Are You a Rude and Disrespectful Cell Head?

Definition of a Cell Head:

noun

1. short for cellular head or empty head

(1)  A person obsessed with his cell phone.

(2)  A person who lives with his eyes or ear glued to a cell phone

(3)  A person with a stronger relationship with his cell phone than with people

(4)  A person whose life is dominated by his cell phone

(5)  A rude and disrespectful person

If you are guilty of any of the following 10 cell phone behaviors you are a CELL HEAD.  Your use of your cell phone is often RUDE and DISRESPECTFUL:

1. You are rude and disrespectful if you use your cell phone at the dinner table;
2. You are rude and disrespectful if you use your cell phone in a restaurant while dining with others;
3. You are rude and disrespectful if you constantly check your cell phone for new messages in the presence of other people;
4. You are rude and disrespectful if you use your cell phone to message, text, tweet, or surf the web while visiting in someone’s home;
5. You are rude and disrespectful if you use your cell phone in your car to message, text, tweet, or surf the web while stopped at a traffic light and it causes you to hold up traffic when the light turns green because you are not paying attention;
6. You are rude and disrespectful if you use your cell phone to message, text, tweet, or surf the web in a movie theater during the movie;
7. You are rude and disrespectful – but primarily disgusting – if you use your cell phone in a public restroom while sitting on the pot or standing at the urinal;
8. You are rude and disrespectful – as well as obnoxious – if you carry on a cell phone conversation while walking down the street. walking in the mall, or doing your business in a public restroom loud enough for those around you to hear;
9. You are rude and disrespectful if you use your cell phone while engaged in a face to face conversation with another person.  Few things are more rude or disrespectful than having a conversation with someone and in mid-sentence or story they take out their cell phone to check for messages; and
10. You are rude and disrespectful if you cannot turn your cell phone off, leave it in the car, leave it in your purse, or place it on silent when visiting or engaged in a conversation.  Instead of being RUDE and DISRESPECTFUL, why not pleasantly surprise everyone and join the conversation?  It might surprise you to discover all the endless calls and messages that titillate and inspire your life will be waiting for you after the visit to grandma’s house or the face to face conversation with a friend.

My Advice to Cell Heads:

1. People first – Cell phone second!
2. If dealing with a major emergency or health issue that you must closely monitor by phone, let people know, put your cell phone on silent/vibrate, and excuse yourself politely to take a message when it buzzes. Other than that, turn your phone off and forget it for a few minutes while visiting in someone’s home or engaged in face to face conversations;
3. Always be present for the people you are with by focusing on them rather than someone floating in cyberspace;
4. When you enter a public restroom, put your cell phone away while doing your business. When finished with your business, wash your hands before reaching for your cell phone unless you don’t mind nasty toilet microorganisms transferred from your hands to your phone to your face;
5. If your cell phone is the first thing you hold in the morning and the last thing you hold at night, you have a problem.  GET A LIFE!

People, there is no other way to say it . . . .

IF YOUR CELL PHONE TAKES PRIORITY OVER PEOPLE (especially family and friends), YOU ARE A RUDE AND DISRESPECTFUL CELL HEAD!

You have the power to control your cell phone!  Of course, if you are a CELL HEAD, the cell phone controls you.  IT’S A CHOICE!

If someone must play second-fiddle for your attention, it should be the person on the other end of your cell phone.  There is an old adage that says “Love the one you are with!”  So, why not start a new one that says, “Be attentive to the one you are with!”  Who knows, with a little more personal interaction, we might actually break down some of the barriers, such as HUMAN DISCONNECT, that plaque our world.

JL

©Jack Linton, August 31, 2018

We Lost Together

Despite their bowl loss, Jackson State University under Head Coach Deon Sanders completed a fantastic season. The program brought national attention to the program, the university, and to its fans. The accolades were well deserved, and a close loss in the season final bowl game should not have tarnished what the players and their coaches accomplished. However, for some fans that was not the case at all.

