Real people

Carlie and Jack are married. Lily is trying to get Holden. The baby isn't really Davids, he is Jacks. I am scared. Tammy is talking about soap opera people as if they are real. It took 14 months of being off work for her to finally break. I blame myself. I went back to work at the end of December. It has been a month that she hasn't had me to play with during the day (update, Russ).

Other than that scary thought, things are okay.

My Principal paid me an extreme compliment this morning. He was telling me about a student he wants to move into my class. He is a freshman. He is headed to court for truancy. He has missed quite a bit of school. He said the choice was mine. He further said that he had watched me teach and interact with students. He could tell that I liked the students and cared about whether they learned or not. He said I had the makings of a fine teacher. I have what it takes. I thanked him. I told him to put the new kid in my 4th block (smallest class) where I would be able to give him more personal attention. If Joe only knew how much I love challenges, or perhaps, he does.

I gave my classes the planned 'pop' quiz today. Most did well. It was the last grade before the mid-terms come out on Tuesday. It was the last chance to add a few points to the grade. Most added at least 2 points to their mid-term grade.

I also laid about $10,800 worth of material and tool orders on Joe's desk before I left this afternoon. He will get those in the morning. Items that we need that do not exceed $1000 do not require as many signatures. I kept it all under that figure and spread it out among 5 different suppliers to satisfy the state requirement that we not spend more than $3000 at any one supplier in any one month. The real fun of working for the state is in the paperwork and rules.

Tammy is happy. Her gap is fixed. She can tell ya all about it in her blog.

I downloaded a tax program this evening (which will remain nameless unless they want to pay me to advertise) and tentatively did our taxes. I do still have one W-2 out there somewhere. A company for which I worked for about 2 weeks is holding up the works. Still, it looks better than we figured.

We will invite ya all to the "we did well on our taxes" party. It will be a BYOC (Bring Your Own Celebration) party. We will supply us. You supply you.

Sick Sunday

We stayed close to the house today. Tammy, Sierra, and Kyle are sick with the flu/cold thing. I was up 6:30ish. Tammy got up when the alarm went off at 8:30 to get us up for church. I told her to go back to bed, there is no need going to church when you are sick and most of all, contagious. I never understood folks like that. Yes, church is a great place to be, even when you are sick, but if you are contagious, why go and shake hands with 100 people that will take your germs home with them and infect their entire family?

Eventually, we got back in bed for a bit more rest. We tried not to leave the house, but did, at one point, have to go out to help Jordan and Sierra get an entertainment center that ended up not fitting in the truck. From there we made a quick stop at the grocery for a few things. Those few things cost $85. I remember when I used to go to the grocery for groceries and didn't spend half that.

Well, time to be asleep.

The TEST is done !!

I finished the test.

It was computer based, so I got some of my scores immediately. I got 187 out of 190 (per the administrators of the test) on the math part and 183 on the reading part. The writing part has to be graded, since I had to write an essay. I finished all the tests well under the time limits allowed. I hope that is a good sign, lol.

The weather is semi-nasty. It had been raining ice for hours when I left to drive to the testing site. The roads were mostly just wet and I passed a salt truck or two along the way. That should keep the roads in decent shape. The temps are climbing. It is over 32° out there now. The extended forecast calls for snow and more snow. There is to be accumulating snow this evening and more accumulating snow tomorrow evening. Fun, fun, fun.

We will be heading out this afternoon to join friends at Friends to watch the UK game. That is going to be fun. I love the bunch we run with (mostly). I am sure there will be much to blog about later.

Chella is going to see J at 2ish. Will be an interesting evening. We shall see.

Friday and early

Here it is, not even 10 on a Friday night and we are already back at home. After a sabbatical of about 3 weeks, we go out, sing four songs, and come back home, all before 10 o'clock. In all actuality, It is because I have tests tomorrow morning more than anything else. Tomorrow, I will be taking my Praxis test. It is a comprehensive test of my reading, ritin', and 'rithmetic skills. It is to be on a computer and should take around four hours.
So, for tonight, it is an early night. That suits me just fine.

I just hope the weather cooperates. Tomorrow is to be a cornucopia of wintry weather. There will be sleet, snow, freezing rain, and ice. It will be the whole works. We will see.

