Bad Drivers #2

When I wrote the Bad Drivers #1 blog at the beginning of May, I was sure I would have written several more by this time. Believe it or not, I've gone this long driving the streets of South Florida without witnessing any real bad driving. Maybe I am so used to bad drivers that nothing is standing out right now. I've witnessed the 3 or 4 times a day running of the red light. I've also witnessed the daily being cut off by someone or being yelled at by someone when they did something wrong. But I haven't witnessed any real bad driving. Maybe my idea of bad driving is different than yours!

Crazy Cat

I have a problem. I have a crazy cat. Well, he's not really my cat. He's my daughter's cat. But I inherited him when she moved to an apartment that did not allow animals. You ask why do I say he's crazy. Where do I begin? I guess it is because of the variety of animals I've had to release back to the wild that he has brought into my house. From Blue Jays to a Cuban Anole. By the way, did you know that Cuban Anoles have razor sharp teeth? How did that cat get that lizard, which was over a foot long, through the little doggie door without getting bitten. Besides those animals, he has brought in countless ringneck snakes and lizards. I know he should be kept inside since he is a menace to the outside world, but I've tried that and it just didn't work. Besides that, I have the doggie door so my two dogs can go outside during the day while I'm at work. There is no way to keep him inside. He's now wearing a collar with a bell in hopes that it will help warn all the little creatures of the world to stay clear. I guess I'll have to deal with the craziness until my daughter is able to take him back--which won't come any time too soon.

Back to the FCAT

I mentioned the FCAT in an earlier blog and decided to come back to it now. It was brought out recently that last year's third grade results may not be accurate. The state has said the grades given were higher than they should have been. This shows the problem with only using the FCAT to promote students. From what I understand, the FCAT was originally considered a tool to use to assess a student's progress, not to be used, by itself, as a method to determine promotion. That is exactly what it has become. In the elementary setting, a student can do terrible in school, but is promoted because he or she passed the FCAT. I hope this will be a wakeup call and will help to bring about the restructuring of the FCAT.

Responsiblity

It has been almost a year since I first saw the Liberty Mutual responsibility advertisement which shows people helping each other. What the ad actually shows is how helping one another continues from person to person. If one person helps someone, another person watching the kind deed will do something to help someone else and so on. The song, Half Acre, sung by Hem during the ad seems to make it even more meaningful. Believe it or not, depending on what kind of mood I am in when I am watching it, it can actually bring tears to my eyes. I don't know how many times I've watched it and, a year later, I'm still impressed. However, I still have not purchased any Liberty Mutual insurance.

You can see the ad and the second edition at: http://blog.nonstep.com/2007/05/25/liberty-mutual%E3%80%80ad-cm/

Too busy to enjoy what I have

I was running an errand the other day by the beach so I decided to take a walk along the shore. The breeze was blowing through the palm trees and the ocean had rolling waves with peaks of foam. I stood there and realized how fortunate I am to have such a wonderful place to come to just a few miles from where I live. But the problem is--I don't take advantage of it. I am always too busy. Too busy doing mundane, every day things. Isn't that a shame?

The Countdown

Just a little more than a week away to sitting around eating bon bons. I wish!!! Nope--summer vacation will be a lot of work and just a little play. With workshops to go to and a million and one things to do around the house, I don't see much time for sitting and much less time for eating bon bons. I'm just glad I can leave this school year with all my students passing the FCAT and moving on to the next grade. The FCAT! Well, that will have to be another post at another time.

Turtle Rescue

The other day while driving, I was just about to get on the ramp to I-95 when, in the corner of my eye, I spotted something in the middle of the road. I was where I could not stop to see what it was, so I kept going. But, then, I started thinking about it. Was it a turtle that had gotten turned over? By that time, I was on the expressway so I couldn't turn around. But, I thought, if I don't check on it and I drive back that way later on and see a squashed turtle or one that had been baked from the sun, I'd feel awful. So, I decided to go back to check on it. I went to the next exit and, then, went through a shopping area that had at least 5 four-way stops and 4 speed "humps" (not bumps as most people know them as). Finally, fifteen minutes later, I got back to the poor little creature. After all that worry and concern, it wasn't a turtle-- it was a shoe! I decided the shoe did not need rescuing and could handle itself and once again, I was on my way.

Bad Drivers #1

Today, on the way to church, my family and I almost got wiped out by a semi tractor truck. I guess if I am going to get wiped out, it is good to be on the way to church. But that's not the point right now. I was driving my car up a ramp going from one expressway to another. A truck driver came up beside me who wanted to get in my lane. There was plenty of room behind me for him to pull in--but, NO, he has to try to pass me on the left and then at the last minute squeeze in in front of me. But there was no room so he just started barreling over making me go into the shoulder. I barely could slow down enough to let him in front of me without either going off the ramp or running into him. I guess he thought it was okay since he had his blinker on!