Observations from Aggieland | Social Media
I had the complete pleasure of spending a Friday thru Sunday in Aggieland – otherwise known as College Station, Texas, as the big kids and I were attending Senior Gulf Champs for a swim meet. This is a prelim/final swim meet attended by all of the usual teams we normally see – teams from just North of Conroe, to Humble/Kingwood, to Beaumont, Port Lavaca, Deer Park, Pearland, Katy, Sugar Land, Spring/Klein, CyFair….you get the picture. A few exciting ads this year are from Colorado and Arizona. So it’s a pretty good sampling of people. All swimmers are 15 years old and older, everyone for the most part is pretty dog-gone fast. There are just different levels of fast. We’ve seen swimmers that are “just exercising” all the way to a few “junior national times” achieved AND we’ve also seen some wicked fast Olympic Trial cuts achieved. Just fast swimming…….
As I’m sitting in the stands at the BEAUTIFUL Texas A&M University Student Recreation Center, trying very hard to work, my eyes keep wandering to the swimmers in the water, as well as the swimmers/parents sitting around me. I’ve made quite a few observations this weekend while hanging out with this incredibly diverse group of people. You know…..watching people’s social (media included) skills LIVE.
Parents | I don’t understand sitting in the stands for 3 days in a row, from 8 in the morning to 9 at night, and NOT sitting with your team. Seriously? Are you SO into your own kid’s performances that you can’t sit with and cheer on your swimmer’s teammates? You know those teammates that they probably spend more time with than you? I just don’t get it, I know I’m relatively social, but geeez – so are these people. I see some that sit off by them selves as if they are too good to sit with “the masses” – need to look REALISTICALLY at those times again…..
Teen Swimmers | Those dang earphones. Really? You are NOT in school, NOT being preached at or coached. Take the time and get to know the swimmers that you spend 3-4.5 hours with a day, that share your passion of swimming. You can’t socialize when you are face down in the water staring at that little black line. Turn the dang music off, pack up your earphones and practice the social skills that you need to home for later on in life. And your music isn’t that good anyway – ha!
Social Skills | Wow. Should I have said, “Lack there of?” As a native Texan and Aggie – yes, I bleed Maroon – there are just some things that I expect from the youth of today. Guys – hold the dang door open for girls. I don’t care if they are a 4 years old with untied shoelaces and dragging a teddy bear, someone you hang with daily or a little old lady fighting an umbrella in this blustery, rainy weather. Hold the door open. You never know when you are going to make someone’s day. Your mom should have taught you that by 15. Pay attention. Yes, it matters. Girls – you can’t whine about the guys “not noticing you” if you are constantly staring at a phone, texting about how cute the guy is WHILE he’s sitting next to you. Yes, we know you are doing it. Here’s an idea – TALK TO HIM. With words, this is NOT the time to hone your social media skills. Try practicing those VERBAL skills. When you are older and in a meeting at your office of choice, you will not be able to text (if we are lucky). You’ll have to depend on your interpersonal skills that almost every last one of you are lacking. Including my own kids – yes, I said it.
Social Skills & Competition | In “the old days,” we were expected to root on our teammates (and mean it), not sit in the stands being unsociable, listening to music, and staring at the ground in hopes that no one would talk to us. That was simply not acceptable. Were we competitive with each other? HELL YEH we were. You ALWAYS try to improve your time, but we swam for bragging rights as well as “beating the clock.” In the water, it was no holds barred. This was a very important meet. These kids work all year long for meets like this one. Some are trying to simply better their times, while some are vying for Junior National cuts and Olympic Cuts. It’s the same sport, just different levels of goals. A little extra support from teammates would do nothing BUT HELP! Try it, you might get it back in return.
Digital Social Media Skills | Wow. Where do I go with this one? Parents – do you have a clue what your kids put on Facebook and YouTube? Really. Most of my friends have their kids’ passwords and SAY they are watching their kids’ pages – but there is NO FREAKING WAY they are. The only way kids are going to learn REAL social skills, is if someone calls them out on their behaviors. Like their parents. Like their coaches. Am I saying ride their butts all the time, no? They have to learn from their social mistakes, but I’ve seen some REALLY rough things – socially rough, not illegal/mean rough – this weekend. I really feel if some of these parents were watching what their kids were writing sometimes, it would get better. Now, some of these parents need to grow a backbone and actually “discipline” their kids as it helps them learn. They’ll still talk to you. REALLY. If they want to eat……
Now……Alexandra – get that 7 paragraph, re-post off your front page. Really.
Let the Controlled Chaos Begin!
School has started and the controlled chaos has begun. Summer is always an exciting time for kids (and their parents) because “they don’t have to go to school,” yet sometimes if you think about it, summer can be more chaotic than the school year because of lack of structure.
NOW that the school-year induced structure is back, it’s a serious game of logistics involving who needs to be where, at what time, and with whom? Football and swimming have started and we are full steam ahead. With high school swimming getting cranked up this week – GO DAWGS – that’s just one more element added to the swimming mix.The big kids bolt immediately upon arriving home from school for swim practice that is in southern Sugar Land (yes – Sugar Land is big enough to have northern and southern sections). Chase driving has been such a blessing because I get to actually acknowledge #3 (Grant) when he gets home from school. That being said, the insurance on a 16 year old boy in a truck is quite interesting, but we have a great insurance agent in Sugar Land, thank goodness.
Fort Bend Gridiron Football has been such an incredible experience this year with the league experiencing huge growth. In its inaugural year, the league had 100 players, and now our numbers are over 500. What a GREAT pat on the back for this group of football enthusiasts that thought this league was something Fort Bend County needed. As a zoned league, meaning players are required to play for the zone that will feed their high school. Yes, I said it. Zoned. No recruiting. Positive coaches are instilling the love for the game with these boys – it’s great to see. With Bucky Richardson at the helm (WHOOOOP!), the television and radio exposure for the league has been awesome! Saturday is the first game day for this year for this league, and the boys are so excited and ready to go. GO Bulldogs! (And Ridgepoint, George Ranch and Clements Zones!)
With the Aggies potentially moving to the SEC (or some other conference), it’s proves to be a great swimming and football season for the Remy family. Gig ‘Em………….stay tuned.
Tornado Alley | Insurance Nightmare amongst other things….
NBC Images | today.com
WOW – what a few days it’s been for the “Deep South.” Most of y’all have heard me talking about Greenville, Mississippi and my last 2 years of high school and being “unfairly” transplanted. As I’ve matured over the last 20 years or so, I think I’ve grown to appreciate the small-town mentality. Now, I’m not saying that I get why some of my friends NEVER left the state (even for vacations, school, whatever), but I’m wishing we had a bit of a slower pace.
