Our high school had a tradition that one day in spring all the seniors would skip school.  It was a long-standing tradition that  everyone accepted and all enjoyed — at least we thought all enjoyed.

When I was  junior, the senior class had there skip day as usual but without the usual non-consequences.  All seniors who skipped were expelled from school for 3 days!

The word spread like wild-fire and the rest of us were up in arms. What could we do? Why not all wear black to show we are mourning our classmates!  The next day at least 3/4 of the school kids arrived dressed from head to toe in black, me included.  I must say I was nervous.  Remember, I’m the good kid who is always scarred of getting in trouble but I did it anyway because I believed in the cause.

I’ll never forget my 1st period class.  The teacher walked into the room and announced in a thundering voice, “If this place is going to look like a morgue then it had better sound like a morgue!”

The principal called a meeting in the afternoon and commented that it was a shame there was never this much participation showing school spirit by wearing the school colors on game days.

It worked though — the seniors were back in class the next day and skip day became an officially allowed school tradition.

Reading about Ray’s weight loss reminded me of my own Weight Watchers experience.  After losing weight I told my doctor how I did it and he also said Weight Watchers is the only program that he has seen to be successful in getting and keeping the weight off.

I’ve pretty much tried every weight loss program ever invented.  I’m the proverbial yo-yo going up and down in weight as long as I can remember.  The straw that broke the camel’s back for me was a photo taken when I was on a motorcycle trip to Australia (that’ a story for another post).  When I looked at that photo something snapped and I knew it was time to take responsibility for my weight.

I don’t remember what led me to Weight Watchers but I was hooked at the first meeting.  I didn’t have as much to lose as some, but it was just as important to me.

Before long I was getting compliments about my weight loss and my clothes started hanging loosely and I started feeling better about myself.

I was a slow loser.  Overall I averaged about 3/4 lb. per week.  The great thing was that I could even cheat a little now and then and still continue my steady loss.

It took me most of a year to reach my goal and to go on maintenance.  I continued attending meetings and began to worry about keeping the weight off.  The last thing I wanted was to start that yo-yo syndrome yet again.  I decided I would become a Weight Watcher leader, thinking that as a leader I wouldn’t dare fall off the wagon.

Five years later I was still at my ideal weight.  Today I’m no longer there but I don’t have the yo-yo issues I did before Weight Watchers.

When I was in 2nd grade there was a 5th grade bully who persistently picked on us 2nd graders.  We liked to ride the merry-go-round at recess and he liked to stand by it and hit us as we spun by.

I was a very shy child, always looking for approval and rarely getting in trouble for anything.  Keep that in mind as you read on.

This went on day after day until the day when I had just had enough.  It was as if a switch flipped and I forgot all about being shy.  I flew off the merry-go-round and before anyone knew what was happening (even me) I cold-cocked the bully and he found himself sitting on the ground.

My bravery didn’t last long though.  I had my second of exhilaration when I realized I had actually knocked the bully down followed by my normal fear of getting in trouble.  I was terrified a teacher would see us fighting.  Fortunately the bully wasn’t interested in tangling with me anymore so the fight was over nearly as soon as it began.  He never bothered me or my friends again

One of my earliest childhood memories is one that I often wonder if I REALLY remember or if maybe I only THINK I remember because I’ve been told the story so often.  Regardless, it is an example of what sometimes comes out of the mouths of babes.

I was at church with my mother and the ladies were sorting boxes of donated clothes.  I was being very helpful and was going through the boxes looking for interesting items when I found a very large pair of ladies panties.  I remember them as being rather plain with no lace, just very big panties.

With all childish innocence I held them up high for everyone to see and announced, “These look like they would fit my mother!”

At first I didn’t understand why everyone laughed.  I remember feeling embarrassed but not sure why.  Then someone said, “They’re WAY too big for your mother, honey”.

Then I felt even more embarrassed for making such a mistake and I lost interest in sorting clothes.