Karate Kid
Thursday, July 29th 2010 @ 11:24 PM
Karate Kid by Michael Malgeri
Have you ever come across a sentence, which years ago would always contain the pronouns "he" or "his" and nowadays will contain "she" or "her"? I'm not talking about cases where gender is obvious. I'm referring to those situations where the author takes pain to demonstrate gender equality..."After leveling the 300 pound full back with a ferocious tackle, the linebacker trotted to the sidelines where SHE took a sip of Gatorade."
However, as a fair minded individual, I'm willing to introspect. Helping me towards enlightenment is none other than our 10 year old daughter.
"Dad, can we go see Karate Kid this weekend?"
"Sure!" The original flick is one of my all time favorites and I was pleased when our children took liking to it. It's a movie that promotes wonderful parent-child conversations, such as "sand da floor" and "paint da house," although we also discuss bullies, friendship and courage.
While our son enjoys the story, I have to admit it's our daughter who's really involved. Not only is she wrapped up in the whole boy-girl young love thing, but she's very inspired by the challenge and triumph aspects of Daniel San's journey.
Much to our delight, the remake did not disappoint. While the time and venue are completely different, the story line was kept basically intact and Jaden Smith is a really cute kid.
"So did you like the movie?" I ask as we left the theater.
"YES!" My daughter was energized, but suddenly frowned and said, "Only....." her voice trailing off.
"What's 'a matta Babydoll," I said, surprised at her quick change in heart.
"Why couldn't the Karate Kid be a girl?"
I was about to joke that the story wasn't supposed to be a COMPLETE fairy tale but suddenly, through the eyes of my daughter, I learned something new. I understood.
"I know honey. I'll bet it would have been a really great story if SHE was."
© Michael Malgeri July 2010
Editor’s Note: Michael teaches kids about honest profit making. Visit http://www.kids4biz.com
Dessert Wars
Sunday, July 18th 2010 @ 3:47 PM
Dessert Wars by Michael Malgeri
This September my wife and I will be married for 20 years. I'm fortunate to have one wife and 20 jobs during that time and not vice versa.
On the day we took our vows she gave me two choices if I wanted a peaceful marriage...hide all REAL desserts or be content with Fig Newtons, the Chicago Cubs of the cookie world.
It took about three of those COSTCO sized tubs of animal cookies for me to learn my share would continue to be two cookies per tub if I didn't compete in the eating frenzy that took place after the cookie bin was cracked open.
Once I asked if I could put my share in a lock box in the fridge and she said, "Only if you don't mind if it gets vandalized."
So since then, I've given up on desserts that melt, unless I'm ready to consume them on the spot, and I hide cookies with pending consumption dates in my sock balls.
Fast forward 20 years from our vows to a few evenings ago when someone at work offered me a bag of eight colorful donuts that even I found hard to resist. True to form, they were in the fridge about 10 minutes before my wife said, "You GOTTA get those donuts out of here!" Surprisingly, there were still 7 left...I was proud of her.
Since I couldn't fit donuts in my socks I just obeyed and tossed them in the outdoor trash bin, wiping a tear as I returned. Case closed...or so I thought.
As so often happens in many marriages, 10 years ago we spawned a child. This one, our second, was a girl and "like mother like daughter" I'd come in a distant second if she'd have to choose between my life and a holiday bundt cake...OK, it would have to be chocolate.
"What happened to those donuts in the fridge?" she said to me the next morning as I labored away on my stairmaster. The look on her face convinced me it wouldn't be wise to chastise her for planning a donut breakfast.
"Uh...," I began meekly, "Mom wanted me to toss them."
Her Popeye arms stiffened and her faced scrunched. Thankfully for me her spontaneous wrath was focused on the other resident dessert addict.
I turned up my iPod volume but still felt the vibration of verbal female combat two stories above.
When my workout was over I peeked in the kitchen and found our daughter watching TV and eating a peanut butter sandwich. "You going to school soon, babydoll?"
"Yeah," she said, not turning from the screen.
I thought about asking if she wanted a donut but I counted my blessings and got ready for work.
© Michael Malgeri July 2010
Editor’s Note: Michael teaches kids about honest profit making. Visit http://www.kids4biz.com
I'm 10, I'm ?
Friday, July 2nd 2010 @ 1:13 PM
I'm 10, I'm ? by Michael Malgeri
In a few days our daughter will turn 10, or 120 months as we say in the parlance of "Dad's who can't let go."
It's not that she's ready to leave for college, or in her case the Special Forces. It's also not like there isn't a lot of screaming...uh... parenting to be done. But it is a significant milestone and parental emotions range from longing for days gone by (without the diapers of course) to pride in what's to come. She's just a really cool kid.
Another person whose recent birthday I'd like to acknowledge is my dear Mom, who turned "I'm not tellin'" last week. Suffice it to say, she's at an age where she shouldn't be suffering from a hamstring pull from working out on muscle beach...ok it was the "Y."
"Mom, go back to hang gliding, will ya!" She'll be fine. She's just a really cool kid.
The good news for me is, I'm surrounded by great women!
Happy Birthday girls! I love you more than you can know.
© Michael Malgeri, 2010
Editor’s Note: Michael teaches kids about honest profit making. Visit http://www.kids4biz.com
