The Civil War on Route 22
It's been going almost since the beginning of the year on my elementary route. There are boys AND girls who are Oregon State Beaver fans and boys AND girls who are Oregon Duck fans. It's not unusual for someone to scream out, "Raise your hand if you're a DUCK fan," which is responded to by another student yelling...and I do mean yelling...the same for the Beavs. Then they start with the cheers and jeers with the voice levels escalating all the while. Finally, the bus driver tells them to cool it.
Of course, they want to know who I'm routing for. At the beginning of the year I told I like both teams and in the Civil war game them whichever team has the best shot at the end of the year at the best bowl game and best national ranking.
This obviously brings us to this year's dilemma. With both teams able to make it into the Rose Bowl with a win, this means only one thing. Until that game is over, I will be playing the roll of a peacemaker on Route 22. The only thing that makes it worse is that the game isn't one week away, but a week and half away on Thursday night Dec. 3. Go Beaucks. I mean, Duvers.
Pencils = 28
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Attitude
The day before yesterday I had 62 elementary students on my afternoon route. That’s a record for that route. The route lasts between 50-55 minutes, and it can be assumed that it is 50-55 minutes of chaos. There is no question that this is chaos contained in a big, yellow, receptacle on wheel. The question is whether the chaos is joyful chaos or a chaos laced with negativity, conflict, and potential violence, either verbal or physical. Ninety-five percent of the time it is the former type of chaos. At those times, I try to relax, address blatant, unsafe behavior, and enjoy the ride, grateful for the happy (and a bit nerve racking) energy all around me. When I’m surrounded by negative chaos, it’s an act of endurance dependent on grace. I’m realizing that my attitude about the ninety-five percent of joyful chaos, makes it easier to endure the five percent of disintegrating bedlam.
Pencils= 25
The day before yesterday I had 62 elementary students on my afternoon route. That’s a record for that route. The route lasts between 50-55 minutes, and it can be assumed that it is 50-55 minutes of chaos. There is no question that this is chaos contained in a big, yellow, receptacle on wheel. The question is whether the chaos is joyful chaos or a chaos laced with negativity, conflict, and potential violence, either verbal or physical. Ninety-five percent of the time it is the former type of chaos. At those times, I try to relax, address blatant, unsafe behavior, and enjoy the ride, grateful for the happy (and a bit nerve racking) energy all around me. When I’m surrounded by negative chaos, it’s an act of endurance dependent on grace. I’m realizing that my attitude about the ninety-five percent of joyful chaos, makes it easier to endure the five percent of disintegrating bedlam.
Pencils= 25
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)