Monthly Archives: April 2011
Why Doesn’t Anyone Take Ca$h Anymore?
There are so many cyclical events in my life–and they all seem to involve the almighty dollar. Either I’m shelling out the cash or involved in some scheme to reel it in on behalf of some entity. Right now, we are in the middle of Little League season. Since Day 1 of practice I’ve had my eye keenly tuned to the group of parents in the stands, huddled together against the bipolar Colorado spring weather (tanning one day then ass freezing cold the next). I’ve been waiting for the day she would make herself known. You know who I mean: the Team Mom. The over-eager, ultra-organized, Delegator-type who has over-the-top ideas about all the great things we, as parents, should accomplish for our team. Not only does she have all of these crazy-assed schemes ideas, but she comes with charts and graphs about who has been assigned to do what, and when it’s to be done. Every day we went to practice, and every day she didn’t rear her head. Then I realized maybe, in order to throw off the parents who were avoiding the Team Mom/Delegator they had enlisted a Team Dad. And so, I waited. No dad. No team snack lists. No overly decorated four-wheeler tractor/parade float plans. Could it be? No fund-raising? No parental responsibility (beyond delivering the players to the game and yelling at the umpire, of course)?
Don’t get me wrong, I know that all of these activities my kids are involved in require funding. I just don’t understand why so many people think its easier to bake two dozen damn cupcakes and take my kids out to peddle them at the feet of all the un-registered offenders in town than to just hand over the cash.
And then, four games into the season, just when I thought we were home free, Coach announces that he has a list of dates that our team has to help run the concession stand and we have to send three parent volunteers–and for the record, they use the word volunteer incorrectly, they are actually referring to parent draftees–to work for 2 1/2 hours. So there I am, in a group of parents and facing the coach, what else could I do? I picked the first night and sent The Hubbin’ off to sling soda and snacks for an evening. So, don’t ever let it be said that I won’t do my part and sacrifice for the kids.
On This Day, April 14…
Every day of the year has historical significance. April 14 is no different. Both tragedies and joyous occasions share the date of April 14.
In the year 1828 a man named Noah Webster got the copyright for the first edition of a book we have all used: his dictionary.
On this day in 1860 the first Pony Express rider reached his destination in California. The Pony Express used men on horses to carry mail across the U.S. long before we had cars or phones.
There are some sad events that happened on April 14 as well. In 1865 President Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth. In 1912, at 11:40 pm the Titanic hit an iceberg and began to sink.
Some popular people were born on April 14. Two baseball players share the birthday. Pete Rose was born in 1941 and David Justice in 1966. In 1866 Annie Sullivan was born. Annie grew up to be a very popular teacher. She had only one student her whole life, Helen Keller, who couldn’t hear or see and didn’t know how to communicate with anyone else. Annie taught her about the world she couldn’t see and taught her sign language so that she could “speak” to others.
Most importantly, on April 14, a tiny baby was born who would grow up to love sports, superheros, skateboarding–and cuddling!–and made his family very happy. That boy is now known as The Middle, and I love you very much. Happy Birthday, son. I hope this year is everything that you want it to be. This is for you…
