Is this a Malaprop?

How about a Trapezoid Circle?

I thought of this sign when I read my sister's blog about malaprops. I spose the folks who named this little strip mall in Rockmart knew the absurdity of the name, but it always tickles me when I pass it. So, we took a picture.

The stores, by the way, are laid out in a nice straight line.

from Congressman John Murtha

The Presence of Our Troops is Driving the Insurgency

General Casey said in a September 2005 Hearing, “the perception of occupation in Iraq is a major driving force behind the insurgency.” General Abizaid said on the same date, “Reducing the size and visibility of the coalition forces in Iraq is a part of our counterinsurgency strategy.”

Check out the actual words of Congressman Murtha.

Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel

The America the World Needs to See

“What distinguishes America is not our power, for the world has known great power. It is America’s purpose and our commitment to making a better life for all people. That is the America the world needs to see. A wise, thoughtful and steady nation, worthy of its power, generous of spirit, and humble in its purpose.”

Check out what this Republican Senator has to say.

An Off-the-cuff Serial Autobiography (An Episode of 1969)

Spare the Rod, Ichabod Shaw -- 1969

As a beginning teacher in 1969 I was philosophically opposed to corporal punishment, even though it was routinely used in almost all southern schools. I explained my hesitation to use such a brutal method of classroom management to my good friend, Mike, who was teaching in an inner city school. Mike scoffed at my high and mighty attitude.

“You’ll spank,” he declared, “Wait till a few spit wads whiz past your noggin. And when you do, let me explain how to do it.”

He proceeded to describe how to administer one very hard whack to the buttocks in a way definitely memorable to the spankee, but not likely to cause bruising or lasting injury.

A few weeks later the teaching principal, Mr. Smith, called me in to watch his class for the afternoon while he attended a meeting at the central office. He stood me before his 35 coalmine town seventh graders, several a head or more taller and pounds heavier than me.

“This is Mr. Shaw, your substitute teacher. Mr. Shaw will not hesitate to use the Black Dragon,” he proclaimed as he pulled a two foot long paddle made of oak and wrapped in black electrical tape out of a drawer and laid it on the desk, “so you had best behave!”

As Mr. Smith left the building the spit wads began to fly. Another thirty minutes and philosophy gave way to reality. I waved the Black Dragon in desperation and picked my victim from the many candidates.

“Rocky, come with me to the cloakroom,” I growled at the biggest, meanest boy in the school. I hoped the class would not notice my hands quaking as I followed him out of the classroom.
“Empty your back pockets and put your hands on the wall.”

Rocky did as he was told - with a bit of a smirk on his face. Following Mike’s instructions I swung the Dragon in an upward arc and whacked the fleshiest section of the boy’s hind parts once only.

It may have only been my ears, but the report of that paddle rivaled any gun I’d heard. I was convinced every human ear within a mile had heard it. I was sure my career was over before it could really begin. Surely someone would call the cops. I felt tears welling in my own eyes, but managed to choke out a fairly even, “Rocky, I hope you have learned your lesson. Now go have a seat.”

To my astonishment Rocky answered meekly, “Yes, Sir.” As he turned toward the classroom I saw big tears glistening in his eyes.

His classmates had heard the whack and they saw the tears.
All was changed. A pin drop in that classroom would have snapped every head to attention. Lessons proceeded with quiet earnestness.

That was the only paddling I administered that year. Rocky did not seem hurt physically or emotionally, and in fact, changed his ways. He even joined and took a leadership role in the boys’ club I organized in the community as part of my Teacher Corps duties.

Paddlings had some advantages. They did stop bad behavior, at least temporarily. Paddlings were over quickly and lessons could go forward without the drawn-out sermonizing by the teacher and extended pouting by the student that often accompany the “time-outs”, school “discipline forms”, “in-school suspension”, etc. of today.

We no longer paddle students in our schools: that is good. But I am convinced that a paddling was needed that day in 1969. I don't regret it.

Torture, Terrorism, Abu Ghraib, Black Sites

Our Own Worst Enemy

Yes. We are, sometimes, our own worst enemy.

Take the Bush treatment of prisoners from the Afghan and Iraqi wars.

It is not a great leap from unconcern about the treatment of accused terrorists to unconcern about mistreatment of other prisoners or political enemies.

