I Bet G.I. Joe Played Tetris In His Down-Time

While the "old-schoolers" among us might find social media a bit intrusive or down right obnoxious, I actually enjoy it, for the most part.  I've had a Facebook profile since 2004, and while I admit I spend far too much time scrolling my News Feed, I don't waste as much as I did when Facebook was new.  In the decade since, there is an app or website devoted to virtually every type of social media interaction you could conceive.  I don't use Vine.  I've never spent any time on Instagram.  And I couldn't even begin to tell you what the hell a "Flickr" is, unless it's done by a failing light bulb.  Aside from Facebook, though, I do enjoy Twitter, and find myself checking it more often than I do Facebook, in many cases.

Twitter, on the surface, seems sort of ridiculous.  If you're not familiar with it, let me give you a synopsis.  It basically took the idea of Facebook and stripped it down so that your "status" update is limited to 120 characters.  You can still share photos and videos, but there are no albums.  There is no "like" button or the ability to start a hilarious comments section.  Instead, you can "favorite" a Tweet, or Retweet it, if you so desire.  And instead of comments sections, you simply reply to a Tweet, which will undoubtedly get lost in a string of other replies.

I don't actually Tweet all that much.  What I like most about Twitter, is the ability to get nearly up-to-the-second updates in the news and sports world.  That's what I use it for more than any other reason.  Things that appear on Facebook have, in all likelihood, been Tweeted a dozen or so times already.  I can get continuous updates on Cardinals games without listening or watching, or I can find out what Wildcats have declared for the draft as soon as it happens.  I like having that access to information.

But, there are also some gimmicky "Twitter handles" that I follow strictly for entertainment's sake.  One of which is "The 90s Life" which periodically posts things from my childhood that make me chuckle (or sob, because I realize how swiftly time has passed).  The other day, they posted a list of 15 toys from the 1990s that you miss.  While a few of them were too new for me to have ever gotten excited about, there were some that I held a religious admiration for when I was a kid, and I couldn't help but smile.  Then, last night, my sister-in-law posted on Facebook a picture of a few of her old Masters of the Universe figures that spawned an interesting conversation about the true identity of those pictured.  It took me back to my childhood, if only briefly, and made me think about all of the great toys I had growing up.  So, I decided to make a list of the 10 toys I miss most.  In no particular order...

1.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

From the time I was 5 years old to about the age of 9, the Ninja Turtles may as well have been gods.  I LOVED them.  I watched reruns of the cartoon everyday before school.  I watched it on Saturday mornings.  I had a VHS of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action movie that I wore out.  I collected the action figures to the tune of about 40 of them.  I had vehicles, their sewer base, a Raphael costume, a kid's shave kit.  I could still probably recite the theme song from the cartoon to this day, and I'm sure my mom has a ton of these boxed away somewhere at home.  I spent much of my childhood fighting crime with the "Heroes in a Half-Shell."

2. G.I. Joes

Another of my early childhood favorites were the second generation of G.I. Joes.  They weren't like your father's G.I. Joes...These were only a couple of inches tall, but were fully pose-able, making it possible to play out all sorts of sweet fight scenes and dramatic death sequences. Much like TMNT, the G.I. Joe cartoon was on full syndication in the Edwards household.  If there were a hierarchy of toy gods to me, these guys were right there at the top with Mikey, Leo, Donnie, and Raph.  I had countless "Joes" (like the one pictured above, Snake Eyes), and weapons and vehicles to go with them.  My favorite vehicle was this huge desert aircraft carrier Memaw got me for my birthday when I was 5.  It came with a helicopter that could land on top, had buttons for sound effects, could hold about 20 Joes inside of it, and had a retractable, spring-loaded cannon that fired huge missiles.  It was awesome.  Memaw was pretty good about keeping my G.I. Joe collection healthy, because we rarely made a Wal-Mart trip without her buying me one.  My affinity for G.I. Joes was so great, one Halloween the entire family went as clowns...Except me.  I was Duke.  I was a badass. 

3. X-Men

Are you seeing a theme yet?  I was an action figure nut, what can I say?  I didn't jump on the X-Men bandwagon until a little later, probably around 8 or 9.  But when I jumped, I did with both feet.  Fox had a Saturday morning cartoon that ran from 1992-1997 and I loved it.  That's what got me hooked.  When I met DJ, he shared in my affinity for the X-Men, and we had many epic X-Men/G.I. Joe/Jurassic Park dinosaur battles.  Our favorites?  Wolverine, Archangel, and Apocalypse.  It was awesome.


4. Masters of the Universe

I'll admit...I'm a tad too young to really remember this cartoon.  And, technically, Masters of the Universe's run ended in the mid-80s.  But it's my list, and I'll include it if I want to. It was before my time, although I did watch it occasionally in syndication.  But, one of the perks of being the second-youngest cousin in a group of a 11 was all of the hand-me-down toys I got out of it.  I came across a pretty respectable collection of Masters of the Universe figures, including both Castle Gray Skull and Snake Mountain, multiple He-Man and Skeletor figures, and a wide selection of various secondary characters.  Lensey even got in on the action with She-Ra.


