One of my teachers was Mr. Delorente. I know I spelled it wrong but he was pretty great. I had him for a teacher around the time I read Jurassic Park and there was a dinosaur called a dilophosaurus that would spit poison that would blind you. This was hilarious to me because Mr. Delo was a passionate person who would often spit while talking. This nickname I kept to myself until now. But since I didn't spell his name right and it was more than twenty years ago I don't think there is much harm. He was a former marine he could take a little ribbing.
He taught history and would often veer off the topic to draw people into history. One day while talking about the Korean conflict he looked over and saw out glum faces and said, "Hows your PMA" We all woke up a little. Then in his best Marine voice, "HOWS YOUR PMA?" I asked what PMA was? He said, "In this world you have to be a self starter and after that you need a motor that is your PMA. Positive mental attitude" So he had us stand on our chairs and say I am a self starter and make reving engine noises to indicate our level of PMA.
Now we all laughed and teased each other on how silly this was. But I think it affected everyone in that class. We all listened better and that crazy teacher motivated us and his silly exercise has helped guide my life to this day.
I try to be a self starter and have a positive mental attitude to get things done. It is an excellent recipe for success given to me by a great teacher and an even better Marine. So during difficult times I hear that marine shouting at me to raise my PMA. So I am a work in progress but at least I have tools to work.
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