the public library, all that’s really needed is the time (and gas) to take your kids to the library and the gumption to make sure they read the book. It’s really not that hard, but when you consider how many kids failed to read over the summer, you’d think it was damn near impossible.

Classic Film Friday: You Can’t Take it With You

Unenthusiastic Vice President of his father’s company, Tony Kirby (Jimmy Stewart) falls in love with his secretary, Alice Sycamore (Jean Arthur). Which is nothing earth shattering, but thus begins the dual plotline that sets moral epiphanies throughout. It just so happens that Tony’s father A.P. Kirby (Edward Arnold) is about to create a monopoly (in the munitions business of all things) and to do so he needs to buy off Alice’s grandfather, Grandpa Vanderhof (Lionel Barrymore) to do so. The problem is Grandpa isn’t selling, no matter what the price.

In fact Grandpa is a bit of an eccentric and on top of that he encourages people to quit doing things they hate, and start doing what they love. This leads to a house full of weirdos doing all manner of things from dancing or writing, to constructing their own fireworks. When the snobs from Kirby meet the kooks from Vanderhof the sparks really fly and by the end of the movie, everyone winds up in jail.

This Frank Capra directed movie was made in 1938 and many of the premises it tackles are applicable to today’s world. I will say there seems to be a bit of a communism bent to the film, but the movie goes out of its way to dissuade anyone from practicing anything with an “ism” attached to it. You Can’t Take it With You is a parable in its own way, but it will also make you laugh... hard. If you’re not smiling by the time the credits roll at the end you might need to check yourself for a pulse.