Go With the Flow By: Liza Chmielewski

Go With the Flow

By: Liza Chmielewski, Gertens

Growing up in central Wisconsin you learn a different language. There are slang words and phrases that you don’t hear in other parts of the country. Here’s a “couple-two-three” examples for “youse guys”. A “bubbler” is another name for a water fountain. To “un-thaw” something is to defrost or thaw it. “Stop and go lights” are the same as a stop light. And “cripes” or “cripes sakes” is a phrase substituted for a swear word.

My parents would use some of these phrases on occasion, along with a few others. My dad says “you betcha’” or “you bet” regularly. Last week my daughter was giving my mom an update on how her basketball tournament went. My daughter said she played well but the team got beat bad by one team. My mom’s response was “Just play your own game.” As soon as I heard this I was taken back to my high school days of playing golf. I’d get frustrated with my golf matches and my mom would say this same phrase, “Just play your own game.” It took a while to learn this mindset but as I’ve grown this phrase along with another she used regularly have helped shape me into the person I am today. My mom’s most used phrase is “go with the flow”. This isn’t a midwestern or Wisconsin phrase, but she says it so often my sisters and I make faces at each other every time we hear her say it.

As golf course managers and turf professionals there are no 2 days alike; and even when there is a plan you can always count on a shift in it. Machines break down, crew doesn’t show up, the golf shop or Mother Nature have other plans; it’s a game of planning and re-planning. We adapt and go with

the flow. Some may call it Plan A and Plan B or even Plan B-minus. My parents aren’t in the turf business, both are retired teachers. They could both plan their days and teaching lessons, and growing up they both adjusted their schedules. My sisters and I played sports and participated in many clubs and after school activities. If we invited a friend over for dinner or practice ran late they just went with the flow and adjusted.

Even now that we have grown up, got married and had kids of our own, they are still willing to change plans and help us. The grandkids will definitely spill something, dinner sometimes isn’t done on time, or something breaks, anything is possible when we all get together and I think my mom’s way of coping with a full house is to say, “just go with the flow”. I asked my sisters if there were any other phrases that our parents said a lot so I could include them in the article. My youngest sister replied with something I thought was very insightful. She said, “I can’t really think of any, which seems odd, but maybe that’s also a good sign that they always adjusted their responses to us to actually fit the situation, showing actual listening vs. relying on a cliche phrase?” As a busy working mom I find myself thinking “go with the flow” more often. With two kids (ages 16 and 12), each with their own busy schedules, we are constantly revising our calendars, dinner plans and weekend excursions. I want to give my kids some individuality and responsibility to make plans and figure out how to make them work. This usually results in being asked to drop off/pickup, borrow the car, or the dinner menu being adjusted to accommodate everyone.

Growing up in central Wisconsin was a great childhood and I’m very lucky to raise my own kids here. They are living in the land of supper clubs, Friday fish frys, old fashioneds and the Packers, they’re learning the language too, “ya know”. I’m hopeful the kids will learn the art of adaptability. I’m more than happy to go with the flow for family and work. “Believe you me” they keep me on my toes!