5. Ghostbusters Proton Pack

When the first Ghostbusters movie hit theaters in 1984, it spawned a huge merchandising monster that spread into the 90s, after Ghostbusters 2 was released in 1989.  Christmas of 1989, for me, was basically an assortment of Ghostbusters stuff, the beauty you see above included.  I loved this thing.  You could pretend to zap ghosts with it, even though it may have just been a piece of yellow Nerf foam.  I'm not really sure why I was so enthralled with Ghostbusters, but for a year or two, I was all about it.  I haven't seen this gem in ages, and am fairly certain it was either thrown away or sold at a yard sale long ago.  But, I got hours of enjoyment out of it.


6. Nintendo Entertainment System

While this was technically released in the 80s, I didn't get one until 1991, so it's a 90s toy to me.  My sister and I spent HOURS playing Duck Hunt and Super Mario Bros. on this grand old machine, but that was just the start.  Hell...Mom and Dad would stay up till 2 or 3 in the morning playing Tetris after Lensey and I went to bed.  For better or worse, the market-saturation of the over-the-top video game systems out there today really started with the NES.  Despite the graphic and gameplay advancements out there now, I'd still take Mike Tyson's Punch Out over virtually any other game to date.  If you never had the enjoyment of feverishly blowing into a cartridge, or doing the "slide and slam," or the "rapid tap" to get a game to work...My friend, you missed out.  One of the joys of spending the night at a friend's house were the epic battles to be had in an R.B.I. Baseball tournament, or trying to beat Contra in under an hour.  Screw online play.


7. Nerf Turbo Screamer

On the playground of Benton Elementary School, this beast of a Nerf football was seen (and heard) every single day.  My friends and I literally beat this thing to death playing an epic, never-ending game that went on for weeks at a time.  We'd always have the same teams.  We kept score, but it was cumulative.  And we all felt like Troy Aikman or John Elway when we let this baby fly.  After a while, the whistle stopped working, and some guys would rip it out to avoid jammed fingers, leaving a gaping hole in the center of the ball.  But, regardless, it was awesome.  With Nerf, any one could throw a perfect spiral.


8. Super Soaker

 

Water fights were never the same once this AK-47 of a water gun hit the market.  I personally never owned one, but many of my friends did, and I used them plenty.  There were so many different sizes and attachments available, it literally was like an H20 arsenal only limited by your budget and imagination.  Some kids would have the backpack attachment that never seemed to run dry, and they'd basically dominate.  They still make Super Soakers, but they look bulky and "futuristic."  Nothing will replace the original.

9. Gameboy

Much like the NES console, the Gameboy got hours of use, mostly in the backseat of our car as we went on a family vacation.  Despite the need for a light source to play when it was dark, the Gameboy was awesome in its simplicity. The graphics were terrible, the games were mostly stripped-down versions of their console counterparts, and it went through batteries like you wouldn't believe (it took 4 AAs just to turn the damn thing on).  But, it provided hours of entertainment on long road trips, and my mom wore her fingers to the bone playing Tetris.  Finally, ol' Boy gave out after about 15 years.  He had a good run.

10. Micro Machines

Again, Micro Machines were originally introduced in the 1980s, but hit their peak in the early 90s, just in time for a young Zach Edwards to jump on board.  I'm not exactly sure what made Micro Machines so appealing...They were really too small to "play" with.  They were easy to lose.  But, the coolest thing was the environments they could come with.  I had a few different ones, one of which had multiple levels.  I was all about them for a couple of years, but my interest waned just as quickly.

While I'm sure kids today will look back fondly on the toys they have, I refuse to believe their toys are as great as the ones we had in the 90s.  Hell, even the toys from the early 90s were way better than stuff that came along later.  I hold a special place in my heart for all of those listed here, and hope my parents did a better job of preserving them than I did.  But, I was never about keeping my toys safe...They were played with.  They were used.  Several of my G.I. Joes have been forever lost to the creek behind my parents house.  Lensey shattered my original Raphael against the side of the bathtub (some sort of retribution for a Ken doll having his head ripped off...I'm not buying it).  From the fantastic commercials, to the hours of time I spent with my imagination taking me to a different world, I will always remember the toys of my childhood fondly.

 

This (I Think) I Believe In...

One of the many (and I stress "many") things I love about my wife is how unbelievably bright she is.  Long ago, when I was compiling a checklist of traits I wanted in a potential, life-long mate, intelligence would always fall near the top.  It was apparent from day one she possessed that characteristic in spades, and on an almost daily basis, I learn something new from her.

But, intelligence comes in different forms.  Sure, she's book-smart, and street-smart, which are important, but it's so much more than that.  She has impeccable grammar, and calls me out on my grammatical mistakes on a regular basis.  She also has a great, "smart," sense of humor, can debate virtually any topic (ones in which she's interested, at least), and can articulate ideas so well that I sometimes find myself wondering how complex thoughts can be spoken so simplistically.

Adrienne and I can, and do often, sit and watch Jeopardy! and find ourselves competing against one another.  We can have in-depth conversations about social and political issues, and we can laugh for days about billboards and banners with typos or a misplaced exclamation point.  So, it should come as no surprise that her family possesses many of the same traits.

