ATTENTION!

Silence is golden.  The Tremeloes, 1967 yeah?  No, but, it's what I thought too... Actually, The Four Seasons a few years earlier, ironically, on the "B" side of Rag Doll.

Once again, I awoke (Blessed for that.)  Brain again, scary in that it resembles the old computer game Pong.  Bouncing here, then over there, and back.. sit still Victor, concentrate. Can't, sorry, kinda.

I thought, maybe I should simply shut the hell up, not be here. (Listening for applause, assuredly it's out there!)..  Then I read about December 15, 1791, the First Amendment of the Bill or Rights.. (or Lefts, haha.)

"Free speech carries with it some freedom to listen." Warren E Burger

Then I thought about my job.  Two days a week, part-time, blessed to be there.  Then I thought about our present all employee 'text chain', reminders of policy, expectations, computer specifics, etc, usually coming during regular hours, but, occasionally before and after.  

Then I thought, again, about silence. Then, Pong'ed over to Free Speech.  To type or not, to 'hit send' or not.  I'm not a fan of the text chain. I understand the need, the purpose, but, MY OPINE, all too often it seems it can become/or resemble a "Do this, don't do that" with unintended negative connotation.  I happily honor, welcome, being approached if I've goofed up. I wanna know.  Just not a fan of all being Ding Dong'ed (Text chain) if it can be pinpointed who made the error, and, mebbe having a one on one with them. That said, I will admit I've learned some goodies I wasn't aware of, so, hats off. And, side note, our GM has been nuttin' but fair, good with me.

Victor, we don't care about all that crap.  I know, sorry.  I should shut up.

"We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak." Epictetus  Great Quote Ep!  I bow down to anyone with only one name!  Maybe one day I can simply be, Victurd!

Pong. Sorry.

Then I thought again about silence.  We may have to enlist the assistance of Vicki in Florida, a former teacher on this one.  I thought about howintheheck do you keep kids quiet, as in like, mebbe kiddygartners.

So I Googled, watched a youtube vid... "Keeping calm, quiet yourself...  visual signs... hand signals... silent calls to attention (a hand or finger to the lips, eyes, ears, yada.)  Why back in my day, them teachers had those yardsticks, and I ain't talking about the cheapy skinny ones ya get at Home Depot today, I'm talking about ones durn near as strong, thick as a 2 by 4! As in, YEEEEEOOOUUUUCHHHH! (THAT'LL LEARNYA!)...   Redirecting behavior during transitions.. ie, lining up or lunch, recess, art, music, PE, yada.  I only taught six years, but I LOVED ME some elementary PE.  I was REALLY bad (knowing how to gain control of the kiddos) but, ya learn.

"Don't worry that children never listen to you. Worry that they are always watching you." Robert Fulghum

Then, I went one hour a day to the Junior High.  I quite honestly think I'd be in the nut house today had I stayed there. I Googled how to keep Junior High kids silent. Google lent "establishing clear non-verbal signals, using call-and-response patterns and rhythmic clapping, giving students a short time to quiet down, taking a calming pause or deep breath together."  Rhythmic clapping?  Ya mean like that 2 by 4 yardstick agin' my thigh?  There are those teachers who wouldn't wanna work with any other age.  Nomme, but, said lovingly.

Same Google regarding High School kids... and I liked the answer:  "To maintain control in a high school classroom, focus on building positive relationships, esablishing clear expectations, and being consistently authoritative and fair, not, authoritarian."  Thanks Google, and I mean that, baby you can drive my car.

You a good listener?  Some may find hard to believe, a real good buddy of mine said I was 'deathly quiet'... and, in a group, I do tend to listen more than talk.

Listening, communication... loom hella big in our lives. School.  Play.  At home as kids.  At home as adults.  At home as parents.  AS A PARTNER.  ("The first duty of love is to listen." Paul Tillich)..VICTOR! Don't even begin to give relationship advice.. I know, right?!  It's a unique trait, ability, and I sureasheck don't profess to be an expert.  I really really admire those that ya never see 'em sweat.  Lenny the Cool, Grundy Newton, Andy Reid., my old boss Irene DeArman..  I am sure you gots your list you admire. Maybe it's your mate.  Maybe it's YOU. If so, KUDOS, truly.

I love women, I do.  All men do.  My buddies and I play golf on Mondays.  We finish around the time the ladies league gathers to play. The crossover lasts 45 minutes to an hour - and the banter back and forth is fun. We love them being there on the back deck with the gorgeous view, they put up with us. Pong. It can, does, get pretty noisy.  We joke, 'If there are 20 women, and 20 of 'em are talking, who's listening?"

So, in summation, I have no idea where I'm going with this.  Normal eh? Pong.

"One of the best parts about aging is the ability to, when the need fits, arises, or, ya simply wanna..  take out (or turn off) our hearing aids." Victurd Schultze