Greenville, MS, really does have a beautiful landscape to it. No hills or anything, but everything is so green and still a bit “untouched.” I’ve been watching all the weather reports, and have been trying to keep up with where the tornadoes have been. Not that it’s fair for tornadoes to hit ANYWHERE, but Mississippi & Alabama just don’t have structures and housing built to withstand what they are being bombarded with right now. I would think that inadequate homeowner insurance coverage is going to be a HUGE issue in the area – similar to when Katrina hit New Orleans. Total devastation in areas. It’s really sad.
NBC Image | today.com
One of my Facebook friends that left Sugar Land to attend Ole Miss doesn’t even sound bothered by the sirens anymore (we don’t have sirens here)…..just irritated that they kept her from finishing a paper on time. Some of her friends from Alabama were suggesting that sirens were better than blackouts. I guess I would tend to agree. The video footage coming out of University of Alabama right now is absolutely amazing. The footage NBC is carrying right now (link to footage) is startling. The guy shooting it is an ex-cameraman of some type, from the 3rd floor of some academic building shooting out towards campus. As a parent, student, breathing human-being, it is terrifying.
I can’t help but think about what on earth do you tell your kids about something like this other than “at least we are alive and we need to thank God and say prayers for everyone else.” Tuscaloosa, AL’s mayor said, “Neighborhoods……removed from the map.” WOW! Scary stuff. Where do you start in the clean up mission? Obviously AFTER you’ve found all your family and pets……..what do you do next? Call an insurance agent? Seriously. Chances are you are doing your insurance business with someone local. Which is good and it’s the way I think it should be, but what if their office got destroyed? You need to think about this. These local insurance agents are going to be busy for a while. Probably longer……..
While I’m praying for those that have lost lives, homes, and livelihoods in the MS, AL, and GA region, I’m taking a peak at exactly what’s included in my insurance policies. Not making light of what is going on with the weather, but we are staring down hurricane season here and we’ve already had a “surprise low.” Y’all check your papers – call your agent. If you need an insurance agent, call me. That way if we know we are all covered, we can sit in the driveways/middle of the street and have hurricane parties like we did last time. We were lucky y’all………….the South will rise again. Thinking about y’all!
10 Commandments for Parents of Athletes
This list of 10 just dropped into my inbox and is something each and every one of us should have tattooed to our hands at meets, practices…..just every day! Something I need to really read and re-read. Dave Thomas, USA Swimming, visited First Colony Swim Team (FCST) and shared this with parents and coaches. It’s really, really good stuff for all parents to remember:
10 Commandments for swim parents:
1. Don’t impose ambitions on kids
2. Be supportive no matter what
3. Don’t coach your kid
4. Only provide positive feedback
5. Acknowledge fears, but try not to give them yours
6. Don’t criticize officials
7. Respect the coach (Coaching is not a profession, it’s a calling)
8. Remain loyal to a team
9. Find goals other than winning
10. Don’t expect Olympians or full ride college scholarships, you don’t need to be an Olympian to learn life lessons.
Do I think this is JUST FOR SWIMMING? Absolutely not. I could (and will) change this to “Parents of ALL Budding Athletes.” How many times have you looked out onto a practice field (or pool) and noticed a parent that is CLEARLY “living through their child.” Maybe fulfilling some dream or aspect of their life that never took shape? And number 8……….remain loyal to a team. That is something that will have to be another blog, another day – hmph. Football. Hmph! Times are changing in our area by the way! Check out Fort Bend Gridiron Football – a new youth football program in the Sugar Land area in their second year. Registrations are ongoing now – visit their website!
I think maybe I’ll expand on this list of 10 statements each week. Just maybe……….just thought I’d share today though!
It’s Just that Time of Year!
Christmas holidays. WOW. They are already here – I can’t believe it. Tough weekend for the Austin High School swim team. The team left Thursday after school for TISCA – a state-like meet in San Antonio. It’s supposed to be a fun time and an “out of the ordinary” meet for the swimmers. A “get you out of your comfort zone” meet for the kids. Sounds like the ride up there was uneventful for the swimmers, can’t say that for the coaches. Riding in a 12 passenger van with 9-10 high school swimmers can’t POSSIBLY be easy. They arrived safely at the hotel, and I’m sure after normal high school kid antics, got a good nights’ sleep because they swam GREAT at prelims. After prelims, Chase checked in as he was supposed and he was pretty pumped. He had made it to finals in his 200 breast. We chatted, I enjoyed his excitement and he got off the phone to walk in to lunch.
Chase called again about an hour later all fired up because one of their two vans were broken into. Nice. I attended lunch with them last year. This a great strip mall with multiple stores and eateries offering a choice for 20+ swimmers. NOT a slimy, scummy, dark place. A quite clean and nice place if I call correctly. Since the swimmers were between prelims and finals, they still have their “swim bags” with them. Now these bags…….are something else. They are very large, Speedo backpacks ($80)s with a million pocket for wet and dry items. Most of these kids could probably live out of them food wise for a week or so due to the snacks, drinks, and other sundries they continually pack. If you don’t know………swimmers eat A TON! At first Chase was just mad that someone had broken in and stolen their swim bags. First question. “Chase, tell me you guys all still have your suits on.” “Yes m’am.” WHEW…….then we started talking about what was in their bags. Googles (3 pair at $20-24 each), another suit (call that $30-35), team sweat suit ($100 – yes, parents bought the suits, not the school), towels (who cares), various sentimental caps, chemistry homework/review and book (oooops), history book (another ooooops), and the big loss……..the iTouch ($350). And that’s just Chase. Other swimmers lost school backpacks FULL of school books, binders, exam reviews. The coaches had tests and homework to grade upon arrival at the hotel after the meet. You know….life goes on. 911 was called, reports filed, and the swimmers settled and kept checking in.
At this point on Friday, there is nothing that can be done other than to buy some goggles, grab a towel from the hotel and get your head back in the game. Right? Some settled more than others and there were some good swims. Back to the hotel for dinner and sleep, and to pack what the kids had left for the next day’s prelims.
Chase checked back in after prelims. He swam okay and had evidently participated in some burrito eating contest at Freebirds with some of the other guys. High school antics – thus the “swam okay.” Have you ever seen the SuperMonster burrito at Freebirds? Check it out online. You’ll understand. The team warms down and off to lunch. After much discussion and planning on the coaches and chaperones’ part, they decide to go to a restaurant where they can see the vans as EVERYTHING (that was left) was now in the “good van” now because they had checked out of the hotel. Some parents took their kids’ stuff and put it in their cars. But again…..there were 20+ kids plus the coaches’ bags (one of which was stolen).
GUESS WHAT? As they were sitting in a completely different restaurant, completely different parking lot…….different day, two guys with screwdrivers try to break in to the GOOD VAN!! A hero of a dad jumps up when he saw feet standing under the van and runs out there………here they go again. Call 911 – at this point the poor head coach was seriously annoyed – and he called the number supplied to him the day before. And guess what. The SAME cop shows up. I would have LOVED knowing what was going through HIS head. When Chase checked in with THIS story, I’m thinking there is NO FLIPPIN’ way this is happening like he’s telling me. Guess it did……..