Recently, Liza posted on her blog about her beliefs and ideas as they relate to some of the more "important" topics people always claim to really believe in, one way or another.  I found it interesting and inspiring to see someone really put themselves out there in a way that leaves them vulnerable to criticism or praise, depending on which side of the fence one may fall.  It made me think about how Adrienne and I can have similar conversations all the time (something that I love), but it also really got me to thinking, too.

"What do I believe or believe in?"

I'm going to italicize Liza's thoughts on these topics, and then respond with my own.



And I want to say up front that I don't think what follows puts me on some intellectual or analytical pedestal. While doubt is sometimes a product of open-mindedness, science, or research, it can also be a sign of weakness, selfishness, or lack of resolve. In fact, I associate some of my own skepticism with these obviously less noble motivations.

I don't necessarily believe that doubt or skepticism is a sign of weakness.  In fact, I think it's a sign of strength.  It is much easier for people to believe in certain things, or at least pretend to, in order to "fit in" with the established order around them than it is to strive for change.  Virtually every person throughout history who has had ideas that veer from the norm has been viewed, in their own time, as crazy, revolutionary (in a negative sense), or a threat to society as a whole.  Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Galileo...All were essentially despised by those in power at the time because their views threatened the status quo.  But, as time has passed, we've come to realize the true greatness those minds possessed, and it would have never happened if they hadn't asked themselves a fundamental question: "Why are things the way they are, and why can't they be different?"  Being able to seek out those answers despite constant ridicule and opposition might be the quintessential definition of strength.

In religion...
I pray, but to whom or what, I don't know. I don't believe that things happen for a reason and I take very little comfort in notions of "divine paths" or "destiny." I would never suggest that I have an understanding of heaven or hell or that I know who might end up in either. I know kind people who are atheists and kind people who are devout Christians; I don't think either kindness trumps the other.  I don't have any real sense of what faith means to me.

This is the big one for many people.  Religion can be a source of immense strength and joy, but it can also be a source of unfathomable hate and violence, as history has shown.  More people have died in the name of God than probably any other cause, and that is something that I have grown to struggle with.  I believe in God, and I consider myself a Christian.  But, I don't know if God is a real, existing being, or more of an idea that helps make life more tolerable.  I realize my view is narrow, because I can't speak for other religions because I don't know much about them.  But Christian origins have so many similarities with other cultures that I wonder if perhaps all we are left with are different interpretations of singular events, or if stories have just been copied and recycled over the years to "fit" with certain criteria.  I guess I can just say that I have more questions than answers, and am left fighting an internal battle between what I've always thought to be true, and what I've come to learn over the years.  Because if I had been writing this same post five or ten years ago, my words would be totally different.

In others...
I have complete trust in only two people.  I know what to expect from them. I think they have a strong grasp of their own core values and feel fairly confident that if I were to ask them questions today, I would get the same answers I would get if I ask them those same questions in ten years. I feel like they know, and appreciate, the me that I like.  This isn't to suggest that I don't respect, or even love, other people in my life; I simply don't find a sense of comfort and stability in those relationships.

I find this to be a bit on the cynical side, or perhaps I'm just being naive.  But I like to believe there is an inherent goodness to most people.  I like to believe that, when push comes to shove, most people show their true, positive selves.  I also know that isn't always the case, but I have all the trust in the world in far more than two people.  Maybe it's better to be guarded, because you can better avoid being let down.  But, on the flip side, I believe if you expect more from people, they are more likely to reach those expectations.  Besides...No matter how much trust you have in someone, human imperfection will show eventually, in some form or fashion.  And I think that's okay.



In myself...
I can come across as confident...and sometimes I actually feel that way.  Speaking my mind about things that matter to me is not a problem.  I consider myself a moral person with good intentions.  Nevertheless, my issues with stability in others are the same issues I have with myself.  I worry I don't have the resolve to stick with/to things for the "long haul;" I'm always dreaming of other possibilities or pondering what I could - or should - be doing.  I have little confidence that the things I want now will be the same things I'll want in 5, 10 or 20 years.  I crave a sense of settledness, and yet fight against it with everything I have.  

I think this is little more than human nature.  Humans have been explorers and seekers for as long as we've existed.  I love the life I have.  I have the greatest wife on earth, a good job, two dogs, an amazing family, and my own little piece of earth.  But I still find myself wondering what else is out there.  I don't necessarily seek it, and even if I did, I'd take Adrienne with me.  But I still wonder.  I just think that's something that is engrained in all of us from the womb.  As for me, I have far more doubt in myself and my abilities than I would ever let on.  Maybe part of it is trying to live up to unrealistic societal expectations.  Maybe part of it is just having a competitive nature and never being satisfied.  In any event, I try to be the best husband, son, brother, friend, and man I can possibly be.  But, I also wonder if my efforts are enough.  I always think I can do better, but I'm not exactly sure how to go about it. 