According to media coverage after the game, some fans bombarded the Jackson State football player who dropped a touchdown pass in overtime with hate mail and death threats. Fan or not, how low can a person get? Is there no decency or humanity left in people these days? Good grief, when all is said and done, it is still a game. It is not a gladiator sport played with life and death consequences!

What kind of person would stoop so low as to send a young man – a kid – hate mail or a death threat over a dropped football? Enthusiasm over a sport/game is a good thing, especially when tempered with a little common sense, sense of reality, and decency. Unfortunately, common sense, reality, and decency too often take a backseat in today’s fan response to sports. Too many take it as a personal affront when their team loses, or a player makes a mistake.

When speaking to the young man, Coach Deon Sanders summed up the drop beautifully, “We go through adversity in everything. OK? That ain’t on you, that’s on us. We, we lost together, do you understand that?” The problem is too many fans fail to understand “that”, which is a sad commentary on our society.

Congratulations to the Jackson State football team, the university, and its thousands of loyal fans. However, shame on those who chose to vent their disappointment for the loss on a single player when as Coach Sanders said, “We, we lost together.” Hopefully, the young man will listen to his coach and ignore those who would demoralize a student athlete for something we all are guilty of from time to time – making a mistake.

JL

©Jack Linton, December 19, 2022

America: Different Strokes for Different Folks

For the past several years Americans have labored against one another to the point they have forgotten how to live together as Americans. There is little room for simple differences of opinion. If you do not think like I do, look like I do, believe as I do, or travel in the same circles I do, you are the enemy – a hated, despicable low life. Of course, Christians are quick to point out this is not at all true. They say “I love you;” it is your actions, looks, beliefs, and lifestyle I don’t care for or hate. On the other side of the coin, the non-believers are just as guilty of stirring the pot of discontent although they tend to be a little less apologetic. Honestly, both sides are very good at knowing what buttons to push and when.

Both sides seem to be ready even eager to engage in daily interpersonal combat. They thrive on the ballistic fallout of daily barrages of insults, allusive innuendoes, oblique or straight to the jugular remarks, and just about anything else that keeps the status quo of mean spirited going strong. They listen to the point of frenzy to accolades of self-righteousness that carry the ugliest of fruits against neighbors. They huddle in mass behind the anonymity of socialized media approaching it with the fervor of the gospel. They cower in constant fear of real and imagined boogie men unable or unwilling to tell the difference. They go as far as to surrender their lives to the ravings of lunatics, self-serving politicians, and lusting wannabe despots. Drinking the Kool-Aid of every recycled Bill Jones who comes along has become the norm. While one group prays for the nation’s schools, its leaders, their neighbors and anyone else they can think to blame for their problems, the other side point fingers at what they perceive as an overabundance of evangelical hypocrisy and self-righteous narcissism. Seldom do either side look in the mirror.

As a result, we live in such a self-perpetuating state of insanity, we have forgotten what it means to be an American. We have forgotten America is about the preservation of life, liberty, and happiness of ALL, and ALL is not open to interpretation. If you truly believe in the American dream, you do not wish it to be. Embracing ALL is what it means to be an American. Once we learn that America 101 lesson, we will have a chance to come to peace with our issues and start living as neighbors and not combatants. Name calling, pointing fingers, and prayers are not likely to get the job done. I doubt seriously God or anyone else has any intentions of coming to our rescue as long as we leave such a simple unlearned lesson on the table.

Like it or not, different strokes for different folks is the American way. That fence was built long ago by the forefathers of our country, and it is a fence we should think long and hard about before tearing it down.

©Jack Linton, October 18, 2022

How Mickey Mouse Got on my Poop List

Several years back my wife and I began a tradition we look forward to as much as any in our family. We are blessed with eight grandchildren who are our pride and joy, and we love spending as much time with each of them as possible. I don’t remember which one of us came up with the idea, but we decided it would be fun to take them on a trip of their choice as a celebration of their high school graduation. We are not wealthy people, so there were some limitations, but basically we do whatever possible to make their trip a reality. For example, our oldest grandson dreamed of visiting Wrigley Field in Chicago to watch the Cubs play, so for his trip we took him to Chicago to see the Cubs play. He had a blast watching the games, and we had a blast watching him. Two years later his sister graduated, and she asked to go to Disney World, which is how this story began.

