When Too Good is Bad
By Rhonda Ross-
Every year at this time we reflect on the past year that is rapidly winding down and we have a great time coming up with what we thought was “Best” about those months that are now only a memory. At Southlake Style we love to look back and remember some of the big moments from the year and even poke a little fun at ourselves. So, I was thinking that in the spirit of this long-standing tradition I would come up with a little list of my own.
I've been thinking of all the things that make Southlake and the surrounding communities such a wonderful place to live and I've realized that in some cases being too good can actually make things take a turn for the worse. I don't have the answers for any of these but here a few of my observations about the absurdities of our daily life.
Chicken Run
I love Chick-fil-A. Sometimes I'm hit with a craving and nothing will do except a box full of nuggets and a heaping pile of waffle fries. But, Chick-fil-A is so good the drive-thru line winds around the building and that's bad when you're crunched for time. Is this the only place in town to get good chicken? No, but Mark Gilbert is so great and the kids working are so friendly, I'll just happily wait in line with the rest of the crowd.
Wide Open Spaces
When I first came to Texas I was expecting those wide-open spaces I had always heard about. I didn't realize that was not the case when it came to parking. No one will dispute that we have fantastic shopping throughout Southlake. The places to browse or buy are so plentiful and popular Southlake has become a destination for lifestyle connoisseurs from around the Metroplex and that's good. But, finding a parking space amongst the aisles of this suburban shopping mecca is now like finding a needle in a haystack and that's bad. Must I feel like a suburban stalker following a bag-toting shopper with blinkers aglow just so I can stake my claim on their coveted 8 by 12 foot piece of real estate as soon as they back out?
Talent vs. Competition
Obviously people come here to shop and many stay to raise their kids in our exemplary school district. The Carroll Independent School District is so good in so many ways, academically and athletically, that we have a nationwide reputation for excellence. That's most definitely a good thing. I think it's also a good thing that if these kids need a tutor, a gymnastics teacher, a voice teacher, an extra coach, parents here will find a way to meet the need. The bad part is when talented kids burn out striving to excel in one activity at the expense of having fun in so many more.
Budget Deficits vs. School Marketing
The statewide school budget deficit problem is no big secret. Despite this, CISD's financial standing is in relatively good shape. Part of the accolades should go to CISD's phenomenal marketing department who continue to come up with innovative ways to supplement and balance shrinking school budgets. I know it's all for a great cause but we've sold naming rights, we have Carroll credit cards, we've put ads on buses, we even have custom Carroll license plates. The bad part is that lately I've been wondering what isn't for sale in CISD? Prisoners make license plates. In a way it makes me feel we are all prisoners of state funding practices. We're fortunate that Southlake is the unique community it is where everyone is committed to ensuring that Carroll students continue to receive the highest level of education. That's a very good thing but it's too bad that with the amount of property taxes everyone pays in addition to generous cash outlays during the school year, we still have to rely on these supplements so heavily.
Living the Good Life
Lastly, Southlake is an amazing place to live and its safe to say we feel fortunate life here is so good. But what happens after you have finished raising your family? If you've experienced a life-changing event like a divorce or the joys of becoming an empty nester you might not be able to find a home that suits your new lifestyle. Finding a place to live in Southlake that's less than 3,000 square feet and affordable is no easy task. That's bad, but there is always an upside. Thanks to our forwarding thinking city's development plans the garden district being developed within Southlake Town Square may very well bring housing that suits a myriad of people.
I guess the bottom line is that you have to take the good with the bad. But it is still interesting to note when too much of a good thing can tip the scales towards the negative.
Just saying.