One of my best friends recently called me giddy with excitement. What was bringing her this joy? A new wood turning class she had just started.
The next day our other friend called me to ask me if I had heard the news about the class. The reason this was big news is because our woodworking friend does not really fit the image of a woodworker. Just goes to show you can’t judge a book by its cover.
While this friend may not look the part, I know that her love of woodworking goes way back to a shop class she took in high school more than 20 years ago. I’m glad she is back in the game.
Thinking of my friend doing the woodworking in high school made me think about other classes that are no longer offered to the youth of today, but teach skills that are handy AF.
Home economics is the class that immediately jumps into my mind. I’m 52 and I would be a train wreck without the four years of home economics I took in junior high and high school.
In my junior high school, every student (boys and girls) was required to take home economics in their seventh and eighth-grade year. I loved it! Ms. Ralston was great and I learned some mad skills—sewing, embroidery, cooking and more.
When I switched schools for high school, I continued my home economics journey with Mrs. Gardner. Talk about a delight! I loved this woman. My love for her only grew stronger when I got the visual of her son who was my age and freaking gorgeous. Later in college, my bestie had a class with the son and she was telling me about this crazy hot guy in one of her history classes. She told me his name. I informed her I had actually spent the night at his house once. I got major street cred.
I took home economics during my freshman and sophomore year of high school. It was my favorite class. There were only like 10 of us in the class and we all became very close.
Along with learning more handy skills, Mrs. Gardner really talked and listened to us. Her classroom was such a safe, happy and fun space. The kind of space every teenage girl needs.
Home economics, along with 4-H, made me a damn good cook. I can also mend things with a needle and thread and do fractions in my head. It should be noted, the only advanced math I’m capable of involves measurements for recipes.
I have tried to hand down the skills I learned in home economics to my daughter. She is indeed a very good cook and can mend a hole in an article of clothing. However, it does make me sad that not all kids are getting this training.
Do I think STEM is important? Yes! However, so are practical skills like cooking, sewing and yes, woodworking. It would be nice to see some of these classes brought back. They introduce kids to different vocations or at the very least, give them a hobby.
I’m proud of my friend for getting back into the woodworking game. And the fact she is no doubt doing it perfectly dressed and in four-inch heels makes me smile.
Angela Traver
What is this blog about? Well, it's a general blog, but it is also a very specific blog. If you get that reference, you get a gold star! I have been a public relations professional and writer of press releases for more than 20 years—primarily in the booze biz. I decided to do some writing for fun and embrace the humor that gets me through most days. Hopefully it will make you chuckle—or at least smile. I’m a certified crazy magnet, and more than a little nutty myself, so buckle up. Also, I have two vices—profanity and red wine/whiskey. You’ve been warned. It should also be noted, that I’m a HUGE Bob & Sheri fan. I’ve been a listener for more than 20 years. This opportunity is a dream come true and it may have made me cry. That being said, I cry at everything. If you are into booze, dogs, food and/or knitting, hit me up on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (although I’m terrible at Twitter and it scares me) @kyspiritsgal. You can also find all my previous blog posts at www.kyspiritsgal.com.
