C-Hawk
Welcome to the funny side of g3! OK, maybe I’m not funny all of the time, but hopefully you will find my musings to be relatable, irreverent, and oftentimes hilarious. Being an 8th grade English teacher gives me plenty of fresh material daily. Mix in a 13 year old daughter, 17 and 20 year old stepdaughters, a husband (who is an attorney), two elderly parents, and two puppykids, and you can see how my take on life might be a bit, shall we say, distorted! My faith and my girlfriends are the two things that truly keep me sane, and allow me to be ME. That includes KDee, who has been my tried and true friend for 27 years now. Our lives may take different paths from time to time, but I know that whether I’m working on a home improvement project or lying face down in a ditch somewhere (please refer back to the description of my life), she will be there for me, no questions asked! I hope I can make you smile, giggle, and even guffaw a few times while you’re here. Please come back often! Seriously!
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Written by CHawk
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Apr 21 2010 7:16PM |
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Last Updated on Apr 22 2010 6:52AM |
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If you get a call from your child’s school letting you know that your precious angel plagiarized an essay, and you throw a fit, demand a do-over, and blame the teacher, you may be a Helicopter Parent. If little Johnny comes home with a “C” on an assignment, and you are just positive that his theory on bubble-blowing is a Nobel Prize winning composition, so you call the teacher, and threaten to get her fired, you might just be a Helicopter Parent. If you see that your perfect daughter earned a zero on a project, but you are certain that your baby would never fail to turn in an assignment, so you call the principal to demand that action be taken against her horrible teacher (only to find the missing assignment one week later, stuffed down in her backpack), you might be…nope…you ARE a Helicopter Parent!
I’ve dealt with a few parents like this (they are the minority, thank goodness!), and I feel bad for their children. Here’s the reality, Mom and Dad: Humans make mistakes. It’s how we learn to survive in this world. Are you doing them any favors by fighting their battles for them? No, all you’re teaching them is that they don’t have to take responsibility for their actions, because you will always step in and “fix” it for them. Look around. You see products of Helicopter Parents everywhere. They have trouble holding down jobs, and do not typically form healthy relationships in the real world. Real work is a foreign concept to them, since they’ve always had you to take care of the “hard” stuff for them. As adults, they don’t know how to deal with failure.
I have an idea! Let’s teach our children to take responsibility for their own choices. Help them learn that all of their actions have consequences, both positive and negative. Show them how to be humble and selfless. Teach them to take constructive criticism, and model hard work and appropriate behavior to them. Let them see that you are not perfect, and help them understand that they won’t be either. Through your example, they can learn to make good choices, and do the right thing. One of the best things you can do for them is teach them to fly on their own! Seriously.
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Written by CHawk
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Mar 8 2010 2:36PM |
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Last Updated on Nov 29 1999 6:00PM |
Not long ago, I received a wrenching call from a dear friend, distraught over her husband’s confession of infidelity. I tried to listen, give comfort, and be a friend. Isn’t that what we all do when a sisterfriend is falling apart? Inside, I wanted to strangle him! His reason for confession was that he was seeking reconciliation and forgiveness. He disclosed every detail of the affair(s) to her, and though she was devastated, she was receptive to counseling and eager to find a way to keep her family together.
A few days later, my friend, who was still in a state of hurt, confusion, and despair, was tracked down (STALKED) on a social networking site by one of the most recent mistresses. Yes, this woman had the nerve to send my friend an email stating her love for the husband, and her desire to “make a life” with this man. Um, dumb mistress, why would you harass the VICTIM in this case?? You knew he was married when you threw yourself at him, and he’s obviously struggling with an addiction issue here, so that makes you an ignorant, self-centered b-word!! To me, this is an unforgivable intrusion on my friend’s life, and I really hope I never see this “woman”, a term I use to loosely describe her. You don’t mess with my girlfriends!
Here’s the question I’ve been pondering since my friend reported this to me: Why does a woman get involved with a married man, and believe what he tells her about his wife, his home life, and his feelings about her? Using that brain God gave you would be a great idea in this case. Why are some women incapable of using good judgment? Now, don’t get me wrong, her husband is a big boy, and he has committed a significant, possibly marriage-ending indiscretion, so he’s got a lot of making amends to do. Oh, and by the way, I’ve seen a picture of the one who harassed my friend, and she is not even a little bit attractive. Not that looks are everything, but come on men! If you’re gonna fool around on your wives, at least make sure it’s not with some ugly chick (OK, I kid—you men need to keep it in your pants, unless you’re peeing or you’re with your wife).