Good night all.

Ron

At School

It is test day. The students are diligently pouring over the test. My usual advice to them is that they take their time and double check their answers. Here in the valley, (the high school is on the hill) we have an advantage. Our classes are approximately 90 minutes long. That gives them ample time to take a test without feeling rushed.
Then there are also things in electrical circuits that will enable them to check their figures. There are answers that must add up. If these answers do not jive, then something is wrong. We are dealing with resistors this week. This includes working with voltages and currents. Using the answers they get on a problem, they can input into another formula and it should match. If it doesn't, then a mistake, either in formula or math, has been made.
This is my 3rd block period. 1st and 2nd block are combined to make them 90 minutes long.

Well, tests are coming to my desk. I had best get off of here and find my RED pencil.

Long Wednesday

Here I am at the keyboard when I should be sleeping. At least that is what these yawns keep telling me. I stayed at work an extra hour trying to finish up the test I am giving the class tomorrow. Then when I come home, I take it myself. I isn't complicated. One of the things I stress to them is that they don't need to make things more complicated than they are.
I tell them to look at the circuit problems one piece at a time and not get overwhelmed. You don't work on the roof of the house at the same time you are pouring the footer. These complex problems are really just a series of small simple problems. They are manageable problems when you take them one piece at a time.

(R1 x R2)/(R1 + R2) or 1/(1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3) = R total

Nothing to it.

For a friend

Sometimes

sometimes
your life is so full
the smallest is too much
and then comes the world

sometimes
there isnt a right thing
there isnt a wrong thing
there is the only thing

sometimes
even though your brain knows
your heart won't listen
and tears can hear the fall

sometimes
you don't know
if you can go
one more step

sometimes
you just do
you don't know how
but morning comes

sometimes

Ron
January 25, 2005

Easy Decision Hard

Some easy decisions are so hard.

Tammy's daughter has been 'seeing' a kid, J, from the neighborhood for just over 9 months. He is 14 yrs old. He is an odd kid. He is quiet around us, tho Chella swears that he is funny and hyper out on the porch.

Just a side bar about the 'porch people'. The kids have lots of friends from the neighborhood that like to hang out here on our porch. I think it is because we are the least uptight of the parents around here. We have rules. We have conditions for hanging on the porch. There are some kids that have been banned from the porch for periods of time and there are those that have been banned period. We watch the way these kids act and don't mind telling them when they are over the line. They are basically 'broken' kids. Tammy and the kids attract them and adopt them. They have such huge hearts. J is one of the porch people with house privileges.

J came by this afternoon after school. He talked to Chella for a few minutes when his dad showed up and he bolted. His dad chased him but didn't catch him. His mom came to the house to talk with Tammy. J is in trouble and will be grounded to his house for a while. His mom said that Chella could come visit him in 2 weeks. Only problem with that is that we do not approve of her going to his house to visit. She can go there to get him and bring him here. It isn't an elitist thing at all. His parents are both drug addicts. We do not approve of their lifestyle.

J came back before going home. He told Chella that his mom is abusing him. Chella is destroyed. She hurts for him. I told her that the best thing we can do is report it. She cannot go there and take the abuse for him. She cannot rescue him herself. Tammy called the National Hotline.

There is no excuse for child abuse. There is no reason that anyone can give me to excuse a parents abuse of a child. It does not matter how difficult a child is to handle, abuse is not the answer. A parent cannot make it okay. If it came to a choice of putting my child in another place for counseling or rehab, and a choice of abusing them, I would choose to lose my child rather then abuse them.

In spite of this being the right choice, it is still hard. In spite of this being the only right thing, it is still a difficult thing. Chella is fearful that they will take him away from her. She fears the loss it will cause in their relationship. Those are pretty heavy choices in a 14 yr olds eyes. She knows that that abuse doesn't go away. It will only get worse. She knows down deep that this is the right choice. It doesn't make it easier.

It is an easy decision hard.

Slow Sunday

Because of the weather, Sunday morning and Sunday evening services were combined into a afternoon service. It began at 2PM. We took advantage of the late start to sleep in a bit. Well, Tammy slept in. I wake up all hours of the night. I rarely sleep more than 4 hours in a stretch. I was, however, able to add an extra stretch.