We left for Disney World the day after Christmas, which I learned is not the idea time of year to go to Disney World unless you enjoy hobnobbing elbow to elbow with folks. Nevertheless, we had a terrific time. The only downside of the trip materialized on the drive to Orlando. During the drive we discovered a stowaway in the truck. I hate, despise, and loathe critters such as mice, rats, and snakes, but at about the halfway point of the trip, my wife opened the glovebox where we keep the truck paperwork, a few dollar bills for tolls, and a small stack of napkins left over from burger joints to find the napkins shredded. From the evidence, I knew we had a four-legged critter, so at the next rest stop we pulled over and cleaned the glovebox as best we could. I didn’t make too much of a fuss over the situation since we were on our way to see the only mouse I can stomach. I was not about to let one of Mickey’s nasty cousins ruin our day, but thank the good Lord, my wife did not find a snake, or the truck and the trip would have been abandoned on the side of the Interstate that day.

The next morning, I went out to the truck with the intention of additional cleaning. When I opened the glovebox, I was met eyeball to eyeball with our stowaway eating a Bic pen like a drumstick. He winked at me and scampered through a hole leading into the dash. Visions of chewed wiring flashed in my head. However, it was Mickey time, and there was little I could do at the moment, so he was forgotten until we returned home. The day we returned from the trip I set a cheese baited mousetrap in the glovebox with a spring bar the equivalent of a guillotine for furry critters. Problem solved – right? Nope, the war was just beginning. The next morning the cheese was gone, and a Hallmark thank you note signed by the mouse was pinned under the sprung spring bar. I had been outsmarted, but not defeated, so I reset the trap.

The following morning the trap was untouched as it was the morning after that, and the morning after that. As each day passed, I envisioned the mouse growing so engorged on cheese he became permanently trapped inside the dash. What could I do? I searched YouTube, and there were plenty of mouse infested truck videos, but no one was any smarter as to how to deal with the problem than I was. I called the Ford dealership for advice but had to hang up when the laughing became unbearable. I racked my brain for solutions, and then I remembered the greatest of the rat killers, Shug. Shug was the custodian when I was a high school principal, and when it came to ridding the school of varmints such as mice, he was better than ten cats. The only tool he used was sticky pads. He said a mouse might trip a mousetrap and get away, but there was no getting away from a sticky pad. Sticky pads were the answer, so I placed two pads in the glovebox knowing the end of the vile culprit was at hand.

The next morning nothing, nor was there a mouse stuck to a pad the following morning, or the morning after that. Visions of my truck going up in flames as a chewed wire sparked, or horror of horrors – the smell of rotting flesh engulfed it since it was becoming a growing possibility the varmint was already dead. Maybe, that first sprung mousetrap had caught enough of him and left him to crawl off into the dash to die. That thought dropped me to my knees. I was defeated. Dead or alive the mouse had won. I called the Ford dealership once again, and once the laughing subsided, I scheduled a time to bring my truck in for de-mousing. The estimated cost dropped me to my knees a second time – $1,300 to remove the dash not counting any needed repairs. My dreams of future trips with my grandchildren or a much-needed camping trip out west lay crippled by a dastardly cousin to Mickey Mouse. At that moment Mickey and all his relatives went to the top of my Poop List.

The day before the scheduled extraction, I was moping around the house thinking about the money and the humiliation of being outsmarted by a mouse when I decided to rearrange some tools under the back seat of the truck simply to get my mind off the fur ball. What I found was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. Fresh mouse poop covered a small tarp I carry under the seat! Praise the good Lord! The mouse was not dead! He had relocated after his near mishap with the mousetrap, so hurriedly, with renewed faith in Shug and his sticky pads, I placed pads with a piece of cheese in the middle under the seats and on the floorboard. That night I slept very little as images of rabid giant rats devouring my truck kept me tossing and turning throughout the night.