It’s just that time of the year where you have to watch your back all the time. These people were praying on children. When I blog, I try to share something important, funny, newsworthy or just something that annoys me. Sometimes I tie in clients that I’m working with website-wise and the only clients i can tie in to this one are my insurance agent in Spring (wouldn’t want to be handling the auto insurance claims on this one) and my Houston bail bond client – Andy Glenn Bail Bonds. I bring these 2 clients up because it kind of makes me mad at the thought of these robbers getting caught, and then getting out on bail to terrorize someone else. Come on. These are swim bags……who wants the junk in there? Stinky, smelly, chlorinated (natatorium chlorine smell is the worst) towels and suits. I know they didn’t know what was in there, and I’m sure they saw this nice looking group of kids get out of the vans on nice phones, plugged into iPods, dressed decently all-be-it probably still wet-headed, but come one………..some parent failed miserable somewhere in these robbers’ lives.
Merry Christmas – yes I said it – not Happy Holidays to these swimmers and coaches, right? And for the parents (like me) that are receiving texts/emails today with a child still realizing what was in his bag – like his practice suit for TODAY’s practice. Oh well. Live and learn. Lesson today: don’t like anything visible in the car. Call your car insurance or home insurance company and find out if this had happened to you, and you have a low deductible, could you have claimed it? You should know………good luck!
And – GO AUSTIN BULLDOGS Swim Team!
Sadness introduces the Heir-Apparent
The looming sadness around our household is due to the quietness brought on by the passing of our 16 year old lab, Caroline. Even with the puppy Cabela around, she just doesn’t seem to make as much noise as her elder. The explanations of what happens to dogs when the die aren’t getting easier with our nine year old. Time has flown by as he (the 8 yr old) announced that “YOU got to spend 16 years with Caroline and I only got to spend 8 years with her………..where four of those didn’t really count b/c I wasn’t big enough to walk her. ” WHAAAAAT? Out of the mouth of babes….still struggling to understand. 
Pets are REALLY a part of the family. As the staff at the veterinarian will attest, our family – all 5 of us plus the 75 pound dog – were all in the clinic room as Caroline moved on to another world. I’m pretty sure they would say that that dog was DEFINITELY going to be missed as a family member. Take care of your pets. Take the time to slow down and play with them daily – they really can be a type of stress-release. I’m all for crate training, but gee-whiz, just because we are busy doesn’t mean they have to stay locked up all the time. Just kills me.
Cabela has definitely taken a strong-hold on our hearts, even though she’s lucky to have survived this morning. She strategically left a few “surprises” in my bathroom (hey – at least it’s the bathroom, right?), broke a canister that has been sitting in the window the entire time she’s been here, and got out the gate this morning while Alex haphazardly left the gate open. Wouldn’t have been so bad if I hadn’t been semi-dressed (all I was doing was taking Sis to basketball at 6:55), and if the grass hadn’t been so wet and cold. After 20 minutes of vigorous exercise for both myself and the dog, she’s all comfy in SOLITARY CONFINEMENT! As this little dog (now about 20 pounds) and our family decide how to peacefully coexist, we’ll continue to mourn Caroline while remembering all the good times we had with her. I’m sure Cabela will make Caroline proud, just have to figure out how to convince Grant of that!
Did I mention the 2 separate teen drivers I also tangled with this morning? SLOW DOWN! Just because YOU woke up for school late, doesn’t mean you have to drive like a moron and kill someone. We’ve already had one kid hit in the last few weeks, we don’t need anymore. And by the way……….that round, 8 sided sign with the letters S T O, and P on them means………wait for it. STOP! Try it. You might see something you like. I had to jump in front of the moving cars because I knew they’d see me. It was our fault for the puppy get out the gate, but again – SLOW DOWN.
The drivers on our street are absolutely amazing. I can’t fathom what their auto insurance is like. I know with the erratic ways they drive that they HAVE to have had accidents or hit inanimate objects. It seems that one end of our street just doesn’t care about local driving laws – oh – I’m sorry……these laws apply to everywhere in the United States. Maybe even Mexico. They don’t stop for stop signs. Don’t look before they back out of the driveway…….I’m mean, they come barreling out backwards without looking. The kids that the parents “overlook” the habits that the kids have developed, well……..they aren’t going to be needing my insurance agent contact, they are going to need my auto accident attorney. I’m not even really sure if he represents auto accident involvees if the accident was THEIR fault. I’m on that…………
Anyway, I need to move towards the shower and actually make an attempt at getting ready for work, even though I’ve already technically started – ha! Make it a GREAT day!
Bringing Baby Bela home!
Suzie - Childhood Basset
October 28, 2010….life as we know it is about to change. See – I remember having a puppy when I was little. Yeh, she was all cute and fun and such a great companion for a small child, but that basset hound HOWLED……….and howled…….and howled. I remember Mom walking around like a zombie because the dog was up all night. I remember kissing her good night in her “box.” I remember thinking it was MEAN to put a dog in a cardboard box. My dad is tough and all, but I sure don’t remember “kennel training” that dog. I remember once Suzie was big enough to not squeeze under the fence, she had full run of the backyard.
Why am I writing about this? Well……Baby Bela (sounds like Bella – is short for Cabela – the hunting store) arrives this afternoon. We are driving out to Katy to get her. Last time we saw her she was maybe 4.5 pounds. When I called the kennel owner – BarrKennels in Katy, Texas – Pam said that Bela probably 12-15 pounds. YIKES! Chase picked Bela, beautiful 3 1/2 week old black lab, out as his 16th birthday gift. She’s going to be “his” hunting dog.
Cabela - 4 weeks
Realistically this dog is going to be mine. Just like the 16 year old yellow lab, Caroline, we currently have. Like the cat, Mufasa – who thinks he’s a dog, that we inherited from friends that moved to Scotland. Like the Chinese Water Dragon, Irwin, upstairs in this 16 year old’s room that I talk to and mist lovingly every morning. And Moe & Joe, the fire-bellied toads……..they get a few crickets when I remember to tell Grant to feed them. I don’t even think the geckos have been named yet, but they are kind of cute – I have to admit. AND THEY MAKE NO NOISE. I’m forgetting someone………oh yeh. Tinkerbell & Peter Pan – Alex’s parakeets that have been renamed TinkerBo and Polly Pan as she is pretty sure that we had the sexes wrong on them thus the renaming. I think that’s all of the Remy Zoo. I think. I’m sure someone will correct me 
We drive out to Katy this afternoon after the kids get home from school. Alex misses this grand adventure because of basketball tryouts. One less kid – I’ll be able to better pay attention to the kennel owners as they tell me how my life is about to turn upside down. Just as Google turned the organic search results upside down today………..that’s another story. I expect this to be like having a baby……….except my babies were good sleepers and were NOT criers. As my friends can vouch for me – I DON’T DO CRYING AND WHINING.
