It Began with Meathead Jones.

I thought I wanted to study naprapathology/naturopathology/ayurveda medicine. At the time, I believe I was deeply influenced by the death of my little sister who had died of Neuroblastoma when she was 2 and I was 10. My parents would take her to see Dr. Sidney and he was a naprapath. She always seemed calmer after leaving his office than she did when she was returning from medical doctors. My parents had been pretty healthy eaters and alternative medicine (with a little bit of "down south remedies too"-(don't ask)

Anyway, I thought the way through to this was to major in Nutrition and Medical Dietetics at University of Illinois. I quickly realized that medical dietetics was not going to get me where I wanted to be so I did what any flighty Gemini would do----I switched majors for the 4th time.

I decided to major in Exercise Physiology so that I can take the route of a health and fitness guru to naprapathology. One of the courses was to design an exercise program for children and to implement it.

My partner was a meat head. He wanted to be "da' coach" at his old high school. Anyway, we decided to create an obstacle course for the kindergarten children. 2 things happened on that trip that made me decide to teach.

#1. When an African American boy was being too rambunctious (what 5 year old isn't) he told him he was putting him in jail and gestured an invisible jail box being positioned over the child's body. The boy ducked as the invisible box was placed over him and looked ashamed and terrified. I was seething!

#2. One little boy, was kissing another little boy on the cheek---however, it was not being welcomed by the child who was struggling to get away. As the boy was pulling away from "the kisser" ---Meathead Jones forcefully yanked "the kisser" from the other child and barked, "Hey you kid, little boys don't kiss boys! That's gross!" The child looked horrified. The boy being kissed was the kisser's cousin who he hadn't seen since summer.

At that moment, I decided to be a teacher. Right after helping the rambunctious one break out of the slammer.