In love...
While some people do affect us in profound ways, often both indescribable and unexpected, I don't really believe in soul mates.  I think we can love a variety of people in completely different ways and occasionally at overlapping times.  I don't think "love is enough" or that "love conquers all." I think sometimes those who would be best for each other can't be together because of circumstances beyond their control. I don't think things necessarily "work out in the end." I think we can miss and regret and mourn someone for an infinite amount of time.  Does love exist? Of course. And do some people have what most would classify as "true love"? Sure. Will we all have it? No.

I don't think there is a real definition of "true love."  Love takes on different forms, looks differently and feels differently, for every person.  I've found what I consider to be true love, but even as amazing as is the love Adrienne and I share, I know the notion that "love is enough" is completely ridiculous.  I can love Adrienne all I want to, but if I don't do the things necessary to show it to her, it won't conquer a damn thing.  Love is really hard, because we are human.  We screw up.  We make one another angry.  We let one another down.  It takes a lot of work.  But it's a gratifying work.  It's fun work.  I don't know about the notion that things "work out in the end," because we will perceive our reality however we want to.  And, for me, any reality without Adrienne is not one I want any part of.  So, in that regard, things have worked out perfectly for me.  But I also know that people can easily become jaded, especially when it comes to love.  It's one of those strange things that seems to happen when we least expect it, and sometimes when we want it the least.

I believe the most important things in life are family and friends.  I believe in hard work, but I also believe life should be fun and as much time as possible should be spent surrounded by those we cherish.  I'm not even 30 yet, and I already find myself constantly reminiscing about funny moments from years gone by.  I believe in making memories (thanks, Mom).  I believe our problems are only as big as we allow them to be, and we have far more influence on our own happiness than it sometimes may seem.  Although I sometimes fall victim to it, I really try not to worry about things I can't control.  I don't believe we make our own luck...Bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people.  I believe life isn't fair.  I try to keep that from discouraging me.  I believe in humor and I believe if you can't laugh at yourself, you will never be truly happy.  Other than that...I've got nothing.

My Book-Signing Is Next Tuesday

If I were to ask you to make a list of your hobbies, you'd most likely sit there for a second, not exactly sure how to answer.  You might instinctively shrug and say, "Hell, I don't know," before you've really taken any time to formulate a response because it's one of those questions with an intangible answer that we spend far more time living than actually thinking about.  Those lists would be different for every person, but they'd all have one big similarity...A person's hobbies are where they find therapy.

The different activities I indulge in for personal therapy differ depending on my mood.  Sometimes I like to play golf or basketball, other times I like to grill and have a beer.  Sometimes I drive around and blare loud music, or piddle in the garage.  Each one is therapeutic in it's own way, but one I find to be most restorative is writing.  Notice I didn't say relaxing, because I don't think "therapeutic" and "relaxing" have to necessarily coincide.  Something can be relaxing without being therapeutic, and vice versa.  I actually find writing to be exciting and invigorating, almost the exact opposite of relaxing.  I often imaging that someone, somewhere, will read this blog and find something to be so infinitely profound and cathartic that it changes their life forever.  I like to imagine that thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, read my words with so much fervor and excitement they can hardly contain themselves.

For the record, I know those things are blatantly absurd, but that doesn't keep me from wishful thinking.

I don't write nearly as often as I should, or even as often as I really want to.  I have tried to "just write" countless times, but if I don't feel inspired before I begin, I'll write a couple paragraphs, read it back, and get so frustrated with the garbage I have spewed all over this screen that I barely even take time to delete it before closing the screen.  It's because of that I write about half as much as I wish I would.

Sometimes I find inspiration in really strange places and circumstances, but certain individuals have certainly had a major impact on my development as a writer over the years.  My 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Shelton, was extremely encouraging to me as a writer.  Back then, student writing portfolios were the latest craze to hit public education, and she referred me to a gifted and talented specialist that worked with me specifically on my writing pieces.  In 6th grade, I took a creative writing class with Mrs. Waggoner and she took a great interest in my writing, and provided me with a ton of encouragement and guidance.  In college, my English 101 professor tried to convince me to submit one of my essays to a writing contest, with the winner getting a cash prize and publication.  But I never went through with it.  Each of them helped guide and mold me as a writer, no matter how subtle or direct the influence may have been.

My sister-in-law, Liza, may be the biggest influence on me, though.  It was her blog, entitled Pillow Book (which you need to read if you have not done so), that reintroduced me, so to speak, to the world of writing.  I hadn't written much at all since I graduated college, and began reading her blog when Adrienne and I started dating a few years ago.  The immense creativity and talent she exudes in her writing brought back that desire, in me, to write. She would ask readers to submit their own responses to writing prompts she utilized, and she directly encouraged me to start my own blog.  So I did.

Honestly, when I first started this blog, if you had told me I'd still be posting on it more than two years later I probably would have laughed in your face.  I fully expected it to be like many other new hobbies: I'd feverishly write and post things for a few weeks, grow busier in my personal life, fail to find the time to write, then ultimately forget about it.  But, I'm proud to say that hasn't happened, despite prolonged droughts between posts here and there.