While thinking back upon Suzie being a puppy, I didn’t worry about whether or not she tore up Mom’s flower beds and chewed on Dad’s lawn equipment……well, because I was a kid. I tossed a Facebook post out there about “suggestions for bringing a lab puppy home.” You know, a generic status update, to instigate some conversation amongst friends. One of my long, lost friends suggested Tabasco on the legs of my furniture “that I treasure.” Oh boy………….I’m in trouble. A bit worried about my favorite LEATHER couch, kitchen table, and many other heirlooms.
Wish us luck. It’ll be a ride for sure…………wish Caroline, the old, slow moving, 16 year old lab with “anxiety” issues luck too. She’s going to need it! HA! Pictures tomorrow!
Sports: Coaches & Parents
Our youngest is into football and I’m having a blast with the pee-wee footballers. They are still so enthusiastic about life. EVERYTHING is a big deal. They still share – these kids are 2nd and 3rd graders – everything with such a passion. Where does that passion go? One our players – I just adore him – his enthusiasm about everything is precious and NOT annoying. I call him Kamakazi Sam……..he’ll do anything they ask him to. And for the most, he tries his hardest. It doesn’t hurt that he’s pretty cute.
This is a GREAT story Coach!
You can see from his face that whatever he’s telling Coach is VERY exciting to him. That’s so cool. Youth sports can be so influential in these little kids’ lives and this coach is taking the time to listen. I wish everyone felt that way, because there are just some people out there that should NOT be coaching young children. No one is perfect and coaches, good and bad, hurt kids’ feelings all the time. Last week, while I was watching a kids’ pitch baseball game, I could hear some pee wee football coaches that were absolutely out of control. I felt so bad for the players, mainly because the players could not possibly be mature enough to handle what was being dealt their way. Why do some coaches have to scream, cuss, and verbally berate athletes? Who learns this way? Seriously, does anyone? I’ve participated in sports with a few different types of players. There are the ones that get fired up from all the yelling because they are self-motivated, and want to please. Some players get so mad that they foul out, get ugly on the field or court or take it out on someone during play. Then you have the players that just shut down because they think you hate them because you are yelling at them. There is such a fine line……….seems these days, some coaches don’t recognize that ALL KIDS are different.
I’m okay with instilling the fear of God, Coach, Mom and/or Dad into kids. Matter of fact, I think it’s good for kids to be a bit scared of their parents and coaches. Discipline is really okay. A little bit of fear of getting in trouble with a parent or coach can’t possible hurt THAT much, can it? But in this day and age where parents are trying to be best-friends with their kids, who disciplines them? My best friend listens, but she sure doesn’t discipline me – and if she tried……………..whoa Nelly! And the coaches that try to be their players best friends…….that doesn’t help either. As a mom of a daughter, frankly that scares me. There’s time AFTER graduation to be friends with coaches on a social level.
Where are we missing it as parents and coaches? In my mind the electronic age DEFINITELY has something to do with it. These kids can’t communicate – they are growing up staring at tiny little screens on their phones and are “plugged in” to their mp3 players all the time so they can’t possibly hear someone trying to communicate with them. My kids plug in just like everyone else’s kids do. We have house rules and we don’t allow devices at the dinner table or in the car……no wait. I’m fine with not communicating at 5:00am in the morning on the way to swim practice – HA! Dinner table and the car………..is that enough? Probably not.
I think all teachers and coaches that work with kids under the age of 16 or so, should have to go to some type of training prior to stepping into the practice or competition arena – psychological classes on kids. After the training, those coaches that don’t have kids of their own, should have to spend at least a week with a family where mom and dad go out of town. Seriously, understanding the dynamics of kids, whether it is social or competitive behaviors (or lack there of), is so integral to being a great coach in my opinion. Look at some of the greats – a few of them were obnoxious yellers and tantrum throwers. But when you talk to their players, almost everyone of them will tell you that they knew those coaches loved them and truly cared about them. The ones that help you finish college. The ones that come visit when you have your first child. The ones that keep up with you as you continue to grow outside of their world. But what do you think the players of these yelling monsters in pee wee sports would say if you could GUARANTEE them anonymity? For most, I don’t think it would be positive.
I can’t imagine not liking kids and trying to coach. I’ve talked to so many coaches that really just don’t like kids – I think they are CRAZY to continue coaching. I would have to call myself a liar if I sat here and told you that I like ALL KIDS and ALL AGES. Of course, I have my favorites, but that’s life. I think you become a better coach when you figure out how to treat ALL your kids the same, whether they are fast/slow or talented/not-talented. You could be making a HUGE difference in that child’s life. I just wish more coaches believed that way……..because you know………my way is the best!! HA!
Have a good one!
Can’t Even Blame this one on Sports!
Just when you think you have seen it all……….it happens. Catches you off guard. Reminds you that there are some really irresponsible, selfish people out there. We see it way too often in youth sports. BUT….I can’t even blame this one on youth sports.
There’s a new youth football league in town (in Fort Bend County, TX – Sugar Land, Missouri City, etc) called Fort Bend Gridiron Football. What a wonderful place for boys to learn to love and play football. The league is affiliated with USA Football and the NFL, so it’s starting out with a very strong foundation. This is a zoned league meaning that the kids will play on a team with kids that live around them and that are zoned to the same high school they are to attend. The teams are named after the high school that they kids are zone too, thus building community spirit and support. It’s been great so far. The coaches are all concerned with fundamentals and making sure the kids love football. And then there’s winning……you would have called me out on it if I hadn’t mentioned it. We ALWAYS want to win. All the right pieces are there. The coaches seem strong, the board is AWESOME and organized, the fields are in good shape, and the kids are excited. That being said, still can’t blame this awful display on football. Those of you that know me, I haven’t even seen anything like this in baseball – ha!
To set the stage, it’s hot……it’s later in the day and we were all tired, hot, and sticky. The boys were hot and we were steady pouring water on them..in them…trying to keep them hydrated. This young man on the field completes this AWESOME run of maybe 30 yards (that’s BIG in youth football) and puts his arm out to break his fall, jumps up and screams in pain. Next words out of his mouth are “my mom is going to kill me.” WHAT? Did I hear that right? His arm is killing him and he’s worried about his mom? OK – I’m thinking either this kid is a REALLY good kid and he REALLY loves his mommy OR something weird is going on.