Treating prisoners inhumanely is incredibly stupid. It inspires revenge. It embitters a generation or two or three. It repels potential allies. It is also un-American and un-Christian and unwise. It plays right into the hands of the terrorists. No act committed by the terrorists themselves has helped the terrorists' cause so much as the Bush Administration's amateurish, clumsy and wrongheaded policies regarding prisoners, which, intentionally or not, led to the Abu Ghraib disgrace. (Well, OK, the Iraq war itself has helped Al Qaeda recover from the defeat in Afghanistan and divided the anti-terrorist world. But no part of the Iraq war has hurt us more than the prisoner abuse.)

Hacking of heads, roadside bombs, suicide missions: these are terrorist acts. They are grisly, beastly, unimaginably cruel. Yep, that's terrorism. These barbarous acts are the evil history of every war in all ages. In my book the Abu Ghraib atrocities and “black sites” (and My Lai, Andersonville, Wounded Knee, etc) are worse for America, not because they are more bloody or more evil in themselves, of course they are not; but because they initiate Americans as junior members of the society of the brutes of Baghdad and their predecessors of Germany, Japan, the Spanish Inquisition, etc, etc., etc.

The entire Bush response to the terrorists has been wrongheaded. I say that not because I believe we should be pacifists. Heavens, no. We should respond with devastating and righteous fury against proven terrorists. But we should respond as Americans who believe the words of our founding documents, who believe that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. Whenever we disregard basic human rights, I believe we disregard and diminish our heritage and our moral standing in the world. In short we defeat ourselves. We fail our forefathers.

We become our own worst enemies.

An Off-the-cuff Serial Autobiography

Chapter the First:

1947-1954

The doctor examined the expectant mother and recommended she return home; that baby wasn't coming soon. So she walked with her husband to the car, then quickly walked back to the clinic.  I was born a few minutes later, about 12:20 a.m. on March 22, 1947. Daddy, just back from service in World War Two, was a mill worker in the very small Callaway Mills town, Milstead, just outside Conyers, Georgia.

My two older sisters had been born before the war. I came along after my Marine daddy got back from the South Pacific. A little sister was born in ‘49.
All I remember from those first three years in Georgia are my best next door neighbor friend, and vague images of taking my Daddy his lunch at the mill with my older sisters, and the surreal sight of a truck loaded with dead dogs during a rabies epidemic.

Daddy accepted a call to ministry and moved us up highways 41 and 27 to Wilmore, Ky, in 1950, so he could finish college at Asbury and begin his career as a Methodist minister. We lived first in “GI Barracks” near the campus where I had my fifth birthday party but was too sick with a bad cold to enjoy it. We had to ford a creek in the car to visit some of Daddy’s church members.

There another sister was born. Daddy served little churches in southern Ohio and central Kentucky during his college days. I started school in little Mackville, Ky. I remember the story of one of my little classmates, a girl, falling into the outhouse pit. I wonder where that woman is now.

I remember walking to school that first day holding on to my mother’s hand. I remember going to the county seat to get my smallpox vaccination.

I learned some cuss words at school and brought them home to the consternation of my parents. Daddy killed big snakes in the furnace room of the church one morning... to the consternation of his farmer parishioners who said the big rat snakes would have been welcomed around their barns.
Sometime during this period we spent the summer in Georgia. We rented a little house in the middle of big cotton fields. I remember a board swing in a big tree that went really high. I remember Mama drying apples and peaches in the sun to preserve them for fried pies and such during later months.
I loved my Daddy’s parents and brothers. They came to Kentucky to visit once or twice. They always made a point of bringing me a big jar of Bama Apple Butter. That was special. Daddy Shaw and the whole bunch came down with food poisoning on one trip. Daddy Shaw loved to regale us with stories. When he talked about that trip he’d always say that he finally just pulled up a bush and took it in the car with him so he wouldn’t be caught without one when the need arose.
Dinners on the grounds at church included a strange dish called “cushaw” that I haven’t run into since 1954. According to online dictionaries it’s a crook necked pumpkin or squash. Anyway, I didn’t like it. I did like “banana croquettes” banana halves rolled in mayonnaise and crushed peanuts -- yum!

From the Fifties Forever website:

BANANA CROQUETTES
Chop or blend: 3 parts peanuts to one part saltine crackers
Cut bananas in half;
totally coat bananas with mayonnaise or salad dressing;
then lightly roll in peanut mixture.
Serve on a leaf of lettuce.

