Perfect Attendance

Every now and again, I hear a story about "perfect attendance."

The person with the perfect attendance could be a student, a board member, an employee, even family members, etc.

With the last few years in my life being a bit messy and complicated, I'm a bit jealous of anyone who can attain perfect attendance anywhere in his or her life. I've never accomplished it, not in anything.

But I also wonder about those who DO attain it: Do these people have less challenging lives? Are other people better at navigating challenges? Or are other priorities set aside to achieve that perfect attendance?

I'm sure there's no one, all-consuming answer here.

And I'm sure we've all felt torn at times, when we really were needed in two (or more) places in the same instant.

Perfect attendance certainly shows one's committment to school, organizations, work, family events.

But when two important situations intersect, which one gets the perfect attendance? 

At the crossroads, which direction do you choose?

Some Intersections

"Some intersections in certain times are not seen with our eyes. The fact that his mere existance will make things more complicated in the future - we couldn't have even predicted it."

This was an intriguing quote from what was presumed (by me and sold to me by Rebekah) to be a fluffy Korean drama: "She Was Pretty."

Quick synopsis: Pretty girl befriends ugly fat kid who's being bullied at school. Years later, he's rich and attractive and she is not. He wants to reconnect - so she sends her pretty friend to meet with him.

It gets complicated from there (big surprise, right?)

However, the writer's theme for the story is a puzzle of an oil painting by Renoir called "Dance in the Country."

And if you can pick up on the very subtle sub-text throughout the the drama, you can enjoy a very satisfying story.

Except during the main couple's on-screen time. That was boring (to me).

Here is someone else's commentary on the story devices used here. If you don't undertsand the common tropes of K-dramas, this commentary will also give you a quick introduction.

But even if you don't read it, isn't this a great quote for life?

https://overthinkingkdrama.tumblr.com/post/131778721077/5-reasons-why-siwon-is-actually-the-first-lead-of

The Moment When One of Your Kids Gets It

I submit a very nice piece, composed by my fourth adult child, Timothy Michael Baran. Used with permission.

"For it is not the good or the bad in a person that separates us from understanding each other's pain. 

"Nor is it the wandering eye of the poor or the full hand of the rich that separates us as a society, but rather the ignorance to not accept one's fellow man as an equal. 

"To not stand shoulder to shoulder with him in times of trouble and to not lean on him in times of despair and weariness. 

"It is for this reason greatness will never be achieved by the human race. 

"Forever we will reach for the stars and only grab ideas as we confine ourselves in the greatest prison of the ages. 

"Our ego."

T. M. Baran