The “lucky” EMT, who earned his keep on Saturday bless his young heart, running from sideline to sideline handing players with everything from helmets to the ribs, heat exhaustion, and twisted ankles/arms/fingers, joined us on the sidelines with our newest injury. I’m scrambling to get an ice bag prepped, and the poor kid is writhing in pain, and crying about how we “can’t tell his mom.” Huh? She’s probably in the stands watching the whole thing, I’m thinking. One of the coaches has been standing with us and I was thinking – what a coach. Back to the field, his attention was on the injured player. Cool! With 4 plays left before half-time, this guy is standing here keeping an eye on his player. As our Marine, combat-trained paramedic (might I add YOUNG) is tending to this fragile little boy he informs the player that he is going to have to go to the hospital to have his upper arm/shoulder x-rayed. The screaming begins again. All the player heard was “broken” and the coach says “you shouldn’t have said that.” WHAT? You goof-ball, do you see what kind of pain this kid is in? It’s not the crying of a kid that just got his butt kicked on the field and doesn’t want to go back in. He’s in pain. THEN the coach says something and we all realize that the player is his son. Enter Mom………I DON’T HAVE TIME TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. Little sister has to been somewhere at 2:30….she’s shares in a VERY loud, nasty tone. And the loud comment is coming from me…..I’m VERY loud. The crying escalates from the boy.
She hears us discussing Methodist Hospital in Sugar Land, and starts talking smack about how many bad things she’s heard. OK – it’s an ER. How many people have shared with you that they had a GREAT time at an ER? Huh? As this drama continues to unfold, a conversation begins between myself, the EMT, and this coach about broken arms and Methodist Hospital – Sugar Land, league sponsor as my son had emergency surgery (broken arm, immediate surgery, complete with pins) at Methodist-Sugar Land on a Friday night, during football season in Texas. Could have been a rougher than necesssary night for us in these parts – and we had GREAT nurses, doctors, service. I’m trying to lighten the mood with the mom because she’s REALLY making me angry shouting that she doesn’t HAVE TIME to take her kid to the hospital….WHAT? The kid is sitting right there listening and sobbing how sorry he is, and she’s unleashing her “I told you so’s”, and “if it’s broken, he’ll never play again.” She needed to be shut down. Seriously, if I had said something like that…………….
The dad eventually took him to the Methodist per our instructions and was treated wonderfully. I wanted to ask if he took his wife for some meds…but again I kept my mouth shut (which is extremely unusual for me). There were a few more comments made by the kid that made this drama SO MUCH WORSE, but I’m worried for him because the situation between mom and dad is obviously not a good on so I won’t share that……this is bad enough.
What kind of person tells a kid that they DON’T HAVE TIME to take a kid to hospital because of ballet lesson or birthday party……don’t really remember because I was so shocked. Come on…the kid was in pain show some compassion lady. I hope she reads this. I don’t care how much you don’t like your spouse, or how much you don’t like football……..your kid needs his mommy. Selfish….selfish…….selfish. IRRESPONSIBLE.
People should have take a test or pass a class before they are allowed to have kids. My husband says we are all screwed up, it’s just “how” we are screwed up and “how bad” that sets us apart. That’s really the truth. Kids are perfect when they are born. We screw them up as parents. Give your kids a hug. YES, they frustrate us and make us mad, but I’ve yet to meet one that is capable of intentionally breaking their own arm. Right? They are kids. They should not have to bear our burdens. Ever. They’re just not equipped………….
WOW – what a Saturday. Great up until the drama started…….and I HATE HATE HATE drama. Oh…..on a lighter note, this combat trained paramedic’s comment, “I’m not trained for this……..” Parents. UGH!
Summertime
Summer always brings that welcomed relief from the every day insanity during the school year. But I’ve started thinking, I like the structure of the school year. You can almost always predict what is coming next. With three kids all involved in two different types of swimming, we always know what’s coming next……… swimming. Some sort of swimming. With the big kids being active on a USA Swim Team – year ’round swimming and competition – and the littlest of offspring still involved in local neighborhood swimming, I thought I could manage going back to coaching. Did I mention NO ONE CAN DRIVE THEMSELVES ANYWHERE WITHOUT ME GOING? We are close to Chase driving, but October is still a ways off. The schedule has been a bit brutal for me as I’m still trying to get work done for Bizopia, all while coaching the Tarpons and carting the FCST’ers to practice. Weekends have been full of swimming for the kids and fun for the adults (I think we’ve had about 5 going away parties for awesome neighbors). An uneventful summer so far. And that’s NICE!
The main part of both swim seasons are now over. Coaching was a BLAST – summer league kids are just the best. Not sure about the parents (wink wink), but for the most part, the kids are doing it because they like it. Some parents, just like other sports, are living vicariously through their kids and imposing their own “gotta go faster” mentality upon their young swimmers. JUST LET THEM HAVE FUN. If they like it, they’ll stick with it. Pressuring summer league swimmers is just nuts……buying a 5 year a $170 Fastkin II Recordbreaker (as illegal as it is) is even crazier………..right up there with the dads seen OILING their 8 and Unders down. Yes, you heard me. Oiling them down with baby oil – And I’m proud to say it was NOT my second favorite team in the league this year. More on this topic later – that can be it’s own post. The theme for the summer this summer is – Let it be BUMPLESS summer (referring to rubber bumps on girls’ swimsuits that are now deemed illegal in FINA swimming.)
“Back to the grind” is right around the corner, and it is probably welcomed by most. Even the kids. They get to see their friends; you would THINK it would cut down on the texting. I think probably not. I think it’s just going to add to the list of “have to text to’s”. Ha! Real swimming starts Monday and the constant carpooling with limited drivers. Oh well. It’s our chosen extracurricular activity……along with pee-wee football. But more on that note later! Adios!
New iPhone App for Accidents
Since I’m in the Houston SEO business, I have to keep up with “what’s new” with our clients. One client, the Larry Jones Insurance Agency, Houston car insurance quote service and provider, has just shared with me a pretty cool iPhone app. If you’ve EVER been in a car accident, did you get all the info you needed at the scene of the accident or did you have to play phone tag with the other driver(s)? I was in a small fender bender when I was about 20 – luckily it was not my fault, but the fault of a sobbing 16 year old that had GREAT insurance. But that was without kids…………
I’ve been very lucky to NOT be involved in any car accidents since I’ve had kids. They seem to add a new element to just about everything however. Think about it. We all had these cute little cars in the beginning – now most with kids of us are driving tanks for some sort. That being said, I can’t complain because my “tank” is “pimped out” as my oldest son explains it. SO, in the event of an accident, I would want to make sure that I get all the information that I need from the other driver (because naturally the accident will NOT be my fault – ha!) so I can restore my beautiful white diamond tank to it’s original condition.
Now…assume the kids are with you and you are involved in an truck accident. What are you going to be worried about, the car or the kids? I would imagine that I would be so incredibly wigged-out about the kids and making sure that they are okay, that I might only collect HALF the info necessary to file a proper claim. That’s where my client comes in. Mr. Jones is a Nationwide car insurance agent in Spring, TX. His agency services all of Houston, including Spring and the Woodlands. He has shared this new iPhone app with me – Nationwide Mobile. This FREE iPhone app features an “accident toolkit” complete with agent phone numbers, your insurance policy numbers, and your vehicle information. This toolkit has a list of all the info you need to share with the other driver (especially the truck driver)………all the little specifics you are NOT going to remember if you are rattled in the least.
