But No One Believed Me

Posted on October 29, 2010 by leighton

Often, it’s difficult to be absolutely sure of something when no one else agrees or believes with you. The desire to conform is just too powerful (whether we admit having it or not). This is magnified for young children, especially those in sixth grade and on the verge of puberty. Nobody wants to stand out at that age, and I was no different. If anything, I was more motivated than most to blend in (not that I had much success). That’s why I’m still surprised that I refused to budge on what I said one fall evening when I was eleven. Continue reading →

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Double Standards

Posted on October 27, 2010 by leighton

One thing I’ve tried to avoid as a parent is enforcing a double standard. I don’t mean what my children might consider a double standard, such as me watching an R rated movie but not allowing my six-year-old to. I mean real double standards. The kind any outside observer would point to as obviously unfair, non-sensical, or just plain silly. Continue reading →

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Couple Skits

Posted on October 25, 2010 by leighton

I’ve written before that I grew up spending at least one week a summer at Lylewood Christian Camp. A mainstay of all summer camps (and a highlight of the session) is skit night. I always enjoyed skit night. I liked creating a skit with my cabin and also watching other cabin’s efforts. That changed once I was old enough to attend the high school sessions and I learned of the existence of Couple Skits. Continue reading →

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I Don’t Think You Get It

Posted on October 22, 2010 by leighton

I find it annoying when someone seems to be deliberately unaware of what is said in a conversation in which they are participating. Sometimes, they can even be the person making nonsensical comments with little relation to reality. Are they being deliberately obtuse? Is it just a distorted self-image? Perhaps a form of self-preservation. Whatever the cause, it can definitely be amusing as well as annoying.

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These Situations

Posted on October 20, 2010 by leighton

I’ve written before about seemingly being the subject of a television show, which is, of course, completely ludicrous. On one level I understand that. The problem is, weird situations often occur in my life and that makes it harder to believe  someone isn’t trying out jokes (or possibly that sit-coms are far more realistic than anyone realized). These situations seem too well crafted to be real, and yet they are absolutely true. I know. I lived them. Continue reading →

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One Little Girl

Posted on October 18, 2010 by leighton

I recently ran across an essay I wrote around 2002. I wrote it for myself and no one other than my wife has ever read it. As I read it with the benefit of experience, I was struck by how much writing it altered my life. I made a few career decisions since I wrote it and I can see the threads of the essay running through them. I also realized that it utilized a theme I had already experienced in my life (and one I would experience many more times). The essay concern one little girl and how she changed my life.

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For Protection

Posted on October 15, 2010 by leighton

In High School, my wallet contained the usual assortment of things, but I also kept two items most people did not carry.  One was a sugar packet, the other . . . caused some interesting conversations.

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My Favorite Story to Tell

Posted on October 13, 2010 by leighton

The first job I ever held was in a cinnamon roll shop at Governor’s Square Mall in Clarksville. Whenever I was on break from icing the rolls and serving customers, my favorite thing to do was to wander and people watch (it had the added benefit of being free). Dramas unfolded and played out everyday between the various shops and attractions, but none of them compared to what I witnessed one dreary December evening. Continue reading →

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Apologizing to Sonny

Posted on October 11, 2010 by leighton

I grew up spending at least one week each summer at Lylewood Christian Camp. Like all camps, Lylewood has certain spooky stories that get repeated. The main ones, in order of popularity, concerned Mad Myrtle, Baby Jim, and Sonny. Mad Myrtle was (spoiler alert!) completely made up, Baby Jim was based somewhat in reality though greatly embellished, and Sonny, well, Sonny was real.

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A Pox Upon Me

Posted on October 8, 2010 by leighton

When my daughter was born in 2004, I worried. I worried about all the normal things a first time father might, but also about chicken pox. I worried because almost every kid got it and I had never had it. I lived in fear of contracting it (which at least partially explains why I was suddenly absent from any room when someone had a rash), and was afraid of what might happen if Autumn wound up with it. Then my mom gave incredible news, she said I did have chicken pox when I was young. I was less worried. Pity she was wrong.

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