In her most recent post, Liza (while giving a shout-out to your's truly) lists 25 things everyone should start making time for.  And, in typical Lizonian fashion, she asks for readers to make their own lists.  There is no way in hell I could sit here and list 25 of my own, but I did feel inspired to add just a few.  So, in no particular order, some things everyone should start making time for (myself included):

1. Take a vacation.  I know times are tough and money is tight for many people out there, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a week-long, extravagant stay in a 5-star hotel.  Find a cool state park within a two or three-hour drive and go camping for a weekend.  Pick a "neat" city to visit just because it's different.  Walk around an historic downtown, or go hiking one afternoon.  You can "get away from it all" without breaking the bank.  And you should.

2.  Adopt a pet.  The only people I know that don't like dogs or cats are people that don't have them, which I realize wins the obvious award for the day.  However, people that don't have them would undoubtedly change their minds if they took the plunge, and they really should.  There are thousands of great pets just waiting for a loving home.  Do yourself a favor and save a life.  It will enrich you in ways you never thought possible.

3. Make a menu for the week and cook dinner every night.  I know Liza used this one already, but I'm going to steal it because it's something that Adrienne and I have been doing for about a year now, and I love it.  We only buy exactly what we need for the week's menu, so we don't waste our money on food we won't eat or don't need.  It adds a sense of stability to our hectic week, and our Sunday afternoon trip to Food Lion has become one of the highlights of our weekends.  The time we spend together shopping, cooking, and doing the dishes each night has become something I cherish.

4. Call your mom everyday.  This might be something many folks do already, but if you don't, you should.  I try to call my mom every single day, even if it's just for a minute or two.  I do it because I know she likes for me to check in.  I might be pushing 30, but she still likes the comfort of knowing her baby boy is doing OK.  Sometimes I need to ask a question, or tell a funny story.  Other times I honestly have nothing to say and sit in silence for much of the 30 second conversation.  But, I do it anyway.

5. Watch a documentary.  It doesn't really matter what the topic is, just find one that peaks your interest.  Or one that pushes your limits.  Go out of your comfort zone, or find a topic you enjoy and learn more about it.  Documentaries are informative, and sometimes influential...Learn something new.

6. Be polite.  This one is easy, I guess, but it's also easy to overlook.  And if you spend 10 minutes in public, you'll notice that is obviously the case.  Open doors for people.  Let a car pull out in front of you.  Say "please" and "thank you."  Understand the world doesn't revolve around you. 

7. Exercise.  So many people make excuses to put off exercising, myself included.  You're too tired, or you don't have time, or you don't have the money...You do have time, you're not too tired, and since when did exercising cost money?  Develop a routine you can do at home.  Spend 15 or 20 minutes everyday.  That's all it really takes.  You don't have to be a body-builder or spend 3 hours at the gym to have more energy and confidence in yourself.  Getting healthy is a decision.  Let's stop making excuses.

8. Write down your bucket list.  Liza mentioned a to-do list, but I'm challenging you to take it a step further.  Write down the things you genuinely want to do before you die.  Carry the list around with you.  Fold it up and keep it in your wallet (maybe make a copy just in case you lose it), and any time you accomplish a goal, mark it off the list.  Add to it if something new comes to mind.  You might come to realize you're life is far more fulfilling than you thought.

9. Volunteer.  We all need to donate our time far more than we do.  We spend a ton of time arguing and bickering about our country's problems on Facebook, but we hardly ever get off our lazy asses and try to do something to help fix them.  Serve meals at a homeless shelter.  Visit a nursing home.  Adopt a highway.  Offer to help at a local school.  Organize your own charity event or organization.  There are countless opportunities for all of us to help.  We just need to do a better job of taking advantage of them.

10. Think.  We live in a world of stimulation overload, and the art of deep thought hardly seems to exist anymore.  Think about things that interest or confuse you.  Ask questions.  Seek answers.  Participate in lively, engaging conversation.  Go to a lecture, listen to a debate.  We are surrounded by a barrage of information so constant that we often forget to process.  Slow down.

You Have a Birthday Twice a Day, and Other Lessons Learned

Since Adrienne and I started dating back in 2010, my understanding and expectations for what birthday celebrations should be like has completely changed.  Generally speaking, the concept has remained the same, but there are subtle details that, while totally normal now, were fairly new experiences for me back then.

You see, Adrienne and I had only been dating for a couple of months when her 21st birthday rolled around.  It fell on a Monday, and she invited me to her house for a celebratory birthday dinner with the rest of the family.  I showed up, dressed to the nines in a Kentucky t-shirt (big shock), while Adrienne had on a beautiful little dress and scarf.

I commented to her, "Why didn't you tell me to dress nicer?  I thought we were just eating at your house.  I didn't think it was a big deal."
She said, "You look fine, but it's my birthday.  It's a big deal."

It was the first of many lessons I would (and continue to) learn.

It isn't like birthdays were meaningless in the Edwards household...They weren't, and aren't.  They were a big deal when I was a kid, but birthday parties were relatively small, and I don't even remember having one past the 6th grade.  As my sister and I got older, they got even smaller...A family meal either at home or at the local Mexican place.  Cracker Barrel if it was a "big" birthday.  We'd take 5 minutes to open cards and blow out candles on what may or may not be a cake, and that'd be that.  Wasn't much more than a relatively special day for us.