When morning finally crawled to life, the genius of Shug rang out through the scream of my wife! The night before I had unwisely parked my truck behind her van, which blocked her from leaving early on one of her many weekly excursions to Walmart. As a result, she had to move the truck, but when she stepped into the truck, she came close to stepping on the mouse permanently glued to a sticky pad. She was still shaking when I got to her, and my quick transition of concern for her to jubilant celebration over the mouse did not sit well, but it was what it was – VICTORY! The girl at the Ford dealership was also not amused by my laughing and dead mouse jokes as I canceled the scheduled trip to the dealership.

Side Note: Although my research on how to rid your vehicle of mice was fruitless, I did discover that peppermint oil and clothes drier sheets/squares placed in your truck, wheel wells, and under the hood help repel mice. I can’t say for sure it works, but anyone riding in my truck will notice the distinctive aroma of peppermint.

By the way, Mickey is no longer on my Poop List!

©Jack Linton, January 24, 2022

911: What We have Forgotten

Over the past two weeks, the news media and social media has flooded us with reminders of our promise to never forget 911 (September 11, 2001). Unfortunately, anyone honestly looking at America over the past few years could not help but believe this is little more than hype, and we have indeed forgotten that promise. No, we have not forgotten the many lives lost in the collapse of the Twin Towers, the lives lost at the Pentagon, and lives of those lost on United Airlines Flight 93, but we have seemingly forgotten one of the most important points to come from that terrible day. We have forgotten how we rallied together as one in the days after that senseless attack on our nation. Increasingly over the past few years, being an American has taken a back seat to our zeal to be seen and heard as a conservative, a liberal, a Republican, or a Democrat. We have forgotten how we stood as brothers and sisters in the face of disaster and adversity. In the days immediately following September 11, 2001, Americans drank from the same fountain of unity regardless of their political or social beliefs and standing. Sadly, with time that fountain has gone dry.

From the ashes of 911, America briefly found itself, but as time distanced us from the tragedy, we once more lost ourselves. Banners of hate, pride, intolerance, and partisan politics replaced the banner of unity we had found. For whatever reason, we decided differences of opinion were grounds for disdain for our neighbor, and debating those differences was a venue for name calling, vulgarity, and senseless uncontrolled rage. We have lost sight that the acceptance of such behavior is a slap in the face to being an American, patriotism, and sanity as well as foolish and dangerous, but that is where we are. We should not be a nation ruled by hate and mistrust or divided by racial tensions, a neighbor’s conservative or liberal views, different religious beliefs, or a different lifestyle. As a nation we are built on a constitution, philosophy, common sense, and decency that says all men and women are created equal and have the right of expression and personal pursuit of happiness. In America, to believe otherwise is to open the door to oppression – as of late, that door has been flung wide open.

911 is a reminder of the destructive power of hate. It is a reminder that such evil can bring the greatest of nations to its knees. Unfortunately, that evil – that monster – is knocking on our door once again, but this time, it is not external but internal. As tragic as 911 was, it also proved Americans can come together under a common cause, especially if that common cause is the preservation of American life as we know it. Such a cause has never been in greater need than it is today. Unless we drink from the fountain of unity once again, we are in dire danger of losing our identity as a nation. It is time we lay aside the tags, labels, and dialogue of division, and once more welcome all to drink – if not for our sake, for the sake of our children and the future of America.

It is our duty, our responsibility, to remember 911 and to honor our promise to never forget. However, that promise goes far beyond remembering the loss of American lives. With that promise, comes our commitment to work together to ensure nothing – external or internal – endangers or threatens our great nation. Therefore, as we remember and say a prayer for the lives lost on that tragic day, let us not forget to say a prayer for ourselves and unity. Without prayer and unity, we are lost.

May God always bless our great nation.

JL

©Jack Linton, September 11, 2021

Let’s Go Fishing: A Message to My Friend

Recently, a friend (a Christian, a veteran, and an all-round good guy) said he was surprised I would admit I voted for Joe Biden, and considering I live in The South, he is right – that is not a popular or smart thing to do.  However, as much as we may not agree on that issue, we agree on much more, and despite our differences, I consider him a valued friend.  In my opinion, friends do not always have to agree, but maybe, I am old fashion, and out of touch.  Nevertheless, I shared the following message with him as to why I stand as I do on an issue that he and so many other friends in my neck of the woods find surprising and troubling.

