Dissertation A.D. 2015

Grad school is not in my future, but my right brain random self enjoys coming up with possible topics for doctoral thesis type things. Sort of like I enjoy coming up with book and song titles but certainly have not pursued writing any of late. After today's driver education sessions, this potential research idea came to mind:

A Comparative Study of Middle-Aged Female Driver Ed. Teachers and Weight Gain

In 1996, when I began this moonlighting job, I was happily driving in the lightweight division. Agile, nimble, quick to use the brake on my passenger side, able to turn my neck 180 degrees without discomfort, and capable of having a donut or two during morning driving sessions without gaining a single pound.

Several years later, the tires on the right side are riding low. I'm just saying, there's a heck of a lot of difference between 40 and 53. Someone forgot to tell me that I cannot eat a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit for breakfast and wash it down with a coke and then move on to Sonic for lunch where I just get a simple burger, fries, and drink, and then have my afternoon coke float to calm my nerves after a hard day of driving. I might as well come clean and also say that we visited a bakery today where I treated the graduating driver ed. students (and myself) to some darn good cookies.

My driver ed. teachers in 1972 were men--skinny, old men. How come they didn't gain weight? Maybe they snuck in a smoke when we were taking restroom breaks, I don't know. Maybe they had more willpower because they had someone at home who was going to cook a good hot meal for them when they got off work. Maybe fast food just wasn't as prevalent then as it is today.

Perhaps I could file workers' compensation for this tragedy. Or, at least ask the school district to pay for my masters and doctoral studies so I could research this topic, defend the thesis, and have my diploma in hand by 2015. I would become the first driver ed. teacher ever to have a Ph.D, enabling me to make at least $5 more an hour.

Or maybe, I could just quit rationalizing my weight gain and do one of three things: (1) accept it and enjoy another coke float tomorrow during Happy Hour, (2) discipline myself, or (3) start smoking. Thank goodness cigarettes cost too much.

Of course, option two makes the most sense. I'll just discipline myself to having a coke float every other day.

Going Global

We are but a small part of the globe. I realized this year while teaching high school students World Geography that many of us are locked into a limited perspective: seeing events and people and issues through one set of eyes: through Gail America eyes, Texan eyes, American eyes, Christian eyes, Republican or Democrat or Independent eyes. This limits the Creator, who at last check, was responsible for creating all folks on the face of this earth. Will we ever be able to see the world through His eyes?

Perspective comes when you check your mirrors. Often.
I use that phrase at least fifty times a day when teaching driver education here in Gail America. It is the number one thing those kids forget to do. I don't have to tell you the cause/effect of neglecting to perform those simple glances to the left, to the right, and in the middle rearview mirror. The same is true of our views of issues that may go left, right, or down the middle. Looking in all directions will help generate a decent and informed and healthy perspective of life's journeys.

So, whether you drive in the Metroplex or on Mopac, the Autobahn, Loop 289, or FM Road 1785 , check your mirrors--you might be surprised at what you'll really see.