Learning in the Sunshine State

Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.
– Ann Herbert

The most amazing thing happened tonight, yet it was so simple. Dennis had karate until 5:45, and we decided to go out to eat. After a false start at another restaurant, we ended up at a Chinese buffet where we used to eat often. We hadn’t been there in a long time.

Shortly after we each sat down with our freshly filled plates, the waiter came and brought our fortune cookies. Now, at most Chinese buffets, this signals the fact that you’re almost done. Since he had just brought us our drinks, I knew he didn’t think we were finished. My next thought was that he must be getting off work, so he needed to bring our bill before he left. What happened next was not anywhere on my radar.

He said that a man “over there” — picture him waving his arm in a general area behind him– paid for our dinner. We didn’t see anyone. Apparently he already left.

We were so touched! Dennis said that’s the nicest thing that ever happened to him.

An act such as that one makes it so easy to understand Pay It Forward. When it happens to you, then you want to go and do something kind for a total stranger too.

Dennis has always loved to draw, and we’ve always provided him with drawing supplies. So, when I heard that a local artist and studio owner offers classes for kids, I asked him if he was interested. The nice thing about it is that it’s a “drop in” class. You show up when you want to or can, and when you can’t… oh well. There’s no sign up, no commitment. The class is one afternoon a week, and is for kids 8 and up. In each lesson, they discuss a style, an artist, then they create their own piece. In most cases, they can do what they want (though she chooses the medium), but once in a while, she tells them what to do. That was the case in the Degas Ballerina style chalk.

Lately we’ve been taking his friend with us too, but with both of them there, they tend to play around a bit too much. I talked with the teacher about this and she said that yes, occasionally she has to get on them about being on task. But she also said that they’re both talented enough for her to not complain too much. She’s great with the kids and has her own ways of getting them to behave.

So, here are some examples of his work. No, the misspelling was not intentional. Yes, we’re working on it.

Am I the only one who doesn’t think an ENTIRE newscast should be devoted to a frakkin’ football game??? Okay, so it’s the National Championship. And it’s a Florida school playing. That doesn’t mean it trumps all other news for days at a time.

Some conflict of interest confessions are due here.

1. My alma mater is Florida State. I don’t spend that much time watching football anymore, but if you cut me, I’ll bleed Garnet and Gold. So no, I’m not exactly a Gators fan.

2. I don’t remember this much coverage for the Seminoles when they played for the National Championship in ‘93. Granted, there wasn’t a BCS then, but it was generally acknowledged that their Orange Bowl game against Nebraska was the fight for #1. Did the local news spend days building it up? NO! And how about their championship game in 1999? Again, NO! By the way, they won both times. Not that I’m bitter or anything.

So, anyway. I will admit that it is somewhat newsworthy that a home team is playing for the National Championship. It deserves a mention in a segment outside of the usual sports report.

But in no way should it dominate coverage as if it’s the biggest and only news worth reporting. In no way should they assume that everyone is not only a football fan, but a Gators fan at that.

/rant

P.S. I’ll be wearing a Seminole tee shirt all day today.