To my Friend: 

We are Americans and as such one of our greatest rights and gifts is to vote for whom we feel at the time is the best candidate or the lesser of two evils.  I am not always proud of the actions of those I vote for, but I am proud I have the freedom to vote my choice regardless of what others think of that choice.  I have never been a Republican or a Democrat, but rather an American doing what I think best.  I have little against either party – I simply think I am better qualified to make decisions on what is best for me and my family without getting wrapped up in a club mentality and party agendas.  Besides, over the years, I have found neither party has a monopoly on what is best for my family or my country and as such neither is worthy of my devout allegiance.  Such allegiance is reserved for my God, my family, and my country. 

If my neighbors disagree, that is okay, maybe we can debate amicably, but there is no reason under God’s blue sky for us to entertain contempt and hate in our hearts for one another because we think or vote differently.  That is foolish, childish, unchristian, and unamerican.  Brave men such as you have served and continue to serve our country to enable me to have my opinion and vote my choice, and I take your commitment and sacrifice seriously.  Regardless how I vote, my vote is a freedom not to be taken lightly, nor is it something that should cause me to quiver in the shadows out of shame or fear it does not sit well with my neighbors and fellow Americans.

The mindset that we are enemies because we have different political views or opinions has shaken the foundation of our great nation.  That mentality troubles me much more than who a person voted for in any election.  That mentality will destroy us – not Joe Biden or Donald Trump.  So, yes, I stand behind my vote and expect no less from others to do the same.  Regardless our vote or opinion, we are all Americans and to think otherwise is indeed unamerican and even unpatriotic.  My father use to say, “You vote yours – I’ll vote mine, and then we go fishing.”  I don’t know about you, my friend, but I am ready to go fishing.

JL

A Christmas Thought

Just about every Christmas Eve, my wife and I watch the Frank Capra classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, starring James Stewart. It is by far my favorite movie of all time! Not only is it movie making at its finest, it is filled with messages we should take to heart not only during the Christmas season, but throughout the year. I think Clarence, George Bailey’s angel, said it best with two statements, “Remember no man is a failure who has friends,” and “Each man’s life touches so many lives, and when he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole.”

In a world where we sometimes question our place, who we are, and why we are here, I believe this sums up our purpose – we are here for each other. Each of us has purpose and that purpose is best seen in the faces of family and friends who make up our lives. Christmas is the perfect pause in the hustle and bustle of life to remember how blessed we really are to have each other. It helps us sharpen our perspective of what matters – family, friends, and faith. When we focus on the three the rest really does not matter.

Merry Christmas to my family and friends. May God bless each and every one of you as we continue to give purpose to each other’s lives.

JL

©Jack Linton, December 24, 2020

New Life for “The Don”

The old guitar pictured above, “The Don,” is a 1937 Harmony archtop.  My uncle bought it from a local pawnshop between tours in Vietnam in the late ‘60s.  He left it with my mother during his time overseas, but by the time he returned home after his final tour of duty in 1968, he had lost interest in it and told her to keep it.  It sat in a closet in my mother’s house collecting dust until 1973 when she gave it to me.  By that time, the guitar was showing signs of age and neglect.  I cleaned it up the best I could and put a new set of strings on it, but the high action made it difficult to play, especially for a beginner. I put it aside with intentions of having it repaired and made more playable at some point down the road not knowing how long that road would wind. 

For the next 47 years, I carried the guitar with me every time I made a move always intending to get it repaired.  However, life and family priorities kept it in a corner of my bedroom collecting more dust while dead strings popped, the top and back separated in places, and a couple of cracks appeared due to irregular humidity, and I am sorry to say neglect.  I could have thrown it in the trash, and considering its condition some might have said it would have been the merciful thing to do. It certainly would have been the cheapest thing to do, but getting it repaired and hearing it play again had become a dream – maybe even a bit of an obsession.