Sunday afternoon at church was great. Dad taught. The kids went with us and sat in the adult class. They enjoy papaw's teaching. After class, there was a get together for Kaspar, my nephew. He is headed off to the Navy on Tuesday. There was soup, chili, and a variety of sandwiches. Of course, there had to be cake and desserts. You can't get church folks together without there being desserts around. The food and company was great.

We got back to the house after 5 and chilled the rest of the night. I watched the Patriots/Steelers game and worked on school 'stuff'. After the game, I watched a new series premiere of "Numbers". It was an OK show. It deals with a FBI agent and his mathematician genius brother. The latter uses his considerable math skills to assist the former in solving a series of rape/murders. Not a bad premiere. We will see where the series goes.

After that, I watched a little news and weather and snuggled into bed .. Night all !

Still snowy

It has been a nice day here in snowy Lexington. Stacey sent us some snow from NY. We (according to whichever source you choose) were supposed to get somewhere from a foot to a dusting. The dusting began around noon and continued steady all afternoon. It is still dusting out there. There must be a dozen layers of dust out there. It really isn't that much accumulation. It is around an inch or so.

We braved the roads to meet friends of an internet group for our monthly meeting. There were about 30 other braving souls out. It was a good time. We got to see old friends and new ones, and some we haven't seen for a bit.

We got home about an hour ago. Safe and sound, still. The house was still standing too (always a good thing). I am wrapping up my internet involvement for the night as Tammy is finishing her 'last' game of solitaire on the laptop. A nice warm waterbed awaits. There will also be a soft snuggly sexy redhead in there too (do you feel updated, Russ?).

Good night all !

A school/no school day

Clark County called off school this morning. However, I still have to be at school. I went to Southside Vocational to check out their electric shop and program. From there it was down to CCATC (Clark Co Area Technology Center) to finish out the day. I have paperwork to do that was to be done at home. I got a good bit of it done with some to finish at home. Still, it was a productive day.
I took my laptop in to the computer class teacher to be repaired. He said it wasn't worth repairing (I disagree) and gave me another laptop for free (yes, I took it .. lol). I can still have mine repaired. It has info on the harddrive that I need.

Evening was spent at home. We are going out tomorrow evening and I felt like staying home an evening or two .. or three ..

We watched "The Village", which we saw at the theater first. Still, it was a good movie to re-see.

and .. Tomorrow is a sleep in day .. yah !!

Snow !!!!

It is snowing in Lexington.

They are big beautiful flakes.

Yes, Stacey, I know you are tired of snow in upstate NY, but we are way behind in our playful snow. I love snow. I love the kind you play in, not the kind that causes you to slip and slide into the ditch. Of course, it is hard to convince the snow to fall only where ya want it. I can see someone yelling at the snow to stay off of the road.

Work ? Even if they close the school, I have to be there, unless the Governer closes the state. I just don't see that out of this snow, unless it decides to do something unexpected during the night. It will have to do that without my supervision. I ain't staying up to stop it. Sorry guys!

We are about to watch "Forgotten". Y'all have fun !

Shocking turn of events

When I came home from school, the TV was on.

On the tube was Maury.

The guests were former guests that had accused their partners of cheating in their relationship. During their first appearances, of course, they vowed to never be with this man/woman again. Here they are again, on national TV accusing that partner that they took back, of cheating again. DUH !

It is amazing on so many levels.

First ... It is amazing that, after having it proven to them by lie detector tests, they take the cheater back, claiming they think he/she will change. Can a cheater change? Yes. However, while watching these particular cheaters on the air, and seeing their complete lack of remorse, their willingness to deny it even after the tests, and their lack of respect for the person they claim to love, there is no way these will change. The biggest reason I don't think these will change is the lack of remorse. They need to feel remorse in order to feel the need to change. Why would anyone change a behavior that they don't conceive as wrong?

Second ... It is amazing that having taken the cheater back they are surprised when they begin to suspect that their partner is cheating again. You know, if there are things that make you suspect that your partner is cheating, you don't need to be in that relationship. If they are acting the part of the cheater, you don't need to be in their life. If you are so suspicious of innocent actions that you suspect everything as evidence of infidelity, you aren't ready to be in the relationship either.

