Viral Vicissitudes

Sad, bad Commentary, on the State of Manners 3.0 - RU at a loss, for words...  (of little) Shock Value: (parentheses mine) - The ones that used either in isolation and then, when that was not sufficient, in combination with other "unmentionable" words (some of which still can't be aired without fear of censor by the FCC) and then, finally, even in the absence of words, some "in-your-face" emoji's, for 😢 out loud! Together with those... Sacrificing (dis)honor: In an attempt to level the playing field, as in leveling an insult, a "payback" for what was a probably a dis-proportionate response for "he started it!" if not care-full, one might end up scorching the earth upon which the whole thing depends on...our "grand traditions" and other people we have held up as being "beyond reproach"...otherwise "above criticism". The slippery slope which might have started out with something as benign as "my dad is st...

Losing our senses, sensi-bilities - it's what's showing (as in "your manners...") Manners Matter, 2.0 (my senti-meants, more or less)   Losing touch: As in what happens when you lose, perhaps even via disuse, on of the main senses. As in, have we  really  lost the ability to feel what others do, as in empathy, let alone what one considers sympathy these daze...? Maybe just out of practice, that if we look for opportunities each and every day, this "how touching" type of manner-ism might, after first feeling a bit awkward, could even become part of our daily "lexicon" of when, how, why extend such feelings to each other...daily habits, the practice of saying things... Tact-fully: Or, saying it another way, saying things that may need to be said, only after a period of self-reflection, and discernment of how it may impact them...while we, these daze, seem to have replaced such subtleties and nuanced messages, "thanks!" in no small way to an...

So, What's the matter?! When Manners Matters Most - It's ALL  that Matters, at the Moment. (at least in a manner of speaking) "So...what?!" The shortest, simplest of words, with the connotation, depending on intonation, signaling something bigger. As in an intro to a type of engagement that can go one way or another -- one that might reflect your semi-natural (partly inherited, partly learned) refine-meant, poise, and elegance (as in "the less you say, when feeling a bit heated, the better...you know what they say about simplicity dear")  -- or "NOT!" The latter reflecting just as much brevity, but being a bit more abrupt, in nature... "That's what!" A type of 'retort' which has fallen out of style...the simplest of terms, again with a bit of inflection, to show either our intent as a way to repay an insult, wittily, with a bit of what we used to call a "sharp tongue"... Lost arts? Not just the use of niceties, the w...

Scary***thought(s): "We want to hear yours"  Exorcising Thought Fullness "Yeah, I know..." Or, "I can relate...tell me all about it..." As if the reporter, psychologist, or an English teacher you had really had any real interest (in contrast to what we are more accustomed to, referred to as "feigned" interest, as in a bit fake), or had already assumed what you were thinking. Worse yet, on occasion, we can all relate to, another person, perhaps one who has already passed on, passed down the correct way to think. And worse of all, as in the present case, I've probably interrupted yours, or the chain of thoughts that brought you back here, expecting ("Perhaps, you thought I'd be actually complete the thoughts about what could potentially happen as in how, why, when, RECESS! could be permanently interrupted...) Well, please pardon the interruption, as I meander in my thought pattern, just a bit, which represents one or more points on t...

"About Time!" (for conferences) --from the looks of it. Pause for a Cause: I had to put my plans on pause, to present on the previously noted topic of mutual concern, HUGE morale implications -- that is I just had to put my original plan to post up about RECESS! getting recessed...possibly for good (certainly not for theirs, a HUGE morale buster). This, taking a short recess from the bigger topic of recessing RECESS! prompted by a walk around the school yard the last few evenings, at which time we could not help but peer into the many well-lit classrooms...only to see two, three adults sitting around a desk that was meant for someone slighter in stature, who was probably sitting at home, wondering how this was all going to work out, whether they, themselves, were coming up a bit...short... Con-ferring: As we gave a glance, a reverie came into view, of earlier times when we, our-selves sat around such a table, desks, across from the teacher and listened intently, knowing we wo...

