What's Wrong with the Girl's Toy Section?

by | Nov 29, 2014 | Andy's Deep Thoughts

Have you walked by the girl’s toy section lately?  It looks like Valentines Day threw up on everything.  Earlier today I made a quick trip to Target with Lisa my wife, and Hattie our 3-year-old daughter.  To burn a little time while Lisa was busy doing something in the women’s section, Hattie and I went to go check out the toys.  Now, for the record, as a parent I never insist that Hattie play with gender specific toys, and on any given day you’ll see her playing with Legos or putting her doll to sleep.  Other days she’s putting her legos to sleep and tag-team wrestling with her doll and stuffed cat. What I don’t understand is why retailers insist on stylizing every girl toy in pink, purple, and robin egg’s blue.  Is this supposed to make it more appealing?  Is there some study out there that shows that girls are more likely to buy things when they look like they’ve been dipped-in-Easter?  Or is this supposed help clear up what each gender should like to do, because I’m pretty sure Hattie would have no problem rocking a GI Joe to sleep…heck she’d rock a bag onions to sleep if she wanted to (actually I think she’s done this). Luckily, with Hattie’s good sense, she walked right past all the pinks and purples and wandered down to the volleyballs. What insights, eh?  Have you signed up for our newsletter yet so you don’t miss out on any of these nuggets of wisdom?  Sign up...

Why is it so hard to take a break from work?

by | Nov 28, 2014 | Andy's Deep Thoughts

Did you eat Thanksgiving for lunch or dinner?  For me it was dinner, and boy did I eat way too much turkey.  By the time we got home from the feast at a friends house I felt like I had to be rolled into bed.  I think I’ve learned that it makes a big difference if you celebrate Thanksgiving in the afternoon or evening.  By the time I rolled out of bed this morning I could tell that I would be walking a little slower today. I never really know what do to on Black Friday.  We eventually ran a few errands and cleaned the house…by the way I don’t recommend the latter if it includes cleaning out your closest and trying on old pants…that was a stupid idea. Anyway, I don’t know about other educators, but I always find it so difficult to really take a break over break.  Don’t get me wrong I haven’t really done anything too noteworthy today (hopefully this blog counts for something), but all day I’ve been thinking about some of the work I need to get done.  Is that healthy?  I’m starting to wonder whether working half days over the break would make me more present during the time I’m not working.  What do yo think?  Anybody got any answers of why it so hard to take a break from work?  Or is that wrong question?  How about...