Shannon Stacey


My Gene Hackman moment…or not.

So the night before last, I was helping TK finish his application to the National Honor Society. It was like pulling teeth. With plastic Bob the Builder pliers. Seriously.

When I pushed him about his reluctance, he told me he thought it was a waste of time. That he didn’t have a chance of being accepted because he’s shy and a little socially awkward, so he doesn’t really have any extracurricular or community activities to put down. I helped him word the things he did have in a more impressive way and helped him hone a kick-ass paragraph selling himself, but he was still not sold on even handing it in.

Being a good mom, I broke out the locker room speech.

Me: You know, you miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.

TK: That’s stupid. If you don’t take it, it’s not a shot. You’re just standing there so you didn’t miss anything.

Me: You’re missing the point.

TK: Your point is invalid because it makes no sense.

Me: My point was made by Wayne Gretsky, so it can never be invalid.

TK: I don’t know who that is.

Me: He’s like the Chuck Norris of hockey.

TK: Putin could take Chuck Norris down.

Me: You’re still missing the point!

TK: Your point is still invalid.

Me: Do it because I said so or lose your iPod. How do you like that point?

8 comments to “My Gene Hackman moment…or not.”

  1. Annmarie
    Comment
    1
      · October 7th, 2010 at 1:53 pm · Link

    I am so sad for his ignorance of all things Wayne Gretsky.

    Encouraging children is hard. More difficult as a parent. Kids listen to peers or other cool adults. Never parents. So says, She Who Knew More Than Dad.



  2. Lori
    Comment
    2
      · October 7th, 2010 at 2:49 pm · Link

    It all sounds so familiar. Whenever you post stories about TK, I can hear the exact same conversations happening in my house with oldest.



  3. Jaci Burton
    Comment
    3
      · October 7th, 2010 at 4:48 pm · Link

    I shall now sit back and be ever so grateful my boys are no longer teenagers.

    Ahhhhhhhhhh……

    Sorry, Shan. :lol:



  4. Scraps
    Comment
    4
      · October 7th, 2010 at 1:57 pm · Link

    :lol: This sounds exactly like a conversation I would have with any of my three teenagers. Except the Wayne Gretsky part – my brother-in-law is Canadian so we are required to adore hockey. Thankfully we all do. ;-)

    Off topic – did you know that Wayne Gretsky has a winery? The red is produces is EXCELLENT.



  5. Natalie J. Damschroder
    Comment
    5
      · October 7th, 2010 at 10:45 pm · Link

    I never really knew what “pedantic” meant until I read Truthseeker, and realized it could be Number Two’s middle name. I feel for you! :)



  6. Shannon
    Comment
    6
      · October 8th, 2010 at 12:00 am · Link

    I didn’t know there was a Gretsky winery. And, of course, I would expect it to be awesome!

    And several years back TK was christened with a superhero name…

    The Pedantic Pinhead! :lol:



  7. azteclady
    Comment
    7
      · October 8th, 2010 at 3:50 am · Link

    From someone who hoed that row: never try to argue rationally with smart children–they’ll always find some logical way in which you are wrong.



  8. Jewell
    Comment
    8
      · October 9th, 2010 at 8:22 pm · Link

    Hah!

    Really want to give his brain a decent workout? Explain the credit rating process then send him internet hunting to research the whole sordid mess.

    I would LOVE to hear a recap of that conversation. :lol:







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