Gladiators: Observation at the Bee (Part 2 of 2)

(Cont from Gladiators-observations-of-bee-part-1-of-2)

French Revolution

When you pan the audience, one sees Non-spelling parents yawn. Parents that are spelling one can see them mouth the words in confidence. They shake their heads as they hear their child spell it wrong.  Then that surprised look as they realize that their children are better spellers than they are.

Each row of kids come up to mic. They sway to the left and right waiting for their turn. Heart is racing as the walk up to the mic. I understand that this how the aristocrats felt at the French revolution as they met the invention of Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin. 

I Love This Guy--He Takes A Fall, But He Gets Back Up

Personally, I am waiting for one to get light-headed under the pressure and take a header.Words from the Mike Meyers movie, "So I Married An Axe Murderer"--"We got a Speller Down. Speller Is Down" I can still see that spelling bee kid on ESPN. If you don’t know, here it is. I love this guy. He takes a fall and gets back up.

Wouldn't You Like To See This?

Maybe someday, we’ll see a speller, a 4^th grader with the ‘Nads’ to spell an impossible word like, “quixotic”. “Can I get a definition? Can I get that used in a sentence? Can you give me the language of origin?  “quixotic, Q-U-I-X, ummmm, I-D-O-N-‘-T-K-N-O-W-T-H-I-S-I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E-W-O-R-D-B-U-T-I –W-I-L-L-U-S-E-T-H-I-S-T-I-M-E-T-O-M-A-K-E-U-P-A-N-E-W-W-O-R-D, quixotic.”

I keep hearing Maximus words, “Are you not satisfied? Have I not entertained you?”

Life Lesson About Oneself

Oh well. A lesson that one must learn. It is something to know. Do you enjoy the competition? Some people thrive. Some others just survive. Some just decide to throw in the towel. Love them all.

Not All Are Superstores

Children are all different. Some love the heart racing. Some enjoy the thrill of victory. We need heroes to look up. Some just want to be an honorable mention. Just being part of the game, part of the competition. Guess, it is like being on a high school football or basketball team, but not good enough to be a starter.

Michael Jordan did not make the squad. He didn't turn out so bad. It's times like this day that we fail and decide to get back up. If we can remember what is important to us, and decide to do or not do anything about it.

Success is transient. It is also a habit. I applaud that those decide not play. We as a society try to fight and compete. Working long and late hours, being absent to their kids for the almighty buck.  They must choose to work extra hours to keep the roof overhead and food on the table versus being home attending those with needs. Health goes the way of diabetes and obesity. Yet, this is no subscription for quitting. This simply is a prescription to be who we decide to be and subscription to be okay with that.

Worth the Price? That's Personal

Families longing for that feeling of family-ness. Community’s  feeling communal. It is no wonder why children cocoon themselves in WII and the internet. Pay attention to children, Mom and Dad, and, then the child will pay in kind.

Being a latchkey kid, I understand learning to be my own keeper. TV was my babysitter. Library and parks my friends. Video games and comic books were my escape. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think I would want to have it any other way.

I've failed over. . .and over and over in my life. This is why I succeed
Lucky for me, I had a knack for school and a voracious hunger for learning. Being introspected was my default position. Plus, I had been prideful. When I didn't succeed, it became a mission to conquer this. Not always great trait, but it drove me to prove people wrong. It was this feeling inside these Spelling Bee-ers are facing today.  Some will take the time to learn who they are and where they want to play. I take solace is in a fellow Feb 17'er's commercial. 

Tension in the air is waning. Each parent is secretly and silently wishing that the other children will falter so they can go home sooner. Climbing that ladder of winner-dom. Learning Center is glorified arena for future lessons to learn.

Lessons to Learn: Applaud Them All. Love Them All

We are not even out of the first round. Disappointed parents are waiting to shuttle their children home. Some parents wait and silently hope the other children will have a mental hiccup. Tension fills the silence.

First round is almost over. Straight faced parent gather things. Child didn’t even get past the first round. Anger is inside them. I can see the tight lipped face. I hope they don’t follow the angry coach’s credo.” Why did you do this?” a parent says in an accusatory tone. Ouch. I hope these parents remember that the child got invited to the dance. Many weren’t.

Alas, these children will never forget how to spell his or her missed word.

Under Pressure

Almost two hours in and we are not even out of the second round. Glad I brought the laptop. Tension is unbearable at times. Sorry kids. Pressure crushes graphite and also makes diamonds. We need graphite to write. Diamonds look pretty. Both graphite and diamonds have value. Kids do, too. Show them Love.

Gladiators: Observations of the Bee (Part 1 of 2)

Coliseum--Gladiators line up waiting to battle the unspoken foes. Hours spent honing their skills. They feel the onlookers. Family and friends in the audience. Their competitions’ family and friends are also in the background. Their voices ring out. Tension is in the air. Their voices drop and rise as they walk to center stage.

Lining Up

Their handler up front directs participants right or left. Victors are guided right and Fallen go to the left. Watchers let a collective sigh as these children warriors step up the stand. Periodically, you see parent rise as their children walk up front to their teachers and leaders. Children are panel-ized. They stand in front of the Panel Three. Each judge gives the thumbs up and thumbs down at the tiny gladiator’s performance.

I wonder if the little ones knows that this is a marathon. Some are spent before they even get up there. You can hear it in their voice. Others you can tell they are enjoying this moment. The sound of their voice rings throughout the auditorium.

Tension is in the air. Parents waiting for the kids to come up. The speaker makes announcements of special guests to the event. Little 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th graders—Gladiators—all of them. Parents with camcorders and cell phone cameras are making mini-movies. The arena is a grade school cafeteria.

