I got a mulligan and a flashback!

Yes you heard right we all got a mulligan in our Old Testament class. As you may remember the day we got our first papers back wasn't exactly the best day of my life. Actually it wasn't very good at all. Anyways we all got our papers back with a mulligan and a directive to get it right. Yes I believe we were all a little shell shocked by the experience, I know I was. After all I thought I had put my best effort into that paper.

Well I would have to say looking back over my life I vividly and maybe not too fondly remember a similar experience I had in High School. I had an English teacher in High School, Mrs. Piper, who put me through the same experience. Ironically, I felt the same this year as I did back in 1976. She was a very intelligent, and demanding person, who seemed to have an uncanny knack of getting the best out of someone one way or another. She didn't accept good enough, she knew somehow what we were capable of and wanted to bring it out in us. You know, she was right. She challenged me, I worked harder, understood more what was expected, and voila the desired results were obtained.

Were in 2010 and the flashback begins. Once again in my life I am challenged, and pushed to be more than I probably thought capable. Both times after the ego bruising healed and I reflected I knew they were right. The only difference is it didn't take as long to figure it out this time.

Well I knew the expectations had increased and of course the effort, research, etc. was ramped up. I thought I had it right and I reviewed the expectations outline one last time. I guess I received an inspiration, and remembered what Deacon Greg said..."When you think you have it, ask yourself so what?" I did and I didn't like what I had. It wasn't terrible but I really knew that I didn't get to the point. Sometimes working on a single important message is more effective when you try to reflect on what you learned. Call it inspiration, or whatever but I started over again, and I like it. I reviewed the outline and I really feel that I learned something and that I really got my point across.

I'll be typing out the paper and have the boss, Terry, proof it for me and then I'll email it to Deacon Greg this weekend.  Having a second chance is good, but we were reminded today that there aren't any mulligans on the second paper. By the way we all passed on our second try, and I feel good that the second one will be just fine. I'll have to ask Deacon Greg if he is related to a particular retired Enlish teacher in Berlin.

Take care, and Adieu mes amis.


Mitch