You often read about how incentives can have a perverse unintended effect. I think that I have an example. A couple of weeks ago we decided to pay 20c to each child who was up, breakfasted and dressed by 8.45 on school mornings. On the first morning, the Princess appeared in our bedroom fully dressed at 8.15. A couple of days later she turned up at 7.20. This morning she turned up fully dressed at my bedside at 5.05 am.
Archives for February 2011
Round Up
Parent teacher meetings: Herself, v clever, but continues to coast along without making the slightest effort (this is all very well in primary school but I can see disaster looming in the long term). Michael, too early to tell whether clever or not, but does not apply himself, particularly to colouring (try to care but just cannot, am clearly a bad mother). Daniel, tries very hard and worries a great deal about what everyone will think of his efforts. Due to power of will alone he can now nearly, nearly read. I think I should rely on Daniel for my pension. None of them shows the slightest interest in Irish or desire to speak it despite encouragement from all quarters. Sigh.
Went to see Tutankhamun exhibition on Saturday at the request of the children who are learning about ancient Eygpt in school. We queued for an hour with our pre-purchased ticket but, as a fellow queuer pointed out, at least it wasn’t raining. It was a bit dull in the end but the children, amazingly, seemed to enjoy it. Probably because they were given headphones.
Let’s Giant Up Think That!
I asked an English colleague to find out what the exact title of a conference was – she rang the organisers. “It’s called ‘Giant Up Thinking for the Future,” she told me. What a stupid name, I thought to myself wondering how to work it in to the presentation I was preparing. Another colleague looked over my text for me and said, “Is that definitely the name of the conference?” “I know, it’s stupid, let’s double check with E.” “Yes,” she confirmed. “Are you sure,” said my smart colleague, “that it’s not ‘Joined Up Thinking for the Future?” E and I did feel foolish. Ah the perils of the Irish accent for the non-native. I do love the crisp delivery which my English colleague has; imagine, she finishes all her words. When we have crank callers, we ask her to take the calls because they all respect her crisp, clipped tones.
Cynical
Last night I voted in the General Election. Today we will watch the votes being counted. Is it going to make any difference who gets in? I’m not so sure.
The Cavalry!
Princess: Am I related to anyone famous?
Me: Well, your nana’s first cousin’s first cousin is a moderately famous television presenter (in Ireland).
Her: Never heard of him.
Me: And also, technically, he’s not actually related to us.
The telephone rings. It is the parents-in-law to tell us that Mr. Waffle’s sister has just secured a two book deal. Rejoice! The Princess will be related to someone famous.
Looking out for your Immoral Soul
At mass yesterday we had a reading from St. Paul to the Corinthians. Consider the following:
“What is expected of stewards is that each one should be found worthy of his trust. Not that it makes the slightest difference to me whether you, or indeed any human tribunal, find me worthy or not. I will not even pass judgement on myself. True, my conscience does not reproach me at all…”
Doesn’t your heart go out to the Corinthians? Wasn’t St. Paul an annoyingly smug correspondent? He comes to a sticky end and one can’t help feeling that a small number of Corinthians were wondering whether Paul, on arrival in heaven, got busy telling God how to manage matters better. I once heard a monk say that St. Paul was necessary for the organisation and administration of the early church but that he must have been tedious and irritating company.
In his sermon, the priest told us all not to worry, all would be well. Which was comforting but not quite as well put as the Gospel itself:
“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” [King James Bible version]
That’s probably enough material for your immortal soul for one day.
