The Moose and Muffin Effect...

I discovered one of my favorite children's books when I was working at Keuka College. The Learning Center on campus that assists students in helping them succeed in college via a variety of strategies and tutoring asked staff members if they would help some freshman students who were having a hard time prioritizing not only their school work load but life away from home. As an introduction to the program, we read If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff

It's a delightful story that helped us to understand how students can get distracted, off course, loose sight of goals and objectives and generally get side tracked by their new college lives.  Lately, especially yesterday, I was the moose!

I had a project I needed to finish for work so I gathered my supplies, sat down at the kitchen table and started to work. First thing, break open the file folders I bought that was part of the project and cut them according to the directions. LEGAL file folders, not LETTER file folders - like the ones I bought. OK, quick trip to Office Depot, I could be there and back in 10 minutes.  I'm literally going out the door, keys in hand and my daughter says, "Mom, I need a stamp! This application has to be mailed so they get it tomorrow!" Who, doesn't know that the P.O. isn't open on Sunday? my daughter, that's who. We hope that if we get it there early enough to be processed first thing that it will be delivered the same day, Monday.

She borrows a stamp from her grandmother who asks me to get her stamps as I'm going to the post office…I sit down on the couch as Alexa is writing out the envelope and I hear, "Mom! I need a check to go with the application!" Like the good slave I am to my child, I write out a check. I sit down and hear, "Mom! you need to sign the application!" I sign the application.

20 minutes later I finally leave the house. I drive to the post office and check the mail slots and find one that picks up at 6:00 AM, drop the letter and head home. (After first buying 3 books of stamps from the automated machine, one for me, one for the grandmother and one for Alexa).

Almost an hour later I arrive home, and yes, I remembered the LEGAL file folders! Just call me Bullwinkle...