“I Don’t Typically…”

I don't typically ask
I don't typically call
I don't typically shout
I don't typically forget
I don't typically request
I don't typically complain
I don't typically overreact
I don't typically stress out
I don't typically get hung up
I don't typically make a scene
I don't typically bring this up
I don't typically worry about it
I don't typically create problems
...yes, you do



Earn It

On November 11, 2021, my wife (Vicky) and I were traveling back from Tennessee. We were attending to the selling and purchasing of rental properties in the Smoky Mountains. The holiday weekend provided us with an extra day to make the quick westward trip.

Our three boys love tagging along to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, because it means junk food, mountain coasters, and wilderness hikes. This time, Vicky and I made the decision to leave the boys with grandma and grandpa, as this was a business only trip.

Deals done and on our way home to pickup the boys, we came over a small crest on Highway 40, just outside of Mocksville, North Carolina, discovering bumper to bumper traffic. Vicky applied a little more pressure on the brakes than normal, but we stopped safely with plenty of room between us and the next car.

Slightly confused with what was causing the backup and maybe a teeny bit annoyed that our efforts to get home as quickly as possible to see the boys was becoming more and more unrealistic, we heard the worst possible sound.

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I Can’t Let People Down

When I hear coaches say, “The pain of losing is more powerful than the pleasure of winning,” I understand it, but since coaching is not my world, I can’t fully relate to it.

I coached my youngest son’s 4 year old soccer team last year. It was pretty serious with the player draft (false), unrealistic parent expectations (parents were great), injury management (Tommy might have scraped a knee), playoff intensity (didn’t happen), and salary negotiations (of course not). But, I still wouldn’t say that I understand the everyday pressures that professional coaches face or the emotions that come along with them.

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“My Kid Would Never Lie”

Yes, they would, and probably did. I could probably stop the post right there and hope that people would read the first line and say, “Dave, you’re absolutely correct. My unrelenting love for my child has blinded me to the fact that everyone fibs, especially kids.”

But, I can’t stop (won’t stop, icky icky), because people won’t say that. They’ll think I’m not speaking to them, but I most definitely am.

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George Bailey & Ikigai

Through the help of his Guardian Angel, Clarence, George Bailey, the protagonist from It’s a Wonderful Life, ultimately sees how his actions positively impacted the lives of the Bedford Falls residents. After evaluating his life, he concludes that “no man is a failure who has friends.” But, is his method of evaluation the best? If not, what is?

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Ants, Bag Boy, Final Fantasy, & Lucky Charms

Nope, this isn’t a group in the New York Time’s new hit brain game Connections. It’s my mentality when tackling tasks.

Procrastination is a real killer when it comes to everyday chores and working on dreams and passion projects. Mostly because procrastination doesn’t mean what most people think it means–putting off a job until later. Procrastination is never getting started.

Choosing now instead of later (never) is the only way to succeed.

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Too Busy Winning (Remix)

There are a thousand areas where educators can direct their attention. It is hard to know where you will get the most return on your energy investment. Be careful not to dedicate your valuable time to something that might come across as impactful, but ultimately has little to no benefit on student learning.

Happy Gilmore’s Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) is a highly unlikeable character. The man is trying to steal a sweet grandmother’s home. As much as you grow to hate Shooter over the course of the movie, in this scene he is absolutely correct.

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Adult Cue Cards

I recently attended a training on supporting students with autism. It was a wonderful training with plenty of practical implementation strategies.

One such takeaway was visual cue cards. Visual cue cards act as a bridge between receptive and expressive communication for students with autism. When cue cards are attached to a lanyard, educators can access them quickly and easily.

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Grocery Shopping

Within five minutes of going anywhere with my dad, he is eyebrow ridge deep in a conversation with some stranger. Said stranger may or may not be a willing participant in this dialogue. If unwilling, does that just make it a logue? Or maybe an undialogue (nondialogue?), since there are still two people, but only one is talking? Regardless, I am amazed that my dad and I are related, because outside of the school day (nights and weekends), I don’t want to talk with anyone, except my family, but sometimes not even my family.

What exemplifies this most is my grocery shopping routine.

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