Through it all, the old guitar refused to completely fall apart as if held together by hope it would someday be brought back to life.  It sat in its lonely corner day after day through the years as the children were born and grew up, I moved from job to job seeking a better life for the family, and it sat in that same corner after my retirement reception staring back at me. Like the old guitar had become years before, I was undone – without purpose. I remember staring it down, feeling useless, and forgotten like it had probably felt for so many years. Its resurrection as well as mine never felt so unlikely. My wife had long tired of having the ugly beat-up carcass of the old unplayable guitar cluttering her bedroom, and now, here I was more useless clutter.

Through writing and travel, I soon found avenues that gave me a healthier outlook, and the old guitar once again faded into its lonely forgotten corner for several more years. Finally, in May of this year, I approached a luthier who had impressed me with work he had completed on a couple of guitars I played regularly. I showed him the old guitar and asked if it was salvageable.  He said it would be a challenge, but he felt if the wood did not break and crumble due to age and dryness, he could bring it back to life.  For the first time in nearly five decades, the old guitar left my home and became his project.  The first thing he did was rehydrate the guitar, which was probably the most delicate and crucial task he had to undertake.  Over the next three months, the guitar was rehydrated (successfully), the fretboard was reconditioned, it received a complete re-fret, a re-radius of the fretboard, neck joint reset, two cracks repaired, setup, and restrung with Elixir 12’s.  The goal was not to completely restore the guitar but to make it playable.  Liking the old instrument’s rugged appearance, a look I felt gave it character, the only cosmetic work undertaken was cleaning and buffing. 

Finally, the long awaited day arrived, my luthier called and said the project was complete. When I opened the case, I could not believe the transformation.  It was an acoustic resurrection!  The old guitar still proudly wore its battle scars, but its deep wounds had miraculously healed.  Best of all, it played easily with its own unique sound.  There are still a couple of small things needing attention such as rebuilding the pick guard and maybe/maybe not replacing the eight decade old tuners to make it easier to tune, but for now, I am simply enjoying a piece of history brought back to life by a very skilled artist.

Eighty-three years young and still kicking – that is pretty amazing! “The Don” no longer sits in a corner collecting dust. It sleeps in a warm humidified case and by day sits in my lap with my fingers caressing its strings. We remind each other that age is just number, especially if you never stop dreaming.

JL

©Jack Linton, December 17, 2020

America, It is Past Time

Over the past few months, Americans have engaged in all manner of debate, name calling, and insanity over who is best suited to be President of our great nation. We have treated each other horribly, and if we should ever again find our humanity, we will most assuredly look back on these times with shame and regret for conducting ourselves as less than American – less than human.  Blame the candidates, blame the media, blame social media, blame a restless society, but in the final analysis, all Americans share in the blame of how we have acted and treated each other – our fellow Americans.  In a time when a difference of opinion has become grounds for destroying friendships and creating chasms of mistrust, animosity bordering on hatred, character assassination, and a mean spirited ugliness that may forever stain our nation, we have failed or at least severely tarnished the American dream for ourselves and our children who have watched how their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others around them have behaved. Sadly, the adults of this nation have set a scary precedent for our young people to follow.

Americans have become adept at squandering opportunities for debate, open discussion, and engaging in learning from one another in favor of name calling, bullying, and talking over one another. The only time we listen is when the other person agrees with us.  Too often, unless a person stands firmly in our corner, we embrace a to hell with him/her attitude and turn a deaf ear to that person.  Is that the type of engagement we want to teach our children?  Is that the character we want to instill in them?  I think not, but that is what we have modeled in front of them.

However, presently, there is an uneasy calm in our country and a sense of relief that the election is over and hopefully, some of the ugliness that accompanied it is over as well.  Unfortunately, that calm and relief will most likely be short lived.  Regardless of the outcome of the election, the spiraling descent of our nation into a quagmire of self-destruction is most likely to continue.  For example, the one power that truly belongs to the people – the power of the vote – has been so battered, bruised, and twisted, its legitimacy will be questioned like never before in our history not only for the 2020 election but for future elections as well.  That is a shame! The power of the vote is a Constitutional right of the American people that separates us from most third-world countries and totalitarian governments, and shamefully, we have allowed this tool of a free nation to be brought into question with unsubstantiated accusations.