Another treat for the preacher’s kid was the monthly Men’s Club meeting at the little country church where a pot of hotdogs were heated on the potbellied stove. I remember Vacation Bible School when my Dad pulled a trailer slowly around the farm roads collecting children for a hayride to VBS. That was many years before seat-belts and car seats.

And I remember a special lady friend at Antioch church who invited me to sit with her in church. I loved to sing “When the Roll is Call Up Yonder”.

My two older sisters were beautiful and popular. Janice played the piano and was a cheerleader. Joan was quieter and intellectual. They baby-sat me and my two younger sisters. I worshipped them.
As for my younger sisters, I was proud of saving Carol’s life. I bravely slew an evil spider that was aiming to do her in. It was, no doubt, a deadly black widow. I then assumed the role of guardian knight to my younger sisters and have been appalled to discover that they did not always view me in that light.
When we packed the trailer to move back to Georgia there was no room for my sled and, given Georgia weather, my parents decided to give it away. I never forgave them. (j/k!)

Beyond-the-personal magic

I thought it would be fun to take up Carol's challenge to use my magic wand. I should steer clear of politics after my lengthy opening manifesto, but I can't help myself. Several of these concern political big moments.

Ten national and international swoops of my wand during my lifetime, realizing that some might prove mutually exclusive:

10. The IBM board of Directors inexplicably names Steve Jobs CEO and Chairman in 1974 merging that company with little Apple Computer. (Young Bill Gates decides to finish college before entering the business world, thereby saving a generation from the C prompt and then Windows.)

9. President Eisenhower decides to let the Vietnamese settle their own affairs, Senators Kennedy and Johnson praise his decision and pledge their support for keeping the US out of that civil war.

8. Police redirect that caravan of cars in Dallas in 1963 a block away from the School Book Depository building

7. James Earl Ray stumbles going up the stairs and fatally shoots himself in 1968. There’s a small article about Ray on page nine of the same Memphis newspaper that contains a big wrap-up article on page one about MLK’s successful visit to the city.

6. Tape recordings of campaign meetings reveal the real Richard Nixon in October 1968.

5. The complete military record of a certain pampered rich Texas boy is publically revealed in October 2000.

4. A sandstorm in Iran mysteriously vanishes before the helicopters take off in 1980, and the hostage rescue goes off like clockwork.

3. Osama keeps to his original schedule on August 20, 1998.

2. The arteries of a certain Ayatollah clog suddenly while he’s still in exile in Paris sometime before 1979.

1. Election officials reject the stupid butterfly ballot design before the print deadline in the Fall of 2000.

(Bonus Shazam!!) Ronald Reagan is awarded the Best Actor Oscar for his signature role in Bedtime for Bonzo and signs a multi-million dollar lifetime contract to continue his acting career.

Odd Man Out

Alone on A Limb

What I write below is very serious and important to me. I promise that all my blogs will not be political in nature, but I love my country and cannot ignore issues like those I discuss below. If this bothers you, my blog may not be for you.

VACLAV HAVEL said:
"You do not become a "dissident" just because you decide one day to take up this most unusual career. You are thrown into it by your personal sense of responsibility..."

OK, I don't fear for my life at family reunions. But I am the family dissident. So, another quote, this time from EDWARD R. MURROW:
"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it."

I am alone among my siblings. We are a big, loving, hugging, boisterous, generally strong-willed bunch. Five sisters, two brothers and my mother. We vacation together almost every year with our spouses and children and even grandchildren. We usually get along well.

Like the rest of the country, though, we are split by politics. Unfortunately for me, however, our family is not split down the middle: all five sisters, my brother, and my mother have become very conservative Republicans. I am the the odd man out.

I am a Democrat.

I love the founding documents of our country.
I revere the founding fathers.
I believe in civil rights for all.
I believe dissent is a responsibility of citizenship.

I believe in the separation of church and state as being best for both.
I believe our government should protect minority rights.
I believe that we have a cultural heritage that should not be denied or ignored. The Christian faith is a huge part of that heritage.
I believe also that we must be more sensitive than our fathers to the fact that many loyal Americans are not Christian.

I believe in stringent environmental protection.
I believe that the government should, for the public good, provide good roads, a strong national defense, effective emergency management, outstanding public schools, basic housing and food for the poorest among us, support for the arts, good public broadcasting, mass transit in cities, inter-city and cross-country passenger rail service, for starters.

