Confessions of a 4th Grade Athlete by L.T. Garvin

Summer is here which brings it closer to the upcoming football season which brings it closer to unleashing the whimsical characters in my book, Confessions of a 4th Grade Athlete.  There are many valid questions that begged to be answered:

Why are we football-obsessed in the South?

Why do we love working out in 100+ degree weather?

Why do we chase an oblong leather ball around like our lives depended on it?

None of these questions; however, are answered in this book.  Nope, for those answers you will have to look elsewhere, but in this book you can discover a boy named Nate and his quest to become a star athlete amidst the scholarly demands of elementary school.  So I will be writing, blogging, promoting, reading and generally working pretty hard this summer.  I am not sure at this time if the saga of Nate will continue or not, as the Attention Monster is apparently holding my imagination hostage as he sometimes did when Nate attempted to concentrate in class.

If you would like some insight on the crazy game of football, and how we glorify it, then here is my  nostalgic summation of that all-important last game:

https://broussardlana.wordpress.com/2014/11/21/last-game-upon-the-green-grass/

You can also see that Nate may closely resemble this young man who did achieve a measured amount of local glory upon that hallowed football field that holds the dreams and aspirations of the populations of both large and small towns all over the nation as we grasp the long and wondrous days of summer and watch them unfold into the promise of fall.  You can also see that this sentence is much too long.  Hoping everyone in WordPress Land has a great Memorial Day weekend for those who celebrate it.

Illustrations by: Corbin Hillam.  Publication by Crystal Publishing, LLC

College Life, Greeks, Creepy Guys with Houses

I was just thinking the other day about labels, putting labels on people, and the problem of labeling. In one of my classes this week, I was notified by a student sitting a table who was mad at the others around him. He looked at me and said, "They called me blonde!!" Hmmm. I thought, is that a bad thing, I mean teacher girl here is, umm, blonde. I've always kinda liked my hair and never paid attention to blonde jokes. Another student in second grade was upset and came to tell me, "They are saying that I'm OLDER than they are!" Well, hmmm again, somebody has to be older, but not me, I don't even want to talk about age, ha ha.

I guess it is not always about what is being said, but who happens to be saying it. If they don't like you, then it can't be good. Take the Teenage Hunk who is now College Boy. I'm not labeling him, that's what I call him. College Boy, however, is too busy to call his mom so I hear from him infrequently and usually when he:

Runs out of money

Runs out of food

Runs out of homework excuses

I do have to give him credit for laundry. He does his own quite well. He was actually voted best dressed in high school. Seriously, with two older sisters, this kid can appreciate a shopping mall with the best of 'em. I'm learning a lot about campus life these days as College Boy, who is still technically a Teenage Hunk is taking over the world at the university. Sadly, I do believe that the labeling system which is put into place in Pre-K is still alive and well in college. College Boy was just explaining his social life to me the other day. His social life consists mainly of a fraternity, and I must say, I have never really thought that was a good idea although I must say again that the local college has many Greeks (the inclusive name for all sororities and fraternities) that take on many terrific community volunteer causes.

Many people believe that these organizations formed to continue the clique lifestyle that we all experienced in high school. By many people, I specifically mean Bowling for Soup as evident in their song, High School Never Ends. Anyway, after all the dirt settled, College Boy was cut from his first choice of Greek Coolness, but seems to be happy with the group that he landed in. He was apparently thankful that he did not end up with a couple of fraternities as he commented:

"The TKEs and the Sig Eps, well really mom, they are just creepy guys with houses."

Of course, that is his assessment and not mine as I am completely ignorant regarding who is this or who isn't,but I'm sure the second graders will be informing me shortly, and now I strongly caution all of you to stay away from those "creepy guys in houses." Also if you are going to label someone else, make sure they are truly creepy.

Photo Credit: The Scream Meets Creepy Clown by A-Dawg13 @ Deviant Art.com

The Animeaux

The amazing, iridescent

Animeaux

never to be caged

ever free he does go

He soars like a gull

and will never be dull

He's precocious

creates a fuss

when he catches the bus

He springs like a cat

and never gets fat

He listens like a dog

stays out of the bog

Where the willie wiley

creatures gather

He really would rather

Skate on the beach

remain out of reach

Quite a creature

he is

definitely a whiz

He moos like a cow

then takes a brisk bow

He arrives too late

but never misses a date

Being quiet

but misplacing his things

he moves about

as if made of springs

He howls like a jackal

and dreams like a bird

and of cupcakes three,

he's on the third

He does always put on

a super show

the incredible

but not edible...

Animeaux!

Happy Seussical Wednesday!