When you have left the accident scene (or before), you can peruse the app’s suggestions for towing companies should you need to be towed. It also offers Nationwide’s Blue Ribbon Repair Facilities as well as the numbers of the closet agent. Information available at your fingertips to help you get your claim processing as fast as possible. COOL! They (Nationwide) are quite impressed with the flashlight feature also.
So…….you might want to call (or visit their website – it’s pretty good – plug plug) Larry Jones and get an auto insurance quote today….and this handy-dandy app….the other insurance companies aren’t offering apps for phones. Call for a quote today.!
Moving at the Speed of Life
Moving at the speed of life………..think about it. That’s what we all do, right? Our local news station uses that phrase on their commercials and I think it is so true. You HAVE to live (or move) at the speed of life. The speed of my life sometimes seems unmanageable. Like the speed in which my kids are growing up. I’m getting older too, but my goodness, those kids are growing like weeds. We just attended our oldest’s Spring Sports Banquet where he received his Varsity letter jacket as a freshman. That was a HUGE deal when I was in high school (more on this topic later). Now we are going to get his learner’s permit for driving – guess I’ll need to start collecting auto insurance quotes. When did all of this happen? Moving at the speed of life……..
Easter came and went with a visit from the in-laws, including my sister-in-law and her family. Her kids are SO CUTE – we don’t get to see them near enough. She decided to stay in a hotel, even though we could sleep my husband’s parents, my 3 kids, and her 4 in our house IN BEDS. I really think they thought they’d need to take a break from our “speed of life.” Multiple practices by multiple kids, at multiple pools – I guess our “speed of life” does move along at a pretty good clip. It COULD tire someone out that is not used to it. Ha! Gotta keep moving……..
Work is incredibly busy – tough juggling sick kids, the swim schedule (high school and club swimming for 2 of the kids), and work……..and a husband, a dog that breathes VERY heavy all the time…did I mention she breathes very heavy ALL THE TIME? Like she’s been on a run or something. She’s old and we love her! Between the dogs, 3-5-8 year olds literally running through the house, constant activity in the kitchen (which needs new countertops – might as well remodel the kitchen really), the GREAT meals (ones we cooked AND sushi at Sasu)…..we all did great to survive. It’s like you need to take a vacation from a vacation, does that make sense? Moving at the speed of life…..
Now that it’s spring time I’m reminded of how much TIME the yard, garage and landscaping takes. Time that is VERY limited. I want to install some time of patio cover so we can better enjoy our yard AND our SLOWER moments at home. You know, take advantage of it when we do have some down time. In my constant pursuit of making my life (our lives) easier, I thought I’d clean the garage out last Tuesday evening. It was really nice outside. So I tell my son, “Go open the garage door.” Easy enough, right? It got stuck. My husband, using all his strength….and that’s a lot, tried to open it, bent the rails and it jammed. Two wheels popped off the track and we can’t get it up or down. As any multi-tasking mom would do, we found the number of a client of ours, Certified Overhead Garage Door, and asked if they would come out. Not only did the tech come out at 8pm, he fixed the garage door, fixed the garage door opener (which had blown out WEEKS ago), AND…get this…..is a handyman on the weekends (can take care of the “dog-attacked” door frame. THAT’S GOOD LUCK. I can’t say enough about Dillon and Certified Overhead Garage Door – plug plug. Nice, prompt, played with the dog AND explained what he was doing to my 8 year old. And did you catch the part about doing it fast? Moving at the speed of life………
Now back to my SEO job – working on a pretty cool company’s site that I’ll let you know about next week. I like to share clients when I think someone might could use the information. Like for broken garage doors……….insurance, you know. The things that break or involved kids! More later……on letter jackets!
Post Spring Break SEO Blues
OK – back at it! Right? After a week at Lake Livingston, a beautiful woody, quiet lake, outside of Houston, I’m back it. I did pretty good NOT working while at the Lake. It was a little cold one morning, and my eyes wandered over to my computer. Seriously, I only took it in case our web-designer needed info on a site we are trying to finish up for TPG Software.
One morning, the kids weren’t awake yet, so I figured I was safe and jumped on the WiFi to peruse the news. BIG MISTAKE. Bus accident outside of San Antonio. Need an accident attorney , is all I can think. Here I go, I’m addicted and I can’t help it. My mind starts playing the word games I know so well as SEO. Oh man……. I need to check my sites, I’m behind. I’ve got to blog blog blog for SEO purposes.
Blogging is SO important these days (for link building), as is social marketing. It’s a lot to keep up with. Trust me. I’m trying to keep up with quit a few sites, not including any I manage for “free.” Sorry…back to the bus accident. It’s worth staying on top of though – we are seeing good movement on sites with some minor social marketing and good strong blogging.
We finished up our trip at the lake with no major catastrophes……well one cousin fell in the lake. We all lost bets because we (my sis, her hubby and mine) all thought it would be my youngest. IT WASN’T. HA! We got home on Thursday, rushed out the door to the Black Eyed Peas at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with the kids, and Friday morning I decided to cut in new flower beds in an attempt to remodel my backyard. I really need to be remodeling some on the INSIDE of my house – when I do, I’m going to call one of my clients, Home Remedy of Houston – a reliable Houston Remodeling company . They are SO NICE! Anyway…….back to business.
Monday rolls around. I don’t even remember where I was 2 Fridays ago, my big kids have new swim schedules, which means new carpools, and the littlest is playing baseball. Thus the Post Spring Break SEO Blues. There is so much I need to do. I need to check some titles and tags, run reports, BLOG and tweet.
Spring Break is a good concept but I’m really thinking I’d rather have the extra week during the summer OR at Christmas……..Getting back into the swing of things can be tough. It’s Wednesday and I’m exhausted! Good luck to you and I hope you aren’t struggling with the Spring Break Blues!
FunnySEO & Marketing – the MacBurger
In a Facebook exchange today with a few of my friends (Susan Sternberg has an AWESOME photography blog on Smugmug and Tina Tilghman is a massage therapist at the New Territory Club – both out of Sugar Land), we were discussing the MacBook. As the director of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SMO (Social Media Optimization) at our Houston website design company, Bizopia, I can’t afford any “down” time on the computer. I am constantly blogging here and on 4 other blog sites. These sites are part of my SEO job and I chronicle about our clients as well as tips on SEO (and on a good day, swimming tips of the trade).