"Can you IMAGINE?!" A non-starter... "Say it isn't so!"  "It's unsinkable, I mean unthinkable..." "Boggles the mind!"    "WAY beyond the imagination..." "No Way!" The collective: As in WE all sure HOPE not, but if it comes to pass, WE will all have to admit our respective parts...to those among us that may have, without pre-conceptions, become a bit complicit, whereas others (un-named for the time being here) are down right duplicitUS! Yep, if the conditions are just right (wrong-fully set up, to be more accurate, as in the so-called "perfect storm") WE could end up witnessing, along with the DIS-appearance of some other time-tested, albeit a bit 'weathered' institutions...we could, in the not-too-distant future, wake up to a World Without Recess😡😟😢👎👎!! Come back, to see how the unthinkable could come to pass...and what you, regardless of where you are at (what age, stage, outer or inner child-sp...

"Get back in here...in-side; recess is now over!"  A Clarion, Calling: Heard, through the ages, stages, as "a strong emotional appeal...a call to action that is urget, important...otherwise time sensitive..."I said NOW!" A call we may have heard in the early AM, capitals for emphasis, just like we (eventually, "finally!") heard it or, more accurately, finally acted  on it..."A wake-up call" as it's frequently referred to, colloquially speaking...in-formally...And a call that parents, most often moms have told me throughout the years of professional practice, that "I finally find myself shouting, on the verge of screaming, in order to finally get them "up and at 'em...out the door...back in when it's time to do their homework..." No easy solution, other than "Hey kids, guess what, I'm going to have your mom stop wasting time and breath and just start screaming before whispering, humming a happy tune, to wak...

"Carry on, but don't get carried away (by the high winds)": A Recess! Pre-Cautionary Part 1 of 2 - "To Boldly go" Out there...to the play-ground, or...where-ever. As in (Star) trekking.     Recessing: A verb form, a figure of speech that, for most of us, should conjure up places and times in our lives when/where, when allowed, we took a break from...whatever, where-ever...to refresh, re-invigorate, and other-wise to "let it all go..." (fore-shadowing for you spoiler sensitive individuals). Whereas, in its more 'stricter' (a word no student wants to hear before going out...) OK, a slightly more narrow interpretation that is more pertinent, if not more timely, to this time of year where children of all ages still look forward to at least a few extra minutes at lunch-time where, these daze, they are still allowed a few minutes of so-called discretionary time, activities, even access to their phones...concurrent with a gradual change in the conditi...

In, Absentia! Someone A-miss here. "Present!"  Even if/when you're actually NOT! As in getting counted, when you are not in, to speak for your-self. That is, when you are, in reality, absent from school, but still get counted. This, first Wednesday of October, being the first of two..."Student Count Days". The other, of course, is the second Wednesday in February (is it a coincidence it's the shortest month, which is why the counters decided to stretch it out, until the second of the month...go figure...) At least in our Great Lake state, as it stands, the state of things in how they, who have their hands on the purse strings, calculate a per student formula, where each district is reimbursed for how many are seated on these noted days -- 90% up front, holding back 10% for good measure, I guess...So a big cash withdrawal, "10/4!" - as in "Hunt for Red October" eh? In any case, what's more note-worthy here is that one does not actually...

A wake-up call; a shrill chill.    "Well, glad you could join us...": This, following the morning wake-up call, after what may have been a pro-tracted period of stretching, yawning, you-tubing...a greeting that may be tinged with just a bit of sarcasm. Nonetheless issued from someone whose duties are plenty-full and who, while readily recognized, underappreciated...until... Cluing You in: For those of you just joining in for the first time, who not only missed the first 590 posts here, but the most recent on the first of this month, which was designed to whet your appetite, entice you to return for yet more clues into a person(s) whose identity is partially indicated by what they are wearing and the power, authority they carry but, on the other hand, are hardly recognizable, as they tend to just fade into the background, doing their duty...No, it's not the "dude in the red hat...Commercial Man" whose mere presence, when he steps onto the field, even the official...

A Near (re)Miss  Calling my-Self "Out!": Regardless the sport, field of play, venue, it's quite sporting for the ones calling the plays, the signal callers, those interpreting the play on the field to those perhaps not yet acquainted to the updated rules and regulations, that in turn control the play on the field. All these roles represented by a legion of folks that it takes to bring the event to us...whether we are "in person" as in..."in the stands" or enjoying it in the comfort of home, out on the patio, or even just outside the stadium walls, in what's now, trending as what happens when what was already an established tradition and now a cottage industry..."Tail-gating!" -- which is not only acceptable but celebrated when someone is not actually on your tail, on the way to the game (#@*&!!!) -- which combines nicely with another weekend-ish meme, which sustains a legion through the week -- a type of group identity..."subcult...