What IS Perfection?

I sent the letter below to the Pendleton County Board of Education LAST year. I did not receive a comment or even an acknowledgement. This year we are once again "perfect" awards where there is no perfection. I find this VERY disturbing.

In all the years I have worked in the school system or been involved as a parent volunteer, this is the only time that I have felt compelled to voice my concern regarding a school policy. Regardless of whether this concern is addressed, I will feel better having shared my feeling on the subject.
It is my understanding that an updated attendance policy is being developed for the district; one that will consider missing ½ day or less “Perfect” attendance. I agree that missing less than ½ day is commendable, but it is NOT perfect. Do we want to teach our students that less than 100% is perfect?
According to Webster’s On-line Dictionary, perfect means: 1 a : being entirely without fault or defect : b : satisfying all requirements : ACCURATE c : corresponding to an ideal standard
Do we want the community to believe that we do not know the correct meaning of the word? Do we want to let the entire community know that we believe that less than 100% is perfect? I don’t. I want to set high standards for our students.
If the board feels it is important to reward students who have missed ½ day or less - that is great. I agree that is an accomplishment, but it should not be considered as high an achievement as not having missed any. Wouldn’t it be demeaning to the TRUE perfect attendees to have those that missed some time be rewarded in the same manner. On the other hand, if you give a perfect attendance award to a student who does not have perfect attendance, isn’t that a shallow reward?
Let’s have two levels of attendance awards. Continue to honor the TRUE perfect attendees and then also recognize the Attendance Achievers - those who have missed ½ day or less. If this cannot be considered, we just as well change our grading scale to reflect 90% as an A - after all, it is - almost.

NOW I KNOW WHY I'M NEVER SICK . . .

. . . it's NOT FUN!!!!!!!

First Reactions Quiz!

You have to type the first thing that comes to mind whenever you hear these 31 things. You can’t think and go back and change your answers.

1. Beer: O'Doul's
2. McDonald's: fast food
3. Relationships: exhausting
4. Purple: spring
5. Power Rangers: army men
6. Steroids: Roger
7. Cartoons: Saturday morning
8. The President: Michael Douglas
9. Tupperware: Clorox
10. Florida: hot
11. Santa Claus: kids
12. Halloween: fall
13. Alice: Jackie Gleason
14. Grammar: all gone
15: Myspace: Facebook
16. Clowns: ceramic
17. Marriage: work
18. Paris: Bo
19. Pat: ty cake
20. Pass the: butter
21. One night stand: dangerous
22. Donald Trump: rich
23. Neverland: Michael Jackson
24. Pixie: fairy
25. Vanilla ice cream: chocolate syrup
26. Hooters: support hose
27. High school musical: Shenandoah
28. Pajamas: flannel
29. Woody: car
30. Wet Socks: yuck!
.31. Love: the one you're with

Traditions

The most wonderful time of year is . . . December 26!

Really, I guess I like Christmas, but I don't like everything that has become associated with it.

I don't like seeing Christmas displays in October. I don't like cold weather. I don't like icy roads. I don't care for the traditional Christmas colors; our tree is decorated in pastel ornaments, gold bows and butterflies. My favorite holiday is Easter. When a friend of mine was commenting of me not liking Christmas, I replied by saying, "Easter is my favorite holiday and you know what???? Christmas wouldn't mean much if it wasn't for Easter".

I'm not social sort of a person. Don't get me wrong, I love being with friends and family, but only in "little bits". I don't like crowds and that includes crowd of friends and/or family members. I enjoy having a meal with another couple in a restaurant, but I cannot stand visiting in someones home. At a restaurant, you can relax without the responsibility of having to entertain or be entertained. A good meal and conversation can last a couple of hours and then you're done. I think I may have A.D.H.D. or some form of it at least. Just sitting makes me so nervous. "Chit Chat" bores me to tears if I have to do it for very long at a time. I have to have alone time. The holidays are usually back to back days of social engagements. This exhausts me!

Christmas was good this year - no major events and a lot of tradition. I do savor tradition. Traditions are very important to me. Saturday, December 22 Farrah and Jim arrived while I was at Curves and my manicure. (Merry Christmas to me). The four of us enjoyed our "Betty Christmas". We ate at "The Reserve" on the Levy and then took our "Christmas Cruise". This tradition began when Farrah was two years old.