Third ... What person in their right mind goes on national TV to expose their lives in such a fashion. TV shows such as Maury, Montell, Sally Jesse Rapheal, and others do not pay guests. Springer pays guests, and the more clothes you take off, the more you make. Springer even hires actors. In what reality, in what universe, is the right way to confront your partner about a relationship problem to do so on TV. I can see it now, "Honey, I'd like to talk to you about burning dinner last night, but we have to wait for the camera crews to get set up and the host to come in from his/her dressing room."

Fourth ... and scariest ... Why am I watching this? CLICK!

What is it about peering into the personal pain of others that has become so appealing?

oh my gosh !

Frogger frogger, Tammy is a blogger.

Yep, you read me right, Tammy has her own blog.

One of the regular blogs that we read 'required' her comment about a situation. she found she could not post a comment to the blog unless she was a blogger, as this particular blog didn't allow anonymous commenting. So, Tammy made her a blog of her own. you can find her at troubleshandful.

For those that the link doesn't work, you can find her at http://troubleshandful.blogspot.com/

Enjoy her zany outlook on life with a redneck twist.

Holiday

My first paid holiday in 20 years is coming to a close. It was a good day. It was great to sleep in with Tammy. We piddled around until she had to go to the DR at 2pm. She was good.

From there we came home and picked up a couple kids and headed to Winchester, where I would tutor a student and Tammy would shop. She was a thrift store queen.

On the way home we made a pitstop at Golden Corral.

Time to drag my hiney to bed.

One lines

I have written some one liners in the past. I keep some of them in a file marked "to be expanded". I have came to the realization recently, that some of those are just as good as they are gonna get in the form they are in now. This is not to say that they are perfect by any means. It is just saying they are as good as I am going to be able to make them. This realization came to me while Tammy and I were watching an 'oldie but goodie', Joe Vs. The Volcano. It was in the part where he was with the 'flibberdegibbet' and she was reciting one of her poems. It was one line. It was like a light coming on.

Here are some of the one liners I think are un-improvable:

You have loved me enough for a lifetime, yet left me yearning for a lifetime more.

Though I would never break you, I hold you like you are mine to break.

Her lips continually look as if there is one more kiss left on them.

Words springing from my heart, falling from my head, I catch them in my hands and spread them out on paper.

Some are more than one line, but still embrace one simple idea:

A man can no more own a woman than he can own his own breath. He can hold it for a while, but then he has to let it go. The sweetness is when it returns.

Why did I never know this kind of love existed?
To know it and not have it would create such an unbearable feeling of loss that the heart would not allow it. Even now, having this power in my life, this knowledge, this love, it sometimes overwhelms me. It carries me away like flood. I arrive on some distant shore, safe, sound, and dripping. The waves of this love dripping from me, shared with those around me. Until once more, I am carried away.

There are more, but I will save them for other times.

Saturday night/Sunday Morning

Man, it is late.

We went to a class and then a party. We had a blast. There was over 30 for the class and party. It was great to see some old friends and great to make some new ones. It was an interesting and informative time.

for now, it is toooooooo late to collate.

night all !

The weekend begins ...

Ah !

It is finally Friday.

It really isn't that bad. It has been a good week. The job isn't the tiring part. It is the evening running. This Friday is a stay at home night. Saturday will be busy. Sunday will be busy as well. Church in the morning and tutoring in the late afternoon. I have a couple students that need some extra help.

For now, it is vegging in front of the tube and cuddling. Feel free to do that amongst yourself.

Later.

Unapologetic creationist

I just read an article about a Federal judges ruling that the Cobb County Schools in GA have to remove a sticker from their biology text books that says evolution is a theory and not a fact and should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered.

OK, so what. Evolution is a theory. It should be taught as such. The ACLU claimed that the sticker was an unfair endorsement of religion. What the ACLU does not understand is the evolution is a religious belief. It is where science stops being science and becomes an act of faith.

Science says, If it happened once, I can recreate it and make it happen again. If I cannot recreate it or show a continuous string of events which lead to the ultimate conclusion, then it is not a scientific fact.

Evolutionist contend that life began in a pool of chemicals struck by a random electrical charge of a lightning bolt. Single cell life began. From there the myriad complexity we call the Earth was populated with animals and eventually man. OK, recreate that.

