a dickens of a guy

I am going to gush about a guy tonight

     When the Cubs hired Joe Maddon, I did not know what to expect.  He walked away from Tampa Bay and walked into the job with the Cubs.  He was a big deal hire.
     Over the last two years I have come to somewhat understand his philosophy of baseball:  win.
     He is quirky, has a low key sense of humor and seems like the kind of man I would like to sit down with and have a glass of wine.
     (New dream:  Sitting with Pat Hughes and Joe Maddon and just visiting over a glass of wine and some warm bread sticks.)              
      Anyway, the other night Maddon said something that resonated with me.
He was talking about expectations.
     "Expectation is a good word.  It means there is a lot expected of you....good!  There should be.  We should all have a lot expected of us.  It should manifest itself in that it brings out the best in you."
      I love that sentiment.
     Sometimes I think that is what is wrong with us as a people.  (Well, 1 of the things wrong with us...I have a list.)
     We don't always expect a lot from ourselves, our friends, our families, our students.  It seems we sometimes accept the bare minimum.
     I am focusing on this because I am entering a new phase in my rather chaotic life.
     I am joining the speech team coaching staff at our local high school.  I will be working with teenagers in their original comedy and humorous duet efforts.
     I am really nervous.  And scared.  I am 50 + years older than all of these kids!      I don't understand their world, and I am sure they don't understand mine.  I have never worked with high school students, other than my own, and I hope I have the patience and temperament to meet their needs.
     One thing I do know is I have high expectations, for them and for me.
     That's not a bad thing, in fact, it's good.  Very, very good.
     Maddon said so.
     That's good enough for me.