A while back, I was about halfway through a busy Tuesday morning volunteer shift, greeting visitors, answering questions, and running the cash register. A young woman who had been standing back from the front desk came up to it and said, “They said I could use a phone here. I don’t know where I am and I’m kind of freaking out here.” Before I could answer a man standing nearby handed her his phone and, after she made a call, his wife came up and started talking to her. They walked out the door together.

If memory serves me correctly, the then sitting Union County Board of Education ousted sitting Director of Schools David F. Coppock in spring, 2001. Three months later, a new director, Dr. James Pratt from Albertville, Alabama had been hired. It was Dr. Pratt’s philosophy to let principals hire their own teachers and to make very few changes his first year in office. He did make at least one change during his second and final year—he moved me from principal at Sharps Chapel to principal at Luttrell.

Watching television back in the early days of TV was much different than what it is today. Of course, the screen was tiny, 12 inches, compared to those now available. Black and white it was. We could only imagine that the tree leaves were green and that pretty dress the star of the show was wearing was candy apple red. However, we had good imaginations. After all, we had our ears tuned to the radio for a decade or so. The sound effects of that era prepared us for the magic of black and white television. We could now see what before we had only heard.

If you read my stuff much, you know that I am unabashedly proud to be mountain bred. I love our southern Appalachians mountains. The terrain, the climate, the plants and animals, the culture and history, all blend together to form a unique place to live.

What is it about cats that so fascinates humankind? Those who love them extol their fiercely independent natures, their lithe and beautiful lines, intelligence, and adaptability. They show endlessly cute pictures of kittens and cats playing, purring, cuddling, and meowing. On the other hand, I have seen Facebook posts where cat haters talk about how stealthy, unintelligent, nasty, and evil they are. Those people describe some of the things they would do if a cat was ever unlucky enough to sneak in their houses. That kind of polarity has been around for eons.

Back in the late 1990s, there was a quirky band called Servotron. In my opinion, they are quite forgettable, but one of their songs finds its way into my head from time to time – not because of its quality or its tune, but just because of the images the title evokes. They called it, “All Robots (Report to the Dance Floor).” Every time I think about it, I conjure up mental images of mechanical beings gyrating to the beat of electronic dance music. In my head, they step, bend, twist and execute all sorts of inorganic-looking moves. It’s chaos.

I like upside-down cakes. They go together quickly and you can eat them warm. Warm is best, anyway. As much as I like gooey frosting, the small nine inch upside-down cakes never go stale around our house. Ice cream or Cool-Whip is a welcome addition, too.

Agriculture is a highly under recognized aspect of each person’s daily life. From clothing to nutrition, it all starts with agriculture. Americans must understand the value of farming and recognize the importance it holds. President Donald Trump proclaimed that March 14, 2019 be recognized as National Ag Day across America as a salute to the contributions of America’s farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses.

Spelling bees help to promote literacy by providing children with a positive goal to strive for, while giving them a forum to display the results of their dedication to work hard. Not only does the event improve their spelling, the bees also aid children in learning concepts, improving comprehension, and developing study skills that will benefit them through their school years and later. Benefits extend beyond language and skill, though.

Mincey’s Musings
Year Two, Week Ten

My nephew Jeff was graduating from Marine basic training at Paris Island, South Carolina in the early 1990s. His parents, sister, his two grandmothers and I decided to make the trip to see the ceremony.