What's In A Name?

When I was in elementary school, the video game “Pac-Man” came out and changed my life (at least at the time) in terms of how I was addressed by those I was around. I went from being known as Jeff to being called Pac-Man. It was a label that stuck with me for a long time.

Being called Pac-Man paled in comparison, however, to what others have had to go through at various times of their life. I can certainly sympathize to the kid whose last name was Woodcock, who made everyone else’s surname issues go away. There was even a Schneeburger in high school that comes to mind.

The interesting thing about last names is their origin. If you don’t already know, my last name is Packham and my far distant forefathers are of English birth. My particular surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin and it means top of a mountain or hill (pekke) and homestead or settlement (ham).

Many surnames derive from a specific trade. Those with the last name of Smith or Miller or Farmer may have been exactly that in terms of a profession – at least at some point and time in their family’s history. One wonders about those whose last name is King or Queen or Prince. Thus far, however, I have yet to run into anyone with the Princess surname.

Obviously, many of the surnames we run across have a foreign background and may sound funny but actually have a significant meaning. For example, the last name Bellamy has a French background that means “beautiful friend.”

Other surnames sound unusual for a good reason. Ever heard of Metta World Peace? Or how about Chad Ochocinco? Some guys just like the attention that comes with changing surnames.

Sometimes, changes to surnames happens because of a change in religion or beliefs. Muhammad Ali was once known as Cassius Clay. Kareem Abdul Jabbar was born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr.

We don’t always know what’s in a name and some of them may not have an actual meaning. Sometimes Johnson doesn’t actually mean John’s son. And there is no way I can justify the existence of Johnston or be able to understand what it might actually mean.

What does your surname mean? Check it out. You might be surprised.

Pain Can Be Painful

Word came out yesterday that the arrest of Tiger Woods on suspicion of DUI came about due to his taking of prescription drugs following back surgery he had earlier this year. According to the police report, he blew a zero on the breathalyzer, but he admitted to a mismanagement of his medication. He had been found asleep at the wheel of his car at 3 a.m., and his mugshot reflected someone who looked to be under the influence of something.

Initially, Tiger was taking a lot of flak for drinking and driving but the truth is as we know it today is he mismanaged his pain medication. Or at least that is what it appears to be today. Whatever your thoughts are regarding Tiger and his past, you have to compartmentalize this particular issue in a way that allows you to have at least some compassion for his situation.

At the time of this writing, I don’t know the facts regarding why he was on the road in the middle of the night. But what I can empathize about is Tiger having to deal with insurmountable pain while trying to manage his daily life.

Tiger had just blogged a week ago about why he decided to go through another surgery on his back, which set back his chances of playing on the PGA tour again:

“I could no longer live with the pain I had. We tried every possible non-surgical route and nothing worked. I had good days and bad days, but the pain was usually there, and I couldn’t do much. Even lying down hurt. I had nerve pain with anything I did and was at the end of my rope.”

This comes on the heels of Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr having to stop coaching for the second time in two seasons due to complications arising from back surgery. What I can tell you is I can understand what both of those guys are going through.

 

For years, I struggled with the pain that came with having sciatic nerve problems that would occur at some very inopportune times. The pain was unbearable. Most of the time, pain medication was a temporary band-aid. Sometimes, it didn’t help at all. Finally, I hit a wall with my back problems and the sciatic nerve got caught in between discs, causing me to lose all nerve function in my legs. I was medically a paraplegic and temporarily unable to walk.

The surgery helped immensely in terms of getting me back on track to walking again. And it did improve my chances of not having sciatic nerve problems for the rest of my life. But what it also did is leave me with daily pain for what is likely the remainder of my life. Every morning, I wake up with searing pain that requires me to just remain lying down until I feel well enough to start moving around. I have to take ibuprofen every day just to minimize what I have to endure, and I would definitely take something stronger if I could afford a pain management specialist.

So, before we take shots at Tiger or start calling Kerr weak, keep in mind just how painful back injuries can be. I’ve been there and remain in that place, and I can tell you it is mind-numbing pain. It shouldn’t be dismissed and it should be appreciated. I know what they are going through and it is a daily battle.  You might not like Tiger or Kerr or even me, but you should appreciate what we have to go through every day. And it is likely that it will be with each of us for a very long time.

Teacher Pay Raises Ignored ... Again

Having worked in and around politics since 2000, it is safe to say I have had my finger on the pulse of Oklahoma when it comes to how people feel about government. And the one thing I’ve learned is that most – because you can never find 100-percent consensus on anything – want to help teachers.

It would be easy to counter that isn’t necessarily true after the teacher pay raise that was sent to the people last November was voted down. However, word had gotten around that some of the money was going to higher education and CareerTech, and even the common education money was being split up among various areas. It wasn’t all going to teacher pay raises. And the people showed their disdain for the politics behind the teacher pay raise by rejecting it.

 With less than 100 hours remaining in the legislative session, it appears teachers are once again being left out of the mix. Despite a lot of last-minute negotiating and some creative revenue-raising measures, Oklahoma teachers seem to be on the outside looking in. Again.

As of this writing, two general appropriation bills had been introduced by legislative leadership. The one containing a $1,000 pay increase for teachers didn't advance to the floor. It was yet another example of teachers feeling the pinch of politics.

For the first time since I graduated high school in 1988, I returned to the classroom earlier this year and saw firsthand what it was like to experience life as a teacher. Working as a substitute educator was an eye-opening experience and I had an opportunity to see the true value a teacher can bring to the lives of a great number of kids.

Prior to that, I had shadowed a principal for a day at Capitol Hill High School, which gave me a chance to see a variety of different challenges that took place over the course of hours at an inner-city school. It showed me that the stereotypes that exist regarding students, teachers and administrators in the Oklahoma City Public School District just aren’t accurate. And clearly money was missing from the equation. Whether it is teachers having to pay for their own school supplies or the lack of text books or the over-sized classrooms, it is clear the state is failing to hold up its end.

The Oklahoma Legislature funds a variety of services and education has routinely been at the top of that list. However, the low ranking in teacher pay is reflective of our lack of commitment to do better by our children, and we tell them each and every year that we don’t care as much about them as we do some other less important priorities.

Being in the classroom and spending time in schools doesn’t make me any more qualified in insisting we need to do more for our teachers. And this year’s budget shortage didn’t make this the best year to make that happen. But, we need to stop making excuses and do something about it. Our teachers deserve better. Our kids deserve better. Our state deserves better.