All right, forget recreating it, show me the continuous string. You guys ever heard of the missing link? You know, that one piece that will tie the stages of evolution together is still missing.

So, you can't recreate it and you can't supply that one link to tie it all together, and you want me to believe it anyway. You want me to take that leaf of faith to believe. That is the job of religion, not science. Religion says, I can't prove it but I want you to accept it. So, evolution endorses religion. It is the place where science stops being science and begins behaving like religion. Personally myself, I choose to accept creation.

I just couldn't do it

I tried. It wasn't in me.

I tried to spend the $15,000 that the state was ready to grant me to buy material and tools for my class. My principal told me today that he doubled my order and was still well shy of the goal. He asked my to get prices for a scissor lift from a rental place in Winchester. I called and got rental prices. He then told me that he had actually wanted me to get prices to buy one. So, back on the phone I went. I got prices for buying a used one and a new one. The used one would be fine, but he says the state is hesitant to buy used and took the $11,000 price for a new one.

The students and I spent the day cleaning the rest of the tool room and shedding ourselves of all the equipment that we will never use. It was all bought for an industrial maintenance class. Very little of it, if any, will ever be of any use to an electric class. We piled a pallet full of 'stuff' that a neighboring schools maintenance program will come to look over in the morning.

I think I am learning more about the red tape of State Government than the students are learning about electricity. That will change as soon as I get some books from which to teach.

Tonight is going to be a busy one. I have a meeting this evening and books to study. Therefore, it is time to end the blogging and get busy.

Trying to live my life

Have ya ever wondered if you are living your life or is your life living you?

Sometimes I think we make decisions like the result of the domino effect. We made a small decision when we were just coming out of our teens and everything that has happened since has just been one domino knocking over the next which is knocking over the next which is knocking over the next. We think we are driving, when all we are really doing is reacting to something pushing us from the back.

Every now and then, it is a good idea to stop and turn around. It makes sense to take inventory of our decisions and be assured that we are making decisions based on our own desires and wants, and not some cause and effect ritual that we are stuck in the middle of. There have been times in my life that I have stopped mid stream and realized that I wasn't the guiding force behind my life decisions. I was doing what this one or that one expected of me. I was doing what others thought I should be doing.

Don't get me wrong, some decisions you make have to be carried through. When I was young, I made the decision to become a father. That decision has life long implications. I don't begrudge that decision. Never once, in my mid stream stops or many life checks, have I ever regretted that choice. I love my kids and wouldn't change that part of my life for anyone.

This being the early part of a new year and the beginning of a new career for me, has made me think about those things. After my divorce (a life changing decision) and being single again for 5 years, I made another life changing decision. I married Tammy, whom I love completely. Now, 15 months later, I have made another decision to change careers. Even though this change was somewhat precipitated by the growing arthritis pain in my back, I feel it is a good and personally made decision.

Sometimes you just have to break the habits and change the cycle. Sometimes you just have to make a choice for yourself. I am mostly happy with my life. There are still things that I want to change, but these are more personal changes about me and not about the people in my life. I want to be healthier. I want to be more patient. (You have to be careful asking for patience. The Bible says that the trying of your faith worketh patience. So, when you ask for patience, you are asking for trying times.) Patience is a pass/fail kinda class. There is no middle ground. There is no, "I was almost patient". Still, I want patience. I remember that old poster that said, "God grant me patience, but DO IT NOW!"

Looking up at the clock in the corner of the screen, I see it is about bedtime. Y'all have a good evening, night, day, whatever time you read this.

Cleopatra 

Cleo and the Creep 

Monday Monday

Today I gave my students their, well .. my, first test. It was a test of my skills as a teacher to reach them with the information in such a way as to imprint it on their minds. So, it was a test for both of us. I explained to them previously that it was not my goal to flunk them. It is my goal to teach them. Any one can disseminate information and grade standard tests. I want to give them the knowledge and skill that is necessary to take them to the next step and prepare them for the other side.

I remember, as a student, thinking how it would be to finally be out of school and working. I had envisioned how it must be. I, like most high school students, was completely naive. The real world was nothing like the hallowed halls of education. I, personally, feel that is a shortcoming of our educational system. I do think we should be including core concepts of work ethics and practical 'education to work' skills in our education system. In today's job market, it is not enough just to have education skills. One must have practical work skills as well. Education should be a 'hands on' apprenticeship type thing.

