Now please don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t start calling welfare agencies inquiring about the Trujillo family \u00e2\u20ac\u201d at least not without letting me explain.<\/p>\n
You see, we raised three boys, and that translates to a lot of rough-housing. We made up games which we called \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Pay-Dirt,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jump the Gun,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Balance,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153100 Percent\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bone Crusher.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Some of the titles are self-explanatory, except for jumping the gun; we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve never owned firearms and used the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153jumping\u00e2\u20ac\u009d metaphor in the sense of a track meet, when a runner starts the race before the starting gun and gets disqualified.<\/p>\n
One of the games consisted of my crouching on our king-size bed and having each of the three sons jump on the bed.<\/p>\n
Using feet and arms, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d try to prevent their climbing upon the bed \u00e2\u20ac\u201d tough feat and feet, especially with three boys.<\/p>\n
Some rounds ended with all four of us sprawling on the floor.<\/p>\n
Another game caused my youngest son, Benjie, to flip on the bed and twist his neck. It may sound scary, but kids do more than that just playing in the grass.<\/p>\n
Benjie at the time owned a turtleneck sweater, the collar of which he would raise up to his ears, giving the appearance of a l-o-n-g neck. Days later, he walked into my room zombie-style and said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You broke my neck.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
He paused. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t appreciate it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Immediately, I pondered his choice of words. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Appreciate\u00e2\u20ac\u009d? I explained that when someone blows smoke in our face, we tell the offender we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t appreciate that bit of puffery. If someone cuts us off in traffic or beats us to the parking space we knew was ours, we tell that person that we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t appreciate it.<\/p>\n
But a broken neck? First, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s make certain you understand there was absolutely no injury. Benjie\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s declaration was merely cosmetic, ironic, fantastic and exaggeratic. But I loved his choice of words, as if he were to explain, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ya know that rough-housing we did? Well, you broke my neck in the process. I had it fixed today at the doctor\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s office. . . . But I still don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t appreciate it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Benjie chose a word that has, in my opinion, three distinctly different meanings. His sense of the word was simply that the broken neck wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t very nice.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Appreciate\u00e2\u20ac\u009d also refers to understanding, getting the grasp of the issue. If I were to answer Benjie with, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I appreciate the extent of your injuries,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d be using a second shading of the term, in the sense of acknowledging that the neck broke but not implying gratitude.<\/p>\n
But then, what if Benjie were to say that he didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have the $30 co-pay when he visited the doctor and the doc would raise the fee by five bucks a week, until he paid, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d be talking about still another meaning of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153appreciate,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in the sense of inflation.<\/p>\n
Now in his mid-30s, Ben still mentions the broken neck \u00e2\u20ac\u201d whenever he puts on a turtle-neck. But fortunately, he doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t expect or request my long-winded treatise on \u00e2\u20ac\u0153appreciation.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 \u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 \u00e2\u20ac\u00a2<\/p>\n
Getting my fill of very affordable books at last week\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s AAUW book sale at Sala de Madrid, I ran into an acquaintance eyeing a mountain of books along the east wall. They were offered at 10 for a dollar. They were mostly paperbacks, fiction, mystery. He asked no one in particular, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What if I want to buy just one?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nWell that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be a dollar. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What about five?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Still a dollar.<\/p>\n
The offer was up to 10 books for a dollar, so if you take just one, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not 10 cents; it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s still a dollar.<\/p>\n
That sale section turned out to be a hit. In fact, the entire sale was successful, as the local AAUW took in about $3,000, according to Carol Winkel. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll go to fund college scholarships.<\/p>\n
And, we might add, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s for a great cause. Not only does it help people reach their dream of a helping acquire a college education, but the circulation of thousands of books helps to quench people\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s thirst for literacy.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 \u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 \u00e2\u20ac\u00a2<\/p>\n
As a long-time consumer of Girl Scout Cookies, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m usually agreeable to buying a box or two during their annual sales. The girls use the profits for worthwhile projects. I applaud that.<\/p>\n
Several years ago, a fellow employee went to each office at Mortimer Hall to announce that his daughter was selling Girl Scout Cookies. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And if you need any, see me; I deliver.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Whatttt? When he came to my office with his pitch, I said, emphatically, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Absolutely not!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Then I gave my usual spiel, explaining that if his daughter were to approach me, look me in the eye, explain the kinds of cookies available, and tell me the price, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d be happy to make a purchase.<\/p>\n
She did. That afternoon, she looked me in the eye, did all the requisite things, and made a sale. Now all of that ceremony was and still is designed to let the scouts themselves handle the transaction, including making change. Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s let the girls develop a modicum of leadership rather than having adults take over the show.<\/p>\n
Notice how much happier kids seem when allowed to do things on their own. And that applies to youth athletics and other activities.<\/p>\n
Thursday, as I was leaving Wal-Mart, I walked by a Girl Scout stand, knowing I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d be invited to make a purchase. I asked no one in particular, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the youngest scout here. Kaylee Trujillo stepped forward.<\/p>\n
I gave her the usual spiel about eye-contact, clear communication, price, etc. She complied. I asked her which varieties of cookies she liked the most. She identified two kinds, which I bought. I paid her and felt good about the transaction \u00e2\u20ac\u201d handled by a child, not her parent.<\/p>\n
Kaylee\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mom, Christina Chavez, was with her at the booth in front of the store, with other parents, who appeared to want the girls themselves to conduct the business.<\/p>\n
It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s great when adults allow kids to become young entrepreneuers.<\/p>\n
Disclaimer: Although Kaylee Trujillo and I have the same last name, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not related.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Now please don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t start calling welfare agencies inquiring about the Trujillo family \u00e2\u20ac\u201d at least not without letting me explain. You see, we raised three boys, and that translates to a lot of rough-housing. We made up games which we called \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Pay-Dirt,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jump the Gun,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Balance,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153100 Percent\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bone Crusher.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Some of the titles […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1350"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1350"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1350\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1354,"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1350\/revisions\/1354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rezio.net\/woa\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}