My idea of what a birthday looks like, however, was put on its head when Adrienne got hold of me.

There's no such thing as a birth"day."  No, Adrienne's birthday celebration begins on October 11th...The beginning of what she refers to as "birthday week."  Any privileges allowable to an individual on their actual birthday (picking meals, having chores done for them, having someone else make a special trip to get another piece of pizza for them even though they have already finished eating and have laid on the couch to relax, etc.) all apply around the clock during "birthday week."  I was totally unaware of such a concept until I met Adrienne.

Anytime the clock reads the time of your birthday, others in the room are expected and required to wish you a happy birthday, even if it's 7 months before or after your actual birthday.  The first time this one happened, Adrienne and I were sitting watching TV in like January when Adrienne said, "Hey, it's my birthday."  I replied, "What're you talking about?"  She said, "It's 10:18...It's my birthday."  I said, "Oh, I get it.  That's funny."  She, as serious as possible, said, "You're supposed to say 'happy birthday.'"  I looked at her and chuckled.  She didn't.  I said, "Happy birthday."  She nodded approval and we moved on with our lives.

While we usually got the option to choose where or what we ate for dinner on our birthday when I was growing up, it wasn't quite the same.  With the Turners, especially Adrienne, you not only get to choose the entree, but you get to choose the sides, what drinks will be served, and what type of cake is to be made to accompany said meal.  I was always satisfied with a scoop or two of ice cream, or maybe a batch of brownies.  Now, it's angel food cake, or red velvet, or chocolate, or cobbler...Whatever mood happens to strike.

I've learned a thing or two the last three years.  Last year I made the mistake of assuming the birthday cake Adrienne's mom would make a few days later would suffice when, at about 5:00 PM ON ADRIENNE'S BIRTHDAY she says, "What kind of cake are you making me?"

I went to Kroger almost immediately.

I still don't get all that worked up about MY birthday, but I love seeing how Adrienne gets every single ounce of celebration she can out of hers.  It's like a microcosm of the incredibly strong, focused, and unapologetically expectant person she is.   She knows what she wants, expects you to know, and if you don't, she doesn't hesitate to tell you.  I love that about her, even when it gets on my nerves.

The last three years have taken me on the most incredible, fun, unexpected, high-flying ride I could have ever imagined, and it is all because one unbelievably amazing person strolled into my life.  Happy Birthday, Adrienne!  I love you so much, I can't stand my life.

The Lawn & Garden Department: Birthplace of Ideas

I like to consider myself a thoughtful person.  I know I don't go out of my way to do nice things simply because it's nice nearly as often as I should, but I do my fair share.  A couple of months ago, Adrienne and I stopped at a Wendy's drive-thru to get a Frosty one Sunday afternoon, and the drive-thru employee was so polite and kind, with really no reason to be, that we took the time to tell his manager.  And it was actually my idea.

But that's not the type of thoughtful I'm talking about, and I'm not really sure why I even told that story.  Let me get back on topic.

I guess "thoughtful" is the wrong word, at least in the way it is normally used in everyday language.  "Ponderer" is probably a better term.  I like to consider myself a ponderer.  I find myself thinking about the most random things at the most random of times, which may be a combination of occasional boredom and an undiagnosed case of ADD.  It gets me in trouble sometimes (like when Adrienne is trying to tell me something), and it costs me countless hours of sleep.  But, it is what it is.

Other times I look forward to particular activities that I simply because they allow me time to ponder things.  Mowing the yard, showering, long drives...They make for perfect time to think.  It's times like those that I have my best ideas, and times like those I have come to some of my most life-shaking realizations.

My most recent one didn't come while I was doing anything that normally would lend itself to profound thought.  It came last Saturday, as I was walking down an aisle at Wal-Mart.  I had a cart full of typical Wal-Martian items, and I stopped to look at a rack of work gloves.  I thought, "Those will come in handy later...I've got a lot of raking to do."

That's when it hit me.  Adrienne and I have a house.  Our own house.  A house we can paint, and add to, and take away from, and change, and improve, and go home to anytime we want.  It hadn't really sunk in until I found myself standing in front of those gloves, and I must say...It's pretty overwhelming.

But, it isn't just the fact we have a house.  That part is really exciting and I've truly enjoyed working on it to getting it to look the way we want it.  Normally, I despise moving and unpacking, and I can't say I was happy to move this time (I wasn't).  But, when you are unpacking and you know it will be the last time you do so for many years to come, your mentality changes significantly.  Putting clothes away becomes an opportunity to organize the closet.  Hanging pictures becomes a chance to make a house yours.  Changing a light fixture or door knob is no longer a chore...It's a facelift.  It has felt totally different than it did any time I moved into one of my past apartments.  And I like that.

