Former-Student-Turned-Marine Inspiration

Today, an old student of mine who'd served in the Marines after graduation came back to school for a presentation on American veterans. He’d served his country in Operation Iraqi Freedom, undergone training and come back alive to tell his story and keep a national perspective in mind for the younger generation. After the presentation, he shook my hand, said he was doing good and offered to tell me more about his experiences.

I wanted to tell him how proud I was about how far he’d come, about how hard he’d worked, and about how well he’d conducted himself in what must have been a beyond-harrowing experience. I wanted to tell him he did his high school, and his country proud.

Instead, I said, “Joe, you’re doing well, not good. Your grammar sucks.” And I wrote him up and kicked him out of the building.


"Yeah, you're a hero. Now sit up straight."

Corrected Song Titles

"(Now there are) Two Fewer Lonely People in the World," Air Supply

"Lie down here, female, lie down here (on my bed, so we can have sex)," Bob Dylan

"(That Other Bitch) Isn't Remotely In Your League," Blakroc

"I Would Like to Know why Love Has To Be So Melancholy," Derek & The Dominoes

"There is not a Mountain High Enough to be Found (to do something or other)," Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

"This Business is one in which You'll Never Work Again," Jimmy Buffett

"My Significant Other is Something You Either Are or Are Not," Louis Jordan

"This is Strictly for my Friends of African or Otherwise Black Ancestry," Tupac Shakur