I believe the activities, associations, living arrangements, or lifestyles of adults should concern the government only if it interferes with the life, liberty, property or health of others.
I believe no person, however stupid or misguided, should be forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term. Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare.

I believe in our right as a people to covenant together to provide universal health care to our citizens.
I believe those of us who, through some combination of intelligence, hard work, learned skills, and good fortune, have been financially well-rewarded should pay the largest part of the expenses to provide the services and protections I have described.

I believe torture is always wrong and incredibly stupid and any president or vice president or other official who advocates relaxing that rule cannot be trusted with the powers of his/her office.
I believe all persons are created equal and endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
I believe we should go to war only when there is a clear national interest that can be protected no other way and when there is a strong consensus among the people to support the war.
I believe that lying, exaggerating, or hyping information in order to take our country to war is a high crime.

I therefore believe the current occupant of the White House is right out there with Richard Nixon and James Buchanan in the race for the most dangerous President of all time. With the right wing in total control of all three branches of government, a major "news" network, an intricate right-wing "religious" political consortium, and a huge talk-show echo chamber, it isn't likely to be practical to impeach him. He deserves it.

A final quote, this time from a Nazi, HERMANN GOERING:
"Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

Probably most of the folks who visit this blog (if anyone does) will be my family. Except for my wife and daughters, I expect my family will disagree with me. I'm sorry I'm alone out on this limb of our family tree. But I've been pushed out here by my "personal sense of responsibility". To abandon my limb while I have these beliefs would be cowardly and unpatriotic.

I hope my wonderful family will at least understand me better for what I write here.

I welcome brief polite comments in support or disagreement. Those who have long responses should post links to their own blogs in a brief comment. I will delete any impolite comments.

Gleaning Facebook: Goofy Teacher

For Halloween. 

The Secret Garden

 

The prop letter we used in this production of The Secret Garden.

The prop envelope we used in this production of The Secret Garden.

Time Machine: Annie- Albert Reunion

 

Michell Evans

Today we at Trinity said goodbye and celebrated the life of Mitchell Evans who has been a quiet but very active leader in our church for many years. I was privileged to be a part of the memorial service for this good man.

Betty Sanders

What a character Betty Sanders was. Sheila and I sang with Betty in the choir at Trinity United Methodist Church for several years.

From Mother's 1984 Christmas letter

Here is the online obituary:

Betty Curry Sanders died at her home November 20, 2003 after a brief illness. She was born December 30, 1928 to the late John W. and Connie Curry in LaGrange, GA. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, The Rev. James Sanders with whom she served in The United Methodist ministry all their married life. She is also survived by two sons, two daughters and their spouses: Lamar and Melissa Sanders of Douglasville, William L. Sanders and Linda Dunham-Sanders of Atlanta, Alice and Wally Bell of Acworth and Laura Bishop-Collette and Joe Collette of Marietta, eight grandchildren, and a brother, Don Curry of LaGrange. Betty taught school for 25 years in Pike, Cobb and Rockdale counties.

 

She was active in the churches they served teaching Sunday School, playing piano, organ and hand bells, singing in the choir and actively serving through the United Methodist Women. At one time she was Conference reporter to The Wesleyan Advocate and also District UMW Treasurer of the Decatur-Oxford District.

 

She was an active member of the United Methodist Children's Home Auxiliary, participated in the work of Villa International, Global Health and Cancer Sewing at The First United Methodist Church of Decatur where she held her church membership. Playing her vibraharp and accordion she frequently did programs at nursing homes, churches and civic groups.

 

Visitation will be at A. S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home, North Decatur Road Friday 2:00-4:00 and 6:00-8:00 pm Services will be held Saturday, 11:00 am at Grace United Methodist Church, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta where they have served in retirement for the past six years. Visitation also at the church at 10:00 am. Dr. John Beyers, Dr. Sam Coker and The Rev. Royeese Stowe will officiate. Burial will follow at The Winters Chapel Church Cemetery, Doraville, GA.

 

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to The United Methodist Children's Home, Decatur or to projects of United Methodist Women through your local church. A. S. Turner & Sons 

An online photo of a young Betty.

