Ghosts of Terror Past

Yesterday I held my monthly PTA meeting with the ten schools I supervise.  These are great people I work with, but like any organization, there is always the random personality conflict.  Each of these ten PTA presidents have their own boards and these personality conflicts arise within their realm of authority as well.  As a training point in my meeting I decided to address some of that now that school is well underway, and people are getting into their jobs.

To really introduce things, I chose to share part of a letter I received from a parent about 4 or 5 years ago, while I served as a PTA president at our local elemenatry school.  It was a full page, single spaced, typed venom filled diatribe on my leadership, the organization of PTA itself, and the personal grievances this woman had across the board. 

Without any details to identify this letter's author I read the letter directly as she wrote it.  As I read it, I could feel hot, red, splotches rising on my neck and higher chest--all this, or course, was clearly visible to my PTA friends in the group.

This letter was 4 or 5 years old, and yet my immediate physical reaction was as strong as if I has just received it.  Even just the idea of the hatred and vitriol this woman wrote to me made me upset.  I knew that I had handled the things she was complaining about with fairness and equity, and yet, with all the pity and compassion I could muster for her, and any other parents who felt left out, over looked, under utilized, or not needed, her letter still addressed her issues without any sense of compromise or cooperation.  She was just lashing out.  I knew that then, and I know it still now, and it still made me upset.

The group I shared this with could identify with the conflict.  They may not have received a letter like this, but they all could connect with the idea of angry, unappreciative parents and the "if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem" mentality in which these kind of people fit.

We talked about the prickly people that inevitably are found in any group.  We also spoke of being "professional" in our leadership, and more importantly in finding ways to make use of ANY volunteer who offers to serve in our schools.  Sadly, the volunteers we get are not all the crispy, happy, pleasant types we'd prefer.  But, a volunteer needs to be thanked and appreciated and put to work.  Maybe that would be enough to help the angry, lashing out types feel better.

But, then again, those kind of people are not happy with themselves, and therefore, nothing I do will ever make them happy either.  But if I can teach my PTA friends better how to deal with those kind of prickly people--with or without a nasty letter--I know that I have done the best work I can, and made things better for the kids in my community.

Oh, Just Leave It

So my super productive day yesterday set the bar far too high for the productivity rate today.  It is now 3 PM, I am finally writing, and have only two things crossed off the list.

But I did get thrown in for lunch with a friend who had surgery yesterday, so that wasn't really on the list as a thing "to do" but it was a good thing and I enjoyed myself.  Sometimes it is just nice to leave the list at home and do something that feels right.

Next weekend I have a chance to go out of town to watch The Girl swim with her team at an invitational meet.  And I caught myself telling Genius Golfer last night that "maybe I shouldn't go.  I have so many things to do and it is just more money, and The Girl really doesn't need me there, and she probably doesn't care one way or the other, and she'll be fine, and ......."

When I stopped talking myself out of going, GG finally told me, "You need to go, so just go already. "

So, I guess I will figuratively leave the list at home next weekend, and do something out of the ordinary and have a marvelous time.  I hope.

Making a List & Checking It Off

No, I don't mean Christmas.  I mean a "To Do" list.  I am manic about making to do lists.  I love getting to the end of the day and seeing everything crossed off.  Sometimes, I remember to do something that wasn't on the list, so I write it down just to cross it off and show myself I did that too.

My list today looked something like this:
*get kids to school
*temple
*clean up oil leak in garage
*get car oil leak cleaned
*clean car's battery cables
*check steering fluid in car
*add coolant to shopping list--then add to car
*return city's wood stain from Eagle project
*finish ceramics project at Ann's
*sweep front room
*check kids' grades online
*The Girl's laundry
*get new underwear
*make grocery list
*get gas in the car
*drop letters/pkg to post office
*movie ticket money to Tammy M.
*School Community Council mtg at 3PM
*swim meet at 4 PM
*YW @ 7 PM
*Football game @8PM

Now, just after 2 PM, it looks like this:
*get kids to school
*temple
*clean up oil leak in garage
*get car oil leak cleaned
*clean car's battery cables
*check steering fluid in car
*add coolant to shopping list--then add to car
*return city's wood stain from Eagle project
*finish ceramics project at Ann's
*sweep front room
*check kids' grades online
*The Girl's laundry
*get new underwear
*make grocery list
*get gas in the car
*drop letters/pkg to post office
*movie ticket money to Tammy M.
*School Community Council mtg at 3PM
*swim meet at 4 PM
*YW @ 7 PM
*Football game @8PM

That is some good progress.  When I see days like this, I don't wonder any more why I am exhausted at 9:30 PM.  I figure I am lucky to make it that far.

I Think I'd Prefer a Root Canal

I'm headed to a legislative "Meet & Greet" hosted by our region PTA today.  I think I'd rather have my tonsils taken out.  Or a root canal.  Or a pap smear.

Here is the thing.  I recognize that the PTA is a national organization with a mission to advocate for children throughout the country.  I love that about PTA.  Did you know that the school lunch program was a PTA effort?  Did you know that the national PTA lobbied for child labor laws to restrict the long hours and dangerous work condition for children in the early 20th century?  So, yes, I understand that PTA's role to advocate is important.

I just hate having to talk to politicians.  Especially politicians who are running for office.  Once they are in office, I am more than happy to shoot an email when an issue is at hand that my representative is facing with which  I agree or disagree and want them to know my viewpoint.

But I an NOT one who even slightly enjoys the schmoozing that goes on prior to the election.  I really dislike that.  I don't like the debating and tearing down of the the "other" guy in the race.  If you are going to run for office, please just tell me where YOU stand on the issues, what YOU believe in, how YOU would respond.  Let me choose for myself which candidate I prefer. 

So, I'm jumping on this grenade for all the PTA leaders I work with.  Ladies, I hope you appreciate this.  I'm hoping to get in and get out without any arguments, crying, or snarky comments.  If I behave myself, I'm just not sure how the candidates will react.  Maybe I can become invisible and just listen in on the conversations.

Or can quickly build a robot replica to go in my place.  Yeah, a root canal would be more tolerable.

Watch Me Pull a Rabbit Out of My Hat

I watched a few episodes of the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show while I was folding laundry today.  I don't really remember watching it as a kid, but with an adult's perspective now, I am surprised by the political and social overtones in the animation comedy.  I am just saying.

Anyway, these have nothing to do with Rocky & Bullwinkle, but I just thought they were cute.  The kids had fall break this past weekend, and these show what they were up to for the most part.  The Girl and her friends borrowed my camera and went up the canyon to take some photos--five girls modeling for each other.  They can sure make themselves busy entertaining each other that way.

And The Boy, of course, was supervising his Eagle project.  So this shot is from the "after" photos we took of it.  Look at the new stain on that bridge.

Video Sunday