SPRING BREAK
So I was watching the Today show this morning with Katie Couric. She was doing an interview with some psychologist woman about the phenomenon that has become known as Spring Break. Now Spring Break has changed a lot since I was in college. I graduated in 1974. Some of my friends went down to Florida for Spring Break. I remember being envious of them. I spent my Spring Break in Flint, Michigan at my grandparents' house because I was too poor to even go home to Long Beach, CA. My friends came back from Florida with stories of riotous fun. They dressed up and went to a country club for dinner. They went to the beach and pretended they were from Harvard. They went to see some great historical sites. They met up with some beautiful girls from our college who were also down there. I sure wish I could have been there!
Spring Break has changed. We've seen it on MTV. Girls Gone Wild. Drinking until you pass out. Sex with multiple partners. Girls walking around pulling up their T-shirts. Wild dance parties that become orgies. The TV screen was filled with these images this morning. And then Katie Couric comes up with one of her patented, idiotic questions for the psychologist woman, "How can we as parents protect our children from becoming victims on Spring Break?" Oh, come on, Katie! What in the heck do you think the kids are going to Spring Break for? Historical sites? Practical jokes on the beach? Sneaking into fancy restaurants for dinner? They are going down there to overdrink, lose their inhibitions, have lots of sex, and come back to school to talk about it. Wait! Here's what the psychologist woman said! "Talk to your children before they go. Plan way for them to say 'no.' Remind them they can call you any time they want." There's more. "If you can't persuade them to go on an alternative trip like a ski trip or to Europe..." Since when do college students have a right to go anywhere on Spring Break? What? Are they working so hard at school that they absolutely need to get to Mexico or Florida for their mental health? They'll have plenty of time for that after they retire!
I have two sons in college. They're both at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Michigan, Sault Ste. Marie is as far north as you can go in the Upper Peninsula. The bridge to Canada is just off campus. They just returned to campus on Saturday after their Spring Break which they spent right here in beautiful Caledonia, MI with their dad and mom. (We tried to persuade them to go to Europe, but...) I have an idea, Katie. Tell your kids they're not going on Spring Break. Tell them you have some jobs for them right here at home. Caleb spent part of his Spring Break cleaning our carpets with a rented carpet cleaner. John cleaned out the basement. They seemed ok afterwards. No signs of any problems with their self esteem.
If your kids are going to Spring Break, fine. I'm not judging you. I'm sure you can be confident that you have raised them well and they will make good decisions. But whatever happens, they won't be victims, Katie!
So I was watching the Today show this morning with Katie Couric. She was doing an interview with some psychologist woman about the phenomenon that has become known as Spring Break. Now Spring Break has changed a lot since I was in college. I graduated in 1974. Some of my friends went down to Florida for Spring Break. I remember being envious of them. I spent my Spring Break in Flint, Michigan at my grandparents' house because I was too poor to even go home to Long Beach, CA. My friends came back from Florida with stories of riotous fun. They dressed up and went to a country club for dinner. They went to the beach and pretended they were from Harvard. They went to see some great historical sites. They met up with some beautiful girls from our college who were also down there. I sure wish I could have been there!
Spring Break has changed. We've seen it on MTV. Girls Gone Wild. Drinking until you pass out. Sex with multiple partners. Girls walking around pulling up their T-shirts. Wild dance parties that become orgies. The TV screen was filled with these images this morning. And then Katie Couric comes up with one of her patented, idiotic questions for the psychologist woman, "How can we as parents protect our children from becoming victims on Spring Break?" Oh, come on, Katie! What in the heck do you think the kids are going to Spring Break for? Historical sites? Practical jokes on the beach? Sneaking into fancy restaurants for dinner? They are going down there to overdrink, lose their inhibitions, have lots of sex, and come back to school to talk about it. Wait! Here's what the psychologist woman said! "Talk to your children before they go. Plan way for them to say 'no.' Remind them they can call you any time they want." There's more. "If you can't persuade them to go on an alternative trip like a ski trip or to Europe..." Since when do college students have a right to go anywhere on Spring Break? What? Are they working so hard at school that they absolutely need to get to Mexico or Florida for their mental health? They'll have plenty of time for that after they retire!
I have two sons in college. They're both at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Michigan, Sault Ste. Marie is as far north as you can go in the Upper Peninsula. The bridge to Canada is just off campus. They just returned to campus on Saturday after their Spring Break which they spent right here in beautiful Caledonia, MI with their dad and mom. (We tried to persuade them to go to Europe, but...) I have an idea, Katie. Tell your kids they're not going on Spring Break. Tell them you have some jobs for them right here at home. Caleb spent part of his Spring Break cleaning our carpets with a rented carpet cleaner. John cleaned out the basement. They seemed ok afterwards. No signs of any problems with their self esteem.
If your kids are going to Spring Break, fine. I'm not judging you. I'm sure you can be confident that you have raised them well and they will make good decisions. But whatever happens, they won't be victims, Katie!
6 Comments:
Aha! I found you! And I anticipate marvelous things from you now. Will this be the church's more serious blog? I mean, will we be able to comment on like theological stuff or ask you theological questions? You're taking a great risk and I thank you. I'll be sending along a box of Cubans for you soon.
Hey, I could have been the first to comment, but alas, I was blocked and now I am simply the 3rd to comment...not #1, not #2, but a lowly #3. And, worst of all, I can't even remember what I was going to say. Perhaps I was going back to Spring Break 1974 when Yakimaniac and I would venture up to Wisconsin and meet up with some of his very earthy relatives. We harvested corn out of season and listened to Alice Cooper...and slept with our eyes open.
I see you're getting closer to allowing comments to be made as easy as you can.
Now, just click off comment moderation. Do you really want to approve comments? I didn't.
It also seemed to irritate one of my favorite, loyal readers.
I also have always had a hard time reading copy on a black background.
Sure, it looks cool. But it's a pain to read.
your buddy-SC
I see you're getting closer to allowing comments to be made as easy as you can.
Now, just click off comment moderation. Do you really want to approve comments? I didn't.
It also seemed to irritate one of my favorite, loyal readers.
I also have always had a hard time reading copy on a black background.
Sure, it looks cool. But it's a pain to read.
your buddy-SC
The SC has such power! He doesn't like black backgrounds and VOILA it's now mustard yellow! Just don't drink the koolaid he passes out.
Did it work? The template changed? Really? Fantastic! This is turning into a real learning experience for me! I want it to be readable through the smoke. But I did say I didn't care if anyone reads it or not. Perhaps I was lying? Thanks for all your help, SC, Wife of SC, and Mooneyslanding!
Post a Comment
<< Home