Nevertheless, it is most likely a new President will be named in the coming days.  One side will cheer, and the other side will call foul – it has already happened.  It should not matter though since the people have spoken through the power of the vote, but unfortunately it will matter.  America has become a nation of finger pointers.  Too often when something goes wrong, even an election, instead of looking at the issue with integrity and resolution, there are those among us who point fingers of blame and create surreal scenarios to steer responsibility in other directions.  They hope by creating a big enough smoke screen or diversion they can skirt the truth and recreate a reality more in line with their personal agenda.  Such tactics are fast becoming an American trait worn with pride in many circles.  America is no longer about “us”, but rather it is about the “me.”  We are no longer American brothers and sisters – we have traded all that binds us for conservative, liberal, red, blue, Democrat, and Republican tags used to de-Americanize American citizens.  That is the America we have become, and for that we should be ashamed.

Finally, 2020 has been an abnormal year at best – an election year, a worldwide pandemic, civil unrest in the streets, natural disasters, and layers on layers of misinformation. For example, there are those who believe the COVID-19 virus will end with the election, but of course, it has not.  Such a belief was always irresponsible and disgraceful. When America has 20% of the pandemic deaths in the world, something is terribly out of sync. There was a time when Americans were too proud, too compassionate, and too responsible to accept such a harsh reality without feeling the burden of its shame.  What happened to that America? 

Of course, it would be great if the virus suddenly ended, but that is not likely to happen until we as a nation take responsibility for ending it and stop looking for someone to blame for it.  In turn, it would be extremely nice (doable if not likely) if all the liberal and conservative name calling and ugliness ended with the rise of a new Presidency.  Unfortunately, too many Americans appear primed to keep riding the same old dead horse whose divisive stench keeps us suspended in a self-imposed purgatory.  That is a shame – America is better than that.  However, I am ready to throw my saddle on a new horse, and hopefully, others will join me.  The sooner “we the people” take control of the reins again the better for all of us.  Once that happens, maybe, we can start learning to be responsible Americans and humans again.  America, it is past time.

JL

©Jack Linton, November 7, 2020

That is No Way to Live

In a world gone mad, it is easy to be frustrated, negative, and fed up with the insanity occurring daily around us. As much as most of us would like to be free of the quagmire of insolence, arrogance, superiority, and disenfranchised benevolence we are too often subjected to, we often unintentionally and unknowingly become part of the problem by joining the mayhem. By joining the name calling, the divisiveness, the righteous/self-righteous indignation, and hateful rhetoric, we internalize the insanity and become a supporting prisoner to the frustrations and negativity we would like to end. As a result, we make our lives more miserable and less functional for ourselves and those we care about most. We rob ourselves and in turn family and friends of happiness and eventually humanity. That is no way to live!

So, why indulge in the insane foreplay that leads us to despair, distrust, disillusion, and frustration? It’s simple – it is the only game we know and feel comfortable playing. The only way we know to be relevant is to insert ourselves into the game even if we do not like the rules of the game being played. In a world where everyone wants to be heard but no one knows how to listen, we sometimes take more issue with opposing opinions than we do with the issues themselves. For the sake of having a stake or word in the game, we are willing to sacrifice what is most important – our friends, family, humanity and happiness, and for what? For the possibility we might convince someone we are right?

I have been as guilty as anyone, but lately, I have come to realize when all this nonsense is said and done, all that will truly matter is the friends and family left in my corner and those who accept me in theirs. Therefore, although I remain on social media, I have stepped back in hopes I don’t alienate the friends and family I have left – they are by far more important than anything I have to say. The name calling, the divisiveness, and the hateful rhetoric has left me drained and apprehensive about opening Facebook. I may be alone, but I am ready to feel human again and once more look forward to hearing from friends and family on social media without the constant badgering personal and political warfare. Again, I may be alone, and it may be a personal thing, but listening to the constant complaining and bitching (my own included) has left me tired and longing for more positive interactions.

