Jack’s Winning Words 6/26/15
“Every time you find some humor in a difficult situation you win.”  (Charles Schulz)  C.S. often addressed the social issue of “equality” in his Peanuts strip.  Peppermint Patty played on a baseball team that included boys…and a dog.  Franklin (in 1968) sat in an integrated classroom.  Pogo and Doonesbury are other examples of comics with a social twist.  President Reagan was a master at diffusing tense situations, often with self-deprecating humor.    ;-)  Jack


  FROM EDUCATOR PAUL:  You know who I think has this down better than anyone I have ever met???... T. G.!  I have seen her in all kinds a very tense situations, and she always comes through with her sense of humor. I marvel at the way she does it.====JACK:  A bubbling personality are two words that describe Teri.  To meet her is to like her.


FROM KF IN MICHIGAN:  Boys and dogs would have been helpful on all the girls' softball teams I played on. Definitely were "bad news bears"........: ) ====JACK:  Co-ed teams (especially volleyball and softball) seem the way to go for the millennials.


FROM CHESTER, THE GOOD:  My all-time favorite quote from the "strips" is from Pogo..."We have met the enemy and they is us."====JACK:  Pogo's creator, Walt Kelly, often inserted his words into the mouths of the Pogo characters...."I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person."  "God is not dead.  He is merely unemployed."===CHESTER:  Al Capp was another one who was not afraid to make a comment.====JACK:  He was often on the conservative side...like today"s Mallard Fillmore.


FROM JE IN MICHIGAN:  This is so very true and poignant  at the same time. To be able to find humor in difficult situations requires inner strength, resiliency, humility and maturity. Charles Schulz was a master at this! He modeled it for us but some living examples include Bette Midler, Sheryl Sandberg and even Gilda Jacobs; strong, smart, sensible women who serve our world and community lifting others  up. As a professional communicator, I know “human humor” is critical in coping, surviving and thriving after loss and crisis. This made me think of my colleague’s license plate: DONTW8T. After reading Sheryl Sandberg’s book, “Lean In,” I applied, was accepted and am almost half done with a master’s degree that I have wanted and tried to earn a few other times in my life. So my plan is that at 54 to earn my master’s degree. Life can be difficult, challenging and humorous at the same time. Thanks for helping me keep my sanity Jack!====JACK:  Gilda Radner is another one who was able to laugh through her tears.  Gilda's comedy character, Roseanne Roseannadanna, would say, "It's always something.  If it ain't one thing, it's another."  Cancer came to Radner at age 42.  She thought she had it beat, but it kept coming back.  So, she titled her autobiography, "It's Always Something."  I miss her.