And despite all that excitement, it's a bit scary, too.  For one, it means I'm a lot older than I truly feel prepared for.  It means life happened far more quickly than I expected, and it leaves me wondering if, at some point, I should have made different choices along the way, specifically professionally.  But, I always come to the same two conclusions: 1) Every choice I've ever made has led me to this great first house, with a mind-boggling wonderful wife (seriously, how did I pull that off?), and a great little dog...With which I can turn this house into a home.  And 2) I am most assuredly destined for a mid-life crisis sometime in my late-40s or early 50s.  Perhaps that is just collateral damage of being a hopeless ponderer. I guess I wouldn't have it any other way.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Every kid in America loves summer.  Even if you don't care for the weather (ahem...Liza), you love the time from mid-May to August because of the freedom.  When, with the final bell on the last day of school, every day feels like Saturday.  When I was growing up, I spent most of my summers skiing and camping at the lake, taking family vacations, watching The Price is Right or MTV, riding bikes or playing with action figures in the woods behind my house with DJ (playing "guys" as we referred to it), or running down flyballs on the baseball field.  But, whatever the case, summer vacation was always fantastic.  And, like clockwork, when the calendar turned to August, and summer began fading away, some teacher would undoubtedly assign us to write an essay on how we spent our summer vacation.

Now, as a teacher, I find myself looking forward to summer vacation more than I ever did as a student.  But, it is now August.  Summer, for all intents and purposes, has ended, and school starts back on Tuesday.  So, to harken back to my days as a student in Marshall County Schools, I would like to share with you how I spent my summer vacation.

Quite frankly...I don't know what the hell happened.  I went to bed one night in May, and woke up today.  Or at least that's how it seems.  I realize that time seems to speed up as you get older, but this summer has felt like it flew by in the blink of an eye.  I guess a lot of it has to do with all the change that has taken place.  Adrienne and I moved back from Mount Sterling on the last day of school, we always seemed to be going from one place to the next any given week, we got new jobs, bought a house, and have juggled preparing new classrooms and preparing to move for the last few weeks.  As much as I tried to slow down and really breathe in the summer, I feel like the whirlwind has only begun to hit its peak.  Adrienne and I have more work ahead of us now than we've probably ever had, despite the underlying excitement that goes along with moving into our first home, starting new jobs, and being in a place we truly want to be.  We've had no work-related responsibilities for two months, but with the way everything seemed to fall into place the way and when it did, it almost feels like there never was a break.

It all started with U-Haul.  I won't go into a whole lot of detail there because, quite frankly, if you're reading this post you damn sure read that one.  It seems like EVERYONE has read that one.  Some people I don't even know have read it.  I called our Farm Bureau office back in June to pay a bill.  After getting my name, the receptionist (a woman whom I have never met) responded with, "Oh, you're the U-Haul guy!"  Yes...I'm the U-Haul guy.

Two days after surviving the "U-Haul Incident of 2013," I got hired at Russellville.  I, almost immediately, began planning the logistics of making the hour-long drive everyday.  Even though it doesn't seem like that would be all that taxing, in hindsight it was.  It was as if I was subconsciously always looking to the future, making it seemingly impossible to relax and focus on the present, at least completely.  Adrienne was simultaneously trying to secure employment in Barren County, which she did about 4 weeks later, so there was always a certain level of stress, even if we weren't actually having to get up and go to work every day.

There were plenty of relaxing times, although not nearly as many as I would have liked.  We went to the pool a few times, I played more rounds of golf than I've ever played in one year in my life, and we spent a little time on the lake.  There were weddings and concerts, trips to Lowe's and Brown's Supply, beers at Applebee's and roller coasters, a fun night out in Nashville, and hours spent on the lawnmower. My favorite part of the summer was spent out at the pavilion on Turner Farm, enjoying the unusually cool and dry summer nights next to a fire with Adrienne, Jackie, five or six cats and dogs, and a glass of Knob Creek.

But those times were only more relaxing because of everything else that was going on.  I spent hours and hours painting and refinishing hand-me-down furniture to fill our new home.  We were constantly house-hunting and hammering out a half-dozen "What if?" scenarios, dependent upon several different variables.  We spent so much of the summer not knowing what fall would bring, we almost forgot to just take a seat on the porch swing and enjoy it.

To be honest, I don't really know how I spent my summer vacation...It went by so quickly, I didn't even realize I was spending it.

An Educator's Manifesto

I spent the last two days enthralled in a professional development in which, along with several of my colleagues, I learned how to implement a process called "shared inquiry" by specifically utilizing a program known as Junior Great Books.  I don't use the term "enthralled" loosely, and I say that because, in most cases, professional development is mind-numbingly boring.  Most of the time, especially when learning to implement some "revolutionary educational program," it is little more than a pitch delivered by a salesperson disguised as an educator.  But, this was different.

Was Dr. Fred Hang trying to sell us a product?  Well, yeah...He was.  He provided each of the participants with a catalog of products available for use in the classroom, but he did so more of in a "If you want more, check out what we have available" kind of way.  It was very subtle and an extremely brief portion of the time we spent.  The rest was used to genuinely demonstrate the process, teach us how to do it, and to allow us to draw our own conclusions about its apparent effectiveness.  Teachers in our district are required to use the program throughout the year, and so the products are available to us free of charge, but if that weren't the case, I would still be eager to use it in my class.