 

Time Machine: Jessica's Graduation May 2003

Jessica's high school graduation photo - 2003

2009 Facebook Comments

Jessica Rogers
Wow. I graduated 6 years ago, so that photo's about 7 years old.

Terrell Shaw
Beautiful girl! I am just gradually scanning all the loose pics in this box. Yours is probably the newest pic in the bunch.

Katie Shaw Leshko
whoa! I remember that! Besides hairstyle, you haven't changed much… or maybe that's just because I always see you 

 

Time Machine: Cody Lee Burton

 

Time Machine: Camp 2002

From my Facebook:, May 24, 2010

Our third Armuchee Elementary spring camp trip. Lookout Mountain Camp May 2002. These kids are graduating from high school this year. Cameron are you in this pic? It's blurry.

Terrell Shaw
That does not look like you, Blaine... but you should know, of course. <grin>

Cameron Anderson
i think im one of the kids in the very pack, the one on the right of the three.

Anita Stewart
Super memories with some great students. You have always been able to reach the students and give them wonderful experiences. Congratulations to the grads and to Mr. Shaw for helping them become achievers. 

Terrell Shaw

BTW we had a super principal who allowed Nancy Chambers and me to get this thing started and who allowed it to grow into a much anticipated (now 11-year) tradition of fourth-grade at Armuchee Elementary. 

I believe this trip has been a wonderfully positive attitude changer for a bunch of kids, and a whole lot of fun for the rest. (Bugs and all, Elizabeth!)

Terrell Shaw

Kristen do you remember doing the echo skit with me? That was the first performance of what has become another tradition.

"ba-lonnnnnnn-ney!"

I think 2002 was the year I took a video camera along. Somewhere I have a camp video - it could have been the year before.

Nancy Waters Carr
What a great group. thank you Terrell for being willing to help get program going. So many memories!

 

Time Machine: Baird Family Reunion 2002

2011 Notes: Family Reunion May 2002. God bless the memory of these two wonderful aunts and the lives of those still enjoying life on this side.

2011 Comment
Janice Shaw Crouse
Great picture of mother -- I love the bone structure of her face -- just perfect!!!

Time Machine: Rachel Jones

 

Time Machine: My Favorite Year!

 

Time Machine: Best Actress

 I don't know the exact date of the presentation in the Spring of 2001, but Brannon was very deserving of this award as Best Actress, Rome High School Theater for 2000-2001.

Happy 53rd to Me!

A Happy Birthday to me from my fellow fourth grade teachers today. I so enjoy my new colleagues at Armuchee Elementary! (Cindy Latimer, Marsha Lindsey, Marilyn McLean, Ruth Pinson, Nancy Smith, Brenda, 

 

Time Machine: Mother's Chandelier

The date of this picture is approximate. If anyone has a more accurate date let me know. Mother moved to this house on Rollingwood Circle in Rome late in 1997. Mark Crouse who is on my shoulders in the picture was born in May of 1997. I'd say he is two or three in this picture. So we'll put this in September 1999.

Mother loved to shop the thrift shops, Hospitality House, ReStore, and Salvation Army. The Salvation Army thrift store in the late nineties was in the little shopping center on the west side of Huffacre Road at Shorter Avenue. That's where she found and bought this light fixture. During one of his visits to Georgia my nephew, her grandson, Gil Crouse Jr set about installing it over Mother's dining table. 

Gil often found similar very practical ways to be of service to his grandmother when he visited her. 

Here he is assisted by his father, Gil Sr. while I observe with Gil's boys, Mark and Lewis.

 

Time Machine: John Lewis

Terrell Shaw & Congressman John Lewis at a Democratic Party event in Summerville, GA.

From Facebook, February 16, 2021: Here I am with one of my heroes. This is another find from the boxes of photos I've been going through. This was taken at an event in Summerville in 1999.

Congratulations, Governor Barnes

 I was pleased to be invited to attend the inauguration of Georgia's new governor, Roy Barnes, today. 

Here is my program, with I asked several folks to sign for me. It is signed by four of Georgia's governors: Roy Barnes, Joe Frank Harris, Carl Sanders, and, even, sometimes Democrat Lester Maddox. 

In addition newly elected Secretary of State Cathy Cox, Georgia's new First Lady Marie Barnes, newly elected Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor, and Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irwin all signed the program.

I think Barnes signed it first. I wish I'd asked him to sign just above his name as Taylor did.