Momma Courageous

It just hit me like a ton of bricks that Gabrielle will be going off to college in the fall. Wow. Wasn't it just yesterday.... To be honest, somedays I'm pleased as punch that she'll be out of the house, and although I should have, I've pretty much told her that. Of couse she dittoed my sentiments, but such is life with a house full of teens. But today, I had a startling thought: What if I haven't taught her everything she needs to know? OMG! Never fear, Momma Courageous. Your Facebook, Blog and Twitter fans will come to your rescue.

I posed the question on FaceBook, and I've received some great and insightful comments already. What say you? What are 10 things I should make sure my daughter knows before she goes off to college? I've gotta hear from you soon....I have less than eighth months to pull this off!

It's hard to even imagine the thoughts running through the minds of family members who lose a teenager prematurely. The parents of Angel Anthony, a 16 year old  Sandy Creek High School student who was killed in a car accident on Monday, December 14, are probably experiencing a range of emotions.  My children knew Angel as well as the driver who lost control of her car and crashed into a mailbox early Monday morning on the way to school. Angel, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the car and died shortly after -- it was the students' last week of school before the winter holidays.

My prayer is that God will comfort all of those involved, and make a miracle out of the mess.

There's a star in all of us, and I know the spirit of creativity runs rampant in our community. Here's a wonderful opportunity that I hope our kids will take advantage of today. Sure, it will require a little hard work, ingenuity, and talent, but why pass up a great opportunity. Make Momma Courageous proud, and apply today.

August Wilson's Century Cycle is an achievement in American theater. Each of the ten plays are set in a different decade of the twentieth century. At the core of each work are soaring, lyrical monologues that take the song, laughter, pain, and rich content of African American life and place it in the mouths of a great and varied ensemble of characters.

The competition is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors from Atlanta, Pittsburgh and New York City high schools. The winners at the regional level will travel to the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway to participate in a weekend devoted to Wilson and the final round of the competition.

Students will perform a one to two minute monologue from any of the plays in August Wilson's Century Cycle. The panel of judges will be comprised of theater professionals from the respective communities.

The winner will receive a $500 scholarship, runner-up a $250 scholarship and a $100 scholarship for honorable mention. All finalists will receive a hardbound book of August Wilson's plays.

Sandy Creek making history in football  | ajc.com

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As if I didn't have enough wonderful children of my own, I messed around and adopted a few of the players from Sandy Creek's 2009-2010  winning football team. Check out my daughter's friend Isaiah Johnson (#37) in this exclusive interview with Scout.com (the best source for news and information about new recruits).Of course, my son, #57, is pleased as punch as a freshman to be able to work out with the varsity team and learn the ropes. Watch Out, World.

Tonight we're making yet another football Friday road trip to Griffin, Ga. for the match up of the year- The Sandy Creek Patriots Against the Griffin Bears for the semi-final round of the playoffs. The winner goes to the DOME to play for the whole kahuna. http://www.fayettedailynews.com/article.php?id_news=4682


Check Out my Adopted Sons in the News:

Home / Dome Bound! Sandy Creek beats Griffin, will meet Clarke Central for AAAA title Dome Bound! Sandy Creek beats Griffin, will meet Clarke Central for AAAA title

Exclusive Interview: Isaiah Johnson

GA safety gets three new SEC offers

Neal Talks About New Offer

ScoutTV: QB Ronnie Bell

ScoutTV: Isaiah Johnson JR Clips

Sure, I've seen the billboards dotting the highways in Metro Atlanta: "Are you InTEXTicated?" "Don't Drive and Text," "Texting Kills," but I must admit, this courageous momma has been caught more than a few times DUITing -- driving under the influnence of texting -- even though I've hypocritically told my unliscensed, but soon to be driving teenagers that such reckless behavior is a cardinal sin.

A New York Times article about Phillipa Curtis, a young British woman who was sentenced to 21 months in a high-security women's prison for killing up-and-coming fashion designer Victoria McBryd, has scared me straight! The victim was stranded on the side of the road when Curtis plowed into the back of her stalled car. Accident, right?  Normally yes, but Curtis' phone revealed she had sent and responded to nearly two dozen text messages prior to the fatal accident, and the High Court of Britain didn't mess around when it came to sentencing the 24 year old. 


