up close ...

... and personable

everybody knows ...

bird is the word

thanks uncle mike !

each one teach one ...

considering mom's skills and talents
it should not shock you to learn
that some of her teaching prowess
has rubbed off on me

but pedagogical skills are like any other
you have to continue to apply them
lest your proficiency may fade

there is an oft-quoted adage that speaks to
the challenges inherent in imparting wisdom
on an aged canine ... but let me assure you that
teaching middle aged cats ain't a picnic either

as such ... i am left with one other
convenient student teaching option ... dear old dad

here you see us reading together
his comprehension is impressive
and he sounds out big words like a champ
if only he would stop moving his mouth
when reading silently


at times we veer from the academic realm
and focus on cultivating interpersonal skills
here i am polishing dad's smile
i had to crawl inside of a storage ottoman
to elicit this response
he had to stay after class that day


as any educator will tell you
assessing your student's needs is paramount
when crafting a beneficial lesson plan
here you see evidence of this effort
as i walk not quite a mile in dad's shoes

your comments please ...

a cynical individual might try to convince you
that the "caption contest" is the blogist's crutch
an easy way out for the apathetic or ignorant

i refute this claim and choose to believe that
i am doing you [my audience] a disservice
if i neglect to periodically solicit your input
what is the point of these posts ...
if not to create some interaction ?

we can discuss the societal value of
narcissistic dialogues at a later date

for now i just want you to take your best shot
at putting your words to the image below
no pressure here ... you don't have to wow me
sure ... everyone you know will likely read this
critique your punctuation, vocabulary and spelling
and judge you based on the criteria above

so good luck ...

do you want a cookie ...

i am fresh out of bozo buttons
but we do have a new trophy
you might be interested in
more on that later

but first ... the trophy of all trophies
is of course the graham-cooper cup
of college football supremacy

i am sure that i do not need to point this out
to the more astute followers of the chronicles
but the cup has been enhanced

in the spirit of the stanley cup & the borg-warner
the cup is now emblazoned with its own history

and on the next side ...

it does not take an eagle-eyed observer to see
that there are certain teams*
which are under-represented in the winners' column
* not gonna name any names but let's just say
they are from a state that rhymes with flyndiana

but there is no reason to weep
for those who proudly wear old gold or crimson & cream
for a new trophy has entered the scene ...

it is currently in the possession of
the reigning march madness bracket king

but have no fear ...

it is up for grabs again
come memorial day weekend