Thanks, but No Thanks

A telling sign of a good school is collaboration. How often do teachers get together to share ideas/frustrations/strategies? Or do they? I have been extremely lucky to land in a very collaborative school--because I wouldn't be as good of a teacher if I didn't have everyone's collective experience at my disposal to learn from. Any time I need advice, there are lots of people I could turn to. Sometimes I am just sharing a frustration and one of my colleagues will jump in with "You know what worked for me?".

And that's great. WHEN IT HAPPENS AT SCHOOL.

What I don't understand is why total strangers at the grocery store think it's perfectly appropriate to give me unsolicited advice on the food items I may or may not be buying. About a month ago, I was standing in the checkout line with garlic bread and "Ragu" spaghetti sauce. A random guy in front of me turns and says: "You know, I'm a chef [oh really?], and if you just add half a cup of sugar and a whole bay leaf in the sauce, it will taste really great--like it's homemade". I think I thanked him for the tip, but inwardly I was thinking NO WAY. Because I happen to like the pure and natural taste of "Ragu" sauce just the way it is, thank you very much.

Then, just today, I was looking in the frozen pie section and thinking of surprising Max with a pie in honor of Pi day (3/14, get it?), when all of a sudden, a woman comes up behind me and starts giving me her unsolicited advice. She was saying something about how to make a really easy pie with fruit, lemon juice, sugar, and corn starch. Regardless of the fact that I will probably try her recipe one day, what is it about me that compels people to share advice??

5 comments:

Randy et Jan said...

Your face must look confused! Hah! And....half cup of sugar??? Gag me

Anonymous said...

Where is it in the Bible that people shouldn't talk to one another?

Anonymous said...

And God said thou shall not talk...

Randy et Jan said...

Advice is cheap. It's easy to give it away FREE. That's way you got so much from your dad!

Randy et Jan said...

Spelling check: "That's WHY . . ." Sorry. Dad

Newer Posts Older Posts Home