been on hiatus

sorry about the long gap.

Things have been busy around the house and then when it isn't, there really isn't much to say. I have been using much of my free time to gather and organize my poems into some publishable format. I have managed to gather 175 or so of my works.

Things at home are relatively calm.

I will post more later.

yes, it has been 9 days

Here are the highlights:

Been sick with cold/flu thing. I missed Friday due to sickness.

State Program Assessment visit at the school on the 9th .. worked 5 hours overtime on Monday and Tuesday getting ready for it.

High winds blew off part of the guttering and siding, exposing a fascia board that needs to be replaced as well. Sounds like fun for me and the insurance company.

I have been working on organizing my poetry. I have 175 pieces of work in a notebook, so far. We are seriously considering doing the publishing thing.

Other than that, it has been the usual stuff, sleep, eat, beat kids, etc, etc.

New Year off and running

2008 is off and running.

We were glad to see 2007 go. There was so much heartache in it. It is not the we would erase the year, but it would have been nice to spread the sorrow out of a decade rather than 8 months.

Of course, not to be left out, 2008 had to get in it's kick.

Last night as she was getting ready for bed, one of C's friends had to call her and tell her about a mutual friend/classmate that hung himself over a girl not liking him. C had a hard time with it for a bit, then she rebounded. She has decided that no one should have the right to do that to their friends. No one has the right to impose such hurt on their friends and family. She agrees that it is a totally selfish thing to do.

Poor C, she feels things so deeply and is so quick to try to figure out how she could have prevented or changed things. There are just some things you cannot do anything about.

My Dad pastored a church and led a small religious organization while I was growing up. I remember a pastor in Columbus, Ohio, that had a conversation with Dad once while I was with him. It went something like this:

Pastor JG: You know, some of my people think I am Jesus Christ.

Dad: How so ?

Pastor JG: They bring me their problems like I can just fix them all.

Dad: I see.

Pastor JG: You know, the worst thing about that is that sometimes I think I am Jesus Christ as well. because I will take them and try to fix them.

Most things are outside the realm of our control. I can control, with some success, my own life. Even that is a tenuous control. When I drive to work, I control my driving, but not the driving of the 1000 or so that I will drive beside or pass on my way to work and back. In that, if one were looking statistically, I have about a .1% amount of control. I control my actions at school, but have little or no control over the actions of the 300 students that visit our small technical school each day. Again, statistically I have about .33% amount of control.

It is better at home in the control factor, but there are outside influences that i have no control over. I cannot control the weather. I cannot control those that drive by my house each day.

That is something C needs to learn. She is responsible for how she acts or reacts. She is answerable for her actions. The actions of her friends, however hurtful, are outside her realm of control or responsibility.

She says that her strength is a reflection of those that love her. She is a smart kid.

Happy 2008 to all.