That is the only way to live.

JL

©Jack Linton, October 19, 2020

Back to School Advice for Parents in a Pandemic Year

The start of school is always a time of eager anticipation coupled with a pinch of nervousness. This year is no different, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it carries a greater degree of anxiety than usual. Teachers, parents, and students are cautiously optimistic, but lurking in the shadows is uncertainty about a virus yet to be tamed. Since March, life in general has been turned upside down by the virus, and everyone is ready to get back to normal. There is nothing that says normal quite as well as schools opening in the fall to rested students and teachers anxious to renew learning, friendships, and activities such as band and football. School galvanizes the community, and anything that threatens the institution of school and the traditions everyone has grown to expect and accept over the years is in no small part a recipe for catastrophe.

To head off potential problems, school educators have worked throughout the summer to develop a plan to ensure the safest and best learning environment possible. For the most part, they have worked with little guidance, but instead of throwing up their hands in frustration they have plodded ahead using the guidance available, their skills as problem solvers, and common sense to develop a plan conducive to the safety of the school community. As always, they have risen to the occasion to meet the needs of their students and teachers. What they need now is for the community to trust and believe the school district has done its best for everyone concerned. The greatest of plans come with glitches and no doubt the plans for this school year may face bumps along the way. However, with patience, understanding, common sense, and commitment to learning as the primary focus of school, school administrators, teachers, students, parents, and the community can and must make this school year successful. In fact, the success of this school year will not depend on the unpredictability of the Coronavirus but rather on the school community working together despite it.

Back to School Advice for Parents

1. DO NOT bring politics into the schoolhouse! Teachers have enough to worry about without having to deal with the politics of the virus. If the school says students will wear masks and follow the teacher’s directives for social distancing in the classroom, be an ADULT and demand your children follow those guidelines;

2. DO NOT get caught in the trap of believing the teacher is OUT TO GET your child. Teachers have enough drama in their lives, especially this school year, without creating more by having a vendetta against your child, so take a pill and chill;

3. DO NOT speak negatively about your child’s teacher in front of your child. If your attitude toward the teacher is negative at home, there is a very good chance your child’s attitude toward the teacher will be negative at school;

4. DO NOT wait until the end of the nine weeks to get concerned about your child’s grades! Stay on top of what is happening in school from day one;

5. DO NOT leave communication entirely up to the teacher! It is as much the parent’s responsibility to communicate with the teacher as it is for the teacher to communicate with the parent. Do not assume that no news is good news! Pick up the phone and call the teacher or email the teacher and ask how your child is progressing in class;

6. DO NOT act like a foaming at the mouth raving lunatic if you are upset with the teacher. When you approach a teacher in attack mode, the teacher goes on the defensive, the school office calls for security, you lose credibility, nothing is resolved, and your child ends up the loser;

7. DO NOT be blind to RED FLAGS! If your child comes home day after day with no homework or saying they completed all their homework in class, that is a RED FLAG that should be verified with the teacher. If you ignore RED FLAGS, don’t be surprised to see less than satisfactory grades at the end of the grading period;

8. DO NOT allow activities such as ball practices, ball games, music lessons, dance or any other activities to become priorities over academics. The odds are your child will never be a college athlete or a professional athlete, but the odds are extremely high he/she will have to work for a living;

9. DO NOT believe your child is infallible. ALL children will lie and fall short of the glory of their parents! Therefore, before you take sides, listen to both sides; and

10. DO NOT do your child’s homework, report, or project for him/her! School assignments are about the child not the parent. You will not be branded a bad parent or disqualified for parent of the year if your child makes a bad grade! It is okay to be a resource for your child and point them in the right direction, but the actual work should be done by the student.

Communicating with teachers, being positive, staying on top of your child’s progress, looking at academics as the priority, and making your child responsible for his/her work are all expectations that every parent should have of their children. That is the rule for any school year, but it is even more important for parents to be involved in their child’s education during the pandemic school year of 2020-2021.

JL

©Jack Linton, August 17, 2020