Stuff I Learned Yesterday

I’m a terrible golfer.  On a regulation course, I’ve only broken 100 one time.  I don’t go very often, maybe once or twice a year, so it’s no surprise that I’m not very good.  Some people are naturally gifted at it and able to at least play near par without too much practice, but I am not one of those people.  In fact, if it is any kind of sport or athletic contest, I can assure you that the words naturally gifted would be the last thing anyone would say about me.

But that does not mean that I do not enjoy playing golf.  I really do enjoy it.  I enjoy being outside and enjoying the scenery.  I enjoy the time I get to spend with those I golf with.  I enjoy trying to analyze what I’m doing wrong and trying to improve on my next effort.  I look at it like a puzzle...a very bad golfing puzzle.

When I lived in Texas, I didn’t really have anyone to golf with, and I wanted to try out one of the local municipal courses.  My wife is not at all interested in golfing, but she thought it would be fun to get some sun.  She decided she would come along and read a book in the golf cart while I played a round of golf.

Unfortunately, when I showed up at the course, they would not let me play alone.  It was Saturday, their busiest day, and they were only allowing groups of two or more to play.  My only option was to come back during the week (my only day off was every other Saturday), or play with a pair of strangers. Read More...

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When my neighbors, Allen and Mandy moved in a few years ago, their lawn was kind of lackluster.  It was a brand new house with new sod.  Most of the sod had taken root and was filling in pretty nicely, but it was just an average lawn.  There was one spot in particular that the sod was not growing.  Since it was a new home with new sod, the home builder came back out and laid down some fresh sod in that area.

Allen and Mandy watered it, fertilized it, and did all they could to get it to take root, but it died again.  The grass in the rest of their yard was now looking really good.  It was green, thick, and healthy looking...with a very noticeable dead spot right in the middle of the yard out near the curb.  I didn’t really pay too much attention to how it happened or how long it took, but eventually, they managed to get the grass to grow.  

My lawn is very average, and I think that is being generous.  It has weeds, there are a few thin spots in the grass, and it’s not very inviting.  When you walk on Allen and Mandy’s grass it feels soft and your feet sink down into it.  It’s like a carpet.  If I were to walk with my eyes closed from their yard toward my yard, I would be able to instantly tell when I crossed the property line.  My yard is hard like concrete.  Feet do not sink into my grass.

One day last summer Allen and I were out in his yard and I commented on how good it looked.  We talked about how bad it looked when he first moved in and how that one spot refused to grow any grass for a long time.  He said that they finally hired a professional to come out and maintain their yard.  They spray it several times throughout the year with weed control and fertilizer, as well as aerate it, and water it regularly. Read More...

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Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday.  My name is Darrell Darnell, I got paddled at school every single year except Kindergarten, 4th grade, 9th grade, and 12th grade, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living.  In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m happy to share another installment of the Friday Forum, dedicated to stuff learned from teachers. Read More...

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Really?  An internet video?  Yesterday’s episode tackled big topics like racism, homosexuality, religion, and politics, and today I’m offering wisdom from a YouTube video?  Yep.  That’s how I roll.

I have come to the conclusion that I am a sucker for those inspiration audition videos from The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and the like.  I don’t watch those shows.  I don’t really care for reality TV.  You may not watch them either, but you probably know the videos I’m talking about.  I’m talking about the video of Susan Boyle, who walked out on the stage of Britain's Got Talent a disheveled mess and walked off an internationally recognized name.  

I see these videos show up in my Facebook timeline from time to time with a comment from one of my friends that says something to the effect of, “Wow, this blew me away!”  I usually scoff and tell myself that I don’t have time to watch a silly audition video from a reality show...and then I click on it.  By the time the video is over my mouth is open in shock and eyes are welled up because of the moving story, dramatic music, and amazing performance.  Yep, I’m a sucker.

A few days ago another one of these videos showed up in my Facebook feed and I clicked on it.  The video was an audition of Alice Fredenham from Britain's Got Talent in 2013.  She walked on stage and approached the mic.  As she walked, she kept her arms close to her body with one arm clutching the rubbing the other.  It’s the type of thing we do when we’re scared or uncomfortable.  She approached the mic and you could hear the quiver in her voice.  The judges asked her how she was doing and she said she was scared.  Clearly she was. Read More...

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Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is one that I’ve had in mind to do since the beginning, but I’ve been putting it off.  I wanted to make sure that when I did it, I had time to really think it out and choose my words carefully.  The things I’m talking about in today’s episode are the types of things that seem to easily get people get upset.  I don’t know if I’ve chosen the best words.  I don’t know if it’s even possible to choose the best words, but I think it’s time to go for it.

The thing that pushed me over the edge to go ahead and do this episode is the recent controversy surrounding Los Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling.  He’s an educated man, successful in business, and well traveled around the world.  A phone conversation was taped that he had with an associate of his, some say girlfriend, other say she’s an aide.  That’s not important really.  What’s important is that she posted a photo of herself with Magic Johnson to her Instagram page and this deeply bothered Mr. Sterling.  He was troubled that she would publicly post pictures of herself associating with black people.  Keep in mind that the woman he’s speaking to is half black and half hispanic.

I listened to the entire 9 minute clip that has been made public and it’s, well, it’s many things.  It’s infuriating, confusing, sad, disturbing.  He’s also upset that people are calling him about the the picture.  Who cares?  Who is calling him to express concern that this woman posted a picture with Magic Johnson?  What business is it of theirs?  If Magic Johnson was some sort of street thug or criminal or a figure of controversy, then I could see someone having an issue, regardless of the color of his skin.  But Magic Johnson is an NBA legend and hall of famer.  He’s a respected businessman and social activist.  There’s no shame in posting a picture with him. Read More...

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