All the kids are lined up walking up to the mic. Each saying their name in hurried, gaspy breaths. Tension in the air chokes the child’s voice. Not even the first mile in this marathon. Some will burn out in the flutter. Some will take flight and soar.

Voices

“My name is Jonathon. My name is Noel. My name is. . .” The parade of children stand and speak into the mic. Ready to battle in the Bee. Hope they know that the battle is within themselves. It is the battle of mastering that word. It is not against each other.  It is battle of confidence. A battle of knowledge. A battle of nerves.

“There will be winners and losers. . .” the principal says.

Yikes. Funny, we are marketed that participating is key. Here these kids are given a wake-up call. A tough life lesson of the bell curve. Some are exceptional. Some are special ed. All are of worth. If we can only remember, that at times the strong are not as strong. Sometimes the weak are not as weak. This is why we play the game.

It Is What It Is

Perhaps this Bee—this competition—is a crucible? We can whittle away all the unnecessariness, all the fluff. We can learn who we are and who we chose to be.

Personally, never was the top 1 percent. On the fringe of being honorable mention. Actually, elite. Not super elite, but I had game. Learned at an early age that I liked to compete and train. Preparing myself for the arena. Knew that my skill was not the brightest, strongest, the fastest. Learned my strength was perseverance. Learned how to manage my strengths and weakness.

Like an actor to perform on stage, I enjoyed when my heart raced. My vision gets narrow and wide at the same time. Feeling of winning was addicting.  Enjoyed conquering this wave that is outside and inside of me.

Alas, this stage if for the younger children. Some will stand. Some will falter. Its just the Bell Curve in effect. One may think “Not Everyone is Extraordinary.”

Trouble is everyone is. Everyone is extraordinary. Everyone is unique. Everyone is special. Caveat needs to be said. Not everyone is extraordinary in this task. Not extraordinary skill. Only 0.03 percent of high school kids will be in the NBA.  Not all win the Nobel.

The First speller stands. The announcer gives the word. “C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N-S-H-I-P” first child speaks.  A collective sigh is exhaled. Tension relieved. Claps unconsciously  rise. This despite a very clear directions to hold all applause until after the rounds are completed.

First round is a funny sight. Midway some fall. Some shout and wakes up the entire audience. Ah, tension is relieved.  

“M-A-G-N-E-T-I-Z-E, magnetize” She is directed right. Next speller, M-E-M-O-R-Y, memory. He, too, is directed right.

A la Gauche

Audience is so quiet. So scary. Each parent looks at each other wondering if the child spelled it right

“T-R-A-G-I-C. . .”  the happy parent smiles. “. . .K, tragic.”  Parent’s smile disappears. Child is a First Rounder Goner. Sucks.  Fitting word. It’s I-R-O-N-I-C-A-L. Okay, I go to the left.
gladiators-observation-at-bee-part-1 continued 

Desert

Going to Da-Ville. Going to get some gas. Spending the night at 92392. Used to live in the Daville when I first moved out. Moved with my baby’s mom. Found out some things about myself.

Gas: Follow Directions

Some people. Putting gas, one must follow the directions.  The nozzle goes into the hole. However, before putting in the hole. One must open the gas cover first. Then put in the nozzle. Sorry, I thought it was clear. Guess the picture on the screen was not that clear. Hmmmm, remove nozzle, Push grade of fuel. Squeeze handle until no more gas is transferred. Return nozzle to dispenser. Close gas cover.

Angry Switch

One thing I learned is that people go at different pace. I will admit that I am one of them. Its hard at times to be a little sarcastic. Not for me I can be sarcastic at the flip of a switch. At times, I feel like Bruce Banner. Ed Norton played him last movie. Eric Bana before him. Before him Bill Bixby. “You won’t like when you get me angry.”

Need Perspective

Being Victorville I found out some ugly things about myself. Stuff, that I am not very proud of. Never hit someone out of anger in a long time. Broke some furniture. Put some holes in the walls. Learned that an onslaught of angry, unprovoked, unwarranted attacks burns my hide. Learned firsthand displaced anger and transference. Took some time to let someone’s anger wash over me and that I didn’t need to own it.

Nothing Else, but Listen

Something about living in a desert. There is something basic. Some thing about being alone with the Joshua trees and tumbleweeds. A good time for introspection. Time to listen to the voices in your head. You hear what is bothering and what makes you happy. You are away from the tv, radio, and endless chatter. It forces you to listen to your voice, your inner voice. You walk and think. You hear the lessons your parents and grandparents give you. You hear their words of wisdom and then apply to your own situation.

Survive

Being in the introspective. Getting that distance you get to see the big picture. Driving and leaving in the desert you realize what basic things you need. Not the baggage of stuff to weigh you down. You need food, water, air, family, friends.

Others Before

Many historical and religious figures had spent a many nights in the desert. INRI spent forty days tempted by the fallen one. The Prophet also spent time with Kadija in the desert. The chosen one spent 40 years roaming.

Read in a book on writing the symbolism of arid land. “Coming out of the desert. . .” the weary traveler was stronger, wiser, more devoted. Dune. Wrath of Khan. Reaching, I know. Sorry.

Truths Revealed

Spending time in the desert we learn many a things. At times, ugly. At times, more beautiful. At times, you make friends with a Joshua tree.  Truth is. . .there are things to learn in the place where you at. At the beach, I get recharged. Re-invigorated. When I go to the city, my explorative instincts turn high. When I farmers market or museum, I spend hours just marveling the creations people produce. All an expression. When I desert? I get down to basics. I take time to reflect. I take time to take in the lessons learned.

Night, Night Now

Well, last night’s adventure and this morning early departure got me on low. Eyelids are heavy. Breakfast is taking the energy from the gray matter and turning on the Alpha adrenergic receptors of Renal Cutaneous and Gastrointestinal tract. Blood has to go where its needed most. Write you later.