My other half (husband) has been pushing me on the MacBook subject lately because of virus-issues, and how this Apple product interfaces with so many of the things I use…….Adobe Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and all the IPods, ITouches, and IPhones that my family owns. It just makes sense. So, on Facebook I posted something like “am I going to be able to get used to this QUICKLY?” Meaning – at MY AGE. I tried to explain and remind a few of the guys here in the office that we didn’t have computers when I was in the womb and all I’ve really know is a good old fashioned Windows driven PC. I still remember when they dumped this THING with a “mouse” on my office desk. I just stared at it – I had had ONE class in college on a Mac (I was in Kinesiology/Education-WHOOP!) – and that was it. Everything I know has been self-taught. THEN here came “Windows” and all the changes with all the different versions………
So I post my “concern” and friends started commenting as they do on Facebook and one friend asks “what is a MacBook? Is it something from McDonalds?” Naturally this opens an entire other string of comments (well, it IS Friday). I throw out there – wouldn’t a GREAT and POWERFUL pairing – Apple & McDonalds? McD’s could use one of those “branding iron” things on their buns and make a MACBurger? I don’t know – in my “marketing” mind, I think it would work – ha!
Just one of my totally random thoughts at work. It’s all about the wordplay for me – it’s an SEO thing!!!! Finding different ways to market client’s ideas through words and the search engines on the internet. Some are easy, some aren’t. Susan Sternberg’s is real easy – go look at her photos on her blog site – you’ll get the “picture” fast. They are WONDERFUL. I’m particularly fond of the Austin HS Swim Team pictures………
More later – I totally stopped working on Houston Auto Glass Repair‘s newest website – http://mobileaffordableautoglass.com – and I need to finish it. BTW, the guys are great – and yes, I’ve had to use them. Unforunately, it was due to a bozo act with my Navigator……….broke the tailgate window – they fixed it in less than an hour FROM THE TIME I CALLED.
Pants on the Ground
TOO FUNNY. Did you watch American Idol tonight? The 62 year old dude that came on at the end of American Idol tonight was a riot. He sang a song called “Pants on the Ground”….talking about how kids should pull their pants up. “With your hat to the side….” I was laughing SO FREAKIN’ hard. Mary J Blige was laughing so hard she was crying! Immediately we grabbed our phones and twittered………ha! At least SOMEONE other than ME thinks the pants hanging half way down someone’s butt is NOT attractive. We’ll see this guy again, trust me! Check him out on youtube.
You know American Idol is constantly trying to find the next “IT” factor. I’m not sure this guy is the next “it”, but he sure was cute! It was good to laugh that hard at the end of a long, hard day. I drove in circles with carpools or lack there of, and worked on a penguin project with the youngest.
I ended the work day today with a GREAT meeting with Doctors Clinic Houston. This is a well run, well staffed organization. We had sandwiches (that were AWESOME btw from Murphy’s Deli) and moved straight into our website design meeting. Dr. T is great – he’s definitely the marketing mind behind this. As a Houston Chiropractor, I wouldn’t hesitate to visit one of his medical clinics especially to see him. Fun crowd – believe me, in today’s world of “medicine” and “insurance” – who wouldn’t want to go to a “fun” clinic?
I was informed on Medical Facials and Medical Spa Treatments in Houston. I had NO IDEA medical clinics did this kind of thing in Houston. They offer all types of services from Family Medicine for Houston to Employment physicals.
I also learned about DOT drug screens. Did you know that truck drivers have to submit REGULAR drug screens to the DOT (department of transportation). These screens have to be conducted at a facility “registered” with the state. Who knew?
MERRY CHRISTMAS Y’ALL!
Merry Christmas from me to you! Hope you and yours are having a great day – remember the reason for the season! It’s clear and sunny here – a bit cool for my test, but no snow and ice, so for that I’m grateful.
Does your house look like a bomb went off in it? Oh my ………….. looks like the war has moved to MY homefront – ha! Back to cleaning up wrapping paper and little pieces of styro-foam. Wish my buddies/clients at Astro City Scrap Metal took “Christmas Leftovers,” not throwing away any scrap metal, non-ferrous or ferrous. Don’t forget to recycle your trees. WMA is coming here on Tuesday be thinking about when you are going to put your tree out. And all those bags of trash – whew – it’s a mess here.
Have a great day y’all!
This Old House
The Raggedy Mom – ever wonder why I chose the Raggedy Mom as a url? As a SEO and copywriter for Bizopia, a Houston Website Design & SEO company, I play with words all day long. My brain is working 24/7 and I am constantly thinking about how to help my clients in some way or another. My husband would probably beg to differ with me on this topic, but really, I’m thinking about blogging and word play constantly. This has brought a whole new way I think about the news, conversations that I have with people and things I see on television.
For example, I was watching HGTV and this girl was climbing all over this old Victorian house and painting the gingerbread (yes that’s what it is called). All I could think about was that the contractor should have an account with Flexible Lifeline Systems, a fall protection company. When I was initially working on their site, I didn’t know all of these cool anchorage connectors and full body harnesses even existed. That girl should have been harnessed to the top of the house – I was scared FOR her!
What’s another one? Oh – the TERRIBLE auto accident involving the Morton Ranch students……it’s was bad, but before I heard that all of the kids had died in the accident, I immediately thought of “who would I call if I needed help?” I would call Brian Jensen at the Law Offices of Brian Jensen. He is a client that is a Houston Car Accident attorney. The guys down at Burwell Nebout Trial Lawyers – they are a hoot and a half – represent people in Houston, Galveston, Texas City – really anywhere in the Houston area – they represent Houston Car Accident involvees. Is that a word?
AND – we need a new television TERRIBLY. The tv in our den is probably 18-19 years old now. We don’t even talk in terms of who would we call if it breaks and we were to need tv repair in Houston (but we’d call J&K Electronics). We just talk in terms of who is going to help us get it out of here – ha! We WILL buy our new tv from J&K Electronics though. When you work with and for some companies and people you get attached to what they do, how they run their business – and for me, I go through the “I would rather pay a smaller company than Walmart or Best Buy” – I don’t know anyone there. But I do know they guys at J&K.
See – I’m all over everything…….
Swimming…….in the rain again!
I had the complete pleasure of accompanying the Fort Bend-Austin High School swim team to the TISCA meet in San Antonio this past weekend. 2 days of double session swimming………..I was REALLY impressed with the actions and attitudes of most of AHS’s swim team. Good coaching? Good parenting? Or just good kids?
I think swimming breeds pretty adaptable kiddos who are used to schedules that are unimaginable to most. Neighbors walk by and ask my kids (while they are waiting for carpool) “where are you going?” The answer is almost always the same. “Waiting for swim team carpool.”
At TISCA, these kids were working on relatively pool sleeping conditions (it was a great hotel – the issue for most was the upperclassman vs freshman thing….Dad would say – it’s good training for them), different eating times – I know that affects my kids, and a different competitive arena that was new for most.
Most of these kids traveled without their parents and handled themselves pretty darn good. They dealt with bad times, personality differences between VERY tired kids, and disqualifications that were heart breaking.
I was just impressed, so I thought I would mention it! OH – it’s raining again………………..
Teens and Guns!
