BrandonInfo.com

When I was a kid, there weren’t organized sports for girls. Not that I knew of, anyway. Not around here. It wouldn’t have mattered. As an asthmatic, I wouldn’t have participated anyway. I remember that my brother was in softball, or baseball, when he was a boy. I think he was in the upper grades when he played.

Both my children participated in sports, but not until they were old enough to play in school sports. My son wrestled for six years and played football for two. My daughter was a volleyball statistician for two years in high school.
These days, there are organized sports for both girls and boys, starting at very young ages. There is the Mat Cats wrestling, where kids as young as preschoolers can participate. The Brandon Tennis Association now offers Grand Slam Tennis for Kids as young as 5 years old.

Some people would say offering these sports to younger kids is great. It teaches them teamwork and discipline at a young age. Others might say it teaches them competition at a young age also. Some might say it conditions children so they are more competent by the time they are in, say, high school. Others might say that concentrating on one sport so young might prohibit kids from trying a variety of activities.

Some might say that club sports gives families a chance to spend time together. Others might say it turns parents into chauffers.

What do you say? Does enrolling young children in sports give them that athletic edge, or does it burn them out early? Does it give them a lifelong love for their chosen sport, or does it prevent them from becoming well rounded?

Do you think it’s a good idea to have the Brandon Planning & Zoning Commission be the board of adjustment for variance and conditional use requests? The Brandon City Council thought so and made it so.

The P&Z made its first binding decision last week, and the decision was “no” to a request to add onto a concrete pad on the side of someone’s driveway. The pad would have come out to the curb and would have come to within one foot of the property line.

Some might say the request should have been granted. What would it have hurt, they might argue, if a resident extends an existing pad? It would have made the driveway look better, not worse, they might have said.

On the other hand, city ordinance says that kind of concrete isn’t allowed. The P&Z commission said they had to follow the law.

What are your thoughts?

Four celebrity deaths have occurred recently. Of those, two were surprises: David Carradine and Michael Jackson. The other two – Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett – had been in declining health for some time and were not such big surprises.

I never saw any of them in person, but I watched them all on television over the years. I would have let Ed McMahon come to my house, especially if he was carrying a big Clearinghouse Sweepstakes check. Michael Jackson was a cutie when I first saw him as a child, singing with the Jackson 5. Because of David Carradine, I sometimes still use the term “Grasshopper” when referring to a novice. And I can’t count how many girls in my high school had the Farrah hairdo.

Maybe you have memories of some of these people. Maybe you have had a brush with fame, or saw one of them in concert or on a set.

What memories do you have of any of these famous people?

When I was in grade school, the school district decided that everyone who lived on my side of the highway had to go to Valley Springs Elementary. So I attended fifth and sixth grade there. At first, I wasn’t very happy about it. I threatened to pitch a tent across the highway and establish residency there so I could stay with my friends at Brandon Elementary. But of course I made new friends in Valley Springs. And in seventh grade, kids from both elementaries were classmates in junior high. So at that point, I knew everyone. Worked out fine.

The school district this year is looking closely at enrollment numbers, juggling them so none of the schools is too full. So far, enrollment is up 51 students from last year. So far, Robert Bennis and Brandon elementaries will be at 70 percent capacity, and the new Fred Assam Elementary will be at 40 percent.

Which school will your student attend? Is that the school you prefer? That your child prefers? Will your student have to change schools this year? If you’ve requested an open enrollment change, why?

Yesterday was the summer solstice, the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. School has been out a few weeks now. How are your kids occupying themselves this summer?

When I was a little, my mother was home during the day. We had a big garden and we kids had to help plant, weed, harvest and preserve. That, along with our household chores, kept us busy during the long summer days.

We had fun, though, too. We played outside. The cracks in our driveway were perfect for playing foursquare, and my dad sunk a pipe into the center of the driveway so we could put a tetherball pole in there. We ran races around the house, and we rode our bicycles. Sometimes we’d run through the sprinkler or have water fights.
On real hot days we played downstairs where it was cooler. (Upstairs was just as hot as outdoors. These were the days before air conditioning.) We had a ping pong table, so lots of the neighborhood kids came over.

When we were older, my mother had a job in Sioux Falls, but by that time, we were old enough to stay home alone. We still had to do the gardening and household chores, though. And woe be unto he who didn’t have his chores done by the time the folks got home from work.

How are your kids spending their summer?

