If you'll allow me I'd like to brag on my wife for a moment. As many of you know she works for Progressive Insurance as a Claims Team Leader. The Lubbock office is being recognized today as being the #1 office for customer satisfaction in Texas. Within that office, Lauren's team has the highest customer satisfaction ratings, making Lauren and her team the #1 team in Texas.

I happened to be driving by Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport on Saturday and was surprised to see a Pan Am aircraft (737?) parked at gate 1. I don't think I've seen one of their planes since the 80s. Granted, it's not the same Pan Am I once flew. It wasn't even Pan Am II or Pan Am III. Gate 1 is normally dark so my guess is that it was a charter for Southeastern Louisiana University. They were in town to watch Texas Tech beat them 62 to 0.

Penny Grossman cringes each time a student mentions a birthday party during class at her Boston, Massachusetts-area preschool. The rule there, and at a growing number of America's schools, is that parties and play-dates shouldn't be discussed unless every child in the room is invited.

Associated Press, Should we let kids feel exclusion's sting?

Life isn't fair, and the sooner children learn to accept that, the sooner they'll be able to enjoy life's sweet rewards.

This was perhaps the most uncomfortable I've been behind the wheel in quite some time. Riding the brake at 2mph with the ERV's limited leg room meant holding my leg in the air, with my knee bent at 45 degrees, for an hour. Add to that children dashing in from of the truck looking for candy, very limited visibility, and the fact that I've been qualified to drive this beast for less than two weeks, and it was a very, very tiring drive.

Two events made the pain worth while. We were driving behind several radio station vans that were capturing the crowd's attention by tossing chips into the crowd. What struck me, though, was that when we approached everyone stopped what they were doing the started to clap and cheer. I heard one girl off on the left remark that she was from New Orleans and a little while later I heard a mother refer to us as "heroes" to her son. It was all I could do to keep from crying. I don't volunteer with the Red Cross for recognition, and the thanks we get from our clients are all the pay I need, but it was very, very touching to receive praise from people we'd never met.

I mentioned a second event. As we approached the judge's stand I noticed that the MC was an old friend with whom I'd lost contact, Sean Donahue. I caught his attention and the next thing I heard was Sean remarking to the crowd, "Hey! I know the driver. That's Bill Curnow!" The clapping was heart warming, but the name recognition was just darned cool. It definitely made the next couple of blocks a little easier to drive.

To be honest, my Red Cross tank had been running on fumes lately, but today definitely filled it up. This really is a great place to live.

10. Well, how 'bout that?... I'm lost! Looks like we'll have to stop and ask for directions.

9. You know Pumpkin, now that you're thirteen, you'll be ready for unchaperoned car dates. Won't that be fun?

8. I noticed that all your friends have a certain "up yours" attitude ... I like that.

7. Here's a credit card and the keys to my new car -- GO CRAZY.

6. What do you mean you wanna play football? Figure skating not good enough for you, son?

5. Your Mother and I are going away for the weekend ... you might want to consider throwing a party.

4. Well, I don't know what's wrong with your car. Probably one of those doo-hickey thingies -- you know -- that makes it run or something. Just have it towed to a mechanic and pay whatever he asks.

3. No son of mine is going to live under this roof without an earring -- now quit your belly-aching, and let's go to the mall.

2. Whaddya wanna go and get a job for? I make plenty of money for you to spend.

1. Father's Day? aahh -- don't worry about that -- it's no big deal.