Friday, January 28, 2011

25ish Things About Me

I wrote this on January 25, 2009. I can say that this list stands true except for the part about seeing Amish people on the horizon. They left me about a year ago. In place of number 20, I am adding 25a. Also, I ran another marathon this past year making the total number four. Thankfully, I have added no more children to our family.


1. I am addicted to the following: red wine, running, coffee, and Nestle Toll House semi-sweet morsels.
2. The people I have loved throughout my life are those that make me laugh.
3. Although I think the West Coast is more beautiful, I prefer the East Coast.
4. I am politically very liberal.
5. I walked to the hospital while in labor with my third child and then carried him home 30 or so hours later. (Alright, I will admit that the hospital was just around the corner from our house, but still!!)
6. I am a COLLEGE football fan.
7. The range of emotions my children invoke is amazing.
8. I am a news junkie.
9. My favorite author is John Irving.
10. I have very few regrets but all of them involve the way I treated someone. (I wish I could go back and redo a few events...take back what I said, said what I meant to say, or just said nothing at all.)
11. I ran the Columbus Marathon three years in a row.
12. I am fortunate to be a physical therapist because I have the opportunity to help people when they most need it.
13. When I was growing up I spent summers in a two-bedroom shack in Canada. There was no phone, no TV and I bathed in the lake out front. I sold minnows to my neighbors.
14. I lived in Mexico for a semester but am still not fluent in Spanish. (would still like to be!)
15. I do love to cook but lately feel as though it is more of a chore.
16. I majored in journalism my first two years of college. I was writing about the death of a student on campus and had to call her mother...I decided to change after I realized I didn't have the stomach for that kind of work.
17. My husband inspires me to do better.
18. I like to listen to Queen when I run.
19. I still can't believe I have four children but am reminded when I wake up in the morning and someone is driving a Hotwheel on my face.
20. I moved to Memphis from a county in Ohio with a high population of Amish people. It has been about a year and a half, however, I still see a horse and black buggy coming over the horizon once in a while.
21. I loved being a waitress in college because the tip on the table always gave me instant gratification.
22. I love instant gratification. I am an impatient person but having kids is helping me to change this.
23. I am kind of a loner but hate being lonely.
24. I love gangster movies, and, of course, the Sopranos.
25. I am a work in progress.
25a. I have recently vowed to not lose touch with any good friends. So....if you, my good friend, move and think you have gotten rid of me, think again. I WILL call and possibly visit. I have lost touch with too many important people that have blessed my life and I won't let that happen anymore.

The Epic Controversy of School Consolidation


As a proud parent of three children who attend Germantown Elementary School, I am thrilled to be a part of such an exemplary public school district. While I sympathize with many county school parents and their desire to maintain the status quo, I support the consolidation of Memphis City and Shelby County Schools.
Recently a group pushing for the formation of Germantown Municipal Schools has taken shape. A petition to explore this possibility has more than 900 signatures. I signed the petition last week because I thought it was an idea worth exploring. However, given the potential costs, I don’t think this would be worth pursuing. Parents of children at Germantown Elementary are supportive of the school and involved in their children’s education.  We are blessed with wonderful, enthusiastic teachers.  I’m confident this won’t change with consolidation.
Based on the talk between county school parents and the many letters to the editor in the Commercial Appeal, people in the county overlook the many excellent city schools. Much like the county, these schools have great teachers and parents and most are located in areas of economic prosperity.
The lack of economic prosperity in so many parts of Memphis is what drives me to support consolidation. Forty percent of Memphis City School children live below the poverty line and I fear that as wealth continues to move further and further from the city, the tax base in Memphis proper will continue to shrink. If SCS becomes a special district and county residents no longer have to pay for Memphis City Schools, the tax base will be small and I fear a decline in already troubled Memphis City Schools would be imminent. The city and its schools will be caught in a downward spiral as the wealthy desert the city in pursuit of higher property values and better schools.
Unfortunately, what ails the city schools is rooted in decades of societal decay caused by poverty and racism. This can’t be fixed by consolidating the two school districts. However, as county residents, we can’t turn our backs on the problems of the city as we bask in the security of our neighborhoods and the academic achievements of our children.  When poverty and crime rates rise, county residents will be impacted. Economic development and tourism will decline along with our city’s reputation. 
            The enormity of the potential new school district and lack of a plan for managing it concerns me. However, the divisiveness between the differing sides really frightens me. The only lines that separate county and city are on a map. The two school boards need to pull together and make decisions for the sake of all children in our community. Our success as city and county depend on it.