Just how does plane geometry impact the rest of my life? Show me in a practical way. Like yesterday, I was teaching about a math concept of algebra. If P=IxE, then E=P/I. I wanted to show the students how I arrived at the conclusion. I used a pick up game of basketball as example. If you have 6 guys, you put 3 on each team, therefore 3=3. If 4 more guys showed up and wanted to join, what would you do? The solution was simple to them. Put 2 guys on each team, making 5=5. That is algebra. Whatever you do to one side of an equation, you must do to the other side, with the "=" being the line between the sides. So, If P=IxE, and you divide the right side by 'I' to leave you with only 'E', then you must do the same to the other team and divide 'P' by 'I'. This leaves you with E=P/I. The light came on. I am a seeker of that light.

Anyway, most passed the test, at least by the second try.

As soon as we get some tools and material in, I will show them how this education impacts their daily life in the real workplace. Then we will see lotsa lights, literally.

Upon arriving home, I was apprised of the new drama. It seems that the puppy we gave Jordan, with his mom's approval, crapped in the house and his mom decided the puppy had to go. Jordan defended the puppy being there by reminding his mom that she approved it beforehand. She explained that, that was yesterdays decision and this is today's decision. Furthermore, the puppy could go or both he and the puppy could go. He opted for the both going part. Now we have a Jordan, for which my big hearted wife feels obligated to find a place to live. I just keep reminding myself how much I love her and don't ever want her to change. Oh yeah, and we have his dog .. and his cat .. bringing the temporary pet total in the house to 8. That would be 2 dogs, 3 puppies, 1 cat, 1 kitten, and 1 snake.

Pets, anyone ??

We had the meeting about the incorporation of the internet group. It was suggested that since I was a state employee now, that I might want to keep my name off of the incorporation papers, which I can do and still be a board member. That was cool with me. The lawyer, David, that was doing the incorporation for us is also looking over my contract with the publishing company. Hopefully, I will have a viable offer for the publisher in a few days.

ER & suddenly called meetings

I was up early this morning. I woke up about 6:45 while the alarm wasn't set to go off until 8:30.

My son-n-law called about 9 to tell me that Audrey was leaving to go to the ER. It seems she woke up, turned her head, and heard a popping sound. Then her neck was stiff. She couldn't move it. I told him we would meet him at the hospital. I called my parents and told they to ask for pray at the morning services. Then I called the ER. The DR was in with Audrey, so I told them to have her call me. We arrived at the hospital in time to meet Adam pulling into the parking lot. He borrowed Kayes car. He told us they had released Audrey. She had pulled a muscle. They gave her Flexeril and Ultram (spelling?).

She assured us the BD party for Chris was still on.

As arranged, Mel called us to let us know she would be in Lexington shortly. We drove over to meet her and picked up 3 of the 7 puppies. The one that looks like Malcolm is the one we will keep. We named her Cleopatra and will call her Cleo for sort. We also got 2 other black and white females, one for Jordan (Sierra's BF) and one that was to be Audrey and Adams, but they changed their minds. We knew this beforehand, but decided to take the puppy and find it a home.

Jordan came over and immediately fell in love with the puppy. They are calling it "Cow" because of the markings it has.

Robin, the leader of an internet group to which Tammy and I belong called to ask if we could attend a hastily called meeting at 7 this evening. We agreed. I am one of the group moderators.

We took Kyle and Cleo with us to the BD Party for Chris (my grandson) at Chucky E. Cheese. Kyle went in, Cleo stayed in the box in the truck. Chasity, Chris, Adam, and the grandkids went crazy over Cleo. We stayed at the part for an hour and a half and then brought Kyle and Cleo home.

From there it was a drive across town to the hastily called meeting. The group plans to incorporate and wants to set up a board. I have been invited to be on the board. The other 4 moderators will also be on the board. They will replace me on the moderators group with Tammy. We are meeting tomorrow to sign the papers and install two other members to the board. Until our positions are filled on the mod list, we will continue to do the jobs we each held on the list.

