The last couple of days have started out with fog and overcast skies, but by noon the grey blanket has been drawn back, revealing the stark, warm blue of August. It still seems a few degrees cooler than last week though, which makes me happy.

I did some teamwork challenge exercises with my group yesterday, which is always interesting with seven year olds. After one particular challenge, during which the kids were supposed to work as a team to get everybody across some "hot lava" on a Tarzan-style swinging rope, I had a group meeting so the kids could air their grievances. More than half of the kids had complaints, such as, "he pushed me," and, "they weren't letting me help," and, "people were cutting in line!" After everybody had gotten a chance to talk, I asked if anybody was willing to fess up to these crimes. The ensuing silence was the quietest I had gotten the group to be all week.
It's the same thing with most adults too. People are always quick to complain, but it's always much harder to look at our own behavior. In the hope that the next generation will be braver at self evaluation than the current one, I have been trying to emphasize solutions over griping with the kids who enter my circle of influence. Solutions often start with some serious self evaluation. Complaining is so easy. Solutions are sometimes impossible.

Speaking of self evaluation, we finished season two of Six Feet Under. Three more to go.

The little guy in the top picture caused a lot of consternation today when it had the bad judgement to hang out near the door to the girl's shower room. It now resides in the grassy area past the pool.