Here's the week, so far--

Monday--Day 2 of Daughter's Birthday--most of you know that she's a leap year baby. So on those years that she doesn't have a birthday, she claims both Feb 28 AND March 1 as her birthday. She stretches it over 2 days. So Day 2 bought more birthday cards, cake and cash!

Tuesday--She gets an acceptance letter from her first choice in colleges--Drexel University in Philadelphia. She's over the moon!

Wednesday--TheTinyJEWELBox is named Best Personal Blog in the Sun Sentinel Best of Blogs contest. I was over the moon!

Thursday--She gets an acceptance letter from her second choice in colleges--Clemson University in South Carolina. We're both over the moon!

Today--I'm sitting outside waiting on the postman. I'm hoping that I win the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes and continue the winning streak...

What's happening in your house this week? Your comments--priceless!!

Today, my daughter takes her final SAT tests. Amazingly, it carries a lot of weight with college admission departments. I'm not sure that I understand why.

Certainly, you need to know the mathematical value of pi to succeed in life, right? And surely, you'll have use for dissecting sentences regularly as a "grown-up," right? I think we should totally reinvent the SATs to make sure our youth are truly ready for life. We can test their knowledge on things like balancing checkcards and changing tires and how to properly behavior in the work environment. Wouldn't that make more sense?

Your comments--priceless!!



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As many of you know, I am from Washington, DC. Today, on his 68th birthday, I'd like to honor one of my hometown heroes--John Thompson. John is the former basketball coach of Georgetown University. He was the first Black coach to win a collegiate sports championship in 1984. He also coached the United States basketball team in the 1988 Olympics.

Mr Thompson is a native Washingtonian, as well. He went off to the NBA, and came back to coach high school basketball. He did so well, that he was approached by Georgetown University to coach college level ball. He was an amazing coach and under his tutelage, many pro basketball players got their foundation. He is responsible for launching the careers of such players as Sleepy Floyd, Allen Iverson, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutumbo, and Pat Ewing. Twenty six of his players went on to be drafted by the NBA, including 8 in the first round.

He was also a very controversial figure. John preached education and demanded that his players, often from underprivileged families, take advantage of the Georgetown academic system. He talked most players out of entering the Draft before graduating. He often had profanity filled tirades, but he cared about his kids. And it showed.

Outside of DC, John was often criticized, but around town, he was and still is a hero. Happy 68th, Coach!

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Michelle O's commencement address over the weekend starting me thinking--What would I say to graduates if I were giving the keynote address? I think my message would be on the same vein as Michelle's--enjoy life, give back, and don't lose sight of what's important.

Enjoyment is key. Life is much too short and tomorrow is never promised, so live in the moment and see blessings in every circumstance. Don't forget those without whom you've couldn't have made it. Become that person to someone else. Know that being successful does not necessarily mean that you are wealthy. Don't get caught up in the pursuit of money and material things. Realize early that money has nothing to do with happiness. If it did, then Liz Taylor wouldn't have been married 32 times and Michael Jackson wouldnt have a rubber nose. Find things in life that make you happy--family, basketball, toy poodles, whatever! Find those things and enjoy. That's what it's all about!

Your comments--priceless!

We've reached the time of year when graduation ceremonies are scheduled. It's sort of bittersweet--at a time when graduates should be hopeful and motivated, the economy is in such dire straits that graduation is probably more stressful than finals.

Will new graduates be able to find employment in a time when seasoned professionals are being laid off? Rather than embarking on new adventures, will they be reduced to moving back in with their parents, while working in a field totally unrelated to their schooling? If there were student loans, the coupon book will soon arrive. How terrifying..

Now, more than ever, it's important for college students to select courses of study that will ensure gainful employment after graduation. How can we help them? What advise can we give? As a nation, what should we promise them?

Your comments--priceless!!