Went up into my oldest’s room yesterday…….mistake! The cricket cage stunk BAD b/c of rotten potatoes (long story) and the Chinese Water Dragon needed water – he’s a WATER DRAGON!!!! OH well……It was the guns and gun cases that I was stepping over that hacked me off. It’s not like these guns would do a ton of damage – but my youngest COULD use them to threaten someone – ha! Seriously, my official teenager is VERY good about keeping the ammo locked up and the guns not loaded…….if he had a gun safe though, he could put all of his hunting items (pellet guns, air pistol handgun, shells, knives, etc) in a locked gun safe.
It JUST so happens that we have designed a website and I do the SEO for Lone Star Gun Safes, here in Houston. I had NO IDEA Houston gun safes, gun vaults for those non-gun people out there, were so pretty. Seriously, they are gorgeous. Lone Star Gun Safe, Houston Champion Gun Safe Dealer, offers quite a few brands of safes, including Browning, Champion Gun Safes, Graffunder, Superior and Heritage gun safes. These things are velvet lined – I guarantee you that most women don’t have their jewelry in storage places this nice. They have shelves, locks, most are fire-water resistent. I’m impressed. The handgun safes would be great for jewelry storage too!
Now – what I need is a simple (lightweight gun safe) so that I can stick it in a corner for all of Chase’s “gun stuff” and knives…….kids. Now if someone could suggest an organization method for all of Grant’s Star Wars guys…………………
November – the Whirlwind Month
WOW – November is flying. Seriously, the fall has flown. Christmas is on it’s way – I can’t believe it. All 5 family member’s birthdays are in October and November. The word whirlwind really doesn’t get it – just doesn’t touch it.
One is 15………starting to learn to drive. Need I say more on that topic? One is a new “teen”…….hormones – that’s all I can say there. And the baby……..well, youth football is getting better. I will leave this topic for a whole ‘nother post.
Working at Bizopia (we do website design and seo) is bringing it’s challenges. Like – getting it all done at work, trying not to bring it home, and still hanging on in the kid department. The carpools, the swimming, the house and the husband. Love it all, but WOW….it’s overwhelming at times. The FUN part of doing SEO for Bizopia is meeting all the clients that we do the websites for. That’s always been my thing – I’m a TOTAL people person, that’s why it blows so many peoples’ minds that I sit behind a computer all day. The latest interesting client to come through the doors was Wright Pawn (Houston Pawn Shop) – I didn’t know that Pawn Shops could so absolutely beautiful. I mean, this place looks like a Galleria Area, Houston jewelry store. They are on Westheimer by the big Evans Music Center…..still like Fort Bend Music Center for piano sales in Houston better!!! Plug…Plug…..they are friends!!!
Everyone is healthy – knock on wood – but we are so busy and the business is growing – I’m just afraid I’m missing things. Enough whining………adios – back to work!
Swimming in the Rain – Again!
This weekend, we had the complete pleasure of visiting the big booming metropolis of Manvel, Texas. Home of the very beautiful Manvel High School (great short course nat) and Twin Lakes…….2 scuba lesson lakes/tanks in the middle of an RV park. Rice University hosts an “open water swim” for USA swimmers and USMS (United States Master Swimmers) at this “Twin Lakes.” It is very well organized, well run, stays on schedule – however …. IT RAINS. At least this year it wasn’t cold.
These kids are real troopers – swimming in the rain and wind, in a lake when the are used to protected swimming pools with lane ropes controlling the waves. I’m so proud of my swimmers (my own kids as well as other FCST swimmers) when they complete this race. They offered an 800yd swim, 1 mile, and 2 mile swims. We competed in the 1 mile this year. My daughter’s first OW swim. I believe you must be 13 in order to attempt the 2 mile, open water swim. Next year for us.
The rain wasn’t bad – just annoying – made taking pictures difficult; however people were parking like ding dongs and getting stuck right and left. When did it become “common-sensy” to park a small, 2-4 door car, full of asleep swimmers in an already muddy field standing in water? Hmmm? What do you think would make someone think “this might not be a good idea?” The 12-14 year old boys standing around, taking bets on who is going to get stuck and watching people park cars – IN THE MUD ?
People are always entertaining…………way to go FCST! And thanks Rice U for a great meet.
SEO – Bell Schedules
Being in the business of SEO – Search Engine Optimization, a very good example of an improperly optimized website would be a particular elementary school’s website, that I’m familiar with. Our school district has all the technology in the world to make websites easy for the individual campuses to make available for parents and staff. Instead, teachers use off-site websites which can be difficult to keep up with when you have multiple children in multiple schools. There are the homework sites, the sports sites, the PTO calendar – which is a pain in the rear to update. These things are so important.
Today….during a break from Houston website design, I sat down to see what time my youngest eats his lunch. I was pretty sure I was correct in the time that I had in my head, but I wanted to make sure. I jumped on the district’s website, sifted through all the district’s elementary schools, and there it was…….my school’s site. Now – in the search bar, I should type “lunch schedule.” Nope – nothing. Then I tried, “second grade schedule.” Nah – not good enough. I tried, “2nd Grade bell schedule”. That’s considered a long tail keyword (more specific thus in theory should result in a tighter search of the site. Nope – nothing again. Come on now……..how hard should it be to confirm a bell schedule at an elementary – hmmm?
I searched the website over and over again. Nothing. Picked the phone and called my wonderful next door neighbor. We decided on a time together by backing into the bell schedule. That’s crazy. A simple module on a page appropriately titled (watch those meta-tags), “Bell Schedule.” Easy to change, easy to maintain because it shouldn’t change too much – oh wow – they could have an early release bell schedule there too.
I might be over-thinking this since I work for Bizopia, a company that specializes in this stuff – but seriously, for one of the wealthier school districts in the state? It should be better……..
Swimming in the Rain
A lot of my friends ask me if the kids swim in the rain. WELL-YES they do! Aren’t they getting wet anyway? Red Cross suggests that you don’t train/swim if it’s rain hard enough to mess the top of the water up enough so keep you from seeing the bottom of the pool. Well, as FCST’s kids will tell you, we swim in the rain regardless.
My babies (U8 swimmers) swam in the snow last year. I was so proud of them. You know in Sugar Land, Texas…it can snow one day and we can literally be in shorts the next day. It’s wild. As a swim coach – it’s a complete headache. New parents are worried about their kiddos swimming in the rain – again – aren’t they going to get cold anyway?
With all the different cultures and family structures around here, I have to come up with so many different ways to say things. That’s what I find challenging about my SEO (search engine optimization) job…..it’s all a game of semantics. More on this tomorrow.
Houston PC Repair
Personal computers are everywhere in Houston. Chances are you have one at home – maybe even more than one. You probably use your PC just about every day. It would be hard to imagine life without it. You rely on your PC for work, school and fun.
But what would happen if your PC malfunctioned and you couldn’t use it to do the things you really need to get done?
You need the help of someone in Houston with the proper knowledge and skill in PC repair.
A Houston PC repair specialist can help get your machine up and running again so you can get up and running again.
In this day and age when just about everything we do relies on computers, a PC repair expert in Houston is your best bet for a quick return to the information highway following a PC breakdown.