The Daily Beast reports that "The train crash that took 25 lives last September in Los Angeles is believed to have been caused by an engineer who was texting on his cellphone. Last May, a texting engineer caused another train crash in Boston, injuring 50 people; and texting is still suspected in the DC subway accident that killed nine people in June.

While America has not enforced any laws as strict as those in Britain, the debate is raging. A recent New York Times/CBS survery reveals that 97% of the respondents support the prohibition of texting while driving. Eighty percent also support a ban on talking on a hand-held cellphone while driving; and 50% percent said the punishment for texting and driving should be just as severe as for drunken driving.

So how do we cure ourselves?
In Wales, police have created a public service video to really put the fear of God in people who text and drive. It has been viewed on YouTube a gazillion times, but most folks don't believe such scare tactics will work.

An alternative, Kelly K. Browning, executive director of the advocacy group Impact Teen Drivers in California, suggests is this idea, "Star 65 to Stay Alive, to AT&T, in which the company could set up a code of *65 to disable incoming calls and texts, and send automatic response messages like, “I’m driving right now. I’ll get back to you when I’m off the road.”

My children often offer to text for me while I'm driving, but I often refuse. Now I think assigning a "Designated Texter," is probably a darn good idea.What's your take on the matter?

We'll I'm definitely converted, and I'm challenging all courageous moms to put down the cells phones, be sober-minded, and tune out those distracting text messages.

Johnny can wait at the baseball field an extra five minutes until you get there, that million dollar deal still has your name written all over it even if you can't respond immediately, and 9 times out of 10, your response to Sally's rants about everything that's wrong with the world, will probably push her over the edge anyway.

Will you join me in the revolution? Great. Put your cell phone where your mouth is. For the next 24 days, I challenge you to put your CrackBerry down and pay attention to the sandblasted road!

I think my 24-hour, "wing and a prayer" road trip to North Carolina should earn me at least 35 cool mom points.

I have no clue what I was "smoking" when I loaded my four kids (three teens and a 10 year old) in my 1998 Camrymobile early Friday morning for a spur of the moment road trip, except an insatiable desire for my brood  to go beyond the virtual tours, glossy brochures, and tired information sessions, and experience Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill first hand.

I knew the six hour trip would be an adventure, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would yield such productive fruit.

Fortunately, the drive from Atlanta to NC is an easy one -- no turns, no hassles, just pure open road up I-85. The kids were troopers; they slept a great deal of the way and only argued FIVE or SIX times.  My oldest daughter said it was the best sleep she's had in weeks, and I had time to listen to some great selections on the Gotta Have Gospel #7 2-CD collection, and daydream without interruption. Simply heaven on wheels.
I was sitting pretty for at least 500 miles, but all hell broke loose when I stopped in Highpoint, North Carolina -- the furniture capitol of the U.S.A. and the birthplace of "American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino. My kids couldn't  give a flip about handcrafted furniture and the city's small town appeal. They begged me to drive pass Biscuitville, get back on the highway, and forget about the furniture all together.
Truth is, I wasn't interested in any of those things. I really wanted to take a sneak peak at Highpoint University. Highpoint  who? Exactly. That's what I thought....until I entered the pearly gates of North Carolina's best kept secret. Their Web site says it best, "Seeing is Believing." 

We couldn't believe our eyes. Highpoint boasts impressive waterfalls, state-of-the-art academic facilities,  trollies, a brand new 90,000 square foot student activity and fitness center complete with outdoor pool and perky lounge chairs, and 150,00 acres of manicured grounds. Who knew that HP was recently voted #1Among z'Up-And-Coming Schools" In U.S. News & World Report. Well, it only took my family 10 minutes to see why.

I know teenagers are the most capricious creatures on the planet, but even I was amazed at how quickly my kids changed their tune.  My once disgruntled motley crew who begged me not to make that right turn into HP, was suddenly singing the school's praises. Even the few who had already made staunch commitments to attend my alma mater, suddenly changed allegiances, called my old school a "dump," and pledged to apply to Highpoint.  TRADERS! All I can say is, "what a difference a college visit makes."

Next stop,  Durham.