From there it was finally time to come home and stay here. Sweet !

Slow Saturday

It has been a slow Saturday. We actually got up early and hung around the house. Sometime this morning, I went to lay on the bed for a minute. Tammy came in and laid down with me. Next thing we knew, the kids were knocking on the door, waking us up an hour or so later.

We got briefly motivated and made it to Johnny's to finish the plumbing/electric work. We took Malcolm with us, since he just loves to ride. After we finished the job, we came back and dropped him off before I went to have my head shaved (almost). My regular or semi regular barber was across town and I hadn't made an appointment, so I decided to stop at Wal-Mart (Yes, the den of evil) for my haircut. The girl that cut my hair had on of the scariest haircuts I have seen in some time. It wasn't that it was a bad cut, though. It looked like that on purpose. One of the other 'stylists' was doing a weave, and the transexual was doing something to some other ladies hair that was frightening.

Tami asked me how I wanted my hair cut. I told her I wanted a 1/4" on the side and back. She said. "Off?" I said, "No, left! And leave me 3/4" on the top." She was thrilled. She said that was her kind of hair cut. Soon, the hair was leaving my head by the handfuls. (It has been a few days since my hair was cut.) Ten minutes later I was a short haired man again. It looked good. Tammy was disappointed because there is not hair that she can grab in the back now. There is about a month of good hair for both of us. From the time my hair is long enough for her to like it and the time that it is too long for me to stand it, is about a month.

We grabbed the movie, "Resident Evil:Apocalypse" from Hollywood and headed home.

We decided to stay in tonight. We watched the movie and I worked on MS Excel to create a price sheet for my class. (Remember, I have to spend $15,000 on tools and material) I have to have the list ready on Monday or lose the grant.

That was my evening. How was yours ?

Good

It is earlier than the sun. It is Friday. Life is good.

Continuation ...

It was another good day at work. The students are settling in. The administration and I are still working on ordering the materials that we need to begin working in the shop. The carpentry class is still working on the 30' wall. We had decided to add a few additions in the form of 3 short walls perpendicular to that wall, one at each end and one in the middle.

The computer/printing class finished my first lessons today, so I was able to pass out a safety handbook to the guys in 3rd thru 5th block. Tomorrow, the guys in 1st block will get their copies. With any luck, by Monday we will be ready for a test on safety. Once safety is cleared, the shop awaits. We will have a few walls to work on, and some tools, and soon, some material.

Soon, I will have the sleeping and waking thing down pat, I hope. It seems I toss and turn throughout the night, partially because of heat. Then, about 2 PM the yawns hit me. I almost have my peeing schedule down as well, once at the beginning of the day, once at lunch, and then at the end of the day. I just have to keep the drinking to a minimum. I guess I'll have to cut out my mid morning scotch and soda. I also think it would be best to do away with that jack and coke just after lunch. Yeah ! I know, Tammy and Russ, you want me to bite yer elbows.

I got word back on the contract. The negotiations are nearly complete. I think we are days away from a signing. I have negotiated a larger royalty, more free copies, and gotten clarification on a more realistic time frame.

Oh yeah, Russ, while I am writing this, I am practicing "Monday Morning Church".

Late late

I am headed to bed.

After work, a friend and I went to my Sisters house to do some work. We got half of it done. I had the wrong parts for the water heater relief valve.

The bed is calling. I will catch ya up tomorrow.

Sweet dreams

Better

Another day with students and it is getting better. I enjoy the teaching thing. They added 3 new students to my classes. I am up to 17.

As soon as I get books to teach from and safe up the shop, where we can do actual electric work, I think it will increase the fun greatly.

One of the things another teacher warned me about was being 'dumped' on. He said the high school sends their 'problem' kids to the vocational school. I guess, in one way, that makes sense. If there is a problem with educating them, you want them out of the general population (like it is a prison). Also, if books and education are not working, teaching them a trade will help them make it in the real world. One of the points I stress to my students is that this is preparing them for the time they are paying their own bills. I try to get them to understand that missing work has greater consequences than missing school. Mistakes at school mean a lower grade. The grade after this is reflected in the difference between driving a beater with bald tires and driving a Cadillac Escalade. It is the difference between owning a home or renting a small apt. I think kids need a real nuts and bolts education that shows them the differences between trying and not trying.