Sunday-December 23 we went to mom's to exchange presents and enjoy an informal meal. Farrah and Jim went to a movie later in the evening.

Monday-December 24 the four of us went to Jeff's mom for the traditional meal of oyster stew, steak, potato and various desserts. We traded gifts and were home early.

Tuesday - we hosted our annual Christmas Breakfast. The meal was served at 9:30. Farrah and Jim left for Louisville at 11:00 a.m. as they were on their way to Louisville. The rest were gone by noon. By 2:00 p.m. on Christmas Day all signs of Christmas were gone!

Wednesday - December 26th Jeff and I had our 22nd annual day after Christmas shopping date. this tradition started because our parents always gave us cash for Christmas. Since Farrah was a toddler and I was a stay at home mom, money was tight. Jeff decided that this day should be used to take our money, go out to eat and go shopping. The rule was that we could buy whatever struck our fancy (within the limits of our Christmas money) and that we would make a point of NOT HAVING to do anything; just whatever you chose to do. This year we left at 7:00 a.m. and did not get home until 11:30 p.m. - not bad for a couple of old people, huh?

On the 27th, Jeff and I did not get up until 10:30! We spent the rest of the week doing odd jobs, organizing closets and drawers, watching TV, etc. Yesterday (Sunday) was the first day I'd been out of the house since Wednesday! Yesterday we did the shopping thing; groceries, toiletries and supplies for New Year's Eve.

Jeff has gone back to work today, but will be home around 5:00. We plan on celebrating New Year's Eve by watching the Paranormal Marathon on Court TV, while eating shrimp cocktails and junk food. When Farrah was young we had a tradition of spending the evening with another couple who had children the same age as Farrah. For the past several years, Jeff and I have spent the evening alone - another tradition.

Tomorrow, New Year's Day, we will just relax and prepare for the rest of the work week. I'll make Reubens for our meal of the day (another tradition) and I'm sure Jeff will be watching football. I will be reading.

It's time to count down the days until Spring!

Christmas Questions

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? If the gift is nice and square - paper; if not - bag.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial! When we downsized and moved to the condo, we bought a little tree to sit on a table. Farrah says that means we are now officially "old". :(

3. When do you put up the tree? It depends on week-end activities. This year we plan to decorate on the 9th.

4. When do you take the tree down? We have everyone for Christmas breakfast. Company is usually gone by noon. By 2:00 p.m. on Christmas Day all signs of Christmas are gone.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but only a little at a time. It is soooo rich.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Hmmmm. I don't think I ever had a "favorite".

7. Do you have a nativity scene? no

8. Hardest person to buy for? Mother-in-Law

9. Easiest person to buy for? Farrah (and Jim). They give us detailed lists; even down to the catalog number or web-site.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't think of an answer for this either.

11. Favorite Christmas Movie? Sorry . . .

12. When do you start shopping for Christmas? September

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? cream pull candy

15. Clear lights or colored on the tree? clear

16. Favorite Christmas song? Carol of the Bells, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

17. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? Farrah and Jim come to us around the 21st until the afternoon of the 25th, go to mom's on the 23rd, go to Jeff's mom's on the 24th and everyone comes here for breakfast on the 25th

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? on a good day

19. Angel on the tree top or a star? angel - I think

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We exchange gifts at mom's on the 23rd, at Jeff's mom on the 24th. Late Christmas Eve we (Jim, Farrah, Jeff and I) each get to pick one and open it. The rest we open on Christmas morning before company gets here.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? visiting

22. What I love most about Christmas? watching other people open their presents

Blue Hair

Farrah and Jim got Jeff cans of blue and green hairspray for his 54th birthday. This is the result of the first try. He can't wait to get to work in the morning to see what the (younger) guys have to say.

Before he let me spray it on, I had to assure him that it WILL wash out. I hope it does.

Facts from the 1500's

I just received the following in an email. I thought it was all very interesting, so I wanted to share.

The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be . Here are some facts about the1500s:

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water..

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying . It's raining cats and dogs.

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house.. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, Dirt poor. The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying a thresh hold. (Getting quite an education, aren't you?)

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old..

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, bring home the bacon. They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat..

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous. Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a .dead ringer..

And that's the truth. Now, whoever said History was boring ! ! !