The Carlton Award

Its not really called the Carlton Award, but it might as well be. At the end of the year Atticus's class had their paper plate awards. These are simple recognitions of unique characteristics of each student's character/personality. Honestly, I couldn't be more proud. Growing up on a dairy farm you learn to make things work. Sometimes that is a nice clean permanent fix. Sometimes it's some fancy combination of scrap angle iron, a spring from an old ford truck, and a welder. Ultimately, it is always up to us to make sure the "thing" works, whatever that thing happens to be today. And it doesn't matter if today happens to be Christmas, new years, Sunday, or after 5 pm. Because the cows can not wait. You can see how that level of pressure can build a MacGyver-type personality. Or maybe its a this MacGyver type trait that allows a family to succeed in this industry for 4 generations. Either way, whether inborn or developed out of necessity, we Carlton's have this trait in spades. I always admired this aspect of my dad's ability, and I have seen this trait expressed strongly in both me and my brother. I am happy that Atticus is showing early signs of these Carlton tendencies. For those of you who may not remember the TV Show MacGyver, I asked ChatGPT to write a paragraph summarizing the MacGyver's characteristics. via ChatGPT: MacGyver, the iconic TV character, is known for his extraordinary ingenuity and resourcefulness. He possesses an exceptional ability to think on his feet and solve complex problems using common, everyday items. A former special forces operative and agent for the Phoenix Foundation, MacGyver shuns firearms, relying instead on his vast scientific knowledge, a Swiss Army knife, and creative improvisation to overcome obstacles and defuse dangerous situations. His character is marked by a strong ethical code, a commitment to non-violence, and a deep sense of compassion, making him a hero who uses brain over brawn to achieve his goals.