Whew. Sorry I had to get personal this time, and I hope I have not rubbed salt in anyone else’s wounds, but it seems like I’ve heard of this happening more and more these days, and I’m pretty sure it’s an epidemic. Wake up, people!! Make good choices! Life’s too short to be screwing around, and leaving nothing but destruction in your wake. Seriously. |
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Written by CHawk
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Feb 9 2010 11:37AM |
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Last Updated on Nov 29 1999 6:00PM |
When did I become a geezer? Seriously? I mean, sure, I’m not a 20-something, carefree, career-girl/party-girl anymore. And my days of being a young stay-at-home mom, going to the gym every day, blonde bombshell are in the past, but did turning 40 make me suddenly irrelevant?
In the almost-recent past, I would be looked upon with admiration by young men and women alike (probably for different reasons!) in my personal and professional lives. I was asked for my opinion, deemed fashion-knowledgeable, and treated as if I just might know something about a few subjects.
I know what you all must be thinking right now: Want some cheese with that whine? OK, OK, so I’m feeling a bit sorry for my apparently elderly self, but I still feel like the same person I’ve always been, even though others tend to view me much differently. I’d never want to be one of those silly looking women who try to dress like 18 year olds, and think that will fool everyone into believing they are much younger. That’s just embarrassing. And no, I’m not going to go get a ton of cosmetic surgery to try and turn back the clock (moderation is key in that area…hee hee). My main goal would be to have people understand that turning 40 does not make you OLD. Heck, my mom is 77, and she’s just starting to get old!
I love my job, and my school rocks! There are so many amazing educators in that building that I’m humbled just to be part of the team there, but for the first time in my life, I don’t fit in at the place I spend the majority of my time. I’ve usually worked in places where I was on the younger side, or at least in the middle, but here I’m one of the, ahem, most seasoned in terms of age. It’s been a transition I’m not totally comfortable with, being a former social butterfly. I think, though, that it’s just a natural part of life, and it makes me so grateful for my established girlfriend-ships! It’s the reason that I spend so much of my so-called downtime (ha!) on g3 and Facebook. Those are places that a busy mom/teacher/wife like me can connect and fit right in. That’s where my tried and true friends are, any time, day or night!
What am I trying to say here? Who knows! Usually by the time I finish writing one of these, I have no idea why I even started the article in the first place. Hug your friends, no matter their age, and always know that you are relevant, and that your ideas are just as great (probably even better) as anyone younger or older than you! Seriously. |
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Written by CHawk
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Jan 22 2010 9:51PM |
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Last Updated on Nov 29 1999 6:00PM |
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“I’m bored.” Seriously? If I hear one more person utter this phrase, or see another status update on Facebook proclaiming this, I may become like Michael Douglas in the film Falling Down. Ugh! I think my disdain for this term stems from the fact that I haven’t been bored in over 20 years.
Webster’s defines the word “bored” as: to weary by dullness, tedious repetition, unwelcome attentions, etc. Now, by the dictionary definition, I am bored often, but by the common use of the word (to have nothing productive to do), I can’t even fathom that. There is ALWAYS something to be done, whether it’s a chore around the house, an errand to run, or a school-related deadline.
So here’s a little unsolicited advice from C-Hawk. If you’re a kid/teen claiming to be bored, then read a book, ride a bike, help your mom around the house (my personal fave!), or talk to a friend. For those of you moms who are bored when your kids are at school, then find a place to volunteer, get a part-time job, or do some home improvement projects. I’ll bet there’s at least one closet that needs cleaning in your house! For all of you single ladies sighing with weariness over having nothing to do, it’s a good bet that you’re just making excuses for not getting out there and enjoying life! Make things happen for YOU. Only you can do that.
Now some of you are probably thinking that I should just step off my little soapbox, and leave well enough alone, but that just means you don’t know me…yet. I try to limit my advice-giving to only topics that I feel I’m an expert in, and I can assure you that non-boredom is one of my certified specialties! I sometimes wish I could be bored for just one day. One hour. Heck, five minutes would be nice. There is one thing I’ll never be bored with though, and that is being a part of G3 with all of you! Seriously. |
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Written by CHawk
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Jan 5 2010 9:03PM |
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Last Updated on Jan 7 2010 3:21PM |
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Loretta Young was wrong. She said that a charming woman is a busy woman. I have to disagree, at least in my case. Busy? I've got that part down! But when I'm stressed, charming would be a major misnomer. So when Kim asked me to add writing this column to the long list of hats I already wear, I freaked out inside, all the while keeping an enthusiastic smile on my overworked, overcommitted, underpaid face. Little did she know that I was thinking of 50,000 reasons to say no, and really only one reason to say yes. That one reason? My lifelong friendship with the amazing woman sitting across my dining room table from me. It all boils down to the unequivocal bond that exists between you and those women you choose to surround yourself with as you make your way through this crazy thing called life!
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