The idea behind the process is to allow students to cooperatively explore a piece of writing by doing as the name suggests: asking questions.  But it isn't that simplistic.  In fact, the process is very rich and deep and begins by the instructor posing a broad question, with many different possible answers, none of which can be considered "right" or "wrong."  The process, you see, requires students to use whatever text is being discussed as support or evidence for whatever their own perception and opinions may be.  It helps develop reading comprehension and writing skills, but it also helps develop a richer vocabulary and teaches students how to effectively discuss ideas.  It forces the participants to utilize a text to create thoughtful, coherent, and arguable opinions based on real evidence.  And, on a broader scale, it forces you to recognize that, many times, there is no true black and white, but a whole lot of grey. 

To demonstrate the process to the group, Dr. Hang began by asking us a very broad question that was only loosely related to the material we were about to read.  We shared some of our answers, and, before we really even began, you could already see the huge variation in how each of us understood and responded to the question.  Then, he read the text, a Chinese folk tale, aloud to the entire group.  Upon completion, he posed a new question, directly related to the text.  The question was, "According to the story, was it wise for Kao Meng to build the shrine for White Wave?"  I know that sounds like gibberish to you, because you haven't read the text, but just know it was perfectly clear to those in the room, and is only meant to give you an idea of the kinds of questions this program utilizes.  Obviously, the question leaves things open to interpretation...Which is the whole point of the exercise.

He gave us a few minutes to formulate a response, and then the open discussion began.  He called on a few individuals to share their answers and almost immediately, just like in the introductory question, you could see differences.  And with each answer, in order to dive deeper into the mindset of whomever was speaking, he would only respond with questions.  This forced each of us to think deeper and deeper about why we provided a particular response.  It gave us ample opportunity to see that everyone in the room thought about the question in different ways, and often provided evidence or responses that I, and many others, might not have even noticed or ever considered.  It was fascinating, and many of us began to rethink our original position because of the multitude of convincing arguments coming from throughout the room.

Before we knew it, the discussion had lasted for almost 45 minutes and had veered far away from the original question.  With each additional response and probe, we began to explore totally new facets of the story that might have seemed trivial upon first glance.  But, as the discussion progressed, we found that even the most subtle of details could have a profound impact on the story and how we perceived its meaning.

What was even more surprising was, when we finished, Dr. Hang pointed out that with the Junior Great Books program, that story would be used in the 3rd grade.  That same question would be posed to boys and girls no older than 8 or 9, and here we were...A room full of intelligent, college-educated adults completely engaged in an almost hour-long discussion.  He then showed us a video of an actual 3rd-grade classroom doing the same thing.  And you know what?  Many of their responses, and much of their discussion, was almost verbatim the same as much of ours.  It was incredible to see.

At that point, for the first time in a long time, I was truly excited about teaching.  And I found myself harkening back to a moment at the very beginning of the day, when Dr. Hang had gone around the room and asked each of us to introduce ourselves and explain, briefly, why we teach.  We heard all the normal responses, "I want to help kids," or, "I could never imagine doing anything else," or, "I want to have a positive impact on kids."  They were all about the same.  Mine included.  But, as I witnessed this all unfold, and as I watched the video of that 3rd-grade class in Chicago, I began to understand exactly why I teach, and why I teach social studies, specifically.

That one activity illustrates exactly why social studies is important for kids to know.  Most people find it inherently boring, because you're basically learning about a bunch of folks that have long since been dead.  It's difficult sometimes to demonstrate to kids why that is important to them and their everyday lives.  But, being a part of that activity led me to one of those proverbial "A-ha!" moments that so many veteran teachers speak of.  History is one of the few subjects that is all about perception...There is no right or wrong, or specific set of laws guiding it.  History is totally based on the point of view of the person studying it, and how they go about studying it.  Even the events themselves change if you choose to look at it from another perspective.  The Civil War, for example, looks one way if you examine it through the lens of a Union commander.  But, if you look at the same events through the eyes of a Confederate, or an African-American, or even a woman...The picture changes significantly.  Students in the classroom, similarly, will look at those things differently.

To me, that's what is so exciting.  And why it is important.  It isn't just about looking at historical events through different points of view...It's about understanding that every single person views the world differently, and bases their own ideals and perspectives on their own personal experiences.  That is a skill that can help young kids develop into rich, fulfilled adults able to thrive in an ever-globalizing world.  And while I can't use the Junior Great Books program every single day, I can take the ideas and the process of discovery and apply it to virtually any lesson I might be covering.

I know that I might appear to be idealistic in describing it...It's very likely that come November, I'll be so frustrated and annoyed that this post will sound like a foreign language.  But, for the first time in a really long while, I don't think that will be the case.  I'm truly eager and excited to dive into this school year with a new set of tools and skills.  I truly feel more prepared than I was before, and feel this process can actually have a positive impact on kids...Not only in the way they read and process information, but in how they listen to others.  In how they perceive the world around them.  My hope is they will be able to open their minds a bit, and understand that it's OK to be different.  Without deviating from what they perceive to be normal, how will they ever be able to grow?  The last two days have helped me understand that, and has given me a new-found enthusiasm to share that idea with my students.