Spring Break ER Visit

As many of our undergraduate brothers were trekking across the country in search of hot sandy beaches, bikini-clad co-eds, and a few cold beverages, I was doing what I hoped none of them would have to do during Spring Break.... visit the ER.

It was a nice quiet Sunday evening in the Mores household. My youngest daughter, Stephanie, had been in bed for about an hour. We had just finished the nightly game of Candy Land with Ashley, our four-year old, and we were getting ready to start the bed time routine.

As we were putting the game away, Simon Cowell of American Idol fame (insert groan here) was being interviewed on 60 minutes. My daughter is a big "AI" fan and usually acts out the singing and dancing routines of the contestants for us. (My wife loves the show and I simply just watch with them - seriously...) So when they were showing recent Idol highlights during Simon's interview, Ashley began doing "twirlees" as she calls them in the middle of our family room. She proceeded to slip and fall head first into the toy box opening up a nice gash on her forehead. So, we called a neighbor to come watch over Stephanie, and my wife drove to the ER while I held Ashley in my lap while using a washcloth to apply pressure to her forehead.

As I carried Ashley into the ER, I had the pleasure of getting the once-over by the nurses and the other waiting patients. Here I was covered in blood spatter carrying in a little girl with blood dotting her PJs... I'm sure I looked guilty as hell... it was one of those fatherhood moments I don't care to relive again.

After waiting two hours before being seen, the bleeding had stopped but stitches were still necessary for cosmetic reasons according to the resident ER doc. We couldn't have a nice dent in my daughter's forehead could we? The blood curtailing screams from my little girl as he "numbed" the wound were enough to make me a little woozy and I'm sure a few patients were scared off as well.

They placed Ashley on a backboard and velcroed her in like she was the star of The Mummy 3 - that scared her even more than the actual stitches did. After we finished, she was given a orange popsicle for her "good" behavior.

All has returned to normal in the Mores household. The stitches were removed five days later and Ashley was out riding her Cinderella bike this weekend without a fear in the world. (And no fear of further injury for Mom either since she was equipped with a helmet and both elbow and knee pads.) Anyway, kids are resilient, that is for sure.

As the weather warms up and our undergraduate brothers return to campus from Spring Break with their own fond memories, I hope everyone was able to avoid the ER. Keep in mind that historically, April is one of Phi Delta Theta's highest months for accidents and liability claims. Enjoy the weather but be smart with your activities. I doubt your ER gives out orange popsicles...

Until the next time, remember... Go far.

Bob Schieffer visits GHQ - Part II

My wife, Jennifer, and I attended Brother Bob Schieffer's lecture in Hall Auditorium on the Miami University campus a few weeks ago. For those of you who have attended Leadership College or Emerging Leaders Institute, we have held the model initiation ceremonies in Hall Auditorium before (not to be confused with Heritage Hall in the Shriver Center). It is just a short walk away from the GHQ building.

Bob's speech centered on his time as a reporter and he told wonderful stories about his days as a young newsman. In one story, he relayed how much times have changed and how you used to be able to wear a police detective style hat and everyone would assume you were a cop. One of his biggest scoops was interviewing Lee Harvey Oswald's mother immediately following the assassination of President Kennedy. The hat worked so well that he was able to accompany her to Oswald's holding cell. He thought he had a huge story until a senior FBI agent asked him who he was. His response of "Who are you?" didn't fare too well and he was escorted out.

He also discussed how political campaigns today have been removed from the community and are now on television (and now even YouTube - have you seen the latest Obama ad?) Bob said politics used to be an amateur sport as people from the communities the politician was representing would provide advice and then share in the joy of victory but when they lost they had to return to the community and live there. But today the media has turned it into a professional sport as politicians hire pollsters, advisers, use computers to figure out who is living where... it has removed all spontaneity out of politics because we have removed people out of politics...

One comment that stuck out for me was Bob's feeling that our country needed to get back to the basics. He said, "The way we can influence the rest of the world is to practice values that have made us the nation we are. I don't think we can do it for other people, we can help them, but by underlining what this country stands for and showing the other people the differences in how we go about things and how those who oppose us go about things then we have a chance to influence the rest of the world."

He went on to quote President Huebert Humphrey who said that the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which righted a wrong of over 200 years, was the single most effective foreign policy initiative that this country had ever undertaken. By that he meant it showed we were willing to correct and admit our mistakes and it showed we stood for fairness and that our system of government worked.

We have to emphasize what sets us apart and in no time should we ever find or seek shortcuts by adopting the methods of those who oppose us.

Was Brother Schieffer talking about our government or our Fraternity? Undergraduate leaders often are troubled when faced with the decision to discipline one of their own brothers due to financial delinquency or behavioral problems. They use brotherhood as their "shortcut" and therefore offer our competitors, who are willing to make those hard decisions, a window of opportunity to surpass us. Where is the value in that?

During my 12+ years on staff, the Fraternity's leadership has initiated several values-based initiatives including the alcohol-free housing policy, having Ritual as one of three educational pillars at the Emerging Leaders Institute, The Accolade member development program, and instituting a minimum standard for our chapters relating to the practice of Ritual at weekly chapter meetings. If the Fraternity can provide our members an opportunity to learn what is right, and instill in them the confidence to do what is right and to stand up against what is wrong, we are successfully influencing the leaders of tomorrow.

Until the next time, remember... Go far.

Bob Schieffer visits GHQ

One of the many benefits of being a Phi Delt staff member is meeting famous Phis.

Today was one of those days as Brother Bob Schieffer (TCU '59) stopped by General Headquarters. He is in town as part of Miami University's Lecture Series where he will speak tonight in Hall Auditorium. The title of the speech - "From the Anchor's Desk, Facing the Nation."

I was fortunate to play photographer for the quick tour given by Brothers Bob Biggs and Bob Miller. Fellow TCU alumnus and current Educational Foundation Board Chairman W.L. Gray, Jr. and his wife Lynn made a special trip from Texas to spend time with Brother Schieffer as well.

Bob was impressed with the GHQ building and enjoyed his trip down memory lane in the alumni room where he found his own picture as well as the picture of his college roommate, Brother B. Charles Coody, former Masters Champion. When he met the leadership consultants, he told stories about some of his visits to their respective college campuses.

Brother Schieffer's love for the Fraternity is strong; exemplified by the Phi Delt ring he wears everyday. He happily recounted several Phi Delt stories including one about his first out of town trip without his parents. As accomplished and well-traveled as Brother Schieffer is today, he can say his travels started with a cross country trek from Fort Worth, Texas to Asheville, North Carolina in 1958 for the 52nd General Convention of Phi Delta Theta.

We are looking forward to hosting a reception tonight in the Alumni Room of GHQ after his lecture. I'm not sure who is more excited about meeting Brother Bob, me or my wife!

Until the next time, remember... Go far.