How does a walleye dinner sound to you? Anglers who participate in the Youth fishing derby tomorrow at McHardy Park might catch one of the tasty treats. Or, they might catch a bullhead. You never know.

Have you ever participated in the annual event? The Brandon contractors and friends put it on. This year, they’re expecting about 100 people. Let’s hope the weather accommodates them.

One of the mainstays of the event is that anglers must fish on teams that contain at least one person younger than 18 years old and at least one person older than 18. The idea behind that is for intergenerational bonding, among other things. It’s a way to get kids and parents and grandparents together. And on an appropriate weekend - Father’s Day weekend.

If you’ve been in the derby before, what was your experience like? Did you catch anything big enough to make a meal? Did you win a prize? Do you plan to participate this year?

If you haven’t done so yet, it’s time to head down to the greeting card store to find that perfect card for Dad for Father’s Day this Sunday.

I know a lot of men who don’t buy their wives Mother’s Day cards. “She’s not my mother,” they say. I’m guessing women get their husbands cards, though. Do you? I do.

My father died 10 years ago this summer. I didn’t always get him a card, because he preferred to get a pan of homemade fudge for Father’s Day. So I always made sure to do that for him.

My son will be a father for the first time later this year. Maybe I will find a “father-to-be” card for him.

Even if you don’t get a card, do you celebrate somehow with your father? Call him on the phone if he lives to far away to get together with him? If you are a father, what would be the perfect gift your kids could give you?

Some people were born to perform. Even as children, they want to show off and have people watch them. As they become older, they may volunteer for any opportunity to be in front of a crowd.

I’ll let you guess whether I was in that category or not.

I will say that any child who is inclined that way will become a better performer with training. But then again, anybody, no matter what their proclivity, will become better with training.
Have you ever had to speak in front of a group in your job? Or maybe in a church or club? How did it feel?

It’s said that people’s No. 1 fear is public speaking. And yet, nearly everyone has to do it at some point.

Do you think you got adequate public speaking training as you were growing up? Do you think your children are getting better public speaking training than you did?

During the school year, I teach a youth drama class at my church. During the summer, the class takes a break. I have to admit, I often take a break from attending church during the summer too. The spirit is willing, but the flesh often likes to sleep in.

Do you attend church as much during the summer as you do during the school year? Why or why not?

Over the years, my work has taken me to a lot of different towns. Any time I was in a town for a length of time (I worked in Parkston for a month once, for example), I stopped in to the town’s churches to see what they were like. I have a friend who attends church every Sunday no matter what town he’s in.

Do you visit other churches when you’re out of town? Why or why not?

The people still don’t know the name of the person who donated $750,000 to promote a state abortion ban in 2006. Judge Kathleen Caldwell ruled Monday that Roger Hunt doesn’t have to reveal the name of the donor.

This lawsuit has been going on for quite some time now. In fact, the law has been changed so Hunt’s situation can’t happen again.

How much taxpayer money has been spent, I wonder, in the last three years, trying to get Hunt to reveal the donor’s name? Do you think it’s been worth it?

Another hearing is set for June 23. Do you think the state should just give up? Do you think Roger Hunt should just give in? Why or why not?

A couple of weeks ago I had my annual medical check up, a dental check up and my annual mammogram. This month, I will have my annual eye exam.

I’ve had annual exams for years. It gives me confidence, knowing that everything is fine. And when something isn’t fine, I know that I’ve done my best to catch it - whatever it might be - early.

But I have friends who don’t have their annual checkups, even if their insurance will pay for them. Sometimes I think they may be afraid of what the check ups might reveal.

Do you get your eyes, teeth and body checked on a regular basis? Do you have the appropriate baseline tests (bone density or colonoscopy, for example) done at the proper time?

If not, why not? If so, what encouragement can you give to people who don’t?

There’s one advantage to the cooler weather we’ve had this spring - it keeps the mosquitoes down. Did you know the city traps mosquitoes and counts them four days a week all summer long? That’s how they determine whether to fog the whole town with repellant. In addition, the city puts repellent in the parks before events like ball tournaments and the arts and crafts festival.

What’s your best defense against mosquitoes? My main strategy is to stay indoors. I’m pretty sensitive to fragrances, so the smell of most repellents bothers me almost more than getting bit.

I’ve heard that vanilla repels mosquitoes. Now that’s a bug spray I wouldn’t mind. Isn’t Avon’s Skin so Soft supposed to be good also? What other products do you recommend?
Do you check your downspouts and other stuff in the yard to make sure they don’t have standing water in them?

