Day: June 23, 2021

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No, Thank You (Banned Words)

Prologue

Today (Yesterday) was the first day of summer. It rained. So, first day of summer in the pool? No, thank you. Instead, I took a trip to Wal*Mart (yipee!) for some last minute essentials for the trip. Then, we discovered that our “fridge decided not to fridge” anymore, as I explained to a friend. I thought it might be something simple like the coils, but I tried everything I could do and a few YouTube suggestions, but none of them worked. So, now I have to call a repairman tomorrow (today).

So, not the most stellar of first days of summer. However, I more or less finished my PD work developing the new class for next year. Granted, a colleague helped, but I won’t have to worry about that during the trip. I can just “have my existential crisis on a Florida beach” as I’ve been telling people.

The Prompt

No, Thank You: If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?

Like yesterday’s joke prompt, this is a tough one. I suppose that they are supposed to be difficult and make you think. However, having just completed one of the longest and most emotionally taxing school years ever, I have little capacity to think right now. And, so, for these last few entries, you get minimal effort.

Sorry, Buddy.

One of the reasons this is difficult is that I’m not one of those people who gets angry over language. Okay, that’s not entirely true. I realize that words have meaning and that we need to say what we mean to say. But, it only bothered me for a bit that literally became a contranym. Honestly, once I learned the word contranym, it no longer angered me.

So, I can’t think of one specific word that bothers me enough to ban it. As I’ve told my students and own kids more than once, it’s the intent of words that bother me. They can swear all they want around me (it bothers Christine, so different rules, which also teaches a time and place, hopefully) as long as their intent is not to hurt someone’s feelings. That’s where I draw the line.

The Adventure

I think I already regaled you of my lack of adventure today (yesterday). So, I won’t reiterate any of that here. Today (tomorrow) is already looking like a day to finish up some last minute things before we travel tomorrow (Thursday). As I write this, in about 24 hours, we will touch down at our destination in Florida. I got confirmation texts from both the airport and the hotel this morning. It’s real.

Epilogue

So, no, I can’t think of one specific word that makes me say no, thank you. I want to ban that word. Maybe at certain times in my life. I know it really bothered Christine when Aiden started saying “Yeet” all the time. I mostly just laughed and tried to kill it by using it in my lame Dad manner. Eventually, it either worked, or he got sick of the word himself. Either way, the problem solved itself. Usually, that’s what happens. If you give the word power, it abuses that power. If not, well, eventually it solves itself.

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Ha Ha Ha (Tell Us a Joke)

Prologue

That title looks like something vomited out by the reject Joker from The Suicide Squad movie. You want me to “tell us a joke”, do you? I, uh, I am not great at telling jokes. Granted I tell them better than my mother. I guess you will just have to take my word for it since many of you have probably never heard my mother tell a joke. We’ve arrived at a similar place as my classes. How much do you trust me? I mean, seriously. I just admitted that I can’t tell a joke very well. So, I suppose that gives me some credibility. Right?

The Adventure

Today (Yesterday), I went into school for the last teacher day. I worried that I might not be able to finish all of my tasks in a timely fashion. A few times I discussed with people that I didn’t know if it was an ADHD thing or a guy thing, but I felt very overwhelmed by the to do list given to us by administration Instead of being able to chunk the tasks, my brain kept telling me that I needed to finish all of them simultaneously.

Well, armed with this minor bout of anxiety, I faced the list with a tenacity not normally associated with me. I checked off the things that I knew I finished on Friday even if they didn’t feel finished. They were finished, but for whatever reason, I convinced myself there was more to do than there actually was. At approximately 1:15 pm, I went into my neighbor teacher’s classroom to celebrate my completion of all of the tasks. I visited a couple of other times to update her on progress.

After school, some teachers went to a local golf club. My kayaking partner in crime (well, we actually only had one trip last year, but I want to get out more this year) convinced me to go out because she promised to treat. And, she bought me a soft pretzel with cheese that was so good! So, the outdoor adventure wasn’t so much outdoor, but it was still fun.

Tell Us A Joke

No, I don’t think I will. I legitimately don’t have any jokes other than the stupid ones that I wore on my math shirts every Friday. Now, I feel like that needs to be explained. One of the science teachers came up with the idea for them to wear science T-shirts and for us to wear math themed shirts. I didn’t have any, so I had to purchase them.

The names on mine were different, but this was my favorite one to wear. Get it here.

Epilogue

Talking with a trusted associate, we asked one another how our days went. I answered with, “Relieved. Excited about the trip on Thursday. Happy I got to hang out with other teachers. So, I’d say mostly good. Actually all good. No need to qualify it otherwise.” Today (Yesterday) was a good start to summer. As with most things, today (tomorrow) represented a bit of a crash back to earth. But, they can’t all be winners.