In Homeschooling Sierra, one of the exercises she did was to go to the grocery and get prices, find an apt, figure utilities and other bills, and figure how to make a living with her and hubby both working and making a decent wage. Then she had to redo the exercise figuring her and hubby making minimum wage. It showed her the difference between what it means to work hard or take the easy road.

This is what vocational should be teaching, along with a trade. I feel it is my job to prepare them for the next step, not only in a genuine good start in a high paying trade, but in understanding the real world.

My number one class rule is: if you don't know, ASK. If you are not sure how to do some part of this work, ASK. I have it on the bulletin board. Assimilate Selective Knowledge. ASK.

Anyway .. Time for bed .. Y'all have a goddern'

Made it !

I made it through the first day with students.

My first block (each one being 90 minutes long) consisted of 5 students. That class went well. It was all sophomores, ranging from 15 to 17 years old. A couple of them have had some vocational experience before this class, but not much electricity.

My second block consisted of 5 students as well. This class also went well. It was a mix of sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Some of them had welding last semester. I did discover one little glitch. I couldn't remember if I told them something that I told first block. I couldn't remember if I was remembering telling them or first block. I have to figure out how to do that.

Third block was a small crowd. There were 3 students, which was one more than was originally on the register. It was a good little group though.

Fourth or last block was a curious one. I had 2 students. I only had one on the roll. The second was an add in. One was a senior, that just broke up with his unfaithful GF and had trouble being in one place all the time. The other was a sophomore that should be a senior that wants to work for the local power cooperative. He seems to have concentration issues.

Still, all in all, it was a good day. I survived. There were no shootings, no drug busts, and no excessive hall pass use.

Just hours now

I have managed to get most of what I wanted to accomplish this weekend finished. I printed the first 3 days of lessons. I printed my "Partners In Education" certificates for the 5 volunteers to my Advisory committee. I have found a few textbooks that I am interested in. I spoke to a former teacher for the Harrison County Vocational School about teaching and picked up some interesting pointers. I wrote my introductory letter to the parents of my students. It feels weird to say that, "my students", but for that 90 minutes they are mine. I am responsible for their safe keeping and their education. That is a big difference from the way I saw teachers when I was 16.

I also managed to spend time with my honey and friends to see in the new year. Truth be told, as much as I enjoyed the friends part of that, I would have been just as happy to bring it in with just her. That is in no way to be considered a slap to our friends. Most of them know how crazy I am about Tammy and would totally understand. (Right, Russ?)

Speaking of Russ, he visited yesterday. Tammy fixed supper and cut his hair. We had a great time. We talked, cut up, watched football, and had a generally good time.

We went to church this morning. That is always a good time, even though Tammy says she has to sit with the most mouthy guy there. (She likes it, don't let her fool ya.)

I introduced Tammy to my favorite Chinese take out place (The Great Wall). She has decided that is her favorite place for Chinese take out as well. I had the sesame chicken and she had the sweet and sour pork. She tried both and decided she loved them both. She loved the pork fried rice. We let Kyle, who claimed he didn't like most Chinese food, try both and he has decided that he might have to rethink that claim.

Chelsea went to evening services with Jordan (upstairs) and Sierra went to Jordan's (BF) house. It made for a quiet evening. A good slow venture into the night. Maybe I will sleep better tonight than recent previous nights, especially now that the heater on the water bed has been turned down again. It is the strangest thing how it keeps moving up to the highest setting of its own accord. No one will claim responsibility. The dogs are over there a lot, but I am not sure they know how to turn it up. Just another one of those unexplained mysteries of the universe.

Anyway .. We are off ..

The Family on New Years Eve

The House Family

Happy New Year

I have found that each day comes, and each days goes, and what is left behind is like the scraps of paper you find in the pockets of your jeans before you do the laundry. You pull these scraps, notes, receipts, etc., out of your pocket and you look at them and let the memories briefly pass through your mind. Then you decide if it is something to keep or discard and continue on with washing yesterdays dirt out of tomorrow's jeans.

That's right, Father Time is a befuddled old man standing in the Laundromat rummaging through his pockets looking for loose change.

Have a great day today .. and start that pattern over tomorrow