Have you had any peddlers stopping at your house yet this spring? If so, what were they selling?

Did you know that peddlers aren’t allowed to solicit on your property if you post a “No Peddlers Allowed” sign?

Have you ever bought anything from a door-to-door peddler? I’ve had fruit sales come past my house, meat sales … one time a guy wanted to sell me a cheap looking painting. He had some lame story about how he had to get rid of it because he needed the money for something-or-other.

Of course, there are the kids who come by selling products to raise funds for their club or organization. I always worry about them going door to door, and I’m always relieved when I see a parent with them.

How do you feel about peddlers?

Do you agree with the city council’s decision for 212 restaurant/bar to create a smoking patio on the south side of the building?

The bar’s owners said they want to have the outdoor patio because of the smoking ban that goes into effect July 1. But there have been many media reports that petitions might be filed to bring the matter to a public vote in November, 2010. Are the 212 owners jumping the gun a little?

I’ve said publicly in the past that I personally prefer that people just don’t smoke in the first place, by their own choice. But do I mind a smoking patio next to restaurants? I don’t know.

What do you think?

I see that a new photo has been posted under “Get Published” on brandoninfo.com. It’s a cute picture of a boy covered in fallen leaves.

We don’t get many viewer submitted photos, even though it’s always fun to see new pictures show up on the site.

Have you ever posted a photo? Have you tried to but have had problems? Is there anything we can do to make it easier to post photos?

I can envision all kinds of photos posted on the site. Do you have a new grandbaby you’d like to show off? Did you pet do something cute? Did one of your children win an award? Are you proud of your child’s ball team? Feel free to post pictures for the rest of us to enjoy also. For example, I’ve included here a picture of the latest afghan I completed. It was a soft baby afghan for a coworker, who recently had her first baby.

I have a unique Volkswagon Beetle. I enjoy seeing other VW Beetles on the road. Lots of people play “Slug Bug,” where they punch the other person whenever they see a bug.

I’ve been thinking for some time that it would be fun to name a time and place, and any Brandon person with a Volkswagon Beetle would show up, and we’d take a picture of all the bug owners.

What do you think of that idea?

Do you drive a bug? What do you like about it? I like the looks I get when I drive my bug around town. Kids, especially, like the paint job. I also like that I can scoot the seat up far enough to reach the gas pedal. i couldn’t on the van I drove before. I like how the seats are very adjustable.

I don’t like the console very much. Not enough cup holders. And my bug doesn’t have the original “beep-beep” horn, but my husband says we can get one and install it. I would like that.

What do you think about the city’s plan to put Welcome to Brandon signs at the entrances to town? The city first wants to put one on West Holly Boulevard. It hasn’t been approved by the city council yet. One of the things the council has to decide is whether to add an electronic message board, which would cost an extra $10,000 or so. Do you think the message board is worth the extra cost? I suspect it would have messages about upcoming events in Brandon. I suppose a city employee would have to program them in. I wonder how often the messages would be updated. It would be embarrassing if old stuff appeared. The messages could be a good reminder to people and might increase attendance at community events.

The long-term plan is to put three other Welcome to Brandon signs at other Brandon entrances. There has been discussion about selling advertising on those signs. What do you think of that idea? There has been much debate in other cities about selling commercial advertising on public-owned structures. Some folks don’t care much for that. If the city allows advertising on a road sign, then how about selling space on the front of City Hall, or on the carts on the golf course? Where would it end? On the other hand, there is advertising on the fences at the ball park, and those are city-owned structures.

What are your thoughts?

The Brandon Community Foundation gave away $8,500 in grants this year. The Brandon Volunteer Fire Department got the most, at $1,750. Six other groups got $1,000 each, and this summer’s Hometown Days got $750. Every group that applied this year got a grant.
Have you ever contributed to the Foundation? So far, it has given away $16,000 in two years.

Has your group ever been a recipient of Foundation money?

Mother’s Day is this coming Sunday. Do you have any special ways you typically celebrate?

My grandma likes pink, so the card I choose for her is always pink. A religious card for my mother. Something with bright colors for my mother-in-law.

I remember once when my kids were little they brought me breakfast in bed. I never understood why eating in bed would be a good thing. Toast crumbs in the sheets … ick. But I did appreciate the gesture. Good memories.

What are your family Mother’s Day traditions?