Remembering my days as a safety cadet
In the Madison area, the responsibility of helping kids get safely across the street seems to be entrusted mostly to grown-ups. When I was growing up in Stevens Point, we relied on other tiny, young, distracted kids to do the job. At least if you look at the example I set.
When I was in 4th grade, I signed up to be a safety cadet, otherwise known as a crossing guard. I got to wear a groovy day-glo orange belt, with a shiny badge attached. And one week out of every four, I had to get up early to get to my post before most of the kids walking to school.
My favorite part of this assignment was yelling "On duty" really loud to start my shift, and then getting to yell "Off duty" when I was finished.
But most of the job entailed looking both ways and telling kids when it was safe to cross the street. I was also allowed to "report" kids that were doing something wrong, like riding their bikes on the sidewalk, running, or jaywalking.
But it turns out my authority was mostly in my head. Case in point: when one bully decided to ride his bike up close to me and spit right at me. I told him he was "on report," and then followed through. I told the safety cadet supervisor about the transgression, and she said "What am I supposed to do about it?"
"Maybe draw and quarter him, or behead him and display his head on the end of a stick?"
That's what I wish I would have said. Instead I just stood there in disbelief, and abandoned all dreams of a future career in law enforcement.
OMG, you are so cute and tiny. I remember when I went to elementary school in Milwaukee we had this lady who was a crossing guard but thought it was stupid cuz we had stop and go lights, so what the heck? I knew the crossing lady's son, he was weird too ha. DBD
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Have you heard the song "Rumble and Sway" yet on Triple M?
The singer sounds like a raspy blues dude who's definitely been around the block a few times....but surprisingly, Jamie N. Commons is only 23 years old!
He was born in England, but...
Last week, I decided I would try one new, healthy food a week, and asked my facebook friends to make some suggestions.
The first thing I tried was mango. I'm sure I've had other mango flavored things, and mango as part of something else, but...
There's only one thing that might be worse than the Neil Diamond/Barbra Streisand duet "You Don't Bring Me Flowers." And that's Jonathan Suttin doing his best crooning...doing both parts. Most unpleasant.
A lot of people liked this song...
Artist: Alchemilla
Hail From: Boston
Song: 'The Wheel'
Album: Diamonds From The Penny Arcade
Sounds Like: Hole, Pearl Jam
In Their Words: "Alchemilla had been trying to write a ballad for a little while but it wasn't happening. There...
Last weeks challenge we thought went excellent! Of course we are a little biased.
The drinking song couldn't have been any better, or any less fun. We had a blast through out the whole process, and our performance rocked.
This week is an easy...
So the story goes Michael Jackson completed this song while watching cartoons with Paul McCartney. We'll just let that sink in for a moment.
Not sure what cartoons they were watching, but it must have worked because this song made it to number 2...
The Dalai Lama is back in town, sharing his message of peace and kindness with likeminded individuals, and the Wisconsin legislature. He also held a private meeting with Gov. Walker, who said he mostly listened to what His Holiness had to say (wise...
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Remembering my days as a safety cadet
In the Madison area, the responsibility of helping kids get safely across the street seems to be entrusted mostly to grown-ups. When I was growing up in Stevens Point, we relied on other tiny, young, distracted kids to do the job. At least if you look at the example I set.
When I was in 4th grade, I signed up to be a safety cadet, otherwise known as a crossing guard. I got to wear a groovy day-glo orange belt, with a shiny badge attached. And one week out of every four, I had to get up early to get to my post before most of the kids walking to school.
My favorite part of this assignment was yelling "On duty" really loud to start my shift, and then getting to yell "Off duty" when I was finished.
But most of the job entailed looking both ways and telling kids when it was safe to cross the street. I was also allowed to "report" kids that were doing something wrong, like riding their bikes on the sidewalk, running, or jaywalking.
But it turns out my authority was mostly in my head. Case in point: when one bully decided to ride his bike up close to me and spit right at me. I told him he was "on report," and then followed through. I told the safety cadet supervisor about the transgression, and she said "What am I supposed to do about it?"
"Maybe draw and quarter him, or behead him and display his head on the end of a stick?"
That's what I wish I would have said. Instead I just stood there in disbelief, and abandoned all dreams of a future career in law enforcement.
